Chapter 13 #2
“Why wouldnae I ride him there?” He examined the horse trailer with some suspicion. Aylwen seemed to agree with him, snorting and prancing about for the first time since they’d arrived.
One of the men came around to take the reins from Hamish, who held tight to them. “Don’t worry. He’ll be fine. We’ll see to it. He’s never been trailered before?”
“No,” Zeke answered.
“Why don’t you go into the trailer first,” he suggested to Hamish. “Let him know it’s okay to get in.”
Hamish did as the man suggested.
“Once we load him, there’s an escape hatch to the right. You can get out that way.”
It took some patience on everyone’s part, but the horse trusted Hamish and after a few failed attempts, he walked right in.
“Ye’ll be fine, Aylwen. I’ll nae leave ye there fer long.”
Aylwen nickered in response to Hamish, who gave him a final rub before leaving the trailer.
The men closed everything up, shook his hand and left. He watched the trailer as it disappeared from sight, worried about Aylwen, but trusting that these friends of Jenna’s would care for him.
“Shall we?” Zeke said, nodding his head towards one of the odd boxes people seemed to move around in. Hamish examined it carefully.
“’Tis a car,” Brenna said to Hamish, taking him by the elbow and leading him towards it.
“You travel in this?” he asked.
“Aye. ’Tis faster than yer horse.” Brenna teased him.
“Nae. How can that be?”
“Ye’ll soon see,” she answered.
Zeke held the door open for Brenna to get in and then did the same for Elle and Hamish. “Seat belts,” he said once he was seated behind the wheel.
Elle and Brenna put theirs on. Hamish watched and imitated what they’d done. He felt confined by this seat belt. “Why do we wear these?” he asked, pulling the seatbelt away from his neck.
“It’s the law. If there was an accident, it would help to hold you in place so you wouldn’t be injured.”
Hamish glanced at Elle, who smiled sweetly at him and then went back to her phone.
It was an amazing small thing that he wanted to get a closer look at, but he didn’t think she’d relinquish it to him.
It seemed to be of great importance. He noted many people walking on the street doing exactly as Elle was doing.
“If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask,” Zeke said.
“Why does everyone have these …” he pointed to Elle’s phone.
Brenna, who was seated beside Zeke, said, “He’s asking about the phone.”
Zeke chuckled. “That was one of the first things Brenna wanted. It’s how we communicate with each other. It’s filled with information to answer our questions, games to play. It tells us what the weather will be, how to find our way from one place to the next. They are very useful. You’ll see.”
“Dinnae ye miss out on what’s before yer verra eyes? The people never seem to look up from them.”
“Good observation. That is a problem,” Zeke said.
He didn’t know how he felt about that. This phone had already taken Elle away from him. He wasn’t sure she’d ever be back.
“Here we are,” Zeke said as the car came to a stop in front of a row of colorful buildings.
He got out and opened the doors for everyone. Hamish stepped out and immediately went around to assist Elle. She hardly seemed to notice that he’d put his hand out for her to take. He harrumphed out loud and Elle glanced up at him.
“I’m so sorry, Hamish. I promise as soon as I get everything all straightened out I’ll explain everything to you.”
They mounted the stairs of the ornately decorated building. Zeke opened the door and stood aside for them to enter. Hamish felt he must look daft as he stood, mouth agape, wandering the room, picking up things he’d never seen before and examining them.
“I’ve got to take this,” Elle said, putting the phone to her ear and walking out of the room.
“How did she manage to get caught in Edna’s time travel web?” Zeke asked.
Hamish didn’t answer. He was still staring after Elle, wondering if this was the way it would be here in this time?
Would she always be too busy for him? He wondered if she might walk out of his life completely.
Perhaps she had no use for him now that she was back.
If that were to be the case, he wasn’t sure he wanted to stay.
***
“What do you mean you cancelled my tour?” Elle couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You know that might be the only thing that’s going to save me.”
