Sally's Destiny - A short story of Love and Romance in the Scottish Highlands by A. J. Temple Read Free Book Online

when I booked my flight to come over here.”
    “That’s fantastic!” Agnes replied, just as the door opened and Robert walked in.
    “Ok, what’s fantastic?” He closed the door behind them – giving them both a look.
    “Oh, I see…already the women are conspiring against me! Planning and organising my whole life I’ll bet!” He said playfully, as he went over to the teapot shaking his head, to pour himself a cuppa.
    “Not at all Robert – it’s women’s talk, that’s all!”
    “Aye right mum…I believe you … sort of!”
    Sally spoke up. “Would it be alright to go for a shower Agnes, then I’ll call Elizabeth and get some things sorted out. ”
    “Certainly my dear, please treat the place as your own!”
    As Sally headed for the shower-room, Robert spotted the envelope on the table.
    “Is that what I think it is?” he asked.
    “I’m afraid so Robert, and the news is not good. It seems that the B ank are determined to close down our loan facility, and force a sale on the house!”
    Agnes burst into tears as the enormity of the situation hit her.
    Robert placed his arms around her, sharing in the grief as he too fought to keep away the tears.
    “ Agnes I wondered if I might borrow some….” Sally stopped mid-sentence as she walked in on the scene.
    “Oh Sally dear!” Agnes sniffed reaching for the handkerchiefs. “Don’t you worry yourself – We have just had some bad news that’s all – it’s nothing for you to concern yourself about …really!”
    Sally was having none of it however, and rushed up to Agnes, putting her arms around her ; which only served to bring forth another bout of tears.
    Robert strode tight-lipped to the door and marched out into the night.
    “Oh Agnes, tell me what it is please – is there anything I can do at all?”
    “Really Sally; it’s all too humiliating – and Robert would be furious if I told you.”
    “AGNES! – for once, please forget what Robert thinks – I want to help, if I can”
    “Well, I will tell you the basics, Robert can let you know the details if you still want to know them, and if he thinks it’s alright!” She sniffed.
    Sitting down at the table she told Sally that they had gotten into financial trouble, and it now looked like they were going to lose the house that had been her home for the last 30 years.
    “ Roberts father got a job working abroad, when he was only 5 years old. For a while he sent payments back so I was able to pay the bills, but gradually over the months they whittled away then finally stopped altogether. We only had a tiny mortgage on the house, so I was able to pay the bills working part-time as a cleaner, and other small jobs. It wasn’t easy but we survived.
    Anyway, recently I’ve let things get out of hand – and now they are taking my home from me.” Tears welled up in her eyes and she reached for the handkerchiefs again.
    Sally was horrified, and sat dumb-struck at the news.
    Robert meanwhile had come back in without them noticing.
    “What my mother doesn’t tell you Sally….is that it’s all my fault!”
    “Robert! Please ..”
    “No mum, she might as well know what a loser she has got herself involved with! My mother had to re-mortgage the house to pay off the drinking and gambling debts that I ran up, during my ‘leave of absence ’ from the world at large.
    Now with the property value crash, the house is hardly worth what we have borrowed against it. On top of this it is an interest-only mortgage, which no longer exists. The bank are now insisting that we change it to a part-and-part mortgage, which doubles the re-payments. We can’t pay - I’ve screwed up major-league!” He finished miserably.
    “But surely they can’t just kick you out like that?” Sally said, shocked to the core.
    “Ha, just watch them! They will put the house up for auction and take whatever price they can get for it – we will then be left to repay the rest of the debt!” He wandered off to the lounge, face