Chapter 18
M stands before the mirror dressed in a professional suit. She applies her make up and sprays her favourite perfume. It almost seems foreign to be dressed for the office and doubly so for here at Skyfall.
This lunch date will be interesting to say the least. M wonders if Katrina has changed much...some people change drastically as they become grandmothers.
M never bothered to change and that is probably why she has had such a tumultuously miserable relationship with her own children.
Society seems to force people into preconceived moulds of what a grandmother should be and M is not the baking biscuits type of Nanna.
Judi and Ryan are sitting with Tanner eating a late breakfast when she joins them.
"Are you three ready for your day of riding and fun?"
"As ready as I will ever be M." Tanner says.
"How about you mum, are you ready for your big date?" Judi smirks as she takes a sip of tea.
Ryan pour his mother a cup. "Kincade is busy getting ready...I saw him earlier and he was in a tizzy. I don't know who for? Could it be you...or the ex-girlfriend...the mysterious Katrina MacKenzie?"
"I don't think she is all that mysterious Ryan. Just a normal woman who just happened to have the attention of many of the men in the area. Not unusual for a beautiful woman from a well to do family."
"I sounds like you know more about her than most, or are you talking about yourself mum?" Ryan asks.
"Oh Ryan...enough. Don't teach my chief of staff to talk back in such a manner."
Tanner laughs, "no worries there M but I have been hearing all about your array of suitors. I do feel badly for poor mister Kincade. You have managed to attract a few more supplicants and I find it amusing to see how Bond reacts to all of it."
Judi looks confused. "A few more? There are even more? Seriously, besides uncle Marshall...dish...who? Oh wait...Bond mentioned a Mr. Mallory..."
Ryan grimaces, "not again...I don't want to know." He covers his ears with his hands.
M crosses her arms under her chest and glares at him with the intensity of a very angry boss.
"Yes Mr. Tanner, tell my children who."
Tanner flushes red and fumbles with the collar on his shirt. Scared to admit the moments of enjoyment kissing her in South Africa brought to him personally. His secret admiration for her was not very secret after his reaction to her closeness.
"Well...maybe that is an exaggeration...but James is very jealous and possessive where M is concerned."
Ryan nods, "we've noticed."
A knock sounds at the door. At that very moment Kincade comes out from down the hall, dressed in a suit and tie looking very dapper as he winks at M and moves to the door.
Kenna and Fiona are on the other side and they come in exchanging pleasantries with everyone.
"Our father is in town now and very much looking forward to your date Em. I spoke with my aunt yesterday and she is looking forward to seeing you Kincade." Kenna says with a mischievous smile.
Kincade smiles and turns red as the toe of his shoe suddenly becomes interesting.
Judi grabs a jacket. "Are we dressed appropriately?"
Fiona looks her up and down, "very much so. Are you ready?"
Ryan and Tanner follow the women out and Kincade and M watch them climb into the Land Rover and leave.
Kincade looks down at M taking in her appearance. "Is this how you usually dress dolly?"
M suddenly looks down at herself concerned.
"Yes...it's alright, isn't it?"
"I think I may have to hose Callum down to keep you safe for the boy, looking this enticing dolly. That boy is blessed to have you in his life."
"Thank you Mr. Kincade but as his life has been tragic so often, I do hope we have managed to turn a corner on the tragic parts. Do you wish to leave for town soon?"
"I am ready my dear if you are?"
"I look forward to this adventure but you do have to remember that I am M...regardless of looking like the dolly that they may remember."
"I will try to remember and call you Em for them lass. Katrina and Callum will think you look familiar but it was 40 years ago and for all they know you could have a sister."
"That is a very good idea Mr. Kincade...a sister would be a plausible excuse."
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James wakes early and goes for a run around the town making sure he is not being followed. He returns for a shower and goes to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Shortly after he arrives he sees Ms. Dower again.
Bond is sitting close enough that he can listen closely to the conversation she has with her assistant.
"We meet at 11:00 and leave for London by 3:00 at the latest. I hope the sight meets his requirements...he has some strange necessities for the location. It is not for me to question it after his generosity."
Bond texts the information to HQ as he listens. Q recommends recording as much as possible and he hooks a small mic to his collar and aimed it in the direction of Dower's table. The mic attaches directly to his mobile and to Q.
The remainder of her conversation was instigated by concerns her assistant has with Dower's dealings with Mr. White. Luckily his name was used in the conversation for proof later if needed.
