Chapter 77

"So, that was dull," Shawna said.

Hope stopped abruptly causing Marcus and Shawna to turn back to face her.

"I'm sorry, Honey, but it was," Shawna shrugged. "Would you rather I lied?"

"If you can't say anything nice," Marcus muttered, pulling at the collar of the shirt they'd picked out for him, "don't say anything at all."

"If only they hadn't said anything," Shawna replied, a little abashed... "I mean, the sermon was way too long — and I couldn't understand most of it, anyway."

"He does have a rather strong accent," Hope admitted. "I thought you'd like the hymns, though."

"If they'd picked good ones. Jerusalem, anyone?"

"Oh, yes. In England's green and pleasant land goes down really well in Stornoway, Sho!" Hope giggled, starting to walk again.

"Alright, it's a good hymn but maybe not a good choice. Guide Me Oh Thou Great Redeemer?"

"Welsh," Marcus interjected.

"What?"

"It's Welsh, or at least they sing it a lot. It'll be on the rugby this afternoon."

"There's rugby on?" someone nearby asked.

"Alison! Caerys!" Hope squealed the names, and turned around. "I thought you guys were in Dundee still."

Two girls, obviously sisters if not twins, pulled up alongside them. Hope hugged them both, one after the other. The one on the right was very obviously eyeing up Marcus, and the one on the left only slightly less obviously giving Shawna a once over.

Shawna preened under the attention. Marcus was oblivious to it.

"Ladies, these are Marcus and Shawna, my flatmates from Glasgow. These are Alison," she gestured to the girl on the right, "and Caerys, both of whom abandoned me here last year to run away to university in Dundee."

"How're you finding it?" Alison asked, as they took Hope's arms between them and started leading towards the top of the nearby hill.

"It's alright. Computing's harder than I thought, the journalism's not as much fun as I thought."

"Computing's easy," Alison laughed. "At least it is when I'm sober."

"And?" Caerys leaned in, nudged Hope with her shoulder.

"And what?"

"Have you found anyone to replace me?"

"Oh, what's this?" Shawna hurried forward a little, taking Caerys' other arm in hers. Seeing them all occupied with the conversation, Marcus let himself trail back a little, uncertain how to fit in.

"Nothing," Hope muttered unconvincingly.

"Yeah, right!"

"No, really. It's just an old joke," Caerys said and tried to laugh it off at first, but then she caught something in the look that passed between Hope and Shawna. "Oh, you."

"Yes, her!" Hope mumbled.

"Has she relaxed enough to do anything more than kiss you yet?" Caerys asked, turning on Shawna.

"Leave here alone, Rys!" Alison admonished, letting go of Hope long enough to nudge her sister's shoulder.

"I'm only asking!"

"What about you?" Hope wondered. "Did you find anyone in Dundee?"

"One a week!" Alison muttered.

"Hey!" Caerys objected, and Alison poked her tongue out, the pair of them devolving into laughter as they drew to a halt by a heavy, wrought-iron bench.

"It's probably true," Caerys admitted. "I mean, not one a week, exactly, but I've not found anyone special yet."

"Doesn't stop you bringing them back to the flat," Alison pointed out.

"Should it?" Shawna asked with a shrug.

"I like her!" Caerys laughed. "So you didn't stray too far from my example then, Hope?"

"Not too far, no," Hope said, watching Marcus wander across the open space in front of the bench to read the plaque on the triangulation point. "And then, further than you might think."

"Anyway," Caerys said, poking Alison's shoulder as she sat down, "it's not like you've been celibate or anything."

"No, but two guys since we got there last year, compared to your two girls in the week before we came home?"

"How are things with Kieran?" Hope asked, turning to Alison.

"We broke it off," she shrugged. "He's transferring to Southampton, says he's got a job down there."

"It wasn't serious enough for a long-distance thing?" Shawna wondered.

"I thought it was. He didn't." Alison admitted, staring at her shoes.

"I'm sorry. I..." Shawna trailed off, unsure how to follow that up.

"I keep telling her she should come out to a party or two with me. Find someone else," Caerys said.

"And I keep telling you that the guys at your parties aren't looking for someone to talk to. They're looking for a hole to dip their wick in, hopefully before they're too drunk not to be able to."

"You don't like the party guys?" Hope asked, and Alison shook her head. "Me neither."

"You don't need guys at all," Caerys pointed out to Hope, gesturing towards Shawna. "Anyway, speaking of Ali's predilection for introvert slash closet-stalkers — who's the shy guy?" She pointed towards Marcus. "Maybe we can set Ali up?"

"I don't think so," Hope muttered, and Shawna stifled a laugh.

"Gay?" Alison wondered.

