Nollaig anmoch (Christmas Night)
Archie, Lexie and Lizzie returned home to a gathering or warm friendly faces in the main sitting room of the house, as presents were nearby, still neatly wrapped and waiting to be opened.
"Presents!" Lizzie shouted aloud, "We have to open those presents!"
"Or could wait until Hogmanay," Archie joked, as Lizzie jabbed him with her elbow, "It's not 1700's and we're not being punished for Bonnie Prince Charlie anymore!"
"Don't let Father hear you say that or he'll strike from the heavens. Besides Christmas wasn't celebrated way back when…"
"Archie, I know, Pagan holiday! Pagan holiday!" Lizzie shouted it loudly and off key to annoy her brother who just simply let out a huge sigh, "If Father was here he'd be washing your mouth out with soap!"
Lexie waltzed over to a chair and sat herself down, as Molly glanced her way, "All right? Need a pillow?"
"Molly, just fine," Lexie tried to rest her arm while she glanced at Nigel and Martha.
"I found your elves," Susan commented as she heard from Molly about MacNicholas's elves mopping up the kitchen floor and due to the slippery surface that was how Lexie skidded and fell on her wrist and arm.
"I'm very sorry, Auntie Lexie for breaking you," Martha sniffled as she went to hug her before walking over to her mother for a hug too.
"Oh Martha, it's the thought that counts, at least me floor is done and it's something Unc Arch doesn't 've to do," Lexie spoke with X's and O's, hugs and kisses as she winked at Nigel, "Ye helped her?"
Nigel hung his head and confessed, "Aye, sorry."
Moments later, Lexie sat in her seat watching the children open their presents as her eyes wandered to a corner of the room, there Lili stood, with a wrapped gift in her hand and nodding with a huge smile to her cousin…Lexie couldn't breathe…she knew she was seeing things…Lili was opening up a Christmas present, and showing of her snow shoes, a present she received from her father last year …as she then vanished, waving at Lexie fondly.
"Lex?" Archie glanced up at her as Lexie stared into space, not sure if she could say what she just saw right then.
"You all right?" He asked as Wayne and Jayne came up to Lexie shaking their bells, a gift from Martha…
"I'm fine, me guess, what's that sayin' that Lili would always say when ringing bells? Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings?"
Archie nodded with a smile.
Minnie the smart little wonder, stood herself up by way of the short coffee table not far from Lexie's chair as Jess was filming the Christmas tree, and the room of full of opened and unopened presents and love ones of Duncan…
"Minnie," Jess called out to her and hoping she's look into the camera, "Smile pretty for Dada!"
"Minnie—Oh My!" Lexie noted the little one, Maeve, take one step, two step, three step as her little bow legged stance brought her to the chair and Lexie's lap! Minnie took her first steps and on camera!
"She did it! Did you see that?" Lexie shouted out as the room cheered, Golly stood there and replied, "Hoorah Lil' Yank!"
Minnie being quite proud of her self giggled and smiled as Lexie tickled her under her chin and then Lexie announced, "Again!"
Molly helped Lexie turn Minnie around so she could show of her walking talent. Archie knelt nearby as he held out his arms to the almost one year old toddler. Paul stood to Archie's left and nearby and smiling…Minnie started again, one step, two step, three step, four step as a big beam formed, and from her lips escaped, "Dada!" as she latched herself onto Paul, without falling down! Archie glanced at his brother, Paul peered back at him while scooping up Minnie as Archie spoke up, "Okay then, she's picked out her keeper hasn't she?"
Jess then turned off the camera…
I brought you something close to me,
Left for something you see though you're here.
You haunt my dreams
There's nothing to do but believe,
Just Believe.
Just Breathe.
Duncan was at the local post centre getting his next package for Minnie ready to send off. As he stood in line, he waited for the next available attendant. He was about to approach the postage desk when he heard from behind, in a thick Irish accent, a Dubliner accent, "You spring chicken, still wearing a kilt, I see before me?"
Duncan turned as he stared at Fergal Maclure, "You? Ye? What?"
"I'm in New Zealand mind you. Ya know, 4000 acre wildlife park?"
"Och of course, me remember!" Duncan and Fergal shook hands.
"What ya doin' down this way? Long ways away from the Scottish Highlands are ya?"
The attendant then stated, "Next, sir," as she waited for Duncan to approach the postal desk as he turned to Fergal.
