Chapter 15---Le souvenir de ce jour (The memory of this day)
Golly sat down in the kitchen of the house drinking a mug of coffee as his eyes kept gliding to the clock up above. Where was Molly? Golly didn't like not knowing where she was at night. It wasn't like her to just up and run off on him. Lexie cleared her throat as she entered the kitchen. She had come down to get Martha a glass of water since Lizzie and Martha had decided to stay the night at the house.
"Keep staring at the clock and it will be talking back to you---tick tock, tick tock."
Golly grunted and then asked, "Have you seen Molly?"
"Shouldn't Molly be at your cabin with you?" Lexie asked quickly, as she set down a plastic cup of water from the tap.
"I haven't seen much of her lately. Don't you think that's just a wee bit odd since I'm marrying her in three days?"
"Golly, I'm not certain where Molly is, but she mentioned Andrew back in town staying at the B n' B."
"Molly isn't that type of lass, Lexie, at least I didn't think so," Golly got defensive and Lexie looked at him and spoke up, "What does that mean?"
"I saw her on Andrew's motorbike this afternoon. She's either off with Kilwillie, dealing with this wedding nonsense, at the shop or…?" Golly started to jump to conclusions, totally unlike him, but this was a matter of his heart he dealt with. Golly loved every inch of Molly, right down to her bare soul—however he wanted her by his side, safe and sound.
"She's overly preoccupied, Golly, and she's ecstatic being with you. I wouldn't start frettin' yet an' go off assuming she's got some cold feet."
"Well then, where is she?"
Archie heard voices from the hallway of the kitchen and decided to check out the scene, "Lex? Golly?"
"Son," Golly glanced to Archie, knowing just in days, he would be Archie's actual step-father.
"What's---?"
"Just wondering where your mother went?" Golly sighed as Archie blinked and said, "I thought she lived with you?"
"Aye, she's not at the croft. I assumed she was heading over here instead."
Lizzie walked into the kitchen as she heard a wave of voices too, "Hello, kitchen meeting at this hour and why was I invited?"
"Lizzie you wouldn't have happened to seen Mother in any of your travels?" Archie asked now becoming concerned about Molly's whereabouts.
"No, I did see her leave with Kilwillie after dinner. I went on a bike ride and passed them on my way back to the house," Lizzie pointed out as Golly stood right up just as Molly crawled in, and she noted all of the unpleasant looks from her children and soon husband's faces.
"Molly," Golly said as his heart skipped many beats relieved she was home and at least safe.
"Golly?" Molly, with matted hair on her head and her ponytail crooked as it could be, was surprised to see Golly, as everyone dually noted Molly's black wardrobe and she set down the ski mask, the torch and gloves that she had 'borrowed' from Lexie without her knowing.
"Mother, why are you dressed that way?" Archie asked all confused and Lexie and Lizzie gazed at each other bewildered.
"Long story dears, I'd like to head back to…?"
"No so fast," Golly stated firmly, "I'd like to know where you have been too."
Molly became nervous, "Yes, right well…"
"Mummy, just explain yourself," Lizzie spoke up just as wide eyed.
"Kilwillie's trying to match make David and Flora together."
Lexie gave a laugh, "An' yer helpin' him, Molly?"
Molly nodded her head as Lizzie stood there alarmed.
"I saw you…" Golly spoke slowly as Molly glanced at him, "with Andrew."
"Oh right, today, right."
"Mother, you spent time with Andrew?" Archie asked now more baffled.
"I got a ride back to the house from Andrew, because I was worried about you, Lizzie."
Golly sat there quietly while Molly added, "David wants sole custody of Martha."
"I had no idea, when did this come about?" Golly asked quickly as Molly tried to set everyone straight. Lizzie was still wide-eyed at her mother and her actions.
"You're helping Kilwillie set David up with Flora?" Lizzie's mouth dropped to the floor, as she stared at Molly for an even better explanation.
