by A. J. Temple
“That’s just delightful Sally. I must admit I’m more than a bit relieved at your decision to stay; and I’m sure Robert will be also – are you not Robert?”
Sally looked across at Robert who flushed red at the inference; and the cheeky smile on his mother’s face.
“Ah so that’s where the mischievous grin comes from.” Sally thought to herself.
“Now mother behave yourself, or you might just frighten our guest away!”
“Have no worries Robert; I’m a bit harder to scare than that I can assure you; besides I’ve just been told your mother is an angel, so I must be in safe hands!”
“Enough of that Sally, now you will be getting me all embarrassed. Come sit down and we can eat before the broth gets cold.”
The Chicken Broth – as Elizabeth had predicted - was stupendously tasty, with just the right amount of black pepper to give a hot spicy kick; Sally made a mental note to ask for the recipe when they had finished. Agnes had made fresh wholemeal bread which complimented the broth perfectly; and the table was set on a slightly old-fashioned white lace table-cloth which Sally found enchanting.
“Agnes, this broth is fantastic, and I do love your lace table-cloth; where did you get it?”
Robert and his mother exchanged a quick glance, before Agnes replied.
“Oh, it was a present from a very dear friend, Sally. I am a great admirer of this kind of lacework and she made it especially for me.”
“Well I think it’s just beautiful, would she make one for me do you think – I would pay her for it of course!”
Again Sally noticed Robert and his mother exchange glances, and this time Robert had a pained expression that even he could not hide. She realised that she had inadvertently spoken out of turn.
“Oh..Please I’m so sorry if I have said something wrong – I really didn’t mean to interfere!”
Robert spoke up.
“No Sally, please don’t concern yourself. The fact is that the table-cloth was made by my dear wife, who passed away 5 years ago. You were not to know, so please do not be concerned; I am very pleased that you like the table-cloth, it was a real passion of hers and I…..”
He broke off as the emotion overcame him. Sally was mortified, never for a moment suspecting such a deep loss in a man who seemed so in control. Her heart broke for him, and a lump in her throat suddenly threatened to choke her. She placed the spoon carefully back into the bowl with a trembling hand, wishing the Earth would open up and swallow her.
Memories of the loss of her father flooded in, causing the tears to well up and flow unhindered down her cheeks.
“Oh my dear! Please don’t upset yourself.” Exclaimed Agnes, as she quickly reached out to comfort Sally.
“Just a minute..please” Sally mumbled half sobbing. “I’ll be fine In a minute honestly.”
Agnes and Robert looked on; shocked at the response from their guest. Robert for one feeling quite guilty, that he was the cause of Sally’s grief.
Sally managed to compose herself, and looked up at their concerned faces.
“I should explain..”
“No, really you don’t have to explain anything Sally – we can all be upset by another’s grief at times. It just shows that you have a heart”
“Thanks for your understanding Agnes. The fact is however that I lost my own father just 8 months ago to cancer….I was very close to him and I still can hardly believe he is gone. He was always there for me, with a strong arm and good advice – even when I didn’t want it! Now I am truly alone in this world. My mother ran off with a car insurance salesman when I was only 4 years old; no brothers or sisters, just a distant Aunt that I never see. Pathetic I know, but sometimes – like now – it really overwhelms me. I’m so sorry.”
“Tsshhht.. You have nothing to be sorry about my dear; isn’t that so Robert!” Robert nodded vigorously.
“Tears are a necessary part of the healing process. They that shed no tears when occasion demands; are only storing up overwhelming grief for a later date. Tears are a safety valve for the soul – and safety valves are there for your own safety!”
Sally looked up red-eyed and thanked them both for their understanding, in truth she felt strangely lighter, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
“Right! Ok… Sally don’t you concern yourself.” Agnes broke into the moment with sudden authority. “ It seems like we all have reason to mourn our loss, but it is over now and we must learn to live with the loss. Mhairi – that was my daughter-in-laws name; has gone now but her memory lives on in our hearts; as does your fathers dear, of that I am certain. As King David said over the death of his baby son ‘I will go to him one day, but he cannot come to me now.’ It is good to grieve and to remember our loved ones; but there is a time to move on from a place of sadness and embrace what we have here and now – while we still have it! Now..let’s eat and enjoy some lighter conversation. Robert?”
