PART 19

Well it's now or never thought Lexie as she went to pick up the phone

to dial her mother in Glasgow. They hadn't spoken since she and Archie had

moved to Northumbria, but then it wasn't entirely her fault, as Pamela

and Eric spent more time out of the country than in these days. She had

decided to take the opportunity whilst Archie was out collecting an order at

the printers. Lexie had just begun to dial the number when she heard the

sound of a lorry reversing outside, glancing out of the window she saw it had

stopped outside the house, putting down the phone she went to

investigate.

Archie smiled to himself as he drove into Banbridge, and glanced at the

bags resting on the passenger seat, he hoped Lexie would be as delighted as

he was with his surprise. As he neared the house he saw the lorry parked

outside and various boxes being carried into the yard. He pulled up and

got out of the car "oh Arch thank goodness you're back, this is all the stuff we ordered

for the industrial kitchen, there seems to be so much, are you sure we

ordered all this?" Lexie asked anxiously

"well you know how things get packed with lots of space around them,

don't worry Lex I'm sure it is all ours, we just need to check everything off

against our purchase order forms"

They dragged the first box into the catering kitchen, and as Lexie took

the items out of the box, Archie checked them off against the list. As all

the unpacked equipment began to stack up, Archie made a suggestion

"ok we need to be more methodical, otherwise we are going to end up in

a mess, we need to start putting everything away, I suggest in the

cupboards next to the ovens we put all the saucepans, fish kettles, roasting

tins, baking trays etc, then the next one along oven proof dishes. Mixing

bowls and measuring jugs need to go near the work surfaces, as do chopping

boards, pastry boards, mmm now all the utensils" Archie stopped mid flow as he

glanced around the room, Lexie was standing in the middle of the room

looking somewhat bewildered, she groaned

"argh this is all so I don't know clinical and professional, I'm not

used to cooking in a kitchen like this" she pouted

Archie laughed at the expression on her face "well we are professionals

remember, this is our working space, the kitchen in the house is about

us"

"mmm but its coloured chopping boards, one colour for fish, one for

meat, one for vegetables, all this health and safety rubbish, I never gave

anyone food poisoning at Glenbogle, it's so dull" Lexie moaned as she trailed

her fingers along the work top miserably

"Lex how can you say its dull when we have these to wear" Archie said

as he donned a white hat, coat and gloves

"you look like you are about to carry out a medical procedure dressed

like that or else you are contaminated with some deadly disease" Lexie

smiled

"your turn" said Archie as he placed a white hat on Lexie's head, "oh

cheer up Lex this isn't like you to be all in the doldrums, what's up?"

Archie added giving her a quick squeeze

"oh I don't know, it's just, well it just doesn't seem like us, its not

warm and cosy, its cold and clinical"

"but sweetheart it has to be like that, we have to get approval from

environmental health and once it becomes a working environment it will

improve"

"I know I know....... I was just being all wistful about the kitchen at

Glenbogle, silly really as we have that gorgeous kitchen in the house,

I suppose it's memories really. I have so many associated with that

kitchen, good, bad, happy and sad, I know we'll create loads in our kitchen in

the house, I suppose we have already really" Lexie smiled

Archie smiled in response "but the memories live on as long as you

remember them, and we are adding new ones all the time"

"ooo listen to you going all deep on me, ok memories then Glenbogle

kitchen your favourite memory what is it?"

"easy the chocolate cake incident" Archie laughed

"mmm I never got that chocolate stain off that skirt" Lexie added

laughing"well it was your fault for looking gorgeous and irresistible and for

leaving that cake on the edge of the table"

"well if you had controlled yourself and not pushed me onto the table

in the first place...."

"ok ok but you have to admit it was enjoyable......so what's yours?"

Lexie pondered "mmm well I guess after the midsummer ball when you in

your clumsy way proposed to me, a girl always dreams of it being romantic,

but not where Archie Macdonald is concerned, I know I know you were tongue

tied and nervous, but as I've said before despite all that, it was well you

know"

"you know Lex there is always something I have wondered"

"mmmm"

"you know how you were holding that pile of plates, how come you never

dropped them?"

"I don't know I've never really thought about, I suppose I was so taken

aback I kind of froze, anyway enough of this reminiscing we need to get

back to work!"

"you sure you don't want to take a break and create some memories"

Archie asked with a glint in his eye

"now Archie what were you saying? this is a professional work space and

Jill and Matt are coming over in a couple of hours for supper and to talk

about the pig roast and barbecue for the May Fayre"

"ok ok slave driver" Archie responded smiling as he kissed her

fleetingly.

Eventually everything in the catering kitchen was organised and sorted

to their satisfaction and they began to wander across the yard back to the

house. As they wandered into the kitchen, they collapsed onto the sofa

"phew I'm exhausted" Lexie commented

"tea?"

"mmm please, actually no I think I'll go and have a quick shower and

get changed before Jill and Matt arrive"

"want me to join you?!"

