THE TWO SHELLS

It was two days before Christmas as Duncan was standing on a ladder in the hall putting the peak on the Christmas tree. Archie just came in and saw Duncan balancing on the ladder He was holding in his breath and hoped Duncan wouldn't fall down.

"Duncan?" Archie glanced up at him, while Duncan, startled, yelled out as the ladder tipped over and he fell into Archie's arms, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Och, sorry. Boss." Duncan climbed off of Archie and patted him down as Archie threw his arms out to stop Duncan from going further, "It's all right."

Alarmed by Duncan's blood curdling scream, Jess and Golly bolted into the front hall as Lexie scampered out of the kitchen covered in head to toe flour as she had a smudges of it on her cheeks, "What's that all 'bout? What's gotten into yer heids?"

"Son, all right?" Golly asked as Jess stood there with a harried look. Duncan straightened himself out and put his kilt and sporran in place again. "Och yes, fine." He added frightened, hung his head at first and then a dimple formed in his left cheek as he smiled brightly. He looked behind him to make sure the Christmas tree was still standing with all its ornaments in it. He blew out a breath of fresh relief as it was still looking great. He smiled, again, gave a satisfied nod of his head and retreated out of the room with the ladder, pushing past everyone proudly.

Archie then went to Lexie as his hand wiped off the flour mark one of her cheeks and he kissed her nose, "There you are, Alexandra."

"Here I be, aye?" Lexie's brows rose, at what exactly her husband wanted to chat about…

"My flour queen," Archie, with his finger again, dusted off her other cheek.

"Aye, well, I'm in the mist of baking biscuits when Duncan made that ruckus! Instaneous 'poof' and it good bye baking flour on my countertop and hello to it all on the floor an' meself---which Dunc will mop up!" Lexie bellowed so Duncan could hear her as he walked down the hall.

"I don't do woman's work!" Duncan hollered back to which Lexie replied, "Yer sure gunna, Dunc or yer sleeping with the wolves! What is it Arch?"

Lexie picked up on Archie's anxiety...

"Lexie, I must tell you something. I have to go to Switzerland."

"Molly? What's wrong wit Molly?" Lexie inquired as she knew Molly had gone away with Andrew for a 'dirty' holiday week over Christmas and Hogmanay.

"Mother rang earlier. She has broken her leg and can't travel alone back home."

Lexie then gave a stout pout, "Archie, will you be back in time for Christmas? Andrew, didn't he go with Molly on that trip?"

"Don't know Lexie, I only had her some moments at the phone. And didn't ask where Andrew is, I'm gonna ask it her when I see her. I'm gonna pack some things now."

With a long solemn face, Lexie went back to the kitchen, upset that her husband was going away, and just before Christmas. There was so much to be done those last days.

Duncan drove Archie to the airport as his techno music blared and Archie wasn't sure he could tolerate anymore verses of Zombie Nation's "Oh Oh Oh Remix", but he did. Duncan slammed on the breaks, jerking the vehicle forward and also his and Archie's bodies. As Duncan pulled the standard shift out of gear, jammed up the emergency brake, and with a huge killer grin replied, while pulling out Archie's luggage from the back seat of the truck, "On ya go Boss, enjoy yer flight, be sure to write!"

"I won't be that long, Duncan." Archie reminded Duncan as Duncan's head bowed in a nod, "Och right."

"I'll be back in time for the festivities," Archie waved and entered the airport and ready to check in his bags, get his boarding pass and then climb onto the plane…

On the plane, a young pretty woman was taking a place next to Archie. When he wanted to read the newspaper he could feel she was rubbing her leg up against his, he then eyed her closely, as she glanced back at him. She was a pretty red head with emerald eyes, and seemed very interested in getting to know him all of the sudden. Her presence made Archie uncomfortable…

The redhead inquired, "Where are you off to for Christmas?"

"To Switzerland," Archie added curtly.

"Well so am I…mind me asking, but since you're alone and I'm alone—we could travel on together?" The redhead made a sly move on Archie as her hand found way to his thigh. Archie gave an embarrassed and shocked glance in her direction, which was enough for her to take her hand away, "You're not traveling alone are you?"

