Chapter FiveTea time and Elections? (A/N: I know nothing about village counsels and how they work so I made most of this 'election' idea of a 'regional' counsel up for the story LOL)
On Monday morning Lexie journeyed into the library with tea cups, saucers, and goodies as she set up the room for a 'meeting' with Angus and Gordon McKellen since Paul had made mention of the meeting at dinner last night and Archie forgot to tell her. Archie was pretty much snoozing on a pillow of paper invoices at the ancient desk when Lexie came into the room humming a tune so she could void out her sleeping husband—well almost.
Lexie kept humming away as she hummed around the desk and even louder into sleeping Archie's ear. Lexie tickled his face with her feather duster as his nose wrinkled and he continued to sleep. Lexie stomped over to the couch and started to fluff a couple pillows and on purpose move chairs around making louder noisesshe was doing everything possible to now wake Archie without saying a word directly to him. Archie suddenly awoke, lifted his head off of the paper work, and groggily said, "Lex?"
Lexie paused for a moment with her humming and dusting, before she then continued again. Archie cocked his head to the side, yawned, stretched soberly and stood right up. Lexie continued to 'straighten' up the library.
"I'm sorry judging by the look on your face, you're not too impressed that I fell asleep down here..."
"My face and its looks are relevant! You didn't just fall asleep, Arch, you forgot about your children last night and then me. It's one thing to run an estate, but to let an estate run you?" Lexie snapped and began humming again. Archie sighed empathetically, made way over to Lexie to console her. Archie latched out his arms to embrace his wife, and instead missed her body completely, and ended up hugging thin air. As Lexie had dropped down onto a high back chair simultaneously with her husband's hugging action.
Archie sighed again, "Lexie, I'm just a wee bit short handed now and out of my depth..."
"Short handed, aye? Hmmm, join the club!" Lexie made a crack at not having a nanny after Friday to help her with the twins and some of the house duties.
"Now look, I'm sorry to wind you up. I told you I'd think about the fact of hiring another nanny. Frankly, I didn't deliberately avoid you or the twins last night."
"Paul told us what you were up to during dinner hour and I assumed you would have at least stopped and took a break like! I found out from him about this 'business' meeting with the McKellen's to finalize Ghillie's plans. It was such short notice that Ewan couldn't handle it and juggling lunch at the same time!"
"Look, I might have stretched us a wee bit thin, but the estate has grown and it's successful because?"
"Ya got a family Arch, and ye're married to me! I don't understand why ya couldn't have taken a wee breather from accounting to help me feed the twins' dinner or to sit down with us all at the table! Or actually retire to our bed!"
"You haven't had any problems with feeding them on your own before...let alone sleeping on your own...sorry, I can't help it."
"Archie!" Lexie snipped before finally tossing her hands up in the air only for Archie to catch them and sit himself down on the matching ottoman in front of her. Archie gazed lovingly and warmly into Lexie's paled blue eyes, and hoping he could convince her to not stay mad at him.
"I'm so sorry. I am. The room looks spiffy though...just the vision I had in my mind." Archie tried to get back into Lexie's good graces, by commenting on her taste for decor. Lexie's eyes narrowed in on him and her nose now wrinkled as she was still miffed at Archie for putting her and his family on the back burner for one day, "Yer no a sight for these sore eyes if you keep on..."
"I know, I know, you know I'm just helping out. In the meantime, maybe I need to hire another accountant to do the dirty math, but I can't trust?"
"I could cook the estate books—I've done it before!" Lexie said matter of factly.
"Lex, it's not like cooking supper, you need to handle it all...you're pregnant, need rest, not stress. You were very down and out knackered with the books when you were first pregnant with the twins. I had never seen you so harried at tax demand time."
"Not fair! I was miserable because of the 'disastrous' paper pile in 'The Vault' and I had no idea I was pregnant then or going to be!
"The twins, we didn't even find out about them until after Jamie's bedroom, do over and I was a guid month along and then right after the honeymoon we found out!
"Archie, you can't let anything between us or your bairns suffer because you took on 'added' estate responsibilities!" Lexie started to ramble on and on, while blowing a few strands of her dark hair out of her face and frowning upon Archie and his puzzling looks.
"I know and again I'm sorry, I just got swamped with stuff, it was only 24 hours and I'm all yours now."
