31. Makenna
Makenna
After a trip to the West Highland Museum, where I delighted in all the history and archaeology of Highland life, we make it to our main event for the day.
A hike. I had planned to hike Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK, instead we chose an easier, just over two mile out-and-back hike to Steall Waterfall.
It’s stunning in photos, so I can’t wait to see it in real life.
It’s a grey day, like most since I've been here, but it’s nice and warm.
I keep my eyes on my feet a lot when I hike. I’m too clumsy to look ahead all the time. The sight of my hiking boots give me flashbacks to my last hike. It makes me feel a little sick.
“Are you alright? We can slow down. I know this isn’t the hike you wanted to do, but it’s still a hike.”
“I’m fine. Just remembering my last hike.”
“Aye, lass, of course you would.” He puts an arm around my shoulders as we continue to walk. “At least this time you’ve got your very own doctor with you.”
I laugh. Man, I like him. “I think you’ve tended to me enough for one trip. I think I’ll just plan to stay safe and well for the rest of it.”
“Good idea.” Malcolm takes his arm from around my shoulders, and while it makes the hiking much less awkward for both of us, I miss it being there.
The hike isn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be. It’s nowhere near what I’m used to, but I’m definitely still recovering. We’re going much slower than I normally would, but with my sturdy boots and, at times, Malcolm’s steady hand, soon the waterfall is in sight.
“How beautiful,” I whisper and slow my walk to more of a saunter. A river running through a lush valley stands between us and the waterfall. Trees and exposed rocks line both sides of the falls, and I can just hear the rush of the water as it falls nearly four-hundred feet to the river below.
“Aye, it is.”
“I bet you’ve been here a lot.”
“Oh, a time or two. I usually choose less populated hikes. But this one is bonnie and definitely worth doing.”
“Thanks for coming with me.” I bump my shoulder into his arm.
“No place I’d rather be.”
Oh gosh he makes me giddy inside.
“In your research,” Malcolm starts, “did you see that in order to get close to the waterfall you have to cross the Water of Nevis on a wire bridge?
“I did … I’m just not so sure I can do it.”
Malcolm nods. “Well, we can check it out in person and see how you’re feeling.”
We walk further and stop before the bridge. Malcolm stands close as we watch an older woman easily cross. “What do you think? Should we do it?”
A not-very-thick wire spans across the river, with higher wires on each side to hold on to.
I eye it dubiously. I can’t be trusted to walk without tripping; how in the world could I do this?
I must be bolstered by Malcolm’s nearness and the extra fluttering in my heart, because before I know it—“Yes. We definitely should.”
We walk to the beginning of the “bridge” and decide Malcolm should go first. He crosses quickly and, much like the woman before him, makes it seem like no big deal.
I step up and my heartrate doubles. The drop to the river isn’t far, but I really don’t want to fall in the water because, A.
Malcolm, and B. I really don’t want to hike back soaking wet.
Oh, and C. I’m not supposed to submerge.
“You can do it, lass!” Malcolm calls from the safety of the other side.
Oh sheesh. Here goes nothing.
I climb up and out. My palms are sweating, and my heart is in my throat when my foot makes contact with the single wire for the first time.
I can do this. I can do this. I move at a pace so slow that I’m certain a sloth could have lapped me several times, but I make it.
Malcolm meets me at the end of the bridge and snatches me off before I can step down.
I can’t help the giddy laughter as he spins me around before setting me down.
“You did it, lass. I’m fair proud of ya.”
“Whew!” I breathe deeply and exhale. “That was terrifying, but exhilarating.” I laugh like a maniac.
My insane response draws a grin from Malcolm. “What’s going on in there?”
“I just imagined a real thrill seeker, like a rock climber, or a skydiver would think me calling that exhilarating was insane.”
“Ach, they might. But your feelings are your feelings. Are you glad you did it?”
“Yes!”
We hike closer to the waterfall until the sound reminds me of having a song you love turned up too loud in the car. I close my eyes and listen to the incredible music of the rushing water. After a moment or two, I open my eyes to find Malcolm watching me.
“Don’t want to actually see the waterfall?” he jokes.
“I just wanted to focus on the sound for a minute. It’s so powerful.”
He quirks a smile and takes my hand. “Let’s see how it feels to listen to it together.”
It takes me a moment to respond because Malcolm is holding my hand. He has touched me a lot today. I’ve not even begun to process the celebratory spin at the bridge. “Okay.”
He grins at me before he closes his eyes.
I study him briefly, then let mine drift closed, and just like that, despite the handful of hikers milling around, we’re alone in the dark.
The only things keeping us in reality are the sound, the occasional kiss of the water as the wind changes, and the feel of each other’s hands.
The heightened awareness of his proximity almost overwhelms me, like the waters have shifted and overcome us.
