Our Shared Horizon (Kaitlyn and the Highlander Book 10)

by Diana Knightley

  Ben and Archie ran past my legs chasing each other with these crazy hippo and alligator wooden push toys having apparently gotten tired of dragging the swords around.

  Emma squinted her eyes looking skeptical.

  Magnus said, “Tis time?”

  “Yes, I was folding laundry and these are definite contractions. I’ve been timing them, totally regular. We should probably go.”

  Magnus said, “Aye,” and stood.

  Emma’s eyes squinted more. “Are you sure, we already went, two days ago...”

  “Yes, and they hooked me up to the machines and they laughed. I remember, this isn’t like that, this is really—” I clutched underneath my gigantic rounded tummy and moaned. I kept my eyes closed for a moment and then said, “This is it, totally. That was a legit contraction.”

  Emma picked up her purse and kissed Zach goodbye. “Okay, then this is it.” To Beaty she said, “You’ll watch the boys?”

  “Aye, Madame Emma.”

  I hugged Archie goodbye and Emma grabbed her keys and we went out to the Mustang.

  On the way I had what felt like a couple of massive contractions and Magnus reminded me to breathe. He was sitting beside me in the backseat. Emma watched me through the rearview mirror as she drove. My overnight bag was packed in the trunk but we were stopping at the OB’s office first, because that was protocol.

  I was super excited.

  Grinning at Magnus.

  Holding his hand, breathing through the contractions.

  I waddled into the office and talked to the reception nurse and then as soon as I sat down in the waiting room they called me through to the back examination room. I waddled in there and lay down on the table. Magnus took a chair. I knew the drill by this time: raise your shirt, expose that belly. Smile when they entered the room.

  The nurse bustled around. “How close are your contractions?”

  “Every ten minutes. I know that’s early, but I wanted to come in, make sure you know that it’s happening kind of thing.” I reached for Magnus’s hand and gave him a reassuring smile.

  I had this all under control.

  She hooked me up to the contraction machine, patted me on the arm and said, “Back in a moment.”

  I stared at the ceiling. Magnus rested his forehead on our clasped hands. I asked, “What are you thinking about?”

  His smile spread. “I am nae thinkin’, I am being a mountain. They daena think at all.”

  “Good, because I’m thinking for both of us.” Just then a contraction hit me. I breathed through it, like I had been taught, and then the nurse returned. She looked over the chart for a brief half-second and announced, as she removed the monitor and wrapped the cords, “Yeah, you aren’t in labor.”

  “Really?”

  “Nope, those are Braxton Hicks contractions.”

  “Are you sure? I mean, this time was so much more than last time and...”

  She was literally about to laugh.

  I kind of wished I had a dirk hidden in my maternity pants.

  She said, “You’re not due for days, plenty of time. Take it easy. We’ll see you when you’re having actual contractions.” I sat up, swung my legs off the table, and yanked down my shirt. “Yeah, another miscalculation on my part. I really thought this was the one.”

  She said, “You’ll know when it starts. Call us when you do. I’ll be down the hall while you gather your things.”

  To Magnus I said, “That’s embarrassing.”

  He grinned, “Ye are givin’ me some practice runs afore the big one.”

  “That’s my plan.”

  I returned to the waiting room where Emma was waiting with her eyes still squinted. Her lips were pressed between her teeth.

  I said, “Are you happy? You were right, I was wrong.”

  “I am not happy to be right, but I definitely want to go on the record as saying you have PMS worse than these contractions. You might want to get ready for what’s coming.”

  My eyes went big. “What’s coming? Like way worse than this? Like way way worse?” I groaned.

  She said, “This is not new information.”

  “That sounds like something Hayley would say.”

  “If she was here she would say you’re probably just nervous, because this is the time of year, you know, that you have bad memories of, but you should just relax. You got this. Next week sometime you’ll go into labor.”

  “Now you don’t sound anything like Hayley. She would say, ‘Shit girl, that was embarrassing for you, you sure you got this? Maybe you need a stiff shot because you don’t seem like you’ve got this.’”

