Out-Takes from Within Golden Bands – Kieran and Adam

Some scenes will always remain in my heart as a writer. That doesn’t mean they made it into the book. I love this scene, set at the Owl Cafe, an Albuquerque icon. It brings back the rivalry between Kieran and Bonny’s former fiancé, Adam.

 

 

 

Fabulous Fridays

Out-Takes from Within Golden Bands – Part Two

Out-takes usually end up as backstory, but they often comprise some of the author’s favorite scenes from the book in its original form. A few scenes from Within Golden Bands will always remain in my writer’s heart. That doesn’t mean they made it into the book. I love this scene, set at the Owl Cafe, an Albuquerque icon. It brings back the rivalry between Kieran and Bonny’s former fiancé, Adam, a character the readers of Land of My Dreams will remember well.

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Out-Takes from Within Golden Bands

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Out-Takes: At the Owl Cafe

Seated on the same side of a booth in the fifties-style Owl Café, Bonny and Kieran fed coins into the tabletop jukebox, selecting oldies while they sniffed the delightful aroma of burgers and fries. Blenders whirred in the background, mixing the famous shakes so thick they required spoons. Bonny’s stomach growled in anticipation. She leaned against Kieran, head on his shoulder, lips a tempting distance from his cheek. “What kept you busy while I was sick upstairs this morning?”

The server appeared with their hamburgers. They offered thanks with clasped hands.

“I worked on a plan to let our neighbors know about the chapel. We’ll invite everyone along Loch Garry and Loch Quoich to the farm for a ceilidh—food, music, and dancing—to introduce my wife and invite them to a Bible study. Those who show an interest will form a core group, able to help once we start worship services.” How those sky-blue eyes twinkled when he talked about the chapel. “Do you think you’ll feel up to a ceilidh before Easter? It’s almost four months away.”

Bonny swallowed a large bite of her burger. “Yum, this tastes good. I should definitely feel better by then. We can ask your parents and our friends to help, and then I don’t have to do everything. It will be nice to meet our neighbors.”

“Aye, there hasn’t been a ceilidh at Stonehaven Farm in years. Now I have the loveliest woman in Scotland as my hostess.” He reached for her milkshake and took a long drink.

“Hey, you wanted Coke. That’s mine.” She grabbed it, gulped, and closed her eyes. “Uh oh … brain freeze.”

Kieran’s big, warm hand came to rest in the middle of her back. “Bonny, you’ll never finish such a huge amount of food. A wee bird eats more than you have in the last few weeks, and now you order a huge burger with green chile and cheese. If you manage it, you’ll be sorry later.”

Bonny shoved her milkshake as far away from him as possible. “We head home in ten days, and I want my first big meal to be one I’ll remember.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled as a teasing smile spread across his lips. “You’ll remember all right. That hamburger would be too large if your appetite were at its best. This is your husband talking—the one who watches you push food around your plate three times a day.”

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A too-familiar voice drew her eyes to a couple who seated themselves in a booth a few feet away. Adam. A well-remembered ache settled in her heart as images, good and bad, stormed through her mind. She would never forget her former fiancé arriving with a bouquet of roses and a box of Frontier Restaurant cinnamon rolls the day after her father’s funeral—inadequate consolation for breaking their engagement in favor of Vanessa, a fellow attorney in his office. His callous behavior sent her to Scotland and Kieran. Would he ever be out of her life to stay, or would the memory of the pain he inflicted always linger?

“Bonny?” Kieran’s voice jolted her back to the present.

“I don’t believe it …”

“What?”

“Look across the aisle and two booths up.”

Kieran’s face grew red. His eyes narrowed. His jaw worked as if he chewed a piece of gristle. She married him, and still he rankled at the sight of Adam Lawson. Sparring knights, she had called them, and the best man won. Adam never created the spine-tingling ecstasy the mere thought of Kieran produced.

His scowl was the perfect picture of aggravation and dislike. “I thought we might avoid him for the entire trip.”

“We frequented the same places for too long.” Bonny giggled at his irritation. “Kieran, it would be rude to walk past without a word.”

“Is there another way out?” He chomped the last of his burger as if he were grinding Adam to pieces.

Bonny placed her hand on top of his. “I doubt he wants to see us any more than we want to see him.”

“We could pretend absorption in each other to the point we miss them.”

“We won’t be rude.”

Kieran drew his hand out from under hers and settled his arm around her shoulders.

Maybe she could tease him into realizing how ridiculous his continued jealousy toward Adam was. “Hmm, now that I think about it, I want to experience the expression his face. After all the times he called you Scotsman as if it were a disease, we should make him squirm a little.”

“Rubbing it in does have appeal.” His eyes widened.

“What an un-pastor-like answer, Kieran MacDonell. I was kidding, silly.”

“I’m only human.” His smile faded. “It rubs me the wrong way to think of Adam Lawson near you. Isn’t the blonde a little young?”

“Says the man who married a woman ten years his junior.” Bonny gave his shoulder a playful nudge. “She’s his sister, Christy. A sweet girl.”

Kieran loaded the leftovers into a to-go box, picked up the bill, stood, and guided her toward the door. When Adam saw them, his eyes widened. “Come on, we can do this,” Kieran said in a gruff whisper.”

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A Confrontation of Rivals

She swallowed hard. “Hello, Adam. Christy.” Keep walking Bonny. Just keep walking.

“Bonny!” Christy, perky as ever, jumped up and ensnared her in a hug.

