In Search of the Past (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #2)

by Rikki Dyson

  Stacey was thumbing through the album, going back through the years when she noticed. “You have quite a few twins in your family. So do we. It’s such a coincidence that one of my grandmothers and Shane’s grandmother has the same name.”

  “Yes it is,” Grandmother McLeod said, “however, there are quite a few Jacquelyn Suzanne’s’ in the world. There was an author by that name.”

  “That’s true,” Stacey said.

  She was going to look farther back, but Shane came in and said, “We need to get going sweetheart.”

  They kissed his grandmother and Mrs. Beebe, goodbye. Stacey told her, “I want to look at your album again sometime, when we have more time.”

  “Of course, you can my darling. I’ll be looking forward to telling you all about our family, now that you are a part of it,” Grandmother McLeod said.

  Chapter 15

  London Flat

  Shane and Stacey spent their wedding night in a quaint little Inn off the motorway to London. There would be no love making, but Shane was happy to hold her in his arms. They reached London and Shane’s flat the next day. They parked Stacey’s rental car on the street and Shane made it a point to introduced Stacey to Alfred, the doorman.

  “Miss Scott is my fiancée, and she will be here a few days.”

  Alfred was left standing with a befuddled look on his face. On their way to the third floor, in the lift, a woman got on at the second floor. Stacey was standing in the back of the lift. Either the woman didn’t see her or didn’t associate her with Shane. She smiled, reached out, touched Shane’s arm, and said, “Oh jolly good Shane, you’re back. I heard you were in Scotland.”

  “Who told you that?” Shane asked.

  “I called your mobile and your mother answered.”

  “Oh, so that’s were it is, I thought I’d lost it.”

  “Would you fancy a little company tonight?” she asked.

  As he and Stacey stepped out of the lift, a bit embarrassed, Shane said, “Diane I’d like for you to meet my fiancée, Miss Scott.” Stacey was dressed in khaki shorts and a yellow tee shirt with her hair in a ponytail.

  Diane looked at Stacey and said, “Surely you’re joking Shane?”

  “No, I assure you I’m not,” Shane said.

  As Diane was closing the lift door, she said, “Talk about ‘robbing the cradle.”

  Then she starting remembering. Less than a month ago, Shane had taken her to dinner and they were cozily sitting on her sofa about to kiss when her mobile rang and she had to leave on an emergency. She had known Shane for a few months, but never thought of him as that sort of man. Diane wondered; could he be leading this young woman on.

  Shane stood looking at the lift door until Stacey asked, “Which way?”

  “Which way to where?”

  “Your flat, unless we’re gonna live in the hall,” Stacey said, and started laughing. That seemed to bring him out of his stupor. When they were inside the flat, he turned to Stacey and said, “I know what you must be thinking. I’m so sorry about that. Oh, good lord, I know what Diane must be thinking as well,” As he slapped his palm to his forehead.

  Stacey shook her head and said, “I doubt seriously if you know what I’m thinking, moreover, why do you feel you need to apologize for her, or worry about what she might be thinking? Who cares? She was rude to you, by implying your choice of a fiancée was a joke. (Stacey did her imitation of Tulula Bankhead, by saying) “Surely you’re joking, dalling.” Then she insults you further by inferring that your choice of fiancée is much too young for you. It’s she who owes you an apology, not the other way around, so don’t apologize for her.”

  Shane took Stacey in his arms and said, “That’s part of the reason I love you, and I’m surprised you even know who Tulula Bankhead was.” And he made a mental note to talk to Diane the first chance he got.

  “You forget Shane, I have grandparents,” Stacey said, and then touched his arm and said, “I don’t wanna’ sound like a suspicious wife, but was Diane a special friend of yours?”

  “No, not really,” Shane said with a smile. “We went out to dinner a couple of times, but nothing more.”

  Stacey decided to inquire no further, sometimes it was best to let sleeping dogs lie. Shane’s flat was spacious and homey. “Who decorated this place for you, your grandmother?”

  “How did you know that?” he asked.

  “I see her touch, it’s very nice.”

