Other Sides of The World: Chapter Five - Reservations

Rhona slipped out of Oz's grip and took a step back. Her heart was beating so fast it threatened to explode, what did he just say??? As she stood on the spot, her mouth wide open and her eyes wide, Oz waved a hand up and down in front of her face. "Rhona? You okay?" and when she didn't answer, his pearly white smile faded and his mouth drooped into a very sad expression indeed. "I...I thought...you liked me!" he looked down at the sand and made a small hole in it with his shoe.

"It's just..." she began as he looked up at her, with hope in his eyes.

"Yes?"

"...we've only known each other about nine days and..." she could see the desperation in his eyes as she tried to trivialise his feelings.

"So what? You don't think I know when I love someone???" he laughed sadly and jammed his hands in his pockets and looked around the Loch shaking his head and still kicking into the sand with his right foot.

"Oz, this is all going very fast for me!" she stretched out her arms and waved her hands downwards as if she was gesturing for him to slow down.

"Rhona, I need to act fast! If I feel something I have to grab it with both hands and go with it! I'm sorry if that scares you but I won't be here for long so you can go back to your old life when I'm gone!" he reached out to her but she stepped back even further.

"You talk about dying like it's just simple and easy to deal with! Believe me it's not! My gran died over ten years ago when I was 18 and I still cry for her, what makes you think that losing you is going to be any different???"

"Wow, am I getting mixed signals here! You'll miss me when I'm gone but you don't want to be with me while I'm still here?" now he was stepping back from her, hands still in his pockets.

"I didn't say that, I...you just told me you loved me, not like or fancy or even feel attracted to...you love me!"

"Rhona...” he sighed but she didn't let him finish.

"Oswald I do want to be with you, you're a wonderful person! I'm even attracted to you and enjoy being close to you, I've never kissed a boy and felt the way I feel with you in my entire life!" she tried to approach him but he edged that further away. "All I'm saying is, someone told me they loved me once, and he took me away from my family and friends. He put a ring on my finger and shoved me in a pokey wee flat while he went out and bedded the barmaid from his local boozer!"

"And you're comparing ME to HIM???" Oz's eyes widened.

"No, never! I just...I've just had my heart broken and you're going to do it again, not intentionally, but losing you no matter how it happens? It's going to break my heart for a second time and I don't think I can recover from that! Not from losing you!" she shook her head, turned away from him and broke into a run. She could hear him calling her name as it echoed over the water but she kept running.

"What can I say? I can't pretend I don't feel the way I do! I'm thirty five years old; I know what love feels like! Sometimes you meet somebody and it's just...BAM! You know? Well that's how I felt the moment I saw her sitting on the jetty weeping and wailing to herself, swigging a bottle of pinot grigio and hanging dangerously over the edge. I don't know, part of me wanted her to fall in, so I could be her hero, and part of me wanted to walk away and forget her! But there was something about the way her red hair shone in the moonlight and the sound of the water rushing in and out on the shore. It was kinda romantic in a bizarre way, the first time we actually saw each other face to face, she was lying on the sand looking like a wet rag and her eyes were squinting at me. I think she was in shock you know? When I lay down next to her and she snuggled into my arm, that was the moment, that was when I knew..." Oz trailed off and stared into space.

"A cannae believe a let ye tell me aw that!" Lachie shook his head and peeled the label off of his beer bottle.

"Yeah!" Oz nodded and smiled, waiting for a beating that never came.

"A want ye tae be with ma sister, and a cannae believe a jist said that!" Lachie laughed loudly and took a gulp of beer. "Whit is it that yer no tellin' me though pal?" he turned to face him and stared him down.

"I..." Oz shook his head in confusion.

"She telt me yer dyin' and man, that's pure sh*te so it is!" Lachie placed a huge paw on Oz's shoulder. "Am sorry! Whit's..." he was about to ask him what was wrong, but Oz changed the subject.

