‘How is he?’
Sean swigged from his beer and shook his head.
Niall leaned back on the couch, his own weight like a wrecking ball. It was heartbreaking to watch, the unspoken between the two of them that their beloved father was dying, so close to being gone, and there was nothing either of them could do about it. Nothing except be brothers and be there for each other. Except that Niall would soon be flying back to Australia, thousands of miles away from the family.
‘Beautiful, huh?’
Carli was pulled out of her memory to a woman with rosy cheeks and giant, round glasses smiling at her. She waspart of a group of around six women, around Carli’s age, chatting animatedly in a group.
‘It’s perfect,’ Carli agreed, noting that the view was now purple heather, and the skies had turned bruised and moody. ‘Makes you feel calm, like you belong.’
‘It does that to you, too? Us too.’ The woman gestured to her group of travel companions.
The women, as it turned out, were a group of friends from Nebraska who started out as a book group and were now firm friends, and this trip to Scotland was to celebrate the thirtieth birthday of several of the group. Carli told them about her background and her current trip, and her and Niall.
‘We went through a phase of reading Scottish romance books,’ said the woman with the glasses who had introduced herself as Olivia. ‘Those of us who are single were hoping to meet a hot Scotsman on this trip. Don’t suppose since you’ve got one, if you have any idea where they’re all hanging out?’
Carli laughed. ‘I may do. Niall has a couple of brothers who are still single. You’d have to head to the Kintyre peninsula to find them, but there are far worse places to hang out.’
‘I’m there,’ said Olivia. ‘So jealous of your life already.’
Olivia was being friendly and didn’t know Carli well enough to appreciate the grit versus the glamour of her life, but it raised the question what it would be like if she had to explain to a stranger why she and Niall would be living in Australia not Scotland. Her illness, her desire for a clear routine, her dog.
Her, her, her.
Fuck.
No wonder she was glad she hadn’t told them. Just a little distance and it was clear now. The decision had beenall about her. Yes, Niall had made it, but had she fought it with an alternative of her living here?
No, she had not. It was Australia with her or him in Scotland on his own.
Her heart broke for what she’d done to him.
How could she have let that happen?
After dinner and evening entertainment, Carli headed to her cabin. The double bed in the compact wood panelled space was made up with fresh, soft cotton sheets and a goose down duvet, topped with a lambswool tartan blanket and matching cushions. There was a lacquered dresser and bedside cabinet with a small vintage-style lamp lighting up the space, and painted Scottish scenery hanging on the walls.
Carli was tired but noise was filtering through from the main carriage, so she FaceTimed Luci and Glen.
‘Hey, guys, how’s things?’
‘We’re good, Carls.’ Luci’s rosy face filled the screen, the side of Glen’s furry ear visible by her side. ‘You in Queen Victoria’s bedroom or something?’
‘Possibly somewhere she slept in the past. I’m on the posh train. It’s awesome. I wish you could be here.’
‘Ah!’ Luci’s face lit up. ‘Why would I swap cramps and swollen feet for a trip to Scotland? Plus, this way I get to hang out with Glen.’ She snuggled into the dog’s neck, looking happier than ever. ‘We’re bonding. Glen has asked if he can move in permanently.’
‘You better not be feeding him extra chicken. That’s not an even playing field.’
‘Hey, he’s grieving his mamma. He needs to be treated like a good boy. Speaking of which, how’s Niall?’
Carli laughed. ‘He’s good, yeah. Just spending time with his family while I’m here. But listen, how are you?’
‘I’m awesome. We had a little scare with the bubba the other day, but it’s all fine now…’
‘What?’ Carli grabbed the cotton of the bedcovers. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I’m fine. I didn’t want to worry you when you’re so far away that there wouldn’t be anything you could do anyway. And then it was all over, so I figured I’d wait to tell you.’