  Emma laughed. “Yeah, that does sound more like her.”

  I looked out the window of the car at the strip mall sliding by as we headed south on 14th street. “I’m going to eat so much ice cream when I get home, so much. I deserve it after all this embarrassment.”

  When I got back to the house Zach said, “Where’s the baby?”

  “Very funny. Those were legit contractions. I’m just sensitive apparently.”

  Emma dropped her keys into the tray on the kitchen counter. “This is what I’m saying, can you please, please, try not to be? We do not need you to be overly sensitive. No Drama Queening this.”

  I huffed. “I am never a drama queen. Only a legit queen.”

  “Good, do that, queen it. Remember, exude confidence. Be strong.”

  “Sure, I got this. But I don’t understand how to know when it’s time-time. I feel like I’m not qualified for this, like I don’t have anything to compare it to. Maybe I need a nurse to follow me around with one of those machines and she can tell me when I’m officially having the contractions.”

  Emma said, “You’ll know.”

  Zach said, “I’ve already told Magnus how to tell, just ask him.”

  My eyes went wide. “How do you tell?”

  Magnus said, “Chef Zach said, I will tell when yer eyes go far away as they do when we are havin’ sex, and ye will also moan as ye do during sex but we winna be havin’ sex.”

  “Holy shit, none of this sounds fun for me.”

  Emma squeezed my arm. “It won’t be, but baby is coming, and you can do it. I’ve seen you do a lot of things, you can do this.”

  Zach said, “Next week though, this week we’re going to batten down the hatches for Hurricane Hanna, she’s on her way.”

  Later that day Emma dropped down beside me on the couch. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  I turned the volume on the show Fixer Upper all the way down. “Sure.”

  “I am very glad you’re committed to breastfeeding. Very glad. Very very glad.”

  I smiled. “I know, you’re a crunchy-granola mom and you’re dragging me into it.”

  “Absolutely. But I wanted to tell you that it’s not necessarily easy. I don’t know if you remember but—”

  “You had to call in an expert, right?”

  “I did, I had cracked nipples, and—”

  I dropped my head back on the couch. “Ugh. Do we have to talk about cracked nipples and stretch marks and varicose veins and hemorrhoids and other weird stuff my body is doing, all the time? I think I’m ready to have my old body back now.”

  She smiled at me sadly. “It’s going to be a while but it’ll happen. I promise. I just wanted you to be ready that things can go wrong with breastfeeding, they can, but all you have to do is ask me and I’ll help you get through it. I just hope you won’t give up.”

  I huffed. “Me, give up? If there’s one thing I am, it’s fucking tenacious. You’ve seen me, you know I don’t give up.”

  “Good, I’m glad.”

  Thirty-four - Kaitlyn

  Hanna was supposed to hit the coast, below us, but close enough that we were concerned. Then as the week wore on it looked like she was going to arrive on the same day as Quentin. Two days ahead of their arrival, we gathered around the dinner table for a meeting. James was over, he had been seeing to the properties a
nd was interested in the meeting because it involved his best friend.

  Zach said to Magnus, “You need to go back and tell him that Sunday is not his day. Hanna is coming. Wait two more then come home.”

  Magnus had his mouth resting on his fingers, nodding. “Aye.”

  I knew this was what needed to happen. It would be very dangerous if there was a hurricane, or even just a thunderstorm when Quentin arrived. I knew this, but I also knew I was about to have a baby. “But — Amelia Island isn’t going to take a direct hit. We never do. We evacuate and then...”

  Emma said, “There’s always a first time. We can’t risk it.”

  “There hasn’t been an evacuation called. Plus storms are always slower than they expect — we might just be here on a normal Sunday afternoon.”

  Emma said, “I don’t know, Hanna is really big and I think even if the evacuation isn’t called we should at least get the kids off the island.”

  I sighed. “Yes, of course. But if we’re gone who will meet Quentin?”

  That was the crux of course, and so I was just kind of saying it out loud.

