Chapter 12-Dear...I'm really sorry...
Lexie ran into the sun room to survey the damage from the party in the meantime she picked up Minnie as she become teary-eyed as Pamela wandered back into the room.
"You shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting, Lexie..." Pamela stated firmly and Lexie tossed her a look as she didn't want to deal with her mother at that moment and spoke up, "My body, mummy dearest, I'll do as I like!" Lexie tossed one last smug look and then carted Minnie out of the room...
Alex, Ewan and Claire continued to clean up the mess, smashed cake, broken toys, and party bowls while Megan put down the twins for a nap, Killwillie, Flora and Zelda had bid adieu as Lexie then sat down in a chair with Minnie in the playroom. Golly just watched everything unfold as he wandered into the playroom to check to make sure Lexie was okay.
"I was afraid of this, lass..." Golly replied instantly as he stood beside Lexie and then knelt down before her. Lexie held in the tears, mostly because she never got emotional over silly things, but Minnie being taken away wasn't silly.
"Golly, he's taking her away..."
"Mebbe so, mebbe not, it's Duncan, he usually does what the majority says to do. Mind you he's a boy trapped in a man's body, our Duncan, he wouldn't hurt a fly or let alone you. Ye're his best pal—always have been in some case or two. You wanted him to go off to gallivant around the world did you not?"
"Aye, I did, but he can't spring something like this on me, on us, Golly—I told him to go off and get over Lili and instead he comes back to take Minnie away. It's just not fair! I guess that's how the cookie crumbles, aye? Minnie belongs with people who love and care about her. Who does Duncan know in New Zealand if she gets sick, hungry or hurt? No one Golly, he's making a really big mistake. I know what I said to him to help him go off, but I wasn't expecting this hub-bub." Lexie rolled her eyes and then hugged Minnie who played with the strands of Lexie's hair and then also her necklace...her little fingers curled around the glassy buttons of Lexie's sweater as she studied the fashions of 'Auntie Lexie' one by one until Golly made a funny face at her and she smiled warmly before wrapping her little arms around 'Auntie' Lexie even more, "I'm her family too Golly, not just Duncan."
"You need to have word with Duncan about all of this,"
"I need to hit that bam pot upside the head—a good ol' wackin' on the noggin with a frypan! That's what I need to do! He's lost all of his marbles!" Lexie emotionally charged snickered out, while Golly laughed and teased, "Doesn't do any good, we've done it before...I've come to the conclusion he lost the last marble that rolled around in his pea-sized head ages ago...or he never had it to begin with."
Lexie's mouth went into a half smile after Golly grinned at her again and then her face saddened at the thought of Duncan running away with Minnie.
Archie entered the room as he watched Golly and Lexie converse for a moment before interrupting, "Lex, you all right?"
"Arch, he wants to take her away..." Lexie's voice trailed when her eyes caught sight of Duncan, with his head hanging, as he peered into the room around the door frame. It took a lot for Archie to talk Duncan into speaking with Lexie after the scene in the driveway, "I can see you, you foolish bam pot."
Duncan scooted into the room, "I'm really sorry, Lex, I didn't?"
"You should be, very sorry," Lexie turned her head away from Duncan, giving him a silent treatment while she stared at Minnie.
Duncan began, "I went off and I like New Zealand, Lex, it's a great place for a family, a great place for Min and me-I shouldn't have said it to you in the drive that way, but I made friends while I was there..."
"I don't want to hear this! You're being the biggest Scottish bubble brain I've ever met! And I'm the bubble popper pin so POP! There it goes you dafty airhead of a Scotsman-ergh! We're your family, Duncan! We're Minnie's family! She's got a home here and she knows what this place is like, you canna come waltzin' in 'ere and doin' a runner with her!" Lexie held Minnie to her as Duncan replied, "You suggested to me about going off an' leaving her with you. I did that an' look; she's so attached to everyone here! She doesn't even recognize me as her flesh an' blood! You told me Lili would want me to move along, and for the most part I have. You told me I should go and make Min and me a new life. An' soooo I'm planning on taking her to New Zealand with me..."
"Over my dead body you will," Lexie stood up from the chair with Minnie in her arms and snapped out at Duncan, "You won't be taking her back with you so write your friends and tell them so! Tell them where to shove it up their keysta and blow it out of their ears! I'm taking her up for a nap...if I find her missing from her cot within hours, I will hunt you down like a stag on gaming party day and hang yer corpse out to dry! You got me? You betta! Excuse me."
