Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Mist dampened the sidewalks, but not the spirits of the hikers as they headed down the street toward Holyrood Park and one of the many passageways leading to Arthur’s Seat. They expected to spend most of the morning and part of the afternoon on their expedition and to that end, most everyone wore some sort of backpack. Some of the packs were full of food and drinks, others blankets and a couple of umbrellas.

Grandmother's announcement the night before that she would be joining them on their adventure, thrilled Kate. To be sharing something new, for both of them, was a real treat. While Kate was ecstatic about her coming, she could tell by the looks on her friends' faces that they had some serious concerns.

Kate was disappointed with the weather. Her friends’ vivid and somewhat romantic descriptions of the view from Arthur’s seat, were what urged her on this morning. The mist and cloud cover meant that this trip, while fun, would probably not be the experience she'd hoped for. Gavin, sensing her disappointment, took her hand and smiled.

“Just because the day starts out gray, doesn't mean that sunshine is nae on the way,” he said.

She laughed, “So you're a poet now?”

“Not a great one, and not an original either. Me mum used to say that to me when I was younger. And you know most of the time, she was right.”

“I hope so. I was really looking forward to this. I think my grandmother was just as excited,” she gestured up to where her grandmother was walking with Boyd and Kenzie, the 'Walking Wounded' as Tavey had christened her. God bless Tavey, he could really work a room.

Kate was awed at her grandmother's ability to fit in anywhere. She couldn’t remember a time when her grandmother seemed out of place. Everywhere she went, and with everyone she met, she was comfortable. Her friends spanned all walks of life and age groups. She never failed to make the people around her feel comfortable, like they had known her for ages. Kate envied that. So many times in the past few months she felt like the proverbial fish out of water.

“I hate to bring this up,” Gavin began tentatively, “but we take a pretty steep shortcut up the hill and it gets a bit rough in places. Do you think you should warn yer grandmother? We could take an easier route. It's longer than the short cut, but it might be better for her,” he offered.

“Are you serious? I would never insult her that way. She is probably in better shape than I am,” Kate said.

Gavin looked her up and down and shook his head. “I don't think so.”

“That’s not what I meant. She runs miles and miles every day. Even though they arrived just this Tuesday, I bet she has seen more of the city than I have.”

“Really? She runs?” Gavin pointed toward Grandmother, “She? Runs?”

“Yes, she runs. Just before they arrived, she ran a marathon,” Kate defended her Grandmother.

“A marathon?”

“Yes, 26 miles, up hills, down hills, cross country lanes, everything”

“A marathon?” Gavin said again, astonished.

Kate jogged up to her grandmother and escorted her back to where she and Gavin were walking.

“Grandmother, what was the last race you ran?” she asked.

India smiled, “That would be the Boston Marathon this past April. I was going to run a small 10k before I got the call from your dad.”

“The Boston marathon? You ran the Boston Marathon?” Gavin echoed.

“You keep saying that,” Kate said, squinting and shaking her head at him.

“It just is so…. brilliant.” he finally said. “How long did it take you?” he asked.

“I probably didn’t do as well as I should have, but it took me around 4 hours and 2 minutes and 34 seconds. I was hoping to break 4 hours, but it just wasn’t meant to be,” she shrugged.

“Still have your doubts about whether she needs to take the longer, easier, route?” Kate asked, pride at her grandmother's accomplishments bursting out of her.      

“No doubts here. She could probably take the longer route and beat us there,” he conceded.

The wet grass intruded on their shoes and, once dry socks, quickly became soaked. No one complained and Kate had wished she had thought to bring an extra pair to change into, but realized that her wet shoes would only soak them again. The group moved along the path of their journey at a moderately brisk pace and they reached the summit by mid-morning.

Kate and India tagged along as the group wound their way to their favorite spot and the unpacking began. Mairi, Kenzie and Vika spread out vinyl tablecloths upside down. Kate started to say something but her grandmother motioned for her to wait. Then Frazier and Duncan spread blankets over the tablecloths. Kate worked out that putting the vinyl side down made a waterproof barrier for the blankets. A few umbrellas were wedged into the ground and containers of food lined up along the backside. Kate and her grandmother were standing on the edge of a steep drop off trying unsuccessfully to see through the mist and fog; the city, a castle, a palace, a view of any sort.

“Shoes off, if you please,” Frazier announced.

They turned from the nothingness toward the group. A plastic sheet was set to one side of the blankets as a spot to place wet shoes. As Kate untied her shoes, Gavin gave her and her grandmother a small packet.

“What is this?” she asked.

“Put them in yer shoes, it will help dry them out,” he explained.

“Amazing,” she said. “Now if I only had dry socks for the trip down.”

“I got you covered,” Lanie said. “I always bring a couple extra in case anyone forgets. Do you need some too?” Lanie asked India.