"Right, after the McKellen's show up," Lexie snickered as she rolled her eyes exasperatedly. Archie's face lit up and he glanced at his watch, "What time is it? Who helped you last night with the twins?"
"Dun worry, its half past noon. Claire and Susan fed 'em. I like her, Archie. Claire. She seemed very down to earth about it and how the kids should be tended too!" Lexie informed Archie with mind over matter.
"Lex, I didn't mean to not..." Archie then assumed Lexie was accusing him of not caring about the twins' well being, and Lexie's face softened as she didn't want to continue bickering.
"Arch, I'm not out to take a jab at you. I'm going to miss Megan's help and she's not someone who is easy to replace.
"You're a mess, Arch, might as well bathe up, since your company will be incoming and soon.
"An' ya might want to scrub that print off yer chin-hey." Lexie decided to end the conversation by standing up, giving Archie's head an elegant gentile rub with her hand, and then walking out of the room.
Archie, who let Lexie go, wondering what Lexie was talking about, wandered over to an old foggy glassed mirror in the far corner of the library. Archie let out a sigh as he tried to hand erase the black lettering written across his chin, cheeks, and forehead after 'sleeping on the job.' Just as Archie turned around to go clean himself up with soap and water, Angus and Gordon McKellen had arrived with Paul. The men waltzed into the room as Archie smiled, while still swiftly trying to wipe black bold print off of his face.
"Archie MacDonald, Paul," Angus McKellen said dignified, "Nice to see you."
"Yes, nice as well, do come in and sit down," Archie directed Angus to a seat and was about to shake his hand, but then thought better of it after noticing black ink on his palm. Archie spoke up to Gordon, "Grand of you to join us."
"Archie, grand of you and Paul to take on the place," Gordon grinned and bobbed his head upwards.
"Yes, well, I hope to keep up your tradition, tea? Lexie brought in some tea and goods which our cook Ewan made," Archie gestured to the cups and saucers with the three level porcelain cake tray, biscuits on one level, scones on the next and then puffy pastries down below. Gordon was about to snag one of the baked goodies when Angus tapped him with his cane and he changed his mind 'suddenly'.
"I came to take care of business first and then the tea," Angus replied sternly, hoping Paul wasn't going back on his word about the campervan. Paul spoke right up, "Oh right, papers for the camper van, keys..."
"That's good, Gordon and I brought you both a box out in the front hall..." as Angus sat there staring at Gordon for him to go get it. As Gordon stood up they heard a loud yell, from the front hall, and everyone went to see what matter was.
Lizzie kicked the trunk after falling over it and bellowed out, "Who put this blasted thing in my way?"
"Lizzie, you all right?" Archie asked out of pure concern as he was the first to appear in the front hall from the library. Archie noted the size of the old metal container and assumed when Angus meant 'box' he meant trunk.
"I'm off for a special luncheon with Compton and I just dumped my juice all over myself! Martha forgot her lunch, I came home for it, and here in the middle of the floor is some old moth ball smelly thing!
"Now I have to get changed before Compton arrives at the shop and Martha goes hungry!" Lizzie traveled away all upset and in a blustering hurry.
Angus glanced at Archie as he glanced back at him, "Sorry, my sister, goes a wee bit over the edge..."
"No problem, it's your trunk that tripped her up, not mine," Angus grinned relieved as Archie relaxed and Paul spoke up again, "Shall we get back to business before the tea?"
"Yes, lets," as Archie decided to deal with the trunk of memorabilia later and followed Angus and Gordon back into the library and then Angus with another bright beam handed the keys over to Paul, "You'll both do this village proud and I'm sure your great, great-granddad, will agree."
Archie and Paul weren't totally sure what Angus talked on about, but Gordon's comment changed the subject and brought them back to the deal, "Now about Dad's campervan."
Paul had everything about the campervan in order as he passed over the keys and then title, as he replied, "Just get insurance and you're good to go."
Angus beamed again, "I actually going on my first trip next week..."
"Oh?" Paul questioned as Angus exclaimed as if he were guilt free of a long time family 'curse' and Gordon rolled his eyes, "To Cornwall!"
"Da's got a thing about seeing Land's end since it's where he met my mother," Gordon spoke up again evenly as Paul smiled and responded, "Well then you'll be traveling in style."
