Chapter Ten---Extra! Extra! Read all about it! J Molly saves the day!
At the time of the 16 hundred hour…
Lizzie and Lexie over heard Susan talking to Paul and Archie about her plans for getting rid of her father. Paul wasn't happy about Susan's grand sceme and stormed out with Archie following right behind him (mostly out of concern for Paul and trying to get him to go along with Susan's dreamed up plan)…just as Archie and Paul tromped out of the study as Lexie and Lizzie crept in through the sitting room.
"Susan, ye've cracked yer keysta?" Lexie asked, rolling her eyes…
"The only way to getting rid of my father and Henry is through use of bad publicity…If they are seen as awful through village people's eyes, then they will leave and never come back again…"
"Why do you have to engage yerself to Henry to do it?" Lizzie inquired…
"I'm not engaging myself to him. I'm simply bending the truth to put my plan in action…" Susan replied, "The line is ringing…"
As Susan held the phone to her ear…
"Hello, Henry Seaver…"
Susan was about to speak up, when Lizzie whispered and laughed, "Be seductive!"
Susan gave Lizzie a dodgy look…
"Go on, do it," Lexie challenged.
"Hi Henry…I need you to do me a favor…" Susan began as Lizzie and Lexie imitated Susan over the phone. They then made smoochy faces and laughed at each other's "Oh Susan…oh Henry---pucker up babe!"---like they were staring in a Black and White love story on telly as Susan immediately shot them both looks of 'Be quiet!' Lizzie and Lexie kept laughing…
"Susan, I see you've come to your senses, perhaps?"
"Something like that, Henry, I need a few news crews…"
"News crews? What for?"
Lexie and Lizzie gave Susan funny cross-eyed looks trying to make her smile, but Susan remained serious on the phone, "Well to…"
"You want me to propose to you on air, I knew it…" Henry jumped to his own conclusion…
"Yea, something like that…" Susan continued to watch Lexie and Lizzie acting silly.
"Something?"
"I want you to come up at 6pm…"
"Susan, that's a long drive…"
"Fly in on a helicopter, get here, Henry…"
"You're sure?"
'Dreadfully,' Susan's mind added, as she replied, "Of course I am."
"I'll see what I can do…"
"Promise?"
Henry found himself beaming on the other end of the phone… "I promise…"
Susan hung up the phone as Lizzie and Lexie stood there waiting for the verdict…
"So?"
"Yes, he's coming…"
"What does Pauly think about all of this?" Lexie laughed, as she used Paul's childhood nickname…
"He's not pleased," Susan replied, 'He wasn't when he stormed out of here…' Susan's mind formed the thought as she decided to speak up, "I need to find something to wear."
"Ooohhh! Dress up time!" Lizzie shouted aloud as her and Lexie took Susan's arms and carted out of the room. Susan glanced at both women in horror at what they meant as 'Dress up time.'
Susan stood in front of the mirror in her room as Lizzie and Lexie kept holding dresses up to her body and Susan shook her head 'no.'
"C'mon on! The black strap number works!" Lizzie shouted as Lexie agreed with her.
"I'm not wearing a black dress with black heels! I look like I'm going to a funeral for cryin' out loud!" Susan shouted back, "We need to make it believable, not fanatical fable-ish!"
"Ye're going to a funeral alright…the death of ye're relation with Henry…" Lexie joked as Susan grumbled and muttered before the door to the room opened and Paul walked in. He didn't say much, just walked over to the dresser and started pulling out clothes.
"Pauly! Just the man who should be encouraging---?" Lizzie began to speak up only for Susan to cut her off…
"Ye better have a minute," Lexie nodded as she took Lizzie by the arm and they both scurried out of the room. Susan stood there with her head though a coat hanger with a black dress on it as if she were wearing a tie. She pulled the hanger up and over her head and placed it on the bed.
"Paul, don't get this way."
"What way?" Paul muttered as Susan knew he was still upset at the whole scheme that Susan cooked up.
"Paul, I'm not marrying him. I'm stretching the truth. I told you this down in the study."
"I don't like this."
"I know you don't."
"Then don't do it!" Paul stared at her before strongly adding, "You're not wearing that ring…"
"I'm not wearing the ring…" Susan nodded her head.