"It's not like that, Sweetheart, at first, Kilwillie came to me at the beginning of the week saying Flora had an interest in David. He asked me for his help in setting them up. I assumed you were with Graeme on solid ground so I decided to do it."
"But David, Mummy, how could you get involved like that?" Lizzie said with a tremor in her tone.
"I saw David the night after the race, and I specifically brought him into the shop, asking him if he still cared about you Lizzie."
"Why?" Archie asked defiantly while cocking a brow at Molly.
"Because, after seeing you, Lizzie, in the garden the day we set up the wedding trellis, you seemed happy to have spent some time with David at his mother's."
"You went to his mother's too?" Archie said while setting his eyes on Lizzie and cocking a judgmental brow at her as well.
Lizzie nodded and Molly said, "With Martha, so, anyway, David's working for Kilwillie…"
"And you thought you'd keep an eye on him?" Archie added while completing his mother's sentence.
Molly nodded righteously.
"Mother that's not going to look good in court when David takes Lizzie there---he wants...?"
"Oh Archie, I just want to see Lizzie in good spirits!"
"That was completely senseless, mother, what if David saw you? How would you explain it then?"
"Archie, enough, the problem's been mine all along. David wants Martha to live with him because he knows I'm to marry Graeme and he's getting back at me because of it," Lizzie snickered firmly while her brows furrowed at the thought.
"You're still going to marry him?" Archie remembered his discussion with Lizzie earlier that day and how Lizzie shouldn't marry Graeme if she has any doubts about it.
"I haven't made up my mind, Archie. I still have to talk to Graeme but for now I have to deal with David and him trying to take Martha away from me!"
Two curious feet in the hallway listened to the whole debate in the kitchen, it was Martha. She had climbed out of bed and hobbled down to the kitchen for her water. Martha didn't like what she was hearing, and for being six, she could only understand that Daddy didn't want her to live with her Mummy.
Lizzie chirped to Lexie, "I'll take Martha her water," as Lizzie's eyes connected to Archie's one last time and she retreated for the hall. Martha heard her mother coming as she zipped towards the upstairs, eventually coming to her old room and hopping up into bed---pretending to be asleep.
The next day, Molly ran around the upstairs like a chicken with its head cut off. Lexie couldn't keep up with her, "Molly slow down!"
"They are arriving in exactly 20 minutes and 30 seconds!" Molly added alarmed while training her eyes on her wrist-clock. Molly held out the bed sheets and said to Duncan who stood there, "Make up this bed for me would you? I have to go get towels and then we need to set up a play pen for the baby! Knowing Merilyn, she'll be early! She's always early! Oh deary me!" Molly cried out as she glanced out of the window, spotting Merilyn MacNaughton's car, "They're here already!"
"Right Molly, no worries---I'll have this bed made so well, you can bounce a shilling off of it!" Duncan nodded his head, as he went to spread out the sheet on the bed and became entangled in it---the white sheet was wrapped around his head and then he untangled himself. Duncan spread out his arms, flew the sheet up into the air, as it landed onto the fitted sheet bed almost straight and flat, except for one corner. Every time he went to spread it out, it would wrinkle up again. Molly was too overjoyed to see her friends that she didn't even catch or comment on Duncan's bed making techniques!
"Molly, calm down, I'll get the towels and you go greet them at the door!" Lexie zinged right out of the room. Lexie waddled to the bathroom and motioned past Archie in their bedroom trying to get dressed.
"Lexie?" Archie replied urgently and about to ask his wife about his wardrobe...
"I'm busy! Go greet the MacNaughton's for me! I can't wait to see Zara's baby!" Lexie said as Archie fiddled and fidgeted with his trousers in their bedroom. He began to realize that ever since Lexie's pregnancy, he'd been putting on a few pounds, "Lexie!"
I didn't gain this much with the twins...Archie's mind added like an expectant father as he gave up on Lexie helping him find something suitable to wear for the day. Archie had trouble zipping up the zipper too. Archie continued to shove his dress shirt into his pants and tried again and again to button the waistline. And then...pop! Went Archie's button! Archie rolled his eyes as he bent down to get the button and... RIP! Went the backside seem of his trousers too!
