Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Day 7 (Sunday 30th May)

   We arrived `home' at 9:30am and we got our cases upstairs, it was then I
found that the master bedroom and both the other bedrooms had been made as
if we were going to sleep alone, I grabbed hold of Ellen and said "Who is
staying in the other bedroom?" "Nobody, silly, but if anyone comes to visit
we have to have somewhere for them to stay" Then she kissed me and calmly
walked into the master bedroom ahead of me.  There were two large wardrobes
and I said "This is easy, one each, if you ever fill one up and start
looking at mine I will start to throw clothes of yours out the window,
there's plenty of room in one" "Ken, your a bully, men only need a jacket,
maybe a shirt a day, a couple of ties and two pairs of trousers and one
pair of jeans, ½ a dozen sets of underwear, a pair of trainers, shoes and
slippers you will have to be educated in the ways of women" I thought she
was serious until I saw the smirk then heard that giggle "Oh, women" I
raised my hands above my head "HELP ME!!" I said loudly.  I got unpacked,
Ellen organised the clothes that just needed pressed, the washing and the
dry cleaning, I just stood back and let her get on with that side of
things, she obviously knew what she was doing, then she went into Libbies
room and organised her too.  By the time the clock was coming up to the
10:30 mark we were ready for our trip to the supermarket so off we went. 
This was a new experience for Ellen having someone with her choosing and
asking her opinion on things, we loved it, doing things as a family, I
suppose all those people around us just thought of us as a normal family
out together, it took us two hours to get to the checkout and we were
laden, we filled two of the big trollies and half of another and bagging it
was another exercise, then we were on our way, we had to get one of those
people-carrier type of cabs and the cabbie assisted us getting things out
of his cab and into the house thus earning himself a good tip.  We muddled
in getting things into the various cupboards and the fridge/freezer.  Our
first meal in our house was a Ploughman's Lunch, boy the ploughman would
have been stuffed after this one!!!  We had arrived.  "Okay" I said to
Libby after all dishes had been put into the dishwasher.  "Lets make a hole
in my bank balance again, it's your favourite pastime girl" She jumped up
and down shouting like a banshee, I shouted "Calm down or the deals off"
There was immediate silence, then we all broke up into giggles and begun to
get ready, we didn't need to go right into the city centre this time, we
gave my debit card a bashing locally and then walked back to the house
laden again, I said to Ellen "See by the time you get back into your old
flat, your not going to need anything" "Oh, I will, even if it's not
clothing, there's my hairdressing stuff, makeup and all the other stuff I
can't live without" "You have done without it all these past few day's and
why do you need hairdressing stuff, go and let someone do it for you and
you've bought new makeup, throw the old stuff away, this is a new life, my
darling.  Throw away the old one" "It's taking a lot to get used to, Ken,
I'm not used to being able to do that.  When we do get back into the flat
you will have to be with me for support but also to keep me right on what I
really need, the rest can be given to a charity shop" "Good Ellen, your
starting to think like me give it to those less fortunate that can use it"
"What are you going to do this afternoon, Ken?" Ellen asked I replied "Why,
what are you doing?" "Ken, I now have a house to run, I have to work out
how the washing machine works, fill it and I have ironing to do, I'm going
to have a busy afternoon, why don't you and Libby go out, maybe take a walk
round the Botanical Gardens in Kelvin Park it's not far and she knows where
it is, scoot, I don't need you under my feet" I looked at Libby and she was
nodding her head and grinning all over her face, "That's a great idea,
Daddy, come on get ready and we'll go" So that's what we did.  We walked up
Byers Road and crossed the big crossroads at Great Western Road, I asked
her where the road went to and she said that it leads to the road to the
Highlands where her Mum was born, I said to her that I would like to go
there one day and I asked Libby if she had ever been, she said "No, but I
heard her talk about Inverness and weird sounding places like the Black
Isle, I'd like it if you took us, then Mum can show us around, I don't know
how long she has been away from her birthplace" We spent over 2 hours just
wandering around the park then just ambled back down Byers Road looking in
shop windows holding hands chatting away about her school, her friends and
how much she missed them and we talked about my house down south and what
kind of souvenirs I had, I told her that I had various American Indian
things like a war bonnet, a peace pipe and a dreamcatcher and a real drum,
Libby asked what a dreamcatcher was and I explained that they hung in the
entrances of the tepee's so that the good dreams of those inside wouldn't
escape and she added that she would like one of those to hang in her