"You're not going looking like that!" Paul announced as Susan laughed, while she stood there in a body slip.
"Of course not,"
"That's not what I mean! Wearing some shiny number for a…"
"Pauly, stop it."
"I can't stop it! I'm angry Susan. I don't want Henry anywhere near you! The idea with his arms everywhere on you…his lips…his…"
"Ye're getting a wee bit over the top, don't ya think, just a wee bit?" Susan rolled her eyes at Paul and laughed again.
"You think this is a laughing matter!"
"I don't." Susan admitted, "Okay maybe I do…"
"Susan, you're being ridiculous! I need your support, so does Archie…I mean, you can't…"
"Paul calm down," Susan glanced at him, but Paul was pretty much allowing his overprotective streak to take over the conversation with her, "There's no need to rule with an iron fist. I told you, it's just a scheme and it's not true…"
"Then do it another way…"
"Paul, I told Henry to be here…knowing Henry, he assumes I want our proposal announced over the news."
"You're not going to go through with…"
"Will you hush up for a moment, you silly potato head? I used the situation to lure the crews here…Paul calm it."
Paul still didn't like the idea, but concluded, "I get to pick out what you're going to wear."
Susan laughed before presenting him with the pile of disarrayed dresses on the bed, "Be my guest."
Nigel strolled in after he heard his parents arguing, as Lexie and Lizzie had told him to wait in the hall for Susan and Paul to finish talking, "You all right, Mum?"
"Nye, things are just fine," Susan replied as she met Nigel at the door, "I'm getting dressed, you're going to stay here with Megan and the twins and help out some more…"
"I wanna go with you," Nigel begged.
"Not this time, okay?"
"Martha gets to go."
"Martha is younger than you and her mother makes her decisions."
Nigel pouted, "Fine."
"We'll be home after the meeting, Nye, there's no need to look glum," Paul spoke up as he continued to go through the dresses on the bed for something that would cover every inch of Susan's body and then pulled out a brown, long sleeved dress with a skirt that went down to Susan's toes. Paul looked satisfied with his choice and replied, "What do you think, Mum? You should look dauntingly---!"
Susan shook her head as Paul took her dressing up too seriously, "Hideous."
"The point well taken. Get dressed, lovey," as Paul tossed the dress at Susan and she caught it, grumbling again, before rolling her eyes and sticking her tongue out at Paul.
18 hundred o'clock on the dot that same night…
The Village Hall was packed with upset villagers who supported both parties, those who want to keep the land preserve it or those who want to build on it…Susan's father sat down at a table in front of the town counsel as Archie and Paul were sitting at another table. Susan sat with Henry, while Paul kept glancing at her…
"I'm glad you came to your senses," Henry remarked as Susan sat there getting edgy and uncomfortable with Henry's arm around her.
"I see and what makes you think that?" Susan replied with Lexie at her side, listening in on the exchange. Lizzie was sitting next to Lexie with Martha as the twins were being watched by Megan for the next hour with Nigel's help.
"I assumed I had lost you to the heath and then your call hours ago, assured me I was wrong," Henry commented as Lexie and Lizzie tried to keep straight faces—but started to once again, act like they were stars in a black and white love story—mouthing 'Oh Susan—Oh Henry' like there was dramatic music going on in the background of the scene. They were about to burst out in laughter while Susan glanced over at them and then Henry.
"Sorry, just 'avin' a wee freshie mo'…nothin' major," Lexie blushed and Lizzie tried not to laugh, while they waited for the counsel to be seated. Nothing in Glenbogle was ever 'on time' and the antsiness of the verdict of who owns the oldest forest continued to fuel Archie's anxiety.
"I can't stand it-him with her, even if it's untrue." Paul replied low so Archie could only hear it.
"I know. Once this over with, I'm sure things will all be back to normal," Archie commenting about the land grant and lot dispute and Paul commenting about Henry and how his arm was wrapped around Susan's shoulders…both brothers exchanged worrisome glances…
Finally four out of five counsel members arrived, taking their seats at the long table before Archie, Paul and also Susan's father, Mr. Anthony Higgins, III. Edith Rankin was the first to speak via microphone podium as she started to talk, Ferguson McBain, The Appleby twins and other angry villagers started to shout, "No more nonsense, fix this mess!"
