Back in Town

Chapter 21: Remembrance

Olivia MacDonald-Hardy stood with a bouquet of Scottish bell heather in her left hand. She wore a thick cream-colored jumper, jeans, and a scarf. Her heavy brown overcoat billowed out in the wind that whipped through the hillside graveyard. Before her lay the gravestones of her mother, Julia MacDonald, and her two grandmothers, Bridget MacDonald and Alana Thomson. Her husband stood a distance away at her request.

"Mum, I finally found him. The one I dreamt about all those years. We've married and are going to have a long happy life together. You'd love him, Mum. You'd be so proud. You, Nan, and Granny. I think you'd be so proud." She lay the heather down on her mother's gravestone and Alec approached.

"I promise, Mrs. MacDonald, I shall take good care of your daughter," he said as he looked down at the gravestone as well, taking Liv's hand in his own. Liv looked away from the gravestone towards Alec and smiled as she squeezed his hand.He looked up and smiled back. "Ready?"

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Ready."

After the wedding reception they had driven halfway to their destination and stayed over in a B&B. Early this morning they had made the rest of the trip and were now at their first planned stop.

The newlyweds walked down the hill hand in hand and Liv held Alec's arm at the elbow with her other hand. As they walked she looked out at the gorgeous Scottish countryside and squeezed Alec's arm. "I've never been so happy to be back in Scotland, Alec. It feels so right now, with you by my side."

"Aye, I'd say the same. I never wanted to come back here till I met you. I can't wait to spend the next two weeks with you exploring our homeland."

*-*-*-*

*Two months later*

Liv MacDonald-Hardy sat in the courtroom, with Alec on one side, and Ellie on the other. Each held one of her hands. Beth and Mark Latimer and Dave Barrett sat directly behind her. Pretty much the whole rest of Broadchurch, at least all those closest to Liv, were also present. All were quiet as the judge took her seat and began reading the sentence:

"James Wright, it has been proven that with high culpability, premeditation, and intent to do serious harm, you performed and therefore are convicted of the following crimes: violation of a non-molestation order, planned commercial armed robbery, and premeditated attempted murder with a weapon. You are ordered to serve the following sentences: two years for violation of a non-molestation order, life imprisonment for planned commercial armed robbery, and whole-life imprisonment for premeditated attempted murder with a weapon, with no consideration for release."

Liv released the breath she had been holding since the judge reentered the courtroom. Hearing her gasp, the judge turned to her. "Mrs. Hardy, I hope that you, your family, and the community are able to find peace now." She then turned to the jury. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, thank you for your service. Due to the seriousness and emotional toll of this case, you will never be asked to serve on a jury again. You are released back to your families. Thank you again." She then turned to face the whole of the courtroom. "This court is now adjourned."

*-*-*-*

Liv observed the man who stood under the tree watching the kids play. They, along with their closest friends and family, were unashamedly celebrating the conviction of her ex-husband in Ellie Miller's back garden. A lot had changed since they first conversed under that tree years earlier. He still appeared a bit skinny, but anyone who knew him years before could tell how much healthier he looked. All the running and strength training was good for him. But Ellie would say it was love that really changed him. Liv smiled and approached. "We seem to keep ending up under this tree."

Alec smiled. "It's a good tree. It seems to have brought me good luck. Brought me a wife."

"I never would have thought that day, with that rather heated discussion we had, that we'd end up here, now." He held out his hand and she accepted it, intertwining their fingers together. After a moment she looked away from the children running in the field behind Ellie's house and back to him. "Happy?"

"More than ever before."

Liv sighed, a dark emotion setting in as thoughts overcame her like an ocean wave drowning her. "Even though I can't—"

"Can't what?" He turned towards her, keeping her hand in his, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"You know," she said, bitterness creeping into her voice. "Even though I can't have children."

"Olivia MacDonald-Hardy," he spoke quietly but seriously. "I did not marry you with some secret plan to have more children. We have Daisy. We have each other. And we have quite a few pseudo nephews and nieces," he said, motioning towards the Latimer and Miller children. He looked back down at her, seeing sadness clouding her vision as she stared out at nothing in particular. He gently tilted her chin up, leading her gaze to him. "I know you wanted the chance to have children of your own. I'm sorry you can't. And I'm even more sorry that it is because of that no-good piece of rubbish who is about to begin rotting away in prison." He swallowed, starting to get emotional himself. "But Liv, you're alive. And I can't help but be thankful for that. No matter what else happened as a result of that assault, I look at you and I remember you laying in that hospital bed. You survived, and I'll live every day the rest of my life being thankful for that."

Slowly, a small smile formed on her face. "Thank you, Alec. I'm sorry. It just hits me hard at times."

"Of course, love," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "Now, let's celebrate! Life. The future. What It will not be for some others, and what it will be for us."

*-* The End *-*