Robert lifted his head to reveal sad wretched eyes, filled with the memories of the past.
“Yes your right mum – as usual.” He said with a grimace.
In fact I think I’ll open that bottle of bubbly that’s been languishing in the cupboard for long enough!” He got up from the table and went to get the wine.
“Don’t worry my dear – everything will be fine; in fact this is a good thing for he has to come to terms with his loss, you both do and now’s as good a time as any.”
Robert returned with the promised bubbly and popped the cork, as Agnes brought out the champagne glasses.
“My apologies it’s not properly chilled – though that cupboard is certainly cold enough in this weather. Right, lets raise our glasses and drink to….Sally and her narrow escape from the blazing wreck!”
“I think that’s maybe exaggerating just a little Robert! However I’m very happy you came along when you did; and even happier to drink a toast to my Snowy Knight – or is it the Abominable Snowman perhaps! Ha ha Cheers!”
The mood took a decidedly cheerier turn as they all made an effort to blow away the blues, and concentrate on happier things.
“Ok, Sally you first!” Announced Agnes. “Who are you and what are you doing in ‘Bonnie Scotland’ I have of course guessed you are not from this fair country – American if I’m not mistaken?”
“Well, there’s not much to tell really. My Name is Sally McInnis from Wisconsin, of Scottish descent – as you can tell from the name - up near the Great Lakes in Northern USA. Let me see now..I work as an investigative reporter for the Milwaukee Journal, I’m 32 years old, life is passing me by at a rapid rate, and I’m still single, stuck in a dead end job and bored silly!”
“Ha ha, what do you mean bored silly – was that not drama enough for you tonight!” Robert chipped in.
“Hmm, fair enough..Anyway I’m here for three weeks to visit my friend Elizabeth, and just chill over the holidays.
“How did you get to know Elizabeth my dear, seeing that you stay In Wisconsin?” Agnes asked.
“Well I met Elizabeth when I was doing a year in Scotland as part of my university course. We stayed in Dalkeith Palace, which is rented out to our university. Elizabeth and Tom were my ‘host parents’ while we were here. This basically meant that they would have me over to their house for lunch; or perhaps take me on a sightseeing trip around Scotland.”
“That sounds grand.” Agnes said, taking a sip from her wine glass.
“Yes it was, we got along famously and have kept in touch over the years with cards and the odd visit when time and circumstance allow!” She paused and turned a winning smile on her rescuer.
“So what about yourself Robert – what is your story…the happy part I mean!” He grimaced slightly.
“Nothing exciting there I’m afraid, I work as a forester alongside your friend Elizabeth’s husband Tom. Single as well now I suppose.” He said with a painful grimace. “However, I can’t complain too much; I have good health, a job that I love and my mother to look after my every
need!” He laughingly raised a glance to Agnes, who looked a little flustered at the attention from them both.
“Well I think that’s really sweet.”
“Aarrggg, spoken like a true American!” Said Robert with a rue grin.
They set to work finishing their meal of chicken broth washed down with cheap bubbly and garnished with frivolous conversation. Sally enjoying herself immensely at the banter between Robert and Agnes, who she thought had the healthiest mother-son relationship she had ever come across.
“Isn’t it strange. I’ve never thought of home since I got here. I’ve been in a car wreck, bashed my head and almost frozen to death; yet here I am in the company of two perfect strangers and I’ve never felt more at peace for a long, long time.”
“A penny for your thoughts my dear?”
She jumped involuntary as Agnes broke into her thoughts.
“Oh…Sorry I think this Bubbly has gone straight to my head already. I’m so relaxed I feel like I’ve just come out the spa!”
