Scottlander

by Samantha Liddell

  I blurted out before he even had time to completely finish saying his name, “I know who you are! Ewan the Explorer! I love your show!” My nervous school girl demeanour continued. “I'm Letticia and this is Scott,” pointing to Scott who was standing close by listening, but pretending to be tossing the salad. He was looking at Alistair as if to say, ‘Stop with the flirting,’ not that he even was. I went on, “Yes you did miss out on all the good stuff, especially my world-famous scones at morning tea.”

  “Oh damn, did I? Probably for the best, I over indulged on the fudge I bought to set yesterday.”

  “Did you make the fudge yourself?” I asked.

  “Aye, that I did. And it is the best fudge in the world, I might add.” I gave a little laugh.

  “Are you laughing at me?” he asked.

  “I most certainly am.”

  “Do you not believe me?” he said.

  “Not at all,” I replied.

  “And why is that?” he continued.

  “Because my fudge is the best in the world,” I replied.

  He continued by telling me, “Well then, you shall get what you deserve.”

  “Hahahaha,” I laughed. “I loved that episode.”

  He looked puzzled but I carried on anyway, “And how will I get what I deserve?” I asked.

  “You will get a fudge challenge. May the best fudge win!” “Oh, bring it on,” I said.

  “Oh, it’s brought,” he replied.

  So, that was settled, the Fudge Challenge was on. I told my new famous actor friend, Ewan the Scottish explorer, that I’m not due on set until the day after next, to which he said,

  “Well, let that be the day I bring you down!”

  I turned to see Scott's reaction to all this but he was no longer there.

  “Where is Scott?” Ewan, I mean Alistair asked. Oh, here I go again, confusing myself between the world of fiction and non-fiction.

  “I'm not sure he must have ducked out to grab something from the trailer.” ‘Either that or he could no longer stand listening to our banter,’ I thought.

  “Well, if you ever need to bolt the door with him, so to speak, there are plenty of doors to bolt around the set. My girlfriend and I know that first hand,” he said with a cheeky grin planted on his face. “Oh, that’s not very professional,” I said. “You and Tammy are meant to be working and observing my idol at his creative best.” He had that puzzled look upon his face again.

  “Um no, I have a real-life girlfriend, Tammy and I are co-stars.” He decided to move right along and ignore my naïve-ness. “Anyway like I said, if you want to the bolt the door with Scott, I say go for it.”

  “Excuse me?” I said. My face turned a bright shade of red.

  “Hahahaha, I’m just saying that that guy likes you, and I think you like him too, don’t you?”

  “Well, yeah. I guess I do, but let me get one thing straight. There will be no bolting of any doors going on, we are professionals while at work.”

  “Good to hear,” he said. “It just means you can bolt the door somewhere else,” he added with a wink.

  “Yeah, yeah,” I said. “On ya feet soldier or should I say explorer, on your way.”

  He took my advice and walked off towards the door, passing Scott who was walking back in. As they crossed paths, he said to Scott, “Bolt the door.”

  Scott looked at him like he was crazy. Alistair didn’t come back for the rest of the day; he had either left the set or was busy observing my idol. Scott and I continued clearing away and refilling plates of food. The day went by fast, it was fun working alongside Scott, even though there was obvious chemistry between us that was even picked up by my new-found friend Alistair, “Yes! I got his name right!’ I thought to myself. Maybe bolting the door just once with Scott would be rather fun.

  After the dinner service, filming was starting to wrap up for the night. Scott and I had just done a fifteen-hour day. ‘Is that even possible?’ I thought. We packed up all the dirty dishes and plates, and put them back in the trailer. Scott was true to his word, all the food had been eaten, not even one single scone was left, not that that surprised me. They were pretty darn good scones after all. I looked at all the dirty dishes and catering plates and said, “We don’t have to wash these tonight, do we?”

  He said, “No, no, no. We will drop them off to the ‘Scottlander’ kitchen on the way home. We have another set clean and ready to go for tomorrow. That’s your job when you get into work in the morning; to clean every dish.”

  “What? Can’t I delegate? I thought I was the head caterer.”

  “That you are, so I will leave that decision up to you.”