“I’m sorry, Elle. Really I am, but I had to do it. I didn’t know where you were. You weren’t answering my calls or my texts and I wasn’t sure you were coming back.”
“Of course I was coming back,” she protested. She was frustrated that the career she’d worked so hard to build was collapsing around her.
“Where were you?” Eric asked. “I even filed a missing person’s report with the police.”
“It’s too hard to explain.” She wasn’t lying about that.
“The tabloids are all speculating on which rehab you went to. As a matter of fact, once the police heard that, they put your case on the back burner.”
“I wasn’t in rehab.”
“Then where were you? I can’t straighten this mess out if you don’t come clean with me.”
“If I told you, you’d think I was crazy.”
“Try me.”
“Look, I’m here now. We still have a few days before the first venue …”
Eric interrupted her. “It’s too late. They’ve already refunded everyone who bought tickets. I did what had to be done.”
“Grrr …” Elle couldn’t believe it. How was she going to get her career back on track now?
This might just be the final nail in the coffin for her.
Having a new release and not backing it up with a tour was going to be hard to overcome, but if anyone could make it happen, it was Eric.
“Eric, you’re the best in the business. Please do something.
If you don’t, this could be it for me. For us. ”
“I’ll see what I can do, but I’m not making any promises.
None of this is sitting well with me. You knew your career was in jeopardy and you chose to run off to who knows where at the worst possible time.
You can’t even be honest with me about where you were.
Do you know what kind of chaos has been going on for me since you disappeared?
The speculation in the press, the ugly lies they told about your drug addiction.
The venues started cancelling, the dancers and the rest of the crew we had booked have started looking for other jobs.
They will be lucky to find something since we had promised them six months of work and now they have to scramble.
These people have lives and you left them without a word. A lot of people got hurt, Elle.”
“But, it wasn’t my fault.” He had to believe her.
“No? Did someone kidnap you?”
“Sort of,” she said.
“What does that mean?” Eric asked.
“I can’t explain it right now. See what you can do and we’ll get together to discuss it.”
“It won’t be easy. These venues got burned and they may not be willing to take a chance on you again.”
“I know. I get it.” She was angry. That witch ruined her life, her career, and affected so many others in the process. She’d never forgive her for it.
Re-entering the living room, Elle did her best to hide the tears ready to burst from her eyes.
Hamish jumped up and went to her, wrapping his strong arms around her. She felt safe in his embrace.
“What’s wrong, lass?” he asked.
“You wouldn’t understand,” she said, biting back the anger flowing through her.
Hamish released her, holding her at arms length. She could see the hurt on his face. The last thing she needed or wanted was to hurt him. None of this was his fault.
“My tour’s been cancelled. My career is over. So many people got hurt in all of this.”
Zeke and Brenna were in the kitchen. She could hear the sounds of dishes and pots and pans.
“Yer right, I dinnae understand, but I can see that it means much to ye. I’d make it right fer ye, if only I could.”
“Thanks, Hamish. You’re sweet.”
“Like honey?” he asked, a mischievous smirk on his lips.
“Like honey,” she replied. “Can we sit down, I’m feeling a bit wobbly on my feet?”
Hamish lifted her in his arms and carried her to the sofa, seating himself and holding her in his lap. “Better?”
“Surprisingly,” she said. She hadn’t wanted to bring him, but she was glad things had worked out the way they did. She touched his lips with her finger, remembering last night, which now seemed a million years ago. “I’m glad you’re here.”
His furrowed brow eased as a grin spread across his face from ear to ear. “Do ye meant it?”
“I do.”
“All will be well, ye’ll see.”
“Are you two hungry?” Zeke called from the kitchen.
“I’ll bet Hamish is starving,” Elle replied.
“Come sit at the counter,” Brenna said. “We’ve made ye some lunch.”
Elle stood and put out her hand for Hamish to take as he rose. They seated themselves at the counter and Brenna presented them with turkey sandwiches, salad and potato chips.
