Meet Me in Scotland (31 page)

E
mma stopped abruptly as Dominic cracked open the door and stuck his head into the sanctuary. “It's about time you two figured things out. Father Andrew wants to turn off the lights and get over to Moira and Kenneth's for dinner.”

Gabriel pulled Emma to her feet and tucked her into his side.

Dominic held the door open for them. “Claire and I know you want to be alone, but we've planned a special family dinner for the four of us at the restaurant.”

Emma looked up at Gabriel. She needed to tell him about the baby. And Claire, too, for that matter. She glanced at the cross hanging over the altar.
Why is God keeping me from telling them this gigantic piece of truth that will affect all of our lives?

Dominic shot his brother a knowing glance. “Claire won't take no for an answer. Whatever you two have in mind can wait until later, is what she says.”

Emma murmured, “That's not what the pot usually says to the kettle.” Her stomach took that moment to growl. “All right, then. Let's go eat.”

After Gabriel hung his robe and retrieved his coat, the two couples walked back to the restaurant. As they
opened the door, the smell of garlic and yummy food hit Emma's nose and made her mouth water. One table had been dressed in a gold tablecloth, garland strung down the center, and candles interspersed in the greenery. Claire lit the candles while Dominic brought in their traditional Italian Christmas feast—Italian wedding soup, lasagna, veal parmesan, tomatoes and basil, orange salad, garlic mushrooms and broccoli, fresh bread, panettone, and struffoli. Gabriel poured the wine while Emma hung their coats on the rack by the door.

Before they all sat down, Gabriel reached for Emma's hand. “Let's say grace.” As the four friends made a circle around the table, Emma thought she would burst with the love she felt for them. They bowed their heads, and Gabriel prayed from his heart—grateful for the many gifts they'd received, especially the gift of one another.

“Amen.”

When they sat, Gabriel raised his glass. “The first toast goes to the chefs. To Dominic and Claire. For the finest fare and the best friendship.”

They all clinked, but Emma managed to set her glass down without a sip. They dug in, and the food was perfection. As Emma reached for a second helping, the door was flung open.

Deydie stood there with two packages in her hand.

Emma stood up first. “Do you want to join us?”

Gabriel looked like she'd asked Genghis Khan to dine with them. He recovered quickly and stood, too. “We have plenty.”

Dominic was already pulling a chair over to the table, and Claire was clearing a spot for an extra plate.

“Nay, I have to get back to Graham and Caitie's. I just wanted to bring these.” She set the bigger box on Emma's chair but took the smaller one over to Dominic. “Open it.”

Dominic stared down at the present, puzzled. “For me?”

“Aye, for you. Now hurry it up. They'll eat all the Christmas pudding without me,” Deydie said.

Dominic pried the lid off the box and pulled out the present—a kilt made in the Douglas plaid, Claire's family tartan. He turned to Deydie with a confused look on his face.

“Ye're a fine cook, Dominic. The town got together and decided to make you an honorary Scot. Go put it on. I want to see you in it before I leave.”

Claire put her arm around Deydie as he left with his kilt slung over his arm. “You're not the tough ole bird you want us to believe, are ye?”

Deydie cackled. “If it 'tweren't Christmas, I'd take a broom to yere backside for that cheek.”

Gabriel came to stand next to Emma, as if he couldn't stand to be away from her. She turned her face up to smile at him, and he put an arm around her waist.

Deydie winked at her. “What'd I tell ye, lass? Everything's going to be okay.”

Emma gave her a weak smile. She might have told Gabriel that she loved him, but she hadn't dropped the other shoe yet.
The baby shoe.

“Deydie, where's
my
kilt?” Gabriel challenged.

The old woman shook her head. “Ye're already a Scot. And any doc that can make stitches as good as ye has a place in my town. Anytime you want to learn how to quilt, I'd be right proud to be yere teacher.”

Gabriel gave her a genuine smile. “That means a lot coming from you.”

Dominic came out and proudly modeled his new look.

Claire whistled. “You were born to wear a kilt. Spin around so I can get a good look at you.”