“Ha ha that’s quite ok, in fact if you’ve finished perhaps we could retire to a comfy seat by the fire – then you can have a wee nap if you wish!”
“That sounds delightful to me – please give me a kick if I start snoring! Oh, but first, let me help you with these dishes”
“Nonsense – I wouldn’t hear of it! Anyway they can all go into the dishwasher, it’ll only take me a minute. Robert go and get Sally comfy and put a couple of logs on the fire will you? While I clear this up.” She gave Robert a sly look as if to say ‘what are you waiting for.’
“Ok, Sally. I think we’d better get out of her way – or else she’ll just think of another excuse to leave us alone together!”
Agnes flushed red and blurted out. “You wee besom, it’s about time you stopped your cheek – you’re just embarrassing the wee lass!”
******
Chapter 4
They all had a good laugh at the banter, and Sally followed Robert through to the opposite end of the large room, where the log fire crackled and threw sparks on to a hearth made from heavy black slate.
Agnes snuggled up into the old settee, kicking off the slippers she’d borrowed earlier and curling her long legs under her. She glanced up to see Robert quickly shifting his eyes away from her over-exposed thighs.
“Oops, sorry – I suppose a short skirt is not ideal for this weather is it? Then again I didn’t expect to be needing rescued from a snow storm; which is my own stupid fault, seeing as it is December!” She struggled half-heartedly to pull down her skirt a little.
“Yes..I mean No…Well what I mean is that anyone can be caught out by the weather up here. Just yesterday I was out clearing forest under a beautiful clear sky.” He said, just a little flustered at being caught-out staring.
“Ha ha, thank you for trying to spare my feelings anyway! Your mum really is a gem you know, I just love the way you are both so natural together.
“Hmm, I know I’m a real mummy’s boy I suppose! Truth is though she really saved my life after Mhairi passed away. I was a total wreck, finding oblivion at the bottom of a bottle most of the time. I lost my job, then my house, then my self-respect. Agnes finally caught up with me one night lying in the gutter, out of my head with booze. She took me in – she had tried before of course but I wouldn’t have it – and gave me a healthy dose of ‘tough love.’ I decided - with her help - that life could be worth living again.”
Sally looked deeply into his eyes, and saw a man now over the worst and once again in control of his own destiny. And she was shocked to find that she was falling for this rugged looking stranger, from the highlands of Scotland.
“Robert, I’m really glad that you made that decision, otherwise I might never have met you – and you might never have saved my life in the middle of a snow storm!”
“Ha, now who’s exaggerating! I’ve no doubt that you would have managed just fine if I hadn’t been there at all”
“Well yes, you’re probably right enough, after all there was a whole line of people out there to help wasn’t there!” She said playfully as Robert shoved another log into the fire.
Agnes appeared from the direction of the kitchen, holding a tray with three mugs of hot chocolate for them all.
“Here we are now, I’ve made us all a hot drink as I’ll be off to bed in a wee while and leave you youngsters to chat. I’m not as young as I used to be you know and ten o’clock is late enough for me now!”
“Don’t get me started mum, your still more active than women half your age!”
“Aye, but running after you, and putting up with all your back-chat is wearing me down a little I must confess! It’s about time you found yourself an attractive young woman like Sally here, to put up with all your nonsense!”
“MUM!”
“Ha ha, I’m sorry Sally – I just love to wind him up a bit – look how he blushes like a wee laddie!”
Sure enough Robert was bright red from the neck up, but took it all in good humour as Sally and Agnes shared the moment together.
After Agnes had finished her hot chocolate, she said her good night’s and headed dutifully off to bed.
“Now don’t stay up to late kids!” She said jokingly. “You will have to go rescue the car in the morning Robert, or else the snow ploughs liable to wreck it!”
“Thank mum, I’m sure I’ll manage. Maybe you will want to get up early and see I’ve washed behind my ears before I go!” He said with a grin.
“Humph, yes it would probably be for the best!”
With that, Agnes finally went off to bed, leaving an amused Robert and Sally behind her.
