Page 29 of Sailing Free at Loch Tunnagan (Loch Tunnagan #1)

She opened up her wardrobe and started to rummage through a box inside her wardrobe. A princess costume was tossed to the side, then some devil horns came flying out.

“Found it,” yelled Amelie. She triumphantly held up a short white veil that sparkled under the light in her room.

“Can I put it in your hair?” she asked Jess.

Jess tilted her head back and felt the tug of the clasp being pushed down into her hair.

“And now I must add a little bit of makeup to your cheeks,” said Amelie who had all of a sudden adopted a very posh English accent.

“Why thank you,” replied Jess.

Amelie opened a small tub of red face paint and with a look of extreme concentration dabbed some on her finger then rubbed two bright red blobs on each of Jess’ cheeks.

Jess looked up at Cal, who was still gently rocking his dinosaur baby. He clamped his lips together and quickly turned his face away but not quick enough for Jess to miss the silent laughter that was rippling through his body.

“Ok, that’s the beautiful bride ready,” announced the super posh Amelie.

Cal you need to stand at the window and Jess you need to go out the door and then come back in when I say." Jess followed her instructions and waited patiently behind the door. She heard a lot of frantic rustling before she was told that the bride could enter.

She opened the door to see a congregation of soft toys sitting in a neat line.

Amelie hummed a tune as Jess walked down the aisle, passing an octopus, a bear with one eye and the T-Rex, whose dummy was now dangling haphazardly out of its mouth.

Cal turned to face her and for a moment the silliness of the situation ebbed away. Their eyes met and her heartbeat quickened in her chest. Everything else faded into the background and all she could see was Cal. Their eyes stayed locked; the connection between them felt almost tangible.

“Jess and Cal please hold hands.”

A second of hesitation went by before Cal gently took Jess’ hands in his own. It was incredible but the mere feel of his hands encompassing hers sent her heart rate souring. She tried to control her rapid breathing as she gazed up at him.

Then she was shaken from her reverie when an orangutan popped out from behind the desk and declared himself as the minister.

Amelie’s orangutan voice was very deep and very serious,

“We are here today because Cal and Jess have fallen in love and they want to get married. Does anyone think they shouldn’t?”

Jess had somehow got so caught up in the moment that she actually turned to look at the ‘congregation’. Not surprisingly the octopus, T-Rex and one-eyed bear all remained silent.

“Right, that's good,” declared the orangutan, “You need to kiss to show you’re married because I don’t have any rings that will fit you.”

Jess was about to protest but before she could say anything Cal bent down and gently pressed his lips to her cheek. The soft press of his lips, mixed with the heady smell of his aftershave sent goosebumps rippling over her skin.

A roller coaster of emotions raced through her body, but there was no time to process any of it. The demands of being a parent to a dinosaur took precedence. The T-Rex was thrust back up at them again.

“You can have your baby back now,” stated Amelie with a big smile.

“Let's pretend he has pooped. Cal here’s a nappy so you can change him.”

Cal leaned in to Jess and whispered in her ear, “I feel like I’ve been given a bum deal. People normally get to do the fun baby making bit before they have to deal with the crying infant and poo nappies.”

Jess rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smile that escaped her lips, “Just change the nappy.”

As Cal battled the logistics of trying to fit a nappy on a T-Rex, Jess turned to Amelie,

“I think we had better get you ready for bed soon. Let’s get your room tidied up and then we’ll get you some supper.”

Amelie looked up at her with big blue eyes, “I’m not even tired. Can we play for a wee bit longer? Pleeeeease.”

“I'll tell you what,” placated Jess. “Why don’t you and Cal try to get the baby to sleep while I go and make your supper.”

“Thank you!” squealed Amelie as she threw her arms around Jess again.

“What would you like for supper?” asked Jess, stroking the top of Amelie’s head.

“Can I have tea and toast please?” asked Amelie.

Jess glanced questioningly at Amelie, “Are you allowed tea?”

“Yes, mummy always makes me tea at bed time.”

“Ok, what do you take in your tea?” asked Jess.

“Erm, usually biscuits?” replied Amelie.

Jess suppressed a smile, “Does mummy ever put milk or sugar in your tea?”

“Just milk,” replied Amelie.

The bedtime routine took a little longer than Jess had anticipated but they finally managed to get Amelie snuggled under the covers.

“Can you and Cal both stay here until I fall asleep?”

“Of course, Cal will be back in a minute,” replied Jess. “He’s just tidying up in the kitchen.”

Cal appeared in the doorway at that moment, “That’s it all done.”

He turned off the main light so that only the dim glow of Amelie’s night light illuminated the room.

Cal joined Jess on the floor next to Amelie’s bed. They sat in silence, for what seemed like ages, and listened as Amelie’s breathing became softer and more rhythmic.

Jess squeezed Cal’s hand to get his attention then beaconed to the door. She started to stand up but Cal shook his head.

Too late; Amelie’s eyes flew open, “Are you leaving Jess? Please don’t go.”

“Sorry, I thought you’d fallen asleep,” whispered Jess as she lowered herself back down to the floor.

“I loved playing Mums and Dad’s tonight,” said Amelie who seemed to be wide awake again.

“I’d forgotten how much fun playing Mum’s and Dads could be,” replied Jess.

It brought back memories of playing with her friends when she was young. Life had seemed so much less complicated back then.

“I wish I still had my dad,” sighed Amelie.

Jess felt guilty, not all children’s lives were uncomplicated. Poor Amelie had gone through a huge change for a child of that age.

The little girl continued, “My Dad was so fun. He used to play with me too.”

Jess wondered how much of her father Amelie could remember and what bits came from stories Olivia had told her. She glanced over to see how Cal was doing. She presumed his feelings towards Jack were not quite as favourable as Amelie’s.

Cal’s deep voice interrupted her thoughts, “I’m not sure if you remember this Amelie but your dad and I used to hang out all the time. He loved animals too. I wonder if that's where you get your passion for animals from?”

“I wish he still lived in our house with us,” uttered Amelie. “Then he could feed the ducks with me. I miss him.”

“I miss him too,” said Cal softly.