Page 89 of Playing to Win

“We’ve not won yet,” Colin pointed out, though with a week and a day until the referendum vote, the Yes side had all the momentum.

“Win or lose, this is epic.” She pulled out her phone. “And definitely selfie-worthy.”

They joined one of the Saltire-waving crowds, then posed together in front of the flag. Colin screwed up his face, making rock horns with one hand and holding up his Yes Scotland sign with the other.

Katie took the picture, then laughed when she examined it. “You are such a wackadoodle.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“When it comes to selfies, sure. Instagramming this now.” She thumbed the screen for a few seconds. “There. I’ll hear about it from Siobhan for posing with a Yes flag. We got into it on Facebook last night after I posted a Three Stooges reference.”

“I saw.” Colin grimaced, both at the conflict between Katie and her girlfriend, and at the mention of the heads of the three major political parties. Sunday’s poll showing Yes with a lead had thrown the Westminster establishment into a panic. They were falling all over one another promising Scotland more powers if it stayed in the Union. No one Colin knew actually believed these empty vows, and even many No voters were insulted by the “love-bombing.”

“So are you nervous about going to Dunleven?” Katie asked him, plucking a stray leaf from her thick dark ponytail.

“Terrified. Andrew got the menu from his mum, so tonight we’re having a dress rehearsal on how to eat things properly.”

Katie gave a delighted groan. “That is sooooo sweet of him. How much has he told his parents about you?”

“They know about my, erm, family situation. So they’ll not be asking awkward questions like what my father does for a living.” He rubbed his stomach, feeling queasy at the very thought. “Andrew swears they’re nice people.”

“I believe it,” Katie said. “Andrew’s pretty nice.”

“Hah! Andrew is lots of good things, but ‘nice’ isnae one of them.”

“Same goes for you, so you’re a perfect pair.”

“I’m not nice?” Colin secretly took this as a compliment, along with his and Andrew’s designation as a perfect pair. It would have seemed insane a month ago, but the last few days had been a dream. Every night they were snuggling close on the couch watching romantic films, then later falling asleep in each other’s arms. And in between, the sex had somehow been better than ever.

“What about this?” Katie gestured to a yellow-vested police officer posing for a selfie with a young Yesser. “Have you converted Andrew to independence?”

“I’ve not tried. We argue about it constantly, but we both know there’s no convincing the other, so we just have fun with it.”

“I do not understand men. How can you be so calm? How can you not take it personally?” Her bright green eyes grew suddenly wet.

“It’s probably just a phase. We’re at that infatuation stage, you know, where even our farts are adorable.”

“Ugh. Like I said, I do not understand men.” She rubbed her nose. “But I do understand falling in love. It was magic.”

Colin wanted to protest that he wasn’t falling in love with Andrew, but it would have been a lie. In any case, Katie’s phone was ringing, with a musical tone he recognized as Siobhan’s. He stepped away to give them privacy, turning to talk to a group of Yessers beside the Queen Victoria statue. It was easy to make instant friends these days, when they all shared a common goal.

The three university-age lasses were discussing today’s speech by the Tory Prime Minister, David Cameron.

“He said he’d be ‘heartbroken,’” the blonde one said, “if Scotland left the Union.” She made a fake pout. “Poor lamb.”

“Is he trying to win more votes for Yes?” Colin asked.

They all laughed. Most Scots had hated Cameron’s Conservative Party since the 1980s reign of Margaret Thatcher, so the opportunity to make a Tory cry would tempt even the staunchest No voter.

“Apparently Obama’s made a statement in support of the Union too,” said the tallest girl. She twisted the end of her loose brown braid about her finger. “I used to like that guy.”

“I wonder if my American mate knows about this.” Colin turned to see Katie standing where he’d left her, staring at the phone in her hand. The look on her face was pure devastation.

Oh no.

He rushed over to her. “What is it? Is it Siobhan? Is she—”

“It’s over.” Her next breath was a shallow gasp. “I’ve lost her.”

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