Lizzie rushed herself back into Molly's car, zoomed to the old stone school house, dropped off Martha her Barbie lunch pail and then within ten minutes, scooted off to the shop to meet Compton outside the front landing.
"Sorry, I'm a late," said Lizzie as she rushed over to him as hers and Compton's lips pecked briskly. Compton smiled and replied with a laugh, "Why do you think I told you noon and not 12:30?"
"Umm, why?" Lizzie's eyes lifted to study Compton and his eyes went directly to his wrist watch, pushing back his shirt sleeve, and checking the time.
"You must be prompt, speaking of which, Graeme isn't here yet, and the luncheon doesn't start for another ten minutes. Where is he?"
"Oh, why's Graeme meeting us?"
Compton answered a now curious Lizzie, "Elizabeth, I know I can count on you to help Graeme out." Lizzie grew uneasy, as she could tell Compton was going to say..."I have some 'corporate' business to attend too and since Graeme is my right hand man, he'll escort you to the lunch and conduct my speech."
"Aren't you supposed to be there?" Lizzie shook her head, getting slightly upset, and Compton just chuckled, "I'm running for the head of new 'glens' counsel, Lizzie, not for prime-minister."
"Lizzie, it's not important I be there today but for the dinner tonight, you're still up for it, are you not?"
"Of course, but I assumed I'd be having lunch with my boyfriend and cheering him on..." Lizzie then felt let down by him and added playfully, "I went through a lot of trouble to look good for you, you know."
Compton's face softened as he gave her arms a rub with his hands and sympathetically said, "You can still cheer me on, lovey, just be there for when Graeme delivers my speech on my behalf, ah don't pout, Elizabeth. I'll make it up to you. I promise, when have I ever lied to you?"
"Never," Lizzie noted, since she had been dating Compton since January. First 'just' seeing each other and then slowly progressing into a 'worth while' relationship.
"Good sorted out, see you tonight with bells on? Oh and Elizabeth, wear that brill frilly blue number that you wore on our first official date..." Compton remarked as he seemed to like suggesting to Lizzie what she was to wear at important village functions when she was with him, "I guess so, but no telling me what to wear after dinner, mind you," and then winked with a giggle. Compton's brows rose again, curiously "Hmmm, deal."
Just then Graeme came whistling right up to them and said, "We're off to fight lions, Comp. Why hello Lizzie, you look lovely today,"
"Hi Graeme and thank-you," answered Lizzie, as she wasn't totally happy with not having lunch with Compton. However, he was right she should be there to at least support Graeme when he gave Compton's speech.
"Well, then, go show those tigers whose boss for me...I'm off to deal with business at my water bottling plant...reminds me I need to talk to Archie, 'Laird to Laird' about his investments in the company." Compton strolled away, leaving Lizzie standing there with Graeme.
"You all right?"
"I'm fine..." Lizzie and Graeme walked up the street, and minutes later Lizzie added, "How important is this lunch?"
"Why, it's important since many of the candidates that Compton's running against will be there I suppose." Graeme explained, as Lizzie sighed again. Graeme sensing something was wrong picked up on it, "I've been dating Compton for almost four months now, suddenly he's asking me out to lunch and dinner and changing his mind about going with me at the last minute."
"He's got a lot on his plate, Lizzie. You know how that is, Archie's busy too."
"Not as busy as Compton seems to make himself be."
"Listen, let's just get through the luncheon and we can chat more about this later, if you like," Graeme winked as they made it to Duncan's Aunt Liz's B&B where the luncheon was to be held.
Since the towns, Glenbogle, Glenmorin and Glencampbell were tiny dots on the Scotland map it became increasingly pointless, money, country recognition, and support wise, to have their own town counsels. Especially since the villages normally jumped through all kinds of political red tape and many hoops from parliament every year for every aspect of village funding—schools, land values and taxes, road fees and etcbecause the villages were so small the government felt they didn't need lots of money, whereas the towns thought differently. And so out of all of this frustration, the towns decided to also come together...
The existing three town counsels, each of five bright members had nominated a current counsel member (from their group) to run for head of the new 'glens' counsel: Compton MacFarlane from Glencampbell, Jacknordy, Archie's old school chum, from Glenbogle, and Angus Clark from Glenmorin.
