Status: just messing around with ideas
Blame It All on My Roots
Chapter 9
4:30 am, I was sitting in my train compartment snuggled into the small bench/ bed. I was really doing this. I was spontaneously going to Scotland, I had no idea really where I was going. where I was staying or anything really. All I had was a backpack and carry on sized suitcase. I watched the rolling hills pass on in the distance with a cup of tea for what seemed like hours. It was freeing, knowing I was temporarily getting away from it all, until my phone started ringing and Harry's face lit up the screen
"Magnolia, I've been knocking for almost an hour why aren't you at home?" "Because I'm not home." "Well where bloody hell are you?" "I'm going on a little vacation." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Why didn't you tell me all those nights you said you were just with the lads you were getting trashed in some seedy club? How about that Wales?" "Magnolia what's your problem?" "My problem is not being a priority to you and frankly I'm really fucking tired of it." "You don't know what its like for me." "You're right I wouldn't know because you stopped responding to me. What happen to those 'I love you's three months ago? Because you sure as hell forgot all about it." I felt myself losing control of my words. "Mag-" "Don't Harry don't even try. It's over." The line went dead, I had lost cell service. I didn't feel any better, I felt worse.
Quiraing, Scotland. The ridges practically engulfed the tiny town hidden in the bowl-like valley. I walked down the quiet street until I came to Dunmore's Pub and Inn.
"May I help you ma'am?" a thick Scottish accent asked as I was studying the sign. Without looking up I replied, "No, thank you though." I walked into the bustling bar with my bags and it was as if I had two heads. I walked to the bartender and asked, "The sign says there's an inn? Where do I go to get a room?" He said nothing and just pointed to a small desk across the room that a tiny old woman sat at knitting.
"Hello ma'am, I'd like to rent one room for two weeks." "Two weeks?" "Yes, please." "You aren't from this side of the pond are you?" "No ma'am." I smiled. "What brings you to Quiraing?" She asked as we walked up the stairs to the inn. "Spontaneous adventure, my boss recommend the Isle of Skye and here I am now." "Well Lassie, if you need any assistance I'm Aileen Ramsey, the owner." "It's a pleasure, I'm Magnolia Sterling." "What a beautiful name." "Thank you." "Room 08 here we are. Here is your key, there's breakfast downstairs starting at 6." "Thank you so much." I set my things down and went back down to the bar and found an isolated spot at the end of the line of stools.
"I'll have a shot of whatever y'all have." I said pathetically, "I'll have whatever she's having." a dark haired man with a thick accent added as he sat down next to me.
"Stuart Kinnard, and you are?" "Magnolia Sterling." I said shaking his outstretched hand. His face was scruffy and his flannel shirt was wrinkled, he looked like a good ole country boy which was polar opposite from the European hipsters that fill London. "A southern accent? Where are you from?" "South Carolina." "Oh I love the low country." "You've been before?" He laughed, "I did a year abroad at College of Charleston." "That's so interesting! I went to college in Savannah." "Art and Design?" "Yes!" "So what brings you to the highlands?" "Adventure." "Oh that's too obvious, why are you really here?" "Forced holiday, boss's orders." "Quiraing, interesting choice." "I've heard the hiking is good." "The views are pretty spectacular if you know where to go." "Enlighten me." "I used to be a trail guide I could show you." Remote trail with a handsome stranger, I've done dumber things, and I was flying by the seat of my pants so, "Thank would be great!" "Where do you want to go first Magnolia?" "Uh well I don't know much about the sights but I've seen this thing called the Fairy Pools." "That's not far at all from town. It's be an honor to take you." He chuckled and so did I. He was very charming and flirty, like Harry. Oh Harry, I hadn't even checked my phone since I had lost service on the train. I didn't check it until I had gone into my room. 20 missed messages, from Harry, Kate, Lorraine, and others.