“No thank you, dear.” She pulled a dry pair from her pocket. “Years of running created odd habits.”

Up in Arthur's Seat, the mist had begun to dissipate and there were breaks in the clouds, but around the foot of the park and around the city, the fog remained. Sandwiches were passed around and the hungry group ate and visited quietly. After a time the sun began to peek through the thinning clouds and Gavin gave Kate a smug smile.                       

“So how often do you come up here?” India asked

“Not as often as we used to,” Frazier said. “When we were little, ten and eleven, we were up once or twice a week, running around here like little maniacs, playing hide and go seek, tag, pretending to hunt dinosaurs, you name it. Now we only get up here once or twice a month. We had a year or two break until Gavin moved here and we wanted to show him around, and ended up discovering it all over again.”

“This must have been a wonderful place to come as a kid,” Kate said. “Look at all the places to explore and hide. I would have loved growing up here.”

They sat in silence, finishing up their simple meal, as the sun burned through the gaps in the clouds, creating light and dark puzzle pieces above, while sun and shadow played tag and follow the leader over the city below. Slowly, the sun won the game and the sky turned to a brilliant blue. Faces that were covered with hoods and hats turned skyward to soak up the sun's warmth.

Gavin and Boyd fished their shoes from the pile. Putting them on, they made their way toward the edge of the hill. Tavey and Frazier soon followed.

As the boys talked, and Tavey and Frazier tried to push each other over the edge, Kate's attention was drawn to a slight shimmer just in front of Boyd. She turned to her grandmother wanting to know if she was experiencing this too. The look on her face said she was. The shimmer solidified and soon there was a small boy standing there with the group. He wobbled a bit and then walked toward Boyd, he put out his hand to steady himself against Boyd's arm, then walked around him with his hand still on his body. When he finished circling Boyd, he stood there beaming at Kate and her grandmother. The lack of reaction from any of the others confirmed they were the only ones seeing him. Boyd looked around, as if searching for something and caught Kenzie's eye. He left Gavin and walked over to her, the boy began to follow then disappeared.

“Grandmother, do you see...?” Kate began.

“Yes. I do,” replied her Grandmother softly. “He looks an awful lot like...”

“Boyd!” Kate finished.

“Perhaps we should get to know that nice young man better,” her Grandmother said.

Kate waited for Boyd to sit down next to Kenzie. They were so cute together that she hated to interrupt them. His glance said their interest in him had not gone unnoticed.

“Yes?” he said.

“Excuse me?” she said.

“You look like you want to say something.”

“I do,” she started, but wasn't sure how to proceed. “Boyd, what are your parents like?”

“Well...” he began, “they are older than most of me friends' parents.”

“What are their names?”

“Me mum is Mary and me Dad is Andrew.”

“Have you lived here very long?” Kate asked

“Aren’t you full of questions today?” he said. “Okay then, here is me so far. Me mum grew up here with her parents. Me dad came here when he was younger, his mum our Gran Carole, raised him. She wasn’t his real mum but she adopted him when he was young and she was like a mother to him, so she was our Gran. He met me mum when he was twenty and they din’t have me until 16 and one half years ago. I grew up here and have never lived anywhere else. I met you this year, you got me talking to Kenzie, for which I am eternally grateful, and I have never been happier. The end.” He carefully put his arm around Kenzie and grinned a satisfied grin at Kate and her grandmother.

Kate turned to her grandmother and said, “Andrew.”

“O’Callaghan,” her grandmother finished.

“No. Andrew and Mary Kirkpatrick. He took on Gran Carole’s name when she adopted him.”

“Does your father remember anything about his real parents or real last name?” Kate asked.

“Just glimpses but not the surname. He had an accident when he was younger and woke up in hospital with a broken arm, a concussion and nothing other than his name, and that was sewn into his jacket he was wearing. No one came for him and so Gran Carole adopted him. I think at the beginning he always thought his family would come and claim him, but they never did and so he started to forget. Sometimes I catch him with a pained expression on his face and he says he can almost remember a man and a young boy with red hair. He says these hazy memories without answers are more irritation than comfort.”

“I wonder,” India said.

“You know, I always wondered about yer parents, them being older than most, and now I know a wee bit more about you,” Kenzie poked him in the ribs.

“You two are getting really disgusting,” Vika said. “I thought we came up here for some fun?”

“What kind of fun are you looking for?” Duncan said with a smirk on his face.

“In yer dreams.” she said and lobbed the rest of her sandwich at him. “Din’t I see someone bringing a sac up the hill with him?” she asked.

Frazier produced a tiny cloth ball filled with rice from his bag and tossed it to Gavin. After that the blankets emptied of everyone but Kate, India and Kenzie.

India leaned over to Kenzie, “Don’t let us keep you here. Go and join the game,” she said.

