Family Values – Part 9

Jamie stepped out into the distant sunshine at the back of the house. He limped down to the loch side and sat himself down carefully letting his legs dangle over the edge of the ledge. His eyes focused out on the shapes of the mountains, how the sun shone upon them and reflected down on the loch. He couldn't believe his father grew up here, it was beautiful, so much better than London. You could escape here, yet all the time he kept thinking how things could have been different. How his mother could have been here, had him here, and for him to grow up here.

"Jamie?" Archie approached his nephew.

Jamie turned round, he recognised Archie's voice now.

"Hi, I was just admiring the views" Jamie replied, Archie could see the hurt in his eyes still, he was trying to cope in his own way. Archie took a seat next to Jamie and a memory flashed through of him and Jamie here as boys.

"I bet you can't skip a stone more than 3 times across the loch" Archie piped up.

"What?" Jamie replied he had not expected that.

"I said I bet you can't skip a stone more than 3 times across the loch" Archie repeated standing up and handing Jamie a flat stone.

"Ok your on" Jamie answered giving a grin as he shifted himself up and limped over to the loch side.

"Ready Jay" Archie spoke out as they both got ready to throw

As Jamie let go of his stone Archie watched it as it skipped four times across the water, just as his brother had beat him every time.

"You didn't throw" Jamie asked in surprise

"You did it, just like Jamie" Archies blank expression read out to his nephew.

Archie sat back down on the ledge.

"What was my father like?" Jamie asked as Archie took a deep breath. He knew he was going to ask. Archie could go on forever about his brother and what he was like, and he wanted too. He wanted to tell his brothers son all about his father.

"Jamie…your father, was always happy or so it seemed. He did well in school and always made my parents proud. He liked to play the guitar and was good at cricket. He would always have time for me whenever he was home and we would play a game of football or go on adventures in the woods. He was very competitive and usually always won…and we would sit out here in the afternoon and Jamie would always say – I bet you can't skip a stone more than 3 times over the loch"

There was silence between the two as Jamie took in what Archie had said, his mother had told him most of it and bought him up to be just like his father. Jamie wasn't going to ask more, he could see Archie needed time.

"I never did beat him" Archie suddenly laughed out then stopped and looked down and then back out to the loch.

"Maybe you never had the right stone" Jamie replied and Archie nodded and smiled "Maybe"

"I know how he died Archie, and I don't blame you ok" Jamie answered. Archie turned to him shocked. "Lexie told me, don't worry you shouldn't feel guilty it can happen to anyone, I know"

The words went over in Archies mind…something about what Jamie had just said sounded like it had more meaning to it but Archie couldn't work it out.

"So what's Lizzie like?" Jamie asked changing the subject

"A nightmare" Archie laughed

"Aren't most woman" Jamie replied laughing with his uncle

"Oi, we certainly are not its you men that are the problem" Jess's voice came from behind the two men.

"Sorry" Jamie replied studying the girl. Her blonde hair was scrapped back roughly in a ponytail and the bits that strayed down the sides of her face blew in the wind as her blue eyes shone in the sunlight as she laughed her smile was beautiful.

Jess studied the boy looking back at her, he looked familiar as she looked from Archie to the boy there was defiantly some resemblance.

"Are you two related?" Jess asked laughing

"He's my nephew" Archie replied seeing this was going to lead to some explaining.

"When did Paul have another kid?" Jess laughed shocked.

"Oh bugger Paul" Archie answered jumping up. "I totally forgot about him, I was supposed to meet him today, then you..." Archie turned to Jamie "I was side-tracked, ah look I have to go sorry Jamie, Jess I'll see you later bye" Archie shouted as he ran off up to the house.

"Who are you?" Jess asked confused

"Who's Paul?" Jamie asked

"Hey I asked first" Jess replied sitting down next to Jamie.

"Jamie Murdock, lost son of Jamie Macdonald" Jamie introduced himself.

"Archie's brother?" Jess answered shocked as she shook his hand.

"Yeah…so who's Paul?" Jamie asked again.

"He's your uncle…well kind of" Jess answered, awkward she thought.

"Kind of? Whats that supposed to mean?" Jamie replied confused himself.

"Paul is your dads half brother…" Jess laughed

"Okay…this family gets more complicated as I speak" Jamie laughed.

"That's the Macdonald's for ya" Jess answered giving him a smile. "Nice to meet you anyway Jamie, I'm Jess, Golly's daughter"

"Nice to meet you too Jess" Jamie replied giving her a smile back.

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Archie rushed in the house, Lexie met him at the door.

"Paul's not happy with you" Lexie spoke concerned

"I know, I know" Archie answered rushing past his wife.

Isobel walked through the door with Livia.

"Hi Archie" Isobel answered

"Hey Isobel sorry Gotta rush" Archie replied as he rushed past her

"Whats going on?" Isobel asked her sister in law. Lexie sighed.

"Its been an emotional day, you know Arch's brother Jamie…his son turned up" Lexie replied

"His son?" Isobel answered shocked as she placed Livia down at their feet as she toddled over to the dollhouse in the corner of the library.

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Paul paced up and down the billiard room waiting for his brother to arrive. Archie ran through the door to meet Paul's gaze.

"Thanks for turning up today" Paul answered Sarcastically.

"Paul I'm sorry I completely forgot about today, something came up" Archie replied trying to control his anger.

"Something more important I expect" Paul muttered

"Yes actually my dead brothers son turned up in our garden!" Archie shouted

Paul spun round "What?"

"My Brother Jamie's son turned up in our garden looking for him only to discover he died and we knew nothing about him" Archie replied trying to calm down.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Paul answered, annoyed now more than any thing

"I didn't think…I…" Archie stuttered

"Because I'm not really part of Jamie's life, never was?" Paul answered for him

"No…I just" Archie couldn't explain himself, Paul had said it all. Archie didn't think of contacting him because Paul wasn't part of Jamie's life.

"I bet Lizzie's been told though hasn't she?" Paul argued

"Well yes but…" Archie was stuck for words.

"Point taken, I'll see you later" Paul stormed out of the room.

"Paul, come back" Archie shouted after him.

"Isobel we're going" Paul spoke to his wife in an angered tone as he came into the library and scooped up his daughter.

"Hey hang on" Isobel argued back "Whats the rush?"

"We know when we're not wanted" Paul finished as Isobel looked worriedly to Lexie and followed her husband and daughter out of the room.

"Paul" Lexie spoke but he ignored her, she took a deep breath and turned to Archie "What did you say to him?" Lexie asked in an angered tone

"Nothing he said it all himself" Archie replied truthfully.

Paul stomped out of the house with Isobel chasing after him. He strapped Livia in the back of the 4 x 4 and Isobel got in the passenger seat. Jamie walked round the side of the house and noticed the car. Paul looked at the boy, then got in the driver's seat and drove away.