The redhead gave a saucy pout and Archie sat there, actually, "I'm flattered by the gesture, but I am a happy married man." Archie stated the last part dead serious, while training his burnt sienna eyes back on the newspaper before him and trying to avoid her.

"A very gorgeous but icy man, I have pity with your wife." The Redhead commented snidely, before returning her eyes back to her magazine.

Now Archie turned red in his face as his mind concluded, 'Me? Icy? Lexie would be laughing about now, or walloping me over the head with the paper for allowing the woman to come on to me in the first place.'

Arrived at Switzerland, where the air was cool and Archie was relieved to have a scarf and heavy coat on, while waiting to hail a cab. Archie took a taxi to Haute Nendaz where Molly was staying at a hotel. In the hotel he went to the reception desk and spoke aloud in French, " Je suis Archie MacDonald et j'avais reservé une chambre. " (I am Archie MacDonald and I have a reservation for a room)

"Hallo, you're welcome to speak English," The receptionist told him with a smile.

"Thanks a lot," Archie replied with an anxious sigh, "My French is a wee bit rusty. I'm actually looking for Molly MacDonald, my mother, in a wheelchair with a broken leg?"

"Yes, sweet woman, she's over there in the lounge," Archie went to the lounge where he found his mum settled in a wheel chair before the fireplace as Molly was delighted to see Archie.

"Hi Mother." Archie said while he gave Molly a kiss.

"Oh Archie, I'm so glad you're here. Well it isn't that the people here aren't kind for me, but to ask every time a stranger to bring me to my room. I don't like to do that."

"Mother, what happened? Where's Andrew?"

Molly's facial features lit right up at her ski adventure which had gone very awry, as she added, "Sorry, the daredevil in me got carried away…I was doing the ski jump and well, I parasailed in the air beautifully, my skis criss crossing at my feet, with the wind blowing my hair out of my dear face and then--- splat, thumper, grumper, bumpity---I toppled and tumbled, until well, crashing, nose diving, into a tree. Hence for my now useless and broken appendage..." Molly's face saddened and her head hung down, while she gave her noggin a momentarily depressed shake.

"And Andrew then, where is he?" Archie asked again unimpressed at Andrew for leaving his mother in such a terrible state…

"I have nothing to say to that cheap-skate. He kept arguing with me the whole time we were here together so I sent him packing. We only had paintings in common, Archie, promise me…" Molly's hand went to her son's… "I'll see your grandchildren one day. I see Martha once or twice a year…"

"Mother, we'll talk about this at home. You know Lexie's not in the same mind for children like I am."

"But---it would be wonderful to have them, no?" Molly grinned still applying pressure to Archie for grandchildren and soon…

"Yes, mother it would be…now we're going to your room, then my own, as I have to ring Lex and tell her I'm here."

Archie stepped behind Molly, released the wheel breaks and then drove his mother in her wheelchair to her room. Archie kissed her cheek and toddled to his room, put the hotel card key in and entered...he jumped first thing on the made bed and dialed out on the bedside phone...

"Lex?"

"Glenbogle House, Lexie speaking…Arch, you're there?"

"Yes, I'm here…"

"You survived the plane ride?"

Archie let out a laugh before explaining the situation with the pushy Redhead, only for Lexie to laugh back, "She didn't even fathom ye're married?"

"I told her, believe me, I informed her…"

"Oh, hurry back…ye're a miss 'ere..."

"I will. Mother and Andrew have split up, so we'll have dinner tonight and sleep on it all before leaving in the morning. I miss you."

Lexie heaved a sad sigh, while hanging up the phone on the cradle and thinking to herself, 'I love you, Arch, come home soon.'

