Family Values – Part 6

August 15th 2008

"Arch, don't forgot we've got that meeting at the school today" Lexie reminded Archie

"I haven't forgot Lex, I'll meet you at 1pm back at the house" Archie replied, kissing his wife goodbye.

"Melissa, hi, yeah I was just wondering if you wanted to come round for a coffee?" Lexie asked on the phone to Melissa.

"Sure, why not. Have you got your meeting at the school later on?" Melissa asked

"Aye, at 1pm. have you?" Lexie replied

"We have ours at 12pm" Melissa answered "But as it's only 10am, I can come round for a bit, and I'll bring the girls"

"Good, I'll see you soon" Lexie answered putting the phone down.

"Ellie, Kyla" Lexie called through the house.

"Coming mummy" Ellie called back as her and Kyla came running down the stairs

"Don't run down the stairs" Lexie called up to them as they both stopped and started walking hand in hand down the stairs towards Lexie.

Lexie smiled, she really did have the best little girls in the world.

"Now Jenny and Lizzy are coming round for a bit in a minute" Lexie explained as she neatened up Ellie's hair and wiped off the blackcurrant stain from Kyla's lip. "I hope your going to play nicely with them, we'll go outside and play shall we?" Lexie suggested

"Yey outside" Ellie yelled running off towards the door.

Lexie looked down at Kyla, "Do you want to play outside Kyla?" Lexie asked

Kyla looked towards her sister who had just run off and nodded back at Lexie.

"Ok then sweetheart, off you go" Lexie replied, she was worried about Kyla, she had noticed a lot lately, that Ellie seemed to do the talking and Kyla remained silent.

Kyla ran off towards the door and they waited patiently for Lexie to follow them and open the door.

Lexie watched as her two daughters ran out into the sunshine and towards Molly who was gardening. "Molly could you just keep an eye on them a minute please? I've just got to wait for Melissa" Lexie asked, as Molly gave her a nod and a wave as the girls sat down either side of Molly and sat listening to their grandma talk about the flowers.

Lexie heard a car come up the drive way and she went towards the front door to greet Melissa and the twins.

"Wow Lexie, this house surely is impressive" Melissa commented as they walked through the hallway.

Jennifer and Elizabeth looked around with wide eyes.

"It's homely" Lexie replied, happy that she was impressing Melissa for once.

"Don't Ellie and Kyla get lost?" Melissa asked noticing all the doorways and corridors.

"No, they know their way around just like the rest of us" Lexie commented, impressing Melissa even more.

"Where are Ellie and Kyla then?" Melissa asked looking around.

"Oh there out in the garden with my mother in law Molly, come on I'll introduce you" Lexie replied leading Melissa and the girls to the back door.

Lexie lead them out into the bright sunshine towards some seats on the lawn. Molly got up from the flowerbed and Ellie and Kyla followed her.

"Molly, I'd like you to meet Melissa Ashford" Lexie introduced the two

"Nice to meet you dear" Molly replied

"And you too Mrs.MacDonald" Melissa answered shaking hands

"Oh please just call me Molly" Molly commented smiling and taking a seat.

"Ewan will bring out some tea in a minute" Lexie commented

"Ewan?" Melissa asked confused

"Oh, the cook" Lexie answered

"Wow, you really are like the royal family" Melissa commented

"Oh no, its just a big house, plus how'd you think I found this lovely place?" Lexie replied

"Lexie came here just a wee girl, I took her in and she became the cook," Molly answered

"Really? Then you married Archie?" Melissa had become interested now, if there was one thing she liked, it was knowing other peoples business.

"Oh it wasn't that smoothly done" Lexie laughed

"Still you got all this" Melissa said amazed, and partly jealous as she looked up at the beautiful house.

"Hey it wasn't like that, I would of loved Archie had I met him anywhere" Lexie replied

"That's true, Lexie loves my son very much, she even moved away from here to be with him in London when he was busy following his dream" Molly commented

"You lived in London?" Melissa answered shocked

"Yep, for about two years, just before the girls were born, I had them in London" Lexie replied

"Interesting" Melissa, commented as Ewan came over with the tea.

"At your service" Ewan answered producing a tray of tea and biscuits and placing them down on the table near the seats.

"Ewan!" Ellie cried and all four girls came rushing over to him.

"Why it's the wee monsters," Ewan laughed back as he picked up Ellie and swung her around.

"Me too!" Kyla spoke up holding her arms up to Ewan, as he swung her around after.

"Me too!" Elizabeth and Jennifer each said in turn holding their arms up as Ewan swung them all around.

"Come on girls, Ewan's tired now, leave him alone" Lexie called over to them.

"Ooooh" the girls wined as Ewan called back to Lexie "Thanks" then laughing ran back towards the house.

"Like one big happy family" Melissa commented as Lexie and Molly smiled together

"So is Ian going with you to the meeting today?" Lexie asked

"Yes, he's getting time off work, I told him to meet me here, I hope you don't mind" Melissa asked

"No, no problem" Lexie answered

"So Lexie, have you thought about what you're going to do at the school with Ellie and Kyla" Melissa asked

"What do you mean?" Lexie asked confused

"Well separate them or keep them together" Melissa replied

Molly and Lexie's faces looked shocked. "Well of course, she's going to keep them together" Molly commented

"We're separating ours" Melissa commented

"Really?" Lexie replied shocked, wondering if that was the best thing to do

"Well we want the girls to learn independently, make their own friends, and now there are two reception classes at the school, it's possible to do" Melissa explained

"Oh…so you think I should do that too?" Lexie asked

"Well it could do Kyla some good, without having to rely on Ellie all the time to do the talking" Melissa suggested, which confirmed Lexie's fears. Melissa had noticed it too.