  The flat consisted of a living room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs with a bath and a small study off the living room and a utility room off the kitchen.

  “Why do you have such a big apartment?” Stacey asked.

  “Hugh shared the flat with me until he married Barbara. I liked it’s convenient location and it’s big enough for the family when they visit. Actually, it belonged to my aunt and her family. I’ll tell you about them later.”

  As they lay in bed talking that night, Shane thanked Stacey for being so understanding.

  Stacey kissed him and said, “I hope you’ll be as understanding of my friends. Mine aren’t quite as sophisticated as yours. We’re just a bunch of, dirt daubers.”

  With their arms around each other, Shane said, “I like your little tattoo.”

  “Oh god,” Stacey said, and laughed. “I got that in my rebellious years along with my nose jewel and a belly button ring, which kept getting infected, so I took it out. That was about the end of my rebelling. Actually, I come from a good home and good parents, so I really had nothing to rebel against.”

  Shane smiled and asked, “When did you quit swearing?”

  “Who said I have?”

  “I haven’t heard you once, well, not since you called me, ‘a horse’s ass,’ anyway,” Shane said, and they both laughed.

  “How did you know I called you that, you didn’t hear me? I was really miffed at you for calling me skinny.”

  “I did not call you skinny, I said rather thin.”

  “Let’s not split hairs, it means the same thing. So tell me, how did you know?”

  “Rhonda told me, she thought it was hilarious. She also told me, ‘I don’t see you working your magic on that one, Doctor McLeod.’ Will she be surprised. Now, tell me.”

  “Okay, Gram Flemming took care of the first part, I think the summer I was ten. I went to spend a week with them in Houston. I don’t remember what I said, but it must have been bad, because she slapped me in the mouth and said she was tired of my potty mouth, and if my

  parents weren’t going to do something about it, she would. She told me, “Stacey you’re the oldest of the grandchildren. You have a responsibility to set a good example for them.” Then she told me, she loved me and expected good things of me. I was very upset with my gram, nobody had ever slapped me before.

  The second part, Gramps and Grandy Scott took care of when I came home. I went to them and told them what Gram Flemming did. “High time somebody did,” Gramps said.

  “Stacey, how do you ever expect others to respect you, if you don’t respect yourself?” Grandy said.

  “I respect myself,” I told her. “I like me just fine.”

  “No you don’t or you wouldn’t let that cowhand manure, fall out of your mouth,” Grandy said.

  I got on my horse and I went home to Mr. Chen. I told him everything.

  “Little daughter,” he said. “this is not your fault. I have not been a proper third parent to you. Whatever you say and do in life reflects on me. So I am the one to be blamed.”

  Well, that did it. I was smart enough to know it wasn’t his fault in any way. He had done his best, so I knew it was up to me to show everybody what a good job he had done. From that day on I did my best to make him look good. I didn’t want him to feel he’d failed with me. I loved and respected him too much to let him down in any way.”

  “Where were your parents during this time?” Shane asked.

  “Around, but busy. I think they thought I would out grow it.”
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  “Mr. Chen used psychology on you, I presume you’re aware of that.”

  “I know,” Stacey said. “He’s wonderful and I’m lucky to have those seven wonderful people in my life.”

  “Who helped you become who you are?” Stacey asked.

  “Same as you, my parents and grandparents. My welsh grandparents, Arthur and Catherine Llewellyn, from Cardiff, Wales, died in a auto accident when I was twenty-four. I always knew I wanted to be a doctor like my dad and granddad McLeod.”

  “From what did your grandad McLeod die?” Stacey asked.

  “Parkinson’s disease and dementia,” Shane said. “He was the reason I specialized in neurology, we lost him five years ago.”

  “I’m sure he was proud of you. By the way, where does your aunt and her family live?”

  “They’re dead, I’m sorry to say,” Shane said in a sorrowful voice. “They died in an airplane crash in December nineteen-eighty-eight. You would’ve been very young then, but do you remember hearing about a Pan Am 103 that blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland? They were on that flight on their way to New York and then Canada to have Christmas with Uncle Mason’s family.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Stacey said. “I’m so glad I didn’t ask your grandmother about her. What was her name and did she have kids?”