“Oh, thanks. I am not much for hacky sac. I really like to watch but I stink when I play, besides I'm not to do anything too physical for the next few weeks.”  She grimaced as she changed position. “Actually I probably shouldn't have come, especially up the short cut, so I am quite happy to sit here and watch this time.”

“I am sure you are not that bad, dear,” India said.

“No really. I stink. But I bet Kate can play. I’ve seen her in action and I bet she has some moves,” Kenzie said.

“Go on dear, show them how Americans can play the game.”

Kate joined the group opposite of Gavin’s. She was greeted with cheers from the group, and a large smile from Gavin. She rarely got the sac, but when she did, Gavin was always there to receive any pass that came his way. She found that she was a pretty good player.

They played a long while until the game came to an unexpected halt when Duncan, trying to impress Vika, put everything he had into a pass to Mairi and the tiny sac sailed over the cliff's edge out into space and disappeared down in the brush below. Amid the ridiculing cries, the boos and the hisses, the group decided that in the absence of a sac, and the encroachment of more clouds, they may have run out of good weather and decided to start back down to town. Gavin asked Kate and India if they minded taking the long route back. An indignant comment froze on Kate's lips when his furtive glance at Kenzie revealed his true meaning.

“There are some really interesting sites that we missed by taking the short trip up and I would hate for you to miss them. It’s turned out to be a nice day and I hate for it to be over too soon by taking the short route down,” he said.

“I would love the long road down,” India said and Kate echoed her. Boyd and Kenzie joined them while the rest of the group headed down the short cut.

Hand in hand, Kenzie and Boyd lead the party. Kate, Gavin and her grandmother followed just behind.

“Up here you can see a rock that Gavin used to kill a man-eating lion.”  They neared a rock in the shape of a hammer.

“Yes, I was Thor and the lion, also known as Tavey, was trying to eat poor Frazier.” His voice took on a deep bravado tone. “So I took up my mighty Mjölnir, my hammer, and smote the dragon.”

“I thought you said it was a lion?” Kate asked.

“Yes, because we wouldn't want a lie to stand in the way of a good story. I smote the lion and saved Tavey's life. That is why he hangs around, trying to repay a life debt owed me.” Laughing, they continued on their tour.

“And just down that path is a pond that I hear had our little Boyd fishing for weeks on end trying to catch Pinocchio’s whale,” Gavin offered. Kenzie screwed up her face laughing.

“Why would you think a whale would be in that little pond?”

“Frazier and Duncan told me they had seen it. They bet me a couple quid I couldn't catch it.” The group laughed. “I was eight, give me a break. Not like Gavin here who ran naked from St. Margret's Loch up to St. Antony's Chapel to get his clothes that Frazier and Tavey took while he was taking a dip in the loch. And he wasn't eight at the time.” Kenzie's face made a pained expression.

“Kenzie are you okay?” Kate asked.

“I'm fine. It only hurts when I laugh.” She said which made her laugh more. “I remember that day. It was last summer. The place was crawling with people. Oh the tourists had something to talk about when they went home. Some were pretty quick with their cameras. I bet there are some pictures we could find online, if we wanted to,” she said, her face in obvious pain but unable to stop laughing. They walked slower until Kenzie could get herself under control.

At one point, Gavin took Kate's hand and pointed off into the woods. Kate saw the most magnificent stag she had ever seen. Gavin told her that although deer were plentiful, they were rarely seen this close to the path. She was enjoying the feeling of his warm hand in hers, surprised how small and dainty her hand looked in his. Bewilderment grabbed her as her foot sank into a deep pothole. She was thrown off balance when her foot failed to find the bottom. She pulled hard on Gavin's hand, but she was too far off kilter. Her world moved in slow motion, taking in every detail as she fell, her foot wedged in an awkward position in the bottom of the hole, her hand slipping from Gavin's fingers, the cold of her foot as the water in the puddle soaked through her fresh sock. All could hear the sound of a sickening snap, and a split second later Kate saw a flash of stars as her head struck the ground.

India rushed to her. Gavin, unsuccessful in his attempt to keep Kate from falling, knelt down beside her, ready to help her up.

“Don’t move her!” India ordered. “Kate, just stay down let me have a look at this before we do anything.”

Pain rocketed through Kate's body as she looked at her grandmother’s worried face. “I heard a snap,” she managed, a bit groggy but conscious.

Her grandmother smiled at her. “I did too.” She leaned close and peered into Kate's eyes. “You may have a concussion,” she said. “Let me get you to slide back just a little.” Gavin and Boyd gently pulled Kate back while India supported her leg.

As soon as they started to move her the pain started and Kate tried not to scream as the fire shot up her leg. Moving her seemed to take forever but when they finally stopped and she managed to get her the pain under control and the blood stopped roaring through her ears, she heard Kenzie gasp.