"No, just taken," Shawna replied.

"Ah," The sisters offered in unison, before Caerys continued. "If he's taken, why's he here with you two, and not with her?"

"Well," Hope said as she picked at her nails and looked to Shawna for some advice. Shawna could only shrug, not knowing how the girls would take the news, but not minding if Hope decided to share. "He ... He is with his girlfriend."

"Oh, you brought someone else? What is this? Camp Hope?"

"No, there's no-one else. Just the three of us."

"OK, I'm officially confused." Alison put her hand up, and Caerys joined her.

"Me, too."

"Maybe," Shawna said, leaning forward so she could see them both, "it would be better to say that he's here with his girlfriends. Plural."

"Oh ... OH!" Caerys stared across at Marcus with wide eyes, then back and forth between Hope and Shawna. "Damn! And I thought I was risking exorcism coming back here. You brought them with you!"

"Damn, girl," Alison said, obviously shocked. "What if your dad finds out?"

"He already knows."

"And you're still alive! How did your mum take it?"

"You didn't hear?" Hope's spirits dropped, visibly

Both girls shook their heads.

"Mum died over the Christmas break."

"Oh, shit! Hope, I'm so sorry."

Alison hugged her again, and Caerys leant past Shawna to rub her shoulder in sympathy.

"We didn't come home at Christmas. That's the first I've heard of it."

"It was sudden. So it was quick, too.".

"How's your Dad? I mean, with this on top of it. Is there anything we can do?"

"No, it's ... He's coping. He's lonely, but Faith's popping back regularly."

"Of course," Alison said. "With her husband away at the moment, I'm surprised she's not staying at the guest-house full time."

"Well, Faith's always found dad easier to deal with in small doses," Hope admitted.

"Enough of such morbidity!" Alison stood up, calling loudly enough that Marcus turned towards them. Shawna beckoned him, and had to do so again before he reluctantly approached.

"Does he think we're going to bite?" Caerys muttered.

"He's a bit like Tommy," Hope explained. "Same condition, a little more experienced."

"Are we scaring him?"

"You always scare boys away," Alison answered her, with an overdone smile. "Listen, we've got to get back soon. Mum's new boyfriend is coming over for the official 'meet the children' dinner."

"Same boyfriend as during summer?" Hope asked.

"Yeah. They're then driving up to the other end of the island to see his family for dinner," Caerys continued, "so we were going to throw a little party tonight. Nothing too fancy, but somewhere where you can let your hair down and be yourselves. Really be yourselves. No-one talks after my parties."

"Well, we're leaving on the first boat in the morning," Hope said, then noticed the bright light in Shawna's expression. "On the other hand, we can sleep on the boat."

"Sounds good to me," Shawna nodded.

"What does?" Marcus asked, as he reached them.

"Honey, you're taking us to a party tonight."

"Aren't I supposed to ask you?" Marcus wondered.

"You can," Hope assured him. "Later. First, let's go back and get unpacked. I don't have anything for a night out that isn't already in my case ready to go."

"See. Never pack early," Shawna said grinning. "You never know when the next party might come."

"Are you OK, honey?" Shawna settled back against the wall and reached out to stroke her hand down Marcus' forearm.

"Getting through," he grunted, easing back a little as someone walked down the narrow hallway past them. "Have you seen Hope?"

"A few times," she admitted, trying to suppress a smirk. "Has she not been down here?"

"No, not yet."

"Have many people?"

"Not really, no."

"So when you say you're getting through," Shawna smiled, deliberately misinterpreting, "is that any particular room or just this little passage that leads to the downstairs loo?"

He slumped a little, and she wrapped her other arm around him and pulled gently to get him off the wall.

"What..." he began, but trailed off. "Do I have to?"

"No, of course not," she assured him, moving alongside him. "I'd like you to. I'm sure Hope wants to introduce you to her friends."

"I don't kno-argh!"

He jumped, flinching aside as the woman who'd passed them returned, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Sorry," he muttered, pressing against the wall.

"Come on, I'll stay with you," Shawna said.

She had to tug on his arm twice before he started to follow, but she encouraged him down to the wide, low-ceilinged room in which most of the guests were mingling. Marcus only remembered to duck at the last moment under the low door lintel, and immediately pulled to the right, almost pulling Shawna off her feet.

"I'll give you benefit of the doubt," she muttered as he pressed up against another wall, "and assume you were coming to talk to our host."

"I just wanted to stand against the wall," he replied, eyes fixed on the toes of his shoes.

"Should I be offended?" Allison asked. Shawna noticed the smile, but Marcus just hunched a little more.

"Sorry," he tried to mutter, but the sound wouldn't come out.

"Relax, honey, she was just trying to make you smile."