9. Chapter 9 - Kaitlyn

The following day Lochie was ready in the afternoon. He emerged from his room with his hair slicked back and a cloud of cologne wafting around him. He was wearing a clean shirt, laundered pleated pants, and a pair of shiny dark boots. He looked very handsome and a little vulnerable in that way of young men who are headed to prom with a girl they barely know, and get shined up for it.

Fraoch asked, "Why ye dressed so early?"

Lochie looked at his watch. "Is it early? I was thinking I would start out now."

Fraoch was incredulous. "Ye are goin' tae go now tae see her at ten? Are ye plannin' tae walk?"

"I thought tae."

"The walk would take ye three hours at the most, och, Og Lochie, ye canna be there hours early, she will think ye strange. We will give ye a ride at an ordinary time."

Lochie nodded. Then asked, "And I will sit out in the front tae wait for her?"

"Aye, just like last night, unless ye want tae go in and have a beer and tell her ye are waiting for her outside — ye could be a man who does regular things."

"I daena think I understand what regular things are here — did ye ken she is a soldier?"

Fraoch shook his head. "Nae, ye must hae misheard."

"She is, she told me plain. I asked again, tae make certain I had heard her correctly. She said she dinna go tae war though."

Fraoch and Lochie both went quiet, staring into space as if they were trying to figure it out.

I said, "There are lots of women in the military."

Fraoch said, "Is there? Tis an odd thing... for what purpose?"

I said, "Some women want to protect the country, they train, they serve."

Lochie and Fraoch both looked at me, nodding with their brows down, as if I were going to continue explaining.

When I didn't, Fraoch shook his head. "It daena make sense."

I said, "Fraoch, if Hayley could hear you! You're lucky she's out, what about all the viking women warriors? What about Joan of Arc? Haven't queens led their armies into battle?"

Fraoch nodded, "Aye, tis true, I suppose I just thought those lasses were not such... lasses."

I said, "Many young women join the military! If Ash joined the military that's great. And Lochie, I can't stress this enough, don't act surprised like Fraoch, or bad mouth it in any way. You need to be respectful."

"Aye, Queen Kaitlyn, but I was surprised at first— do ye think I ruined my chances?"

"She gave you her phone number after that conversation?"

"Aye."

"Then you're in the clear."

"And if ye think on it, tis verra courageous for her tae offer her life for her country. Tis honorable."

"Exactly."

Fraoch said, "This is true, and tis also true that I am an auld man and what do I know about anything? I hae tae remind myself all the time tae be a regular man."

Lochie said, "I daena think I ken how tae be a regular man."

"What would ye do if ye were at home in Scotland?"

"I would speak tae her brothers and ask her father for her?—"

"Nae, we told ye, this is not how it works."

Archie and Ben were seated on stools by the kitchen island watching in rapt attention. Archie said, "You just have to be cool, Uncle Lochie."

Fraoch gestured, wildly, "Aye, ye just hae tae be cool! What if a young lass asked ye tae come tae the tavern in the evening, what would ye do?"

"I would walk tae the tavern, I would go tae the bar and order an ale, perhaps a whisky, and I would tell her that she is a bonny lass once I had the chance tae talk tae her."

"Exactly what ye should do in this instance."

Lochie said, "So I ought tae walk?

Fraoch said, "Nae, that is the one part ye canna do. This is a warm day, ye will be sweatin' like a fat mucag on butcherin' day in August. We will drive ye tae talk tae her."

Archie said, "You ought to ask her out on a date, Uncle Lochie."

"What is a date?"

Zach said, "You take her to dinner and dancing or a movie or something." He slammed the door of the oven closed.

Lochie's eyes went wide. "How would I… how do I… I daena ken what tae…"

Zach leaned on the counter. "Lochie, this is what you're gonna do. Wait for her after work. Talk to her, ask how her day was, then tell her you want to see her again. Ask her if you can take her to get dinner."

"Ask how her day was… want to see her… all right, I can do it."

"If she says yes, ask her if she has a favorite restaurant. Come back here, we will discuss and make a plan for you."

Lochie nodded.

"You got me, right? You know how to do it."

Lochie said, "Aye, I think so."

He sat down at the counter, beside the boys, asking for an afternoon snack.

And there Lochie waited all day. It grew to be evening. He checked his watch way too often.

Zach said, "She's probably not even at work yet, you don't want to get there before she does."

"I hae tae be cool."

"Yep, gotta be cool."

We ate dinner and Lochie kept checking his watch, having done really nothing all day but wait.

Fraoch said, "Och nae, I ought tae hae given ye something tae do!"

Lochie glanced at his watch again. "Like what?"

"Like a chore. Ye ought tae hae cleaned the trucks — idle hands cause ye tae bedevil yer family."

Lochie scowled. "I am bedevilin' ye just by checkin' the time?"

"Aye, daena do it again or I will send you from the room. We will tell ye when tis time tae go."

Lochie asked for another beer, then started to look at his watch, but stopped himself. A moment later he twisted in his seat to look at the clock on the oven.

Fraoch groaned.

Magnus shook his head, "Let the man check the time, Fraoch. He is goin' tae be on time tae visit the maiden and he canna drive so he is concerned he winna be there on time."

Fraoch said, "I ken, I ken."

James rushed into the room. "I think she started labor!"

Emma stuck her head from her room. "Sophie…?"

James was on the edge of panic, "Of course Sophie, who the hell do you think?"

Emma said, "First, my apologies, my head was somewhere else. I'm cleaning out closets and wasn't thinking — also, no talking smack to me, don't be a jerk. How far apart are her contractions?"

He said, "I don't know!"

Emma and I followed him into the room, Beaty was already there. I said, "Hey Sophie, how ya doing?"

She smiled, then moaned, clutching under her rounded stomach.

Beaty said, "Twas quick upon the heels of the last, I think she be ready tae go."

I turned around to think, what do we need? to see James, standing at the door, keys in his hand, overnight bag on one shoulder, Sophie's purse on his elbow, a messenger bag on his other arm.

"I see you're ready."

"Yep."

Quentin said, "I got the van pulled up to the steps."

I joked, "Well look at us, all organized!"

Emma and Beaty helped Sophie up, and we all got her out to the van.

I called, "Hayley!"

She called back, "We got the kids!"

A big bunch of us rode to the hospital.

Then we sat in the waiting room. And waited.