MacKenzie Heat

Chapter One: Ten Years Earlier

“Boys, sit doon, yer mother and I would like tae talk tae ye,” Callum’s firm voice brought all three boys into the sitting room silently.

                They each looked at each other wondering who had done what and were they all going to be punished. Malcolm shrugged and sat down across from the fireplace where his father stood. Skye, their mother, sat in the armchair beside the fire. Murdoch and Morgan started shoving each other, neither one wanting to sit in the middle, beneath the direct, stern stare of Callum MacKenzie.

                Callum watched his sons impatiently. He cleared his throat and glared with dark gray eyes at the two boys, they quickly sat down, heads bowed. Callum sighed, he knew he had been firm with his boys, but he hated seeing them behave submissively to him. The triplets were 18 years old, they were grown men, and they knew hard work, but they were always scared of him, even though he’d never abused them. Disciplined them and firmly expressed disappointment or disapproval, but he had never harmed his boys, nor would he ever, he was so damn proud of them, but it was time for them to go and find their own way, and to grow up into the strong independent men he knew they could be.

                “As ye ken, we’ve been speakin’ tae each of ye individually tae help ye decide what ye would like tae dae wi yer life….none o ye has any plans fer yer life beyond goofin’ off wi yer mates this summer and workin’ your summer jobs,” Callum stated this plainly.

                The triplets looked at each other, and back to their parents.

                “I doona agree wi this plan o yers, but yer mither thinks it’s a good idea fer ye tae hae one last fun summer a’fore ye start being adults. Sae, I still expect ye all tae be helpin’ wi the farm work, but after yer chores are done each day yer free tae go and have yer fun, so long as yer home each night fer the evening chores.”

                Callum sighed deeply then left the room. Skye followed him into the study. Callum sat in his large chair behind his desk and watched as his beautiful wife moved toward him in the semi-darkness. Skye was slender, despite giving birth to three large boys, she had ivory skin and freckles on every inch of her body. Callum held his hand out to her, and she came to him, he pulled her onto his lap and cuddled her deeply.

                “What is it, my love? What troubles you so?” she asked in a soft silky voice.

                “The boys.” He shook his head.

                “Och, why are ye so worried about our wee bairns?” she asked.

                Skye didn’t always use her Scottish accent in such a degree, but she knew that Callum loved it when she did. Skye had been a Speech-Language Pathologist in Scotland for nearly 8 years, but her American mother became ill and she wanted to take care of her. So, Callum gave the horse ranch to his brother Connor, and the small family moved to Lexington, Kentucky to care for Skye’s mother. The triplets had been 8 then, and they had caused so much trouble, having grown up on a ranch in the highlands, the boys didn’t know how to control themselves in the city, and it soon became clear that if the boys were to stay out of the youth correctional system, the family would have to move somewhere less….tempting. Callum purchased a 300-acre plot of land near Lancaster, Kentucky, and had built a 5-bedroom house and a barn. The family, including Skye’s mother, moved to the ranch. Callum had his brother send him 20 horses, and he began breeding thoroughbreds as well as farming alfalfa. The boys instantly fell back into their old habits from Scotland, and the problems that they had in the city were gone. Callum was so proud of the boys, but they just had no plans for their future. They’d been depending on him and Skye for so long, he was worried they would never learn to stand on their own.

                “They’re no bairns, Skye, they’re grown, they’re men, ye need tae stop coddling them. What are they gonna dae, Skye? They dinna wanna dae anythin’ wi their lives.”

                “Of course, they do. Ye just need to give them time tae figure it oot.”

                “Skye, they hae never been apart since the day they were born. They dinna think fer themselves. They are too dependent on each other,” Callum said worriedly.

                Skye stroked his golden-brown hair back from his brow, her fingers tickling his scalp. She noted the gray that had begun to streak his hair. Her poor sweet husband was aging and having triplet sons had done nothing to help the stress. She leaned in and kissed him gently. He rubbed her back and kissed her in return. Skye pulled back after a moment and looked into his molten gray eyes.

“Yer right, they’re no bairns,” she sighed, “I wish I couldae had more little ones.”

Callum hugged her, thinking of the many miscarriages, “aye, but what we have is perfect, Skye, yer perfect, yer a wonderful mither, but now we need to guide them. Any suggestions?”

Skye thought for a bit while stroking Callum’s hair. He’d laid his head back against the chair, relaxing.

“Maybe…”

Callum cracked an eye open to see the concentration on her face.

“We really want them to go to Uni, aye?” she asked.

“Aye.”

“Well, since we’d be payin’ fer it anyway, why no’ send them each to a different one? Separate them so they can find their own identity?”

Callum thought about her suggestion. It had merit, but he didn’t want to force to boys to go to Uni, let alone force them apart. He wanted to encourage them to go to Uni, he wanted to encourage them to find their way without one another, to be individuals.

“Mayhaps, but I dinnae wanna force them,” Callum said.

Skye nodded.

