Page 43 of Plaid Attitude
Blowing out a sigh, Coira scrubbed her hands over her face, then hooked her hands behind her neck.
Kenneth sent her a sympathetic look. “All the same...” He took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for an unpleasant truth. “Leanna and I would like...”
When he trailed off, Leanna twined her fingers through his and brought them to her chest. “We'd like to have a bairn someday,” she admitted in a small voice, wincing apologetically at Coira. “Somedaysoon.”
It made sense. Kenneth wasn't quite twenty years Leanna's senior, but close enough that hehadto be thinking about the future of the McClure clan, and his own need for an heir.
The fact the pair of them had put off conceiving a child for almost a year, and the reasons why, made Coira's throat thick with emotion. So, she gave them both a quick jerk of her head in thanks and recognition, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay.
Ye could have conceived a bairn.
The reminder squeezed her chest, as it had done each time she’d had the thought during the last fortnight. Even though she’d just finished beingnot pregnant, as her sister had called her menses, the reminder was…
Was…
Well, not so very long ago, the thought of being pregnant would’ve made Coira scoff. So why did she now feel a confusing sort of sorrow? She didn’twantto be pregnant; she’d made that clear to Doughall.
In the rudest way.
Aye, and her guilt was almost unbearable. Between that and Da’s condition, she’d spent the last fortnight on too little sleep.
If ye dinnae want to be pregnant, why does the thought of carrying Doughall’s child no’ make ye want to retch? The thought of being a mother…
At one point, she might’ve cringed at the thought, but Doughall had reminded her of her love for Bess. She’d come to care for the lass, not in the same way she cared for her younger sisters, but… ‘Twas difficult to explain. She wanted to ensure the lassie grew up to be a good person, wanted to help her. Wanted to be there for her.
She…she loved Bess the way a mother ought to love a daughter, and that had been an eye-opening, breath-taking realization.
So, was that why the thought of carrying Doughall’s bairn didn’t make her wince? Or was it because ‘twasDoughallshe was thinking of?
Coira looked around the room, her gaze settling on each of the loving couples as they debated among themselves. Each of her sisters had found love last year, and each was blissfully happy now. Not just because the sex was good—although she’d heard more about her brother-in-laws’ prowess than was necessary—but because they were in an equal partnership with their husbands.
And an equal partnership sounded…
Well, once Coira would’ve said it sounded impossible, which is why she was so against the idea of being married.
But Kenneth, Brodie, Pherson, Kester, and Ramsay…they each deferred to their wives, listened when they spoke, asked questions and considered the answers. They didn’t make decisions unilaterally, or make choices which might hurt their wives.
Coira’s sisters had found love, and love made their marriage equitable.
Could that be what marriage was really like?
Across the room, Robena smacked Kester’s arm as they argued something, but she was laughing. He smiled as he pulled her closer and lowered his lips to hers. Coira had to look away from the expression of love on his face as her sister threw her arms around her husband’s neck to enthusiastically return the kiss.
All of these couples—these sisters who were so special to her—had plans for their futures which included families…and they’d delayed those plans for Coira.
Wynda had her hands on her hips and was arguing with Ramsay. “I’m saying that despite how ridiculous the concept is, we’re stuck with it! Aye, the situation stinks.”
“Like bullshite,” Leanna interrupted, agreeing.
“And, like bullshite, inevitable,” Wynda finished.
Fen, tucked up beside Brodie, who was resting his weight on the windowsill to give his braced knee a rest, nodded. “Well,tarts,” she sighed. “We cannae wish rain away, nor this situation.”
Nicola grinned. “Ramsay’s younger sisters have a way to wish rain away when they want to go outside and their mother willnae let them dirty their gowns.”
“They take off the gowns?” Robena asked.
“Nay, they have a song they sing.”