Lizzie and Graeme traveled into the B&B's 'function' room. Last year, Aunt Liz had made a point to 'add onto' the B&B when she heard word of Duncan and Lili having a baby—she felt she needed more room and also more income. After getting the approval from village counsel and Archie, she had the addition put on.
"Lizzie, Graeme," Judd Neilson, one of the current village counsel members smiled, as he welcomed them, "Enter inside down to the right of the stage and there's a few tables just before it all marked with numbers. You're at table 3."
Lizzie and Graeme walked down a hall just off the B&B's kitchen to a big dinning room. They glanced around at the six tables and finally finding the one with '3' printed in bold black lettering near, as Judd had said, the small 'stage'. It was actually more of a podium surrounded by flowers, yellow, white and pink flowers which Aunt Liz had set up special.
Graeme pulled out Lizzie's seat as she sat down, "Thank-you,"
"No worry, gentlemen are supposed to do that," Graeme parked himself beside her with a heart-felt grin.
In the meantime, just after the lunch, the 'press' arrived, which was to Lizzie's surprise, Susan and her reporter friend Janey. Lizzie waved at Susan and Susan with her briefcase-like bag and notepad, waved back. Janey snapped a photo of the room its set up and its people, as there were about thirty others who wandered about the room, chatting, eating, drinking, and enjoying the lunch.
"Susan?"
"Lizzie, I thought I might see you here. I'm working on this story...well, covering it anyway, Hi Graeme."
"Hi." Graeme nodded his head and smiled at Susan too. Just as Killwillie stood up before the group and announced, "Our speeches will begin shortly, please finish up lunch, and continue to enjoy your selves."
"That's my cue, see ya..." Susan gave Lizzie's shoulder a pat and then decided to walk off to the left of the center stage to interview Killwillie and all of the candidates, including Graeme for the paper.
Chapter SixTale of Ghillie's Rest
On Saturday, at the end of the week...
Archie and Paul were up to their necks in dust, paint buckets, and tool boxes. They had decided Ghillie's needed a serious face lift so they closed its doors for that week. Gordon McKellen decided to help Archie and Paul out as planned and Duncan was in the middle of trying to fix a moveable flip-up countertop at the bar.
"Okay, now the walls near the snooker table need serious work..." Archie directed as Gordon and Paul nodded in agreement. "Oh and one thing, I brought that trunk your father gave us here..."
"Trunk, right, did you search through it?" Gordon asked as he stepped up a ladder with a rag and bucket of soapy water. Paul and Archie exchanged glances, "Um, no. Were we supposed to?" Paul inquired carefully as Gordon replied, "Well, I've never seen inside of it, to tell you the truth, just heard a few stories here and there. Father always said opening it was just meant for the rightful owners of the place and he wouldn't do it."
"Okay, what does it have to do with us?" Archie asked confused as Gordon shrugged and scrubbed peering back at Archie from behind him.
"You're the rightful owners now like, or so he says, you tell me."
"Duncan, give me a hand, will you? I'm going to go get the trunk," Archie announced, just as Duncan flipped the countertop at the bar up and it quickly crashed down and into 'place', making the glasses on the bar shake terribly, "Whoops, right, boss." Archie rolled his eyes as Duncan smiled again.
Duncan and Archie lugged the trunk into Ghillie's and set it down in front of a table with a huge notorious 'thud'. Archie wasn't sure of where to begin, "Um, hmmm...so it's locked,"
"So turn the key,"
"Aye right, that might help," Archie said, as the men stood around the trunk like it was a treasure chest, assuming it would open on it's own to show glowing, glittery, and shimmering pirate's goldbut instead, Duncan pointed out the obvious as a key stuck out from the key hole and the front latches hooked off, "See, the key works."
Archie rubbed his hands together as if he were to 'crack' open a safe and hand gestured to Paul, "Be my guest, you won it, you open it."
Paul shrugged and accepted, "Fine, lemme show you how it's done," Paul pulled up the trunk top and there was an envelope in side of it.
"That's it?" Duncan said with a whistle and a laugh, "The thing is still heavy with just a letter!"
"Quiet, what's it say Paul?" Archie rolled his eyes at Duncan, but eager as Gordon to find out what was inside or said in the letter.