  Our last job was to throw all the dirty tablecloths into the back of the van. Scott and Dougal would bring clean ones back with them the next day. I had a pile in my hands, heading to the van to chuck them into the dirty laundry sack. Scott was right behind me, also piled high with tablecloths.

  “Are you alright?” he asked me.

  “Yes, all good.” I answered, as we walked through mud puddles and long grass. ‘This is so Scotland,’ I thought. It was dark now, the lights from the hall and the outside lights were on but only created a dim light. Enough to see where we were going, at least. We got to the van door, Scott opened it up and let me off-load my pile first. Somehow, I fell in to the back of the van along with the tablecloths, either through tiredness or clumsiness. I lay there for a second or two, it was nice being off my feet and the thought of getting up was too hard. I rolled over on to my back.

  “Oh, I might just sleep here,” I said to Scott. “It is actually really comfortable, even if I am laying on a pile of dirty tablecloths that smell like lasagne.”

  “Oh, what the heck!” Scott said, and threw his pile including himself, in to the back next to me. “Wow, it feels good to have my feet off the ground, I’m never moving again,” he announced.

  “Me neither,” I agreed.

  We lay in the back of the van alongside each other, looking at the stars.

  “Scotland at night is a dream,” Scott said. “We have some of the darkest skies in Europe.”

  It truly was amazing. We lay there in silence for the next minute or two, just enjoying each other’s company, the night sky and having our feet off the ground. I was in a dream, I felt like I was floating on a cloud. Then I felt Scott’s hand holding mine, his fingers entwining through my fingers. I turned my head to face him as his head turned also, we were just lying there on our backs, in the back of the ‘Scottlander’ van, staring at each other. All of a sudden I felt his breath on my face, this, I knew, meant that he had moved his head closer to mine; we were about to kiss. I wanted to kiss him also, before our lips touched though, he placed his other hand behind my neck and said, “You have the most beautiful long delicate neck I have ever seen, the first time I saw you I just wanted to kiss it and hold it with my two bare hands.”

  I replied, “Well done Scott, that’s the first time you have used your own material and not quoted from the show.”

  “Oh my God, do you ever shut up?”

  “Nope,” I tried to say, but couldn’t quite get the whole word out, as he had come in for the kiss as if to stop me talking. We kissed for what felt like at least five minutes straight, he tasted good, just as I thought he would. His tongue was in perfect harmony with my tongue, he was almost teasing mine to follow his. We finally let go of our hands and his moved down my leg to my boots. ‘You look amazing in these boots, the moment I saw you walking up the path this morning wearing them, I knew I wanted you and needed you. In fact, I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you on the plane, rushing down the aisle with two kids in tow. “You’re mine alone and forever.”

  I let out a little giggle and said, “You just couldn’t help yourself could ya? Had to get one more in.”

  “Aye, that I did. Now, let’s get these boots off.” He started kissing me again as he unzipped my boots.

  I said, “Bolt the door.”

  He didn�
��t understand me though, as it was hard to speak with his tongue in my mouth. He pulled it out, and I now had a moment to breathe again as he said, “Sorry, what?”

  I said, “Bolt the door.”

  He replied, “Why would I do that?”

  “So, I can have my way with you.” I said

  “Well, in that case, consider the door bolted.”

  With the door closed and now in complete privacy, Scott started undressing me, boots first, then jeans. As he was taking off each layer he said, “What a silly uniform, whose idea was this?” “Yours, my Master,” I said.

  “Well, I need to work on improving it if I’m going to be undressing you more often.” We both giggled.

  I unzipped his jeans and ran my hand down the inside of his leg, I then took his vest off.

  “Stupid uniform.” I said.

  “Oh aye,” he replied.

  I felt his toned muscles in my very own hands, I felt safe and secure in his arms. I very slowly and lightly kissed his cheek while exploring the rest of his body, he then explored mine. It felt like each of our bodies were a map of a place that neither of us had ever visited before, and we were reading each other’s maps and investigating different locations as we wandered around.