  Magnus said, “Ye are right Chef Zach, I will go tae the past tae inform Quentin tae wait for another week and then re—”

  He caught sight of my face. I couldn’t help it, my chin was trembling.

  Everyone was looking at me.

  “I want Quentin to be safe, I do, I really do, but why do I always need to say goodbye to you? I need you. I mean, I want Quentin to be okay but I’m going to have a baby. I’m scared you won’t be here for it.”

  Magnus nodded then looked at Zach. “I canna leave Kaitlyn, I hae given her m’word that I winna leave afore the baby comes. I canna go.”

  Zach said, “Then I’ll go.”

  We all looked at Emma. She shook her head. “I know you’re determined to go someday, but you promised me you’d go when Magnus is there to take care of you.”

  Zach huffed.

  James said, “You know what, I’ll go. I have been wanting to go since I heard about it. I’ll go save Quentin’s ass and bring him home safely.”

  Magnus said, “Ye hae never been afore, ye daena ken how tae get around.”

  Beaty said, “I will go with him.”

  “You hae hair the color of the sky.”

  She waved her hand. “Tis okay, I will cover it in another color. I am glad tae go get Quenny, I will be the hero. Madame Emma will ye watch on Mookie? He has tae be fed verra regular and needs tae have his chin stroked when he will fall asleep.”

  Emma said, “Thank you James and Beaty, and yes I will of course watch over Mookie.”

  James said, “Okay, Beaty and I will go tell Quentin to come after Hanna sweeps through. I’ll carry a sword, but it will simply be a cover for my big ass gun.”

  Magnus smiled. “Master James, I ken a future when ye hae traveled afore, ye were nae wantin’ tae go a second time.”

  James leaned forward. “Where?”

  “The future, tae m’kingdom.”

  He waved the thought away. “Yeah, but that sounds like it sucks, to go to the future where everything is weird and you don’t know anything. What’s the fun in that?”

  “Aye, the future is verra hard, but tis worth it for the food.”

  James said, “The past! That’s where all the cool stuff is. The history! Will I get to ride a horse?”

  Magnus said, “Fraoch will be there tae meet ye. He will do his best tae get ye a horse. Can ye ride?”

  “I’ve ridden.”

  I said, “Literally everyone is more prepared for the past than me.”

  Magnus squeezed my hand.

  Emma nodded. She had the laptop in front of her. “I’m very relieved you aren’t going Zach, by all predictions the storm will be here beginning tomorrow night.”

  James rubbed his hands together. “What date will we go to?”

  I said, “You’ll want to go to a few days after they arrived.” I grinned at everyone. “Now aren’t we glad that we leave at least a week between jumps?” I added, “Thank you James, I really appreciate it.”

  “No problem Katie, I understand why.” He stretched out his neck like getting to work. “Plus, this gives me something to do besides drinking beer waiting for a storm to pass. How long will we be gone?”

  I said, “You should probably come back next Friday.”

  “Perfect. That way we won’t have to help take the plywood off the windows.”

  He and Beaty high-fived.

  Magnus said, “Then we are decided.”

  I said, “And if we aren’t asked to evacuate, we can stay here. If we are, we won’t have to worry about Quentin. It’s all good.”

  I dyed Beaty’s hair. It had been pretty faded anyway, so it was easy enough to put a light brown on it. It was very short, but she would wear a cap over it and that would be fine.

  Emma and Zach went to the store for chocolates and oranges and vitamins and other treats for Beaty to deliver to the past. Beaty wanted to take her camera and so we said she could as long as she kept it hidden.

  James would be armed: guns and knives, and a hunting bow he was keen on taking. Beaty would be armed with knives and a gun.

  Magnus and James sat and talked in the living room about what he could expect to see, what he needed to do. And messages for Fraoch. Magnus taught him how to use a vessel to come and go.

  When I was done with Beaty’s hair I waddled to a chair, plopped down with a groan, and put my feet up. “James, you ready to go?”

  “Yep, totally.”

  Magnus shook his head. “Nae, ye arna, Master James. The jump alone is verra painful and—”

  “Whatever, if Quentin can do it, I can totally do it.”