"Lemme open it first," Paul untied the envelope, out came an old deed, and a photograph, Duncan studied the trunk while Paul, Archie and Gordon gathered round. Duncan always wanted to know what it was like to be a 'Jack in the Box'...so he childlike stepped into the huge trunk and started to play with the top, pulling it downward, as he scrunched his body up inside of the ancient box, jumped up, releasing the top at the same time and said aloud, "Ta Dah! Look boss! Minnie and the twins would so love thisI can fit in it and surprise them all!"
"Not now," Archie waved Duncan away, not even looking or paying any close attention at what Duncan was doing in the trunk.
"Hey Archie..." Duncan began to hum a music box tune while he tried to hop out of the box to 'surprise Archie' like 'Jack' would on a spring.
"Please...not now Duncan...what's it say?" Archie looked ruefully at Paul and then by chance to Gordon and the aged piece of parchment in Paul's hands...
Duncan then jolted up again and 'CRACK!' as his feet fell through and were then 'stuck between the false and the real bottom of the trunk.' Duncan was then left in a sticky bun situation, "Ah, boss..."
"Not now, Dunc?" answered Archie irritated just a hair with his head ranger. As Archie's eyes and head turned to meet Duncan's startled facial expression. And at the same time they both thought of the words, "Ka-BOOM." Of course, Archie hadn't seen such a face on Duncan since the day Duncan's grandfather's WWII bomb was to blow in the basement of the house. Duncan tried to wiggle his feet free just as his feet twitched the trunk made an awful rattling sound.
"Don't move, Duncan, we have no idea what's in that secret compartment..." Archie suggested as he decided if it was another bomb, he didn't know what he'd do.
"How do you propose I get out?" Duncan questioned trying not to panic and failing miserably at it.
Archie and Paul looked at each other, and on instinct, decided to scurry over to Duncan, who shook his head, thinking they were going to try to lift him and he cautiously sounded out, "Um no, you can't..."
"Then Duncan, just unlace your boots and we'll jiggle you out—or you climb!" Archie commented as a small wave of relief swept over Duncan's face, "Oh right, my boots, unlace 'em. I can do that."
Duncan did as he was told, unlaced each boot and then with Paul's arm help managed to weave his feet out of each, skip out, and over the trunk side. The four men cocked their heads to the side whilst gazing into the messed up trunk. Gordon bloom some laughed, and Archie made a 'since when is a broken trunk funny?' face, "What's with you? What are you like?"
Gordon laughed again, and then answered, "A fable as a Bairn, well one my father told me,"
"Okay, what's the story, morning glory?" Paul asked wit-fully with a joke. Archie stood there and blinked at Paul, Gordon and then the state of the trunk. Gordon promptly retrieved Duncan's boots one by one, handing them back to him and then started tug at the false trunk bottom. Gordon explained, "Well, not much, just about my great-great grandfather Edgar and how he acquired this place..."
"How'd he do that?" Duncan quipped innocently while slipping his boots back on.
"By using one of these..." Gordon showed a dueling pistol which he retrieved from the trunk.
Archie then replied surprised, while rubbing the back of his dark-haired head with his hand, "A pistol? For what?"
"For dueling, Edgar McKellen and the 10th generation MacDonald chieftain, Naismith MacDonald had a duel."
"My, our," Archie tilted his head to Paul and finished swiftly, "Great-great grandfather?"
Gordon nodded his head knowledgably, "For the land that this very building stands on."
"Anyway, according to the tale, Naismith MacDonald, decided since he couldn't sell his land without forfeiting his estate some two hundred years ago that he and my fore father Edgar would go into business together..." Gordon went on, "Apparently, McKellen wanted to start up a pub of sorts and the only way he could do it, was if he had the land to build onof course, this land was MacDonald land—Naismith and Edgar were the best of mates..."
"So?" Archie sat down on a bar stool waiting to hear more of the story.
"That's it, basically, they were partners until one night, when they were both extremely phished..."
"What happened?" Paul immediately questioned as he sat down on a chair, listening in...
"Oh gee, well, MacDonald and McKellen weren't too happy about something, not quite sure what, but me thinks it had to do with having different views of how to run the place...anyway—turned into a doomed debate, then a fist-fight, until..."