"All I want is Rhona!" he whined as Lachie jumped up and staggered over to the fridge behind the bar.

"Well huv another beer fur the noo eh?" he grabbed two more bottles and returned to his stool handing one to Oz. "Aw the best tae ye!" they clinked their bottles together.

"Thanks man!" Oz replied quietly, and they drank in silence.

Rhona did not sleep a wink that night. She was out by the jetty at 6am, looking out at the ducks that glided along the Loch. Oh how her heart ached, she had found the man of her dreams only to have his impending demise looming over her happiness. She couldn't imagine a life without Oswald Truman! She had vowed to spend every moment she could with him the night he told her he was dying, but it was easier said than done. How could he know he was in love with her after only a week of knowing her? Could it be possible? Was she not giving him enough credit for knowing his own mind? There was not a soul around as she sat on the edge of the jetty and let her legs dangle over the side, the water tickled the tips of her toes, it was cold but it felt refreshing. She had no idea how long Oz had to live, or how long he intended to stay in Scotland, how could she live her life like that? Not knowing what was going to happen from one day to the next? Was the way he made her feel worth all this confusion? She realised that she knew very little about him, his family or his job or even exactly where he was born. She didn't know if he had any brothers or sisters, what his favourite colour was or...anything! She had to decide whether or not she was going to just let herself be swept up by the moment, or let Oswald Truman go forever.

"What dae ye think of the American lad?" Annie Boyle piped up as she sat in the kitchen drinking coffee with her husband's cousins.

"Aye he's a fine lookin' boy!" Mary replied as she measured out some ingredients. "Your Rhona seems tae be quite taken wi 'im!"

"Aye, she does!" Annie nodded and looked into the store cupboard where Agnes was pulling down a bag of flour. "What dae you think Aggie?" she called to her. Agnes sighed and read the label of the flour with her eyes screwed up.

"A dunno Annie! He seems nice enough. A think we're aw still reelin' fae Jamie. God knows how Rhona feels mind you!" she called back. It was true that the family thought Jamie McGregor was a nice boy too, and look how he turned out! Oz was nothing like him, that was clear for all to see, but they were all decided on one thing, nobody was ever going to hurt Rhona like that ever again! "A dinnae mind sayin'..." Agnes began as she handed the flour to her sister and plopped herself down beside Annie, "...if a wiz a few year younger, a'd be in there!" she winked, and all the women giggled.

Rhona and Lachie were setting up the bar and lounge for a birthday. They'd both decided to organise a surprise party for Elspeth, she was turning 26 and her family were in Dundee. They didn't want her to feel alone on her birthday so they thought a nice little get together was in order. "Are ye invitin' Oz or..." Lachie began as he lifted a rectangular tabletop onto the two small round tables below.

"Lachie!" Rhona sighed and sat on a stool, slinging a bar towel over her shoulder.

"Am jist askin', he's awfy upset Rhona!" Lachie scolded her, since when was he in camp Oz?

"I don't know what to do! I'm so confused!" she rubbed her forehead with two fingers and fought back the urge to cry.

"He's crazy aboot ye!"

"Lachie..."

"Naw Rhona, shut it a minute! A didnae like the guy at first, that's true, but av got tae know him lately and he's a guid guy!" Lachie wiped the sweat from his face with one huge hand and joined Rhona at the bar. "Aw am sayin' is where's the harm in huvin' a wee romance wi a guy who loves ye tae bits?"

"How about he's going to die?" Rhona looked her brother in the eyes and he couldn't argue with her.

"Aye, so a heard! And it's sad, but he's here the noo! A think yer gonnae regret wastin' aw yer time greetin' aboot it and no spendin' it wi him! So listen tae yer big brother fur once! Memories, no avoidin' gettin' yer heartbroken again, they're whit count! So whit if he's no gonnae be here fur long??? It's the time ye have wi him the noo that matters!"

