I scroll through the photos I took on the hike, anticipating the smile on Graeme’s face when he sees the ones I took of the gorse along the way.I’ve found myself strangely fascinated by the shrubs, with their prickly spikes and bright-yellow flowers that perfume the air with a coconut scent.Graeme and Brodie think it’s hilarious, considering gorse is so common here and is often considered a nuisance due to being an invasive species.There are also multiple shots of the city from various heights, mixed with candid shots of the group as we hiked, plus photos of magpies and jackdaws, both of which I had to have Graeme identify for me on our first day, since I’d never seen either.
Graeme gently takes the camera from me when I reach the series of group photos we took before we began our trek up the hill.Drew surprised me the other day with a tripod and remote, saying the group selfies we took on our phones were nice to have, but didn’t show enough of whatever we were posing in front of, especially in a place with views as dramatic as Scotland.It came in handy over the last two days on our road trip through the Highlands, and again today when we stopped in Holyrood Park for an impromptu photoshoot.The extinct volcano made the perfect backdrop, complete with a few fluffy clouds in an otherwise clear blue sky, a sight that’s been a rarity since our arrival.
Graeme laughs under his breath as he looks at the dozen or so group photos.About half of them are of the five of us looking at the camera and smiling, while the rest are ones I snapped while we were talking and laughing as we got into place.
Graeme looks at me with an affectionate smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.“I want to frame every single one of these.”
“Me too.”I glance at the photo he’s paused on.Brodie is staring off into the distance with a hand shading his eyes, while Drew and Fern lean into each other, their heads thrown back in laughter.Graeme and I are standing slightly apart from them, our eyes locked as we grin at each other like we’re sharing a secret.
I don’t remember the moment this photo was taken, but this isn’t the first time I’ve captured an unconscious, almost intimate moment between us.Being here in Scotland isn’t the only thing that’s elicited a visceral reaction from me.Something has been slowly shifting between Graeme and me over the last few days.I can’t put it into words, but it’s that same tug deep within, the same sensation ofrightness.
“We should probably join the others,” I say, hopping up from the rock so suddenly Graeme looks startled.He stands slowly, his eyes never leaving my face as he loops the camera strap around my neck.
As we approach the group, I snap yet another candid shot, this time of Brodie gazing adoringly at Drew as she tells him something, her features animated, and her hands gesturing wildly to illustrate.Fern is packing up the remnants of our picnic, and offers me the last shortbread cookie.It feels as if we’ve been eating non-stop since we arrived, with regular snack breaks being a must.Our first couple of days here, the girls and I bought nearly every snack food we’d never heard of, both sweet and savoury.When Mr.and Mrs.MacKinlay found out, they stocked the kitchen with all kinds of treats and told us to save our money for souvenirs and experiences.
“I knew that blue sky wouldn’t last long,” Brodie says at the same moment a shadow falls across me and the temperature dips.
As a Canadian, I’m used to changeable and unpredictable weather—this spring alone, there were times when the weather changed drastically from day to day or sometimes within the same day—but Scotland is a whole different story.Drew and I have dubbed it ‘weather whiplash’.Yesterday evening when we got back from our road trip, the weather was mild and overcast.By the time we stored our overnight bags, got something to eat, and headed back out, a thick fog had descended.We went for a walk anyway and were glad we did; seeing this Gothic city shrouded in mist added to the moody, atmospheric feel, and made us feel like we’d stepped back in time.
“Better get a move on,” Graeme says now.His voice is as even as always, but I don’t miss the wary glance he casts at the darkening sky.Steel-grey clouds are closing in, and the city below appears hazy, which means the fog is returning.
A shiver runs through me as the temperature drops further.We all pitch in, collecting empty containers and garbage, and shoving everything into the backpack we used for the picnic.I hate to put my camera away, but I stow it safely in my bag to avoid getting it wet.Brodie has just directed us to the easiest route off the hill when the sky splits open and cold rain lashes down.
Drew and I let out twin cries of surprise.My face and hair are soaked before I even have a chance to flip my hood up.I pull it tightly around my face, squinting against the deluge as I pick my way over the rocky path.I’m slower than the others, so I end up at the rear, watching as they splash through the newly-formed puddles and patches of mud, their voices and laughter ringing out over the sound of rain pounding the earth.
Up ahead, Graeme stops suddenly and looks around.“You doing all right there, Pumpkin Spice?”he calls.
“Yeah, I’m fi—” The last word turns into a shriek as I slip in a patch of mud.Time slows to a crawl as my feet fly out from under me.Before I fully realize I’m falling, I see Graeme’s smile drop and his eyes go wide.He darts forward, but he’s too far away.The next thing I know, I’m on the ground, with my right hip taking the brunt of the impact.
Graeme slides in the mud as he rushes to my side.He crouches next to me, leaning in to shelter me somewhat from the rain.“Are you all right?Are you hurt?”
I do a mental scan of my body before tentatively moving my legs.Pain shoots through my hip, but otherwise I’m fine.“What is it people say when they fall spectacularly in front of someone else?I’m physically fine, but my ego is a bit bruised?”
Even over the pounding rain, I can hear the relief in Graeme’s laugh.“I thought we’d be past being embarrassed around each other by now.”He pushes my damp hair back and readjusts my hood to protect my face from the rain.“Think you can stand?”
I nod and reach for his hand, but he moves behind me and gently lifts me, waiting until I’m steady on my feet before releasing me.For some reason, having him pick me up out of the mud is almost as mortifying as falling in front of him.The feeling fades when I see the concern in his eyes as they study my face and then dip down to the hip I fell on.
“How about a collie bucky?”he asks.
I laugh, thinking back to a few weeks ago when he found me after my breakup with Tripp and offered me a piggyback ride home because my boots were pinching my toes.Just like that day, part of me thinks he wants to lighten the mood, and yet I know if I said yes, he’d kneel without a word and wait while I climbed on his back.
“As tempting as that is, if you slipped in the mud and webothwent down, it could do more damage than me falling on my ass just now.”
“True enough,” Graeme says.“All right then, we’ll go slow.There’s no rush.”
“No rush,” I echo, tilting my head up to look at the sky and regretting it immediately as cold rain smacks me in the face.
Graeme takes my hand, and we continue down the hill.He lets me set the pace and doesn’t comment on how overly cautious I am around patches of mud or uneven parts of the path.By the time we catch up with the others, they’ve reached the bottom, and the rain has stopped as suddenly as it started.Becauseof courseit has.
Drew spots us first, and her face lights up the way it always does, whether it’s been minutes, hours, or days since we last saw each other.“Did you two take the scenic route?”Her gaze drops to where Graeme’s and my hands are still linked.
I offer my best friend a rueful smile.“Graeme noticed that I kept slipping in the mud, and he offered to stick with me.”
The others let out a chorus of ‘aww’ and ‘that’s nice’, although I can tell Drew feels bad.That’s part of the reason I didn’t mention the fall; my friends are protective, especially Drew, which means they’d fuss over me if they knew I fell.Plus, I’d rather not relive the moment.
We head out of Holyrood Park and back toward the Royal Mile.I tune into the others’ conversation as we get closer to MacKinlay Tower, smiling to myself when I realize they’re arguing over who’s going to shower first.When we enter the building a minute later, my hip is throbbing.I swallow a groan at the thought of climbing the winding stone stairs, even though it’s just two flights.
Graeme’s gaze keeps flicking to me as we ascend the stairs.The glint in his eyes makes me think he’s going to offer to carry me again.As we reach the small landing outside Mr.and Mrs.MacKinlay’s apartment, Graeme’s hand slips into mine, and he winks at me.