“Well, then we’ll just hae tae trust them. Come to bed loving, I need you.” Skye stood and sauntered seductively away.

The summer went by quickly and the boys became more reckless with each passing day. They began trespassing with their friends and even went pool hopping. The police continually let the boys off with warnings, until one night in late July when one of the boys in their group brought a gun. While most of the boys were outside waiting, Malcolm, Morgan, Murdoch and two of their friends went into the convenience store to get snacks, and toilet paper, the plan for the night had been to TP the high school, but Adam had other plans, while the other boys were grabbing snacks to purchase, Adam, pulled out the gun and robbed the store.

The police and even the Judge agreed it was a case of wrong place wrong time, but in Callum’s eyes his sons were guilty by association. They should have been more aware of what was going on around them, and he was too angry to hold back. The boys were grounded to the ranch, and although they were 18, the triplets didn’t dare disobey their father.

Skye found Callum pacing in his office a week after the incident. A shot of whiskey sitting untouched sat on the large walnut desk.

“Callum, I’m worried about the boys. We cannae keep them here forever ye ken.”

“Aye, love, I ken. But I dinna ken what tae do wit them!”

“The only thing we can do Callum. It’s time fer them tae go tae Uni. I’ve picked three of the best schools in the state. We’ll pick from a hat which boy goes where. They have been followers fer too long. When ye let them off their grounding what are they going tae do next? The 9 boys that were wi Adam that night all got community service, and you’ve been strict about our boys doing it, and I’m glad, but when their service is complete at the end o the week, I want them ready for Uni. It’s what’s best Callum.”

He nodded in agreement. He walked to the side cabinet and poured a second shot of whiskey, he handed it to Skye and picked up his glass from the desk. He saluted her and downed his shot. Skye sipped hers daintily. Callum walked to the study door and called for his sons.

The triplets approached the study slowly. It was rare for them to be called to the study, and when they were it was usually because they were in big trouble. The boys all felt like it was unfair that they were being punished for something they didn’t do, but they accepted the punishment, Skye had told them, “No it isn’t fair, you didn’t ken he had the gun, but ye were there, and ye were his friends, accept the punishment and be grateful it wasnae jail time. Think of it as building character.”

The boys entered the room. Callum was seated behind the large desk; Skye had pulled up a chair to sit beside her husband. The three boys walked to the front of the desk and stood before the 4-seater sofa, waiting for permission to sit.

Callum gestured and watched as the boys sat. He struggled to hold back his anger, he knew it wasn’t their fault that Adam had been an i***t, but he’d known Adam was a bad seed for years and had advised his boys to end their association with the boy years before, for fear of him dragging the boys down a bad road. Callum took a sip from his second shot of whiskey.

“I cannae pick yer friends, never would, but I did warn ye about Adam. I ken that ye didnae commit the crime, and fer tha’ I’m relieved. However, ye boys have headed doon a destructive path, with yer trespassing, and vandalism, it’s goona stop.”

“Yes sir,” the boys replied in unison.

Callum shook his head.

“Yer mither and I have decided what will happen in yer life for 18 years, I left you the summer tae figure oot where ye were goin’ fae there, and ye screw up. Sae, ye mither has decided ye will all be going tae Uni, starting in September. Until then ye will do yer community service, then ye will come home and work fer me. Nae mair friends, nae mair summer jobs, nae more nothin’ because ye boys could have gone to prison. Adam is goin to prison…fer 5 years! Do ye have anythin’ to say?”

The boys looked crestfallen but Malcolm, the eldest of the triplets looked up. His grey eyes matching his father’s.

“What Uni are we going tae?” Malcolm asked.

Skye stood up then and addressed the boys.

“Ye won’t be going to the same Uni, it’s time for you boys to learn to survive alone, as an individual and not as a triplet unit. You’ll always be brothers, and yer dad and I will always love ye boys, but this is fer your own good. You’ll go to Uni full time, grades will be like high school, 3.0 and higher only, as long as you provide that you’ll get a monthly allowance. You’ll live in the dorms with other people, shop fer yourselves, clean fer yourselves, laundry, the whole thing. Sae from now until Uni begins after yer chores outside are finished you will come inside and learn to do the inside chores properly. If you maintain a 3.0 you may have a part-time job. Fall below and the job goes.”

“What are we to study?” Murdoch asked.

“Since none of ye showed an interest in a specific topic, I’ll be registering you for a general associate degree. 2-year degree of taking general classes, it will be like high school but with harder work and more expectations,” Skye replied.

“Do we have to stay the full 2 years?” Morgan asked, “like if after 1 year we decided we want to do something else can we?”

“O course, yer adults, Morgan, it’s yer life to decide, were just giving ye a positive push in the right direction,” Callum replied.

The boys nodded.

“Sae, what Uni will we each be going tae?” Malcolm asked again.

“Well you’ll be deciding that right now,” Skye pulled out a hat with three slips of paper in it, “In here are the three Uni’s you’ll each pick which one at random, all three schools are good,” she handed the hat to Murdoch first.