"You know Lachie, you're a big dunderheid most of the time, but sometimes you're very wise!" Rhona smiled at him and lay her head on his massive shoulder. She was going to invite Oz to the party, and see where it went from there!

Rhona stood outside room number 49 and her heart raced. Her palms were sweating and her mouth was dry, what was she going to say? How was she going to make up for the night before when she ran from him? Would he ever forgive her? As she rapped the door she heard his voice calling "Just a minute." and it gave her butterflies. When he finally opened the door and looked up to see her standing there, he couldn't conceal his smile. "Hey!" he beamed and leaned casually on the door. Yep he'd forgiven her!

"Hi Oz!" she replied nervously. He still stood leaning on the door, gazing at her, until suddenly he stood to attention and shook his head fiercely.

"Sorry I...come in!" he gestured for her to enter the room as she stepped over the threshold. It was always so tidy in that room, Oz was extremely neat for a guest. Most of the time rooms would be like bomb sites until Hannah and Elspeth got in there and made them presentable again. "So..." he jammed his hands in his pockets and rocked gently back and forth on his heels. "What's up?"

"Oh I..." the words got caught in her throat, she didn't know why because he was being so friendly. Surely it would be easy to ask him to a birthday party? As he chuckled at her awkwardness she began to have second thoughts.

"Rhona, whatever you have to say, just say it!" he gave her one of his adorable smiles and tilted his head to the side, and she wanted him to smother her with kisses, to wrap his arms around her and tell her he loved her again! This time she would reciprocate, she would tell him she loved him too, she would grab him with both hands and never let him go ever again!

"Well we're having a surprise birthday party for Elspeth tonight at six and I wanted to invite you!"

"Like a date?" his eyes widened and he arched his eyebrow mischievously.

"Yes, if you like, okay!" she smiled back and approached him slowly.

"Well then, I accept!" she stood inches away from him and looked up into his eyes.

"It's a date!" she murmured and kissed him swiftly on the lips before rushing out of the room.

"Oh you are a tease Miss Boyle!!!" he laughed as she slammed the door behind her. She could still hear him laughing as she pressed her back to his door, standing in the hallway waiting for her heart rate to drop a little, she had a date!

Lachie Boyle had the difficult task of luring Elspeth McDade into the bar for her surprise party. Elspeth was rather fierce, and Lachie had always liked her from afar. He hardly ever spoke to her out of shyness, but he wanted very much to be in her company. As he stood in the doorway of the laundry room, watching her stuff sheets into the machine, he still had no idea how he was going to get her to her party. "Awright Spethy!" he muttered and looked at the ground. She looked over at him and sneered.

"Don't call me Spethy I told you that!" she barked and slammed the washing machine shut, turning the dials roughly she was about to go off shift and up to her room. How was he going to do this?

"Aye well, it got yer attention eh?" Lachie straightened up and puffed out his chest.

"Bugger off will ye!" she shook her head and pushed past him. He had to think fast, and his stupid head made him grab her roughly. "Oi! Lachie Boyle that hurts!" she squealed and tried to pull from his grip.

"Come fur a drink wi me eh?" he loosened his grip but didn't let her go.

"Naw I don't think so! Why do ye have tae be so gruff wi people eh?" she wailed and shrugged his hand off of her.

"Please Elspeth, fur yer birthday!" Elspeth's eyes lit up and she looked warily at him.

"How do ye know it's ma birthday?"

"Cuz a dae right?" he grunted impatiently, "Speth...Elspeth come oan!" he whined. She looked him up and down, then she rolled her eyes.

"Why wid a want tae go wi you?"

"A like ye, that's how!" he mumbled and shuffled his feet. Elspeth's heart softened and she smiled.

"Lachie, are you asking me out?"

"Aye!" he nodded enthusiastically, "Aye awright!"

