Page 97 of Some Like It Scot
“Katie can dance the Gay Gordons, Mum.” Graeme’s gaze caught mine as we entered the room and he set down his guitar. “Bragged about it even.”
I opened my mouth in protest, sending a mock glare that bounced off Graeme’s crooked grin, but Mirren clapped. “We can make two partners work, can’t we? Kenneth?”
Without hesitation, Kenneth set aside his bass and came to Mirren’s side, taking her hands.
“Come on, Katie.” Calum paused his playing and grinned. “Dinnae tell me you’re afeart of dancing with my eejit brother, are ye?”
At the moment, I wasn’t even sure what emotions I felt. Fear, wonder, longing... all tangled among one another.
Graeme came to my side and took my cold hands in his big warm ones. Then Calum began the melody with Lachlan joining on the banjo. The steps came back so easily, especially with Graeme as my guide, and I almost laughed... and cried at the same time.
As the music continued and Kenneth and Mirren started the round, emotions kept clashing inside my chest. The warmth of family and the sweetness of their love. Greer’s easy presence in conversations. My inclusion and belonging. Graeme’s secure hold on my hands and tender look. The impossibility of how any of it could last.
It all pressed in on me. I wanted to hold on forever and run all at the same time.
Belonging? Was that the elusive something I’d been missing for so long?
But I couldn’t belong here. I didn’t live in Scotland. And this wasn’t my family. And... I was leaving.
We kept dancing, with the family’s teasing and encouraging comments to one another like some sort of verbal tennis match. And I was actually not too bad at this sort of tennis. Encouragement. I could handle that version.
“You’re a good dancer, Katie,” Lachlan called from his seat, his eyes wide with surprise.
“How about you, Lachlan?” I held out my hand to him. “How is your Gay Gordon?”
The boy’s chin raised as he stood, and he marched over to my side as if trying to stretch up a few more inches.
“Your granny said you’re even better at checkers than you are at fishing,” I said to him as he attempted to spin me around, but his arms just didn’t reach that high.
“Och, Graeme. I’ll have to try again when I’ve got some more inches to me.”
Graeme stepped back in, and Lachlan nodded as he completed my spin. “Aye, that’s the way it’s done.” He folded his arms in front of him as if examining the situation. “I’m a sight better at checkers than dancing, for sure.”
Graeme’s arm came up around me to turn my steps backward so I couldn’t see Lachlan again until he’d spun me back around.
“But not as good as Mum,” Lachlan continued. “She beat everyone at checkers, except Peter.”
“Your mom did?” My gaze moved across the room to a photo I’d seen when I first entered. The seven of them, all together at some sort of Christmas function, Lachlan clearly a few years younger.
“We always said that Peter intentionally talked so much while playing any game that he distracted his opponents into delirium,” Graeme added, evoking a chuckle and an “aye” from Kenneth ahead of them in the dance.
“But Greer was determined to beat him at the game before she passed.” Mirren tossed a smile over her shoulder. “And she did. With two weeks to spare.”
“And Uncle Peter didnae go soft on her either,” Lachlan added with a nod. “She won fair and square. We celebrated with ice cream and a bonfire.”
His little voice speaking about his mother so effortlessly broke the last of my grasp on any emotional control. Graeme turned me into a spin and I took my chance. I had to get away.
“I... I’m sorry.” The words shuddered out. I released his hand and ran for the door—away from the warmth, the emotions, the incomprehensible sweetness of it all, and right out into the rain.
Chapter 17
Graeme
The barmy woman had run out into the rain like a loon.
And it would take her a half hour to make it back to Craighill on foot.
The music came to an abrupt stop with the slam of the front door.