He took a deep breath and reached into the hat and pulled out the paper. He looked at the slip of paper.

“University of Kentucky…that’s in Lexington.”

Skye nodded and passed the hat to Morgan. He drew the paper and looked down. He frowned a bit but after a moment read aloud.

“Kentucky State University.”

Malcolm picked the final paper and looked at his parents.

“Let me guess, University of Louisville?” he looked at the paper and nodded.

All three boys would be within 2 hours of home, but they were all being sent away to make their own way. Malcolm was angry. How dare his parents blame them for what Adam did. Sure, they were being naughty boys, but they had never hurt anyone, and they were always quick to help clean up the things they vandalized. It was just a bit of fun. Now their parents were acting like they were on h****n and sending them to rehab! It wasn’t fair! What would he tell Amber? Or for that matter, when would he see Amber again?

Malcolm sighed, “May I go see Amber?”

Callum and Skye looked at one another. They were supposed to be being disciplined, but Malcolm and Amber had been a couple since they were 12, it was hard to say no.

“I’ll take you over to see her, I need to talk to Fergus anyways,” Callum said. Malcolm nodded.

“You’re dismissed,” Callum said to the boys. They all left the room.

“This is messed up,” Malcolm whispered.

Morgan shrugged, “I dinna ken, mate, maybe Mum and Da are right, we got carried away, and what if Adam had actually shot Frankie that night? We’d be accessory to murder, tha’s no okay.”

Murdoch nodded in agreement.

“Aye, I ken,” Malcolm said, “but to send us to different Uni’s? Why what does that prove?”

“I dinna ken,” Morgan and Murdoch said in unison.

Callum exited the study and saw the boys whispering, Skye, behind Callum, motioned for Morgan and Murdoch.

“Come on lads, yer cookin’ dinner tonight.”

The two waved off Malcolm and followed their mother.

                The truck pulled up to the Fraser ranch, Callum and Malcolm had not spoken a word to each other. Malcolm was too angry to say anything, he just wanted to get away from Callum.

                “Thirty minutes, Malcolm, then we go.”

                Malcolm nodded and jumped out of the truck. He could see Amber in the back yard. He ran over to her, grabbed her by the hand, and took off running into the cornfields. They came to a spot they’d made earlier in the summer, that was bare. He sat down in the dirt and pulled her down on his lap. Malcolm stared into the distance, not knowing what to say. Amber looked at his troubled face and frowned.

                “What’s it, Malcolm? What’s botherin’ ye?” she whispered.

He sighed and looked at her. Amber was blonde, with a lovely tanned body, her brown eyes were warm and inviting, but she looked worried and it was his fault.

                “Ma parents are sendin’ us away. The three of us are all goin’ to different uni’s. I willnae see them or you fer at least a year.”

                “Weel ye’ll be back fer hols won’t ye?” she asked.

                Malcolm scowled and chucked a rock into the surrounding corn.

                “Nay, I dinna ken if I ever wanna come back!”

                Amber nodded, she understood his anger, but she also understood where his parents were coming from. They were worried about their sons and wanted to help them the best way the knew how. Poor Malcolm was too angry to see that.

                “Weel, what Uni are ye going tae? I’m going to Uni also, I decided last month, I’m gonna be a teacher,” Amber said cheerfully.

                Malcolm perked up, maybe Amber was going to the same Uni! At least he’d be able to still be with her!

                “I’m going to Louisville,” Malcolm said. He prayed she’d say the same but the crestfallen look on her face told him that it wasn’t so.

                “I’m going to Lexington, it’s closer tae my folks and since its only 40 minutes away, I can technically just live at home and drive tae school, if I wanted tae, but I’ve decided to stay on campus. But hey, Louisville isn’t that far, we can still see each other, right?”

                Malcolm had gone back to staring into the distance, he’d already heard Callum call for him twice.

                “No, I think we better break up. We’re gonna be too far apart and too busy. Maybe it’s best that we date other people while we’re gone at school,” Malcolm said quietly.

                Amber quickly hid the hurt, she knew he was angry and purposely shutting her out, but it hurt so much.

                “I love ye, Malcolm, I dinna want anyone else, but if ye think that we should try seein’ other people, fine.”

                Malcolm stood up and pulled Amber to her feet.

                “Would ye wait fer me?” Malcolm inquired.

                “Aye, Malcolm, on one condition,” she looked at him through the tears in her eyes, “I’ll wait, but you have tae come back home, I’m no moving again in ma life! I moved across the ocean fer ye and yer folks once, but you ain’t dragging me away from Lancaster, I love it here and if ye want tae be with me, I’ll be here, and I’ll wait fer you, yer my soul mate Malcolm.”

                She kissed him deeply, arousing him with her body, then she pulled away and walked deeper into the cornfield, tears flowing down her face. Malcolm turned and went to his father. This was all his fault.