“The Douglas tartan fits ye well,” Deydie said. Then she turned and pointed to the other box. “Emma, that's for you to give the doc. Now I need to get going.”

“Wait.” Claire grabbed the bread basket and dumped its contents into a napkin, tying the ends. Dominic nabbed a bottle of wine from the rack. They both got to Deydie before she lumbered out the door.

“For ye and yours,” Claire said.

“Happy Christmas.” Dominic kissed her cheek. “Thank you for the kilt.”

“'Twasn't me, I told ye. It was the town.”

“I know,” Dominic said, smiling.

Deydie gathered the items into her arms, gave Emma a bolstering nod, and waved to them all at the door with the wine bottle in her hand. “Good night to ye,” she said, and was gone.

As soon as the door shut behind her, Claire turned to Emma. “Help me get the dishes cleared. I need to get my man upstairs and de-kilt him.”

“What about my present?” Gabriel asked.

“You and Emma can open it back at your place or the dorm,” Claire said. “I'm a wee bit impatient to get my husband alone.” She gave Dominic a smoldering look as she grabbed the empty bread basket.

“What happened to
it can wait until later
?” Emma asked.

Claire winked at her. “It's later, don't you think?”

Emma picked up the lasagna dish, hoping this was the right time to come clean with her friend.

When the two of them were behind the kitchen doors, Emma grabbed her arm. “There's still something you need to know.”

“What, Emms? Is everything okay? You and Gabriel seem happy.”

Emma chewed her lip. “I have news and I'm worried how you're going to take it.”

“Nothing could spoil this perfect Christmas,” Claire assured her.

Emma took her hand. “First, I want you to know that I'd never do anything on purpose to hurt you. You are the sister of my heart.”

“I know.” Claire looked back at her lovingly.

“But accidents happen.”

Claire looked worried, but put on a brave face. “It'll be fine, whatever it is.”

Emma took a deep breath. “Claire, I'm pregnant. I just found out.”

Claire stood, spellbound. “You're pregnant?” she whispered.

Emma nodded and waited, not able to breathe until Claire said something more.

“Oh, Emma.” Claire pulled her into her arms and hugged the stuffing out of her. “I couldn't be happier. Really!”

“So you're not upset with me?” Emma said tentatively.

“Nay. Dominic and I talked. We're going to wait to have a bairn. I'm not ready yet. Amy's baby showed me a thing or two about what it takes to have a babe.” Claire squealed. “But I'll love being an auntie and practicing my baby skills on yere wee one.” She stopped for a moment. “Does Gabriel know?”

“Not yet.”

“Well, you'd better get to it before I blab the news to Dominic and the whole damn town knows.” Claire pushed Emma toward the double swinging doors. “Dom and I'll clean up this mess. You go talk to your man.”

When Emma marched into the dining room, the men
looked up. “I've been banned from the kitchen.” She pulled their winter jackets from their hooks and turned to Gabriel. “Are you ready to go?”

He raised one eyebrow at her. “What do you think?”

“I think it's a yes
.
”

“A resounding
yes.
” He helped her into her coat.

Emma turned to Dominic. “Thanks for everything.”

Dominic nodded, but his thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. Perhaps on the feisty Scottish woman washing dishes in the kitchen.

When they got outside, Emma looked up at Gabriel. “Your place or mine?”

“Mine.” He took the box from her. “Here, hold my arm. It's getting a little slippery.”

She grabbed hold of him and let his strength guide her over the path that led to the doctor's quarters. At his place, they went upstairs into the living room. Gabriel set the box on the sofa and pulled Emma into his arms for a long, tender kiss. He seemed in no hurry, letting the kiss speak for him of love and steadfastness, forever and commitment. When he ended the kiss, he pulled her to the sofa, next to the Christmas present she'd wrapped.

“What's in it?” He beamed at her and she got a glimpse of the boy he once was.

He untied the bow and pulled out the beautiful quilt, unfolding it. He flipped it around, looking as if he were taking it all in.

