Family Values - part 5
August 13th 2008
Duncan dragged his feet nervously along to Lexie's and Archie's bedroom. His hand reached up to knock on the door.
"Come away in" Lexie replied, as Duncan opened the door and walked inside and sat down on the bed.
"Duncan, you ok?" Lexie asked worriedly
"Aye…well no not really" Duncan mumbled as Lexie finished putting clothes away in the wardrobe and came and sat down next to Duncan.
"What's up wee man?" Lexie asked
"Well…it's me and Jess" Duncan answered
"Your ok aren't ya?"
"Oh aye, yeah we're fine…its just I don't know if its going anywhere"
"You don't want to be together anymore?"
"Oh no no no… I do, I really do…it's just I want more"
"More as in marriage?"
Duncan paused for a minute and Lexie smiled
"Oh Dunc, that's wonderful" Lexie smiled as Duncan relaxed
"So you think I should go for it?" Duncan asked, searching for Lexie's thoughts
"Dunc, you two have been together five years, I would think that if you have been happy that long, that you are ready for that kind of commitment"
"Ok…ok I'll do it" Duncan jumped up excited
Lexie laughed, "When are you going to ask her?"
"I hadn't thought of that yet…tomorrow mebbe?" Duncan replied
"What a candle light dinner or something a bit more Jess?" Lexie suggested
"Something a bit more Jess?" Duncan answered confused
"Well Jess likes romantic…but then again she loves something wild and exciting…something different…its why she loves you Dunc" Lexie explained as Duncan sat back down next to her.
"Different…Jess…wild and exciting…" Duncan's thoughts circled his head
"How about something outside? That's more Jess dontcha think?" Lexie suggested
"Outside…I could lead her on some kind of trail…something a bit exciting" Duncan yelled
"Like a nature trail?" Lexie asked
"Aye…in fact I've got just the thing!" Duncan shouted jumping up again "Thanks Lex" Duncan replied giving her a kiss on the cheek and patting her belly.
"Dunc, good luck" Lexie smiled as he ran off excited
Duncan ran past Archie on the way in. "Hi boss, sorry gotta dash"
"What was that all about?" Archie asked Lexie as she smiled happily as Archie joined her on the bed.
"Our wee Dunc is gonna propose!" Lexie yelled excitedly
"Duncan? Finally" Archie laughed
"Archie" Lexie replied giving him a little hit as he grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him.
"So how are my lovely wife and child?" Archie asked
"We're good, how is my gorgeous husband?" Lexie answered
"Oh I'm ok, I'll be better after a kiss from you" Archie suggested
"Well it will have to wait, I have two hungry girls downstairs waiting for their lunch" Lexie replied getting up and moving towards the door. Lexie looked back to see Archie's sad puppy dog eyes looking longingly towards her, she quickly took a turn kissed Archie saw his smile then continued downstairs to the kitchen.
"Ewan what have we got?" Lexie asked coming into the kitchen and inspecting the pots on the stove.
"Just pasta Lex" Ewan replied moving around her to retrieve the pasta off the stove
"Ok, are the girls out the back?" Lexie asked
"Yep, playing on the bikes" Ewan answered serving up the pasta
"See ya later" Lexie called as she went down the stairs from the kitchen out onto the courtyard.
"Hmmm… I wonder sometimes whether I'm the cook or the nanny" Ewan spoke aloud to himself as he put the pasta on a tray to take through.
"Girls, lunch time" Lexie called as Ellie and Kyla jumped off their toy cars and ran towards Lexie.
"Did someone say lunch time?" Jess asked as she came over to Lexie and the girls.
"Jess…hi" Lexie replied, trying to hide her smile
"How are ya Lex, not ready to pop yet then" Jess asked
"Not for a while yet" Lexie replied noticing Jess's expression as she looked down at the girls. "You and Duncan thought about children yet then?" Lexie asked
Jess laughed "I think marriage then kids, plus I don't know if I can see Duncan with children"
"Oh you'd be surprised, you can never tell with Duncan" Lexie replied
"Do you know something Lex?" Jess laughed confused
"Come on girls, time for lunch" Lexie answered as she flashed Jess a smile and took Ellie and Kyla's hand and walked back inside the house.
14th August 2008
"Duncan what are you doing?" Jess laughed as he pulled her through the woods.
"I want you to try out this new nature trail for the school kids, you have to answer the questions and collect the stamped creatures on the way round" Duncan replied as he reached the beginning.
"Ok, it sounds like fun" Jess answered as Duncan handed her a sheet of paper.
"Now the question will be written on a small box at each point in the trail, It's electronic so you have three answers to choose from, if you get it right the box will unlock and there will be a stamp inside, then you simply just stamp it onto your sheet of paper" Duncan explained
"Sounds easy enough, sure I'll do it" Jess answered
"Ok, I'll meet you at the end" Duncan replied running off in front
"Duncan!" Jess called after him, but he was gone, she sighed and started at the first box.
Duncan reached the end of the trail, out of breath. He reached into his sporran and took out the plastic question sheet that read, "Will you marry me?" and slipped out the original question and replaced it with his. He then took the answers out and replaced them with "No", "Yes", "Don't know". Making sure to put the "Yes" question card in the right electronic answer.
Then he took out the red box, which held a ring inside of it and opened up the box and took out the stamp and put the ring inside.
"Right, now to wait" Duncan said to himself as he sat himself down in the seated area.
Meanwhile Jess had collected a few stamps, she laughed to herself every time she got one right, and was having quite a good time.
Jess reached the end of the trail.
"One more box to go" she said to herself as she reached the box she read aloud
'Will you marry me?' shocked Jess then looked around for Duncan.
"Duncan?" Jess called out into the silence. No body replied so she looked down at the answers. Smiling to herself she pressed down on the 'yes' button and the machine made a noise and the box unlocked.
Jess reached into the box and pulled out the ring box as Duncan came bouncing out of the bushes. "Oh Duncan, I don't know what to say" Jess laughed
"Well you answered correctly, I would think you already gave your answer" Duncan replied as he took the box off Jess and taking her hand gently slipped on the ring.
Jess smiled then reached forward and kissed Duncan.
"So that's us engaged then" Jess laughed
"Aye I guess so" Duncan replied smiling giddily