"Ye want to know we've a home to go too!"
"Yeah, so stop this madness!"
"QUIET!" Edith Rankin shouted out with a grumble as she silenced the rowdy bunch from the back of the hall. "We're 'ere to discuss the matter of uncertainty for the Glenbogle forest…no whose home is whose and if they'll lose it."
"May I speak?" Archie stood up from the table as Edith's stare went to his face as he took it as a 'yes, you may…if you dare.'
"Look, this a crockery! Pure rubbish! It's mad…I have documentation that the land belongs to GRACE, which I am the trustee of…so why raffle off my land like at a cake bake off? You shouldn't have auctioned it off without coming to me first!"
Edith continued to stare at Archie, "Are you finished, Laird? Think maybe it's time to allow the counsel to make this decision? Not my fault you don't know how to read the fine print on a letter…you rec'd a letter…"
"I know about that letter!" Archie yelled getting exasperated as Paul tried to quiet him down…
"Relax, hollering won't help…" Paul spoke up evenly.
"This land belongs to my client," replied a man in a stiff suit and tie as he stood up from the table, as if he were in court, only Glenbogle Village Hall, was far from a US courthouse…Susan knew it was Mr. James, her father's lawyer as she sat there, getting nervous…
"We have the paperwork here. This is his land closing event, not a hopscotch tournament!"
There was still an empty seat at the counsel table as Edith sat there looking at the other members whispering, "Where's Molly MacDonald? She' supposed to be handling this after talking to Edith this afternoon…"
"I'm here!" Molly called out with a large brown envelope in her hands as she made way through the disgruntled and disenchanted crowd, past Lizzie, Lexie, Susan and Henry, before taking a peek at Archie and Paul…Archie looked frazzled at his mother before speaking up, "Mother? What are you doing?"
"Don't worry, Archie," Molly winked as she made way to the podium at the front of the room with her envelope in tow.
"Good, I was beginning to wonder about you," Edith added, as Edith and Molly had struck some kind of a friendship after Hector's death, which Archie was clueless about…Mr. James spoke up again, "I'm Mr. Higgins legal counsel, my client wasn't told that this closing was a free for all!"
"It's not, ah Mr.---?"
"James."
"Mr. James, yes, well, I assure you there's been a very big mistake, on the part of counsel, which Edith Rankin called my attention too. You see, the village land, that old forest, belongs to me," Molly spoke up quickly as Archie and Paul blinked and silence fell upon the room.
"Huh?" Archie muttered, baffled again. Paul sat there not sure of what to make of Molly's reasoning, while she kept peering over at Archie and Paul.
Mr. Higgins was getting irritated as he spoke up, "I wasn't informed of this matter."
"It's just that a very big misunderstanding," Molly spoke up with a smile,
"You see, Mr.---?"
"Mr. Higgins."
"Oh yes, well, my dear ol' husband left me the trust in my name, which includes the land trust for that forest. You see, my son wasn't given the correct paperwork, and the renewal only comes every three years or so…my husband's been dead for three years just about so to make a very long doodle short, it's not for sale."
As the villagers in the room started to cheer and Edith Rankin shouted out again, "Order! Order!"
"Look, by legal right, I signed paper work with---?"
"We know, but it's a mess up on our part." Edith took the podium helm again.
"My husband left me as first benefactor, and if I had known sooner about the non-renewal of the trust, I would have fixed this mess…something I should have done three years ago after my husband died…" Molly explained quickly while Archie continued to stare at her, waiting for answers, quietly contemplating his guilt for not talking to his mother sooner about the land or GRACE. "Hector was very big on his linage, and providing for his family in any way, shapes, or form, by any means. He wanted to be sure the 'GRACE' was passed down to his next of kin…its not me it should have gone too, but his children and grandchildren. I'm sorry, but the decision of building a housing complex in the middle of an old forest, is out of my hands once the paperwork is signed. I personally, do not want to see this treachery happen, nor do Hector's children."
"What are you saying, Mother?" Archie voiced, trying to make sense of Molly's speech.
"Simple, you're right. The trust should be passed down to Lizzie, you, Archie and Paul. I've got the processed paperwork here. And you're the first benefactors as the children, your children will be the second benefactors. Therefore it is your land." Molly smiled, "I just need your signatures."
