Page 46 of Highland Stars
This makes me chuckle. “I guess so. I was just trying to buy a car.”
He glances over and smiles. “So each person’s invite was unique?”
I nod, then realize he’s back to watching the road. “Sometimes. Those were expensive weddings. More often I madeone and they copied it. But almost always I addressed all the envelopes. So I became fairly well known and before long I was approached by a wedding planning company. I accepted their offer to do invitations and worked my way up from there.”
“That’s braw! Though, I hate that things have ended the way they did.” Malcolm pulls into a spot outside the restaurant.
Wow, he lives very close to his favorite lunch spot.
“Me too. But I’ll figure something out.”
“Ach, I know you will. And it will be great!”
“I hope so.”
“Better than working for those numpties anyway, yeah?”
I throw my head back and laugh. “Definitely better than working for those numpties!”
We head inside and I approach the counter to place my order. A BLT on gluten-free bread. Only to be told they are out of gluten-free bread.
“We can wrap it in lettuce for you, or there are several gluten-free salad options.” The man behind the register looks at me with a smile that says I should be grateful for all the lettuce-based options.
As if.
“We can go somewhere else,” Malcolm suggests.
“No. You’re hungry, I’m hungry. I’ll just get a salad.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” I don’t like it, but I’m sure.
“Do you have ranch dressing?” I ask the still smiling man.
“I’m sorry, we don’t.”
“I’ll have a BLT, add turkey and wrap it in lettuce. And a bag of crisps.”
Malcolm gives me a look that tells me how sorry he is, then proceeds to place his order. It’s exactly the same as mine.
26
Malcolm
Afterlunch,wevisitthe Culloden Battlefield, the site of the 1746 battle between the Jacobites and the English. It’s filled with tourists, as I knew it would be, but it was on Makenna’s list and she’s a tourist, so here we are.
We start in the building, making our way through the displays. I haven’t been here since I was a child, and it’s an entirely different experience as an adult. I’m overwhelmed with the loss, not only of life, but of culture and identity.
I reach over and touch the Robertson tartan Makenna is wearing around her neck. Following this battle, tartan was banned and the clan way of life was never the same.
After an hour inside, Makenna and I look out across the moorland, her eyes pausing on the nearest clan stone, and Isee her swipe at tears on her cheeks. I slide my arm around her shoulders.
She takes a deep breath. “Over a thousand people died here. Imagine what the world missed out on from the ones that died without families. They may have had descendants here today.” She pauses and looks up at me with her watery eyes. “It’s so sad.”
“It certainly is that.”
She turns back to the field and lays her head against my shoulder. I’m basking in the feeling of her being so close when she pops her head up and does her laugh that tells me she feels awkward. “Sorry. I got caught up in the moment.”
