Magnus huffed, but he was doing it all in jest for the kids. “What dost ye think Isla? Tis the right size and shape?”
Isla said, “It is perfect for the carving of the heart, Da, it has enough room for all our names on it: Archie, Isla, Jack and Baby Bubba-butt.”
Hayley said, “Who thehellis Baby Bubba-butt?”
Isla said, “Mammy’s next baby, it is not a girl like I wanted, so I get to name him, we decided.”
Magnus laughed. “Good lord, Isla.”
Hayley raised her brow. “Is this true?”
I scoffed from my spot sitting on a rock. “No, none of it is true, I am not pregnant and Isla is not naming a baby Bubba-butt.”
“Good, because we already have a ton of babies, I’m exhausted.”
Isla said, “You’ll see, Mammy, won’t she Da?”
He grinned. “Aye, Isla, she will see.”
Hayley sighed. “I guess we do have a little room for more nieces and nephews, no one was riding on my horse today… so fine, I agree, we can have another baby nephew.”
Isla said, “Another vote for Baby Bubba-butt!”
We all shook our heads, mostly in amusement.
Archie was investigating the branch. He said, “Da, I think this oneisgood, and it does need a chop here.” He pointed at the end with some small twigs and leaves. “Ma can still see you use your axe.” He said it with total innocence about thewhyof the whole conversation.
I said, “How about I watch your Da show you how to use the axe? That would be very fun for an old mom like me. Fills my heart with love to see Da with his bairns, it almost gets me excited for a new baby, almost.But… I tell you all… I’m not pregnant, I would know.” I looked down at Jack, snoozing in my arms, “Besides I still have a baby.”
Jack opened his eyes, looked up at me with a big smile, and... farted.
Fraoch burst out laughing, leading everyone into a full hilarious laugh break.
I changed Jack’s diaper, especially challenging in the great outdoors while he was excitedly squirming to be a part of whatever Archie and Isla were doing. Then I held him in my lap while Magnus showed Archie how to swing the axe and cut the end off the branch in two swings. Finished, Magnus tied thebranch to the back of his horse and joked, “Well, there we go, m’romantic gesture is done.”
Fraoch said, “Ye arna even goin’ tae carve it? Ye are just taking a big stick for later, och nae, Og Maggy, I daena think ye ken anything about romance.”
I said, “I think this might be the most romantic thing he’s ever done.”
Magnus said, “Ye either hae a short memory or ye are lyin’ tae make me feel better, but importantly, dost ye like yer surprise, did I do well with yer gift?”
“Oddly, my love, you did great, I loved the surprise, you did perfectly with the gift. I think this will be one of the gifts I will always remember.”
Fraoch said, “I will always remember it as well, ‘Og Maggy,’ I will say, ‘Remember that time ye made me travel 300 years tae the past with yer bairns, tae sleep on the floor and watch yer castle burn and tae go tae the woods with ye tae pick out a stick?’”
Magnus laughed, “Och nae, Fraoch, ye arna ever goin’ tae let me live this down.”
“Tis true. I will be telling this story in front of the hearths of castles in the eighteenth century, on our deck in Florida, and at the kingdom in the twenty-third century, and there is the point, Og Maggy: ye won yesterday, dinna ye?”
“I did, Fraoch, we all did.”
Then he said, “All right kids, let us load up and go dig up our vessel.”
Hayley, Isla, Jack, and I sat on a rock in front of the tree near the stone circle, while Haggis ran right up to the spot where the boxwas hidden and sniffed around, tail wagging as if saying,here it is!
Magnus said, “Ye are a good boy, Haggis, ye remember where tis after all these years!”
Fraoch laughed, “Twas only a few days ago we buried it.”
