What If

  Chapter 9

  The Scottish Treat

  “My goodness, do you see who is getting out of that truck and fifth wheel? I know he said he would be picking you up in something a little different, but I thought he might be arriving in a limo or something.” Linda Sue was staring out of the gallery window.

  Heather joined her. “You’re right. That’s him and that seems to be the fifth wheel he talked about. And…he did say this we would go to an unusual place today.”

  “I know we’ve gotten to know him well over the past few days, but are you sure you want to go out with him in a no-tell motel?”

  “A what?”

  “To be blunt, the trailer part does come with a bedroom. You haven’t known him that long. Aren’t you kind of asking for trouble?”

  “No, I trust him. If he is bringing along a trailer thing, then well…I do trust him. He’s never even made any advances.”

  “Is that something of which you are proud or disappointed?” Linda Sue turned toward the opening door.

  Heather hesitated. She wasn’t sure. But before she had a chance to answer, Duncan came in the gallery.

  “Good morning, ladies. Linda Sue, I know you’ve asked me about my home, where I live, etc. Well, time to tell you or actually show you. I’ve been having a little work done on the fifth wheel for the past few weeks and now I can show you. As you know, my job takes me all over the country. I like having my own bed, with no worries about constant packing in suitcases. So this is it, my home. I just park it at a local campground and go on when I am ready. I picked it up this morning and figured this is a perfect time to show it to you both. After we go to lunch, I’ll drop it off at the campground. I kind of want to test it, if that is okay with you, Heather.”

  “Of course. I’d love to see it.”

  “Linda Sue, you are welcome to come along with us. We aren’t going far. In case you feel we need a chaperone.” There was that mischievous grin on the handsome man.

  “No, you two go along and enjoy the day. You are still going to take pictures of other ocean views, aren’t you?”

  “Absolutely. Got a special view in mind.” Linda Sue didn’t know if he meant the ocean or not. He had a way with making a sentence sound like it had other meanings.

  “I’m ready. Heather grabbed up her hand knit beige sweater with embroidered heather from Scotland and added a matching tam o shanter. Though she was far away from her native home, she still liked to feel as if she were there by wearing the Scottish styles. Her recently acquired lavender plaid skirt added to the manner of dress. Linda Sue could no longer complain on her lack of color.

  Duncan assisted her into the truck. Although he had recently had grab bars placed in the front of the truck, she was still in the need of a little help. She had been so surprised when he showed them to her. It was as if he had planned she would be getting in and out of his truck for a long time.

  “Where are we going today?” Heather asked as they pulled out into the street. She marveled at the easy way he was handling the vehicles. It didn’t seem as if they had any added weight on the back. They moved so smoothly. He was certainly a good driver.

  “Not too far, as I told Linda Sue. Actually, Avila Beach. I park at a campground near there and it will be easy to drop it off after lunch.”

  “Where are we having lunch and what is the menu like?”

  “That, my Scottish lovely, is a secret. But I guarantee you will love it.”

  “If you say so. You’ve come to know my limited tastes lately.”

  “While we’re driving, why don’t you tell me a little bit about your family?”

  “I don’t suppose there is all that much to tell. My father perished in the North Sea when I was nine. Like a lot of seamen from our town, the sea takes so many. It’s a rough one, as you know. The few times we took the ferry from John O’ Groats to the Orkney Isles, it would seem as if we went more up and down than forward and that was on a calm day. I never did understand why men would risk their lives on the comparatively fragile boats.”

  “Doesn’t make much sense. Your mother?”

  “She managed to raise me out of high school and then just prior to my wedding date, she was called to take care of her aunt in the council housing. Of course, I stayed there, waiting. But, as I’m sure Linda Sue told you, the loss of my fiancée changed all that.” Heather looked carefully to see if he responded in any way. He didn’t.

  “No other siblings?”

  “No, just lots of aunts, uncles and such.”

  Sensing there wasn’t much about which she wanted to talk, Duncan asked her about her heritage. Almost every Scot knew and bragged about their clans and family history.

  “Oh, now there I can give you some history. We MacIntosh’s go way way back. My grandpa told me of our ties to Olaf of the terrible ax. I don’t suppose you’ve heard of him.”

  “No,” Duncan lied. In fact, he knew that he too was distantly related to the scoundrel. It seemed as if he was a Viking raider who spread his seed in at least three known placed in Scotland. The first time was a quick out of wedlock union, which produced Duncan’s ancestor. The second was a marriage to a Scottish princess in which she died in childbirth giving an ancestor to the area in which Heather was born. Yet another family was begun with the Caithness family a lot further down the coast. Busy man.

