While I'm Gone

Chapter 20 - Drizzle

Someone once said there's no such thing as bad weather, only inadequate clothing, but when it comes to the dreich Scottish weather, I don't know, I have my doubts.

Before we could continue our conversation it started to drizzle, and we had to rush back to the car.

We decided to head north, snaking through the countryside's narrow roads and trails, immersing ourselves in the peaceful surroundings. That natural and inspiring landscape with its amazing sights of sprawling woods and forests, castle ruins, hills shrouded in mist and moist air climbing up the slopes, projecting an intense aura of mystery. Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most stunning sceneries there is.

"Beautiful isn't it? Now, just you wait until we return and I take you to the Highlands!" I told him spontaneously when we were already on our ride back to town a couple of hours later.

He didn't reply, instead looked at me out of the corner of his eye, squeezed my hand and smiled. A smile of happiness and hope, I could tell.

All of a sudden and almost in the middle of nowhere, surrounded only by a patchwork of green fields and the grey sky above, Matthew turned without warning. Pulling off the main road onto a narrow beaten track, he stopped the car.

"What now?" I inquired in surprise.

He shushed me, covering his lips with his index finger and turned the radio up louder. Read All About It was playing. He got out, held my door open with that playful smile on his face, and reached for my hand. "Come!"

"What? We're in the middle of–"

"Come, give me your hand. I have two crippled left feet, but because you seem to be such a nice girl and I have this fixation on the red scarf you're wearing, I will dance with you."

I burst into a loud laughter.

"And please, hurry up, before it starts pouring again or our audience here dies of anticipation."

I looked at the herd of cows in the field across the track and couldn't contain the giggle. It was true, it really seemed they'd stopped whatever they'd been doing, and they were all now goggling at us, waiting for something to happen. Nodding with the happiest of all smiles, I gave him my hand and got out.

And there we were, in the middle of a narrow countryside lane, so jovial, light-hearted and untroubled, swinging our bodies to the sound of a piano keyboard. It was magical. Dancing there, in that stunning, almost breathtaking setting, and having him whispering sweet nothings in my ear is something I wouldn't expect to experience anymore at this stage of my life. I closed my eyes, let go of all my worries and seized that special instant.

"Matt?"

"Yes?"

"There's something I need to–," I tried to tell him towards the end of the song.

"Mm-hmm," he mumbled, wrapping me in his arms and nuzzling his head into my neck. "Not now."

"Listen, I must tell you som–"

"Of course. Just a minute," he whispered against my skin, making shivers go down my body as he kissed my neck.

"Matt," I moaned into his mouth, but he ignored me completely. "What are you doing, you crazy man?"

The corners of his mouth twitched like he was trying not to laugh. "Shh, not now; I'm playing it in my head."

"What?"

"You and I. Coming back." A glint of mischief appeared in his eyes. "To the Highlands. Me, wearing a kilt and playing Duncan MacLeod with you."

The next thing I remember, I was laughing like crazy, and he was gripping my waist tightly, so tight I felt a warm, fluttering feeling crawling up. He pushed me against the car, tangled his fingers in my hair and kissed me with avidity, and I felt a frenetic, throbbing sensation and heaved another sigh.