Bond pretends to be engrossed in the paper as accepts more coffee from his server. He waits for Dower and her assistant finish breakfast and depart. Bond follows at a distance as they drive out of the town. Bond uses his GPS as he speaks to Q.
"Where am I headed Q?"
It seems there is an old farm...10 km away. It is the property that is for sale. Can you follow close enough to use the amplification microphone I gave you and get photographic evidence?
"Likely, but I am more concerned with getting the bastard and dragging him back to the airport to bring him to you. Dower can leave on her own...I assume M will deal with her when we return to London."
Yes...how is that going Bond. You seemed a tad tense about M while I was there?
"Why Q...I'm shocked...gossip is beneath you."
Yes well I am not the only one interested.
"I thought not. Tell Eve I am trying my best but M prefers to keep the status quo."
Buck up Bond. I am sure you can convince her somehow.
"Really? I have my doubts but if you have any romantic suggestions Q...I would love to hear them."
Well...no but maybe Eve can come up with a winning strategy.
"Have Eve work on ideas and send them to me. I am getting desperate to convince the stubborn woman. Even her children are trying to convince her on my behalf."
Between our combined forces M will have to marry you. So strange to think of you married and that you of all people are having difficulty to get a woman to consent to your proposal.
"Q it is not like I have never failed with a woman before...there have been a few. Any way, M is the most important and biggest challenge of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love every stubborn bone in that woman's body."
I will take your word for that and that of her children. Good luck and catch him Bond.
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James Bond sits in a chair outside the dressing rooms as he waits for Olivia. She is taking a long time and he wouldn't put it past the woman to not come out to see what the dress looks like just to leave him in the dark.
"You know dolly it works better if you look at it out here with these mirrors. Then I can appreciate them also."
James hears a disgruntled harumph from within the room. "I bet you would. I am just trying on the one I chose first...I will let you see the ones you chose."
The door to the change room opens and she steps out in the green dress he chose. It is in halter style and really accentuates her breasts. The dress drops to the floor, much too long and he can tell she is self conscious about there being no back to the dress.
"Gorgeous...we'll take it!"
"No we will not. I cannot abide going braless."
"Why not...everyone is doing it."
"It is fine for any woman comfortable with that and the smaller the breasts the better it looks."
"I was unaware there were such rules to the sexual revolution."
"Personal ones only. It only flatters the waifish and I am not built that way."
"I can see that but I still approve none the less."
Olivia disappears to try the other on. The next one is a flower print dress that only should go down to her calves but she is very short so it may just be floor length on her. It's grecian in style and is cut low front and back and the waist sits high under her breasts.
This dress is beautiful on her...he hopes she wants it.
"This one is nice but I do not think it is suppose to be floor length."
"No but you can pull it off shortie."
Olivia hits his shoulder as a sales lady arrives. "Oh my dear that is perfect on you."
"See I told you so dolly."
"Fine...I don't need to try on that barely there blue one then."
"Well you could just to show me what it looks like on you."
Olivia ponders his request and nods, returning to the change room. A few moments later she exits wearing a tight blue dress.
It is not a style that Olivia would ever wear in public is is satin and very tight. The thin spaghetti straps and the top drapes over her breasts and down to the floor in layers. The only good thing about it is the colour, a beautiful royal blue.
"I am buying you that dress...both of them and you can chose the one you like best for the wedding."
"That is too much James. I will take the flower one."
"It is my gift to you my dear and if you don't wear it for me...then it will be a gift to your man."
Nigel would love it...blue is his favourite colour but still...how could she wear it for him when James Bond bought it for her. She can tell by the look in his eyes that he is not taking no for an answer.
James wants her to wear it for him...if she chooses it for the wedding...she will be sending him a signal. Charmian's words keep echoing in her head...why is she resisting James Bond?
Nigel is likely drunk and in the arms of his ex-girlfriend...tangled in the sheets. But if he isn't...what if he has been calling her flat to talk to her, and here she is in Scotland beginning to succumb to the suave charms of James Bond.
Enough...she can't think like this...live like this continuously over analyzing her romantic relationships. Breathe Olivia...just breathe and if it happens...it happens...no repercussions.
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Callum pulls out the chair beside him for M as he smiles down at her. Katrina is chattering on with Kincade...touching his arm, face and M notices her hand disappear to his thigh on more than one occasion.
