Past wont go away: Story of my life

You know it's not easy,

To try and change your ways

"Morning Lex" Archie spoke as he entered the kitchen the next morning.

"Hey Arch, you want something to eat?" Lexie replied

Archie laughed "Yeh please"

"Well I've just made Max some porridge, so you can have some too if that's ok?" Lexie asked

"Sounds lovely thanks" Archie replied sitting down next to Max at the table.

"You really have a lovely home here Archie" Max commented

"Thank you, it has its many wonders" Archie replied smiling back as Lexie put a bowl of porridge in front of him.

"Hey Lex you ready?" Jess asked coming into the kitchen

"Yep ready as ever" Lexie answered taking off her apron and putting down the dishcloth.

"Ready for what?" Archie asked confused

"Practising for Karaoke night down at the pub" Max answered

Archie laughed "You and Jess?"

Lexie hit him with the dishcloth "Yes me and Jess"

"Well this I will have to come and see" Archie replied ducking away.

"Right Max sweetie, Ami is out with Molly, she'll need a bottle and put down for a nap about 12ish ok and I'll see you tonight" Lexie explained to Max as she kissed him quickly on the cheek before leaving with Jess.

"There actually really good" Max commented once Lexie and Jess had left

"Are they, I don't think I've ever heard either of them sing" Archie answered

"Lexie's voice is wonderful, she sings to Ami all the time, its beautiful" Max replied

"Well then I look forward to tonight, I'll catch you later then" Archie commented finishing his last spoonful and putting his dish in the sink.

"What's it going to be tonight then?" Max asked Lexie as she got back to the house to get ready for the night out.

"Ah you'll have to wait and find out" Lexie replied as she went through her wardrobe for a dress.

"Oh come on you never tell me" Max whined

"Because you always ask," Lexie replied laughing, as she picked out a black, backless dress.

"Hmmm…what do you think?" Lexie asked holding it up against her for Max to see.

"I think you will look beautiful in it" Max replied

Lexie hesitated "I don't know, I wonder what Amber is wearing"

"Why would you care what Amber was wearing?" Max asked standing in front of Lexie so she could adjust his tie.

"I don't know, it's just she's going to look better what ever she's wearing" Lexie answered

"Lex, since when have you cared about other people looking better than you?" Max questioned

"I dunno" Lexie mumbled

"Now put on the dress and lets get going hey so I can find out what this surprise song is you and Jess are singing tonight" Max replied giving Lexie a kiss on the nose as she broke into a smile.

Archie stood and watched as Amber got changed. She looked really thin and sick.

"What?" Amber questioned as she saw Archie staring from the bed.

"You look like you've lost weight" Archie commented

"Good" Amber replied as she walked over to Archie for him to do the back of her dress up.

"So this Lexie…she's singing tonight right?" Amber asked as Archie did up the zip.

"Yeh, yeh Lexie and Jess are going to sing, apparently they always do and it's a good night out," Archie answered

"Hmm… how come we never do something like this when just us come up here then" Amber questioned

"I don't know, well you and Jess aren't really friends as such and…" Archie hesitated

"Instead we just sit around bored for two weeks" Amber finished sighing and walking over to the dressing table.

Archie got up and left the room to go see how mother and the children were, he was dreading tonight with Amber.

As Archie opened the door to the Ghillies rest, the atmosphere inside was wonderful. Drinks were being served and lots of chatter was going on in the pub. Everyone had smiles on their faces and was all dressed up for the night out. As the lot of them walked in and found some seats near the front of the stage, Golly went up to talk to the man setting up the stage and mic.

"Right what's everyone having to drink?" Lexie asked the table

"I'll get them Lex" Archie offered

"No, no bother I'll get them Arch, but you can come help me carry" Lexie replied as she noted what everyone wanted and grabbed Arch's hand and pulled him to the bar.

"Your happy tonight" Archie commented after Lexie had ordered the drinks.

"Well it's going to be a good night" Lexie answered

"You look… wonderful by the way" Archie commented

Lexie smiled as she took the drinks in her hand "Thanks Arch, you look good too"

"RIGHT AS YOU ALL KNOW TONIGHT IS THE SPECIAL 60S AND 70S KAROKE NIGHT," the barman announced to the audience as a whirl of cheers came from around the room.

"FIRST UP IS THE GREAT DOUBLE ACT FROM THE VERY OWN LEXIE AND JESS!" the bar man announced to the audience as Lexie and Jess made their way out of their seats and on to the stage.

"WELL WE THOUGHT WE WOULD DO SOMETHING A BIT WELL KNOWN, SO WE DECIDED TO DO A ABBA SONG" Lexie told the audience

"AND THE ABBA SONG WE DECIDED TO DO WAS TAKE A CHANCE ON ME" Jess finished as her and Lexie took their mic's and the bar man switched on the music.