"I'm sorry, mother for not talking to you sooner…" Archie began to apologize to Molly.
"Ah, yes, sorry." Paul spoke up as Molly gave both men a loving look, "It's all right darlings, no worry, over and done with, water under the bridge!"
"This is ridiculous," Mr. Higgins started to complain as he threw a glance at Henry and Susan, "I put money down on it fair and square."
"You'll be getting back every shilling," Edith commented as Molly walked over to Archie and Paul, while waving Lizzie up to the table for the signing of the papers, "As on that ditty, this matter has been dismissed and there will be no closing today or ever for the Glenbogle forest."
Lizzie, Archie and Paul signed the trust paperwork as villagers started to file out of the hall…Paul smiled at Molly, "It's very nice of you to include me."
"You're Hector's linage too. The forest belongs to you as well and I want you and Archie to succeed on running the village…like you should under duel lairdship," Molly grinned back at Paul. Mr. Higgins strolled up to Susan and Henry angry, "You said, it would be simple…the deal would be simple…"
"It wasn't simple, now was it?"
"What are you both talking about?" Susan gave a look at Henry and then her father.
"Business."
"Man's business."
"Well, I'd like to know for starters, Man's business or not," Susan stopped herself as her father replied, "No hand in marriage, since the deal fell through…"
Susan didn't like what she was hearing, "You made a deal with my father…"
"We were partners about building that housing complex," Henry spoke up, noting Susan's anger.
"Well, that just explains everything!" Susan snapped, "You were both using me! I'm---forget it, Henry. I had no plans on marrying you to begin with!"
"What does that mean? That's why you weren't keen on wearing the ring today?"
"I means, and I'll spell it out for you: I. Never. Wanted. To. Marry. You. I played your own game and tricked you my own way. How's that for fine apples! I don't get mad, Henry, I get even! Here's your ring, go fetch it! Since you love to play beck and call for my father! I had been meaning to send that ring back to you days ago!" Susan launched the diamond ring across the room as it landed under the counsel table, with a clink on the floor. Henry wasn't sure of what to believe as he started to speak, Susan cut him off boldly, "Henry, I quit the paper-final and last time! This is it, I resign! No more calls about articles! We're through!"
Lexie and Lizzie stood there with Martha at the side entrance listening to Susan 'play' her role on getting even with Henry and her father.
Susan started in again, only this time at her father as she knew he leave once bad publicity was coming his way… "I never ever want to see you here ever again. You're not wanted here. You never were. If you thought that pulling this stunt would just bring me back to you, it NEVER worked and never would! There are enough reporters outside to drag your donkey through the mud and back so you'll never ever be looked at as someone good here ever again!"
Susan had followed her plan to a tee—the news crews were there to chat about the land dispute and how Archie and Paul won as Henry and her father believed the cameras were there for the land and also for Henry and Susan's marriage proposal…as Archie and Paul had made way to the entrance of the Glenbogle Village Hall, news crews were lined up for interviews and also reporters from everywhere. Susan traveled out from the side entrance of the hall meeting up with Lexie, Lizzie and Martha. The front walk way of the hall had sounds the clicking of cameras, scenes of the microphones up in the air and also the brothers talking on about how they won the best land dispute in the history of Glenbogle, by just being Hector MacDonald's sons. In the interim of it all, Paul caught a glimpse of Susan walking away towards the truck with Lexie, Lizzie and Martha.
"It's very important to the village that people learn to preserve our environment. There was never a doubt in our minds that we'd lose the grant renewal for sure since we both run the land trust. However---?" Archie was a mid of his statement to a paper and magazine…a news telly crew…
"We need to give thanks to the woman in charge of this press conference…"
"Susan Thatcher Higgins---she did it!" Janey yelled out, knowing who she was and trying to spread the good word.
"Yes her," Paul nodded…as Archie and Paul continued to dazzle the news teams for a good solid hour.
Paul and Archie finally arrived back at the house about an hour later. They traveled into the front foyer, both seeking out someone, anyone, Lexie, Lizzie, maybe Susan nearby by before finally making way towards the kitchen and the laughter…
"That's Mum!" Nigel shouted as he pointed out his mother wearing a huge hat with a big daisy on it and in a summer dress…there was a boy standing next to her…Lizzie started laughing at who the boy was and what he was wearing…
Lizzie and Nigel (and Lexie too) were going through the photo box. Paul noted the box and the photo, which was a very vivid memory and then replied, "Snapshots, huh? Ones that remain to be hidden!"
