Chapter 14
“Good morning!” Edna entered the dining room with an arm filled with books and papers. She stopped beside Tina and scanned the room. “Where’s Donal?”
“He’s still upstairs. Maggie’s showing him how to use a disposable diaper. Things are a lot different here, but he wants to learn.”
“Are ye happy with the match I’ve made for ye?”
“It’s been a bit more complicated than I thought it would be.”
“We’re complicated humans. Something, or in this case, someone worth having is worth working for, aye.”
“I think I may have complicated this whole thing more than it’s possible to fix.”
“How so?”
“Donal lied to me. I’ve been lied to so many times by guys I was dating that I finally made it something I simply wouldn’t tolerate. It’s always been a deal breaker for me.”
“I see. So his lie is unforgivable. The moment ye found out he’d lied ye lost all feeling for him then because ye think him a terrible person. ’Tis a shame.”
“He’s not a terrible person. I can see his good qualities. He’s a good father to Elena even though it was sprung on him in the worst possible way. He’s accepted the responsibility of caring for her. I’m proud of him. I know how tough it’s been.”
“Have ye told him that?” Edna tipped her head, raising an eyebrow.
“No. I’m afraid I haven’t.” Tina thought back over their conversations the last couple of days.
She had done most of the talking and none of it was kind.
In her attempts to convince herself that this match would never work, she had been harsh and judgmental about his past, then dismissed his apologies for telling a lie when he was desperate.
What kind of a person was she? No wonder Donal kept his distance last night.
“I’ve let my pride get in the way and now I don’t know what to do.
What if he thinks I’m not worth fighting for now? ”
“So yer going to make him fight are ye? Hmmm … I would think ye might start by letting him know that ye have a foolish idea that the man yer with should be perfect. That he cannae ever make a mistake or you’ll be done with him.” Edna set the papers down on a nearby table.
“That’s not what I said,” Tina protested.
“Perhaps not, but maybe ’tis what Donal now believes to be true.
Donal is a warrior. He will fight for what he wants, what he believes in.
But warriors are also smart enough to take all the factors into consideration so they can protect themselves.
If they know they can’t win, then there’s nae reason to fight.
He may believe that at some point in the future he’ll do something to displease ye and ye’ll reject him all over again.
And if ’tis what he believes, then why would he fight? ”
“Edna are you angry with me?” Tina got the impression that somehow she’d said or done something that was irritating to Edna.
“I’m nae angry with ye,” Edna said and then seemed to rethink it before speaking again.
“Well, perhaps a tad. Ye told me ye wanted my help to find the man of yer dreams. I did that, but yer letting yer silly rules prevent ye from finding out what a truly wonderful life the two of ye … the three of ye could have.” She threw her arms in the air out of frustration.
“Ye act like love is something that just happens, that ye dinnae have to work for it.”
Tina thought about what Edna was saying.
She wanted to tell Edna she was wrong, that she understood love took work.
But she knew that wasn’t the truth. Edna was one hundred and fifty percent right.
She was the one not doing enough. If she wanted this relationship to work, she was going to have to fight for it.
She needed to convince Donal that she wanted him by her side.
But after so much time pushing him away, she had no idea what to do.
“Edna please … help me,” even to her own ears she sounded desperate.
“Are ye sure? I dinnae wish to put Donal through any more torture than he’s already been through.”
“I’m sure.” She felt the conviction down to her toes. This is what she wanted, she could be a warrior, too.
“Good. Maggie and I will take care of little Elena today. The two of ye will be spending the day together. Dylan is packing ye some food. For now, sit here and have some breakfast.”
Tina watched Edna hurry from the room. It seemed she already had a plan. Edna knew before Tina did what the outcome would be. Tina thought about what it would be like to be truly alone with Donal and a slow smile spread across her lips.
***
Donal opened the door so that Maggie could leave and was surprised to find Angus standing there.
“Good day to ye, lad,” he said.
“Good day, Angus.”
“Can we talk?”
“Aye. Come in.”
Maggie waved goodbye as she left them.
“How’s yer wee lassie?”
“She’s better today.”
“Good. We’re going to babysit today so that ye can spend some time with Tina.”
Donal was quite surprised. First that they were willing to watch Elena all day and second that he’d be spending the day with Tina. “I dinnae ken what to say.”
