Chapter 2
TWO
Cormac and Dylan made themselves comfortable in a corner booth of Joe’s Diner, a local watering hole.
“Let’s order some food first and then we’ll talk,” Dylan suggested.
“Aye.” Cormac looked uncomfortable as he examined everything from the booth, to the glasses, to the floor and ceiling.
“Here.” Dylan handed him a menu and instead of reading it, he just held it in his hand.
“No diners where you’re from?”
“Diners?”
“That’s what this place is. It’s a diner.”
“Nay. I’ve not been to a diner.” Cormac carefully pronounced the word.
“Okay. Well, that’s the menu in your hand. You order your food from it.”
Cormac took a deep breath and continued to look around.
Dylan wasn’t sure what was going on. “I’ll order for both of us. I’m pretty hungry and I’d guess you are, too.”
“Hey, Dylan, long time no see.” A pretty young waitress stood at their booth ready to take their orders.
“Oh, hey, Sophia. How’s it going?”
“Okay, I guess. You never called me,” she said, staring daggers at him.
“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry. I just got really busy helping Jenna out, you know.”
“Right.” She didn’t believe him. He could tell. “Who’s your friend,” she asked not hiding her interest.
“This is Cormac.”
Cormac stood and gave her a slight bow. He took her hand, brought it to his lips and said, “Tis an honor to meet ye, lass.”
Sophia’s legs went all wobbly and she looked a little flustered as Cormac steadied her so she wouldn’t fall. She fanned herself with the order pad and started to walk away.
“Aren’t you going to take our order, Sophia,” Dylan asked.
“Oops. Sorry. What can I get you, Cormac?” She smiled and batted her lashes at him, ignoring Dylan.
Dylan ordered enough food to feed a family of six and as they waited he decided there was no time like the present to find out what Cormac was all about, but before he could ask his first question, Cormac had one of his own.
“What have ye done to that poor lass that has angered her so?”
“You picked up on that, huh? I made the mistake of going on a date with her. She’s really pretty, you know, but we didn’t have any chemistry. So I never called her for a second date. I guess she expected I would.”
“Chemistry. What is chemistry?”
“Really?”
Cormac continued staring at him, waiting for a reply.
“Chemistry is like when you have this immediate connection with someone. You just hit it off right away.”
“I’m sorry, Dylan. I’m not verra good with yer twenty-first century American language. Ashley speaks it all the time and I’ve come to understand most of what she says, but there is always something new to learn.”
“Did you say twenty-first century American language?”
“Aye. I did.” Cormac looked like he was weighing his options as to what to say before he continued. “Edna told me to be careful what I say and not to look puzzled by all the strange sights I would see. She thought it might frighten Jenna, but I believe I already have.”
“Yeah, she was a bit freaked out when she got home. But explain to me … where are you from?” Dylan got the feeling something was not quite right here, hopefully he’d figure it out soon.
“I be from Scotland. Edna sent me. She’s a witch, ye ken.”
“You mean a witch who casts spells?”
“Aye.”
“So, Edna sent you to get Jenna and bring her back to Scotland?”
“Aye. She told me Jenna would be me wife, but I’m nae so sure. She isna sweet like me brother’s wife.”
“Who’s your brother’s wife?”
“Cailin is newly wed to Ashley. She is a twenty-first century American lass, like Jenna. She lived here in San Francisco before she met me brother.”
“Ashley Moore?”
“Aye. That’s her. Do ye know her?”
“Aye. I mean, yes. She is Jenna’s best friend. She went to Scotland on a vacation and called to tell Jenna she was getting married. We haven’t heard from her since.”
“Tis not likely that ye will.”
“Cormac, you need to tell me everything. I can’t help you if I don’t know the whole story.”
Just then, Sophia returned with two huge plates of food and a steaming pot of coffee, which she placed on the table in front of them.
“Here you go.” She focused all of her attention on Cormac, leaning over him and pressing her ample bosom into his arm as she poured him some coffee. “You let me know if you need anything else. Anything at all.” She winked at him and gave her hips a little extra sway as she walked away.