Lexie motherly trotted off with Minnie in her arms and way from Duncan. Duncan looked at, Archie and then Golly for 'how to handle Lexie' advice, as Archie spoke up, "Well that went well, didn't it?"
"No it didn't Archie. She's plain cross with me, even when I took her suggestion three months ago. Gol, you were beyond right...I know leaving Min was wrong and I came back. This is all rubbish, Lexie getting this way is all rubbish!"
"I'll talk to her Duncan." Archie spoke right up again, "For now just steer clear of her, it's mostly those baby hormones...Lexie just wants what's best for Minnie,"
"She's my daughter, Archie and I want what's best for her too."
"Yes, I know this...but getting through to Lexie, you know this Duncan, is going to be really hard to do. She's grown extremely close to Minnie since Lili died and you left, she's taken her under her wing..."
Duncan grumbled "I know that," under his breath and stalked out of the room just as Claire passed him in the hall, "You look like someone shot your dog? What's wrong?"
"I wish that were the case if I had a dog! Everything is wrong, Claire. Apparently, I cannot do right!" Duncan sighed, hung his head and cradled it in his hands as he had parked him self on the front foyer steps. Claire carrying a garbage bag set it down and then sat her self beside Duncan.
"You're going to be okay you know..."
"I just wanted to come back, start something fresh and new with Minnie...I told, I told Emily that I'd bring Minnie back and go back to the vineyard for work."
"Emily?" Claire asked with a very soft smile, "Girlfriend?"
"Not exactly girlfriend, if you know what I mean... she's a girl but a friend," Duncan explained as his brows went up at the girl part and down at the friend bit to Claire.
"Okay, so you write her, tell her you're having difficulties at home and you're not sure about coming back...tell her you need a couple weeks to get a clear decision if she can give you that..." Claire advised as Duncan's face remained puzzled, "What's wrong?"
"The thing is I'm not really sure I want to leave."
"Okay, so you write Emily a note and tell her how you're feeling and that you won't be returning back to New Zealand for the sake of Minnie and then tell her that you're really sorry," Claire smiled, leaned in, and placed a hand on Duncan's, "She very lucky to have a friend like you and if she appreciates you, she'll understand completely why you can't leave Glenbogle, right?"
Claire released Duncan's hand, gave his back a pat, grabbed the garbage bag and slung it over her shoulder before taking off for the kitchen to return to clean up duty with Ewan. Duncan then let out to himself, "Right."
Paul entered the front foyer, as he glanced at Duncan and then walked right past him. Duncan decided to take matters into his own hands, "Paul."
Paul stopped short in the middle of the hall, and turned right around on the balls of his feet. Paul paused as he didn't want Duncan to pick another fight with him so he noted with caution, "I'm under strict instructions to stay away from you..."
"I know, I know."
"No you don't know. You're being daft wanting to take Minnie away from Lexie's care. She's done a lot for you, Duncan and it doesn't matter if Minnie thinks I'm her Dada or not. I'm not her father and you are. Instead of getting all bent out of shape with me, think about the consequences of taking Minnie away from a place, a place that all she knows. You can throw another punch at me if you like, but I'm right and you know this. I heard you talking to Claire just now. If you're unsure about leaving, then why go? You know leaving is a big risk...and that's why you're uncertain. I've been there Duncan, I've been around the block or two and Archie was very fortunate to give us both a roof to live under..." Paul then darted off down the hall, relieved to get what he had to say to Duncan, of his chest.
Duncan stood there, he could have gone after Paul and actually disagreed with everything he just said, probably could have thumped him again...but Duncan didn't do it...in fact he actually agreed with him. Duncan sighed, as he then took off up the steps and towards his room.
Duncan walked inside, and started to go through his junk drawer and then this luggage before finally setting his eyes and his fingertips of a photo of Emily. It was actually Emily caught completely off guard sporting a silly mug, sticking her tongue out at him and waving her arms for him to go away. Duncan had snapped that photo one night while working late in the tavern. He then opened his sporran on his kilt and pulled out an address of the vineyard...well it was a brochure and actually Duncan was on it.