Don't just leave me hanging Magnolia -H
Love, please -H
Let's talk -H
I know you've read these. Please just talk to me. -H
YOU WENT TO SCOTLAND? -K
Did you make it safely? -K
Please tell me what's going on Mag -K
Worried about you -K
Enjoy Quiraing! Say Hello to Rufus Kinnard for me xoxo -L
I began to type out a message to Kate:
Harry wasn't going to make time for me so I called things off. I'm in Quiraing in the Isle of Skye for the next two weeks, please don't tell Harry. -M
Mag he's distraught -K
I'm going to take this trip to clear my mind then come back to it. -M
Okay, if you need anything just give me ring -K
"Yer look like a real local." Stuart joked as I walked down the stairs in my jeans, wellies, and Barbour jacket. "I try" I laughed. I had my hair tucked in a ponytail under a hat. My phone started ringing, without thinking I said, "Duty calls, I'll be just a minute." before stepping away to sit at the empty closed bar.
"Magnolia talk to me." I immediately knew who it was. "Harry," I whispered, "I've said all I've wanted to say okay? That's it there's nothing else to it." "Oh hell there's nothing else to it. That's such a load of shite." "Harry I'm done talking. Goodbye." "Magno-"
"Have you ever fallen in love Stuart?" I asked as we ate lunch on the edge of the waterfall to the fairy pools. He chuckled a bit, "Yes, Magnolia I have." "How did you know it was over?" "For me it was when I looked into her eyes and didn't see her soul as I had once seen it. Riddle me this, who broke you heart?" "Oh just someone." "You can tell me." "I met an air force boy about 8 months ago. " "Oh a traveling soldier." "Yes." "Well take it from me like I've said before, you'll know its truly over when you look in his eyes and there's nothing behind them. Only lovers can see to the depths of each other's souls." "You're a hopeless romantic aren't you?" "Indeed, I like to think that love really can conquer all. There's so much flack in the world today, so much fakery that when you find something truly real you wan to hold onto it for as long as you can. That's the thing about love it feels real, and once you have it its hard to let go of, but if its truly real you'll know and you'll know to fight for it."
That was it, Harry was the last person I wanted to see, but I needed to see him. Once we returned to town I called Kate,
"Mag thank god you called! I've been so worried." "Tell Harry where I am." "Are you sure." "Yes. I'm sure." "What I'm going to say is totally off the record, but no one has ever broken things off with him for his behavior. Its exactly what he needs to hear so he can grow up and realize what a fool he's been. He loves you Mag, he's just a drunken fool and he'll come around." "Thank you Kate." "Its what friends are for Mag."
"Magnolia, I've been knocking for almost an hour why aren't you at home?" "Because I'm not home." "Well where bloody hell are you?" "I'm going on a little vacation." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Why didn't you tell me all those nights you said you were just with the lads you were getting trashed in some seedy club? How about that Wales?" "Magnolia what's your problem?" "My problem is not being a priority to you and frankly I'm really fucking tired of it." "You don't know what its like for me." "You're right I wouldn't know because you stopped responding to me. What happen to those 'I love you's three months ago? Because you sure as hell forgot all about it." I felt myself losing control of my words. "Mag-" "Don't Harry don't even try. It's over." The line went dead, I had lost cell service. I didn't feel any better, I felt worse.
Quiraing, Scotland. The ridges practically engulfed the tiny town hidden in the bowl-like valley. I walked down the quiet street until I came to Dunmore's Pub and Inn.
"May I help you ma'am?" a thick Scottish accent asked as I was studying the sign. Without looking up I replied, "No, thank you though." I walked into the bustling bar with my bags and it was as if I had two heads. I walked to the bartender and asked, "The sign says there's an inn? Where do I go to get a room?" He said nothing and just pointed to a small desk across the room that a tiny old woman sat at knitting.
"Hello ma'am, I'd like to rent one room for two weeks." "Two weeks?" "Yes, please." "You aren't from this side of the pond are you?" "No ma'am." I smiled. "What brings you to Quiraing?" She asked as we walked up the stairs to the inn. "Spontaneous adventure, my boss recommend the Isle of Skye and here I am now." "Well Lassie, if you need any assistance I'm Aileen Ramsey, the owner." "It's a pleasure, I'm Magnolia Sterling." "What a beautiful name." "Thank you." "Room 08 here we are. Here is your key, there's breakfast downstairs starting at 6." "Thank you so much." I set my things down and went back down to the bar and found an isolated spot at the end of the line of stools.