"If you change your mind, I'm the first in line, Honey I'm still free, take a chance on me" Lexie started, wowing the audience with her singing voice as Jess joined in with her

"If you need me, let me know, gonna be around, if you've got no place to go, if your feeling down. If you've all alone when the pretty birds have flown Honey I'm still free, take a chance on me, Gonna do my very best and it aint no lie, If you put me to the test, if you let me try"

Archie sat there amazed, he had never heard either of them sing before but this wasn't just some silly game that they were doing for a laugh. Ok so they were doing it for a laugh but they could actually sing, unlike the usual people you get up on the karaoke.

Amber looked across at Archie and saw the way he stared at Lexie. Amber shot Lexie an evil stare but it only made Lexie put more into her singing and Archie sat up more and listened.

"Take a chance on me" Lexie sang as Jess sung the backing voice

"That's all I ask of you honey"

"Take a chance on me" Lexie repeated giving the audience a smile as a few of the men at the back cheered.

"We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together. Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better" Lexie sang as she blew a kiss to Max, who sat next to Archie smiling proud at his wife.

"This is Jess's bit" Duncan whispered from behind Arch.

"Cos you know I've got so much that I wanna do, When I dream I'm alone with you its magic. You want me to leave you there, afraid of a love affair. But I think you know, that I cant let go" Jess sang out with all her heart as Duncan jumped up and smiled away at her.

"That's ma girl," Golly commented from next to Duncan.

Everybody listened as Lexie and Jess sang the first two choruses' again.

"So now what do you think?" Max whispered to Archie.

"Absolutely brilliant, I can't believe I never knew Lexie could sing this well before" Archie answered not taking his eyes off the stage.

"She's got many hidden talents" Max replied giving a wink as an indication to Archie before turning back to listen.

'Hmm I bet' Archie thought as he watched in amazement, his heart seemed to be telling him something but all he could was his wife breathing out deeply in frustration beside him.

"Oh you can take your time baby, I'm in no hurry, know I'm gonna get you. You don't wanna hurt me, baby don't worry, I aint gonna let you" Lexie sang giving the audience a grin as Jess carried on belting out her voice "Let me tell you know, my love is strong enough to last when things are round. Its magic. You say that I waste my time, but I cant get you off my mind, no I cant let go… cos I love you so"

They then repeated the first chorus again, with the whole audience joining in and clapping to the beat as Lexie and Jess shone with happiness up on the stage.

"Ba Ba Bab, Ba ba Bab ba bab" Came the vocals from the CD

As Lexie and Jess finished off the song "Take a chance on me, Gonna put me to the test, take a chance on me, honey I'm still free, take a chance on me"

As the song faded out, wails of cheers and people stood up clapping away like mad. Duncan stood up on his chair shouting "Woo... Go Jess Go Lex!"

"Well done babe you did great!" Max shouted over the clapping to Lexie.

As Lexie and Jess got down from the stage and came across to the table, Max, Golly, Duncan, Paul and Molly all got up to congratulate them and give each a kiss on the cheek. Archie got up and said well done to Jess before kissing her on the cheek and then Lexie as well.

"Well Alexandra you just surprise me every time" Archie whispered in her ear. Lexie laughed before kissing Arch back on the cheek.

"Right I'll get us some more drinks in!" Archie shouted as he went towards the bar.

"How come the girls are so good at pool?" Archie asked Paul as the two brothers sat having a pint at the table while watching Lexie and Jess Vs Duncan and Max at the pool table.

"Us guys let them win so they think they are good" Paul replied laughing.

"Ah I see" Archie answered laughing with him.

Lexie ran over to them "Ha us girls won!" she cheered

"Losers" Archie whispered jokily to Paul so Lexie could hear

"Oh defiantly" Paul whispered back as Lexie playfully hit Archie on the arm.

"Right you can go buy me a drink for that Mr. Macdonald" Lexie ordered as Archie sighed and then smiled at Lexie as they walked towards the bar.

"What's it to be then Lex?" Archie asked

"Same as before please" Lexie replied holding up her glass.

"One red wine please and another pint for me thanks" Archie asked the barman.

"Arch could you get me another vodka please" Amber asked from behind Archie.

Archie turned his back to Lexie and spoke quietly to his wife.

"Amber I don't think that's a good idea do you?" Archie questioned his wife

"Why not?" Amber replied

"You know why not ok, I'll get you a coke" Archie answered turning back round and ordering a coke as Amber looked at Lexie standing by the bar puzzled by the overheard conversation and then walked back to the table.

Archie turned and gave Lexie a smile as if to say nothing was wrong. And Lexie smiled back to show she hadn't taken notice of his conversation with his wife, even though she had.