She smiled, happy with how it had turned out. At a distance, the scrappy blues had come together with a four-sided motif in the center with Log Cabin blocks accentuating its presence. The rest of the quilt had blue stars that Emma thought were stunning. She wanted to take back her less than kind thoughts toward the village quilters. They hadn't wanted Gabriel to have a scrappy
mess of a quilt; they'd wanted him to have something unique and special.

Emma loved Gabriel's thrilled expression, too. She stood, taking the other end and holding it up. “It's called the Gandiegow Doctor quilt. It's an old Gandiegowan tradition. Whenever a new doctor comes into the village, they give him a quilt his first Christmas here.” She turned the quilt so he could see. “It has baby William's name and birthdate right there. Whenever a new baby is born, a patch will be sewn on with the babe's name.” She thought of her own babe growing inside her—
Gabriel's baby
—and her cheeks flushed.
Our baby's name will be on this quilt, too.

“What's this?” He had found the tag. “You made this quilt, Emma?” He stared at her in wonder.

“Yes.” She gave him a sheepish smile.

“This quilt means even more, knowing that you were the one to make it.” He pulled her down to his level and kissed her again.

She cut it short, though. She still had to tell him about the baby, before things got too out of hand. Her mouth went suddenly dry. “I'm thirsty. Do you mind fixing me a glass of water?”

“Anything for you, luv.” He kissed her hand, laid the quilt aside, and left for the kitchen.

As she slipped off her coat, her phone rang. It was Mum
.

“Happy Christmas,” Emma answered.

“Yes, I hope it will be. Hold on, I'll put you on speaker.”

“I'm here, too,” her father said.

Her mother got right to the point. “Have you signed those papers yet? Your father and I have been waiting.”

Emma shook her head and smiled at her phone, forgiving them.
They will never change.
That was okay; she
would love them, anyway. In that instant Emma forgave herself, too.

For the first time ever, she would speak to her parents honestly about who she really was. “I've haven't been true to myself, Mum and Dad. I've spent my whole life trying to please you.” Emma had believed if she did everything that they wanted her to, somehow the family she'd always fantasized about would miraculously appear. She wanted parents who loved each other like Emma knew in her heart lovers were supposed to. Like Claire and Dominic. Like she and Gabriel loved each other. The hard truth was, her parents would never have a happily-ever-after because they weren't wired that way. And that was okay. For them, but not for Emma.

“I can't tell you how grateful I am to both of you for guiding me toward psychology. For the first time, I see I can really make a difference, that I can really help others.”

“Emma?” her mother said in her firmest tone. “What are you trying to say?”

“Mum and Dad, I love you. But I won't be working with you in the future. You're on your own.”

“What?” her parents said together.

“And there's something more. I have a Christmas present for you, actually. You're going to be grandparents.”

*   *   *

Gabe stopped in the doorway, water sloshing over the top of Emma's glass.
Emma is pregnant?
He stared at her, not believing what he'd just heard. Quietly he backed away from the threshold, then dashed to his bedroom and retrieved the small box with his mother's ring in it.

When he got back to the living room, Emma was just signing off with her folks.

“I'll call you after the New Year. Bye.”

She turned around and stilled when she saw him. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough.” He walked toward her and then dropped to one knee.

Emma gasped. “What are you doing?”

“What I've wanted to do since I got back from Edinburgh.” He took her hand in his and kissed it. “Emma, will ye marry me?” His emotions felt as thick as his brogue. “I've waited so long for the right lass to come along. You can't deny me. You just can't.” He was begging, but he didn't care.

She looked worried, and he knew why.

He opened the box and produced his mother's opal. “I'm not asking you to marry me because of the bairn. But God, I'm so happy, I could shout it to the world.” He gently put the ring on her finger. “I went to Edinburgh to get this.
For you.
I also wanted to talk to my da about love and marriage.” He gave her a sideways grin. “Casper MacGregor is a wise man. He said I could do none better than you. He remembers the long talk that you two had after Claire and Dominic's wedding. He told me all about it. He thinks a lot of you, Emma.”

She gazed down at the ring. “Yes, we talked about relationships. He spoke of your mother.”