Oh no...Archie then looked at his bum to see his striped boxers through the 'window' of torn fabric. Archie was unsure of what to do next so he tried to hold the back of his pants together with his hand. Lexie who was heading back down the hall from the bathroom stopped at the bedroom door to see Archie bent down again grabbing his button and laughed at the sweet view of his husband's boxer short rump in ripped trousers, "Showing the world your sunshine, Arch?"
"Lex! I don't fit into my pants!" Archie said all distressed and added without thinking, "You're not the only one whose gained weight around here! What do I do?"
"Well, there's another pair in the dresser chest," Lexie wasn't the least bit offended at Archie's weight comment since she had other things to worry about on her mind like...Molly and Golly's wedding. Lexie then disappeared from the door way.
Molly shouted out as she met Merilyn at the front close of the house, "Oh how wonderful it is to see you!"
Merilyn smiled, "I've always enjoyed visiting the Glenbogle House, and you Molly, the bride to be, you look smashing!"
"Well, I pride myself on it. Zara! Henry! And this must be..." Molly hugged Zara, Archie's cousin Henry, whom Zara had met at the Ghillie's Ball years before and danced with him all night long in Lexie's short black dress, and the baby...
Zara beamed profusely, "Molly, I'd like you to meet, Georgina Hannah Merilyn MacDonald." Zara then displayed the infant: Georgina was just six weeks old, swaddled in a blanket with a baby bonnet on her head, as she slept soundly and cuddled to her mother.
"Lovely to see you Aunt Molly," Henry gave Molly a kiss on the cheek, "Where's Archie at?"
"He'll be down shortly, oh how cute!" Molly smiled winked at the newborn, "This way! I'll take you all to your rooms! Duncan will take care of your bags."
Duncan arrived down the steps just in time to scoop up a few suitcases as he had finished making the last bed. This time Duncan piled up the cases to his nose and then tried to climb the stairs. Ewan came walking around the corner just to see Duncan trip over his own feet and drop them all. One by one each case fell to the floor.
"Aye, help?" Duncan asked harried just a tad as Ewan rolled his eyes and remarked at Duncan's way of carrying luggage up the steps, "Aye, sure."
Merilyn, Zara and Henry followed Molly up the stairs just as they blinked at Archie coming down the hall.
Archie spoke up dignified, "Hello all," as Archie also tried to ignore what he was wearing, but Merilyn didn't and asked with a smile...
"Are you having kiss n' chase flash backs Archie in short trousers?"
Zara gave her mother a slightly mortified look as Henry laughed, while Archie laughed too, standing their in short tweed trousers which came down to his knee. Lexie who was also humored by Archie's 'other pants' look chuckled and she raised a hand to her mouth too when Archie spoke up again, "Sorry, I had to borrow fathers golfing pants as it seems I've grown out of mine! This way please to your rooms!"
Meanwhile... Andrew sat in the parlor of the B n' B reading a newspaper, next to Duncan's Aunt Liz. Andrew still had something important to say to Molly. He wasn't totally sure of where or when to begin, as a woman staying in the room two doors down from him entered the parlor. Aunt Liz beamed at her beautiful guest, "Good morning? Hearty breakfast lovey?" Liz asked the young traveler if she needed food since she arrived late at her B n' B last night.
"I'm good thanks, Mrs. Logan. However, how do I get to Glenbogle House?" The lady held out a village map trying to figure it out as Liz corrected her, "It's Liz, deary and we can help you."
Andrew smiled and folded up his newspaper, glancing at Liz, "There's many ways, let me take a look at your map."
"Thank you, I'm a little mixed up on my time between New Zealand still being hours upon hours ahead and I'm horrible at directions. I can't even figure out my north from my south!" The young lady cracked a joke as Liz smiled and laughed too.