“Nae need to say anything, lad.”
“And she wishes to spend the day with me?” Donal was a bit skeptical. They were getting along better, but he still wasn’t sure what she expected of him.
“She does, but ’twill be yer job to woo her. We cannae do that for ye,” Angus chuckled.
Donal sat on the edge of the bed. He looked up at Angus who stood there, hands on hips and looking like the toughest of Highlanders. “How did ye get here, Angus?”
“Edna. I was her first time traveler,” he explained, a happy twinkle in his eye. “I knew from the first moment I saw her emerge from the fog that she was going to be mine. It was love at first sight for me and I can say with some certainty that she felt the same.
“Have ye ever made her so angry that she didnae wish to see ye again?” Donal asked.
“Nae. I cannae say that I have. She gets angry with me, but we always talk things through. ’Tis what ye must do with Tina. She’s a stubborn one from what Edna tells me, but worth the effort.”
“I believe yer right.” He’d known it all along he supposed. From the first moment he saw her, something told him Tina was a woman worth knowing.
“Edna has arranged for ye to have the day to yerselves. Ye should go downstairs and have some breakfast. I’ll stay here with the little one until Maggie comes for her, but before ye go, I’ll show ye one of the modern conveniences ye’ll love.”
“What would that be?” Donal wondered. Everything he’d seen so far had left him speechless.
Angus led him into the space they called the bathroom. “This is the shower. Now if ye’d rather, ye can bathe in the tub, but the shower is an experience nae to be missed.” Angus showed him how it worked, gave him soap and towels and then left him.
Donal couldn’t believe how kind these people were. They didn’t know him and yet they had opened their home to him and his daughter and now they were going to help him get his woman.
After the most amazing bathing experience of his life, Donal made his way to the dining room to find Tina breaking her fast. “Good morn,” he said, he sat across from her feeling quite a bit more sure of himself than he’d been in days.
“Hi. How did you sleep?” she asked.
“Verra well. The bed was even more comfortable than the big bed at Breaghacraig.”
“Everything’s more comfortable here,” she laughed and the sound gave him hope. “Ye could be right. I havenae seen everything yet, so I cannae say. Angus showed me the shower this morning.”
“I’ll bet you loved that.”
“I did.”
“I thought you looked all clean and shiny,” she teased.
He ran a hand through his wet hair. “Angus tells me that they’ll care for Elena today.”
“Yes. It’s so nice of them.” Tina said, glancing at him with appreciative eyes.
This shower must have magical powers. “We havenae spent much time together, just ye and me.”
“I guess we really haven’t,” she agreed.
“I’m happy to spend the day with ye.” He wanted her to know that despite the fact Edna had arranged their day together, he wasn’t protesting.
She smiled the sweetest smile. One that melted his heart.
Dylan arrived with some breakfast for Donal and a basket of food for their day. “Here you go. Edna’s going to tell you what she’s got in store for you. She’ll be back soon. I hope you like the breakfast, Donal.”
He looked at the plate filled with things he wasn’t familiar with.
“Those are Belgian waffles, strawberries and whipped cream. There’s even some maple syrup. It looks delicious,” Tina said.
The aroma wafting up to Donal’s nose was all it took for him to know he would love it.
“I wonder what’s in the basket,” Tina said.
“Don’t look now,” Edna said, entering the room. “Let it be a surprise.”
“Alright. Where are we going?”
“Finish yer breakfast and meet me out in front of the inn. I’ll explain it all to ye then.”
Tina and Donal exchanged interested glances.
“Curiosity’s got the best of me,” Tina said.
“I’d have to agree,” Donal said. “Do ye wish to go now?”
“No. Finish your breakfast.”
He did just that and enjoyed every bit of it.
When he was done he quickly finished his orange juice and then wiped his mouth.
Standing, he put a hand out to Tina, who thankfully took it.
His hopes for this day were great, but somehow he knew that with Edna on his side everything would work out for them both.
“I’m a little nervous,” Tina said as they headed for the door.
He took her hand in both of his. “I’m here with ye. I’ll take care of ye. Dinnae fear.”
She took a deep breath and released it. “Okay. I won’t.”
“There ye are,” Edna said. “Donal, here’s a map. I’ve marked the spot where yer to go. Tina we put the destination into yer phone.”
Tina patted herself down searching for something.