Part Fifteen   "A lone piper"

 
 
Sunday 25th January
 

Tammy and Tanya had talked until late, initially sat on Tammy's queen-sized bed and then slid under the covers.

"Good morning Tanya."

"Morning, Tammy. Did I really just sleep with my fiancé's best mate?"

"I won't tell if you won't!"

Tammy hopped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, returning two minutes later.

"That girl brought us some coffee."

"You mean Leanne? She always seems to know when I'm awake."

They both reached for the hot mugs.

"John told me you're moving, does that mean you'll have to do everything for yourself?"

"No, we'll ask Leanne if she wants to go with us."

"You live in a strange world, Tammy."

"Maybe? Did you bring a swimsuit?"

"Why?"

"So we could have a swim. There's a pool here."

"Now you tell me!"

"Have a look through my cossies, they're in that drawer," Tammy pointed, "we're about the same size."

They opted for a light breakfast and were in the pool a little after nine. Tammy hadn't worried about changing in front of Tanya, although she did turn whilst she pulled up the one piece swimsuit she had chosen.

"Oh, Tammy, you've got boobs now."

Tammy had decided to leave the enhancers out until she was fully dressed but hadn't pulled the cossie all the way up when Tanya had looked around.

"There's not much there yet."

"No, Tammy, you're where I was when I was about thirteen or fourteen. I bet they're sensitive?"

"Yes."

"I probably still have some cream in my make-up bag. Got a tape-measure?"

"Somewhere, but we need to get to the pool first."

"Lead on, MacDuff."

"Oh dear, Tanya, the quote is 'Lay on, Macduff, and damned be him who first cries ‘Hold! enough!'"

"Whatever."

***

It was nearing midday by the time the girls had showered and dressed. Coffee had been delivered whilst Tammy sent an email to the fashion show organiser with Tanya's photo and details. She needed to speak to a few people more by next weekend and supply their details to Penelope too.

"Tammy, what about that lad yesterday who Iain sent away?"

"For the fashion show?

"No, dummy, about what happened."

"Okay, I'll ask Sandy Franklin what she knows, there must have been a reason he was given the part?"

She quickly tapped out an email, a reply arrived a few minutes later:

From: Sandy Franklin
To: Tammy Smart
Date: Sunday 25th January 2015 12:11
Subject: Re: Yusuf
 
Hi Tammy
 
Thanks for letting me know. I had a tearful Yusuf on the phone to me yesterday afternoon but couldn't understand what had happened and I couldn't get hold of Iain either as I think he'd gone back to work.
 
Just to let you know, Yusuf volunteers at Thurso library where I am a manager. He's always quoting from books, plays and films but due to his autism finds it difficult to relate to people outside of his usual environment. I thought the play would be a good idea for him and he's already learned the script. What he struggles with, however, is confidence. He masks anything he can't answer with humour, but his jokes can be very dry and can miss their target by miles.
 
I really regret not being there yesterday as I am now going to struggle to persuade Yusuf to return.
 
Sandy

"Damn, Tammy, we all let him down."

"I have no experience with autism so I don't know what I could have done."

"The main thing is to let them work at their own pace and give support, I should have noticed."

"Why are you kicking yourself?"

"I've taken 'learning difficulties' as a module in my social studies course and it will come up again in when I do my degree. I want to work with kids like that."

"I suppose I don't get to see anyone with learning difficulties at St Andrews."

"Don't be stupid, of course they're in the school but there's probably a good system in place already."

"So you're telling me I walk around with my eyes closed?"

"No, students who need extra help don't have labels or signs on them, they don't want to be identified as being any different."

"That doesn't sound any different from a transgendered student in an all male school?"

"I suppose so, Tammy, but it's not the same thing."

Tammy decided she needed to change the subject as she was becoming uncomfortable. Was she now interfering in yet another person's life?

Her laptop helped as it pinged with an email from Penelope, thanking her for Tanya's details and including a poster for the shop's facebook page.

"Tammy, it's a bit naff, isn't it?"

"At least they've not put tartan everywhere!"

"I hope you don't have a tartan problem today?"

"Sometimes there's a little too much."

"Well, you do have a kilt or a tartan dress?"

"Yes, why?"

"It's Burns Night today."

"Oh flip, at school there was always a notice about any festivals."

"Well, write this one into your organiser so you know about it next January. Is Elsie doing anything?"

"I don't know, she's only just out of hospital."

There was a chime from downstairs indicating lunch was ready. Elsie seemed determined to make an announcement.

"Today is Burns Nicht and given that I'm in a celebratory mood we shall be holding a Burns Supper this evening. Young Tanya, I have invited your mother and sister to join us and hopefully they can bring you appropriate attire. I'll be expecting several of you to make speeches and your tasks will be allocated shortly."

As soon as lunch was complete Tammy thought she now had all afternoon to choose an outfit for the Supper, but her father had other ideas.

"I want you out the front in sensible shoes for your first driving lesson in five minutes, scoot!"

Tanya was a giggling wreck as Tammy was going around her room looking for something suitable to wear.

"How would I know what I'm supposed to wear, I've never driven before?"

Somehow Tammy made it outside having swapped her skirt for leggings and her footwear for a pair of ballets; Tanya was struggling to keep a straight face, especially when she saw the car in question.

Sat outside the house was a 1980 Mini Cooper in racing green, Richard was stood by the driver's door holding a set of keys.

"Do you have everything?"

"I guess so, Dad."

"Driving licence?"

"Well, no, we're not leaving the grounds are we?"

