Page 132 of Only a Breath Away

She said, “I’ll come visit, promise.” I saw Magnus follow Lochinvar’s eyes as he gazed at Tracy’s face.

Magnus looked at me, briefly, his brow raised, wordlessly: “Did ye see?”

I nodded.Aye.

Magnus said, “First, we ought tae vote on our vacation.” He scratched Haggis’s head between the ears. “It haena been long, but does everyone feel relaxed from it? Let’s go around the table. Tracy, ye daena get a vote.” He chuckled, “Ye already told us ye think we ought tae go home. Lochinvar, ye haena been tae Florida, so ye daena ken what ye are votin’ on, but how about this, are ye done with the graveyard?”

“Aye, I vanquished the weeds.” He grinned and drank from a beer.

Magnus said, “Okay, James?”

“I’m ready to go back to Florida, I would like to show Sophie around. I’ve got some confused memories, it’s time to make new ones.”

“Sophie?”

“I hae a vote?”

Hayley said, “Of course you have a vote!”

Sophie raised her chin. “I do verra much like the loons in the evenin’ when they are callin’ and—”

James said, “But if we stay I have to build an extra room.”

Sophie laughed. “Och, I forgot all the points, ye ken, James daena want tae build a room in the snow. We hae had enough snow for a lifetime. Did I vote right, Master Cook?”

He laughed. “Perfectly.”

Tracy’s eyes widened at their exchange. “You guys are so old-school sometimes.”

Magnus moved the conversation on. “How about ye, Madame Beaty?”

“As ye ken, I am pleased tae be anywhere as long as Quennie is there, and ye also ken that I asked Quennie tae relax and take some time tae nae be working as hard as he does, well, I want tae go on the record and say, twas difficult tae watch. He daena want tae relax. He likes tae work, so I hae decided that he is done with his vacation—”

Quentin jokingly collapsed on the table. “Thank God I don’t have to vacation anymore.”

She continued, “I winna ask him tae go against his nature, and, I think we ought tae return tae Florida. The bairns and I hae been here for a couple of weeks now, I miss our beach.”

Quentin said, “I’m going to let Beaty’s vote count for both of us, I am happy to go wherever I’m needed.”

Magnus said, “This is somethin’ tae consider, many of ye hae been here for quite a while, I feel like I just returned. But I would like m’own bed. I do miss it. Madame Emma?”

Emma said, “I wouldn’t mind returning to Florida, if it’s safe. We’ve had some lovely days here, but we can always come back. After James hires the contractor to sort out all the new bedrooms.” She grinned.

James groaned. “I don’t know which would be worse, doing the work or hiring someone to do the work.”

Zach joked, “When you hire the contractor, we need a kitchen redo too. If it’s going to be our vacation home, it ought to be good.” Then he added. “I’d like to hit the road, man, the granite countertops of home are calling me.”

Magnus said to the kids, “Got a vote?”

The kids all jumped up and down yelling, “Yay!” but we weren’t really sure what that meant. Emma asked for clarification, “Go to Florida?”

They yelled yay again. Haggis barked merrily.

Magnus said, “I suppose we are de—”

Fraoch said, “What of me and Hayley?”

Magnus said, “I already counted yer vote, twas aye, take me tae Florida tae go fishin’.”

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