The familar-looking boy in the photo was dressed up like an 'old lady' in a oversized pink coat and a floral skirt…Lizzie replied, "That's you wearing earrings and make-up to match!"
Paul snatched the photo up off of the table while he became embarrassed and Lizzie added, "Oh Paul, nothing wrong with photo's of one's past, aye? I tell ya I'm admirin' the skirt look ye've got goin on 'ere!" Lizzie busted out in laughter…
Paul returned the photo back into the box as Lizzie snatched it out again, holding up the photo for Lexie to see as she laughed too at the nine year old Paul standing grumpily beside a very happy five year old Susan.
"Well, you won't be seeing my legs again so take a nice long gander at that photograph!" Paul joked back as he laughed too.
Lexie added with a laugh, "not until Hogmanay!"
Paul blew out a breath, "Where's Susan? Speaking of my childhood partner in crime…"
"Ye know she let into Henry and her father good at the hall…" Lexie began as she stood up for the invisible Susan…
"Yea?"
"Yes, we witnessed the whole thing, deserves an award for that performance," Lizzie backed up Lexie, as she and Nigel continued to look at the photos.
"Yea? Well, where is she?" Paul posed his question again…
"Ye're not still cross wit Mum?" Nigel asked his father as Paul replied, "No, don't worry…"
"She's down at the loch," Nigel replied as Paul was then out the door within seconds…
Chapter Eleven—Simple truths and other fine surprises J
How many of you people out there
Been hurt in some kind of love affair
And how many times do you swear that you'll never love again?
How many lonely, sleepless nights
How many lies, how many fights
And why would you want to put yourself through all that again?
"Love is pain,' I hear you say
Love has a cruel and bitter way
Of paying you back for all the faith you ever had in your brain
Susan found her own inner peace at the loch as she sat herself down on the rocks. She felt relieved, like a brick had been lifted to just tell Henry off once and for good. Nigel was inside the big stone house, running around with the twins and Minnie, as Lexie and Lizzie were busy chatting with each other while cooking in the kitchen together. Susan had felt the need to slip away from them. It was nearing Christmas Eve, pretty soon the festivities would begin…Susan kept thinking about what was next on her list…finding a new job or actually trying to enjoy being unemployed? She was too much of a busy body to sit still…her mind shifted to Paul and Archie and the whole madhouse press conference, as informal as it was, that she had managed to put together—not only for their benefit but to run her father out of the village.
"That was quite a show you missed down at the hall, Suz."
"It wasn't a show for me. I did it 'cause I felt I owed Archie and you that much, since the article and all," Susan spoke modestly.
"You don't owe anything, Suzy."
How could it be that what you need
the most
Can leave you feeling just like a ghost?
You never want to feel so sad and lost again
One day you could be looking
Through an old book in rainy weather
You see a picture of her smiling at you
When you were still together
You could be walking down the street
And who should you chance to meet
But that same old smile that you've been thinking of all day
You can turn the clock to zero, honey
I'll sell the stock, we'll spend all the money
We're starting up a brand new day
Susan smiled as she knew Paul was coming up behind her, but didn't turn her head to glance at him. He parked himself down on a rock next to her as they could both feel the cool air on their faces as Susan had a hat on her head and her hands in mittens with a down coat on, she laughed, "You still wear that tatty old thing?"
Paul tipped his gray cap, "Of course I do."
"It needs to be put into retirement," Susan joked soundly as Paul laughed,
"But I like this cap."
"You hide well behind it."
"I don't hide."
"Yes you do," Susan laughed again.
Turn the clock all the way back
I wonder if she'll take me back
I'm thinking in a brand new way
Turn the clock to zero, sister
You'll never know how much I missed her
Starting up a brand new day
Turn the clock to zero, boss
The river's wide, we'll swim across
Started up a brand new day
It could happen to you - just like it happened to me
There's simply no immunity - there's no guarantee
I say love's such a force - if you find yourself in it
And sometimes no reflection is there
Baby wait a minute, wait a minute
Wait a minute, wait a minute
Wait a minute, wait a minute
"I heard from Lexie and Lizzie what happened in the hall after people filed out of the place. I heard you deserve an Oscar for letting into Henry the way you did."