“I’m afraid it’s broken,” her grandmother said. “Gavin, Boyd give me your backpacks.”

India rummaged through the packs, pulling out a blanket and two umbrellas. She lay the blanket over Kate and put the umbrellas along either side of Kate’s leg and tied them together with some spare shoe laces she had pulled from her own pack.

“Let's move her over to the grass. Kenzie, please tell me you have one of those wonderful tablecloths to lay down?”

Kenzie smiled at the compliment, pulled out the cloth from her pack and spread it over the damp grass. Pain rifled through her as they picked her up and she thought, or hoped, she would pass out. Gavin smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes and she could sense alarm radiating from them, it made her feel very small and weak. As they set her down, she got her first look at her leg and somehow, seeing the bloodied leg bone stabbing through the skin, she didn’t feel so weak after all.

“Kenzie and Gavin, you stay with Kate. Boyd will take me to the nearest ranger station or somewhere we can get help.”

At that point, Gavin, Kenzie and Boyd exchanged looks.

“Did you bring yer phone?” Gavin looked at Boyd who shook his head and then to Kenzie who also shook her head. “And I din’t bring mine. Everybody I want to talk to is here, din't think I'd need it.” He looked around getting his bearings. “The nearest place to get help would be down at the bottom by the entrance to Holyrood Palace.”

India placed a hand on her granddaughter's face. “Sweetheart, I need you to be brave. I am going to bring help.” She leaned down and kissed her cheek. She looked up at Boyd. “Let's move and move fast. I don’t know where we are or what short cuts we can take, but don’t look back, because I will be right behind you. Let’s go!” She put her hand on Boyd’s back and headed him down the road.

Kate, rolled her head to the side and watched until she saw Boyd turn off the road and disappear through the hedge, her Grandmother close on his heels and then they were gone.

“So, does this happen often when you bring someone new up here, sort of an initiation?” Kate said trying her best to distract herself.

“No.” Kenzie sat down by Kate’s head and started smoothing her hair into place.

“That feels really good. You don’t happen to have any Ibuprofen do you? I think I have this blister on my foot and it really hurts.”

Kenzie and Gavin shared a laugh while Kate took a couple of deep steadying breaths. Kenzie dug through her pack to produce two capsules and Gavin gave her his water to drink.

“Do you need anything else?” he asked.

“Yes, actually I do. You still have that hand that I was holding earlier?”

“Aye, I have it right here.” He sat down next to her and gently took her hand in his own. They sat there for a while in silence, and then Kate heard the sound of raindrops hitting the leaves of the trees they were under.

“It doesn’t get any better than this does it?” she managed.

“Oh, I don’t know about that, if it was a wee bit colder, that would be better,” Kenzie said.

“And if it was snowing, that would be better,” Gavin added.

“Mosquitoes would definitely make this better,” Kate added feeling a bit cold and drowsy.

They looked expectantly at Kenzie; she sat looking up at the sky. “I’ve nothing,” she stated. “Cold. Snow. Mosquitoes. That would be our perfect day. What could we possibly add to that except, ice?”

They laughed and Kate froze trying hard to breathe just right as pain shot through her body. She really hoped her grandmother would hurry. She wasn't sure how long she could be brave.

“Really, Kate. I thought you were more coordinated than that. I mean with all that Karate. Then a little pothole thing brings you down,” Gavin gently teased.

“Ya, sure, but did you see the size of that pothole?” Kate managed.

Kenzie got up and went to inspect the offending hole. She brought back a stick with a mark on it a good ten inches from the bottom.

“Now that’s a deep hole, Kate, zero. Hole, one,” Gavin announced. “Lucky it was you and not me that fell into it” he said.

“Lucky?” Kenzie said.

“Well, could you see me going down and taking the whole party with me?”

Kenzie returned to running her fingers through Kate's hair. “Look at the two of us. What a mess we are. If anyone else gets hurt, people will begin to think the defense class is cursed.”

“Cursed?” Gavin said.

“You know, Kate being klutzy and my,” she stopped for a moment and Kate looked up at her, a wave of nausea washing over her. “My brush with stupidity.” Kate reached for her hand.

“Not stupidity, bravado. I guess I am to blame. Making you think you could defend yourself against anything. If it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have gone up that close,” she said amidst the pain.

“I don't see it that way. It could have ended very differently for me if I hadn't known what to do. I probably would have gone up that close anyway and then where would you be? Lying here with Gavin waiting for you Grandmother to return and no one to play with your hair.” Kate smiled.

“Do you mind if I close my eyes for a bit?” Kate whispered, the drowsy feeling over taking her. “I feel a little tired.”

“No, go right ahead. We will be right here.” Gavin said. He leaned down to kiss her forehead and whispered, “I will be right here.”

