“Oh, really, sir?”
“We are carrying the ashes of Charles MacDuff, whose request was to have his ashes spread along the shores of Loch Ness.”
“Sorry for your loss Ma’am,” the pilot said respectfully. “We should be arriving at Inverness Airport in approximately eight hours. It should be a smooth flight.”
“Great, thank you,” Logan said as he secured the urn in one of the lockers at the front of the plane. “Is everything stocked up?”
“Yes sir, we have everything you asked for,” the pilot said. “Please prepare yourselves for takeoff.”
Logan nodded and took a seat across from Chelsea. “The seats lean back almost horizontal, so sleeping is quite comfortable,” he said as he buckled up his belt.
“I’ve never been on a private plane before,” Chelsea said, looking out the window. “I feel so special.”
Logan smiled. “Good. Once we reach cruising altitude, I can get us a drink and something to eat.”
“You have food on here too?”
“Yes, we have a caterer that supplies us. We just have to heat it up for a few minutes. I ordered us steak and lobster.”
Chelsea looked at him, incredulously. “Seriously? Steak and lobster?”
Logan nodded. “It’s actually quite good,” he said, looking at the view as the plane started to move down the runway.
They chatted while they dined, sipping wine until Chelsea finally felt relaxed. Laying back in her seat, she closed her eyes, anxious for them to land and to see the home she had left behind so long ago.
“Chelsea, we’re here,” Logan nudged her gently. “You have to sit up and make sure your seat belt is on. We’re starting our descent.”
Chelsea yawned and stretched before pushing her seat back up. “You weren’t kidding when you said these chairs were comfortable. I slept like a baby.”
“A snoring baby,” Logan teased, then held his hands up as she looked at him in horror. “Just kidding.”
Chelsea looked out the window as the town of Inverness came into view. “I can’t believe I’m here again,” she said as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Logan quickly reached over and wiped it away, smiling tenderly at her. He hadn’t realized how much she missed her homeland until now.
“I’ve rented a car and booked two rooms at a bed and breakfast in town called Patterson’s. I hope that is okay. I wasn’t sure.”
Chelsea nodded. “That’ll do fine. Thank you for all of this. When are we going back to America?”
“Well, I thought we could leave Monday evening, so we’ll get back on Tuesday. That gives you plenty of time to spread your Dad's ashes and a few days to visit as well. I’d really like you to take me to see MacDuff Castle.”
Chelsea nodded. “I don’t know how much of it is left, but we can sure take a drive over there. There are other castles to see along the way too."
After the plane landed, they collected their bags and the urn, and Logan picked up the car he had rented.
As they got in the car, Logan looked at Chelsea; she had been quiet since getting off the plane. “Are you ready for an adventure? First stop, Loch Ness.”
Clutching her urn, she patted it. “Hear that, Dad? You’re going home.”
Chapter 15
The cottage where Chelsea had grown up looked exactly the same as she remembered. They walked slowly along the dirt path that led to it; being vacant, the grounds hadn’t been cared for, and the grass was up to their knees.
“I guess I don’t have to ask for permission,” Chelsea said as they reached the cottage.
“I can see why you love it here,” Logan said, looking out onto the water. “What castle is that?" he asked, pointing across the small bay.
“That’s Urquhart Castle. We can go there after we do this," Chelsea said, walking toward the loch’s edge. “I guess this is the best place.”
Logan stood back a bit, not wanting to intrude on Chelsea’s last moment with her father.
She waded into the water, holding her father's urn. Taking off the top, she looked out across the water.
Faodaidh tu a-nis fois a thoirt dha Daidi. Tha thu mu dheireadh thall dhachaigh. Bidh thu gu bràth nam chridhe.
She then turned the urn over and carefully sprinkled the ashes into the water, watching them slowly float away in the current.
Logan watched in amazement. She looked so beautiful standing in the water, the warm breeze blowing through her hair. He hoped that this trip would make her realize how much he loved her.
Coming back up to the riverbank, Chelsea looked at Logan. “Done. Thank you for this.”
“What did you say before you poured the ashes into the river? It sounded beautiful.”
“It was Scottish Gaelic. I said, ‘You can now rest, Dad. You are finally home. You will be forever in my heart.’”
She stood for a while, staring at the cottage with a strange expression on her face. “So many happy memories of this place, it’s sad to see it sitting alone and unloved.”
Logan went over and put his arm around her, expecting her to move away, but instead, she rested her head on his chest. Bending down, he kissed the top of her head, smiling to himself.
During your life, you have moments that you will always cherish and never want to forget. For Logan, this was one of them, and he hoped that Chelsea felt the same.
They spent the next few hours exploring the area, visiting some of the castle ruins. Logan was amazed at the history and beauty of Scotland. The next morning, after a hearty Scottish breakfast, they headed out again. The drive to MacDuff Castle would take about three hours, but they were in no rush. They stopped occasionally along the way to take in the beautiful green scenery of Scotland.
“You know, I have always associated Scotland with rainy, cold weather, but it’s actually quite beautiful,” Logan said as they weaved their way along the road towards MacDuff Castle.
“Oh, we have plenty of days like that, but normally we have a nice warm summer,” Chelsea said. “Turn right here. MacDuff Castle is just beyond the hill.”
Stopping the car, they got out, and Chelsea pointed to what looked like a large pile of rock in the middle of the field.
“There’s MacDuff Castle,” Chelsea said as she began walking down the small path in the field.
Following her, Logan turned his head and looked up. MacDuff Castle, or what was left of it, stood before him, a beautiful remnant of the past. Its red stones glistened with morning dew in the sun.
“Wow, even the ruins look majestic,” Logan said. “Can you get up close to it?”
“Aye, it was a great castle in its day. We can climb up over here,” Chelsea said, pointing to a pile of rocks over to the side.
They climbed up until they were surrounded by the stones of MacDuff Castle. They could see for miles around at that height, and Logan could only imagine what it must have been like back in the day.
“This is wonderful. You used to play around here when you were a kid?” Logan asked, looking out at the view.
“Aye. My friends and I would come here and play. Just beyond those bushes are some caves that we used to play in. They say they date back to before the Vikings.”