"Yes, well, I had every intention, and I told you so, of telling Henry I wasn't getting hitched to him and that I was destined to stay unemployed from that paper for now on. I also sent the ring via 'air mail' as it landed under the counsel table…" Susan gave a laugh as she continued, "I did as I said I would, used him to help the main cause out and put my father in his place. I bet he's on his way back to Texas right now as we speak."
"Unemployed," Paul chuckled…
"It's been ages since I've had no one to answer too, of course, I don't know what I'm going to do for financial stability. Perhaps I'll continue being a 'rent a reporter'…I am..."
"Feeling free?"
"I'm feeling more than free. It's over with, I don't have to worry about working in an over populous, always on the go, world busiest, traffic jam packed city and instead I can breathe some what clean air," Susan bowed her head and returned her gaze out to the loch.
"Good," Paul gave a nod of his own head, before smiling at Susan, "Don't worry about a thing Susan, we'll sort it out."
"You honestly believe we can sort this out?"
"Honest."
Turn the clock to zero, honey
I'll sell the stock, we'll spend all the money
We're starting up a brand new day
Turn the clock to zero, Mac
I'm begging her to take me back
I'm thinking in a brand new way
Turn the clock to zero, boss
The river's wide, we'll swim across
Started up a brand new day
Turn the clock to zero buddy
Don't wanna be no fuddy duddy
Started up a brand new day
"I love you," as the whispered words fell out from Susan's lips and moved like music notes into Paul's ears.
"What's that?" Paul wanted to be sure he heard her right…and he did…
"Paul, I love you," Susan turned her head to look at him and gave him another beam.
"Thank you," Paul joked to Susan as she rolled her eyes—remembering how she reacted towards him two days ago when he told her he loved her again.
I'm the rhythm in your tune
I'm the sun and you're the moon
I'm a bat and you're the cave
You're the beach and I'm the wave
I'm the plow and you're the land
You're the glove and I'm the hand
I'm the train and you're the station
I'm a flagpole to your nation - yeah
Stand up all you lovers in the world
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl
Stand up all you lovers in the world
Starting up a brand new day
I'm the present to your future
You're the wound and I'm the suture
You're the magnet to my pole
I'm the devil in your soul
You're the pupil I'm the teacher
You're the church and I'm the preacher
You're the flower I'm the rain
You're the tunnel I'm the train
"That's the issue, isn't it! Ye're getting' back at me for not saying it sooner…" Susan gave his shoulder a playful hit, like they were kids again. Paul laughed, falling backwards off the rock, clutching his chest as if his heart had been wounded, and dramatically fell onto the ground (on purpose).
"You're still a light weight!" Susan punned as she tried to help him up by offering him a hand. Paul accepted it and stood up, brushing off the dirt from his legs, "I am not."
"You are too."
"I am not."
"Yes, you are," Susan snatched Paul's gray cap up off of the ground and handed it back to him. Only for his hands to latch onto her and capture her into a warm embrace. "Your scuffed chin…" Susan drew her finger to his chin and traced the scar…
Stand up all you lovers in the world
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl
Stand up all you lovers in the world
Starting up a brand new day
You're the crop to my rotation
You're the sum of my equation
I'm the answer to your question
If you follow my suggestion
We can turn this ship around
We'll go up instead of down
You're the pan and I'm the handle
You're the flame and I'm the candle
Stand up all you lovers in the world
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl
Stand up all you lovers in the world
We're starting up a brand new day
"Yea famous scar. Still there I'm afraid," Paul gave a laugh, "The one your mother and my mother fought about, whether, I needed stitches or not. I bet they are still havin' a row 'bout it up in the heavens right now…"
"I wasn't even born yet, when you fell off those concrete steps outside of the building mum lived in! It looks as if my mother was right about you havin' them- Even though your mother said no!"
"My mother and I were visiting your mum since she was on bed rest with her pregnancy with you--- that day…that was so long ago, being four years old."
"I remember when you moved in next door to Mum, Claire an' me years later."
