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My stomach growled at that very moment and she laughed.
I was tired of people but I appreciated what she was trying to do for me. As much as my introverted mind wanted to say no, I also didn’t want to let her down. “Of course.”
Fen
The Cathedralof St. Andrew was impressive and beautiful. From its tall pointed ceilings, large wooden colored arches and intricately carved railings, the dull color of the outside of the building did not do justice to what it held inside. I wasn’t a religious person by any means but I found myself praying for my parents’ souls hoping their reunion was joyous. Mom and Dad could finally be together again and that was the happy thought I held onto when bouts of sadness hit me over their loss.
There was a hole in my soul but I needed to keep living, for them. It was what they would have wanted.
“We can go try some Haggis!” My aunt exclaimed as we exited the church.
Flashbacks of her driving made my body tense. For a nice little old lady, she drove like an utter maniac.
“Oh, it’s just up this road. We’ll be there in no time.” Auntie Ainsley could barely see over the steering wheel and that should have been my first clue.
She takes a dramatic right turn and I thought the car was going to flip on its wheels. I grabbed onto the handle and screeched as the car did the same turning the other way. People around us honked and some of the other drivers leaned out their windows to yell at my aunty, but all she did was flip them off and told them to have a lovely day.
I sent a silent prayer to a higher being that my little trip wasn’t a mistake and that I wouldn’t end up on the next movie about one’s final destination.
She pats my arm with a bright look as she leads me back to her little death trap of a car.
When we made it to the restaurant, I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. It was a little less than a mile but it was all I could handle for the moment. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, I thanked my parents who were probably looking down at me laughing by now. I was sure mother was shaking her head thinking to herself that she would have warned me about Aunty if she knew this was my plan.
The restaurant opened at noon so we were one of the first customers there. The haggis came with mashed potatoes and mashed turnips. The flavors were delightful and I found myself famished after using all my energy to survive Aunty Ainsley’s driving.
“Isn’t it wonderful? Best dishes in the area. We can come by again tomorrow if you’d like.” She only wanted me to have a good time. How could anyone stay mad at her for long?
I chuckled. “I may have to walk off some of this food because I think I might order a second plate.”
“Ah, a woman with a good appetite!” She turned to hail down the waiter and we took our time catching up about my childhood and life back home.
It didn’t hurt as much talking to a stranger. There was no judgment or condemnation. No accusation in her eyes. Just sheer curiosity and wonder about the life of her great niece whom she slowly lost contact with.
After about two hours at a wonderful lunch, I suffered through another trip that took us to the Cairngorm mountains.
Aunty excitedly began talking about the history of the highlands as we tried to decide which hiking trail we should take to walk off our lunches. “We can take the Loch an Eilein loop so that you can get the scenic view of the Loch.”
I shrugged my shoulders, letting her lead as I had been all morning. “It sounds good.”
My introverted heart was happy over the quietness a hike would provide. There didn’t seem to be a lot of people out here today and the weather wasn’t as nippy as the day prior.
A beautifully haunting looking ruined castle sat in the middle of the lake. As the hike went on, more and more tourists joined us much to my dismay. About an hour into the walk my bladder began screaming at me.
“Aunty, is there an outhouse or bathroom around here?”
She looked at me in bafflement. “No, you will have to go relieve yourself in the woods, my dear.”
I stared at her in disbelief. How could this be a tourist area without a restroom in sight? This didn’t make any sense. Searching through my pockets and bag, I came up with nothing to wipe myself with.
When I lifted my head, there was a napkin in my face.
“I occasionally save some napkins from the restaurant. A bad habit, really, but perfect for this moment.” She laughed as she waved it around until I took it from her with embarrassment. “I’ll be right here when you’re done. Dinnae go too far.”
I nodded my head as I turned and walked past the trees. I kept my feet moving until I could no longer hear the sounds of tourists. Sighing, I looked around and found an area that was mostly covered.
I removed my pants and squatted down to do my business. Aunty Ainsley’s wad of napkins was enough for two good wipes. Feeling awkward for leaving trash around, I tossed it away from me at the bottom of a nearby bush before I straightened to refasten my pants.
I looked up and took in the sights around me. It reminded me so much of my cabin back home in Maine. I wondered if Uncle Jermone took advantage of the place as a small vacation spot.