  “Well, he married a princess and she gave him one child, a daughter, which began my family at that time. Somewhere around the 1500’s. I believe she died in childbirth though of course, the child lived. I think he continued raiding. He was a Viking and as I understand, he was thrown out of Viking land by his own father or stepfather. He was well known for his mighty ax. In fact, when we went to the abbey in the Orkney Isles, we saw a statue of him. I couldn’t believe it when we saw the sign in front of the statue.”

  “What did it say?”

  “Saint Olaf of the Terrible Ax”

  “Saint?” Duncan hadn’t known about that.

  “Yes, and I was as surprised as you. Imagine being related to a saint.”

  ‘I’ve got to ask. Did you find out how he attained that honor?”

  “Of course. Seems when he was doing his raiding, he gave the villagers a choice. Become Christians or…meet up with his ax. He converted so many to the faith, that they made him a saint. Or so the story goes.”

  “What a tale! Any more interesting people?”

  “Yes, Anne MacIntosh helped Bonnie Prince Charlie when he was trying to escape. She dressed him as her maid and got him to safety.”

  “How about your clan motto? What is that?”

  “A wild cat leaping. It says, “Touch not the cat, bot a glove. It means...”

  “I know.” He interrupted. It means don’t touch this wild cat without protection. I can’t believe that would mean you.”

  Heather laughed. “I’m afraid not. I don’t fit the description of wild cat.”

  “I hope not.” Duncan pulled into a parking area along the ocean view.

  “Where’s the restaurant?” Heather was looking about. There wasn’t a building in sight although they were parked right next to the road.

  “Right there.” He pointed back to the fifth wheel. He had maneuvered it so that the front door was facing the ocean view.

  “Give me a minute.” He asked as he lowered the stands. In moments he had pushed a button and a part of the fifth wheel came out to enlarge the inside space. “That is a slide out. Gives me about 36 square feet of more room.”

  Heather was a little hesitant to go with him into the fifth wheel. Had Linda Sue been right? Would this be his no tell motel? So far, he had been a perfect gentleman without one hint of a pass, other than an occasional light hug. But she had said she trusted him. So, up the three short steps. It was not what she expected at all. , There was a very small kitchen area, but it did seem so much larger than she had thought. There was a television over a small fireplace, a bookcase and not one but two desks. She had seen some photos of trailers
and all of them had a couch and a dining area. This one had a desk where the couch should have been and another desk covered with computer equipment where the dining area should have been.

  “How do you keep all that stuff from moving when you travel?”

  “Industrial strength Velcro and sometimes a bungie or two when needed. Most things have special places.”

  There was a large recliner on wheels. “Where does that go when you travel?” Obviously, it couldn’t stay where it was with the slide out in.

  “That moves to the area in front of the television. It’s on heavy-duty wheels and the slide out is able to come right in. Sort of everything fits like pieces of a puzzle.”

  “That’s a lot of desk area.”

  “It is needed for my work, so I just converted the dining area to suit me.”

  “No dining room?”

  “My job, you know keeps me well supplied with food. If and when I do want to eat here, I manage with this.” He pulled out a card table from beside the desk and set it up. Then reached into a closet to pull out two folding chairs. Deftly placing a red plaid tablecloth on the card table, he stated, “Almost ready.”

  There was a closed door to the back of the trailer. Heather supposed it was to a bedroom, bathroom or both. “All so convenient. Now, what is this lunch we are supposed to have”

  “Let me put this chair outside so you can see the view while I get things ready. And here’s the camera, for when you see things you want to paint.”

  “It is a great view,” she commented as he returned inside. The fifth wheel, as he called it, was set up perfectly for him. No room for a wife there. Not really. What woman would want to cook in such a small kitchen? And where would the woman even sit to watch television? In the office chair or behind the dining room desk on that little bench? He did seem to keep it clean, perhaps for the benefit of a guest like herself. For some reason, she was anxious to see his bedroom. Probably very austere with no feminine touches. But how could she ask to see his bedroom without making it sound like an invitation?

  She could hear him bustling about. A few tempting smells. Was he actually cooking? And what? She could hardly wait, but she managed to take a few photos of interesting views. Finally, he appeared in the doorway.

  “Ready for lunch?”

  “I’m famished.” She actually was. With all this running about with him, keeping busy with her painting, she had almost forgotten she was in mourning. And almost forgotten this man could be her missing fiancé.

