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CHAPTER NINE

It’s Not Goodbye

The bright sunlight woke me up. It was late and I had slept deeply and I felt happy, really happy, for the first time in a long while.

My mobile phone rang and I jumped out of bed. Where was it? I didn’t use it very much at the croft. I had so many other things to do and phones and televisions were no longer important. I looked under my clothes and found it in the pocket of my jeans.

‘Hello.’

‘Megan, it’s Mrs Brown. Doctor Barns is here and he wants to speak to you.’

I felt cold. Did he want to tell me something terrible?

‘Good morning, Megan,’ came his loud voice. ‘I have good news, great news. Yesterday evening your mother was very ill. I didn’t know what to do. She had a high temperature and Mrs Brown and I sat with her. Then suddenly at about midnight, she sat up in bed and said, ‘I feel better. Could I have a cup of tea and a slice of toast, please?’ Her temperature was normal. It’s a miracle, Megan, a miracle!’

I ran downstairs to tell Uncle Fraser.

‘The unicorn, he gave me a wish. Mum’s better and it was Kendra’s wish that made her well.’

My uncle turned and walked over to the window and looked out at the sea. I left him alone. He didn’t want me to see his tears of happiness.

I went outside with Idris. Ben was there with Dolly and Moon. He helped me to get on Dolly and, as we took the path that led down to the sea, I told him about mum and Kendra’s wish.

‘What will you do about the bullies at school when you go back, Megan’ he asked.

I’ll speak to mum when she’s completely better and to a teacher at school. It will be alright. I want you to come and visit me in London. I’ll miss you,’ I said.

‘I’ll miss you more,’ said Ben.

A month on Skye passed so quickly. I wanted to see mum, but I didn’t want to leave Ben, Uncle Fraser, the ponies and Idris.

Ben and Uncle Fraser looked at each other. It was a secret look. ‘Megan, you can’t take Idris or Dolly back home, so we have a present for you,’ said Uncle Fraser. ‘It’s outside in the trap. Dolores McTagerty gave it to me and she thinks you will be happy together.’ Sitting on my suitcase was a beautiful cocker spaniel puppy. ‘Thank you,’ I said and I hugged them.

‘She’s beautiful, but I don’t want to leave you.’

‘We can write and speak on the phone. And you can come back soon,’ said Ben.

‘Come back with my sister,’ Uncle Fraser said as he kissed my cheek. ‘Come for New Year. We call it Hogmanay in Scotland. We have wonderful celebrations in the village. There is a custom here which brings good luck for the coming year. When the clock strikes midnight, some of us from the village go to Betty Maculister’s house.

We take a piece of bread, some money and some coal. All these things bring good luck. The coal is so that the house is always warm. The bread is so there is always food to eat, and the money so that there is always money. Then we throw ashes out of the back door.’

‘Why do you do that’ I asked.

‘It’s the old year leaving,’ continued Uncle Fraser.

‘Then we have a party,’ said Ben.

My uncle smiled. ‘A fine party,’ he said ‘we sing and dance until morning. Do come Megan.’

I looked at them. Hogmanay on Skye and Betty Maculister’s party, singing songs round the piano with Uncle Fraser, Ben and mum. I wanted this more than anything else in the world.

‘Yes,’ I said and I hugged my uncle again.

Then it was time to go. We rode in the trap to Armadale and when we passed the ruined castle, I thought I saw a silvery white horse arching its neck and galloping in the waves.

‘Goodbye Kendra,’ I whispered and on the salty air there came a cry, and the little white horse called out to me.

Of course, we knew this was not goodbye.