Page 77 of Little Wing
Dougie was so focused he didn’t take much notice of the young woman standing next to her. He just wanted to allow his mind to tumble back through the years, to all those occasions when this remarkable woman had patched him up, stitched him back together, bandaged him better, jabbed him with needles, stabilized broken collar bones and come to school to talk about contraception.
Sophia gave a little shrug. ‘It’s me.’
‘Are you come to give me a jab?’
‘No, Dougie,’ she laughed. ‘I’m assuming you’re all up to date.’
‘Dougie,’ said Gordon, ‘the tea, lad, the tea.’
‘Fire!’ Dougie shook his head in happy disbelief. ‘It’s just so amazing to see you! You’re on Scalpay still? Are you well? You look well.’
‘I am, pet.’
‘Pet! ’ Dougie laughed.
‘And you’re still in that London, are you? Keeping out of mischief or making a whole bunch of it?’ Handsome boy, Sophia thought. He never did like his hair cut short. ‘Still running your socks off ?’
‘Aye.’
‘We’ve some cake,’ said Gordon.
‘Milk and sugar?’ said Dougie.
‘Just milk,’ said Sophia.
‘Where is my man Roddy?’ said Gordon.
‘Sorry,’ said Dougie, ‘did you say sugar?’
‘No, pet, just milk.’
‘My name is Nell Hartley,’ Nell said suddenly.
They all turned and stared at her, as if she’d appeared from nowhere. ‘My name is Nell Hartley,’ she said again. ‘I’m Flora Buchanan’s daughter.’
‘Flora Buchanan?’ Gordon’s voice was paper-thin. Then silence. ‘You’reFlora’s wee girl?’
‘Yes,’ said Nell.
‘She is,’ said Sophia.
And Dougie thought, I don’t know who Flora Buchanan is but I do know that this is the girl with the huge suitcase who threw her money around the airport and shook like a leaf on the plane to Stornoway.
Gordon’s eyes darted from Nell to the past and back again. This he couldn’t quite believe. ‘You’re wee Flora’s wee girl?’
‘Yes,’ said Sophia quietly. ‘She is. She’s come back.’
He pulled out a chair for Nell. ‘Please,’ he said, with not much voice. ‘Will you sit down awhile?’
Nell sat, Sophia next to her. Dougie brought tea over. ‘Will you have tea?’ he asked Nell. She looked up at him and nodded, needing to hold the mug as a warm anchor. ‘Sugar?’ he asked. She shook her head. He brought her a mug and sat down next to his dad.
For a while, no one said anything. Nell cradled her cup while the others sipped and stared at her.
‘Did you know my mother? Did you know Flora?’ Nell asked Gordon.
‘I did, m’dear. We all did. We knew you too. Me – my late wife Màiri – even my boy here.’
Nell looked at Dougie. ‘I knewyou?’
