Page 54 of Coming Home to Winter Island
‘Oh, I...’ I blush deeply.
‘Remember, go with what he’s thinking!’ murmurs Lachlan. He looks straight at me, and very tentatively I reach up to him. I’ll just give him a peck, I think. Just to help him out of this awkward spot. His lips touch mine, and then I’m sinking into them like I’ve been waiting for them all my life.
‘There you go!’ says Hector. ‘I mean, if you can’t kiss the woman who’s having your baby, who can you kiss?’
We fall away from each other.
‘What?!’ I splutter.
‘Um, no...’ This time it’s Lachlan who breaks the rules. ‘No, Hector, you must have that wrong.’
‘What? Of course not! Don’t be shy! Anyone can see she’s with child!’
The atmosphere crackles. Lachlan looks at me, mortified, but all I can do is laugh.
Mrs Broidy breaks the awkward moment by playing another song on the piano. And even Lachlan joins in to cover his blushes and the waves of embarrassment that keep bubbling up in both of us, making us giggle. Without realising it, I’m singing too.
‘Looks like I’d better keep at the running!’ I finally say, smiling.
‘It’s just Hector...he doesn’t know what he’s saying.’
‘I know,’ I say, and smile. But I can’t help but think about that kiss still sitting on my lips, and the arm around me that he’s forgotten to take away.
Finally we start to show everyone their rooms for the night, and those who think they can make it home leave with thanks for a lovely night.
‘It’s sure blowing a hooley out there!’ says Hector as we guide him towards the stairs to bed, the dogs at his heels.
‘It sure is, Gran— Hector,’ I correct myself. As much as I would love him to know me as his granddaughter, I realise, I don’t want to confuse him.
‘Be the perfect day for seaweed picking once it passes,’ he says.
‘Seaweed picking?!’ Lachlan and I say as one, standing behind him to make sure he doesn’t wobble.
‘For the gin. Most important part...well, second most important,’ he says, and carries on climbing the stairs, singing to himself: ‘Seaweed, down at the beach. Perfect for it once the storm has passed.’
Chapter Thirty
The next morning we’re both up early. I make endless cups of tea from the big cream kettle on the range, and Lachlan serves pancakes, then together we see people off, standing in the big doorway. The power should be back on later in the day.
‘But if not, come back. We have plenty of room!’ I call.
‘Thank you,’ says Lena from the shop, ‘and if the tea party is half as much fun as that, it’ll be a great night! We’ve signed up for it.’
‘Looks like we got ourselves some crowdfunding supporters,’ Lachlan says, waving them off.
‘Let’s check the total when they’ve all gone.’ I raise a worried smile, hoping we’ve drummed up enough interest.
I turn to see Isla behind us, about to leave.
‘Thank you, for everything,’ she says to me. ‘I know...’ Gordan puts his hand on her shoulder. ‘I don’t think I was very welcoming to you when you first arrived, but I can see that you make Lachlan happy, and that’s what counts. I just don’t want to see him hurt...again.’
I’m taken aback. ‘Oh, that whole baby thing? It’s not true!’ I wave a hand in the area of my stomach. ‘A misunderstanding!’ I laugh, very loudly. ‘It was all a misunderstanding ...I’m not, we’re not...’
Isla laughs too. ‘Shame, or we could have been celebrating having our babies together.’ She gently rubs her well-wrapped-up belly.
‘You’re pregnant?’ I say with surprise, suddenly feeling for Lachlan standing behind me. There’s never going to be a chance that she’ll come back to him now. I get the feeling that he thought if he waited long enough, she might change her mind. But there is no way that’s going to happen. She’s made her decision and she’s sticking by it. She and Gordan are moving on with their lives. It’s Lachlan who can’t. And I can feel him behind me, as if the wind has been knocked out of his sails. Like all the air has left his body, hitting me in a warm blast on the back of my neck, making me shiver.
For a moment, no one says anything.