  Beaty came into the living room, her hair blown dry, a little white cap covering it. She was already in an eighteenth century style dress, looking the part, except she was carrying her pig in her arms.

  James asked, “You put out clothes for me?”

  I said, “Yes, you can get dressed in our room.” I giggled as he went down the hall. “He is never going to figure it out.”

  A few minutes later he called into the living room, “Hey Mags, can you explain this skirt?”

  Beaty and James were dressed and armed. They didn’t have half the gear that Hayley took with her, only a couple of bags. I knew Quentin and Hayley had been there for a week, they would probably appreciate some new chocolate and jerky.

  We were standing out on the sand on the south end. It was a deceptively nice day, a blue sky, unseasonably warm. But the wind was picking up and the waves big and pounding, their color a dark gray, like they were churning the ocean and delivering the news — Hanna is out there. In the far distance way way way away was a bank of white puffy clouds, probably the storm, or the front message of the storm — I am coming, batten your shit down.

  I didn’t like the message, the coming storm on the horizon, not when I was days away from my due date.

  “Wait.”

  Zach, Magnus, James and Beaty all turned to look at me. “I’m having a weird feeling...”

  Zach said, “Katie, you’re not in labor, you’re not even—”

  “That’s not what I mean, I mean... Don’t send them to the usual jump spot. I don’t... Remember that place with the funny name we jumped into when we wanted to sneak in?”

  Magnus said, “Fartairchill, dost ye think there is a reason tae hide?”

  “Yeah, Hayley said there were men all around, I just don’t think we should send James and Beaty there.”

  Magnus said, “Beaty, dost ye ken tae get from Fartairchill tae the castle? Through the north woods tae the riverbank, then at the tree there is a tunnel.”

  He leaned down and used his finger on the sand to mark a spot that was supposed to be the village churchyard and then trailed his finger and said some things in Gaelic. I recognized the word ‘river’ one he had taught me through the years, and then he told her where to find the door. She had her hands on her hips nodding.


  I said, “You sure you don’t want me to write that down?”

  James said, “Maybe a map? Anyone got a map?”

  I said, “Hand me your phone.” He passed me his phone and I typed into Google Maps, ‘Taymouth Castle’ and centered the map in the middle of the screen. I showed it to Magnus. “Where would the door be to the tunnel?”

  Magnus held it long. “I daena ken, perhaps there?”

  I put a marker on that spot, took a screenshot of the map, and showed it to James. “I don’t know if this will help, but maybe don’t get lost.”

  Magnus looked amused. “Master James, I recommend ye listen tae Beaty on it. She has lived her entire life on a farm just outside of the village around the castle. She will ken the landscape and will guide ye safely.”

  James said, “All right, I’m following you, Beaty. Let’s go get Quenny. This is going to be fun.”

  Magnus said, “I will be awaitin’ yer opinion on it when ye return, Master James.”

  I said, “Well, maybe Emma’s potion will work, you’re on tons of vitamins. It would be classic if jumping was less miserable the first time James does it.”

  Beaty kissed and hugged Mookie, tearfully placed him in my arms, and dragged herself away. “Take care of him, Queen Kaitlyn. He needs tae be sung tae. He likes tae hear the song about the tree, Archie can sing it tae ye. He kens the words.”

  “I know, I’ve heard you sing it many nights. Archie and I will both sing to Mookie. He’ll be fine.”

  We went to our car to sit inside and watch through the windshield as they brought forth the storm. Two novices. We had given James all the instructions, figuring he should know how to work the tech. Beaty would know how to work the century. They both looked nervous, barely friends, holding each other’s arms about to jump together to go rescue Quentin. Beaty sniffling because she was leaving her pig. They disappeared inside of the storm.

  The rest of the afternoon was watching the weather, not in our usual way, not looking for a storm from nothingness — we were watching the path of Hanna as she crept from the Atlantic Ocean and swept up the coast of Florida. The Weather Channel had graphically added so much red that it was pretty terrifying and looked big, really big.