Two.
Isaac’s fingers interlink with mine where I hold Blair, the room too dark for anyone to see.
I say the words back. I tell her I love her and then I look at Isaac and something clicks in the universe.
One.
There’s a cheer and flickers of light across the room and the loch. Auld Lang Syne starts to play. The circle in the floor starts to form, people singing along and someone plays the bagpipes, another set joining in.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp!
and surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Is it right to forget times past?
My hands are in Blair’s and Isaac’s, the circle singing along, children awake and hugging parents. New Year’s Eves that have gone before surface in my memory but I push them back. There’s no reason to be sour and as much as the words of the song are a nod to what’s happened in the past, I don’t want to dwell there. The last verse starts and we let go of each other’s hands, cross our arms over our chests and then taking hands again. It’s an old tradition that’s difficult after too many drinks, but something in the song always seems to help. As the words reach their conclusion we rush into the middle of the circle and then back out again, going under arms to face outwards without breaking hold. Shortly, someone will be the first footer, entering the castle with coal.
Laughter echoes around the room, people grabbing coats and scarves. Blair grabs my arm, her face full of excitement. “The fireworks are going to start! We should go outside.” She drags both me an Isaac along with her and pulls us to the patioed area immediately outside where there’s already a crowd, champagne and whisky being handed out. A myriad of colours cross the skies, bangs and whizzes eliciting calls and cries from the people watching.
We stand at the back, Blair in between us, my arms around her, Isaac’s arm around her waist, touching me with his hand.
No one stands behind us, no one is there to watch. In another couple of hours the castle will be silent again, the partygoers in bed or back at the cottages that have been opened to house them. But even though we’re surrounded by people, it feels like it’s just us.
“Did you mean what you said?” Blair manages to make herself heard over the fireworks.
“What about?” It’s a tease.
She rolls her eyes. “How you feel about me.”
I see the girl I met years before and the woman I met some months ago and wonder at which point I fell in love with her because I don’t know. Maybe it was forever ago or maybe it was when I found her in a maze.
“What? That I think you’re alright?”
She turns around, putting her back to the fireworks, closing into me and putting an mittened hand on Isaac’s waist.
“You think I’m more than alright, Benjamin Smith.”
“Just a bit.” I look at Isaac. “You’re okay too.”