“Are all of the women in San Francisco like Sophia? I’ve seen many beautiful lasses in the short time I’ve been here. Mayhap I can find someone else to bring back with me. Someone more like Ashley.”
“Believe me, Sophia is nothing like Ashley.”
Dylan began to eat, but Cormac looked a bit confused by the utensils and the food. This is really odd, Dylan thought. He seems like he’s never seen a fork before.
“Hey, dude, you alright?”
“Dude? Who is dude?”
“You. It’s twenty-first century American.” Dylan showed Cormac how to use the fork and with a smile he dug right in. He tasted the coffee and made a face.
“You should put cream and sugar in it. It can be kind of bitter otherwise.”
“Cailin told me of this coffee. He had some when he visited yer time.”
That caught Dylan’s attention and he put his fork down and focused on Cormac.
“What do you mean, my time?”
“Edna will be angry with me, but I must tell someone. Ye must promise to say naught to Jenna about Ashley. Tis important she come with me because she wants to and not because of Ashley.”
“I won’t say anything about Ashley. I promise. Now tell me what you meant by, my time.”
“You see, Dylan, I be from the year 1514 in Scotland. Edna sent me from that time to bring Jenna back to Breaghacraig with me.”
Dylan’s mouth was hanging open at this revelation. Being a huge fan of sci-fi, he was more than willing to believe Cormac. He was open minded on most topics and believed that just because he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, it didn’t mean that something didn’t exist.
“Whoa, dude! That’s amazing. How did she do it?”
“I dinnae know. I stood at the bridge as she told me to do and when the fog came, it whirled around me for a while and then left. I opened my eyes and I was here and I saw Jenna, just as Edna said I would.”
“What about your clothes. You’re wearing a kilt, but you have a t-shirt and a really cool leather jacket on. I don’t think they have those things in the sixteenth century.”
“Yer right. She told me that the lasses here would find me irresistible in these clothes.”
“I think she was right. Every woman we passed on the street did a double take when they saw you. I might have to copy your look.”
“It did not impress Jenna. She couldnae wait to get away from me.”
“Don’t give up on her yet. I’ll see what I can do to help you. You gotta understand, she just got out of a bad marriage and she’s mad at the world right now.”
“Jenna was married?”
“She was. She married this guy named Jonathan. None of us, her family or friends, liked him. We thought she was making a huge mistake, but she didn’t want to hear it.
It turned out he was just interested in her for the family money.
Once she found out, she dumped his ass and got her marriage annulled.
She felt really betrayed and she is still getting over it. ”
“She is lovely to look at, but she has a viper’s tongue,” Cormac observed.
“Sarcasm is her weapon of choice, bro. She’s really a great girl. She’s kind of hard on the outside and this whole Jonathan thing hasn’t helped with that, but she’s a sweetheart once you get to know her. You’ll see.”
“I trust ye, Dylan. Will ye be unhappy to have yer cousin leave yer time?”
“Nah. I’d be happy for her … if she really wanted to go. I’d want to go to. Do you think that would be possible?”
“I dinnae know. We’d have to ask Edna.”
“How do you communicate with Edna? Do you use mental telepathy? Or does she materialize right in front of you?”
“I’m sorry, Dylan, I dinna ken mental telepathy. If ye want to know how I talk to Edna, it’s in me head. I dinna think I can explain it any other way.”
Dylan was finishing up the last of his food and he was grinning from ear to ear.
“We’re going to have to find a way to get Jenna to let you stay at the house. Leave it up to me. She’ll be pissed at first, but she’ll come around. You’ll see.”
Sophia brought the check. “Can I get you guys anything else?” Again, she was totally focused on Cormac, who was having a hard time with the slang.
“We’re good to go, Sophia.” He handed her some cash. “I think that covers it.”
“Do you want change?”
“Nope. You keep it.”
“Hope to see you again, Cormac. I work most mornings. Just ask them to sit you at my table.”
“Thank ye, lass. I’ll be sure to do that.”
As they left, Sophia followed them to the door. Dylan watched with interest as she blew Cormac a kiss and then nearly fell over when he returned it with a devilish smile.