"We might, in which case you'd best get it before we lose all the daylight."

Two minutes later Tammy was sat in the driver's seat and had worked out where to stow her shoulder bag.

"Right, we're going to start simply, very simply."

Richard explained all of the controls and emphasised the use of the clutch.

"Why can't I drive an automatic?"

"When you pass your test you can buy an automatic."

"Why not now?"

"If you pass your test in an automatic you cannot drive a manually geared car."

"So?"

"Well, if you ever wanted to borrow my car you couldn't."

"Oh. What's it with this old thing anyway?"

"This car has a very low centre of gravity and a power to weight ratio that exceeds most non-plastic cars. What this means is that it sticks to the road and will move if you put your right foot on the throttle, which you haven't done yet. It's also very cheap on tax and insurance and has excellent fuel consumption."

Tammy, naturally, stalled the car a few times before they made it any distance away from the house. Richard had her take the estate road that ran to the North West, following the perimeter fence, before it turned South to the lodge. Tammy had seen the Lodge from her bedroom window but hadn't been down here. Elsie had explained that it was only used in the summer months. Of course, she was looking at the Lodge so much she stopped paying attention to where the car was going.

"Stop!"

Richard had told Tammy how to make an emergency stop but her recollection faltered and she stalled the car whilst leaving the handbrake off. Richard reached to his right and pulled the brake on. Tammy burst into tears.

Richard resisted his initial desire to hug his daughter.

"Come on, start it up."

"I can't do it."

"Yes you can, or you walk from here, we're a couple of miles from the house."

"That far?"

"Yes, start the car and let's get going. Don't forget to check your mirrors and signal before moving off."

"Yes, Dad."

Tammy hadn't managed more than fifteen miles per hour on the way to the Lodge but was making close to twenty five mph on the return journey. However, she'd been out for an hour when they finally reached the stables beside the house.

"Okay, we'll go back around, but we'll do it anti-clockwise this time. First though, put the lights on."

Tammy, naturally, found the wiper controls before the lights but was on her way shortly afterwards. The round trip, this time, took just over half an hour so Richard guided her to the estate entrance, and the main A9 Highlands highway.

"Okay, there's no room for mistakes. We're turning right and going down to the entrance to Dunbankin. Pull in there then set off back here. You'll need to use every one of your senses."

With Richard's guidance Tammy turned right out of the driveway but was struggling to cope with all of the driving requirements when they arrived outside Dunbankin. Richard considered putting himself in the driver's seat but realised that wouldn't help anyone. Fortunately the return trip was two easy left turns.

A few minutes later they were back, Richard told Tammy to stay seated.

"Firstly, considering you've never been behind the wheel of a car, very well done. But, you have to watch what's going on around you all of the time. Today we didn't see one other vehicle but next time there could be nose to tail traffic, you have to be able to cope regardless. By the way, put the car away and lock it, it's your's."

By four o'clock Sandy and Debbie Smith had arrived so Tanya was trying to get changed, although Debbie seemed to insist that Tammy made herself scarce.

"Why, sis?"

"Well, erm ..."

"Look, we slept together last night, swam together, showered poolside together and I know her real cup size."

Debbie gave up and left the room.

"Don't mind my big sister, she just worries about me."

"I wish I'd had a big sister."

Tammy started to sob, Tanya walked over and gave her a hug.

"Come on, there are times when I love her but there are also times when I hate her. Good job you haven't done your make-up yet."

By five thirty everyone was gathered in the sitting room before the ceremonials began. Joan and Angela had arrived, swelling the numbers to eleven, Angela made straight for Tammy.

"Jill rang on Friday."

"You told me yesterday afternoon."

"But I didn't say what she said."

"And it is not the best time nor place to tell me."

"All I was going to say was that she apologised and she agreed with the prof's decision."

Tammy wondered, silently, if Jill's opinion mattered now. "That's very good, Angela."

Elsie invited everyone to enter the dining room and to sit before saying grace. Tammy wondered how much extra work had been demanded of the kitchen staff but Thomas, Leanne and Elsie's personal maid Anna were all serving at the table, resplendent in McPherson tartan.

Joan physically jumped when the bagpipes started up just outside the dining room. The haggis, a pair to be exact, was being piped by the estate's gamekeeper, Jonathon. There was a marked sigh to fill the silence when the piping finished.

Richard had a copy of Address To a Haggis and recited it as best he could, a Sassenach. Elsie certainly nodded her approval as the knife was plunged into the nearest of the two haggis. Tammy had a whisky glass next to her, plus a bottle of a Dalmore single malt and a jug of water.

Elsie, who was sat by her, leant over. "The whisky is an eighteen, rather appropriate seeing how there are three eighteen year olds at the table, don't you think?"

Judging that a series of toasts was going to happen, Tammy poured very little Scotch into her glass and plenty of water. Elsewhere at the table a similar suggestion was being made to Tanya and Angela.

Tammy was being careful with the Scotch not because of her age but due to a nasty dream she'd had some months before (author's note: See The Ceilidh ). With those toasts complete they started the main course.

Richard made the Immortal memory speech and the toast to the lassies. Tammy was put on the spot as she was asked to respond, in a similar vein. Fortunately her father had chosen to condemn all female drivers during his speech so she had plenty of material, to the amusement of the table. With several more toasts the evening slipped onwards, although the optional songs and playets were left, optional.

Towards the end of the evening Jonathon had driven the Smith ladies home and was returning to collect Joan and Angela.

[Author's note: References to the inquest have been removed due to a scheduling error.]