The next day Archie strode Molly into the lounge so that she could read the newspapers. With two hours to kill, before having to arrive at the airport and return home, Archie explored the little snowcapped chalet village on the blustery beautiful morn. The rays of the sun glistened on the snow in front of shops like yodelers singing a yodel in high pitched tune. Everywhere there was a Christmas wreath, hanging from the lampposts. Each wreath had pine boughs with bits of Holly and its distinct red berries tied together with big gold bows. The street lights stood on the sides of the snow covered red brick sidewalks, which were pitter pattered with footprints left from busy shoppers. The picturesque view reminded him a little bit of Glenbogle. 'It's very beautiful here,' he thought warmly, 'maybe I'll take Lexie here on holiday next year...'

In the middle of a shop window, Archie caught a glimpse of something familiar, two shells, one with a blue ribbon and another with pink as they came together forming a puzzle---of a heart. Archie studied the shell gift in the window, whilst gazing away, Archie remembered giving her a gift just like it last year at Christmas. He decided to continue on…as his mind kept floating back to the two shell gift he had given: 'Lexie, imagine those shells are the two of us. I hope one day we can put a little shell between them to complete our love.' Lexie gave Archie a smile as he knew that she still must think back to her own childhood, forced to 'grow up', and being left alone by her dad at age of almost six. Her mother was never there for her. However, as much as Archie expressed having children sooner than later, it didn't help matters, as Lexie still wasn't ready for motherhood. Even if he promised her to stay with her forever because he loved her so much, Archie had a longing for a baby to carry in his arms, their baby, one day.

Archie and Molly rolled home, as Duncan had made way to pick them up at the airport. Mother and son pair admired the Christmas decorations once they arrived at the stone castle residence again, as Lexie ran out from the house to greet them both.

"I'm so glad you're back." Lexie bowled over Archie with a tender embrace and planted her lips firmly to his, before he could even reply. As the 'welcoming' crew of Duncan, Jess and Golly, all listened on to what happened with Molly and her broken leg. Duncan pushed Molly in the library and Jess gave her the latest Highland magazines to read.

On Christmas night, they were all sitting together around the tree and tinkering with the wrapped presents like excited school children, one in particular as Duncan kept shaking his name tagged gifts, while the others were sipping tea and eating warm biscuits that Lexie had made days ago.

"Time fer de pressies!" Duncan shouted out and sent one over to Jess, as he held out the gift to tease her, "Very special one…" and then took it back as Jess reached out for it, only to then finally snatch it back from his grasp. Jess took no time to unwrap the present and open the jewelry box.

"Oh how lovely!" Jess impored and displayed the earrings that Duncan had bought for her as she then gave him a kiss.

"Thanks Dunc, you're such an honorable man," Duncan's left dimple formed again with his bright grin, before he dove into his present.

"Woow a new kilt!" Duncan didn't even run out of the room to change, as he just dressed himself up then and there placing the new kilt over his other one still on his body. He replaced the old sporran with his new sporran, and with a chuckle added, "Molly, fab! Thanks!" Golly then stuck a Christmas cap on Duncan's head and announced, "MacNicholas," as laughter filled the room.

Lexie was delighted with the bracelet she got from Archie. Now Archie was opening the last present, it was something very tiny and after he opened it Duncan peeked over Archie's shoulder and questioned the gift, "Whad's that?"

It was a tiny shell in a little box as Archie stood there speechless. His eyes went to his wife's and then hers went to his, "Is this true?"

"Is it really true?" Archie snatched up Lexie's hands and beamed like a lit up Christmas tree, while gathering her up in his arms and lifting her off the ground.

"Aye, just don't squeeze too hard, or ye won't hear de guid sounds of pitter-pattering…" Archie put his wife down, and grinned from ear to ear, speaking right up, "Mother, everyone…"

"We're having a baby!" Archie and Lexie replied together in sync as Molly couldn't stand it any longer and wrapped her arms first around Lexie and then to Archie to congratulate them.

"You've both made me so happy!" Molly smiled with a glowing face and sparkles in her eyes.

Golly, with a happy nod of his head, handed out wine flutes and Duncan poured the champagne and they all rose their glasses in a toast to…

"The new MacDonald baby! Here Here! Nollaig Beag and Guid New Year!"

The End