Family Values – Part 3
August 10th 2008
Archie and Lexie left the twins with Molly as they travelled into the village to see the finishing touches being done on Glenbogle's new public swimming pool. Archie had decided that the village needed something for the public to do, and a swimming pool, by Lexie's suggestion seemed to fit perfectly.
Lexie had never had swimming lessons as a child apart from the ones through school. She had watched as they walked along the beach a few weeks ago with the girls at Archie nervously flinching every time either Ellie or Kyla went too near the water. She knew in his heart he was frightened for them to go near the water, he didn't want anything to happen to them. So Lexie had decided as soon as the swimming pool was open, she was going to enrol Ellie and Kyla into swimming lessons.
As Archie and Lexie walked into the nearly finished building, Lexie's eyes lit up and her grip on Archie's hand increased as she got excited that this was her idea. Archie went away to talk to one of the builders as Lexie wondered around the reception area reading the notices put up on the walls when a blonde haired lady came up behind her.
"Looks like it will be popular"
Lexie turned round to notice the blonde haired woman who wore her hair down and styled with a flick at the bottom. She had sparkling green eyes and her face was dressed with clear make-up, she smiled a Hollywood smile at Lexie as Lexie returned the smile.
"Melissa Ashford" the lady introduced herself placing her hand out in front of Lexie as Lexie shook her hand
"Lexie Macdonald" Lexie replied
"Nice to meet you Mrs. Macdonald, you're the laird's wife right?" Melissa answered eyeing over to Archie in the background
"Aye" Lexie laughed
"I've just moved into the village with my Husband Ian and my two twin daughters Jennifer and Elizabeth, the big cottage next to the village shop." Melissa explained
"Oh wow you have twin girls too?" Lexie replied excited
"You do?" Melissa asked surprised
"Yes, Ellie and Kyla, they turn four in two days time"
"Eleanor what a pretty name" Melissa commented
"Oh no its just Ellie" Lexie replied, noticing the up-turned nose reaction of Melissa. "So how old are Jenny and Lizzy?" Lexie asked, playing back Melissa's game.
"Jennifer and Elizabeth are four, they start at the village school in September" Melissa.
"Oh so do the twins, they can start school together" Lexie smiled
"You know, you shouldn't class them as 'the twins', its bad for their social development" Melissa answered
"Their social development?" Lexie repeated
"If you carry on calling them 'the twins' for the rest of their life they will never develop individual personalities, next your be telling me they look exactly the same" Melissa laughed
Lexie swallowed nervously. "They are, well their identical"
"So are my girls, but they have different hairstyles, wear different clothes" Melissa replied
Lexie remained silent; Melissa's smile haunted her. Was Lexie a bad mother? Was she harming Ellie and Kyla's social development?
"So how far along are you?" Melissa asked turning her attention to Lexie's baby bump.
Archie came up behind Lexie and wrapped his arms around her and placed them on her stomach.
"Seven Months" Archie answered for Lexie who still couldn't get her words out
"Oh so expecting quite soon then" Melissa replied
"Yep, anyways Lex I'm all done here, so when your ready we better be getting back, mother can't handle the twins for a whole afternoon" Archie stated
Melissa raised her eyebrows at Lexie as Archie mentioned 'twins'
"Don't call them the twins Arch, call them Ellie and Kyla" Lexie corrected sharply.
Archie stood back and un-wrapped his arms from Lexie; Melissa looked at him and gave him a smile.
"Nice meeting you Melissa, I expect we shall be seeing you again soon" Lexie answered before turning on her heels and walking out the door to the car.
Archie followed her shortly after and got in the car.
"What was all that about in there?" he raised his voice.
"Nothing, you just shouldn't name them 'the twins,'" Lexie stated
"Lex! We've called them that since they were born" Archie argued back
"Well now its time to change, they will never improve their social development or develop their own individualities if we carry on calling them 'the twins,'" Lexie replied, Archie's confused expression explained a lot of what he was thinking.
"Lex…what happened to you in there? What did that woman say?" Archie asked
"Melissa, didn't say anything, now come on lets get home we have Ellie and Kyla's birthday party to finish planning" Lexie replied as Archie sighed and started up the engine.
"Gathering in the library in 15 minutes" Archie called into Paul as they stopped off at the farm.
"Ok Arch" Paul replied stacking jars into a box as Isobel sat at the table drinking a cup of tea and Livia sat eating in the high chair next to her.
