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Callum was thinking of his own return to Scotland –except that the home he’d returned to couldn’t be more different to that of the character he played, who had inherited a Scottish ancestral home in the heart of the highlands – a castle, no less.
‘Wow – talk about leaving the last season on a cliff-hanger.’
And that was the reason Callum wasn’t surprised she had assumed there would be another season. Everyone thought it was a forgone conclusion that there would be – including the writers; otherwise they wouldn’t have left the end of the last season on a cliff-hanger. He looked at his mum’s friend and didn’t feel inclined to let her know the show was over.
She linked her arm in his. ‘You must come and meet the others.’
‘The others?’ Callum frowned. ‘Oh, I really don’t think—’ He was already being pulled towards the dining room door.
‘Didn’t your mum tell you she runs a book club? It’s such fun.’
She looked at Moira. ‘When were you going to tell us your son was home?’
‘I ... er …’
‘She didn’t know,’ said Callum. ‘It was a surprise. I only arrived this morning.’ He looked at his mum. She wasn’t exactly saying how lovely the surprise had been. She opened the door to the dining room, and he followed her into the room to find six people seated around the dining room table. She and her friend joined them, his mum sitting down next to the only other man in the room.
Callum stood awkwardly in front of the table. He looked at his mother, waiting for her to introduce him.
Eileen said, ‘This is Callum, Henry and Moira’s son.’
‘Say, you look just like—’
‘That’s because he is!’
‘By jove, it is! You’re Laird MacGregor from the TV show.’
Out of the corner of his eye, Callum caught his mum frowning. She was the only one who wasn’t smiling at him.
‘Well, it’s nice to meet you all. I’ll, er, just go and make myself a cup of coffee.’
‘Won’t you join us?’ Eileen said eagerly.
Callum glanced around the table. They all had a copy of a paperback book. He caught the guy around his mother’s age place a hand on her shoulder. ‘Everything all right, Moira?’
She turned to him and smiled. ‘Yes, why wouldn’t it be?’
Callum frowned at the man, thinking,He didn’t waste any time. Callum didn’t know these people, but he expected that as soon as Moira’s husband was out of the picture, he had made his move.But then again …,he thought. ‘It takes two to tango,’ he muttered.
‘What did you just say?’ his mother asked.
Eileen said, ‘It takes two to tango.’
Callum couldn’t believe he’d said that out loud. ‘Er, look, I’m pretty tired after the long-haul flight, so do you mind if I go and make myself a coffee?’
One of her friends said, ‘Perhaps we should go?’
Others in the group started to rise from their chairs. ‘You’ll want to catch up with your son. We can do this another time.’
Callum started to shake his head. ‘No, please don’t leave on my account.’ He glanced at his mum, who wasn’t exactly making a move to leave her seat, or agree that perhaps they should cut their book club meeting short this week. ‘Well, it was really nice to meet you folks.’
As he closed the door, he heard one of her friends comment, ‘Your son sounds more Scottish on the television.’
Callum hovered outside the door and heard another say, ‘Yes, I thought so too. Guess the Californian accent is going to rub off if you’re living out there long enough. How long has he been living in America, Moira?’
‘A few years, I guess. I really couldn’t tell you.’
Callum shook his head, and sighed. That was just what he had expected her to say. In other words, she really wasn’t that interested in talking about her son, or his work. He expected she couldn’t wait for him to leave. And he couldn’t wait to go.
