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.