doorway, I said "We'll see if we can find one, there must be a craft shop
here on this street" So we searched and we found one on a side street and
in amongst all the African drums, carvings and masks and carvings of
African and Indian elephants there was an American section and there it
was, not as big as the one I have but definitely a dreamcatcher, about a 2"
circle of leather bindings and feathers hanging from it with 3 more larger
colourful feathers hanging down underneath, it only cost £4.99 but Libby
was over the moon, then we entered a stationers and got some small pins so
we could hang it in her doorway and then to a florists and picked up a
great big bunch of flowers.  We thought that Ellen might start worrying if
we were any longer so we went home and as we entered we smelled the scent
that she had been spraying to freshen up the house, she had heard us coming
in and came out of the kitchen into the hall and saw the flowers "Oh, they
are so lovely, I only ever got flowers before for special occasions, so
what's special?" "You are and everyday I see you will be a special day" She
put a hand up to wipe her eyes "Ken, you are so romantic I could kiss and
hug you" So she did and I handed the flowers to Libby quickly and picked
Ellen up and swung her around, Libby had to jump out of the way, I put her
down as we all laughed, She said "You were away a such a long time what
have you been up to apart from the flowers" Libby burst forth about our
walk and the window shopping and the talk, then me getting her the
dreamcatcher and explained what it represented and then turned to me and
asked for it to be put up quickly as she didn't want too many of her dreams
to escape, I said "We'll get the flowers into water then do it, OK?" She
was happy with that so we went in search for 2 vases as one wouldn't do, we
found them either side of the fireplace in the lounge, filled them, cut the
stems and put them in the vases and placed them back where they were, they
really bought a lot of colour to that room and it started to look lived in.
Libby was like a cat on a hot tin roof with impatience so I grabbed the
dreamcatcher and pins and we went up to her room.  The doorways, being that
this is a Victorian house were about 7' high so I had to stand on a chair
to get the pin in on the outside of the frame so the door wouldn't damage
it and then I hung the dreamcatcher up, Libby was highly delighted as it
swung around when she opened and closed the door she said "Now my dreams
are safe" We went downstairs into the kitchen having both said quietly that
we would like a snack, that's when we smelled the roast beef and saw the
vegetables had been prepared and were ready on top of the cooker and I was
just about to open the oven door to take a peek when there was a shout from
behind me "Ken, don't you even think about it, I've mastered the workings
of the oven, after all it's gas and they are much the same anywhere and
it's cooking so leave that, but I don't understand the top burners, I've
tried lifting the top but can't find a way" I said that they are ceramic
and I continued "All you do is switch them on with the controls just like
gas and you get instant heat and when you switch them off they get cold
straight away, there are marked rings on the top to show you where the hot
parts are, so you don't have to lift anything Ellen" "Ingenious and easy
cleaning, if you are looking for a snack there are biscuits and cheese here
and juice" So that's what we had and Ellen related her afternoon to us and
we spoke about Great Western Road and where it led to and then Libby and I
talked while Ellen was busy in the kitchen and we were told to stay out of
the way until Libby and I got a shout saying "Dinner is served" We entered
the dining room and all I could say was "WOW Ellen, what a spread" There
was the roast joint of beef near a plate setting ready to be carved, roast
and boiled spuds, swede (Scots call it turnip or tumchy), peas and string
beans and a steaming jug of gravy, Ellen turned to me and said "Well Ken,
your turn now, the joint needs carved" Boy I tell you, that beef was done
to perfection, the knife went through it like butter and I proudly served
my family with the first proper meal in our new home.  Ellen's cooking was
second to none, I could and would get used to this.  I left the table and
went into the kitchen and got out a bottle of red and one of white wines
and grabbed a small bottle of water, returned and opened both bottles, I
got three glasses from a glass cabinet and filled two and ¾ filled another
with the red then topped the short one up with water and passed it to Libby
I handed the other one to Ellen and raised my glass and said "To us" I
leaned forward to clink glasses with them then we all had a sip.  Libby
made a bit of a face and said how can you like this, it's so sour tasting,
I replied "After a while you will come to like it, I've opened the white as
well so you can taste it too" I went and got more glasses and poured them
the same, she tentatively tried it and said "Oh, I like that, that's
sweeter and fruity, I'll just stick to the white" "When you go to some
functions, red wine is always served with red meat and you would be
