From: magsrose@comcast.net   
      
   by MagsRose   
   See headers in Chapter 1   
      
      
   Chapter 6 - 1   
      
   The Virginia Highland Games are always in July in Alexandria. This   
   year was really special. Some friends came to join me who live in   
   Seattle. They came all the way across the country just for the   
   Highland Games.   
      
      
   "Emma, this is Rosalie. Can you give me a call at home? We are   
   planning on coming out to Virginia for the Highland Games at the end   
   of July and we would really like to see you. Call me when you get a   
   chance."   
      
   Frohike had never heard Emma mention this woman so he was a little   
   apprehensive about giving her the message. She was outside setting up   
   the sprinkler to water the plants in the front yard. It had been   
   nearly a week since they had come back to the house and the garden was   
   bone dry. While Frohike waited for Emma to come inside he dug out   
   Michelle's old address book and flipped through it looking for the   
   name 'Rosalie' but with no last name the search was futile. He decided   
   to just ask Emma.   
      
   When she came into the kitchen later, he told her that he had saved a   
   message for her on their voice mail. Emma dialed the number to hear it   
   and got more and more excited as she listened. "I can't believe it!   
   They're going to come all the way out here. They never do the Highland   
   Games out here. My mom tried for years to get them to come for the   
   Virginia Games or even Grandfather Mountain. I wonder what made them   
   change their minds? Can I call them right now?"   
      
   Frohike tried to get a word in edgewise. "Whoa, slow down! Let's start   
   at the beginning. Who are you talking about?"   
      
   "Rosalie and Pat. They sell Scottish swords and stuff at Highland   
   Games in Washington and California and around there. They have a   
   website. Do you want to see it?"   
      
   "Maybe later. How do you know them?"   
      
   "Mom and I met them when we went to a Scottish Highland Games in   
   Seattle. Actually, it was in a town close to Seattle. What was the   
   name?" Her brows knitted together in concentration. "It's got a funny   
   name. Pat always calls it 'Enum-scratch'." Emma thought for a few   
   seconds. "Enumclaw, that's it! It's like right at the bottom of Mt.   
   Rainier. That mountain is HUGE and has snow on it all year. You can   
   even drive up there and slide on the snow in the middle of the summer! "   
      
   Emma shook her head to get herself back on track. "Anyway, I bought my   
   sword from them. They have two granddaughters who do Highland Dancing.   
   I competed against them." Emma started getting hyper again. "Oh, wow,   
   I wonder if they'll come, too. I haven't seen them in a long time. Can   
   I call now?"   
      
   "Just calm down a minute. How well do you know them?"   
      
   "We stayed at their house a couple of times. You would like it there.   
   They have swords all over the walls, antique ones, too. Some of them   
   are really old! Every time we went to Seattle we would go visit them.   
   Well, almost every time. Sometimes they weren't home. If I call now it   
   won't be too late. There's a three hour difference you know."   
      
   "Yes, I know." Frohike considered everything she had said. She   
   obviously liked this couple and had some history with them. "All   
   right, let's call but I'll be on the other phone."   
      
   "Dad! They're really nice people. You don't need to worry about them."   
      
   "I believe you but if they want to spend any time with you I'd like to   
   get to know them. This is as good a time as any."   
      
   Emma picked up the address book and flipped to the 'T' page. She ran   
   her finger down the listings and stopped at Patrick Tougher. She   
   dialed the number and waited for a response. Frohike left her and went   
   into the other room and picked up the receiver just as he heard a   
   woman's voice say, "Scottish Sword and Shield."   
      
   "Hi, Rosalie. This is Emma."   
      
   "Emma! How are you?"   
      
   "I'm all right. How is everyone out there?"   
      
   "We're doing very well. I wish we could have made it out there to see   
   you at the funeral. How are you getting along with your father?"   
      
   "Dad, say hi. He's on the phone in the living room." Emma explained.   
      
   Frohike introduced himself to Rosalie. He was a little embarrassed   
   that he had not said anything before. Rosalie assured him that she   
   understood his caution. They exchanged the usual pleasantries and   
   Rosalie asked Frohike about himself and how Emma was doing. They   
   talked for a few minutes until Emma reminded them that she was still   
   on the line and wanted to talk about the upcoming Highland Games.   
   "What made you decide to come out here this year?"   
      
   "Pat wants to try to sell some of his antique swords on the east coast   
   and we really wanted to see you, dear. We're also taking Bruce, Becky   
   and the kids to Scotland in August so we figured we might as well   
   leave from there and break up the long flight from the west coast."   
   Bruce was Pat and Rosalie's youngest son. The granddaughters that Emma   
   had competed against were Bruce's daughters.   
      
   "So, Megan and Rachel will be coming to the games, too?" Emma asked   
   hopefully.   
      
   Rosalie knew that Emma enjoyed her granddaughters' company. "That's   
   the plan."   
      
   "That's great!" Emma was already looking forward to the Virginia   
   Highland Games but now…   
      
   The phone conversation lasted for another few minutes while dates and   
   arrival times were discussed. It was decided that the family would   
   come to visit Emma the day after they arrived. Emma wanted it to be   
   sooner but Frohike insisted that they would be tired and would need   
   time to get settled in before running off to see her and that she   
   could wait a few more hours. Promises were extracted for future phone   
   calls to give and receive directions to the house and to plan for the   
   visit. Frohike gave Rosalie the phone number at the warehouse and his   
   cell phone number.   
      
      
   Later that evening, Frohike was sitting in the living room reviewing   
   some research he had gathered for an article on truckers illegally   
   hauling dangerous chemicals in milk tankers. The smugglers had   
   cleverly rigged the trucks so that if the authorities checked they   
   would only find milk in the tankers.   
      
   After a while, Frohike realized that Emma was 'hovering'. She kept   
   pacing back and forth behind his chair, pausing as she approached him   
   then moving on. He figured there was something on her mind and she was   
   trying to find a way to ask him about it. It was very distracting so   
   he decided to put an end to it.   
      
   "Emma, what are you doing?"   
      
   "Nothing." She was still behind him.   
      
   "Would you please come and sit down?"   
      
   "Why?" she asked but sat on the couch near him anyway.   
      
   "Because you're driving me nuts. What is it you want?"   
      
   "I didn't say I wanted anything."   
      
   "Emma, you only skulk around like that when you are trying to get up   
   your nerve to ask me something."   
      
   "No, I don't." She frowned. She didn't think she was that obvious.   
      
   "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"   
      
   "Kind of, but…" She hesitated.   
      
   "But what?" Frohike figured he'd get it out of her eventually.   
      
   "It's more like I had an idea and I want to see what you think of it."   
      
   "And you're afraid of what I'll say."   
      
   "I suppose."   
      
   "So tell me what your idea is and we'll find out."   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)