"I'll be seeing ya," Fergal, carrying a backpack on his back made way to the front door of the post office and walked outside, Duncan turned to the postal worker and added, "Excuse me."
Another day, just believe,
Another day, just breathe
Another day, just believe,
Another day. Just breathe.
I'm used to it by now.
Another day, just believe.
Just breathe. Just believe.
Just breathe.
Lying in my bed,
Another day, staring at the ceiling.
Duncan tried to catch up with Fergal as he shouted out, "Hey!"
"Ya Duncan?" Fergal turned around and they met each other face to face on the street.
"Just wonderin' how the wildlife park is…um."
"Duncan, I'm on my way to London. I don't know how the park is, fine I s'pose."
"London?"
"Me brother, Kieran, the one I gave a kidney too, is ill in hospital and no one in Dublin could help 'em so they shipped him to London." Fergal shrugged his shoulders, "So I'm on my way back, I never stay in one place for very long, Duncan, ya know this."
"I see." Duncan's head bobbed up and down.
Just breathe, Another day.
Another day, just believe.
Another day.
I'm used to it by now.
I'm used to it by now.
Fergal noted the package in Duncan's arms as he asked, "Never sent it?"
"It's a package for me daughter," Duncan smiled proudly as Fergal gave him an odd look.
"A daughter ya say?"
"Aye, my Minnie."
"Minnie?"
"She's not quite one, turning it after Hogmanay."
"Aye, well, I'm hoping to see Katrina soon," Fergal added fondly, as his mind thought of Katrina sweetly. He spoke as if his love her, hadn't the changed the day she dumped him years ago because he was going to New Zealand.
Just breathe. Just believe.
Just breathe. Just believe.
Just believe. Just breathe.
Just believe.
Another day, just believe.
Another day.
"Katrina?" Duncan posed a question, unsure if she was still around after everything she put Archie and Lexie through the days before they wed.
"Yea, not sure…have you heard from her?" Fergal asked, hoping Duncan would clue him in on her whereabouts.
"Aye, um, I haven't seen the likes of her since Archie an' Lexie's wedding day."
"Archie and Lexie wed?" Fergal replied thoroughly confused, thinking Katrina had actually broke it off with him for Archie's affections and remembering Lexie being sweet on him and asking him to a rave which he declined when telling her he was with Katrina.
"They had a beauty on a hillside. It was quite a remarkable ceremony."
"An' you, are you married too?" Fergal tried to piece together where Duncan got a daughter from…
"I was," Duncan's voice drifted off…as he started to sadly think about his wife and how her birthday had passed just recently…
Another day, just believe,
Another day, just breathe,
Another day (I do believe).
Another day (so hard to breathe)
Another day (not so hard to believe)
Another day, Another day. J
"You were?" Fergal asked, not knowing he had posed a question which struck a sore spot within Duncan's heart. Duncan spaced out and then returned his sight to Fergal.
"Ya, anyway, um, well, I best be going…"
"Duncan," Fergal replied as he watched Duncan start to wander back towards the post centre.
"Yea?" Duncan turned back to face Fergal, still dressed in a tee shirt, with his kilt swinging with his hips and his combat boots still on his feet, as his rustic look, hadn't changed one bit since he had come to New Zealand.
"I could deliver that there package for you," Fergal offered, knowing he'd show up in Glenbogle for clues about Katrina.
"Och, oh, well, maybe…ye're goin' back right?"
"Yea, I am. Dun worry, I'll make sure it gets there." Fergal offered, "I'd be honored to help ya know."
"OK, well, make sure Minnie gets dis. Um, I also want you to wish Lex, Arch an' everyone a Happy Christmas and Guid Hogmanay from me. Send Gol, me regards."
"Will do," Fergal accepted the package and then asked, "What are ya doing here anyway?"
Duncan replied, still wondering the answer to the same question as he started to become actually homesick, "Findin' meself, oh wait, uh, workin' at a vineyard, South Bogle."
Fergal gave him a bizarre look and then realized who he was talking to and knowing it was still Duncan, "Well then, have fun, enjoy and may I see you in the Highlands soon?"
Duncan couldn't answer him as he still had his return flight ticket stashed in his room at the vineyard and every night he continued to stare at it, wondering when he wanted to go home. Duncan had been in New Zealand for almost three months now and spoke up, trying to be at least mysterious, "Aye, one day when it's least to be expected."
The End
Breathe by Telepopmusik J