"ARCHIE! I said a quick shower, anyway you said you'd cook tonight so

you better get started"

"fine spoil my fun, I'll just go and slave over a hot stove then"

Lexie laughed "go on, go and create some culinary delight"

As soon as Lexie had left the kitchen, Archie retrieved his bag of

shopping from the junk room, and pulled out a recipe book entitled 'Healthy

Meals for Mums To Be'. The strap line said the book contained recipes especially

for women who were hoping to conceive and for those newly pregnant. Archie

smiled to himself and sat down flicking through the book, unfortunately

he didn't have many ingredients to hand, but knew that folic acid was

important and calcium. Archie decided to cook something with green beans and

spinach which were rich in folic acid and hard cheese and yoghurt which were

rich in calcium. He decided to make a folic acid and calcium friendly quiche

and serve it with salad and new potatoes.

He hid the book behind the toaster and got started on the short crust

pastry for the quiche. He was just rolling out the pastry when there was a

knock at the door, it was Jill and Matt.

As they settled down with a drink Lexie walked in

"sorry we've been sorting out the catering kitchen and I just had to

have a shower, anyway how are you both?"

"fine thanks, and Emily is very upset we were coming to see you and she

wasn't invited" Jill replied smiling

"oh dear what it is to be popular" Lexie laughed

"so Archie what are you cooking then" asked Matt as he wandered over to

the aga

"oh um nothing special just a quiche"

"quiche??" Lexie said with a puzzled expression on her face "quiche,

you don't make quiche Archie"

"well I am tonight, anyway aren't we supposed to be discussing the May

Fayre catering?"

Lexie exchanged a look with Jill and raised her eyebrows "yes indeed we

are husband dearest, so where shall we begin you two done this before"

Lexie asked Jill and Matt

"well no but I spoke with Fred and Joe in the butchers and they

provided the order last year, so I asked for a repeat order this year" Matt

explained

"great and does that include the pig?" Lexie inquired

"sure does Lex and I've got a mate who can loan us a spit and

apparently Margaret and her team do all the rolls and sauces etc so we are sorted"

"so is that the end of our discussion as you've got it all sorted Matt"

"guess it is, so now we can get down to the serious business of the

evening, checking to see if you and Archie are any good at cooking" Matt teased

"Matt honestly" Jill chastised him

"I was merely jesting" he replied

"well you can see for yourselves now as its ready" Archie told them

They all sat round the table as Archie served the quiche, as he cut

into it, liquid oozed out creating a soggy mess mixed with curdled yoghurt.

Lexie looked at Archie

"Arch um what is this and um do we have to eat it?"

After Jill and Matt left having eaten a supper of cheese on toast,

Lexie sat Archie down

"Right Archie Macdonald what is going on that meal was a disaster were

you trying to poison us all? And don't give me that innocent puppy dog eyes

look, I know when you are up to something, now talk"

"ok right well, you know, look hang on a second" Archie dashed out to

the junk room and came back with a carrier bag. Lexie looked at him

expectantly

"I got these for you, for us like I said I would" Archie stated as he

took out of the bag two books on pregnancy and a dictionary of children's

names, he waited for Lexie to respond, she said nothing "oh and this he added"

retrieving the recipe book from behind the toaster.

"I wanted to make something tonight from this book, but we didn't have

all the ingredients so I um improvised but well it didn't really work"

Lexie smiled at him, she realised from this gesture he had listened to

what she had said about wanting his support and for him to be with her every

step of the way. Such a simple thing really but spoke volumes.

"thanks Arch, thanks for listening to me and understanding and helping

me not be scared" she hugged him tightly and he hugged her back, then he

lent back a little took her face in his hands and kissed her. After a while

he released her and bent down to pick up a smaller bag

"oh and these too"

"pregnacare vitamin and mineral supplements especially for mothers

preparing to conceive and who are pregnant" Lexie read from the label on the pot,

she looked at Archie and raised her eyebrows at him

"and this" he added pulling a thermometer out of the bag

Lexie burst into laughter "oh Arch we don't need that"

"but I thought"

"no no we only need to use the thermometer if I have problems getting

pregnant"

"oh I see"

"you bampot" she said kissing him

"of course we'll both need to see the doctor" she added wickedly "me to

check about coming off the pill, my blood pressure etc and you to make

sure you are up to the job, full medical for you sunny Jim"

"what" Archie spluttered " a full medical to make sure I'm up to the

job, you are joking"

"no!"

"but that's ludicrous I....."

"GOT YA" Lexie giggled

"right Lexie Macdonald you've done it now"

Archie made a grab for her, but she was too quick and dashed round the

other side of the kitchen table, Archie chased after her and eventually

grabbed her round the waist, and began to tickle her

"no Archie stop please" Lexie giggled

"ok but no more teasing"

"ok and no more disgusting quiche"

"quits"

"quits"

They smiled at each other, "you thinking what I'm thinking" Archie

asked her

"mmm depends what you're thinking"

"chocolate cake"

"me too" she replied pulling him forcefully down onto the sofa.