My mind starts spinning with wonder about what he’s feeling.
Why did he take my hand? When he held my hand in the barn, I thought it was the excitement of the moment, but is Fiona right?
Is he interested in me? That’s crazy, right?
I mean, I like myself. So … maybe he does too.
I ask the first thing I can think of to bring myself out of my spiral. “Do you know you can see this waterfall in a Harry Potter movie?”
I feel the warmth of Malcolm’s breath as he leans in. “Did you say something?”
I exhale a ragged breath, thankful for the roar or the water. I angle my face toward Malcolm when I speak again. “Do you know you can see this waterfall in a Harry Potter movie?”
“Actually, it’s in several.” I hear him take a deep breath. “Should we open our eyes?”
“Yep.” My eyes pop open and I do my insane laugh when I see how close he is.
He opens his eyes and he simply smiles and turns his attention back to the waterfall.
Oh, to be a confident, handsome man.
We are both more than ready for dinner when we make it to Cameron Square, and Ben Nevis Bar.
Malcolm pulls out my chair for me, and I smile my thanks.
“So, what gluten-free delights have brought us here?” Malcolm takes his seat, and gosh if this doesn’t feel like a date. I wish. Though, again, where could it lead?
“They have gluten-free fish and chips!”
“Oh, that’s dead brilliant.”
I laugh at his saying. “Yes, I suppose it is. I mean, you don’t know how rare it is to find anything fried that's gluten-free. Fries, or chips, to speak Scottish, are somewhat easy to find. But things like fried fish? Few and far between. I couldn’t pass it up.”
Malcolm beams like he couldn’t be happier for me if I told him I was winning a prestigious award. “Fish and chips all around!”
The couple at the table next to us looks our way at Malcolm’s cheer.
I smile at them and turn my attention back to Malcolm just as a server approaches our table.
We order our fish and chips, and our drinks, then Malcolm surprised me by ordering an appetizer.
Spicy corn ribs. He claims they’ll be delicious, but are they corn?
Are they ribs? I’ve handed my menu to the server or I’d check.
I really need to fess up about my picky eating.
“So, you’re here now, obviously, but otherwise, have you done much traveling?” Malcolm asks, pulling me from the minor food stress.
“No, not really. New York, like I told you. Umm … my mom and I flew to Denver once. That’s in Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains.
It was summer, and it was so nice because it was so much cooler than where we live.
Otherwise, we’ve done road trips to the beach.
Jekyll Island is my favorite. And to Florida, and up to DC once. That’s pretty much it.”
“I’ve never heard of Jekyll Island. What makes it your favorite?”
“It’s going to the beach, but so much more. There’s this one beach there that has petrified driftwood all over it. It’s called Driftwood Beach.” I grin at the obvious name.
“Inventive.”
I chuckle. “Yes. But it’s so beautiful. Like art on the beach. But also, Jekyll Island is full of history. It used to be a retreat for the uber rich. It’s so interesting.”
“Wait a minute. You like history?”
His joke catches me so off guard that my laugh again draws the attention of our neighbors. “Just a little bit.”
The look he’s giving me is so open and interested. It's making me wonder what he’s interested in. I feel my face warm, and I swallow. “What about you? Have you done much traveling?”
“Not outside of Europe yet, I’m afraid. But I’ve been all over Europe.”
“Where all? Or what are the highlights?”
“Italy, Spain, and Romania would be my highlights,” he says, and nods his thanks to our server as she sets down our drinks.
“Romania? I’m not sure I’ve known anyone to go to Romania.”
“It’s beautiful there, great hiking, history. You’d hate it.”
As it turns out, spicy corn ribs are corn! They’re strips of corn cut from the cob, cooked and seasoned. I’m going to have to learn to make them. Mai would be so impressed.
Actually, I don’t know how excited she would be about me eating corn.
Our empty plate is exchanged for our crispy golden-brown fish and chunky chips. I don’t even have to taste it to know it’s good.
I pick up my fork and Malcolm stops me. “Don’t you want a photo for your mam?”
“Yes!” My proof-of-life photos had become rare since Malcolm, but I’d told him about them and the photo of my meal I’d sent her the night we met. I snap a photo, then hold my phone up to take a photo of him.
“Let me take it of us together.” He holds out his hand. I adjust the camera and hand it to him, then he uses his long arms to capture us both.
“We look good together,” he says, looking at the picture and handing me my phone.
We look good together. Oh my.
Malcolm raises his fork to me. “Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
We both laugh, and I marvel at the fact that I have an inside joke-type thing with an amazing, out-of-this-world handsome, Scotsman. The Makenna of a week ago would have never even entertained the possibility. It makes me wonder what else I’ve discounted in my life that could actually be possible.