Something NEW

Chapter 2-Beatrice

Beatrice! My sweetheart....how's it going, kiddo?" Paul exclaimed in a very infantile voice, as he pinched her rosy cheeks, and Heather cleared her throat with frustration. "Oh....erm..." Paul cleared his throat as he shifted his view to his unamused ex wife. "Heather.......umm, not to be rude, but what are you doing here?" He asked as he coughed, and she rolled her eyes. "For the love of God! Don't you ever listen?! I just told you half an hour ago that I need you to watch Beatrice!" Heather barked loudly as she tried to solidify her grasp of Beatrice, who was eating salt and vinegar chips. "No, no....I know....but, I thought her nanny was going to drop her off..." Paul explained, as he stole some chips from Beatrice's chip bag.

"Stupid nanny canceled on me, just what I needed!" Heather began as she patted Beatrice on the bottom, and Paul nodded. "Seriously, I cannot believe that I can't even get a damn nanny for my own daughter without being called a golddigger!" Heather shouted as Paul nodded again. "I have an interview with Good Morning Glasgow in about an hour, and my makeup looks horrendous, and I have to talk about this bullshit divorce, rather than my charity causes, and I'm up to here with it!" Heather ranted as Paul continued nodding only half listening, as this was standard practice for her.

"I see....." Paul added as he smiled at their daughter who's aquamarine with a tint of hazel eyes looked straight at him with curiosity. "It's just bullshit ... .all I wanted to do was my charity work, and this is what I get!" Heather continued, as she breathed out deeply. "I tried to tell you Heather......I tried to tell you...do not let the media know that we're divorced, until it's finalized, but you didn't listen to me....." Paul sighed with annoyance as Heather brushed her hair out of her face. "Whatever.....not like you care..." Heather eventually gave up, as she handed Beatrice over to Paul.
"Goodness you're getting heavy!" Paul grunted as he put Beatrice onto his hip, and they both watched Heather roll up her left pant leg, which revealed the bandage which was attaching a prosthetic limb to her actual thigh.

"You're telling me.....it's a real hassle for me to carry her around all day....yet, I'm the one who has to deal with raising her on my own!" Heather began to rant again as she rubbed her leg near the bandage and winced with pain. Paul rolled his eyes, and swiped another handful of chips from Beatrice, who was now watching her mother with awe and confusion. Paul soon bit his bottom lip as he watched Heather roll her pant leg back down, and blow her long hair off her face again. With a deep sigh, he adjusted Beatrice on his hip, as he cleared his throat. "Okay ... .okay....how about we make a deal Heather?" He began as he bit his thumb from his free hand. "A deal?" Heather interrogated seemingly very intrigued by this idea coming from someone who she was feuding with.

"Yes...." Paul whispered with a sigh, as Heather crossed her arms. "How about......Beatrice just stays here on the farm with me for a few days?" He finally asked as Heather raised her eyebrows as she studied him. "I mean, I haven't been here since Linda died, and this place was very important to me and the children back in the day. Maybe Beatrice will enjoy it too? Paul continued as Heather turned back to look behind herself facing the empty field. She then looked back at Paul, and sighed as he watched anxiously waiting for a response. "Do you swear that the paparazzi won't find Beatrice here?" Heather asked in a very concerning yet somewhat more polite manner. "I promise." Paul quickly answered as he adjusted Beatrice again, and Heather nodded in agreement and defeat at the both of them. "Alright.....okay....I'm fine with that...I need to get back to Glasgow anyways....." Heather soon gave an agreeable response. Paul sighed with relief as he watched Heather lean forward to kiss their daughter, and say goodbye too.

Paul and Beatrice stood near the cottage door silently as they watched Heather step into her car, and drive away. Once the two of them were alone on that secluded Scottish farm, Paul turned to Beatrice who was chewing on her final bite of chips, as the wind whipped her honey blonde hair tied in pigtail braids around. "How about some MACCA and cheese?" Paul asked the young girl as he smiled at her proudly. "Mac and Cheese!" Beatrice soon exclaimed happily, as Paul giggled. "YEAH!!!" He joined in as he opened the cottage door, and they walked inside.