  Again she went up the few steps holding on to the handrail. “What is this? It’s not…” Heather was amazed and delighted. In front of her were several dishes she had long missed. There was a plate of hot scones, probably cooked at the Apple Farm and reheated here. Oatcakes and butter. She knew even she, had called them sawdust cakes when she was a child, but how she did love them. Mealie puddings? Where on earth had he gotten them? Only a Scot would understand anyone loving sausages made with oatmeal, onions and suet. Yet here they were, all fried and steaming. “Meat pies?” she asked. “Where did you get meat pies?” She almost grabbed the turnover pies filled with lightly spiced meat.

  “And a few neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes).” He pushed the bowl of potatoes and turnips toward her.

  “I don’t believe it. It’s like you brought my home here to me. This is the best meal I could have had with you. Thank you so much.”

  “Don’t just stand there. Sit down and enjoy. I slaved over a hot stove for you.” He jokingly rubbed his forehead as if he were wiping away sweat.

  “I will. I will. I just don’t know what to have first. Did you honestly prepare all this yourself?”

  “Most of it. I did find a British food supplier on line and ordered the oat cakes (flat cakes made mostly of oatmeal) and mealie puddings (oatmeal sausage), but the meat pies and neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes) are all my own doing.”

  ‘How?”

  “My mum gave me the recipes and I am a pretty good cook.”

  “Your mum?”

  “Yes, she is still in Scotland, not too far from Aberdeen. She brought me here when I was a wee lad, but returned to her home to live with her sister in Fraserburgh some years back.”

  “Fraserburgh? That’s not but a few miles from my home. My mum is there.” She knew Ian’s mother had passed, but did he mentally invent a new mother or forgot that she died? Was this man her Ian? Would she ever know? She wished she could tell him that she was his fiancée, but the doctor had warned her that if he was indeed her Ian, that a sudden shock might cause more mental damage. It would have to come in his own time. She didn’t know how long she could go one with the charade, pretending she didn’t know him. What if he regained his memory? Would things be the same as they had been or would his personality have changed? What if he never remembered her? What if he didn’t want to remember?

  He almost startled her when he asked her to join him at the card table, pulling out her chair. Shaking her head slightly as if to clear her mind of the thoughts, she sat down. She didn’t know what to attack first. Heather smiled to herself for just a minute. In reality, she thought of attacking the handsome man in front of her. Her body was starved with sexual desires. She and Ian had decided to abstain until their wedding, although it had not stopped their yearning. What if she did something to re-kindle his passion? Then suppose he was not Ian, but another man instead? What would happen if she gave her body to a stranger just because he looked like her deceased or missing love? If Ian came back, could they live with that? Better attack the delicious meal in front of her. The mealie pudding first. How long had it been since she had tasted that oatmeal sausage that was “home”? Then the oatcakes lathered with butter. Mhmm, she closed her eyes as she placed a piece of butter fried mealie pudding in her mouth.

  Duncan smiled. Wait until she saw what he had planned for dessert. This was one way to increase her small frame. Linda Sue had confided in him that she was concerned about her friend. Although her worry was that Heather had seemed to have lost her appetite since the loss of Ian and lost a significant loss of weight as well, she hadn’t told this man the entire story. Just that she was losing too much for her health. Duncan confirmed that he would continue to provide her with treats from her home while taking her out to the many great restaurants in the area. Although he traveled a great deal to review the restaurants, he had discovered that though there were the few fantastic ones in small towns, there were few places that had clusters of great ones. This area was blessed with so many.

  He wanted to tell her not to eat too much and save room for the dessert, but didn’t. It was more important that she just eat, to even get plump. That had always been his favorite form on women; just a little full figured. It would take a long time for Heather to become that way. For a moment, he surprised himself. He was thinking of Heather in a romantic way. That was not his intention when he became acquainted with her.

  “Oh, Duncan, this is so so, so, so good. It’s been ages, it seems, since I had a meal I truly love. Something of my home.”

  “Who would believe someone would go nuts over an oatmeal sausage and a hard oat cake similar to hard tack?” Duncan laughed.

  “Hey, I put up with so many of your American dishes.”

  “You forget; I am from Scotland. I may have left there at a young age, but my mum raised me on the traditional foods and….when I go home to visit mum, I eat all the good foods there. My mum won’t even try anything I might want to prepare for her. She says she endured that foreign food enough when she lived here.”

  “I’ll have to admit I do like many of these foreign (as she calls it) dishes. That Italian food at Pasta Bella in Pismo was great. There were so many good meals at the Apple Farm Restaurant. But this…I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Wait till you see and taste dessert.”

