Page 51 of From Scotland with Love

I am planning to go away for a while, so your decision is an easy one - if you don’t share my feelings, please put me out of my misery and let me let you go. Otherwise, in my heart, you will always be my lass; my love.

Callum

Lori clutched the letter, her heart beating wildly. “When did you hear the car, Gran?” She picked up her car keys.

“I don’t know, only just before you walked in really I think.” Gran’s eyes widened “How? Is everything OK?”

Lori put the keys down, maybe he was in the village? Driving in this rain would be difficult, so she took a chance, and hoped he was still near. She didn’t want to miss him, not this time, not ever again. She dashed out, running under the rumbling sky, splashing through puddles as she turned onto the main street, hoping he might have parked the van somewhere, waiting for her. Her heart raced just thinking about him, at the thought of seeing his face. She wanted him. It felt so simple and came so easily to her, that the certainty frightened her a little. Why had she waited so long? She wiped her wet hair back and ran past a long line of cars, only noticing that there was an obstruction up ahead as she neared towards it. She ran past the bright lights that flooded the watery road, slowing to a walk when she saw Callum’s van up ahead. She felt the scene unfold in slow motion. People got out of their cars to see what the commotion was. The van at the front was parked at an odd angle, blocking the road. A strong wind whipped Lori’s hair over her face, as she approached the van slowly, and saw through the window a figure slumped over the steering wheel. She gasped, her blood running cold as the sounds of car horns boomed from impatient drivers in the lineup behind her. In a daze, she shrunk back, afraid of how she would find him. But there had been no crash, no blood; what was wrong? Then, quickly as she tried to register the scene before her, the figure suddenly looked up and slowly steered the van towards the side of the road. Callum got out and slammed the door behind him. He pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning against the van. Cars slowly passed by and he shook his head. With confusion on his face, eyes darting around him, he suddenly looked up and locked eyes with Lori. Her heart raced again and she stepped up onto the pavement, edging towards him. Feeling like a drowned rat, she was sure her hair was a sopping disaster, and probably her mascara was dripping in black threads down her cheeks by now, but she didn’t care. This was her, in all honesty. And the relief at seeing Callum unhurt engulfed her completely. The rain continued to fall as Callum came towards her wearing an unsure expression, with his hands shoved in his jeans pockets. Still panting after her run, Lori clutched the letter tightly in her hand, its words now surely washed away.

“What happened? Are you…OK?” she asked, in between big breaths.

“It’s OK. I’m OK..” He looked back at the passing traffic. “Someone appeared on the road, I thought for a moment…but it’s fine…they weren’t hurt. I just had a scare.” He scratched his neck, unable to look her in the eyes.

“Callum... I’ve been trying to see you!”

He looked around and shrugged. “I needed time, Lori.”

“Yes.” She bit her lip.

“Lori -” His face was at an angle, looking down and still hesitating to meet her eyes.

“I think I’ve been hiding from myself for years,” she blurted out, not wanting to waste the moment between them. “I didn’t realise it, but I was so preoccupied of how I thought I should live my life, trying to avoid the mistakes I thought my parents made; trying to avoid being trapped by the memories, and what I thought I didn’t want. I was so fixated on those things that I didn’t listen to what my heart wanted.” She gulped, unsure of what her next words would be, but continued. “I’m sorry I left you all those years ago, it’ll be something I’ll always regret. We could have shared so much more, back then. But I hope that... I hope that we can start again...?” Lori wanted to reach out to him, to feel his arms around her, but something stopped her, and she stood still waiting.

“You’re not with Michael?”

“No. When you came to mine the day of the games, I honestly thought Michael and I were no longer together. I was surprised to see him, and I suppose I accepted his being there because I felt guilty for what was about to happen between us - then he pulled out a ring. Again – not really listening to how I felt, just trying to manage the situation like some paranoid life-coach.” Lori explained, without stopping to take a breath. “I’m sorry it took me such a long time to see everything clearly. I thought I was making the right decision to be with him, whatever that meant, but my heart felt empty. Everything felt wrong.”

