Page 66 of A Highland Family Affair

Olivia’s heart ached a little for her brother. ‘Oh, Kerr. I suppose it’s very early days, but have you told him he can call you Dad if he wants to?’

Kerr shrugged. ‘I said something to that effect last night at the cabin. But I don’t want to rush him. I mean, you’re right, I haven’t known him that long, and he’s literally known about me being his dad since yesterday. It’s probably too soon but… I get the feeling he wants to. I just don’t want him to feel pressured.’

Mirren squeezed his arm as she walked by. ‘Give him time. It’s a big deal,’ she said wisely. It had been the first time she had touched him affectionately since his return and the action warmed Olivia.

Kerr nodded. ‘Aye, you’re right. Charlotte and I have agreed to do a DNA test just to make it all official. Will’s given his permission too so we’re going to sort that out tomorrow.’

‘What will you do once the results confirm he’s your son?’

Kerr sighed. ‘I think… I’d really like to give him my name legally. Charlotte and I discussed it, and she says she’s happy to go ahead and allow it. It should take a couple of months apparently.’

‘Wow, she’s being quite amenable about the whole thing,’ Olivia said.

Kerr nodded. ‘She’s been really great, actually. Very understanding.’

‘As well she should be,’ Mirren said. ‘After what she’s done to the pair of you.’

‘I know, but I’m trying to keep things civil, for Will’s sake. He doesn’t need any extra stress from his parents.’

Olivia smiled. ‘You’re handling this well too, Kerr. He’s a lovely boy. Reminds me so much of you at his age.’

Kerr chuckled. ‘Oh, heck, don’t say that.’

‘Does anyone know where Brodie is?’ Olivia asked. She hadn’t seen him since their morning coffee.

‘Here I am,’ came his voice from the hallway and seconds later he hopped in on his crutches flanked by Will at one side, watching intently to make sure he didn’t fall, and the dogs on the other, intrigued by the big sticks he was using to walk but wouldn’t let them run off with. ‘This young man came to fetch me from the library,’ he said with a smile at Will.

Olivia was surprised to see that Will was wearing Kerr’s very old and faded Foo Fighters T-shirt that fit him perfectly. It was from the early two thousands and she’d no idea he still had it; it seemed uncharacteristically sentimental of her brother. Depicted on the shirt was the band’s name in a scratchy font and the black heart from the cover of their One by One album. Olivia could remember her older brother going through his rock phase around the age Will was now. And seeing him in the T-shirt brought back amusing memories of fourteen-year-old Kerr singing the track ‘Times Like These’ at the top of his lungs behind the closed door of his room, along with the CD. Although he was no Dave Grohl, that was certain. Now she saw Will in his dad’s clothes, it was astounding how much he really did look like him.

‘Thanks, Will, that’s very thoughtful,’ Olivia said.

‘Can I do anything to help, Mrs MacLeod?’ Will asked Mirren.

‘Aye, you can call me Mirren for starters. I’ve enough on with Radio Highland making me feel old,’ she said with a wink. ‘And yes, you can pass the plates out.’

Dougie arrived moments later, kissed Mirren on the cheek, washed his hands and then grabbed the oven gloves and carried the tagine pot to the table. ‘Evening, all. Wait till your taste buds experience this aromatic explosion.’

Will laughed and passed out the plates before sitting down by Kerr. Mirren dished out the food and as she was passing a bowl of couscous around the table, Brodie cleared his throat.

‘Erm, Will, I was wondering, are you busy on Saturday at all? If not, I wondered if you’d give me a hand with something.’

Will crumpled his brow, confusion evident in his eyes. ‘Noooo, I’m not busy… but you are, aren’t you? How can I help you with something when you’ve got a wedding to go to?’

Brodie’s eyes widened and he wagged his fork. ‘Dammit! I had a feeling there was something going on.’ He smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand and chuckled. ‘Actually, that’s what I wanted to ask you about. You see, I could do with another usher to help hand out the order of service and show people to their seats. And seeing as Kerr is going to be busy walking my beautiful bride-to-be down the aisle, I thought you might like to help.’

It was as if he had read Olivia’s mind. ‘Oh, yes! What a brilliant idea. Would you like to help, Will?’

Will sat there, open-mouthed for a few seconds, a little aghast. His eyes welled with tears and he sniffed. ‘Seriously? You mean like… I’d be like part of the family?’

It was clear to Olivia that being part of a family was something he had missed out on. His grandparents had taken a while to warm to the idea of him, his stepfather didn’t really want to be involved with him and so his mother had been his only family for a large part of his existence. Having been surrounded by family her whole life, even if some of the time it was difficult, Olivia couldn’t imagine what that must have been like for him. She leaned across and handed him a clean tissue, although she felt like she might need it herself at any second. ‘Will, you are part of the family,’ she told him.

His chin trembled and he simply nodded. Kerr leaned and pulled the boy into his side. ‘You’ll set me off, lad, I’m an emotional wreck these days,’ he said with a laugh, and he kissed the side of his son’s head.

‘That’d be bangin’, thanks,’ Will eventually said with a wide grin. ‘All the kids at school say that, so I hope it’s not rude.’

‘We’ll make a Scot out of you yet, son,’ Dougie said with a wink.

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