just_muse_me | 19.1.4. Kathleen Norris quote
19.1.4. “Peace - that was the other name for home.” - Kathleen Norris
Co-written with drcampbell
Tara waved her hand slowly in front of her husband's glazed eyes and laughed when he blinked and turned to look at her with a sleepy smile. They were sitting in a second-floor bar on Princes Street in Edinburgh, the floor to ceiling windows giving them a pristine view of the Castle looming above them. It wasn't overly late and not quite dark yet, but it was dusk enough to bathe the historical landmark in a soft blue hue. After the harrowing flight from Princeton to Edinburgh, Tara had fully expected them to make it to Lachlan's parents house and beeline for the bed after getting their son settled in his crib. As they touched down, she had been fantasising about a snuggle in a comfy bed with her naked husband, and that really seemed to be the plan after they had a cup of tea with her in-laws and Lachlan's Nana while they gushed and cooed over the baby. But through the second cup of a tea, Lachlan's leg had been bouncing restlessly, and he soon declared that he needed to 'feel home'. He was exhausted himself. Spending a seven hour flight puking your guts up would do that. But he wouldn't be able to rest until had the sense he was home. Being in his childhood home with his parents and grandma wasn't going to cut it, it seemed.
After convincing Tara that their baby son would be fine with his parents for a wee while, Lachlan took his Dad's car and drove them both into the city centre, all the way up to the Castle esplanade. He had sucked in a deep breath of the Scottish air and ran his hands along the centuries-old cobblestones. There had been an old piper up there playing songs for the passing tourists. Lachlan always had a way with people, and soon the older and younger Scots were in a deep conversation with that broad accent about their home country and Lachlan was inviting the man to the christening. Tara watched fondly, smiling as she saw how just mere hours on his home soil seemed to find that deep shine in her husband's eyes again. It didn't matter that he was tired. Home was adrenaline enough.
By the time they reached the bar, they were both waning, but a drink before heading back to catch some sleep wasn't going to hurt. Tara just had to make sure Lachlan didn't nose dive into his Scotch and coke. "You're gorgeous when you're sleepy," she teased and stroked her fingers through his soft blond hair.
"Mm, maybe just a wee bit knackered," Lachlan confirmed with a soft laugh. He leaned close and kissed her, rubbing his nose against hers. "Can you believe it's been a whole year since we were here last? We've been married a year. We really did it. And a year since we found out the bairn was on the way." He grinned, looking back out at the Castle. "Still remember it all like it was yesterday."
Tara slipped her arm around him and rested her head against his, smiling herself. "I can and can't believe it at the same time. I'd do it all over again in a second."
Lachlan kissed her again, meeting her eyes. "Would you?" he murmured as his eyes trailed over her soft lips. "If you had the chance, would you marry me again?"
"In an instant," Tara laughed and tapped the end of his nose playfully. "I don't think they let us get married twice, though."
Lachlan's tongue darted out to wet his lips around a smile. "You're wrong." He pointed to the Castle. "You and me, Sunday evening on our wedding anniversary after the christening... we're getting married again at the Castle. I dinnae like to think of it was renewing our vows. More like doing it a second time, just because we can."
Tara stared at him in surprise and then looked out at the Castle in awe. "Are you serious?" she breathed, catching his eyes again with her own. "You are! You really are! The Castle! How did you manage that?"
Lachlan grinned and blew her a kiss. "It isnae what you know, it's who you know, beautiful." He leaned forward to see futher out the window to the left, pointing to a large hotel at the far end of the street. "Private dinner at the Castle, too, and then we have a date with the Simply Romance package at The Balmoral in one of their Superior Deluxe King rooms. I've already booked Ma' and Da' to babysit our wee angel for the night." He carefully got up off the bar stool and got down on one knee before her. "Tara Campbell, will you marry me... again?" he asked, eyes dancing mischievously as he looked up at her.
"You wee shit!" Tara laughed, grinning as she slid off her own stool to wrap her arms around him, pressing kisses all over his face. "Yes, I'll marry you again! You and me, the Castle... I'll marry you all over again, Lachlan Campbell." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. Just when she thought she couldn't love him any more than she already did, he goes and does something like this.