Kate smiled as she closed her eyes.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been asleep, it only seemed like moments and then she heard the sound of closing car doors and her grandmother’s voice pulling her from her slumber. She opened her eyes to see an ambulance and a police car, her grandmother and Boyd climbing out of the back.

“We got here as fast as we could,” she heard her grandmother say. “How is she?”

“She fell asleep a few minutes after you left and she has been sleeping ever since. You made good time. It’s only been 45 minutes since you left.”

“Yes, but it seems longer,” Kate said.

The paramedics loaded Kate into the back of the ambulance and before long they were at the emergency room. She recognized the hospital from when she and her father visited Mr. O'Callaghan. She wondered how he was. Her father was waiting for them when they arrived. He rushed up beside her as she lay on the gurney.

“How are you, sweetie? I've seen you look better. I have called your mother and I’m sure she will be here soon,” he said.

“Leave a message at the beep.” Kate said groggily.

“I did. Don’t worry. If she can, she will come.”

They gave her a shot for pain just before the x-rays. She felt a warmness descend upon her; she became relaxed and a little giddy as she was wheeled from the emergency room. She thought she saw her mother with a man by the elevator. He had his arm around her waist. That wasn’t right. It must have been someone else. Her mother loved her father. She told her so. She decided to think more about that when the x-rays were finished because she wasn’t too sure of what she was seeing, or had seen. Her vision was beginning to blur.

“Andrew.”

She heard a voice calling out. She turned to see the boy walking towards her.

“Andrew,” she heard the voice call again.

“Is that your name? Andrew?” she asked him. To her surprise he answered her.

“Yes, Andrew.”

“And you have a son, named Boyd?” she asked.

He looked at her in confusion. “Son? No, I have a wee little brother named Boyd. Have you seen him? I can’t find anyone I know here.” He looked pleadingly at her. “My da' told me not to get lost and I have broken me arm and I don’t know where anyone is. Do you know Billy? Red curly hair, some freckles, about me size?”

Kate shook her head.

“Where are we? I don’t recognize anything from the windows. Is this Glasgow?”

“Edinburgh,” Kate said, “you are in hospital in Edinburgh.”

“Andrew!” The voice sounded more urgent than before.

“I better go. Nurse Carole gets upset when she can’t find me. Bye, hope yer leg gets better soon.” He waved and turned to leave.

 Kate sat up quickly to call out to him, but hands shot out of nowhere and held her down.

“Hold on there, if you please. Almost done, don’t want you messing up this work of art.”

She looked down to her feet and saw hands covered in plaster. She felt another person's warm hands holding her hands and shoulder. She looked up to see Gavin smiling down at her.

“Gave me a bit of a start, you sitting up so quickly. Those must be some pretty good painkillers they gave you, you went out like a light and came back on like one too,” he smiled and kissed the top of her head.

“Where is Boyd?” she asked. She needed to talk to him, more importantly, his father.

Gavin looked confused. “He is in the waiting room with Kenzie and their parents,” he said.

Great, Boyd's father was here. She would talk to him about the little boy and see if her hunch was right. Why was this little man covered in plaster taking so long?

“I know this won’t make any sense, but I need to talk to Boyd’s father. Is there any way that I could talk to him now? You know, bring him in here?” she asked the little man.

“Sure, sure. As long as it keeps you still,” he said.

Kate folded her hands, and looked pleadingly at Gavin. He smiled and nodded.

“How is a man supposed to resist that?” Gavin asked. The man covered in plaster shrugged his shoulders and Gavin walked out the door.

He returned shortly with an older man in tow. The man looked concerned for Kate, but also appeared a bit curious as to why he was called back to see the patient.

“Mr. Kirkpatrick, this is Kate.” Gavin gestured, “Kate, this is Mr. Kirkpatrick.”

“Mr. Andrew Kirkpatrick?” she asked.

Mr. Kirkpatrick nodded. Concern for Kate's condition still showing on his face, yet a bit surprised at her greeting.

“And how do you know me first name? Ah, it was Boyd that told you, did he?”

“Actually, it was you,” she said. “Gavin, would you mind leaving us alone for a moment?”

Gavin looked from Kate to Mr. Kirkpatrick, who nodded his consent. Gavin left quietly and Kate knew there would be many questions for him in the waiting room. She hoped that soon she would have answers for everyone.

“Please, you might want to have a seat, Mr. Kirkpatrick,” she gestured to the only chair in the room. “This is going to sound incredibly strange, but please bear with me.”

He sat, somewhat stiffly, in the institution-grade chair. Kate suspected that he thought she was being impertinent, however, she couldn’t help what he thought, because if she were right, two lives would change for the better.

“Mr. Kirkpatrick, as you know, I am a friend of Boyd’s, your son, but, and this is the part that gets weird, what you don’t know is that I am also a friend of Boyd, your brother.”

