Page 46 of From Scotland with Love

Karen blinked. “Oh, he should be at home. I’ve seen him around, he’s just been out with clients quite a lot while I’ve had time off - perhaps that’s why he’s not been in touch?”

That, or he doesn’t want anything to do with a non-committal, two-timing floozy like me? Lori thought to herself, and was about to say more, when Jean came back holding up a plastic bag with a bemused smile on her face.

“Thanks sis! OK, I must be off, nice to see you Karen!” She waved and left promptly.

Lori woke to Bracken licking her chin as the morning light hit her face. She squinted and pushed the dog away. Rising from the sofa, she padded across the room, skidding slightly on the sketches scattered all over the floor. She made herself a cup of coffee, looking at the fruits of her labour the night before. She had worked well into the night, drafting up patterns from her designs, creating practice mockups and finally sewing the actual garment into being. Gran had kept everything of her mother’s, and Lori couldn’t believe all the odds and ends she had found; her mum’s old sketches and notes on patterns, measurements of her girls, and ideas of what she’d make for them over the next few seasons. The box of fabric was a mixture of various cottons, silks and wools. Over the course of the evening, Lori made a cape from two dark wools - a stylish grey and black herringbone weave. She had stitched the two different fabrics together, giving a subtle patchwork effect, and lined it in a soft burgundy silk. She just needed to add a fastening at the front.

Lori lifted the cape and scrutinised it; smoothing the soft wool between her fingers. Without thinking she picked up the phone and called Betty. The woman seemed surprised to hear her, and asked about New York. Lori had to confess about her job.

“Oh well, I’m sure something good will come out of things. Yes, we’re still getting orders, especially since we’re coming into autumn, people want tweed for winter.”

“Right – yeah, that’s why I’m calling. I’m looking to buy some!”

Lori had rang off once her fabric order was placed and gulped down the last of the coffee. She put on makeup, and wore one of her grey dresses, then looking in the mirror realised how much she missed colour. All her clothes from New York were black, grey or white, to fit in with the company setting. She needed to make a change, and wanted to incorporate more shades and textures into her wardrobe. For now, she tied a piece of turquoise silk around her neck, which she found in the scrap pile, and without further delay, hopped in the car in pursuit of Callum. With no answer at his apartment, she wandered down to the shop, again Karen’s smiling face welcomed her but informed her he was out with customers. Lori wrote a note for him, and left, defeated.

Feeling a bit sorry for herself, she walked along the waterfront on the way back to her car, and came across an empty shop front. It’s large curved window was painted a deep green, which was peeling with years of untended exposure to the salt air. Lori had recalled it had once been a book shop, but after the owners had left the area, the shop had switched hands many times with no real business success. She peeked inside to see a plain white space and a wooden floor. It looked very serviceable, if a bit mucky, with boxes and rubbish lying around on the floor. A small sign on the door had a name and number, with “To Let” in larger biro letter. Lori wrote down the number, and feeling more optimistic about the day ahead, headed home to use Gran’s trusty landline.

As Callum waited on his clients, he leaned against the van and gazed out over the calm shallow loch. He had decided to let them kayak unguided, giving them the space to enjoy a romantic trip together. He expected the couple to be back any minute now, to collect bicycles for their cycle back to Morvaig. His phone buzzed, and he saw a curt message from Karen - Lori had been in the shop asking for him again. He didn’t want to bring Karen into things, but he had no interest in being part of Lori’s games, whatever they were these days. He knew at the same time, that she was only really there to help Gran, and it was good that the old lady had support from her granddaughters. After he had visited Mary at the hospital, it had left him a bit out of sorts. She had been so frail, and muttering such strange things, that he didn’t know what to think or how to react afterwards. He had never felt so powerless, unable to offer anything more than calming words.

Voices grew louder and louder, snapping Callum out of his daydream, and the couple came into view paddling back to him. Callum unloaded the bikes, took their kayaks and stacked them in the trolley behind the van. As he left them to set off on the last leg of their journey, he saw them kiss in his rear-view mirror, making him long for something more; something he had thought he almost had found again. He went back gloomily to the shop, where he found Karen sitting at the computer.

“So, she’s been here again asking for you!” Karen gave him a look like his old teacher Mrs Lang used to, whenever he had tried out a new excuse for not doing his homework. “I think you should just speak to her, for my sake at least!” She waved her hands in frustration. “I don’t want to be asked about your comings and goings every time I see her!”

“Don’t worry about it Karen, I’ll take care of it.” He started unpacking the van into the back cabin behind the shop. Perhaps it wasn’t such a bad idea to go away for a while, he could leave for a few weeks – explore another country. He had always wanted to see Brazil. Lost in his thoughts, unloading paddles and life jackets, he heard a cough behind him. Karen was standing at the cabin door, cross armed with a non-indulgent look directed at him once again.

“You have a visitor.” She leaned against the door frame.

His heart thumped, he couldn’t face Lori again.

Karen sighed and rolled her eyes. “It’s just Alan! For crying out loud, Callum, you gotta man up!”

He bristled but followed her out to the shop front, where Alan stood looking at the kids' drawings on the wall.

He spun around, but not in his usual cheery manner. “Hey Cal. I didn’t know if you had heard about Gran.” His face was downcast as he exhaled “It’s bad news.”

Callum stood frozen on the spot. A wave hit him, like he was being pushed in all directions. It couldn’t be that...?

“What happened?” Callum placed his hand on the desk to steady himself. He had to go to them, he had to comfort Lori. She had been looking for him, grieving, and all the while he had been ignoring her like a petulant child.

Alan nodded slowly. “She had a stroke, she was taken to hospital on Tuesday night.”

“And -?” Callum waited for the dreaded news.

Alan’s eyes widened. “You heard?”

“Yes I - I did!” Callum couldn’t contain the urgency in his voice any longer. “Has she -?” The lump in his throat was there, just under the surface.

“What?” Alan briefly shook his head. “Oh no, don’t worry Cal, she’s okay, still in hospital, they were able to operate in time to save any severe damage. It turns out she’s coming back tomorrow.” His face was still one of confusion. “I just wasn’t sure if you knew, sorry, I’ve been out on the boat since our last shinty match.”

Callum took his hand away from the table and ran it through his hair. Within seconds he had thought the worst news, and now the sense of relief was overwhelming. Brazil could wait another week or so, he told himself with a sigh.

27

Lori’s heart was fluttering like an excited bird desperate to get out and fly. She had spent two long evenings sewing, and somehow had come up with the bones of a project that would allow her to move forwards out of the shadow of Costner’s, and onto her own path. She had received a call that morning from Frankie, who had apologised very politely for her outburst the day before, and asked her back to work – when she was ready. But the clarity Lori felt now was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her old life in the city was fun, but had never really made her happy – not in the skin-tingling, hopeful way that the last two weeks in Arlochy had done. After a much deeper conversation with Frankie; the older woman drinking wine on one side while Lori drank tea, she laid out her reasons and her plan of action. Lori couldn’t wait to get started, her mind racing with the initial arrangements, but had to put things on hold for the time being. More important duties needed to take priority. At the insistence of her sisters, she took them both in the car to collect Gran, who sat waiting on her freshly-made bed with her overnight bag at her feet. Lori laughed and shook her head:

“Gran, you wouldn’t be ready to leave, would you?”

Her gran still looked tired, but the familiar rosy hue was back in her cheeks. She stood up slowly. “Yes please, take me home. I’m desperate to get a proper cuppa tea!”