“This looks amazing,” Elle said.
Hamish examined the sandwich. It was obvious he wasn’t sure what he would be eating. No matter, he picked it up and took a bite. His face went through a myriad of expressions, but ended with a satisfied smile. “Verra good.”
“’Tis turkey,” Brenna explained.
“What would you like to drink?” Zeke asked. “We’ve got water, soda, beer, lemonade.”
“I’ll take lemonade,” Elle said. “You should try it, Hamish.”
“I’ll have the same,” he said.
Zeke presented them with two glasses filled with ice and lemonade.
Hamish looked at the ice floating in the drink and then at Elle.
“Ice cubes,” she explained.
“I can see there’ll be much fer me to learn about,” he said. “Brenna, how are ye faring?”
“Good. ’Tis exciting. A day doesnae pass that I dinnae see something I’ve never seen before.”
“The first few days she was here it was a shock for her, but gradually she’s been feeling more and more at home.”
Elle’s phone buzzed. She looked down at it before picking it up. It was Eric. He wanted to see her. She texted back that she’d be there this afternoon and put the phone down. Glancing up, she noticed everyone looking at her. “Sorry. My manager. I’ve got to meet him this afternoon.”
“I’ll go with ye,” Hamish said.
She was hesitant at first, but then thought why not. “Okay.”
They finished their sandwiches and Brenna took Hamish on a tour of the house, while Zeke sat at the counter with her.
“I can’t believe Elle Carrera is sitting here in my home,” he said.
“It’s not that big a deal,” she smiled.
“No. It’s a pretty big deal.”
“It might not be for much longer.” She swished the ice around in her glass. “Edna really messed up my life.”
“It might seem like it now, but I know Edna, everything will work out for the best. You’ll see.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “That’s what everyone tells me, but I think this might be the one time when it won’t.”
“I’m guessing her goal was to get you and Hamish together.”
“I think so, too, but I don’t have time for a relationship. He wasn’t supposed to come with me. We both knew that. I’m not sure how it happened, but it did.”
“Sounds like Edna if you ask me.”
“She’s got a lot to answer for, especially if my career ends up in the dumper because of her interference.”
“I’ve been there. I wasn’t planning on finding a wife when I went back in time, but I’m happy I did. Brenna is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve never been happier.”
“You know, I was very happy believing there was no such thing as time travel.”
“There’s no going back now,” Zeke said. “You are a member of a very exclusive club.”
“True, but it’s a club I never wanted to join.”
“Don’t fight it. Edna knows what she’s doing.”
***
Edna delightedly clapped her hands, “All is going according to plan.”
“Auntie, I think even when things are not going according to plan, in your world they are,” Maggie teased.
“Hamish and Elle are perfect for each other. The only thing standing in their way is Elle’s notion that she has to focus on her career.”
“It is her life,” Maggie said.
“Of course, but it’s not all of her life.
She has a mother, father, brothers, a sister and a niece and nephew.
And now she has Hamish. She must understand that life needs balance.
You can’t just push people away and expect them to be there waiting when you decide you have time for them.
If she doesnae, I dinnae believe she’ll ever be completely happy. ”
“I know you think she’ll come to this realization, but what if she doesn’t.”
“I’m nae sure. Hamish is me main concern. I dinnae wish to see him hurt. He’s having the adventure he always wanted, I hope it turns out to be worth it.”
“Auntie, Laird Munro concerns me. He hasnae given up on Brenna or getting his revenge on Zeke.”
“No worries there, Maggie my girl. He saw Hamish and Elle disappear before his verra eyes. He may need some time to recover from it. I’ll keep an eye on him. Dinnae worry yerself.”
“As long as ye ken where he is, I won’t worry.”
“Where’s that handsome husband of yers. I’m feeling hungry.”
“He’s making you a late night snack,” Maggie chuckled.
“Good. Shall we go see what he’s cooked up?” Edna hooked her arm through Maggie’s and led her away to the dining room.