Word Count | 888
Co-written with drcampbell
Tara waved her hand slowly in front of her husband's glazed eyes and laughed when he blinked and turned to look at her with a sleepy smile. They were sitting in a second-floor bar on Princes Street in Edinburgh, the floor to ceiling windows giving them a pristine view of the Castle looming above them. It wasn't overly late and not quite dark yet, but it was dusk enough to bathe the historical landmark in a soft blue hue. After the harrowing flight from Princeton to Edinburgh, Tara had fully expected them to make it to Lachlan's parents house and beeline for the bed after getting their son settled in his crib. As they touched down, she had been fantasising about a snuggle in a comfy bed with her naked husband, and that really seemed to be the plan after they had a cup of tea with her in-laws and Lachlan's Nana while they gushed and cooed over the baby. But through the second cup of a tea, Lachlan's leg had been bouncing restlessly, and he soon declared that he needed to 'feel home'. He was exhausted himself. Spending a seven hour flight puking your guts up would do that. But he wouldn't be able to rest until had the sense he was home. Being in his childhood home with his parents and grandma wasn't going to cut it, it seemed.
After convincing Tara that their baby son would be fine with his parents for a wee while, Lachlan took his Dad's car and drove them both into the city centre, all the way up to the Castle esplanade. He had sucked in a deep breath of the Scottish air and ran his hands along the centuries-old cobblestones. There had been an old piper up there playing songs for the passing tourists. Lachlan always had a way with people, and soon the older and younger Scots were in a deep conversation with that broad accent about their home country and Lachlan was inviting the man to the christening. Tara watched fondly, smiling as she saw how just mere hours on his home soil seemed to find that deep shine in her husband's eyes again. It didn't matter that he was tired. Home was adrenaline enough.
By the time they reached the bar, they were both waning, but a drink before heading back to catch some sleep wasn't going to hurt. Tara just had to make sure Lachlan didn't nose dive into his Scotch and coke. "You're gorgeous when you're sleepy," she teased and stroked her fingers through his soft blond hair.
"Mm, maybe just a wee bit knackered," Lachlan confirmed with a soft laugh. He leaned close and kissed her, rubbing his nose against hers. "Can you believe it's been a whole year since we were here last? We've been married a year. We really did it. And a year since we found out the bairn was on the way." He grinned, looking back out at the Castle. "Still remember it all like it was yesterday."
Tara slipped her arm around him and rested her head against his, smiling herself. "I can and can't believe it at the same time. I'd do it all over again in a second."
Lachlan kissed her again, meeting her eyes. "Would you?" he murmured as his eyes trailed over her soft lips. "If you had the chance, would you marry me again?"
"In an instant," Tara laughed and tapped the end of his nose playfully. "I don't think they let us get married twice, though."
Lachlan's tongue darted out to wet his lips around a smile. "You're wrong." He pointed to the Castle. "You and me, Sunday evening on our wedding anniversary after the christening... we're getting married again at the Castle. I dinnae like to think of it was renewing our vows. More like doing it a second time, just because we can."
Tara stared at him in surprise and then looked out at the Castle in awe. "Are you serious?" she breathed, catching his eyes again with her own. "You are! You really are! The Castle! How did you manage that?"
Lachlan grinned and blew her a kiss. "It isnae what you know, it's who you know, beautiful." He leaned forward to see futher out the window to the left, pointing to a large hotel at the far end of the street. "Private dinner at the Castle, too, and then we have a date with the Simply Romance package at The Balmoral in one of their Superior Deluxe King rooms. I've already booked Ma' and Da' to babysit our wee angel for the night." He carefully got up off the bar stool and got down on one knee before her. "Tara Campbell, will you marry me... again?" he asked, eyes dancing mischievously as he looked up at her.
"You wee shit!" Tara laughed, grinning as she slid off her own stool to wrap her arms around him, pressing kisses all over his face. "Yes, I'll marry you again! You and me, the Castle... I'll marry you all over again, Lachlan Campbell." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. Just when she thought she couldn't love him any more than she already did, he goes and does something like this.
Word Count | 888