The Spin Off 2 – Part 16

"I've just come off the phone from Molly" Lexie announced as she came back into the bedroom the next morning. "Is everyone ok?" Archie asked looking through his mail.

"Aye she says its been snowing like mad there" Lexie replied. Archie laughed out loud. "We're getting Christmas cards already, it's only the first week in December!"

"Well they sound organised" Lexie answered. "Right well I'm gonnae go put some washing on, what time is Lizzie coming over?" Lexie asked.

"Lunch time I think" Archie replied.

"Ok then" Lexie answered picking up their clothes off the floor from the night before.

Lexie dropped down the washing next to the washing machine, she started to sort out the whites and darks washes. "Hmmm looks like dark wash it is" Lexie spoke to herself as she put the clothes in the drum.

Lexie picked up Archie's jacket and stopped, going through his pockets before she put it in the wash. She came across papers and sat carefully unfolding them.

'Manhattan housing properties' she read off the top. Lexie sat there in silence for a moment staring at the piece of paper.

These were right by the new restaurant. Lexie slammed down the papers on the work surface and threw the rest of the washing in the drum and put the washing machine tablets in.

As Lexie walked towards the stairs in rage, she was ready to have a full-blown go at Archie, but something stopped her from climbing them stairs, maybe Archie had an explanation. Lexie decided she was going to let him deal with this in his own way.

Archie came down the stairs fully dressed. "Lex?" he called. "Oh Lex, I just have to pop down to the office"

Lexie was sitting on the sofa curled up in her dressing gown with a cup of tea cupped in her hands. "Will ye be back for lunch?" Lexie asked.

"Yeah of course I will" Archie's voice echoed as she heard the door slam shut.

Lexie rose from the sofa and walked through to the kitchen. The papers sat untouched, she sighed as she put her cup down, the tea leaves caught her eye and the memory became fresh in her mind of when Molly had read hers all them years before. She wondered what they were saying now. 'Beware someone who means a lot to you in your life is about to go and mess things up again and you're going to end up getting hurt… again'

"Archie, I've got a preposition for you" Adam mentioned as Archie entered the office.

"Go on" Archie replied

"I suggested you to the yanks"

"Adam, I hadn't decided yet"

"Calm down, all they want is you to go over for 2weeks, sort of a trail run"

"When?"

"Next week?"

"Next week…look Adam I don't know"

"Come on Arch, you don't have to take the job, its only two weeks without that beautiful wife of yours, surely you can survive"

"What my family can't come with me?"

"Well you hardly want to lug everyone over there with you when you're going to be working everyday"

"Suppose you have a point"

"Oh come on Arch, do it for me, the company"

"Ok then, just give me the details"

"Arch, you've made the right choice"

"I hope so"

"Hello ma wee darlings" Lexie greeted Ellie and Kyla when Lizzie bought them round.

"They've been Angels" Lizzie replied

"Good, thanks for looking after them" Lexie answered

"Lexieee…can I do some colouring pleaseee?" Martha asked tugging on Lexie's top.

"Sure sweetie, there's some paper and crayons in the front room" Lexie replied

"So…" Lizzie began as she and Lexie walked through to the kitchen. Lexie grabbed the papers quickly and stuffed them into a nearby draw.

"Lex?" Lizzie questioned, looking at her worriedly.

Lexie spun round and stood infront of the draws. "Yeah?"

"Did you have a good time last night?"

"Yeah, it wis nice" Lexie replied turning back round and putting the kettle on.

"Lex are you ok?" Lizzie asked

"Yeh, yeh I'm fine"

"You know, when people say there fine, they usually aren't"

"Ok, then I'm good, I'm great…I'm absolutely…Fine" Lexie stuttered

Lizzie moved closer to Lexie and stood to her side so she could see her face. "Lex, you can tell me you know, hey is it the girls…because if it is, I know how you feel, I went through it, and Lex I can take them anytime you want, all you…"

"No, it's not the girls" Lexie interrupted

Lizzie was silent for a moment, then whispered "Is it Arch?"