"My nephew works at the house, and it's simple to get there...in fact aren't you going that way Andrew?" Liz began just as Andrew took over the conversation.
"Yes I will be. What's at Glenbogle House?" Andrew inquired as Liz watched them both.
"Just a friend," the young woman smiled and then Andrew inquired, "A friend? I can take you there now if you like?"
The young woman smiled warmly at Andrew as she accepted his offer of help, "Yes that would be wonderful—just let me get a few things."
Duncan came down the stairs for the next set of suitcases on the outside front stoop, and just as he was about to pick up a baby bag, he heard a motorbike zipping towards him. Duncan looked up to see Andrew as he smiled, waved, and then his face dropped at the sight for his sore eyes, "Emily?"
Emily Barr climbed off of Andrew's motorbike, handed him his helmet, just as he drove off down the dusty track, "Hello Duncan."
"What are you doing here?"
"I came for the wedding, since Uncle Donald couldn't make it."
Emily and Duncan collided together, surprised to finally see each other...
Chapter 16---Lost n' Found
The next evening came along fast, as Martha had her backpack on her back, her teddy bear at her side and continued to wander down the trail. She was running away…if Daddy didn't want her living with Mummy then she was going to live on her own. With every so many steps Martha took, the clouds rolled in…and then it began to downpour. Martha being scared bolted for a nearby canopy of pines and then the thunder clapped and the lightning zapped a nearby tree making Martha jump up and run further down the beaten path---as her bear fell out of her hands and onto the ground.
It was bedtime for Martha. Lizzie wanted her daughter to sleep instead of attending Molly's hen party since it was indeed an adult event. Lizzie looked everywhere imagined around the Glenbogle House. She had decided to have Martha and her stay for the weekend at Archie's suggestion due to the wedding and also to avoid David at all costs. Lizzie stepped into the kitchen, "Lexie? Have you seen Martha?"
Lexie said standing around a table of gifts for Molly each gift from each woman in the room, "No I haven't. I thought she was up in bed with you?"
Lizzie sighed, "No she isn't with me."
Claire, Emily, and Jess strolled inside with pots and pans and ready to bang and clang them to signify the arrival of Molly, the bride for the hen party. Lizzie asked them, "Have either of you seen Martha?"
"Not since this morning," Claire spoke as Jess nodded her head, 'no' and added, "All of the men are off to Golly's stag-do, so I doubt they've seen Martha as well."
Lizzie walked into the food pantry, noting on the hook that Martha's school bag, coat, and teddy bear were gone. "Her stuff isn't here, Lexie."
Lexie walked into the food pantry, and alcove where the kitchen door was, Lexie scanned the hooks, one hook had the dog leashes hanging from it, another a pair of Archie's fishing overalls and one bare hook where Martha's belongings had been. Lexie and Lizzie exchanged looks as Lizzie became serious and doomly scared, "Lexie…"
"Don't worry. She couldn't have gotten that far."
"I'll go to Ghillie's now and round up the men," Claire added surely, handing Emily her pot and pan as she bolted out the backdoor.
"No luck?" Jess peered into the food pantry, just as Susan hollered out, "Hello!"
"Dears?" Molly called out as she followed Susan into the kitchen.
"Anybody in here? You Whooooo? Where's the bride to be?" Flora, Merilyn and Zara trumpeted together, while Emily and Jess both started to hit the pots and pans while Molly laughed at her hen 'welcome'. Lizzie and Lexie weren't laughing, they were both stoic with their glances as Molly became overly worried too, "Lizzie?"
"Mummy, Martha's missing!"
Martha, drenched and resembling a wet curly haired poodle, continued to run down the beaten path. The rain still hadn't let up, and she began to wonder if doing a runner was such a nifty idea. She missed her Mummy and it dawned on her now that she had lost her comfort toy, Mrs. Bear. Martha's eyes became teary and as she feared she wouldn't ever see her family again... the night began to fall, and the rain still pelted down upon her brow...
