Chapter 48: Forty-eight.

Colt stepped further into the kitchen and sighed, "I'm sorry," she offered up sincerely, her tone full of pain and regret. She hated fighting with her Mom.

Isla turned to look at her daughter, fighting the urge to wrap her arms about the little girl, Colt, would always be to her, the little girl who had tears welling heavily in her eyes. Isla's primary urge was always to make it better for her children, no matter the scenario, no matter the cause. But, right now it felt like there was such a huge gap between them both, and she wasn't sure how to bridge it, some of the things Colt had said, hit her hard.

"Mom, I was out of line. I had no right to accuse you of anything whatsoever, in relation to how you dealt with your trauma and pain." Colt spoke softly, "And, I don't think you are to blame for any woman's suffering at that monster's hands. You were protecting yourself, and the rest of us. I'm really sorry, Mom." Colt tailed off into a whisper as she finished her apology, her tears spilling over the edge now.

Isla tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling, giving herself a minute to regulate her breathing and settle her thoughts, before she replied to her daughter.

"Oh, Colt. I know you didn't mean it." She sighed, the pain lessening at Colt's admission of wrong doing, "And to be fair, I shouldn't have verbally attacked Calum. You are a ticking time bomb, especially after last night; mind you, you always have been on the temperamental side," she smirked thinking back to the tantrums Colt threw as a two year old, "Also, it wasn't Calum's fault either, I just couldn't handle his pity and I lashed out at him. It's me you get that short fuse from you know." Isla smiled, breaking the ice, and giving in to her maternal urges by pulling Colt into a brief hug, "Now, come on, we wont speak of it again; besides we have a lot of mouths to feed, you get working on the scrambled eggs, and I'll start on the bacon."

"Alright, Mom," Colt smiled, holding her Mom at arms length for a second, while feeling relieved they had made up.

"And while we do this, you can tell me what happened last night properly, and why you and Calum are suddenly all touchy feely with one another?" Isla asked in a part motherly, part gossipy tone.

Colt couldn't help but laugh out loud as she gathered up the eggs and the bacon from the fridge, ignoring her Mom's questioning about her mate, she instead stated sarcastically, "I think I should get some hens. All the eggs we are going through is costing a fortune. I think maybe forty should do it, what do you think?" She asked her Mom, handing over the bacon.

"Hmmm, well it is your birthday next week, let me see what your Dad and I can arrange," Isla smiled sweetly, turning to put the grill on.

"What?" Colt choked out, "Mom, it was a flippant remark, I doubt me needing this many eggs is a permanent fixture. I mean you will eventually be overwhelmed with the need to meddle in, I mean check in on, your other children's lives after all." she smirked, "How else will you see your grandchildren again?"

"Careful, Sweetheart, that almost sounded like you want me to go," Isla scolded, "And that, would be rude. Anyway," she began again, "It is still a good idea, and it will make your father happy to feel like he has physically built something that contributes to your life here. In Scotland. Across an ocean from us. Where you lied about being," she added, laying on her guilt trip with pursed lips.

"Okay, Okay..." Colt began, raising her hands in surrender, "Thank you for my chickens, they will be fantastic," she added for good measure, "and I can't wait to meet them. I will even name one after you Mom. Probably, the bossiest one, but still, I shall call her Isla, in honour of you." Colt stated, laughing at her own joke.

"As long as you are happy," Isla laughed, shaking her head jovially at her daughter, "And, you're more the welcome, Sweetie, always." Isla responded sincerely, "Oh, speaking of your birthday, we have to cut our spa day short."

"Oh? How come?" Colt asked confused, this was out of character for her Mom.

"Well apparently, and this is coming from your Dad, not me, but Calum, wants to take you on a special birthday suprise for dinner. Which, you didn't hear from me." Isla stated, pointing at Colt briefly, before turning her attention back to the bacon in the grill, then gathering up bread for the toaster. "But, it means your Dad, wouldn't see you, so we are having a spa morning, before meeting your Dad for lunch," Isla explained, "Oh, and we should invite Maria and Calum too. Get to know her a bit better." Isla tried to deflect Colt's attention.