“Honestly, she really is a hoot – I can see why you are so close to her Robert. It’s times like this I really feel that I have missed out not having a mother to grow up with. Dad always did a fine job, in fact he probably spoiled me to try and make up for it. It certainly could not have been easy for him, bringing up a precocious young girl on his own.”
“Ah so you were a bit of a handful then?
“No…I was a REAL handful – especially in my early teens. It actually fills me with remorse when I think of the hard times I gave him. I suppose I partially blamed him for my mother leaving in the first place.”
“Yes, I can imagine it must have been tough for you both. However I’m sure he took it all in his stride – you certainly seemed to have turned out all right in the end…though a bit rough round the edges maybe!”
He gave her his by-now-familiar cheeky grin, as she leaned across and playfully cuffed him on the side of the head.
“What am I doing?” She thought to herself. “I’m flirting like a silly teenager with a guy I hardly know!”
Robert for his part, was finding himself more and more interested in this petite American girl, with the auburn hair and green eyes; who seemed to make the very air around him buzz with the carefree anticipation of unspoken passion.
Immediately however he felt guilt overcome him and threaten to spoil the mood. “How can I possibly think like this, with Mhairi only gone a few years!” It was a kind of guilt that many recently – or not so recently – bereaved feel; the feeling of betrayal that chokes many new found relationships at birth.
Sally also noticed that something was troubling him.
“Is there something wrong Robert?”
“No Sally, there’s nothing wrong; it’s just a long time since I spoke to anyone about Mhairi. I suppose a fair time has passed, but the pain still returns when I think about her.”
“I’m sorry Robert I ….”
“No, don’t be! I loved her dearly, and miss her still; but I cannot grieve forever. It’s maybe time to remember her and the times we shared with happiness rather than with crippling sadness.”
“Well, if you’re sure your ok?”
“Definitely! Lets finish off this bubbly and get to bed…I mean our separate beds. In different rooms…em”
He struggled with embarrassment, much to the amusement of Sally – wh
o found herself wishing he was right the first time round!
“Ha ha, well as long as you’re not plying me with wine in order to take advantage….are you?” She gave him her most mischievous look with eyebrow raised.
“No, oh no – it was a slip of the tongue..honest!” He stammered.
“Ah well, I suppose a girl just can’t have any fun these days!” She saw the shocked look on Roberts face.
“Ha ha, got you! Yes I’m joking. There is one thing however, could you perhaps bring in my case from the car? I’ll need a change of clothes and stuff for the morning.
“Yes, no problem.” He said recovering from his embarrassment.
“Did you remember and pack your sexy nighty?”
“Actually Mr Smartie; no I didn’t….I don’t wear anything in bed.” She emphasised it just a bit more. “I sleep naked!”
“Enough! Now your messing with my head..I’ll go get your case before I get into more trouble!”
He spun around laughing and headed for the door to brave the elements and collect the case from the car.
“Definitely enough of this wine.” She thought to herself while he was gone; her mind nevertheless wandering through the realms of tempting possibilities. It seemed however that for all the bravado, when it came to girls Robert was one of the shy ones – which was something she found incredibly alluring in an otherwise strong man.
Robert soon returned with the case and the news that the snow seemed to be easing a little, much to their relief.
They both chatted a while longer then set of for their separate bedrooms. They reached Sally’s door first and both stood a little awkwardly, before Sally reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek, hesitating for just a moment before opening her bedroom door and stepping inside.
“Good night Robert.” She said with just the hint of an invitation as she gazed into his grey eyes.
“Ah, yes…goodnight Sally. I’ll catch you at breakfast then.” Then he was away down the short hall, and into his room.
Sally slowly closed shut her door. “It was for the best”, she reasoned to herself. Nevertheless she lay awake in bed for a long time, in the half-hope that he would sneak back to her room; wondering just how much of a resistance she would put up if things got ‘up close and personal.’ “Probably not very much at all.” Was her last thought before drifting off into a deep sleep under the eider-down duvet.