Duncan parked himself on the bed after opening the nightstand drawer. He now had a pen and a pad in his lap as he stared at the photo of Emily and the brochure and began to write...
Lexie had set Minnie down for a nap on her cot as the twins slept in their beds too. She nestled up all three children with their blankets, kissed all of their heads, and then sat her self down in a rocking chair in the corner of the room. As her mind then floated off to the day of the twins first birthday...Lili was alive, Duncan was ecstatic to be a father to an almost six month Minnie and they were very happy together—they were all happy together like in a fairytale land. It was a beautiful day on the beach of the loch as Molly had set up many parasols for shade and there was a table full of goodies, a punch bowl, and also grown up drinks...
"Over there!" Lexie directed as she pointed out where Lili should set down the presents. Lili laughed, "I got it!"
"Duncan! Bring out the cake, will ya? Don't eat any of the frosting! Our guests will be here soon..." Lexie hollered out, as Duncan waved and gave a nod of his head.
"It's going to be fine, Lexie. This is going to be the best birthday party for Jayne and Wayne ever! What a fantastic idea for it to be on the beach!" Lili shouted out aloud as Molly nodded her head in agreement, "We had Archie's 30th birthday celebration on the beach...it was such a lovely day."
"I bet it was! I hope my 30th is special too!" Lili chanted as she set down gifts on a table while Minnie was in a front carrier fast asleep.
"I'm sure it will be! Of course, we'll be probably having it inside since December is too cold for the beach!" Lexie laughed right back as Archie came walking down the path with the twins, "Here are the birthday babes now!"
Lexie picked up Jayne and Archie latched onto Wayne...Duncan came scaling down the path with the birthday cake as Paul and Golly followed right behind. Killwillie in his boat came floating by as he parked it on a dock not too far away. Killwillie climbed right out with an armload of presents "Look at that Santa came early," Lili joked as Paul and Golly took off to help Killwillie with the gifts.
"It is my duty to unveil these since Hector isn't here to do so. I know he'd be thrilled to see the twins make it to their first birthday,"
"For Hector to be marveled about anything other than his special malt whiskey is a novel thought," Molly smiled, "Hello Killwillie, good of you to join us! Such a lovely day for a party..."
"In deed it is..."
Golly had his pipes handy and ready to play a tune as Lexie smiled and nodded to him, "Go for it, the twins love your classy music, don't you know?"
Golly started off playing right along before...
Lexie awoke to the pipes while sitting in the rocking chair and smiled up at Archie. Archie smiled back, "Taking a nap while on the job? Or just sitting watch like a guard dog incase Duncan runs off with Minnie?"
"Hi. I dozed off, my body is still adjusting to the pregnancy, I s'pose..." Archie knelt down before Lexie, "You feel all right?"
"I'm fine. I had a dream..."
"Dream?"
"I think it was a dream or memory of when the twins turned one..."
"I remember that day. It was so sunny out and warm. Of course Killwillie trying to get into his boat and falling head first into the loch was..."
"Classic..." Lexie laughed, "I miss those days."
"I know you don't want Duncan to take Minnie."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I think we should."
"I don't want too," Lexie replied quietly and then concluded, "Arch, I need her just like I need you and twins. She's like another daughter and for Duncan to just say he's going to up and snatch her away, rips my heart out of me."
"I understand, but she's?"
"No, you don't understand,"
"Lex, I do." As Jayne stirred in her bed making a couple sounds, as if Archie and Lexie were going to wake her up just as Archie suggested and helped Lexie up from the rocking chair, "Let's talk about this in the hall."
"There's nothing more to say, Arch, if Duncan takes her it like cutting off my right arm to save my left. She's the only connection to Lili that I have got." Lexie traveled down the hall to the bedroom. Archie sighed and followed her into the room, "You know, think about Lili in this case, would she want Duncan sticking around here if he's got a good job lined up in New Zealand where he'd care for Minnie. He said he had friends..."
"Since when does Duncan have friends aside from us?" Lexie asked as she gathered up her mother's book and then a blanket from the closet.
"What are you doing?" Archie eyed his wife very carefully...
"I'm taking some time to think, that's what I'm doing," Lexie announced as she packed a small bag.
"You're not taking my watch dog idea that seriously, are you?" Archie asked swiftly as Lexie nodded her head, "No, I'm going to go think..."
