42. Malcolm
Malcolm
Instead of heading to my car, I take Makenna’s hand and lead her across the street to the walk by the river. I keep her hand as we walk north with the flow of the water, the bright evening sun warm on our backs.
Makenna leans her head on my shoulder and lets out a contented sigh, filling my heart with happiness. I take a look around and when I find no one nearby, I pull Makenna underneath a tree. She grins when I wrap my hands around her waist, and back her into the trunk of the tree.
“You like to kiss me outside, don’t you?”
“I definitely can’t take you home and kiss you goodnight in my house, lass.
” I say, and then my lips are on hers once again.
At the time, I’d thought nothing could compare to our first kiss, but each kiss since has lived up to it.
We may have had an epic location for the first, but what matters most is her.
I thought I loved Cait. And maybe I did. But I’ve learned that there are different levels of love. And as far as romantic love goes, I’ve never felt anything close to what I feel when Makenna is in my arms. She’s warmth, and peace, and comfort. And I love her.
The realization fills me with happiness, then determination. I’m going to show her my love as well as I can before she leaves, so when she does there will be no questioning it.
I slide my fingers through her hair and cup her head. I slow our pace and savor the feel of her.
I set my cheek against hers and whisper into her ear. “I want you to know that I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
Makenna’s sharp intake of breath sends lightning through my veins. I nuzzle into her neck and kiss her on the soft spot underneath her ear, then whisper again, “You’re incredible.”
“You’re crazy.” Her voice is soft but filled with laughter. And all it does is encourage me to make sure she knows I’m right.
“I’m gonna marry her, Rory. I know it.”
It’s the next day and Rory and I are having a late lunch in the hospital canteen.
The dining area is empty, because we sneaked in just before they closed.
A trauma had come in earlier just as we’d been heading down.
An elderly woman who’d had a heart attack.
Thankfully, she survived, but memories of her husband clinging to her had me deep in thoughts of love and the future.
“Och, of course ya are. I’ve never seen you with your head full of mince like this.”
“Yeah, yeah. My patients hevny suffered.”
“Because I’m watching your back.” Rory raises his eyebrows at me.
“I focus when necessary, it’s the down time that has my mind elsewhere.” I take a sip of my juice and remember asking a patient to take off his shoes when he’d come in for stomach pain. “I’ll do better.”
“Good. When’s the next day you’re on?” Rory tosses his napkin onto his plate.
“I come in Sunday and do the overnight.”
“Ah, so you don’t get to take Makenna to the airport?”
“No, but Isla is going to take her. I’ll just have to tell her goodbye before I leave.”
“Och, pal, that stinks.” He stands and picks up his tray. I do the same. “Just make sure to give her a good smooching before you leave, and she’ll not forget ya.”
I hear raised voices inside my parent’s house as Makenna and I approach the door. Mam wanted to have a meal before Makenna left, and everyone, even Fiona, is inside.
“Wonder what’s going on,” Makenna whispers, as if they could somehow hear her through the door, over their own voices.
“No idea. We aren’t big arguers, but when we do, it usually gets loud.” I squeeze Makenna’s hand and open the door.
They don't notice us walking into the living room, they’re so engrossed in their argument.
“It rattles the walls, Da. That can't be good!” Ailsa says.
“Imagine being in there,” Ma adds.
“I don’t need somebody watching me sleep,” Da says. “I’d probably just lay there awake and it would all be a waste.”
“You should try, Da. Sleep apnea can cause problems if left untreated,” Isla says, the calmest of the bunch.
“You wait till Malcolm gets here, he’ll tell you,” Ailsa says.
I clear my throat, and as if each and every member of my family is controlled by the same marionette, they turn, register who’s at the door, drop their eyes to our joined hands, and rest their gazes on our faces again.
My sisters jump and cheer. Mam has the biggest smile combined with a I-knew-this-would-happen face. Da, and even my brother-in-law, James, look pleased.
“Oh, you guys are so cute!” Ailsa says. Isla, Fiona, and Mam nod.
“I hope at least one of your bairns has Makenna’s beautiful hair,” Mam says.
“And her eyes. I’d love to see a baby with those eyes,” Isla says.
My first instinct is to tell them to slow down, but on second thought, I don’t mind hearing that, and if it puts visions of our babies in Makenna’s mind, all the better.
I look over at her and find her face cherry red. I squeeze her hand and shrug.
“Now that you are romantically involved, you can’t keep staying in that house together. It’s too tempting, I remember those days.”
“Mam! Gross!” Ailsa complains.
“You can stay here, Makenna. We’d love to have you,” Mam says, ignoring Ailsa.
“Oh. Okay—” Makenna starts.
“That’s not necessary. She has her own room, and we’re adults, not teenagers. We have self-control and fully formed brains.”
“Malcolm, can you honestly tell me you’ve not thought you’d like to take her to bed?”
I glance at Makenna, and she looks like she’d like to crawl in a hole and die.
“I’ll stay here, thank you,” she says, face aflame.
“So, Da needs a sleep study?” I ask, steering us away from the other subject.
Da looks completely annoyed. “They already made me an appointment.”