Tea and Some Changes

AN: I should mention that Meg is an OC. She is not a real character in Owd Bob.

The next couple of weeks went by surprisingly fast for Meg. She helped Maggie cook breakfast, worked the farm with her dad and played with Zac occasionally unbeknownst to McAdam. Ever since that day when she defended Zac, she couldn't get that man out of her head. It's like he mesmerized her or something like that. And so Meg continued in that same routine until one fateful Sunday afternoon.

She was helping her dad unload some supplies from the truck when Maggie and the boy she had seen at McAdam's came running up.

"Maggie!" Her father called. "Where have ya' been?"

"Dad, this is David. He's Mr. McAdam's grandson."

Keith smiled and extended his hand. "I believe we almost met last week."

David smiled knowingly and shook his hand.

"Would you stay for tea?" Keith asked.

"Aw no, I better get back soon."

"C'mon David, it's just for tea." Maggie coaxed.

"Alright" David gave in and smiled.

Meg smiled and introduced herself.

"So you're the girl that only Zac likes?"

Meg laughed "Guilty as charged I guess."

………………………..

After Meg and her father finished unloading things, they went into the house for tea. They laughed and talked during the whole meal, talking about anything and everything. When it was time for dessert, Meg's dad passed out the scones. Maggie placed one on David's plate.

"I made them." She said proudly.

"You made them?" David teased and then pushed his plate away. "I had way too many sandwiches."

The whole Moore family burst into fits of laughter that was refreshing to hear since the day her and Maggie's mom was diagnosed with cancer. She knew that if there were any changes that their mother would tell them, but Meg had some spooky feeling that she and Maggie weren't getting the whole story.

David looked over towards Bob. "So why do you call him Owd Bob? He doesn't look old to me."

"He's not, he's only three." Keith said proudly and called Bob over for a snack.

"Bob gets his name from the coloring around his neck. We all hope that he'll take top honors in the sheepdog trials this year."

Meg smiled at that, but in the back of her mind, she hoped that Zac won the cup. He won it for two years in a row and if he wins it a third time, it will be the first time any dog had done that in 100 years.

A couple of moments later their mom got up. "I think I'm going to have a bit of a lie down."

She then leaned down towards the girls and David. "Too many snacks this afternoon spoiled my appetite."

After a while, the three went into the living room to look at the sheepdog trophies. Maggie was telling David all about the different ones that Bob and Battle who was their old border collie had won. Maggie finally showed David the painting of their grandfather's old dog Samson.

"Wait a minute" David said. "My grandfather says that Samson was his dog."

"His dog?" Maggie asked curious.

"How is that possible?" Meg asked astonished.

Their father spoke up. "David's quite right Samson did belong to Adam at one time."

"You never told me that" Maggie said surprised.

"What happened?" David asked.

"That's what I would like to know." Meg said now even more perplexed over the man that had been haunting her dreams for the past weeks.

Keith looked at Maggie, David, and then finally at Meg.

Apparently McAdam had fallen on hard times a couple of years ago when his wife became pregnant, gave birth and then became sick and died. He had to give his beloved dog Samson up because of the fact that he had to support his family. By the end of the story, Meg was crying into her hands.

"I'm sorry" she apologized. "That was so sad." She secretly hoped that nobody asked why she cried.

I have to go outside and clean out the truck, she lied. Meg then raced out the door with everyone looking at the door curiously.

………………..

When she was finally outside she wiped her eyes furiously.

"Why does this man affect me this much." Meg thought angrily to herself. "He's way too old for you anyhow and he hates you and your family!"

She shook her head and started cleaning the seats in the truck, just because that was the only thing remotely dirty and she needed a distraction.

David and Maggie walked out the front door and waved at her.

"It was nice to meet you David!" Meg called out waving.

David smiled and waved back as they walked around the corner.

Meg continued polishing for a couple of more minutes until she felt a cold nose on her leg. She turned around and there was Zac sitting next to her wagging his tail furiously.

"What are you doing here baby?" She asked as she hugged the dog. Then she looked around looking for any sign of McAdam.

At that same moment Adam came running around the bend and saw the two friends on the ground loving on each other.

"Zac!" He called out to the dog.

Meg looked up and jumped to her feet as she saw the very man she had been thinking about.

"Mr. McAdam." Meg acknowledged him. "What are you doing here?"

"What is my grandson doing here?" He demanded.

"My sister asked him if he wanted to come for tea, Mr. McAdam, It was harmless."

Adam took the moment to study the girl a bit. She had long curly brown hair and blue eyes that held something in them.

He shook his head suddenly and pointed his finger at her face. "You two keep away from my grandson also."

Meg snapped at that. "Why Mr. McAdam? Why should we stay away from David? We haven't done anything to you to make you act like this. And why do you keep me from Zac? I would never hurt that dog, he's very special to me!!!"

Mr. McAdam jumped back startled at her words. He then put Zac on the leash and as he started to walk away he turned around. He had a look on his face that made Meg now jump in as much surprise. It was a look of thought and wonder.

"Remember what I said" he told her, but something in his voice and eyes told her that he no longer meant what he said about Zac.

Meg stared at his retreating form in awe.

"Maybe…just maybe we have a shot." Meg thought excitedly.