  “Yes, my aunt’s name was Alexandria Holt. My three cousins were Samantha and twin boys, Peter and Patrick.”

  “My family has been so lucky,” Stacey said. “No deaths in ours that I remember, except for my Scott great-grandparents. They were killed by a drunk driver when I was eight or nine. I think that’s one reason I don’t drink often and I’ve been the designated driver since I was seventeen. Their deaths make quite an impression on me.

  I don’t really remember my O’Neil great-grandparents. They died within a year of each other. I was four or five when they died. I thought they just went away. I think that’s why Mom and Dad took me to the funeral of my Scott great-grandparents. They didn’t want me to think they had just gone away too, plus I was older and could understand how it happened. I have always been careful about drinking because of their deaths. Even today, it’s still stuck in my head.”

  “I think you have a good head, as well as a most beautiful one.”

  “I’m not so sure about that,” Stacey said. “I’ve had my life all planned out since I was twelve. Now look what I’ve done. Up, run off, and married the first good looking, sexy man than come along. No, seriously I didn’t plan on you, but I’m very glad you came along.”

  Shane laughed at Stacey, kissed her and said, “I know what you mean sweetheart. We never know what fate has in store. Marriage was the furthest thing from my mind, until you came into my life.”

  Chapter 16

  A First of Many

  There was nothing in the flat to eat, so on Thursday morning Stacey and Shane went to the supermarket to shop. “Now I do feel like a married man,” Shane said. They had just taken a shopping trolley when Shane’s mobile rang. “Damn, maybe I shouldn’t of had Mother send it to me.”

  When he answered, it was his best mate, Hugh. Hugh had been in Africa for the past six months, helping set up a cardiac unit in some remote place. Hugh and his wife of one year had divorced a year ago. She was one of those women that just couldn’t be a faithful wife. After his ordeal with Barbara, Hugh really didn’t trust any woman now.

  “We’re shopping,” Shane said.

  “You’re doing what?” Hugh asked.

  Stacey knew Shane had been looking forward to the return of his best friend, So she said, “Go, I can do the shopping.”

  “No, absolutely not, I want to experience this,” Shane said. “Drop me at the flat. I’ll get my car and go for awhile, then we’ll come back later and shop together.”

  “Shane, you act like you’ve never before shopped.”

  “Quite frankly, I haven’t. I’ve had no need to do so.”

  “How can you be thirty-three and never have shopped in a supermarket?” Stacey asked with awe and astonishment.

  “My mother always did it and Mrs. Wyatt has taken care of it for the past few years. I don’t cook or plan the menu, therefore, I wouldn’t know what to purchase. But I beseech you, don’t think me a complete ignoramus, I do shop at the clothing store and the shoe store,” Shane said with sincerity.

  “Well my darling, you’re in for a rude awakening,” Stacey said. “Tell you what, you go see your friend and I’ll go to the dig for awhile to see what’s happening. Then this afternoon we can try this again.”

  Stacey had on jeans and Nike’s, so there was no need to go change. She dropped Shane off at the flat so he could get his car, then she headed out to the dig. Stacey had mixed feelings about showing Annie and Eric her ring. She knew there would be lots of questions.

  Annie was more than surprised when Stacey told her about being engaged to Doctor McLeod, but kept her thoughts to herself. Unfortunately, Stacey wasn’t so lucky where Eric was concerned. He hit the ceiling, so to speak, when Stacey showed him the ring and told him she was engaged to Doctor McLeod. When Stacey told Eric, to mind his own dang business, he took her hand and lead her away from the dig in order to have a private conversation with her. They were far enough away that the others couldn’t overhear them, but Annie knew that they were having one heck of a verbal fight with all the gesturing they were doing. Annie had witnessed these two have disagreements before, but never this intense. When she saw them hugging, she knew they’d reached, common ground, settled their differences and were best friends again.