"Mom?" Colt asked, looking away from the eggs she was whisking, to scrutinise her Mom. "What's going on? You never relinquish birthday events with any of us, no matter what. There is always a mandatory lecture, have any of us ever tried to get out of it. We all know it by heart now, not only do you list the ailments of your pregnancies with us; how you sacrificed your body to literally house us, *inside* you as you gave us life, including the joy of your pelvic girdle pain and extreme heart burn; going on then to remind us, how you went through however many hours of excruciating labour to bring us into the world, and without pain relief. Then, in my case you add in that you needed eighteen stitches to heal the tearing, which is embarrassing as it is because, you're a shifter, you should never require stitches. But, my head was just that big, and you tore so badly that it was necessary. Then, if that fails, you add in that while breastfeeding, the post uterine cramps felt like a hot iron squeezing around your womb, not to mention the bleeding cracked nipples.... So what gives, Mom? Why the change of heart? Especially after my being in a coma on my birthday last year, and you being pissed about the whole Scotland thing?" Colt asked accusingly.

"Young Lady, I think you will find I have every reason to be pissed. You lived in a country for eight months without telling us where you were! Especially after you were in a coma, with recurrant heart failure I might add, just last year! Of course I was pissed. Damn it, Colt, I was bloody incandescent with rage! And do you blame me, now knowing what you found out last night?" Isla bit back annoyed, slamming the grill tray into the grill with the next batch of bacon, creating a loud enough bang, that the humans in the local village probably heard it.

Colt only smiled though, and then sprung her trap, "No, I don't blame you, not in the slightest. I completely understand, Mom. Which begs the question, why are you relenting on quality mother-daughter birthday time?" She asked, raising her eyebrow as she looked up from the eggs.

"Because, I love you," Isla smiled through pursed lips, "And, your Dad made me." She sighed, "Apparently, with everything that has went on, and you being a newly mated couple, you need special time together, on special occasions.... Bla, bla, bla." Said Isla, waving her hands in the air. "Even, if he is a Macgregor."

"Mom, stop it." Colt smirked, before moving away from the stove top to give Isla a hug. "Thank you for understanding, though."

"You're welcome, Sweetie." Isla smiled, relaxing into an easy banter with Colt. "Though, I do still expect details on what made you decide to throw Elijah's safety to the wind now? You have been adamant on protecting him for so long, and now... What changed?" She asked, making Colt cringe.

"Honestly, Mom..." Colt sighed, "I lost control last night, or rather, I suppose, I switched my control off, and Calum was there, and then instinct just took over." Colt sighed, "But, when I opened my eyes this morning, in a damp cave of all places, I.. well, I was physically sick..." Colt began to mumble.

"Colt, speak quietly by all means. But, please annunciate so I can understand," Isla smiled kindly, pulling out plates to warm in the oven.

"I panicked, Mom. When we got home I called Marcus straight away, and Elijah is fine. Nothing happened." Colt shrugged, "I am still not quite sure how it worked, but I'm not complaining. I mean I still care about Elijah, we are still mates too, but Calum is just. He is just, he's.."

"He is a healthy relationship with the man you share your mate bond with. Nothing quite compares to it, and I'm glad you have that Colt," Isla smiled warmly at her daughter, "It's what it should be."

"Even if he is a Macgregor?" Colt smiled back, with a playful challenge, as she put the scrambled eggs into a serving dish.

"Oh come on, I'm not my mother, his last name doesn't matter two hoots to me." Isla laughed out.

*Author's Note: Mr River came through his third surgery. His wound still needs care and treatment, and he will still need specialist treatment for his wound from the district nurses. His infection is retreating, and most importantly, he is home! I cant put into words how it feels to have him back again. Thank you so much to you all, for your thoughts and prayers. They have meant more to me than I can say. B x.*