There was more in the entry, but Veronicastopped reading to gape at Lachlan. She still hadn’t told herhusband they were expecting and hadn’t planned to until she was onehundred percent sure and therefore showing. Apparently he’d pickedup on that detail too.
Lachlan’s lips lifted into a small smile.“You will birth my bairns,” he proudly announced.
“Sooner than you think,” she hesitantlyadmitted.
His eyes widened. “You are pregnant?” hemurmured.
Her face flushed. “Yeah. I’m prettysure.”
Before she knew what was what, Lachlanpicked her up and twirled her around. His happiness was catching.Veronica grinned down at him, her arms wrapping around hisneck.
“Look at this, sis,” Victor said on achuckle. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “My entrybasically lists my accomplishments. Guess what the last one listedis?”
Lachlan set Veronica on her feet, but kepthis arm protectively around her. “What is it?” she asked. “What’syour final accomplishment?”
“The invention of the bidet-toilette,” hesaid with much amusement.
Veronica laughed. “Thank God. But let’s makethat one your next accomplishment rather than your last one.”
“Agreed. Well, sort of. According to theencyclopedic entry, I do end up creating a vaccine for Clan Gunn. Isuppose that’ll come next, but the bidet-toilette will quicklyfollow.”
“You create a vaccine in 1155 A.D.?Impressive.”
“According to my entry, I do. Only for ClanGunn, though.”
Veronica shrugged. “You only have a limitednumber of needles so that makes sense.”
“True.”
“Who is that?” Catriona interrupted, hernose wrinkling. “Look at the screen.”
Everyone’s gazes flew back to the AIscanner. A beautiful woman with caramel skin and green eyesreminiscent of Veronica’s appeared on the other end of it.Curiously, she was also wearing the emerald circlet Lachlan was socrazy about.
The woman had left them a message orsomething. It looked to have been pre-recorded. Curious, everyoneleaned in closer.
“Grandmother, Grandfather, Aunt, andUncle,”she began in ancient Gaelic, her accent distinctlymodern Scottish.“I am your granddaughter, Arabella VI, Queen ofall Scots. On behalf of humanity, I give you my thanks for yourfortitude and sacrifices. The year is now 2095, twenty years fromthe time Grandmother and Uncle left this world for the one you nowinhabit. I wanted you to know that all you have accomplished willnever be forgotten. The war between the living and the dead will beremembered by you as a brutal struggle, yet in our time, in ourworld, it was but a blip on the screen. Lives were still lost,unfortunately, but the virus was killed early on.”
Veronica placed her hand on Victor’sshoulder. He paused the transmission, glanced back at her, andsmiled. They had changed the future in more ways than one.
“I wonder if mom and dad are still alive inthis new future,” Victor said, his voice emotional. “I hopeso.”
“Me too.” Her smile was soft. “I’d like tothink they know what we did and the significance it carried.”
“Anything is possible now,” Victor saidhopefully. “Literally anything.”
“We’ll likely never know,” Veronicaadmitted, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t believe if we chooseto.”
Victor inclined his head. “I choose to.”
“Me too.”
Her brother unpaused the prerecorded messagesent back through time. Her granddaughter—hergranddaughter!—resumed speaking.
“This is the only transmission you willreceive from me so I pray you see it. I have recently bore my sonand heir. He was christened His Royal Majesty, Prince Lachlan ofScotland. One day Grandfather’s namesake will rule this land asking as wisely and just as Grandfather will soon rule the whole ofthe Highlands. Whilst humanity still faces its fair share ofstruggles, in Scotland at least we have hope for a remarkablefuture. Thank you for all that you have done to make this ourreality. Your names will live on forevermore. With all my love andrespect, your granddaughter, Queen Arabella VI.”
Lachlan squeezed Veronica tightly. “Ourgranddaughter,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “She hasthe look of you. So beautiful.”
Veronica smiled up to him. “With your noseand chin. She’s gorgeous.”