Martha tripped over her feet seconds later, landing on her stomach on the ground, as she looked up, she saw, a dimpled white ball. Martha rose back onto her feet as she plucked the white ball up and her mind said, Hey! One more!
Martha saw another golf ball...and her mind chimed, Look! Another one!
In the meantime, Golly arrived with Paul, Nigel and Duncan at Ghillie's Rest. As the three and half men stepped into the tavern, Archie bellowed out, "There he is!"
"I'll go get the pints and--a---pop!" Duncan announced squarely as he took off for the bar.
Golly laughed when he noted the enormous bucket of rainbow colored feathers being dropped over his head by Sean and Graeme. And to top off the outfit, Henry dumped a bucket of cut up black crinoline over Golly's head too.
"Sorry, no tar, but the feathers and crinoline will do!" Archie joked as Golly laughed, realizing he had arrived at his stag party. Golly's laughter ceased, when his eyes went to the door to see David standing there.
"Archie? Golly, congrats...?" David smiled and raised a bottle of malt whiskey in his hand as some sort of peace offering.
"I'll take care of this," Archie grumbled, and then Claire showed up at the door too, right behind David.
"Archie! Paul!" Claire said all out of breath, as she pushed past David, and then looked to Ewan.
"Claire this is a stag party! What are you doing here?" Ewan said with a laugh...
"Archie it's important! Martha's missing!"
Archie shot David a look of 'I'll deal with you later.' The group then fled the tavern, except Duncan, who was still off getting pints for the 'men' and a soda for Nigel. Duncan recited, in best man tone, aloud like he wasn't alone, "Here he! Here he! Here's to Golly! He's the luckiest man in the land to be marrying Mol--ly!" Duncan turned and noticed that everyone had left him standing there.
Duncan ran out of the tavern, as everyone in their cars and trucks took off on him and yelled out, "Hey wait for me!" Duncan then started running down the road with his kilt swinging in the breeze.
"How long has she been missing?" Archie inquired as Jess answered, "We're not sure, her stuff's gone...she must have stepped out an hour after dinner?"
"I'll get the maps from the estate office!" Paul hollered out as he took off for the back of the house now dressed in rain gear.
"What's the plan, Arch?" David asked as he stood behind Archie.
"There's no plan! You get off my land, and I'll find Martha!" Archie stated sharply, becoming increasingly fed up with David before heading off to the kitchen to get his outer rain wear. Graeme, Sean and Golly both stared at David. Golly noted David ready to run after Archie and stand up for him self---for his being there.
Golly answered, getting in David's way, "It's all right, David."
"Golly, look, I might have been a bit harsh with you, but this is my daughter and I should be searching as well," David tooted just as Golly nodded in some kind of unwritten 'fatherly' understanding. David began to pace as his eyes met Lizzie's at the top of the stairs.
Lizzie didn't say anything to David, and instead she climbed down the stairs before heading in the direction of the kitchen.
"Lizzie!" David said immediately as she ignored him completely. David gave up, when Golly stepped in front of him again, as he retreated back out to the front of the house and his SUV.
The house lights faltered and flicked in the main part of the house as lightning stuck down upon it. The thunder cracked a loud boom again and the rain continued to fall. Archie ran into the kitchen to witness Lexie with his rain gear on, "Lex, wait, you...?"
"I'm going Archie, I'll find Martha."
"You're pregnant, Lexie, you can't go out there in the middle of the storm like this!"
"Archie's right Lexie," Zara began while nursing Georgina off in a corner of the kitchen as Lexie gave her a look of 'where's your support?'
"I'm going Archie! Martha's probably scared stiff..." Lexie worried about their niece as Archie moved himself in front of her and the door, " No, Lex's it's dangerous, what am I to do if you get struck by lightning?"
Lexie was just about to protest when...
"Then let me go out there," Lizzie stood at the doorway dressed to run outside with a death wish gaze, "If lightning strikes me down, then you know what to do, just cremate me."