"But there twins, they should stay together" Molly commented, getting slightly frustrated

"Well Molly, I think Melissa might have a good point, maybe me and Arch should separate them.

"Molly they may be twins but it doesn't mean they have to do everything together" Melissa explained, which just annoyed Molly even more.

"But its starting school, it's a scary thing to go through, Kyla and Ellie will need each other" Molly replied looking across at her grand children.

"Molly, I just want to do the best for them" Lexie answered

"Well I don't believe that is the best for them" Molly answered, getting up and moving back towards the house.

"Molly" Lexie called after her, but she didn't turn around. "Sorry" Lexie apologised to Melissa.

"That's ok, she hasn't had twins, she wouldn't know" Melissa answered

"Hello, anyone home?" Ian called through the gate

"Come away in Ian" Lexie called across waving him over.

"Daddy!" Jennifer and Elizabeth shouted and came running over to him.

"My baby girls, how are you" Ian asked as he bent down to give them both a cuddle.

"Daddy, look at the sea!" Jennifer answered pointing to the loch.

"No Jenny, that's a loch, its what the Scottish people call it" Ian explained

"Lo…lo…loc…loch" Jenny pronounced

"Well done" Ian smiled proudly.

"Ian come join us" Lexie called over to him.

"Hey sweetheart, ready to go?" Archie asked as he came out into the garden

Lexie was sitting by herself in the chair as the girls played in the distance.

"Lex you alright?" Archie asked noticing his wife's change of mood

"I think I've upset Molly" Lexie mumbled

"Upset her? How you think you've done that?" Archie asked concerned, it was rare that his mother and wife fell out.

"Well Melissa was round…" Lexie began

"Ah…Melissa…go on" Archie signed

"Well she was talking about the twins starting school, and she asked me whether we were going to keep them together or separate them into different classes" Lexie explained

"We're keeping them together," Archie stated

"Well hang on Arch, I think we should think about this, that's what Molly said, but Melissa suggested separating them because then Kyla wont have to rely on Ellie all the time, she'll learn to become more independent" Lexie suggested

"So that's what upset mother" Archie replied

"Well she just kinda got up and left" Lexie answered upset

"Lex, you know Mother worries enough about her grand children, they mean everything to her, clearly she thought keeping them together would be best" Archie commented

"Look Arch I just think Melissa knows best" Lexie stated

"No Lex, she doesn't know best, she THINKS she does, she's controlling you Lex! Controlling your mind" Archie yelled

"Archie, don't be like that, Melissa's helping!" Lexie replied angered

"Lexie, ever since you met her she's been telling you what to do, that's not the Lex I know, you wouldn't let anyone tell you what to do and how to live, let alone how to bring up your children!" Archie answered

"Look Archie, I don't want to make any mistakes, I want them to have the best up-bringing possible" Lexie replied, getting emotional

"Oh Lex, I'm sorry" Archie replied bending down in front of her and wiping the tears from her eyes and taking her in his arms. "Come on, we'll go find mother"

"Ok…but I'm not sure if she'll want to talk to me," Lexie mumbled

"Well she'll have to" Archie laughed, "Ellie, Kyla come on, let's go inside now"

The girls came rushing over and Archie picked up Kyla and Lexie took Ellie's hand.

The small family knocked on Molly's bedroom door.

"Come in" Molly replied, as the door opened and they all bundled into the door.

"Molly…" Lexie began, already upset

"Oh Lexie, I'm sorry about earlier, I wasn't mad at you, I got upset at that Melissa" Molly replied moving across to her daughter in law and giving her a hug.

"See Lex, I told you, you had nothing to worry about" Archie answered "Now come on, we better be off to that school meeting"

"Ok then, Molly I'm sure, we're going to keep the girls together, I don't care what Melissa said now, I've realised you cant always do what other people suggest, and I want to keep my girls together" Lexie confirmed

"It's good to hear dear" Molly replied as she took Kyla off Archie.

"We'll be back soon mother" Archie stated as him and Lexie went out of the room.

Lexie and Archie got into the car to drive to the school.

"So Lex, we're going to keep them together?" Archie asked

"Yeah, school's scary enough, I want them to have each other, they'll have to be separated when they get older, so we'll keep them together while there young." Lexie replied

"Ok then" Archie answered, happy Lexie had changed her mind.

"Mr and Mrs Macdonald, please come this way," Maureen answered as they arrived at the school.

They all sat down in the head teacher's office and Maureen bought out some files.

"Its so nice to have the laird's children at our school" Maureen commented

"Oh please, I don't want them to be recognised as that, just treat them like all the other children" Archie stated, he remembered when he was at the school and being referred to as the laird's son.

"Ok Mr.MacDonald" Maureen answered "So, Ellie and Kyla are going to start in the September term, and I understand they are four now"

"Yes that's right" Lexie replied

"Now, as their twins, do you want them separated or put together in classes?" Maureen asked

"Together" Archie and Lexie replied together

"Oh good, glad you both agree, the couple I saw before you with twins couldn't come to a agreement," Maureen explained

"Melissa and Ian?" Lexie said surprised

"Aye, that's the one, the mother wanted them separate but the father wanted to keep them together" Maureen replied

"That's weird, I always assumed they both wanted them separate" Lexie answered

"Hmmm sounds like someone's doing more controlling" Archie commented silently.

"Any way…ok that's sorted they will be in class" Maureen replied

"So is there anything else we have to sort out?" Archie asked

"Just sign a few of these information forms, about who to contact in emergences etc," Maureen answered handing Archie a bunch of forms. "Mrs.MacDonald, you can fill out one twin's forms to save time," Maureen suggested handing Lexie a bunch of forms as well.