"Is this about the twins party Arch?" Isobel asked
"Yeah…oh and we are to no longer call them 'the twins' Lex's rules" Archie informed
"What? But we've always called them that when talking about them together" Paul replied giving Arch the same confused look as he had done earlier to Lex.
"Don't ask, Lex's hormones playing up again I think" Archie replied as he dashed back out the door and into the car.
Lexie sat in the library with Ellie on her lap jabbing on about what she had done today. Kyla sat with two Barbie dolls at Lexie's feet and Ewan came in with cups of tea and handed them out.
Jess and Duncan came in through the kitchen and took off their muddy boots and met Golly sitting at the table.
"Meeting still on?" Jess asked as Golly nodded and got up with them to join the others in the library.
Archie came through holding a list in his hand and sat down next to Lexie and Kyla immediately jumped up and climbed onto Archie's lap.
"Just waiting for the Bowman family to arrive" Archie laughed as everyone sat round drinking their tea.
Molly entered the room carrying Livia and Paul and Isobel followed behind her.
"Ok everyone here now?" Lexie asked as she peered round the room to check.
"Ok now birthday preparations for the twins" Archie announced as Lexie did a polite cough
"Sorry…Ellie and Kyla's birthday party" Archie corrected himself
"What daddy?" Kyla asked hearing her name mentioned
"We are planning you a birthday party" Archie replied smiling
"Why?" Ellie asked confused, showing Archie a similar expression to his own
"Because you are going to be four" Archie explained showing four fingers.
"Why?" Kyla then asked, as the room filled with laughter
"Any way… just to go over everyone's duties on the day" Archie informed reading from his list.
"Duncan, the bouncy castle will be arriving at 10am on Tuesday, if you and Golly could set it up over at the wildlife centre hall, then get out all the other play equipment for the under 5's" Archie asked
"Rightio Boss" Duncan replied
"Ewan, your in charge of party food, Jess if you wouldn't mind giving Ewan a hand taking the food across to the wildlife centre hall about 11ish" Archie informed
"I think we can manage that" Jess replied smiling at Ewan
"Oh and Lex, no interfering" Archie added towards his wife, knowing full well she couldn't stand not being in charge of everything. Lexie gave Archie a sarcastic look in return and rolled her eyes. Archie smiled back at her and she let out a giggle.
"Paul, if you could take the big car and pick the guests who need lifts up in the village around 11ish as well please, I think Isobel has the list" Archie asked looking for an answer from Isobel.
"Oh yeah its back at the farm, remind me to give it to you tonight" Isobel spoke to the two brothers.
"Mother, Lizzie and Martha are arriving at the station at 9, if you could go pick them up please that would be a great help"
"No problem Archie, I'll be there" Molly replied
"Arch…what am I doing?" Lexie asked concerned
"Well Lex, I didn't put you down to do anything I thought with you being pregnant…" Archie trailed off seeing Lexie's face expression change.
"Arch I'm hardly gonna pop anytime soon, I could of done something!" Lexie answered annoyed
"Well your helping look after the kids at the party" Archie added. Lexie didn't reply and Archie carried on.
"Ok well I think that's everything, well dinners in an hour, so if you all want to go away and get ready" Archie finished as everyone started to get up out of their seats and move.
"Come on girls, come with me" Molly spoke up taking the twins hands as she sensed the tension between Archie and Lexie.
Archie waited until everyone had left the room before he turned to talk to Lexie.
"What is going on Lex?" Archie asked standing in front of her. She avoided eye contact but in the end looked up.
"Nothing, it's just all the time I've been pregnant I seem to get cut out of duties, ya' know I like to help!" Lexie answered
"Sorry Lex, I just want everything to go smoothly, no complications," Archie admitted sitting down beside her and resting his hand on her belly.
"Arch, everything will be ok" Lexie's expression softened and she leaned to give Archie a kiss on the lips.
"Good" Archie replied kissing her back. "Now we better go get changed for dinner"
"Oh Arch, I know its last minute but I wanted to invite Melissa and her family to the party, they've just moved into the village and it would be a good way to get to know some of the other mothers in the village," Lexie informed
Archie pondered the thought for a minute, he wasn't sure if it was a good idea but he agreed anyway.
"Ok then" Archie answered before helping Lexie up and walking towards the stairs.
"Where are my girls?" Archie called out as Ellie and Kyla ran at him giggling like mad. "Right up the stairs with you two!" he told them as he picked up either one under each arm and carried them up the stairs as they giggled. Lexie laughed to herself and followed behind. Maybe another girl wouldn't be so bad to Arch. He treated them like boys anyway half the time.