Lexie didn't look at Lizzie for a while, then she stepped back and opened the draw and picked out the papers, shaking she handed the papers to Lizzie. Lizzie looked confused but took the papers off Lexie and carefully unfolded each fold she opened up the pieces of paper and started to read off the top.

"But Lex…this is in New York" Lizzie commented.

"Er hi" Archie announced standing in the kitchen behind them. Lexie and Lizzie quickly turned to face him. Lexie looked at Archie then back at Lizzie holding the papers. Lizzie looked down at the papers and then back at her brother and then her sister-in-law. Archie looked at the papers in his sister's hand and then stared down at the floor.

The silence was shattered as Martha ran through to them. "Lexie, Lexie" Martha called running up to her and pulling on her top, until Lexie looked down and gave Martha her attention.

"Oh a picture how lovely" Lexie answered

"It's you and Archie there and then Ellie and Kyla. Then me and mummy" Martha explained pointing out 6 stick people with dodgy looking faces and hair.

"It's very pretty, whit's this in the background?" Lexie asked pointing to a tower shape in the corner.

Martha giggled "That's big Ben, we learned about it in school, it's a big tower and tells all of London the right time"

Lexie smiled and gave her niece a hug and kissed her on the head, as she ran off to colour in some more. Lexie smiled the best she could at Lizzie, then muttered "I'm just gonny go put this on the wall" as she walked past Archie and into the living room.

Lizzie shut the door then went and stood infront of Archie. "What the hell do you think your doing?" she shouted at him.

"Lizzie if you just let me explain" Archie replied going to take the papers off her, but she moved away her hand. "New York Archie, New York!" Lizzie answered looking disappointed in him.

"Look I'm not even going…well I am, but nothings defiant" Archie explained

"What do you mean your going?" Lizzie asked confused.

"Adam's asked me to go over there for two weeks, like a trail run"

"And you're going?"

"Yes, I have too"

"No you don't have too, you always have a choice Arch"

"Well this time Lizzie I don't ok"

Archie and Lizzie heard a cry from the other side of the door.

"Da…Daaaa" Kyla wailed

"Look Lizzie I have to see to Kyla" Archie replied

"What are you gonna do when she calls for you and your on the other side of the ocean?" Lizzie answered back quickly.

Archie ignored his sister and opened the kitchen door and picked up Kyla as she snuggled into his chest and sucked her thumb. Archie kissed her on the head and went over to heat up a bottle for her.

"Do you want Bot-Bot Ky?" Archie asked her as she nodded her head against him.

Archie looked round at his sister shaking her head at him, disapproved of the whole situation.

"Mum?" Martha whispered approaching the kitchen quietly.

"What is it honey?" Lizzie asked looking down at her daughter as she crept up close to her and took a look back at her uncle before whispering "Auntie Lexie is crying upstairs"

"Ok sweetie, just you stay here with Ellie and I'll go see if shes all right" Lizzie whispered back shooting Arch a look of anger as he turned round obviously hearing the conversation. He looked a bit concerned but he carried on with what he was doing.

Lizzie left the kitchen checking in on Ellie in the lounge, who was happily watching the teletubbies and walked up the stairs.

Martha stood watching her mother leave, then looked up as her uncle looked across at her, feeling scared she had made him mad by saying her auntie Lexie was crying, Martha quickly ran out of the kitchen to join Ellie in the lounge.

"Lex?" Lizzie asked as she quietly knocked on their bedroom door. She heard no answer so she pushed the door open.

Lexie had put Martha's picture up on the wall and was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled into her chest and looking at the picture.

Lizzie came in and sat down on the bed and waited for Lexie to turn towards her.

Lexie looked back up at the picture. "Ye know I thought I had finally accepted living in London. I moved for Arch before, I moved down here for his job, his dream…and now…now he just wants to move us on again" Lexie cried as Lizzie put her arm round her huddled and lost sister-in-law as Lexie fell against her in tears.

The Spin Off 2 - Part 17

Lexie sat alone in her room after Lizzie had left her. She heard Archie's footsteps coming up the stairs and her heart beat faster as it came close to the door. She didn't know what she was going to say to him, she couldn't stop him going, yet he hadn't fully explained yet, she wasn't sure weather she could face him yet or not.