"Oh good lord, that was a long time ago, mum and me were moving back from London to Yorkshire."
"Yea…Paul, there's something to tell you…" Susan's face dropped, while Paul's hardened with a "What?"
"I didn't exactly tell you how Claire really is."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," as Susan parked herself down in the rock again, "She finished up her studies for the year at University in Glasgow, but in August, she got ill."
"Ill?" Paul cast a sympathetic glance at Susan before sitting down beside her on the rock. Susan's face remained focused on what she had to say.
"You've known about my mum for years…Paul, years ago, mum's heart condition, her problem, passed onto Claire."
"Claire's got a bad heart?"
"Had one. Had a bad heart until a transplant surgery saved her months ago," Susan explained more, Paul listened closely, "I hardly answered you about how Claire really was, because I believed you didn't need to concern yerself with it. Sorry…"
Paul pulled her closer to him, "How is she now then?"
"Claire's done a complete turn about. I mean she spent the mid summer of being sick at a hospital in Inverness to the autumn finally getting a donor, and with Aunt Marjorie at her side when I couldn't be. Ever since Mum's been dead, Aunt Marjorie has been a godsend…after the surgery and even now, she's opened her farm up to Claire for her recovery when I was---?"
"Working in London?"
"Yea, I came up here also for Claire too…not just for Nigel," Susan found herself talking on about her mother, "Mum had two children, never once married, lived a normal life as possible, even when pregnant twice and put on bed rest for her heart—until her own transplant surgery upon decades ago…she lived on borrowed time until a year ago. I miss my mother but I couldn't imagine losing Claire on top of it. More frustrating is waking up to a phone call, thinking Claire was dead---I was so frightened…" Susan had tears streaming down her cheeks as Paul held her close, "It's all right."
Susan pulled away, wiped her cheeks and tried to pull herself together, as
Paul consoled, "My mum died so long ago that I didn't allow myself to move on until now. The grieving gets better Suz, it does."
Archie had managed to walk down to the loch in search of Paul and Susan, as he approached them, he hollered out, "Hello! Hey! Phone rang---someone for Susan and it's someone who wants to talk to her…and won't accept anyone taking messages…"
Susan and Paul stood up, while Archie stated, "Freezing out anyway, come in, Lex and Liz have dinner underway…" the trio then traveled towards the house.
Susan entered the study with a following as Lexie handed her the phone with a huge grin plastered on her face as Susan asked, "Who is it?"
"Ye'll fend out…Go on! The suspense is a killa!" Lexie joked with encouragement, an impatient tap of her foot and then handed over the receiver to Susan, who was now peering over to Paul with a baffled look on her face, and then to Lexie in another crazed stare. Susan turned away from the group as she answered, "Yes, this is she…"
Archie smiled, and Paul inquired, "Who's she talking to?"
"The Scotsman's editor in chief," Lizzie chagrinned as she stood beside Nigel and Martha while everyone listened in…
"First off how did you find---yes, I could start tomorrow I s'pose, if need be…Tuesday? Meeting Tuesday?" Susan's eyes lit right up, as Molly entered the room…
"Who's she talking to?" Molly inquired as Paul turned to her, "The Scotsman?"
Molly gave a look and then replied, "Oh…" before her eyes grew wide, "Oh!"
Susan continued to listen to the instructions and added, "Thank-you. Tuesday yes." She placed the receiver back into the cradle as her face dropped while she turned her body to her 'audience.' Her eyes cast upon the spying bunch…
"Well? What is it then?" Lexie replied with excitement as she stood there with her arms folded, "An' I don't mean who won the race between the tortoise and the hare so out with it!"
"Who won that race?" Archie turned to Paul in a joking fashion.
"The tortoise I believe." Paul jokes right back as Lexie glared at both men for mocking her…
"What is it, Mum?" Nigel started to beg too…Susan's face remained blank, "I don't believe this insanity," as she shook her head.
"What?" Lizzie asked getting antsy.
Susan's face, which was once blank, filled with emotion as her lips curved upwards into a fashionable smile, "I've a job an' I start Tuesday! I'm writing for The Scotsman!" The group started to cheer as Susan wrapped her arms around Paul and then Nigel and kissing them both.
The End
Brand New Day by STING J