"Lexie you can do it in our bedroom or in the twins' room...I can warn people to give you some privacy..."
"I want to go where no one will find me. I'm tired Arch, I need a break, not from you, just my room is gone since Nigel has it now...my parents are still driving me crazy—all of this baby nonsense is just as maddening...every time I turn around Mum keeps asking me when I'll talk to Alex or when I'll apologize to him or you shouldn't be doing that because of the baby... and now with Duncan wanting to take Minnie away, I need space," Lexie breathed as she walked past Archie with a bag on her shoulder.
"Where are you going?" Archie traveled right behind her in the hall, "Do you want dinner? You know you have to eat for the baby!"
"Away Archie, like I said before to think! Dun worry 'bout me or the wee muffin—I'm not going off to scale the walls of the house, just to rest in peace and quiet on me own..." Lexie trotted off again, leaving her husband in the hall as Archie sighed and looked at the ceiling and said as if he were speaking to 'the almighty', "Why? Why do you have to make life so complicated?" Before he reentered the bedroom, as he could have chased after Lexie, demand her to talk, but he valued giving her some space since at least she wasn't upset with him or he didn't think she was. Archie knew Lexie was just off to hide in the castle and he'd find her in any nook and cranny when it came to be dinner time...
Hours later, Molly sat in the kitchen as she fed the twins their dinner and Pamela smiled and watched silently. Jayne and Wayne nibbled away on pasta and sauce as Molly continued to 'play airplane' making noises and zooming the spoons to the twins' mouths. Pamela laughed aloud at their smiles and covered up 'orange' saucy faces.
"You're wonderful with them and boy do I love them both," Pamela replied as Molly continued to shovel in the food into the twins.
"For a woman having had three children, I can only imagine how busy Lexie will be once the new baby arrives."
"That's awhile away, where's my daughter anyway?"
"Well, she's due in August, and the twins will already be over two by then...two, can you imagine two? Our grandbabies will be two years old?" Molly replied sweetly, "Archie was going to feed Jayne and Wayne since he's giving Lexie some space, anyway, she'll be back on duty later on."
"Space? My daughter needs space?"
Molly smiled, patted the twins heads and tread carefully over the subject of the whereabouts of Lexie, "Nothing to worry about, we're all entitled to it aren't we? A little 'mother' space? And I don't mind feeding the twins as they are fun."
"I s'pose, she could use the rest, Lexie still isn't certain she wants the twins or the new one on the way to become attached to Alex and I," as Pamela sighed and didn't pry further into Lexie's whereabouts and Molly looked over her way.
"I wouldn't worry about it, dear. We know our Lexie, perhaps she will come around before your visit is over?"
"I hope you're right, Molly. I'm glad they at least enjoy the car..."
"About the car, I didn't tell them."
"It's okay. I haven't said anything about my book to Lexie."
"I still think it's marvelous that you wrote it," Molly winked while she fed the last spoonful to Jayne and Wayne as Pamela got up to get a cloth to wash the twins' faces and hands with...
"I'm happy I wrote it. The publisher wants more...my editor wants more...but I dedicated the book to both Archie and Lexie and I can't imagine writing another one..."
"Well, give it time. I'm sure you'll come up with something else that's just as romantic," Molly soothed.
"I really just want Lexie to get along with Alex again..." Pamela sighed and stopped wiping the twins' faces just as Molly grabbed a box of cereal and placed bits in front of the twins as they sat in their high chairs and started to gobble them up while sipping milk from sippy cups.
"Lexie and I are cut from the same cloth in that way. I had an estranged father, as he showed up in Glenbogle when Jamie was two and Lizzie was just a wee baby...and Archie was still floating out in the cosmos somewhere."
"And what did you do?"
"I told Hector to tell him to get lost, cut his losses, go back to London, and deal with his life without me," Molly spoke wisely as Pamela listened and smiled, "But then I got thinking, do I want my children to grow up without a grandfather...of course, Hector did as I had asked of him and tried to chase my father out of here with a B.B. gun claiming he was Bonnie Prince Charlie and that he was infringing upon Scottish Independence and the castle will not cater to the English needs or something of that sort—I don't know, normally he'd play English than Scottish when impersonating war games—but then again he just loved guns—oh well, under the bridge, all of that water, I s'pose! Basically he told my father 'hush up and go before I do something drastic to you and you will regret it.'"