Callum moved a step towards her, and his hand reached out to take hers. Holding her hand he moved closer, leaving them only inches apart. His hand moved up her arm to her chin, and he held her face in his hands as he came even closer. Every bit of Lori tingled with anticipation, knowing this was the moment she had been waiting for, for the last ten years of her life.

“You got my letter then?” he said quietly, glancing down at the sodden paper in her hands, and moving her wet hair out of her eyes.

“Yes, and... I feel the same! I want to be with you, wherever it takes us. I want to be with you. I just... want you.”

Callum’s serious face suddenly exploded into a beam of light, smiling back at her.

“Aren’t you going to kiss me, before I get swept away by this rain?” Lori demanded with a grin.

Callum pulled her closer. “I will kiss you when I’m good and ready Lori Robertson.” He touched her face again, enjoying the moments that passed, taunting Lori deliciously until he finally murmured, “My bonnie lass,” and kissed her slowly and deliberately on the lips. Lori closed her eyes as the new-but-familiar heat hit her, falling into it with open arms, wanting to stay in this place of dreamy contentment forever. “My love” he murmured in-between kisses, and they embraced tightly, locking lips and bodies together.

Epilogue

“It seems a bit rushed to be traveling doesn’t it? I mean, you literally just opened the shop!” Tammy remarked, as she riffled through the newly-made garments on the rails, her huge pregnant belly jutting out before her.

A few months ago Lori would have agreed with her sister, but now she delighted in her new found spontaneity. “Well it’s not forever, Tam!” Lori picked up a few dresses and headed to the small changing room next to the back desk. Tammy sighed, and slowly eased herself down onto the antique French sofa, which Lori had repurposed with vintage silk, in hues of duck egg and patterns of red roses. The shop was Lori’s pride and joy, and seeing women try on garments and falling in love with them, made her feel more uplifted and happier than she had ever been in her life. Even as the seasons changed and the start of a New Year was approaching, she felt light and free. To her amazement, her shop had already brought in business during the quiet months, and within the next twelve months she hoped to turn her first profit. She had built something that was hers, and she could make any decisions she wanted to about how it was run, and what creativity she indulged in each quarter. In the corner of the room, her mother’s old Singer sewing machine was nestled in beside shelves displaying different coloured tweeds, looking every bit an organic part of the shop. Above the Singer, old framed photographs of her mother and her gran clung to the wall, her two biggest inspirations.

Tammy stretched her legs out in front of her. “Once this wee guy comes, I will be able to see my feet again. I can’t wait!”

“I didn’t know you were fond of your feet. The size they are, I’m surprised you don’t see them peeping out under your belly!”

“Hey!” Tammy spun her head around just as Lori closed the curtain of the changing room. “You’re such a cheeky bisom!” Tammy bellowed, dispelling any energy she might have had left.

The doorbell jangled as Callum walked in. Lori popped her head over the curtain to catch a glimpse of him. He looked smartly dressed, a testament to his newfound interest in fashion since she had introduced him to it. Today, he stepped in wearing a tailored navy coat, a creation of hers, buttoned up with a striped scarf elegantly wrapped around his neck. He rubbed his hands together and stomped his snow-covered boots on the mat, but when he saw Tammy sprawled on the sofa, he took up a new role with a playful bow and a flourish of his scarf: “I’m here to escort you ladies to dinner!”

Tammy pushed herself up slightly, but gave up almost immediately. “I need help to even get off this thing!” she shrieked, and Callum hauled her up with ease from the sofa. “Alan isn't with you? I see; he thought he’d leave his poor unfortunate wife to make her way to Gran’s herself?”

“Tam... you’re hardly a defenceless creature! Anyway, I said I’d take you both, I’ve plenty of room in the new van, and he’ll see us at Gran’s. I hear she’s put on a huge spread, inviting more than a few folk! We’re getting quite the send-off!” Callum offered Tammy his arm to lean on.

“Gran shouldn’t be doing too much,” Tammy tutted.