Page 43 of From Scotland with Love

Ryan stood up, throwing his towel to the floor and moving towards Callum, who was ready for him. But before anything could happen, Alan got in between the two, his tall stature casually diffusing the situation instantly. “Now boys, shall we head to the pub? The guys are wanting to drown their sorrows.” He looked at the two men sternly, until they nodded. “Good, right are ye fit? Let’s go.”

Callum had a few drinks with the boys, but left the pub when no one was looking. He was in no mood for socialising, particularly after losing the game. He walked down the street and was happy to find it empty. At this time of year the town was fairly quiet, but once winter came with snowfall, the place would be inundated with skiers and the like. Being a part of the tourist trade himself, he enjoyed the rare pockets of peace to be found on occasion exploring a different part of the Highlands. He had planned to have Lori with him. Time away together, rekindling whatever he thought had been left to rekindle. But now? As far as he was concerned, she was heading back to New York with her fiancé. He thought of the afternoon he had stumbled upon her running away from the Highland cattle, and snorted to himself. New York would suit her far better than Arlochy, that was for sure.

Dusk had settled over the town, and in the distance he heard sheep calling to one another, and cows settling for the night. He strolled past a quaint little church and town hall, until he came to his hotel, lit-up and welcoming in the twilight. Perhaps an early night would do the trick, especially since they would be playing another game the next day. Maybe he was old after all; the thoughts of drinking the night before a match weren’t the least bit appealing to him. He entered the building, marched past the burbling pub inside, and continued upstairs. All he wanted was a shower, his pillow and to stop thinking about Lori’s smile.

Lori had woken to the smells of coffee, as Jean came into the room holding three paper cups. Lori wiped her bleary eyes and panicked when she saw Gran still in bed, bandaged and very still.

“It's alright - she’s been asleep the whole time.” Jean handed Lori and Tammy their cups. “Well I mean, whatever time I woke up earlier, she’s been the same”.

“Have any of the nurses or doctors been in?” Tammy asked pulling back her long hair into a ponytail.

“Every hour I think, just to do the standard checks.” Jean pulled out her phone and shook her head. “Damn it, my battery has gone. I can't leave Karen with the kids for another night, it’s not fair on her.”

“No of course not. We'll figure something out.” Lori squeezed Jean’s shoulder. Having Jean there made Lori feel better - she was sensible, someone to lean on, but she had a family of her own that she couldn’t neglect. A nurse with a round friendly face popped her head around the door:

“How are you girls this morning?” She was the same nurse as the night before, and must have just started her shift. Lori noted how refreshed she looked - in comparison to all three sisters.

“Fine, I guess. Gran seems just the same, we think.” Tammy looked on the verge of tears again, and the nurse gave her a look of sympathy.

“Let me have a look at her notes and have a chat with the doctor, he'll come and check on her soon.” She walked off on the squeaky clean floor back down the corridor.

The girls sat around Gran once again and talked quietly to one another until they saw a small sign of movement, and heard a soft groan. Lori held her hand again.

“Gran it’s OK. It’s Lori, I’m here with Tammy and Jean. You’ve had a stroke, you’re in hospital. But you're being well-cared for, you're getting better, it's all going to be alright.” Her gran made a gentle moan, making Lori hope she understood. All three girls held onto Gran in some way, to let her feel their love surrounding her.

“I’d better tell the nurse.” Lori let go of her grandmother’s hand and rose from her seat, just as she made another slight groan, and her eyes flickered open.

“She’s waking up!” Tammy cried out at the same time the nurse and doctor marched in at Lori's signal. Gran started to come to, gradually looking at them all and making whimpering sounds.

The girls had been told to go to the waiting room once again by the nursing staff as they were going to keep Gran under closer observation. They sat in the hospital café eating cold bacon sandwiches and sipping weak coffee. Lori ate what was on her plate but couldn’t taste anything, her mind foggy as she tried to focus on the little jobs that needed taken care of.

“Oh my god, Bracken!” she gasped abruptly. “I didn’t think of Bracken!” She winced at the idea of the old dog, sitting waiting for them all in the house, needing fed and let out to use the toilet.

Jean and Tammy looked at each other in equal alarm.

“Who do we call?” Lori bit her lip thinking of all Gran’s possible neighbours who might help.

“I could ask Karen to call over and let him out?” Jean suggested. “But I’ve already asked so much of her.”

“Maybe if she could just check on him?” Lori sighed. “Or I could go home and collect him, to take him here?”

“To a hospital?” Tammy screwed up her face.

“Maybe I can go later, I could let him out, and then come back with the girls the next day?” Jean ventured. “Or I could ask around, what about Mrs Smith? She could pop in?”

Lori gasped at the thought. “Flora Smith? They aren’t friends, Gran would hate that!”

“What?” Jean looked incredulously at her sister. “They are friends, Gran is friends with everyone!”

“No, Flora always beats Gran at the baking competitions. They don’t get on.” Tammy stated and Lori nodded in agreement.

“Well... she lives close by, and I know her number, she helps with school fundraisers.” Jean looked at her battery-dead phone. “Tammy, you call her?”

Tammy got out her phone, but handed it straight to Jean. “Flora scares me, she was always so bossy and matronly.”

Jean turned her face away and sipped her coffee, retorting angrily: “So what? You’ve to do something in this family Tammy!”

Tammy looked close to tears again. “I do do things for this family!” Her bottom lip started to wobble, and Lori, who couldn’t bear to see everyone descend into snapping and sniffles for a second day running, took the phone out of Tammy’s hands.