"On that very night they got smashed and decided to duel for 'soul' ownership?" Duncan asked smart-fully as Gordon nodded his head shamefully, "Right, Dunc, only McKellen won with a pistol like this, assumingly, and then mourned the loss of his mate."
"Wait, so your father was okay with handing over Ghillie's to Paul and I, because of some ancient 'all ends well' duel?" Archie stared at Gordon for acknowledgement.
"Well, not that simple, my father, my grandfather and great-grandfather thought my family was hexed for 'duel to death with the laird of Glenbogle at the time.' Da didn't exactly like how the family got this place, you know, kinda shameful." Gordon hung his head and then handed the pistol to Paul who handed it to Archie.
"Anyway, my father feels by giving the place over to you, it helps 'redeem' the family. Edgar wasn't maimed for the 'ill-tragedy' or anything of the sort. Naismith's death was ruled as a careless event, but still considered as an accident. And Edgar's grieving was said to be punishment enough by the village counsel way back then."
"Wait, so I wasn't meant to win a bet nights ago?" Paul said baffled and Gordon laughed, "Well, I'm not screwing with another man's pride, mind you did win the place fair and square. I'm just telling you my father was quite relieved to be handing Ghillie's and its land to the rightful owners." Gordon turned around and decided to start scrubbing the walls again as he realized Archie and Paul, plus Duncan weren't working, "What?"
"Oh nothing..." Archie set the pistol back into the trunk and Paul joined Gordon and the cleaning up.
"You really believe this story?" Archie asked doubtfully, as Gordon sighed and grinned reassuringly, "I know that's a rare pistol at the bottom of a trunk that belonged to my great-great grandfather, which I assume was your great-great grandfather's originallycan tell by inscription on the barrel," as Archie picked up the hunk of steel again and his eyes glazed over the initials of NRM-Naismith Robert MacDonald on the gun.
"Think it's worth anything?" Duncan asked stupidly as he cast his eyes over Archie's shoulder at the new family air loom. Archie gave him a sideways glance and shook his head again, out tumbled Duncan's "Wha?"
"If it was worth anything, it would have been already sold like a polyester shirt and bell bottom trousers gone out of style," Archie shook his head at Duncan once more, kinda stressed, before placing the tinkering piece of steel back into the trunk. And Duncan just shrugged and went back to work on the bar countertop while Paul then chuckled out as if he were back in the 1970's, "Just groovy, man," before getting back to work on the walls with a good humored Gordon.
Lexie blew out a breath, as she chased the twins from the beach up to the house, and ran into Claire. Lexie was surprised to see her, forgetting it was now the weekend, "Wha brings ya this way?"
"I came to see Susan, since I finished something and need to her look it over," Claire replied soundly as Lexie laughed, "Well, I be off, Jayne, Wayne!"
"You need some help, Lexie?" Claire asked as she hiked after Lexie and both women zipped down the path after the almost two year old twins.
"I just need to keep me eye on 'em two! Megan's last day was yesterday and she's coming tonight for supper, according to Archie. I just don't know what I'm gonna do with her gone. Wayne! Jayne!"
"Bye bye Mummy!" Wayne bellowed out and waved, before wandering directly for the sandbox.
"Mummy! Mummy! Monkey!" Jayne pointed at Wayne and Claire laughed with a reply, "That's your brother silly potato, not a monkey!" Jayne didn't respond back, instead she joined her younger brother of five minutes in the wooden box filled of loch beach sand.
Claire turned her attention back to Lexie who was now short of breath and decided to stop running once she saw the twins safely climb into the sandbox.
"I see," Claire nodded her head and then laughed again. Twins were in the middle of the sand box, 'making sandy mud pies' since it had rained that night. Lexie blew out a breath again, wiped sweat from her brow and then chuckled before giving her children another good once over.
"You all right?"
"Just need to catch me breath, baby seems to like knockin' the wee wind out of me while I jog along."
"Aye, you know, I could help you with them...seeing how they are gonna need a cleaning," Claire laughed as she and Lexie witnessed Wayne plaster his sister's face with mud.