expected to drink it, so you might as well get used to both, sweetheart,
then white is served with white meat, seafood and deserts.  But when you
are just socially drinking you can drink whatever you want, okay?" Ellen
said "I am learning here as well Ken and I haven't had much wine, but this
tastes much nicer than any I've had before" "That's probably because this
wine is a better quality and has been kept in a cask longer or came from a
better grape, now lets eat before it get's cold" As we ate I could see
Libby taking little sips of the red and I admired her perseverance in
learning, she had to put up with not having anymore but enjoyed the
experience she said afterwards.  She left the white to drink with her
desert, I was impressed.  After we had cleared the dinner dishes, Libby
helped her Mum get an ice cream gateaux out and sliced and served and I
said on finishing "That does it now I'll have to buy some sportswear and
join a gym" and we all laughed.  We cleared all the dishes into the
dishwasher and went to sit in the lounge, we had to discuss about Libby
returning to school the following morning, as soon as Libby heard that she
whooped and jumped on my lap for a cuddle.  Ellen just sat there and
laughed.  I started "We will have to visit your head teacher first so I
suggest we get to your school pretty early probably 8:30 would be best, we
will have to tell him at least part of what's happened, keep to the facts
about the abduction, your Step-fathers involvement and the fact of him not
being here now, we will also tell him that the perpetrators have been
arrested by the police and that's why we feel it's safe for you to come
back to school.  Our private life should be kept private like the fact of
me being a millionaire, but we can give him your new address, we'll see how
that goes down and `suck it and see' what do you two think about my plan?"
Libby said "Well apart from the fact of my head teacher being a woman and I
want to tell her that you are my `Knight in Shining Armour' I think it's a
good plan" Ellen said her piece "I can't think of anything to add to that
except you will have to forget about your uniform for now, Libby, it's
stuck in the flat and at this point in time we can't get at it, but I'm
sure you won't mind that, will you dear?  You get to go to school in the
designer gear you got the other day.  We will have to be up at around 7am
tomorrow morning so you can get a decent breakfast into you, good old
porridge for breakfast.  I don't know if you have had Scottish porridge
made the traditional way before but you'll at least try it, won't you Ken?
I'll have to soak some oats overnight for it." I said "I am looking forward
to that Ellen.  Now I have a very serious question to ask" They both looked
serious and I continued "Can we have another helping of the gateaux?" Then
with a little hesitation as the question sunk in I got two women laughing
and on top of me and being tickled until I cried "HELP!!!" After calming
down we all sat down to another slice each.  While we were enjoying the
gateaux Libby said "Some of my friends used to say that their Dads and Mums
are their best friends and that they can go to them with whatever troubles
them, I used to think, oh I didn't know what to think, I did think they
were talking a load of rubbish, I couldn't see what they were talking
about, I couldn't dream of going to Archie with a problem, every time I saw
him looking at me it made my skin crawl.  Now I understand, I know I can
ask you guys anything and you won't laugh at me and you will explain
things, I loved my walk with you today, we talked, I can't remember some of
it but I still loved your company, you are my best friend, not just because
of how we met but because you are a special person" She burst into tears,
sobbing, both Ellen and I got up quickly and came over knelt beside her
chair and cuddled her till she started to calm down, she said "I'm sorry
but I just feel so happy" I said "I'm not sorry and you shouldn't be, you
have just paid me the highest compliment I have ever had and I feel
humbled, sweetheart you are very dear to me, I am honoured to be your best
friend" We wandered into the lounge again and Libby said before we could
sit down "I know it's not late (it was only about 8pm) but I'm bushed and
we will be up early tomorrow and I want to be fresh.  I'm going to bed now
if you don't mind, but I want a hug each before I go" She walked into her
Mums arms and got a hug and a kiss on her forehead then she turned to me
and she got enveloped into my hug and a kiss on the cheek "Goodnight, (she
said to both of us) I love you" she turned and walked out the room and up
the stairs to her bedroom.  I turned to Ellen and said "She is a very
special person and takes after her Mother who, I think is special too" She
walked into my hug like Libby had and said " I think we should go to bed
too, but not because I am bushed but because I'm not" I couldn't agree
more. So to our own bed so I could worship her as she deserved, Ellen cried
as well after our love making, said she understood how Libby felt, about us
all being best friends and so we slept in each others arms again.