Katrina swears over and over that M is dolly from all those years ago but M diverts all questions of that nature with the help of Kincade.
"You look so much like that woman with James Bond all those years ago. Dolly! Yes! Andrew and James called her dolly."
"Yes she does doesn't she Kincade?" Callum says.
"She does that but it is not this lovely lady...she is far too young to have been here all those years ago."
M laughs. "Mr. Kincade...always such a flirt. Whatever am I going to do with you?"
M gages the expression of jealousy that crosses Katrina's face. This may help Kincade along some. Nothing prompts a woman's attention like a little competition. And from what she remembers of Katrina she was very competitive.
As M turns to Callum his expression is a little tense and not at all happy. This is an unfortunate side effect of her flirtation with Kincade.
Unfortunately, Callum MacKenzie is not going to be happily rewarded for his charms. Not while a heart beats in James Bond's chiseled chest.
Damn him being away...the phone sex they had was decidedly one sided and M regrets that now.
M looks down into her soup remembering the passion of love in youth and wondering if she is an utter fool to be trying to recreate her youth through James.
"Well it must be wonderful visiting with your children it is always nice to be around the young and their budding romances. I remember all that time ago when it was us young and running through the highlands between our two houses getting into such trouble. Kincade was just terrible back then."
Callum smiles. "Oh Katrina you will love meeting James...I do believe Kenna has a crush but Judi is such a lovely woman...I can definitely see the attraction. She looks just like her beautiful mother."
"I know...I have been speaking with Kenna on the phone...she tells me that both you men are about to begin another war over the same lovely woman."
"Oh I am hardly worth fighting over and I am not looking for a new relationship."
It is the absolute truth and hopefully will dampen any more attempts by Callum to expect a relationship of any kind.
"Well up here Em, the men love to see new women...such a small area you see. It is very good for the ego of course and Kincade is always very polite with the ladies that live here and visit the area. No doubt he is around constantly helping with the construction on the old place...during the days of course."
M smirks...Katrina wants to play games eh? M remembers this, how Katrina enjoys passive aggressively needling people.
Poor Monique standing there as Katrina and her father insulted her as a foreigner and alluding to Andrews past sexual adventures with Katrina.
M decides that turnabout is fair play and will get one back for James' mother. "Oh Kincade has been sleeping over...just to make sure everything is just right. He has made this trip very memorable and more enjoyable than I ever expected."
The conversation drops off dramatically, the shock of her statement takes its toll as M glances at Kincade under her lashes. Kincade has a twinkle in his eye as he winks at her knowingly.
Just to increase the tension and give an excuse for M not to be available for Callum, she extends her foot to Kincade's leg in an obvious manner.
M's flirtations with Kincade are obvious and they are working to irritate the MacKenzie siblings to no end.
"Not looking for a new relationship why Emma?" Katrina asks once she finds her voice.
"I recently ended a relationship and cannot possibly enter anything serious and at my age I think it is better to just find fun companionship. Don't you agree?"
"Why of course. Having someone to do fun things with is essential to keeping active. I am hoping to join or create some clubs for seniors now that I am moving back."
"That is a wonderful idea. I am sure there are many social events you can arrange." M says genuinely impressed at the suggestion.
Kincade is smiling and M hopes that he can rekindle a relationship with Katrina on his own terms this time.
From what M knows of it from James Bond, and witnessing their interactions in the past, Katrina ruled his heart for their entire lives. Katrina stomped on the poor man's heart by not marrying him when the pregnancy was discovered.
The mystery pregnancy and Katrina's endless flirtations with Andrew, her first lover, lent to a rather toxic environment from what M remembers.
"I am sure Kincade will be happy to help you." M says.
"Aye...I would be delighted." Kincade says as he winks at Katrina. Katrina manages a small smile for him but still looks confused.
M looks at her and almost shakes her head. How could Katrina just expect him to fall all over her again after all these years. The woman is made of arrogance. Hopefully now she will not take Kincade for granted and they can start new.
Callum clears his throat, "now about the party."
He looks pointedly at M, "you will be attending won't you? I have people coming from London for the affair. Business people and some members of government that I have worked with in the past. Perhaps you have met them in your work Em."
M covers her sudden panic by taking a sip of water. Christ she certainly hopes not!
"I guess we will have to discover that on the weekend." M manages to say as she wonders how she gets herself into these situations.