Pamela laughed, "What did he do?"
"My father, well, he didn't leave and down right refused...and so he got shot between the eyes and then in the rump! Hector waltzed right off with the B.B. gun over his shoulder, all proud of him self and tried to pull me along with him. As my father lie dramatically in the middle of the driveway, thinking the world was coming to an end, I decided...I needed him. I was also terribly tired of having rows with him about leaving me at a young age and that my children should get to know him."
Molly finished telling one of her stories to Pamela, who in turn sighed, "I wish Lexie would come 'round like she did for me years ago...for Alex's sake."
"I bet she will, I really do." Molly smiled as Pamela smiled back...
"Just make sure Lexie doesn't get her hand on Hector's B.B. gun..." Pamela remarked with a laugh.
"Deal," Molly compromised as the women continued to tend to their grandchildren.
Chapter 13-Dealing with each other
Lexie sat quietly poised in a chair, wrapped up in an old wool blanket, with her mother's book cradled in her hands and with her feet resting upwards on an old trunk. She relaxed, sighed as she was almost halfway through the whole novel, and had spent hours on her own. Her stomach let out a couple rumbles as she tipped the biscuit box to find it empty.
"Wee one, you hungry? Me too..." Lexie decided to set her feet down on the old floor. It wasn't so bad in the highest tower of the castle as she had come up here numerous times, thanks to Molly for showing her, to think about her and Archie or her and her mother or sometimes not to think at all, "I wonder what Ewan is bringing for supper..."
Just as Lexie's stomach growled again, there was a knock at the tower door...Lexie put a bookmark in the novel and kept the blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she tip toed over the to door, "Ewan, dinner, great...Archie?"
Lexie opened the tower door to see her husband standing there with a tray of food and a flower on top, "Knock, knock."
"Who's there?"
"Your husband."
"Your husband who?"
"Your husband has come to deliver you some dinner, it's freezing up here, Lex, why don't you just come down stairs and eat in the dinning room with the rest of the family?"
"How did you find me up here anyway?"
"Ewan gave it away, also he wasn't sure how'd he'd serve you and feed the family at the same time..." Archie winked as Lexie rolled her eyes, "Next time I'll inform him to just leave the tray by the door and then I'll get it." Archie eyed the open window as he peeked into the room with the tray, "Why's the window open?"
"Because I needed some air since it's stuffy in here and I happen to like star gazing in the evening...anyway, Mr. Laird, thanks for the grub, maybe you should shove off now?"
"Not so fast, I came to visit...I haven't been up here in a long time..."
"Welcome to my humble hide away, actually at one point, Molly's too, as she told me," Lexie added and parked herself back down on her seat and Archie brought the food over to her.
"At least you've made it somewhat cozy. This used to be Uncle Donald's room," Archie replied as he knew of his Uncle Donald only because his father would tell him stories about his brother and one time Archie and Jamie were playing 'Hide and Go Seek' with Hector and he found them in the tower late one afternoon a long time ago.
"Well, he's not here and I have over the years, moved in—well, sorta, before your mother gave me Hector's room and then I gave it to Nigel."
"I see, Lex, come back down stairs...at least lemme get you into bed and I can barricade the door so no one would bother you..."
"Now who's the watch dog, Mr. Laird?"
"I'm only looking out for the best interest of Mrs. Laird and my child to be...what's that, what are you reading?" Archie's eyes wandered around the room and then to the book that Lexie had set aside on the old trunk.
"My mother, you'd never guess, wrote a romance story."
"Oh really?" Archie glanced at the book curiously.
"Love story about a Laird in Scotland..."
"Sounds kinda familiar."
"It's actually very well written. I haven't been able to put the book down." Lexie kept talking about the book and Archie took the conversation on a detour...
"Lexie, Duncan's pretty miserable since you let into him down in the children's playroom. He feels kinda bad..."
"As he should..."
"Lex, he might not take Minnie with him to New Zealand,"
"He might do it just to spite me,"
"Duncan, is a grown up, as much as I hate to admit it, and I doubt he'd do anything of the sort to you."
"Archie, I love Minnie, I just don't want her to go."
"It's alright to express utmost concern, Lex, but it's not alright to try to make the decision for Duncan. He is her father, you know..."