She waited for that words to sink in. He sat there for a moment, expressionless as his mind seemed to be working over the information she had just given him. He leaned his head back and scratched his chin, deep in thought.

“Kate, you don’t know very much about me. There is no way you could, because I don’t remember very much about me. You see, me life seemed to start for me in this very hospital, many years ago.”

“With a broken arm,” she interrupted.

He gave a small nod and smiled kindly at her. “Boyd told you that story already did he? Well, let's have no more of this, I’m sure yer parents would like to see you.” He started to rise from the chair.

“You came to Edinburgh with your father on some kind of demonstration march and you were separated from him for a night. You stayed in Oddfellow’s Hall because the men were staying at the jail, not that your dad was in jail, just that they were giving the men bunks to sleep on.” She stopped for a breath as he sat back down on edge of the chair, with is mouth open in surprise.

“How?”

“You were to meet him outside the hall, but you did a little sightseeing before, and on your way to meet him you ran into a building breaking your arm and giving you a concussion.”

He looked incredulous, and a bit puzzled.

“I know you think this is crazy, but it runs in my family. Not the crazy, but being able to, you know, see things.”

“Boyd, me brother,” he tried the name out. “I almost remember a wee babe. In diapers, in a small room.”  He smiled at her. “I sometimes recall a boy with red hair.”

“Billy.”

He shook his head the memories just out of reach.

“I get these visions. I really didn’t start putting the pieces together until my grandmother came to visit.”

“You say I have a brother.” Then he stared down at his hands. “I'm not sure Kate. My memory is gone. I wouldn't know my brother even if he walked in this room. Too much time has passed.” He trailed off.

“This is all quite fascinating,” said the little man with plaster covered hands, “But I am done here. So if you, Miss, would like to see your parents, and you, Sir, would like to find your brother, this would be a good time to do that.” The little man snapped off his plaster covered rubber gloves and stood. “Would you help me move her to a wheel chair?” He asked Andrew. Kate and Andrew exchanged surprised looks, they had both forgotten about the little man with the plaster hands.

She put her arms around their shoulders, the plaster man supporting her cast, and they slowly stood, bearing her weight while she used her good leg to make the short hop from the bed to the chair. Even so, Kate's injury sent a tingle of pain up thru her leg, making her wince. She could tell the next few days would not be pleasant.

“Mr. Kirkpatrick?” she asked as she settled into the wheelchair. “Would you mind terribly if I were to ask you to meet someone?” She felt there was one more piece that needed to be added to the puzzle.

“We will see. Let's get you out to your parents.” Mr. Kirkpatrick wheeled her out into the waiting room where she was greeted by all of her friends who had gone on the hike. It seemed everyone she knew in Scotland was there. Mr. Kirkpatrick steered her to her dad who knelt down in front of her.

“The doctor wants to keep you for a little while for observation,” he told her. “Since you hit your head, they are concerned about a concussion. Don’t worry, we should be home in time for dinner.”

Her dad took charge of the chair. With a nod of thanks to Mr. Kirkpatrick, he wheeled her into the hall. The group began to gather their things, each preparing to follow. Gavin stopped the group, heading off any ideas they may have had of invading the hospital any longer than they already had.

Gavin stepped into the hall to speak with Kate's dad, “Mr. Thorn? I know Kate really needs some rest right now, but would it be all right if we come to see her tomorrow at home?”

“Sure, that would be fine,” he answered, his face relaxing as he spoke to Gavin. “It is a good idea to keep things quiet for the rest of the day”.

Kate saw the look of relief on her father’s face and wondered what was up. Usually, he liked it when Kate had her friends invade their space.

“I see what you're doing Gavin, and it's a grand idea, but if we all have to go then you have to go too,” said Tavey’s voice from the back of the crowd, still in the waiting room. “You know Kate 'really needs her rest,'” he parroted Gavin’s words back to him. “Anyway, I’m sure that you will live till tomorrow when you can spend some real quality time with her. You do know there be easier ways to do that instead of pushing her in a hole.”

The group's mood began to lighten and they continued to file out of the room. Tavey took Gavin by the arm and Frazier took the other arm, and frog-marched him down the hall toward the exit. The group moved with Gavin craning his neck around to look at her. He threw his hands in the air in submission and left in peace. Kenzie turned around and threw her a kiss, then turned and took Boyd’s hand as they walked away.

Kate’s mom was waiting for them in the observation room. She rushed to Kate and knelt down next to her chair.

“Kate honey, are you all right?” she asked.

Tears sprang to Kate’s eyes. She was unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotions. Finally, a mom who really cared about her, and all it took was for her to break her leg. She reached her arms out to her mother and, after a slight hesitation, her mother took her in her arms.

“Shhh, Kate. It’s all right. Everything is going to be all right,” she soothed.