"I'll have a shot of whatever y'all have." I said pathetically, "I'll have whatever she's having." a dark haired man with a thick accent added as he sat down next to me.
"Stuart Kinnard, and you are?" "Magnolia Sterling." I said shaking his outstretched hand. His face was scruffy and his flannel shirt was wrinkled, he looked like a good ole country boy which was polar opposite from the European hipsters that fill London. "A southern accent? Where are you from?" "South Carolina." "Oh I love the low country." "You've been before?" He laughed, "I did a year abroad at College of Charleston." "That's so interesting! I went to college in Savannah." "Art and Design?" "Yes!" "So what brings you to the highlands?" "Adventure." "Oh that's too obvious, why are you really here?" "Forced holiday, boss's orders." "Quiraing, interesting choice." "I've heard the hiking is good." "The views are pretty spectacular if you know where to go." "Enlighten me." "I used to be a trail guide I could show you." Remote trail with a handsome stranger, I've done dumber things, and I was flying by the seat of my pants so, "Thank would be great!" "Where do you want to go first Magnolia?" "Uh well I don't know much about the sights but I've seen this thing called the Fairy Pools." "That's not far at all from town. It's be an honor to take you." He chuckled and so did I. He was very charming and flirty, like Harry. Oh Harry, I hadn't even checked my phone since I had lost service on the train. I didn't check it until I had gone into my room. 20 missed messages, from Harry, Kate, Lorraine, and others.
Don't just leave me hanging Magnolia -H
Love, please -H
Let's talk -H
I know you've read these. Please just talk to me. -H
YOU WENT TO SCOTLAND? -K
Did you make it safely? -K
Please tell me what's going on Mag -K
Worried about you -K
Enjoy Quiraing! Say Hello to Rufus Kinnard for me xoxo -L
I began to type out a message to Kate:
Harry wasn't going to make time for me so I called things off. I'm in Quiraing in the Isle of Skye for the next two weeks, please don't tell Harry. -M
Mag he's distraught -K
I'm going to take this trip to clear my mind then come back to it. -M
Okay, if you need anything just give me ring -K
"Yer look like a real local." Stuart joked as I walked down the stairs in my jeans, wellies, and Barbour jacket. "I try" I laughed. I had my hair tucked in a ponytail under a hat. My phone started ringing, without thinking I said, "Duty calls, I'll be just a minute." before stepping away to sit at the empty closed bar.
"Magnolia talk to me." I immediately knew who it was. "Harry," I whispered, "I've said all I've wanted to say okay? That's it there's nothing else to it." "Oh hell there's nothing else to it. That's such a load of shite." "Harry I'm done talking. Goodbye." "Magno-"
"Have you ever fallen in love Stuart?" I asked as we ate lunch on the edge of the waterfall to the fairy pools. He chuckled a bit, "Yes, Magnolia I have." "How did you know it was over?" "For me it was when I looked into her eyes and didn't see her soul as I had once seen it. Riddle me this, who broke you heart?" "Oh just someone." "You can tell me." "I met an air force boy about 8 months ago. " "Oh a traveling soldier." "Yes." "Well take it from me like I've said before, you'll know its truly over when you look in his eyes and there's nothing behind them. Only lovers can see to the depths of each other's souls." "You're a hopeless romantic aren't you?" "Indeed, I like to think that love really can conquer all. There's so much flack in the world today, so much fakery that when you find something truly real you wan to hold onto it for as long as you can. That's the thing about love it feels real, and once you have it its hard to let go of, but if its truly real you'll know and you'll know to fight for it."
That was it, Harry was the last person I wanted to see, but I needed to see him. Once we returned to town I called Kate,
"Mag thank god you called! I've been so worried." "Tell Harry where I am." "Are you sure." "Yes. I'm sure." "What I'm going to say is totally off the record, but no one has ever broken things off with him for his behavior. Its exactly what he needs to hear so he can grow up and realize what a fool he's been. He loves you Mag, he's just a drunken fool and he'll come around." "Thank you Kate." "Its what friends are for Mag."