"I know."
"As for Paul, I told him to stay away from Duncan and to politely leave Minnie be for the time being and well..."
"You upset him?"
"I don't know. Personally Paul felt relieved that I finally stepped in. Duncan and Paul never got along after Lili's passing—I'm actually tired of all the 'lovers and haters' tension going on around here. I tried to get them to talk about stuff, but they are the ones..."
"In charge of a friendship or not."
"Exactly. It's like neither one can see straight as far as the other's well being is a concern. I could only imagine Lili would want them to get along right? Instead of fighting over Minnie, they really should just work together and strike common ground for her sake."
"Well, I'll emerge from my hideout after I eat, you want?"
Archie grinned, "No, I'm gonna go join everyone down for dinner, you sit in peace." Archie placed a couple kisses to Lexie's brow as he was relieved to find her in a much cheery mental state and left her to finish her dinner on her own.
"Thanks Arch."
"No problem...just please don't fall asleep up here...I'm kinda scared of this place at night and coming to your rescue might be a little much," Archie admitted and gave Lexie a face of fright as she laughed, "You afraid of the dark?"
"Only boogieman, this tower at night and when you're not with me..." Archie smiled and kissed Lexie and then left the room. Lexie settled her self in front of her dinner just as another knock came at the tower door. Lexie sighed, set her spoon down for her soup and walked over saying, "Missed me already, aye?"
"Of course I do," Alex replied as Lexie's face dropped but she didn't form a smug expression she just sighed again, "What do ya want?"
"To have a word?" Alex asked insistently as Lexie let him in as his eyes set on Pamela's book, "I see you're reading..."
"Aye, what's it to you?"
"Lexie, I don't come to bicker,"
"Then why are you here and you just called me Lexie," Lexie pointed out her father calling her something other than 'Ally'.
"That is your name now, isn't it?"
"Make this quick, my bean is hungry and so am I," Lexie spoke of the baby just as Alex smiled, "Lexie, I want us to be friends and I'm not asking to be your father again...I just want to chat with you."
Lexie paused as her eyes went to the dinner and then her father, "Alex, let me eat and you talk..."
Alex sat down on an old crate as Lexie sat down in her chair again with her dinner before her on the trunk.
"I wasn't good at it, at being a father and I know this. I made some mistakes, but I had to leave you for your safety..."
"Go on,"
"I have marks on my arms, my legs. I did have mobsters after me from Russia...if I didn't leave you and your mother, well, it could have ended a lot worse, if you get what I mean..."
Lexie wiped her mouth with her napkin and sighed, "I read most of Mum's book, it doesn't let either of you off the hook for my completely messed up childhood...but it actually makes me proud to know my mother is getting her life together and starting it with good money and not dirty."
"That's?"
"Save it, just lemme eat, go down join the others...I know what you've said and what you mean...I needed my time, why do you think I'm up here?"
"Training to become batwoman, may haps?" Alex joked as his brows rose and Lexie laughed.
"I'm not hanging onto life by a string yet am I? I didn't think so aye-ther. Ah, go now," Lexie sighed with a laugh and then as Alex was about to leave Lexie added with a secret beam, "Dad."
Alex walked out with a small genuine smile on his face as it was just the beginning for the father/daughter pair on the road to recovery.
see the storm is brokenin the middle of the nightnothing left here for meit's washed awaythe rain pushesthe buildings asideThat evening, Susan wasn't talking to Paul. Paul finally grew tired of her ignoring him as she sat at her pc typing up the latest article. Paul sighed, set down an outdoor magazine about Alaska and then replied, "Are you still upset about the party?"
the sky turns blackthe skywash it farpush it out to seathere's nothing left herefor meSilence.
Susan continued to type with her head phones on...as music came out from the stereo and into her ears...
i watch it lift up to the skyi watch it crush meand then i diespeak to me babyin the middle of the nightpull your mouthclose to mine"Suz?" Paul tapped her shoulder and set his head on top of hers. Susan sighed and pulled out the headphones from her ears.
"What?"
"You're not still a bit..."
"Paul, I'm over it. You made a real mess of Minnie's birthday party. I know Minnie and you have become inseparable but Duncan is here now. He is her father and he should be allowed to make important decisions for them both without people giving him a hard time." Susan cast her eyes upon Paul and stood up from the chair.