Lachie managed to get Elspeth down to the bar with difficulty and having to listen to her complaints about how hard he'd grabbed her arm. He felt stupid, but sometimes Lachie did things before thinking, and that particular act was one of those times! As they entered the bar and the lights flashed up, everyone shouted "Happy Birthday" as Elspeth couldn't look more surprised. Rhona hugged her friend as she began to cry, this had indeed been a shock to her, a happy one nonetheless. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the party, as Oz couldn't keep his eyes off of Rhona while she tended the bar. Some date, she spent most of it working. He did his share though, collecting glasses for her and even washing them just to get close to her. Lachie and Elspeth spent a lot of the party together, it was cute, and they made a nice pairing. As all the partygoers began to leave and Lachie escorted a rather tipsy Elspeth up to her room, Oz and Rhona were the only ones left. Clearing up the tables, Oz still couldn't stop looking at Rhona! It was annoyingly sweet, so of course she had to say something, "What are you looking at?" she feigned a frown and wiped the table roughly with a cloth.

"Nothing!" he smiled then grabbed her by the waist, pulling her close to him until their lips were touching, "You smell amazing!" he whispered and their lips brushed together, his breath tickled and she fought back a giggle.

"Oh, thank you!" she looked up into his blue eyes and felt her body turn to jelly as he kissed her. It lingered for what felt like an age but was only seconds; she would need to breathe soon. He must have read her mind as he let go and rested his forehead on hers and sighed.

"Rhona!" he breathed, "I love you so much!"

"Oz..." she began but he didn't let her finish.

"I mean it! I don't care if you don't believe me, you will soon! I'll prove it you!"

"Oz..."

"I want to be with you, for as long as possible, and I'll prove it to you!"

"OZ!" she grabbed his shirt roughly and raised her voice, looking him in the eyes she continued, "I love you too!" she could see how happy it made him to hear those words. And he was kissing her again, but this one was hungrier, even longer than the last. Let him suffocate her to death, she didn't care, as long as he never stopped kissing her! She would happily die in his arms!

Lachie laid Elspeth tenderly on her bed and looked down at her; she was out for the count. He took off her shoes and looked down at her again. He then lifted her legs up gently and pulled her duvet up from under her, covering her right up to her waist. "Night Spethy darlin'!" he smiled and left her to sleep. As he closed the door behind him he couldn't conceal his glee, he and Elspeth had talked properly for the first time since she started working at the hotel four years ago! He'd always liked her, and maybe she was starting to like him too! A boy could dream!

The next morning, Lachie sat at the reception desk as Oz came into the cubicle. "Hey!" he greeted him chirpily.

"Awright?" was Lachie's reply.

"So, do I get to call you my brother or..." Oz teased him as Lachie gave him an angry glare.

"Am no in the mood the day Oz!" he warned him.

"Oh!" Oz took a step back and looked a little hurt. "Sorry man I...what's up big guy?"

"Och ye don't want tae know!" he whined and rested his head on the desk looking miserable.

"I do or I wouldn't have asked buddy!" he placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

"A huvnae seen Elspeth since last night, a hope she's awright!" and just as Lachie said those words, Oz pointed to the left where Elspeth was approaching them.

"You mean that Elspeth?" he patted his shoulder and left him to it. As Elspeth reached the cubicle, Lachie began to panic and tidy his hair up with his massive hands.

"Mornin'!" she muttered and screwed her eyes shut. "Was it you who took off my shoes and put me to bed last night?" she opened her eyes and gave him one of her scary looks.

"Aye, aye it wiz. Whit aboot it eh?" he answered defensively as she laughed softly.

"Just wanted to say...thanks!" she winked and tried to leave, but Lachie felt brave and did something he'd never dreamed of doing before.

"Ho dae ye want tae go oot fur a drink later oan?" Elspeth spun around to face him but her expression was unreadable.

"Lachie Boyle, are you asking me out again?" Lachie continued to feel brave and replied,

"Aye, aye I am!"

"Okay then!" she smiled again; "Come pick me up at seven!" she winked and left him in his cubicle, grinning from ear to ear!

To Be Continued...