The footsteps got nearer her door, and then they passed. Lexie looked across at her clock, it was 1:30pm, about the time the girls usually went down for their afternoon nap. Archie must be taking them to bed.

Should she escape downstairs now? Would it make it easier for her to face him if she was already down before him? She hesitated for a moment before opening the door, but she bumped right into Archie coming out of the girl's room.

"Lex" Archie spoke surprised and caught unaware. Lexie went to say something but she stopped and just looked up at him.

"Lex I think…" Archie began

"Shh" Lexie replied

"Lex I think I need to explain" Archie whispered pointing to the bedroom and ushering her back in so he could talk to her.

"Look Lex, I'm not planning on moving us there, and I haven't already done so. All it was, was a few leaflets that Adam had given me, that's all" Archie explained as Lexie sat on the bed not giving him eye contact.

"Any way…I have to go there for the next two weeks, a trail run Adam tells me. Look Lex I'm sorry and I know it's not what you or I wanted at this time but I have to do it. My job depends on it. I'll be home for Christmas and we can all go up to Glenbogle with the family and spend Christmas together." Archie continued waiting for a response from Lexie.

"Lexie say some thing please" Archie pleaded

"Whit do you want me ta say?" Lexie replied staring up at Archie

"That I'm happy you're leaving your family again for two weeks by ourselves. That the girls see less and less of ye every week, that we don't even have a strong relationship anymore, all because of a job? … Yeh anno its your dream, but mebbe my dream is that our family are together for once, that's all I want…it's not much to ask…is it Arch?"

Lexie's words hit Archie hard, and where it hurt, his heart, his feelings. He stood in silence for a minute pondering on what he was next going to say. Lexie couldn't bare the silence any more. She got up and walked past Archie and down the stairs.

Later that night…

Archie walked up the stairs and went to turn the handle of his bedroom door.

"Er Lex, It's locked" Archie called to her

"Anno" Lexie replied

"Well…could you please unlock it for me?" Archie answered

"I don't think so, the sofa will do ye just fine, ye gonny be sleeping by ye self for the next two weeks so might aswell start now eh" Lexie's voice echoed back

"Oh come on Lex that's not fair" Archie whined

"Don't whin about it Arch" Lexie replied bluntly

"Lexie PLEASE you know I'm sorry, what else do you want me to do?"

"Er not go"

"Lex please don't make this difficult for me, you know I love you and the girls"

"Ye and we love you too even though your out of ye heid" Lexie admitted

"Will you let me in then?" Archie's soft whisper came from the other side of the door

"Arch, just gimme some time to think"

"About what?"

"I just need some of ma own space"

"Ok then…night"

"Night…" Lexie whispered back through the door as Archie trailed himself back downstairs and tried to get comfy on the sofa.

Archie turned over on the sofa trying to get comfortable, the cushions kept falling down and the covers kept getting tangled round the cushions and his legs until he had managed to wrap himself in the entire cover and fell off the edge of the sofa with a loud bang.

"Ouch, Ow, Ow" Archie cried in the darkness. Then startled jumped up as the door opened.

"Don't worry it's not the bogie monster" Lexie whispered, as Archie lifted himself back onto the sofa.

"What are you doing it's the middle of the night?" Archie asked whispering back as Lexie came and sat down beside him.

"I'm worried about you" Lexie replied

"Well Lex it's just the sofa I can survive one night…"

"Naw I don't mean just tonight, I mean I'm worried about you, about us, about our family"

Archie grew silent, pondering the thought.

"Lex I don't want to go to New York, I don't want that job, and I'm not going to take it. I'm just going to please Adam, and work for two weeks in New York, then I'm coming home to be with you ok, Cos I love you Lex, more than my life and my job"

Archie felt Lexie fall against him in a hug, it felt good to have her in his arms again.

Lexie held Archie tight, feeling his warmth and comfort. They laid together on the sofa until they both drifted off into a deep sleep.