An Unexpected Trip

An Unexpected Trip

by L.L. Beck

It was a haunted and rainy evening in October on All Hollow’s Eve in Scotland. She has just landed in Edinburgh after a long arduous flight from Seattle. This was not a pleasure trip, although she had always had a deep desire to return to her family roots. She had received a phone call a few days earlier from the Royal Edinburgh Hospital that her long-lost father was dying from a terminal illness- Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer, an illness which he had chosen not to share with a soul until now. These hours and minutes were precious and more so as she would never have had a close relationship with him after he left her in the States. After landing in at the airport, she hailed a cab to take her to the Hospital. Her journey to see her estranged Faither was met with anxiety and mixed emotions, would he accept her visit, could he ever forgive her for being so angry with him? Angry for leaving her behind in Seattle.

She broke through the heavy, cold metal doors of the Hospital and ran down the corridor to the Nurse’s Station. Hello! She said, can you help me? I am looking for me Faither- Angus McLeod. He was admitted yesterday. The nurse informed her that he had been moved to ICU and directed her, down the hallway, to take the first elevator to the 3rd floor, the nurse at the desk can direct her to your Father’s room. Full of anxiety and tears she pushed her way through the ominous steel doors of the ICU. Can you direct me to Angus McLeod she asked the nurse? Are you family, she said? Yes! As random teardrops fell from her jade -green eyes and almost unable to speak. He is my Father…. I mean my Dad. The head nurse quickly directed Maisie to her Father’s bedside she looked on him with great melancholy and penitence for not being in contact with him after he moved back to Scotland. He was very languid yet, once he greeted her bonnie jade green eyes a single tear escaped from the corner of his. “I knew you would come, my darling bonnie Lass, He said.” Sit down now I want to look at you and then I have something I need to convey. Ok! I responded. I am listening, Dad?

I want you to understand this my beautiful daughter I have always adored you from the very minute you were born and every day after. I am going to give you this name-Maggie MacDonald. Remember her name, you will travel and visit her in Comrie, here is her address she has something for you. Promise me you will do this? Yes…of course, Da- I promise! I sat with him as he slowly took his last breath, the silence encompassed me like a warm blanket a consolatory acceptance of his passing. With eyes filled with tears, red and swollen I walked out of the ICU bewildered and grief-stricken. It just came upon me; how will I find this Ms. MacDonald and who was she really? What was her place in my father’s life? I climbed into my rental and onto the B827, off I drove into the Highlands.

Funeral arrangements had already been arranged prior to my arrival in Scotland. My father was to have a Viking Funeral on Loch Eireann. This location was near Comrie and would also give me a chance to look up Maggie MacDonald. The Funeral was heart-wrenching, soulfully beautiful with Amazing Grace being played on the bagpipes, yet bittersweet. Saying goodbye to my him was harder than I had imagined. Watching his body lying upon the Viking Pyre floating upon the Loch just before the arrow of fire was drawn back in a bow. Was it guilt or that I now realized how much he had really meant to me all those years how I allowed my anger, pride, and ego to come in the way of our relationship? Later that day we had all gathered at the Wake to honor and remember my Faither Angus McCleod this was held on a sunny Autumn day in a square called the Bumble Bee Garden. Not able to eat much due to my sorrow I sat down under a beautiful Aspen tree covered in copper and gold-laden leaves. Now I need to get my bearings, quite exhausted actually! Out of the corner of my weary eyes, I saw slowly walking towards me a very lovely older lady. She was wearing a black silk dress and her salt and pepper hair that neatly framed around her face with a bun tucked in the back. Hello! She said, Are you by any chance Angus’s daughter. Yes! Who is asking? I am Margaret MacDonald. I did not know how to respond. You mean Maggie? Yes, she said. I told her that my Father upon his death had asked me to seek you out. This is a coincidence or was it? We talked for a few hours and I learned that historically before I was born that Ms. MacDonald and my Father were romantically involved. That when I was only 9 months old my Faither left Scotland with me and moved to the States- to Seattle. I further learned that I was named after my Mother. I did not realize at the time that Maisie in Scots Gaelic meant Maggie or Margaret. I discovered that day that Ms. MacDonald was indeed my biological mother and that she had a letter to give me from my Father. It read:

Dearest Maisie:

If you are reading this letter, I will no longer be with you in this world, my bonnie Lass. I want you to know that you have always been the light of my life, my greatest treasure. By this time, you have learned that my lover all those years ago is Ms. MacDonald she is your Mum. For now, I know things are a little confusing. Everything will be ok, my little darling, just trust this. I want you to go into my study at the Cottage and look under the floorboard beneath my desk. There you will find a Moleskine Little Black Book that has been sealed for legal reasons this book gives instructions to my Solicitor Brody McClure Esq. along with my wishes take this little black book with you and give it to him. Do not break the seal. He will break the seal and decipher the contents for you. Go and see him, my little bonnie darling!

I love you very much, I am always with you!

Love, Da

That evening I took my Father’s letter and walked up Dundas Street to Devils Cauldron for a wee dram of Dalmore as Da always would sip-neat. As I sat, I thought what could possibly be in my Father’s Little Black Book? So, I called Mr. McClure. He said he could meet with me tomorrow at the Royal Hotel for Brunch. So, I agreed and made a time with him say 11? See you tomorrow in the Brasserie Bar- Mr. McClure. Sounds Good! Miss McCleod. I woke up in the morning feeling beat gutted by my grief and all the undiscovered information that I was receiving about my life as I knew it. A Father that had passed from this world and new Math air and a meeting with a stranger who has something to apportion me from beyond the grave. I got dressed put on my leather Cowboy boots and walked up to the Royal Hotel and proceeded to sit in the Brasserie Bar. I ordered a Glenlivet-neat and was on my second just about the time Mr. McClure walked in. Hello! Miss. McCleod? Thank you for meeting with me. Did you bring the Little Black Book with you? he asked. Yes, I said. May I see the book I need to show you this part here he pointed there is a hidden compartment in the pocket? There he gently pulled out a piece of paper that looked incredibly old and written upon it in the lower left-hand corner was written “Inheritance”, a cashier’s check written out to- Maisie McLeod for 20,000.00 USD. This was everything that your Father had in this world Lass and he wanted you to have it. There are also writings and stories that he penned for you in his Little Black Book as a keepsake. I could barely hold back the tears. All those years that I would have nothing to do with my Father after he left and yet he still bestowed upon me the last of his worldly treasures in the form of a Little Black Book, an inheritance, and such beautiful stories written about his life. I was humbled and choking back the words through my tears. Thank you, for meeting with me today Mr. McClure. You are most welcome, dear Lass. Mr. McClure was extremely glad to be able to impart and settle Angus’s legal matters and some amount of peace for his daughter. I left our meeting quite a changed person and knew that all those years that my Father and I were apart that now I would have some closure with his Little Black Book and the chance at a new beginning. This amazing Little Black Book gave me insight into my Father’s life and a chance at understanding my heritage.

My heart is and always will be eternally yours!

Your daughter, your bonnie lass,

Maisie McCleod

What an extraordinary treasure discovered inside of my Father’s Moleskine Little Black Book. Such a gift of sacrifice and unconditional love, for which I will always be grateful!

The End