  “I’m saving the room and stopping all this now. I can have a doggie bag, can’t I? What is it?” she was referring to the dessert.

  He reache
d into the refrigerator and pulled out two tall dessert glasses. One contained an unlit candle. “Cranachan, my own version of a birthday treat.” He said proudly as he lit the candle and sang a short happy birthday.

  “Thank you so much. You mean Cream Crowdie?”

  “Either name is fine. Do you like it? Linda Sue told me it was your birthday. I hope all this meets with your approval.”

  “It does and thank you. How could I not love my cake? All that cream with honey and whisky with raspberries and toasted oats. That is how you made it, right?”

  “You got it. And I have more recipes in store for another time.”

  “Duncan, you’re wonderful.” She rose and hugged him. “Oops, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

  “You don’t need to stop. I kind of like it.” that surprised him. Her momentary hug felt good. He almost held her close, but thought he shouldn’t, well, not yet. To get too close to her at this time would defeat his purpose. He had to find out a great deal more about her.

  Though she hesitated to ask him about the hidden part of the fifth wheel, soon necessity called. She would have to use the facilities.

  “May I…?” she gestured to the closed door.”

  “Oh, yes,” he rose from his chair and opened the sliding door. “When you want to come out, just push this button from the other side and slide the door open.

  “Thank you.” Heather went into the bedroom/ bathroom. It was so much more than anticipated. The bathroom was simple, obviously everything cleaned and done in shades of brown and tan. The bedroom contained a seemingly huge king size bed with little, if any, room to spare. The two large windows were covered with heavy dark tan drapes, matching the bed cover. There were a few throw pillows of lighter shades of brown nicely tossed across the back. It was a darkened room made for day and nighttime sleeping. Very nice and masculine. Not a woman’s touch anywhere.

  She dried her hands on the plain light tan hand towel and opened the door. “Very nice,” she commented.

  “I like it.” he smiled. He had taken a lot of time to make this fifth wheel his home. “You’ve got to try the bed.”

  “Hmm?” she questioned. That was quick. Was Linda Sue right? Was this his no tell motel on wheels?

  “Her look was obvious. “Oh, I mean, just sit on the edge. It’s a Temperpedic and so very comfortable. Try it.”

  “Oh, my. That is soft. Linda Sue has mentioned getting one for my bed.”

  “Lie back and enjoy while I pick up these dishes.” He was very proud of his comfort, but wanted her to feel comfortable and alone in the bedroom.

  She did lie back, but only for a few moments. As she looked up above the bed, she noted a small skylight covered with a pillow. “What’s this?” she pointed upward.

  “That? Oh, I like to look at the moon and stars when I go to bed, although actually, it is meant for air circulation.”

  She returned to the living room/ kitchen/ office area. “This is quite a home. I can’t imagine why you didn’t show it to me before this.”

  “I just feel most women wouldn’t approve of this as a home. It’s perfect for me and my line of work, but not exactly a white picket fence type home.”

  “You have all you need and it’s convenient. What more could one want? Although, I agree, there is hardly a place for a companion. No closet space.”

  “Wait. Let me show you.” He placed the last clean plate in the cabinet and opened a large door across from the refrigerator. It was a very deep closet with lower drawers. All unused. “And…” he went into the bathroom and opened several doors. “This is plenty of room for the clothing I need.”

  “I guess the right wife wouldn’t mind a small place for clothing. But where do you put winter jackets and such?”

  “I have adequate storage under the bed. I just lift the bed up and the area beneath holds 9 boxes about a foot high. There are several winter jackets there and in the summer time, I put the lighter clothing. Plenty of space.”

  “How about kitchen appliances?”

  “The full cabinet right across the front of the fifth wheel holds a great deal of stuff like that and there is even some extra space under the television.”

  “Amazing. I really like it.”

  “Me too. And I am glad you approve. Not too many women would.”

  “I don’t know about you, but the home I grew up in was not all that elaborate or big. Not what you see here.”

  “Thanks.”

  “What about settling down with a family? Not all that much room for children if and when.”

  “I don’t see that for a long time. My job requires me to be on the road. This way, I have all I need.”

  The sun was beginning to set and Duncan insisted that they stay just a little longer to enjoy the view. So many colors dancing across the blue water and the white sail boats. True to her job, Heather started snapping photos. These scenes too would make great paintings. It did sound like a great idea for a bachelor to live in a place like this and travel to work. But a woman would want more space and that was a lot of desk space. It was all geared for him alone. What about a family, children? Someday, perhaps, she would definitely want children.