Other Sides Of The World

Chapter Two: Encounters

"Um, I like it. It's a change and I needed a change!"

"Well Scotland is certainly a change fae Florida son!"

"That it is ma'am, that it is!" he continued to smile politely as she took in the sight before her properly. Long hair, surfer? Rock star? Actor! He was so handsome he could have been anything he wanted to be! "Well, I'd better get going. It was nice bumping into you, good day!" and before she could say any more he was striding down the hall towards the foyer.

"Lachie!" Annie's sing song voice nearly knocked her son off of his chair, she appeared out of nowhere as he was playing Solitaire on the reception computer.

"Whit is it maw?"

"Who's the American honey we've got stayin' here?"

"Ugh, maw!" Lachie screwed his eyes shut and gagged.

"He's a nice boy Lachie. Do ye no think Rhona..." Lachie cut his mother off.

"NO! Dinnae go there maw!"

"But he's lovely, he's got nice teeth!"

"Och you and yer obsession wi teeth!" Lachie knew exactly what his mother was up to and did not condone it at all. Rhona had just had her heart broken, the last thing she needed was that clown messing with her head.

"Well a think he'd be just what she needs right now, yer sister is a beautiful girl Lachlan! She deserves a beautiful lookin' man!" Annie huffed and headed back towards the kitchen. He agreed that his sister was beautiful, too beautiful for the likes of that weirdo!

***

That evening, the guests all arrived. Rhona's old friends from school; Catriona Joyce, Gillian Donaldson and Beth Brown all appeared together giggling and squealing when they met her. Rhona couldn't see this night far enough as she pretended to be happy to see them. Terry, Elspeth and Hannah had all been invited as well which made her feel a little more at ease, but not much. As the evening went on and Annie played mein host, Rhona found herself downing more white wine than she should. She didn't drink very often and when she did she tended to stick to something rather low in volume. But here she was pouring glass after glass. The chatter and laughter were too much for her, remembering the last time they were all gathered round the table together here, when Jamie proposed! As Catriona looked over at her with a look of sympathy, Rhona was reminded that she didn't really like her very much, she was always down on her relationship with Jamie. Boy would she be enjoying this, and as she opened her mouth to speak she was interrupted by Beth. "So Rhona, how are you?" she also gave her a pathetic look like Catriona and then Gillian turned round and did the same. Rhona hated everyone feeling sorry for her, as she gulped down another glass of wine, her brother nudged her and hissed;

"Rhona gi it a by will ye? Calm it doon!"

"Aye aye!" she slurred back in broad Scots for the first time in years, and answered her friends. "Am dayin' fine how would a no be?" she smiled drunkenly and stood up, knocking her chair backwards with a crash in the process as the girls all gasped and whispered to one another.

"Rhona!" Lachie grunted and stood up with her to pick up her chair and steady his sister.

"Get aff me Lachie am fine!" she snapped while snatching the open bottle of wine from the table and teetering out of the dining room to the outside door. As she headed down to the Lochside in the dark she could hear her brother calling to her in a panic.

"RHONA! Come oan shorty dinnae go oot there!"

"Away and bile yer heid Lachie!" she muttered as she swayed down to the jetty swigging her wine as she went. She plopped herself down onto the wooden jetty and looked down at the rippling water, the moon shone down on the Loch like a spotlight. Rhona smiled and thought that it looked so inviting, the cool breeze and the sound of the waves lapping onto the shore at either side of her. She stuck her hand into the water and sobbed, it was deep here, far from the shore. "A could just faw in, and naebidy wid even care!" she muttered sadly to herself.