Page 41 of Of Heather and Thistle
Alastair climbed out of the car, rain immediately soaking him as he popped the hood. Heather watched him through the windshield, feeling helpless as water streamed down his coat. She looked at her phone again—no signal.
Minutes passed, and Alastair finally returned, dripping wet and shaking his head: “No luck. Looks like the engine’s given out completely. We’ll need to wait for a tow.”
Heather swallowed hard, glancing out at the storm. “And if we can’t call for one?”
“We’ll have to flag someone down when the rain eases,” he said apologetically as he removed his coat and placed it on the passenger seat. “But that could take a while out here. Sorry about all this, lassie.”
Heather leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes. This wasn’t how she imagined her first day in Scotland.
She let out a breath. “So much for easing into things.”
Alastair chuckled grimly. “Aye, lass. Looks like you’re diving intae Scotland headfirst.”
Heather held Byrdie’s carrier a little tighter as the storm water streaked down the glass. She couldn’t shake the thought that her fresh start had just gotten off to a bumpy beginning.
The rain showed no signs of easing, pounding relentlessly against the car as the minutes dragged into an hour.
Alastair tried his phone again and sighed, holding it up as if the extra inch might summon a miracle. “Still no signal. And no cars have come by,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
Heather stared out at the curtain of rain with the small town they’d passed earlier on her mind. “What about the village we drove through? Could we walk back there?”
Alastair studied her, hesitating. “It’s a fair distance, especially in this weather. But I dinnae see many other options.”
She bit her lip, feeling a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry—this is all such a mess.”
“Don’t be daft, lassie.” Alastair said, reassuring her. “Ye didn’t summon the rain or break the car!” He gestured to the window. “Right, then. I’ll head to the village and see if anyone can help us.”
Heather’s stomach twisted. “Are you sure? It’s pouring outthere.”
He gave her a bright, lopsided grin. “I’m from here, lass. A bit of rain cannae kill me. It’ll take a lot more than that to take this auld fool down.” He reached for his coat, still damp from his earlier attempt under the hood, and shrugged it on again.
“What if no one’s there?” she asked, her voice quieter.
“Then I’ll keep walking until I find someone,” he said matter-of-factly. “Just sit tight, and dinnae fash. Keep the doors locked.”
Heather nodded, her throat tight as she watched him step out into the storm. Rain swallowed him almost instantly, his figure quickly fading into the distance.
Left alone, the silence in the car felt overwhelming, broken only by the rhythmic drumming of rain on the roof and Byrdie’s soft, restless meows. She unzipped Byrdie’s carrier just enough to reach in and stroke her fur again and the warmth of her tiny body grounded Heather’s frayed nerves.
“It’s okay, Byrdie,” she whispered, more for herself than the cat. “Alastair will be back soon. We’ll be fine.”
The minutes ticked by, each one stretching longer than the last. Heather’s thoughts raced, pinging between worry about the car, the rain, and whether Alastair would find help—or even make it back safely. Now and then, she glanced at the dark road behind them, hoping to see headlights or even a glimpse of his silhouette.
Nearly half an hour passed. She shifted in her seat, trying to shake off the rising anxiety. Her fingers tightened around Byrdie’s carrier again as she whispered, “This wasn’t exactly in the plan, huh?”
Byrdie blinked up at her, her tiny face unbothered. Heathermanaged a small, wry smile. “At least one of us isn’t panicking. I guess you’re just wanting to be home?”
But the rain wasn’t letting up, and neither was the unease curling in her stomach. Byrdie let out a small, impatient meow, the sound cutting through the steady patter of rain. Heather rubbed her knee, grounding herself. “Yeah, I know, Byrd,” she whispered with a shaky voice. “Me too.”
Heather checked the clock again, the numbers glowing accusingly back at her. Now it had been almost an hour since Alastair disappeared into the storm. Every minute that passed without sight of him was now gnawing at her, feeding worst-case thoughts. What if he’d gotten lost? What if he’d been swept off the road? What if he’d just… decided she wasn’t worth the trouble?
Byrdie let out a plaintive meow, louder this time, her wide green eyes pleading. Heather’s heart twisted. She didn’t want to leave her—but sitting in the car, waiting for help that might not come, wasn’t an option anymore. If she wanted to find Alastair—or at least figure out where the hell she was—she had to move.
She swallowed hard and reached for the door handle. “I promise I’ll come back for you, okay? Just stay here, safe and dry. I’ll figure something out.”
She checked that the carrier was securely fastened, giving Byrdie one last reassuring stroke. “You’re braver than I am, you know that?” she murmured.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it: a flicker of light in the distance.