"You think he should take her to New Zealand."
"No course not, I think Minnie belongs here just as much as the rest of us but I know what it's like to have someone tell me what's best for Nigel. I have done all of the moving around before..." Susan assured as Paul sat on the end of the bed.
i can see the wind coming downlike black nightso speak to melike the winds outsideit's broken up, pushing ushear the rain fallsee the wind come to my eyes"I don't like the idea."
"Of course you don't. Duncan makes that huge decision, not you." Susan parked herself down at the end of the bed, "Maybe one day, we'll consider another baby, we've talked about this before..."
"Another one? How about a house first?"
"House is nice, yes, mind you I'm not that old and neither are you..."
see the storm brokennow nothingspeak to me babyin the middle of the night"I'm pushing 40, Susan."
"I'm not and I still have some life in me for another child...one that we could raise on our own. Nigel used to pester me all the time about why he was an only child and now, things are different...he's going to be 12 and I could handle another baby..."
"Your career?"
"What about it? I work most of the time out in the field, Paul."
"I don't know there's a real age gap between Nigel and a baby..."
"You were suggesting this baby idea weeks ago..." Susan laughed at how Paul's face went into deep thought.
speak to mehold your mouth to mine'cause the sky is breakingit's deeper than lovei know the way you feellike the rains outsidespeak to me"Suzy, we'll see about it...I'm just not sure I like Duncan doing something this daft. Bad enough he left Minnie here for months on end and now..."
"Paul,"
"What?"
"Let it go, let what ever issues you have with Duncan go," Susan smiled, planted a kiss on Paul and then made steps back to her desk just as Paul reeled her into him by latching on her arm and replying with afterthought, "Maybe the baby idea isn't a bad one..."
A day later...
"Yanno, I was thinking, maybe I could take any post to the post centre?" Duncan asked as he peeked, cleared his throat for the third time to get Archie's attention and then set foot into the library as Archie looked up from accounting books and figures on his laptop.
"Well, that's nice of you to offer, but I have to go to town to see Lizzie, do you have something to send off?" Archie peered over to Duncan as he bowed his head and opened up his sporran as a crumpled air mail letter addressed to New Zealand sat in his hands...
"Aye,"
"Well, Duncan, I'd be happy to mail it for you really."
"Right. Um, okay, ah..." Archie held out his hand for the letter and Duncan placed it down on Archie's palm, well half of it as the other half was still in his hand. Archie went to grab it away, Duncan held on as Archie said, "Duncan, if you want it to be mailed, you kinda have to let go of it."
"Uh, och sorry," Duncan let go of the letter just as it hit Archie's face, "I guess I'll be going...New Zealand?"
Duncan nodded, and Archie inquired, "You're really going aren't you?"
Duncan spoke right up without hesitation, "Och no...no. I'm not going. It's my resignation letter, aye. I need to stay for Minnie's sake. Me and her need to stay." Duncan's brows went up with 'need' and down with 'stay' and Archie gave Duncan a proud nod, "Good to hear then and I will send this on for you."
Duncan let out a smile and then replied, "Thank-you" before galloping out of the room. The corners of Archie's mouth went into a perfect grin, "You're very welcome I think."
Outside of the library door stood Paul, he had heard voices, Archie and Duncan as he was curious to know what was being said as he heard Duncan's clomp-pity boots coming his way, he decided to head for the nearest exit...but Duncan called out to him.
"Paul,"
"Aye, oh, it's you," Paul turned around to face Duncan who stood there, not looking for any kind of battle with him.
"Yeah, well, I'm going to be sticking around for quite awhile."
"Really?"
"Aye, anyway, we've been through—a lot and well, I listened to what you said the other day. Anyway, I'm not taking Minnie away from anyone here."
"Good to hear it," Paul spoke up again, "Then wee Minnie is lucky to have her father home? Good to hear word you're not off and leaving her again."
Paul then turned on the balls of his feet with a smart smile and walked away as Duncan's face lifted and then dropped again...he started to ponder if what Paul had said about Minnie was true and if he was sincere about him not leaving... Duncan sighed as he saw Minnie in the playroom watching him through the gate...
"Hi," as Duncan's left cheek dimple formed and Minnie giggled 'in hello back' as her own left cheek dimple formed too.
The sky is broken by Moby J