Adam nodded. “Bonny. Kieran. You look well.”

Bonny recognized his courteous I-can’t-stand-you-but-I’ll-act-nice-anyway tone all too well. Kieran’s arm tightened around her waist.

“Thanks. So do you.”

Bonny took a step forward, but Christy grabbed her hand. “How long are you here?”

No stranger to her brother’s faults, Kari had informed Bonny that Christy understood why she refused his proposal.

“Ten more days. Three weeks altogether.” Kieran pressed harder on her back, but Christy’s grip on her hand made it difficult for Bonny to comply.

“Kari showed me a beautiful photo of your farm.”

“Yes, it’s lovely.” Bonny’s stomach rumbled in protest of the hamburger. The restaurant was uncomfortably warm.

“We should go. My wife needs her rest,” Kieran said, pressing on her back again.

But the room spun, and Bonny’s vision narrowed to a dark tunnel. She reached for Kieran’s hand.

“She’s never fainted before.” The familiar voice was distant and muffled.

Someone patted her hand.

“She’s never been pregnant before.” Kieran’s voice penetrated the murky mist swirling in her head.

Her lips moved, but no sound came out. She forced her eyes open to a blur. The Owl Café. Adam and Christy.

“Bonny, love …” Kieran’s calloused fingers stroked her cheek.

“What … what happened?”

“You fainted. You’ve been out for at least five minutes.”

She attempted to push to a sitting position in the booth where she lay, but her arms collapsed. Kieran caught her and helped raise her upright.

“May I have a … a sip of water?”

Christy held the glass, and the cool liquid revived her a little.

“Congratulations, Bon.” Adam’s voice trembled. When their eyes met, he looked away. “You always wanted children.”

“When did you get married?” Christy asked.

Christy, please, I want to go home. Her one-time love for Adam had turned to pity. His familiar, chocolate-brown eyes looked sad and vacant.

“As of today, seven and a half weeks,” Kieran answered without looking up. “Shall I carry you, hen?”

“No. That won’t be necessary.”

Kieran helped her to her feet, his arm tight around her waist. “You’re sure?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Christy hugged her again. “Wow, congratulations. How far along are you?”

Oh, Christy, don’t do this.

“About seven and a half weeks.” Kieran’s tone held the same pride and purpose evident when he spoke of his family’s ancient heritage. His lips lifted in a smile.

Adam looked away, jaw working in a nervous twitch. His ego would suffer enough face-to-face with his rival’s victory in both their marriage and her pregnancy.

“Excuse us. I should get her home.” Kieran supported, and they headed for the door at last.

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Coming to Terms with the Past

“Are you all right, mo chridhe?” My heart’s desire. His words and tone caressed her as he guided her to the parking lot.

“Did you see his eyes, Kieran? I’m sorry for him.” When she stepped into the Jeep, a single drop of saltwater trickled down her cheek, in spite of her effort to hold it back.

Kieran leaned in, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Surely you’re not crying about Adam?”

“He hurts, Kieran. It’s tough for a man who hates to lose to realize you not only won my love, I’m having your child.”

“I still don’t like him.” He shut her car door, walked to the driver’s side, and reached for her hand after he got in and closed the door.

“The absurd rivalry between you two should be over. You behaved the same ridiculous way when I was in the hospital, and you did your best to one-up the other.”

Jaw clenched, Kieran started the Jeep, pulled his phone out, made a music selection, and headed for the street. “Try to relax.”

She leaned back and shut her eyes. The soft, sweet strains of “The Rosebud of Allenvale” evoked vivid memories of the night he first said he loved her and their first waltz as man and wife. “Thank you.”

As Kieran focused on the traffic and merged onto I-40, Bonny stared at houses and trees for fifteen miles, while her new husband remained silent. When they exited the Interstate and headed up the winding and wooded North 14, he cleared his throat and rested his hand on the back of her neck. “I’m sorry, love. I shouldn’t have let it irritate me when Adam said you’d never fainted before. My ring is on your finger, and you carry our wee bairn. We were bound to run into him at some point. It’s better to get it over with now.”

He lowered his hand, but she caught it and held it tight. “Yes, I suppose. The kilt always weighed heavily in your favor, you know.”

“Mrs. MacDonell, you just fainted. It’s too soon to flirt.” His lips twitched as he tried to hide his smile with a gruff tone of voice.

“I’m not flirting. No matter how much you dislike him, he means nothing anymore.”

Kieran sighed. “It’s foolish, but I wish you had never loved another man but me.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?” His eyes searched hers for an instant before he looked back at the road.

“You’re the embodiment of all my dreams and the answer to my most fervent prayers. No one could hold my heart as gently as you.”

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The soft touch of a finger on her cheek drew her eyes back to his. “We should keep your house. I love the trees, the weather, and the opportunity to be near your friends.”

“I hoped you’d decide to keep it.” Bonny kissed the back of his hand.

“It’s not the honeymoon we planned, but perhaps it’s what a honeymoon should be, to seek what God wants for our future.” His voice softened, husky with emotion.

His eagerness was reminiscent of his unexpected arrival at her door, all the way from Scotland after she refused Adam’s proposal. “Kieran MacDonell, I could not have a better husband.”

Bonny leaned back and closed her eyes. Frequent visits would be nice, but the tree-lined loch and old granite house, the home she and Kieran would make with their child had supplanted New Mexico in her heart.

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© Copyright Norma Gail Holtman

About the author:

Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (releasing May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, or Amazon.