Kate pulled her mother tighter and wept.

“Kate, you’re all right honey. I’m here and we are going to take care of you.”

Kate took a deep breath to calm her and wrinkled her nose at a smell on her mother’s blouse. She took another sniff and found the scent in her hair. She pulled her mother closer as if to hug her tighter to examine the smell more intently. It was a man’s cologne. Not her dad’s, or grandpa's cologne, but vaguely familiar. She guessed it was possible that she ran into Gavin or Boyd and they had given her a hug. But she dismissed that, given her mom had never met any of her Scottish friends. In fact, Kenzie was the only one who had ever seen her mom. And any sort of physical contact from her mother was hoarded away and parceled out a tiny bit at a time. Kate had to break her leg and end up in a hospital to get any. Her mother's body became tense as she was trying to break contact from Kate.

“Kate, that’s enough.” Her mom reached back to unhook Kate’s arms from around her neck. “Kate, I said that is enough!” her mother's words cracked like a whip though her thoughts. “Bruce get her off of me!” she growled.

Her dad walked across the room and put his hand on Kate’s shoulder.

“Kate, let go,” his whisper held a meaning larger than she was ready to deal with, but Kate let her hands fall into her lap.

“That's better. What's wrong with her?” her mother asked.

Most obvious was that she was scared, sitting in a wheel chair with a broken leg and a possible concussion, Kate thought.

“It is probably the painkillers wearing off,” her dad offered. “They warned me that some people become weepy and others become unusually angry. We shouldn’t worry too much. It will wear off.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake Kate, you need to get control of yourself.”

“I think she is doing just fine,” her dad said with a hint of steel in his voice. He knelt down next to the chair and took Kate’s hand in his. “Yes, I think she is doing just fine.” He gave her hand a small kiss as his eyes traveled toward the window in the door. “Meg, I see the doctor in the hall, I think we should step outside for a moment.” he said.

Kate followed his gaze and saw the doctor’s face through the window in the door.

Meg nodded.

Kate put her head in her hands, tears still falling from her eyes. She sobbed once more, wiped her face and tried to take a deep steadying breath when the smell hit her again. It was on her hands. She wiped them on her jacket and after a quick sniff realized that wasn’t working. She took a good look around at the room she was in, bed, check, horribly uncomfortable visitors' chairs, check, she knew this from her visit to Mr. O'Callaghan, and a private bath that lay behind a closed door. She was looking for anything to rid herself of the offending odor, when her eyes landed on a sink and towels in the corner. She slowly and painfully wheeled herself toward it until the wheelchair's leg support, with her leg cast sticking straight out in front of her, hit the cabinet denying her access to the faucet.

“Here, let me help you with that.” An unfamiliar man's voice in the room startled her. She turned to see Mr. Chad George, her mother’s boss, entering the room. He crossed to the sink and wet a cloth for her.

“Thank you,” she said, as he handed it to her. She wiped her face and hands and then handed it back to him.

“Your mother was very worried about you,” he said.

“Oh.” Was that all that she could say? She recovered quickly with a completely asinine question. “Why are you here?”

“I brought her. She was so upset, I was afraid to let her drive.”

Kate was drowsy and confused. She wished her mind would work properly, but there was too much going on. The pain of her injury, painkillers, the excitement of putting the pieces of a long unsolved puzzle together, her mom's hot and cold emotional state. Was he talking about her mother? She had seemed more inconvenienced than anything else. Certainly not overwhelmed with worry.

“Are we talking about my mother?” she asked.

He nodded, “Hey, you really did take a knock on the head didn’t you?” He reached up and brushed the hair off her face.

Kate froze.

“Sorry,” he said, pulling back. “You had some hair stuck in the blood on your face. I’m sorry. I should have let you do it. Here, let me get you that washcloth.”

He turned back to the sink and she had just a moment to investigate her suspicions. She leaned towards him to see if she could get a good whiff of his cologne. Her chair started to tip, but she had to know, she leaned further. Her chair lurched again, there was nothing she could do to right herself. Panic gripped her and a small cry escaped her as she thrust out her arms to brace herself. Mr. George, hearing the cry, turned just in time to catch her and the chair before she hit the floor. She grabbed onto his shoulders and breathed deeply. It was him!

“Wow, you smell great,” she lied as he eased her back in place.

“Thanks,” he said.

“What is that scent? I can’t place it?” she prodded.

“I would be surprised if you could. I had this cologne made specifically for my body chemistry.”

Kate tried to put on a look of interest.

“I have one of those body chemistry's that turn most over-the-counter colognes to skunk.” He grimaced, “I had to go to a chemist to have a fragrance made that wouldn’t become odious. I believe it is musk with a hint of sage. Or was it balsam? Can’t remember, but it’s a one of a kind scent.”

“Must be expensive,” she said.