  The feeling of excitement and adrenaline rushed through our bodies. Both of our bodies had wanted to connect as one for so long, until neither of us could take it any longer, and the force that was keeping us apart lost its power tonight as we sunk into each other’s bodies and lost ourselves deep within each other.

  We rolled over and lay next to each other after our bodies had finished connecting and we had got to the end of the map and discovered places that we had not even known had existed. We were silent, enjoying the moment, until I opened my big mouth and said, “Don’t come a knocking if the van is a rocking.”

  Scott looked at me, shaking his head. Then he said, “Wow Letticia, you are just the best.”

  We drove back to Edinburgh. I sat in the middle of the front seat, unlike the ride this morning where I sat right across on the left-hand side passenger seat. I had my hand on Scott’s knee the whole drive back, he occasionally took one hand off the steering-wheel to touch my knee also.

  “So, ready for round two already? Quote: ‘I’m always ready for round two,’” he joked.

  I laughed, “That I am, but not after a fifteen-hour shift.”

  “Aye, I agree. What a day that was.”

  We arrived back at the kitchen at 8pm and unloaded the dirty dishes as fast as possible; it was hard to keep our hands off each other. Once it was all unloaded we locked up. After Scott locked the front door, he took hold of my waist and pushed me hard up against the outside of the building and gave me a long, passionate kiss. He lifted one of my legs up and moved closer into my body.

  “God, Letticia. I can’t get enough of you; I want you so bad. How did I survive without you all this time?”

  I kissed him back and said, “You have me, all of me.”

  When we finally got back to Old Bark Cottage it was 9pm. I had sent a text to Sophie before leaving the ‘Scottlander’ kitchen to ask her to try and keep the kids up so I could say goodnight to them. She had texted back saying,

  That shouldn’t be a problem; they are hypo, as James, Archie and Bella have been around all day and we all had fish and chips for dinner. They have only just left.

  Scott pulled up at the top of the path. I said, “Well, thanks for that long day of work, glad it ended on a good note.”

  He laughed and replied, “The whole day was a good note; you met ‘Jamie’ and made friends with Alistair, you had a scone and coffee date with me, then you got some bolt the door action.” He then pulled out a key and handed it to me.

  “Oh, what is this? A key to ‘Lallybroch?!’”

  “Nooo, a key to the ‘Scottlander’ kitchen. You are in charge tomorrow remember? You might need this to get in, those dirty dishes are not going to clean themselves.”

  “Well, I’d best be off to get my beauty sleep,” I said, and went to open the van door. Scott pulled me back and kissed me again, then went, “Goodnight my Sassenach.”

  “Goodnight my Jamie,” I replied. He knew what I meant and took it as a compliment.

  As I walked down the path towards my front door, I reflected on what I had just said: ‘My Jamie.’ Oh my God Letticia! You’re not meant to be looking for a Jamie. This can only be a casual thing, I decided. I can’t fall for him; I’m meant to be falling back in love with myself. Plus, I live in Australia, he lives in Scotland. It could never be a long-term thing, and it will only end in heartbreak.

  That’s enough thinking for tonight, I will just end up overthinking things again. This path tends to make me overthink, come to think of it. Wow, now I’m overthinking that this path makes me overthink! That’s enough! No more thinking, I have two amazing wee girls ready to be tucked into bed. That was my main priority right now.

  I unlocked the front door to find my two beauties dressed in their warm pyjamas watching their favourite movie for the one millionth time. Hey, who was I to judge? I must be close to that number with Outlander.

  “Mummy!” The girls jumped up and ran in for a big hug. I held them close and didn’t let go until they pulled away. I had missed them these last few days, but they were in good hands with Sophie. They pulled away after about a minute and after telling me I smelt like burnt lasagne, and then went back to watching the movie. Now it was Sophie’s turn to grill me.

  “So how did it go? Did you get to meet ‘Jamie?!’”

  “I sure did, and I met Alistair and Tammy from Scotland’s Secrets! They are doing some personal development and observing the acting on set. Alistair is mighty fine in person too, not as good as you know who, but he's up there.”

  “Get out!” she yelled. “You didn’t? I love that show and him also. We are so related, you and I, aint we?”