"Oh no, Wayne! Don't do that to your sister! Jayne no!" Lexie shouted out motherly, while watching Jayne dump a pail of mud over Wayne's head. Wayne didn't cry, instead, he evilly tossed mud back at Jayne. The two twins started playing with trucks and also shovels and pails. Until, "Mine! No! Mine! No! Mine! Mine!" Jayne and Wayne started to row over a toy airplane that Duncan had donated to the 'sandbox' toys.
"No fighting!" Lexie clucked like a mother hen again. Lexie knew her two year olds wouldn't listen to her and continue to scuffle and tug o' war over the toy until she gave one of them something else to play with. Claire decided to help Lexie out, by quickly handing Wayne a truck and snagging the airplane, and giving Jayne a car. Both children glanced up at Claire as she 'flew' the airplane around the sandbox and started to sing a song, Frank Sinatra's 'Leaving on a Jet Plane'...
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go
Wayne cleverly shouted out his name for the airplane, "Jay-Jay! Jay-Jay!"
Jayne shouted out too, "Jay-jay! Jay-jay!"
Lexie couldn't stop laughing, and spoke right up, "Claire, they have been busy watching that American programme on BBC...Jay-Jay the Jet Plane..."
"That's me plane, don't you know, it's not nice to mess with other people's planes?" A voice called out to Lexie and Claire, as it was the fine kilted and rustic looking Duncan, who not only noted Claire holding his toy airplane, but in the back of his mind, he fondly thought of Lili, just coincidently out of the blue...
"I'm sorry, I didn't see your name on it," Claire joked as Duncan strolled right up to her and pointed out on the underside of the toy his name, 'Duncan'.
"Which was once Duncan's," Lexie smiled as she gave Duncan and very strange look when Claire wasn't watching. Lexie could tell something oddly was going on with her 'poor wee mate.'
"Aye, no biggie, donated it fer da twins and Min to use. I found it cleaning out Aunt Liz's attic when she was fixin' up me 'rents old house as a B&B years and years ago."
"Aye he sent that wee thing flying in my kitchen! He'd do it back then to bug ol' Golly," Lexie fondly remembered eons ago Duncan standing on the kitchen table and countertops while stringing string up so he could 'fly' it high in the sky and laughed out loud as the plane really 'took off'.
"Oh, I thought yer 'rents reside in Glasgow?" Claire remarked while sitting herself down on the side of the sandbox while Jayne and Wayne busied themselves with sandy mud 'castles' again.
"They do. They lived in the village first and then moved when my sister settled down there." Duncan explained brightly, with a nod of his head. Lexie listened, still giving Duncan a look of 'Uh, oh...what's going on with you and her?'
Claire handed Duncan back the airplane as he hummed out:
The sun is rising high up over Tarrytown
Friends taking off and friends
touching down
That's where you'll find
That one of a kind
JAY JAY, JAY JAY
JAY JAY THE JET PLANE
"THAT'S ME!"
There's never been another little guy like this
So much in love with the sky like this
So buckle up tight
It's a magical flight with
JAY JAY, JAY JAY
JAY JAY THE JET PLANE
"THAT'S ME!"
Twins giggled out as they watched Duncan use the sides of the sandbox like a balance beam, while floating the plane in the air, "Me! Me!"
Duncan chuckled too, while handing the airplane back to Claire with a wink, "I have to go...Minnie should be up shortly."
"Aye, she's sleeping in a playpen near Molly...I guess Molly wanted to paint in the sitting room and decided Minnie made nice company, regardless if she was snoozing," Lexie instructed as Duncan smiled one last time at Claire...his heart flip flopped again, but his mind wandered back to the song Claire had started to sing to twins...
"You seem to have lots to say," Lexie chuckled out once Duncan was out of an ear shot.
"Aye, s'pose," Claire nodded as she looked away from Duncan's parting direction, "I should go find Susan."
"She should be back soon, went to another 'prelim' speech or debate for the new glens counsel election-aye. I don't know where she finds the time to run her family and write those articles."
"I always used to think the same thing," Claire beamed as she added and waved to the twins before strolling off, "Lemme know if you need any 'help' cleaning my wee mates here."
"Thanks for the offer. I might take you up on it." Lexie winked again, but her mind shifted to Duncan and how he acted around Claire, and a question formed in Lexie's poor mind, didn't Golly ever talk to Dunc about Claire? Then again Golly hardly ever talked to anyone about anything personal in his life.