"Lizzie! LIZZIE!" Archie exclaimed as he watched his sister run out of the house.
Archie and Lexie traveled back into the front hall. Andrew had arrived as well and now handing out torches to people dressed to brave the freak storm's rains and now winds. Molly was extremely upset and sitting on a chair in the front hall with Golly by her side, "Maybe we better cancel the wedding, until Martha's found?"
"No worry, Molly, we'll find her and have our wedding too," Golly said sympathetically while rubbing her shoulders. Molly sat there still in despair. Merilyn stood at her side and replied while giving Molly's shoulder a pat, "Rain on your soon impending wedding day is good luck Molly." Kilwillie entered the house with Duncan behind him.
"Molly? Everything all right?"
"Martha's missing..."
"Well, is there anything I can do?" Kilwillie asked to which Archie replied, "You get warm blankets and hold this," Archie handed him a walkie talkie, "I'll alert you once we find her."
Martha kept following the trail of the dimpled balls, now becoming quite tired after running acres and acres of forest, and when she found each ball she shoved it into her pack. The rain let up for moments and then went heavy again, but the darkness crept further in. Martha heard a sound, and it wasn't the pine cones crackling under her feet, it was a mad howling, which was coming closer to her.
Martha ran as fast as her little feet could possibly carry her...the howling, turned to growling...Martha was still in shock and running with full throttle fear as she spotted a familiar sight. The wee girl, found the tree house with the sign nailed to the tree, "Lads only No gals allowed" which was crossed out with a big red X and said, "Lads only and just Lizzie!" Martha dropped her backpack and shimmed up the tree ladder, just in time as three wolves appeared making noises, displeased ones that their dinner had gotten away.
Martha got to the top of the rope ladder and into the tree house as the wolves around the tree around and around below. Martha looked out the tree house window, wiping her wet hair out of her face...as she scooted down just under her mother's florescent pink curtains, tugging her knees closer to her and sighed.
David arrived back his parents' house, as his mother met him at the door, "David? I was wondering if you would arrive home soon. What's wrong? I was about to head to the Glenbogle House for Molly's hen party." Grace stood there putting her jacket on and picked up Molly and Golly's wedding present.
"Martha's gone missing, and I came home to get father's rain gear..."
"Oh deary heavens me?"
"No need to worry, I need to get back to the MacDonald's," David reassured his mother before running his old bedroom. David noted his window wide open as the rain had come through. David was about to shut the window when he saw a little light climbing down from the tree fort and wondering towards the house. At first David thought he had been seeing things, since it was becoming night. David fled his bedroom and ran out of the house as the torch light came closer and closer to the house.
"Martha!"
"Daddy!" Martha yelled as she dropped the flashlight, sped towards him and wearily fell into David's arms.
"Your mummy and I are worried sick about you!" David hugged Martha, relieved she was safe and sound.
David's SUV traveled through puddles on the lane as the water splashed the tires, while the wipers swished rain water from the windshield. Eventually, the vehicle came to a stop at the front of the Glenbogle House. Martha had her back pack as David and she had found it outside of the tree fort.
"David? Martha?" Jess said as she met them at the door, Molly peered at them as she walked into the front hall with Lexie right behind her. Claire followed behind Emily, Zara, and Merilyn. Flora glanced at them too as Kilwillie radioed to Archie, "Lost chick been found in the hen house, over."
Lizzie, wet, soggy, Lizzie wandered inside the kitchen with Mrs. Bear in her hands and sadness in her eyes, assuming Martha was indeed lost and feared the worst. Just as Archie, followed by Paul, Ewan, Sean, Golly, and the others entered the kitchen from the outside too, Archie said to her, "Check the front hall, Kilwillie said that Martha's been found."
Lizzie sprinted out of the kitchen and down the hall, zoomed to the front close, "Martha!"
"Mummy! I'm so sorry Mummy!" Lizzie knelt down embracing Martha instantly. Lizzie and David exchanged one last dissent, but now serene glance before David wandered out of the house.
