Page 60 of The Rescue

I peer over my nan’s shoulder to see Grannie Jo with a dram of whisky in her hand, bobbing along to the music. I scan my nan’s face, there’s a happiness to it that I haven’t seen for a long time. It’s nice to see she has found company in Grannie Jo, they were the closest of friends growing up. And since my granddad died a long time ago my nan has been a wee bit lonely. Hell, I’ve hardly heard her gossiping since Grannie Jo moved back to Crossmackie.

“Dinny be staying out too late,” I wink at her.

A mischievous grin spreads across my nan’s face, she stands on her tippy toes and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you, my braw laddie,” she cups my face.

“I love you too.”

I watch my nan and Grannie Jo disappear off into the crowd.

I’m a few beers deep and I still haven’t seen Crystal. I’m starting to think she won’t show at all when I see Dylan and Fiona enter the parish hall. My stomach drops, and I feel my heartbeat pick up a few beats. I stand higher to see if Crystal is with them but I don’t see her. The girls turn a few heads as they enter the hall, and I see Cam and Hamish tense as they notice other men looking at their women.

Fiona is wearing her clan’s tartan, and Dylan is wearing the MacTavish tartan. Cam and Hamish stop dead in their conversation as they spot their girls walking in. Both look on in admiration, Hamish tries to hide it but everyone in Crossmackie knows how much he loves Fiona.

My heart sinks when I don’t see Crystal with the girls. I turn back to the boys, but I catch a flash of copper hair in the corner of my eye. I turn and see her walking through the door. My breath catches, and my mouth goes dry. She looks so beautiful. Her long red hair is braided in the traditional way with little thistles dotted in them. The purple of the thistles pop against her metallic hair. I can’t quite see what she’s wearing but as the crowd parts, I get a glimpse. I near choke on my beer as I see my clan’s tartan on her body.Why?

She hasn’t seen me in the corner yet, and I don’t know what to do. I thought she was mad at me, but yet she wears my clan’s tartan. I’m still scoping her out, when I notice Angus Anderson sniffing around her. She scans the crowd and her eyes land on me, and they’re daring. She looks back at Angus and gives him a flirtatious smile. My stomach drops and jealousy spreads through me like rapid fire.

Dylan and Fiona have made their way over to us, and the boys are occupied with getting them drinks. I haven’t taken my eyes off Crystal who is now talking to Angus. I peer over my pint glass as I take a large swig of beer. There goes keeping a clearhead. She keeps looking back at me. I know what game she’s playing.

“Hey Rabbie,” Dylan breaks my gaze.

I look down at her. She’s wearing a look of concern.

“Hi, Dylan. You look beautiful,” I give her a kiss on the cheek.

“You too, Fi,” I kiss Fiona, who has now joined Dylan.

They both look at me with worried looks, and my mind grows paranoid. I want to know what Crystal has told them. I look back over the crowd and spot Crystal who is now drinking and dancing with Angus and his friends.Fuck no.She isn’t dancing with him whilst wearing my tartan. My blood begins to boil, and the boys are tracking my eyes. The possessiveness I didn’t know I had comes boiling to the top. The group clearly knows there’s something going on between us, because usually she would’ve been a part of our group. It’s clear she’s trying to teach me a lesson– if I don’t want her, there are plenty of other men who do.

I zoned in on Crystal as I push my way through the crowd, the whole town is staring and whispering now. The pissed off look on my face must tell them everything they need to know. I’m just within arms reach of Crystal when my mum pops up in front of me. Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse. I freeze on the spot, but then I try to walk around her, but she grabs my arm. I step back out of her grip. She peers up at me with a sullen face, she’s trying to get my sympathy and it’s not working.

“Hello, Rabbie,” she whispers.

“Mum, why are you here?”

I’m looking over her head, keeping an eye on Crystal who is twirling around with Angus. The jealousy has practically taken over my body now, and I feel nothing else but pure raging jealousy.

“I needed to see you. The other week when I sprung on you, and asked for a job. I wanted to apologise for the way I acted. It was selfish of me to assume you’d be happy to see me, of courseyou wouldn’t be. But I had to try and see you, and then I froze and couldn’t find the right thing to say. I’m sorry, I really am. If you never want to see me again, I completely understand, but I had to try to see you.” She speaks softly, I can hardly hear her.

I finally break my gaze from Crystal and look down at my mum. She looks frail with dark bags under her eyes. I look behind me and see everyone looking over at us. I spot my nan in the corner, a worried look across her face, I give her a small nod to let her know I can handle this. Everyone in the hall is on edge, giving my mum dirty looks and whispering behind their hands.

“I don’t know what you want me to say?” I shrug.

She looks down at her fingers. “I hope one day you could find it in your heart to forgive me.” She wipes at her eyes.

“Years of wishing you’d come for me is going to be hard to forgive and forget.”

I look over my mum’s head to find Crystal, she’s not paying attention to me. I really need her right now.

“Being in an abusive relationship was hard. I know it’s not an excuse but I hope you understand that I was in a difficult situation,” she pleads with me.

I look down at my mum and the sympathy finally starts to seep through me. I remember my dad being a scary man, always drinking and shouting at things, especially me. I don’t really remember much from the time when I lived with them because I’ve spent years erasing it from my memory, but I believe her. I wish she’d told me this a long time ago. I’ve spent most of my life thinking that she didn’t want me, but when really, she was in an abusive situation. I want to ask her so many questions, but my mind isn’t in the correct head space right now. All I can think about is Crystal.

“I know you said you couldn’t give me a job, and that’s okay I will figure something out. I’m just trying to make amends, and Iknow I have a long road ahead of me but I want to make things right,” she gives me a half-hearted smile.

I really take her in, her clothes are old and worn. She looks exhausted, dull skin and unwashed hair. I feel sorry for her.

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