  About three in the afternoon, Stacey’s cell phone rang. It was Shane calling to ask her, to meet them for dinner around six. He wanted his best mate and his best girl to meet one another.

  “I better be your only girl,” Stacey informed him.

  Shane laughed and assured her she was. He told her where they had reservations and said they would meet her in the restaurant bar, about six o’clock. Stacey went to Annie’s flat where most of her clothes were. She showered and put on a lilac flowered print, summer, silk dress with full skirt and high-heeled sandals. This was about the most sophisticated piece of clothing she owned. After the snub from Diane in the elevator, she didn’t want to embarrass Shane in front of his best friend by looking too young.

  As Stacey entered the restaurant bar, she put her sun glasses on her head, looking around for Shane. He and Hugh were sitting at the bar. Hugh looked her way and said to Shane, “Pinch me old chap, I think I’ve just died and gone to heaven.”

  Shane looked to where Hugh was ogling, and said, “Put your eyes back in your head chum. That’s my angel.” Shane went to Stacey and brought her to meet Hugh.

  “Nice to meet you,” Stacey said. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

  “Well, don’t believe a word of it,” Hugh said. “I’ve been hearing about you today as well. He said you were beautiful and that you are.”

  The maitre’d showed them to their table and the waiter took their order. While they were waiting Stacey asked Hugh about his cardiac work in Africa. She asked him a lot of questions. He was astonished at her scope of medical lingo. Hugh glanced at Shane with a silent query?

  “Her dad and granddad are doctors,” Shane said.

  “Jolly good,” Hugh said. Then added, “I know you’re an American, but do I detect a bit of a southern draw?”

  “Stacey’s from Texas. Didn’t I tell you that?” Shane said.

  The food came, so conversation was at a minimum. Stacey was hungry, she hadn’t eaten all day. When she had dessert, Hugh asked, “Where do you put it all? How do you stay so... slender?”

  “Oh, good lord, let’s not go there,” Shane said.

  “Are you inferring, I’m on the skinny side?” Stacey asked

  “Well, yes, actually...yes, I believe I am,” Hugh said, taken aback a little.

  When Stacey said nothing more. Shane said, “Are you letting him get off that easily when you called me, ‘a horse’s ass,’ for the same
thing.”

  “I didn’t know you as well then as I do now, and for some reason, I cared what you thought,” Stacey said, laughing.

  “How did you know what she called you?” Hugh asked.

  “I have quite a support group at hospital. Would you believe in less than twenty-four hours I was called, a horse’s ass, a quack, a pain in the ass and a jerk. Such sweet love words to make me fall in love with her,” Shane said, as he kissed Stacey’s hand.

  While the three of them were laughing. Stacey said, “I was wrong about the others, but you were a jerk in your office.”

  Hugh smiled at Shane, but said nothing. Stacey glanced at Shane, he was sitting with a smile on his face too. She wondered what was so amusing. She felt whatever it was, it was a guy thing, so she would ask Shane later. The three of them were sitting, talking and laughing, just enjoying an after dinner drink, when Stacey remember the going away party. She didn’t know if they would like to come along or not, but she asked anyway. “Would ya’ll like to come to a party tomorrow night?”

  “To what party are you referring?” Shane asked.

  “Today, I found out they’re having a going away party, Friday night for all the foreign students on the dig, so would ya’ll like to come?”

  “Sure, why not?” Hugh said. “It’s time I go clubbing and get back in the mix.”

  When Stacey told them it would be at a ‘Karaoke pub,’ neither of them looked too impressed. Hugh had a pained look on his face. Shane laughed at him and said. “We’ll pick you up, that way you can’t chicken out on us. Well, this has been grand, but we have grocery shopping to do.

  Hugh, you take my car and I’ll go with Stacey and pick up my car tomorrow.”

  On the way to the market, Stacey asked, “Shane, do you remember at your aunt’s house that first day. The way I found the house was, I saw your car lights as you and your mom were coming back from shopping.”

  “Yes, of course, I remember.”

  “Didn’t you help your mother with the shopping?”

  “Absolutely,” he said, “I helped her put the food in the car and then in the house.”