  I replied, “Yes we like our men in kilts, don’t we?” We both laughed in agreement.

  “Tell me all, what are Jamie and Ewan like?” she asked. I giggled to myself as I thought how Sophie lives in the fiction world too.

  I told her everything, plus the fact that I needed to make fudge for the day after tomorrow for a fudge challenge against Alistair.

  “Wow, you get yourself into really strange situations Letticia. How on earth did you end up in a fudge challenge?” Sophie asked, confused.

  “Well, that is not important at the moment, what is important is I need to win. I need to make the best fudge in the whole world.” “Okay, and is there anything else you want to tell me? You’re looking like you are flushed, with a pinch of glow upon your cheeks,” Sophie asked, while looking suspiciously at me.

  “Sophie, what are you implying?”

  “Oh nothing, just merely stating the obvious.”

  “Oh, Sophie. Can you please go back to the depressed, heartbroken, dark Sophie? You were actually more bearable that way,” I said jokingly.

  Sophie looked at me with a ‘How could you say such a thing?’ look on her face, she was shocked. Sophie was a person who saw things very black and white, so she took what I just said literally; she thought I had like her better when she was lovesick, pining and depressed.

  To put her mind at ease, I actually had to say, “Only joking. You are far more fun and bearable now, I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Without intending to do so, I had changed the conversation completely around onto her, so the interrogation about why I was flushed and a little bit glowing had been forgotten.

  “Nice save Letticia,” I said to myself.

  The girls had had a full-on day with their new best friends Archie and Bella. They had also done their school work and Skyped their Daddy. I was very impressed with Sophie and her nannying skills.

  She is going to be hugely missed by not just the girls, but myself also, once we return to Australia. But for now, we were all having fun and that was the main thing.

  “Right, come on girls. Time for a story and bed,
let’s go.”

  Instead of walking to bed, they decided to catch a ride on me. They claimed a foot each and placed themselves into position, standing on my poor, sore feet that had just endured a fifteen-hour day. It again felt like I was in that dream of mine that I had back in Australia – walking as if my feet were made of concrete, one step forward, two steps back, I was not gaining much ground.

  “This might take me all night to get you to your beds,” I said to them. They laughed, and Polly said, “Mummy, you are funny.” When the girls were finally asleep, I agreed to watch an episode of Outlander with Sophie. She was now almost at the end of season one, and was a true believer now. She couldn’t believe though, that I had actually met the real actors of the show today, plus two bonus ones, and to be honest, I still couldn’t believe it myself either.

  The next morning, I wasn’t due in to work until 10am so we all decided to go out for breakfast, just the four of us. Sophie did ask to invite James and the kids along too, but I said “You have the rest of the day to be with James. Let us go out, just the four of us, I feel like I have not seen you guys for ages.”

  We ended up at Mimi’s Bakehouse, where we had ourselves a

  ‘Before Noon Tea’ as they call it. It was hard to choose from their selection of ‘freshly prepared bacon rolls, cinnamon rolls, morning muffins and Mull Cheddar scones with chive cream.’ In the end, the girls both had cinnamon rolls, I had myself a bacon roll – which was just what I needed – and Sophie chose a morning muffin.

  As we all ate in silence, enjoying each mouthful of the divine food we had in front of us, I thought how strange it was that I had not had a text, or heard from Scott. At that very moment, like he had read my mind, my phone beeped in my pocket.

  Good morning, Master. The dishes await! I will be sure to say hello to your new mate Alistair on set today. Lol. Have a great day. P.S. I need to kiss you again; I miss you already.

  I replied straight away.

  Yes, please send my apologies to him, he will be deeply disappointed I’m not on set today. Please inform him that my fudge will win. P.S. I need you to kiss me too.

  As I pressed send, I realised I was doing it again, I was allowing myself to fall for Scott. I need to put a stop to this; it’s only going to end in tears. And not just my tears, I’m sure Scott’s too. During breakfast, I wrote out a list of fudge ingredients for Sophie and the girls to pick up from the supermarket while I was at work. We had planned to make the fudge as a team that afternoon once I got home from cleaning duties. ‘Maybe I will pass that job on to Young Duncan,’ I thought.