“I think I can afford it,” he winked at her.

She didn't want to, but she kinda liked this guy. He was nice looking and down to earth. Not at all who she had envisioned. She chalked her muddled thinking up to the painkillers.

He walked over to the window as Kate pushed herself back to the door. She wished her parents would return to relieve her from this awkward moment. She studied Chad George as he stared out the window. He was a slim, well-dressed man, early forties with blonde hair and blue eyes. Not exactly what she had expected. He had pushed his jacket back as he put his hand in his pockets. He turned toward her and she saw her mother’s scarf she had worn to work earlier in the week peeking out of his jacket pocket.

“It’s you,” she whispered.

“Pardon me? Didn’t quite catch that?” he said.

“Oh, nothing,” she recovered, “just wondering where my parents are. Did you happen to see them in the hall?”

“I must have missed them, had to ask the nurse what room you were in. Now that you mention it, they have been gone for quite some time. I wonder if you are in for an overnight stay. Oh now, wouldn't that be scary, can’t stand hospitals myself.”

She couldn’t believe he was saying this to her. Didn’t he know that she was a little upset about oh, her whole day? He must have read it on her face.

“Here now, I was just having a bit of fun with you. I’m sure that they are probably signing the papers now to spring you. Didn’t your mother ever tell you about what a horrible kidder I am?” Kate shook her head, and regretted the movement as pain shot to her eyes. Mr. George continued, “Told her once that I was firing her without any severance pay. Another time I told her that her lab had been moved to a small outbuilding because her team was complaining about the windows in her lab. She actually started packing before I could convince her what a wicked joker I was.”

He laughed at the memory, Kate had to smile, knowing what a horrible, even non-existent, sense of humor her mother had.

“Doctor said your CAT scans are clear. You are free to go home.” her father said as he entered the room. He pulled up short as he saw Chad. “Mr. George,” he said in formal greeting.

“Please, call me Chad,” he said offering his hand. “I mean it’s my fault you are here. Well, not here in the hospital, but I did move your family halfway 'round the world. So please, let's not stand on ceremony.”

“Sure,” her dad agreed ignoring the proffered hand and instead turning his attention to Kate. Her dad took hold of the wheelchair, “So what shall we get for dinner?” he said as he pushed her out of the room.

“Where’s Mom?” she asked.

“Just picking up the medicine they prescribed for you. She will be along soon.”

They reached the elevator just as her mother did. She handed the medicine to Kate.

“Make sure you take these with food,” she said. She adjusted her posture, standing taller as Chad walked up to the elevator. Kate was sure she saw her blush.

“Oh Chad,” her hands went to adjusting her hair. “I thought you were going back to the office? I had planned on taking a cab back,” she said hastily.

“No need. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off to spend with Kate,” he suggested.

Kate and her father looked from one to the other.

“Oh, I don’t think that will be necessary. I mean, the pills the doctor prescribed for her will have her out for the rest of the day. I’m sure she won’t be awake until I get home. Besides, Bruce will be with her.” She smiled weakly at her husband.

“Meg, I think Kate would like for you to come home with us so she can spend some time with you. I know Chad has had far more than his fair share of you since we arrived,” her Dad ground the words out.

“Really, Bruce. I don't think that tone is necessary.” Meg said.

“But if you feel that Chad needs you more than us...Then there is not much else to say.”

Her dad stepped out from behind the wheelchair towards Chad and offered his hand in a farewell handshake. Kate managed to get a glimpse of their hands as her father practically crushed Chad’s hand. She could clearly see the pain reflected on Chad’s face. She was confused about her feelings, it wasn't his fault for the way her mother acted.

“You must know,” he whispered to Chad, obviously thinking Kate couldn't hear. “I don't hold a grudge against you. You are just one in a long line of my wife’s little distractions.” Then in a more normal tone, “Goodbye Chad.” He released his hand and turned away as Chad tried to massage the feeling back into it. The elevator door opened and she felt her dad start to push her toward the sliding doors.

“Wait!” Kate put up her hand and he stopped. “Mom?” She held her hands up to her mother.

Meg stared, uncomprehendingly, at her daughter.

“I think she wants a goodbye hug, Meg,” her dad said.

Kate reached up as far as she could manage to hug her mother. Meg leaned down to hug her and Kate whispered in her ear, “Might want to get the scarf Dad gave you back from Chad,” she said coldly and let her go. It wasn't Mr. George's fault, her mother was responsible for her own actions, and she knew that. She wanted her mother to know that at that moment, she saw her for who she was, but she also wanted her mother to know that her choices had a real and damaging effect on her daughter.

“It was very nice to finally meet you Mr. George,” Kate added, almost meaning it.

Her dad wheeled her into the waiting elevator, leaving her mother and Chad George in the elevator lobby. As the doors closed, she began to cry.