Dragoona Island:Finding My Dragon Mate

Dragoona Island - Episode 5 - Cassie

After a nine-hour flight, a four-hour train ride, a three-hour bus journey and a fifteen-minute cab ride, I was finally here. I was looking up at a very tattered and worn sign that simply said ‘Aggie’s’. A mixture of relief and nervousness washed over me all at once. I really hoped I had not travelled over three days, spending thousands of dollars, only to come here for some breakfast. The thought of it being a dead end made my stomach churn. Or was that hunger?

It was seven in the morning and Aggie’s was not even open yet, but I didn't mind, I was here and that was all that mattered right now. I sat on my case and looked out on to the water.  The sound of sea birds was all I could hear, along with the sounds of the sea lapping quietly against the rocks. It was not even cold, or maybe it was adrenalin keeping me warm. There was a slight breeze, it felt nice though, I could smell the sea. I was not sure why, but sitting like this, looking out on to the water and feeling the sea breeze on my face made me feel calmer than I had done for months. Maybe it was the sea air or maybe it was because I knew my mom had been here too. I felt at peace. Almost like I was finally home.

I had never really considered anywhere ‘home’ because mom and I had moved every year from place to place. Only leasing apartments for twelve months at a time, sometimes less if our neighbours were too nosey. Every time someone would try and get to know us, my mom would decide to move again. Some mornings I would get up and all our stuff would be in the car, we would just drive, often we did not even have a plan. We just drove to another town or city, rented a motel till we got another apartment. I would register with another school and so it went on. It was not until I went to university that my mom finally bought us a house, that was where she lived until she passed away less than a fortnight ago. I sometimes wondered where she got the money to afford everything, she didn’t work, all her time was spent cooking, helping me with my homework and gardening. She loved to be in the garden more than anything else in the world. The memory of her preening her roses made me smile.

I guess I was in a bit of a daydream when the sound of jingling keys brought me back to reality. I turned round as a dark-haired woman approached the door of the tearoom, she looked middle-aged, the front of her hair going grey in places. She smiled over at me, it was a genuine, kind smile. I immediately felt at ease and smiled back.

“Have you been here long? You must be freezing, come away inside and I’ll make you a hot drink.” She walked over and picked up my hand luggage and beckoned me to follow her.

I stood up and grabbed my suitcase and followed her through the door of the tearoom. I spoke to her back as we walked. “Thanks. I arrived about seven, it was nice sitting enjoying the sea view.”

She gently placed my hand luggage down beside one of the tables, it had a turquoise blue table covering on it. The place just felt so welcoming, I immediately felt at ease. It seemed that being in Scotland really did make me feel better. She walked round and switched on all the lights as she went, before turning back to talk to me again, “Ah yes, the good old sea view always goes down well with tourists. I think when you see it every day you tend not to appreciate it as much. So, what brings you to this part of the world?”

I hesitated before answering, because I was not entirely sure why I was here yet, only that my mom had been here and that had to mean something. I cleared my throat before I spoke, “I am not a tourist, not in the traditional sense anyway. My mom passed away recently, I have no one now. I found a receipt for this place along with a few other things, I decided to come here in the hope it might lead me to my father… or maybe even a family member of some kind.” I was suddenly very aware of the fact I was telling this to a stranger, a friendly one, but a stranger none the less. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to give you my life story, it just feels good to say it out loud to someone,” I felt tears prick the inner corner of my eyes. Oh no! Please do not cry Cassie, get your s**t together.

I was not expecting what happened next. I felt two plump arms go round my shoulders pulling me into a hug. My face squashed against a large chest. Weirdly, it felt good. I had not been hugged in a long time, not even by my mom, she was too weak to even hold my hand at times. I felt big tears rolling down my cheeks now, the flood gates well and truly opening. I pulled back and apologised, horrified that I was crying on this stranger’s chest, even more so because I had left a big wet patch on her red sweater.

The kind woman smiled and handed me a tissue. “Do not be apologising lass, I won’t see anyone upset. You needed a cuddle, and I was a willing cuddler, consider it part of the service.”

I smiled up at her as I dried my eyes. “Thank you for being so kind. I do not even know your name. I am Cassie, are you Aggie?

The woman chuckled. “No sweetheart, Aggie is my mother. My name is Fiona. It is a pleasure to meet you Cassie” she gently patted my shoulder, “Now, what do you say to a pot of coffee and a full Scottish breakfast on the house? Then maybe I can be some help to you in finding your family. I know everyone in these parts. Go freshen up in the bathroom and I’ll get the cooker on.”

As I made my way to the restroom, I could not help but feel a bit disappointed. Fiona, as lovely as she is, did not seem old enough to have been around here when my mom visited. I reached a door that said ‘Lassies’ on it. I smiled, only in Scotland I thought. 

After washing up and fixing my face for the third time, I made my way back to the table. The smell of bacon and eggs filled my senses making my mouth watered.  I had not eaten anything fulfilling since the flight, apart from a few bags of potato chips. Now I felt famished.

A short while later Fiona appeared from a door behind the counter,. She had a huge plate of steaming hot food and a pot of coffee in the other hand. She sat the plate down in front of me and went to fetch a cup and saucer and some cutlery from a trolley next to the door she had just come from. I stared at the plate, it all smelled delicious but, in all honesty, I was not sure what some of it was. I recognised eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato and mushrooms; the rest was a mystery though. There was something round and black with little white bits in it and a dollop of something brown and crumbly. I wanted to ask Fiona what it was, but I did not want to be rude. I tried the brown stuff first, it was peppery and spicy, it tasted good, even though the texture was strange. I moved to the round black thing. It was also peppery and tasted rather weird, I was not a fan of that as much as the mystery brown goop.

Fiona walked over and filled my cup with coffee before asking, “So, do you like the haggis and black pudding? Both are traditional Scottish cuisine.”

I gulped down a lump of sausage and tomato before replying. “Oh yes, it is all delicious. Thank you for going to all this trouble. What is haggis and black pudding made of?”

Fiona smiled and was almost hesitant to reply. “Well haggis is made from sheep’s lungs, heart and liver. That is the brown one. And the black pudding is made from blood, it is a blood sausage.”

I felt like dry heaving at the thought of what I had just eaten, but I did not like to be disrespectful, especially to traditional Scottish cuisine. I forced a smile. “Well, it is delicious, it is an acquired taste though, I may not be able to eat it all.”

Fiona threw her head back and laughed the heartiest laugh I had ever heard. “No worries lass, you don’t have to eat it. I promise I will not be offended.”

I laughed too, how could I not. Fiona’s laugh was very contagious.

Fiona poured herself a cup of coffee then sat down across from me. She put three spoons of sugar in her coffee before asking, “Now, what makes you think you have family here in Thurso Bay? What is your second name?”

“My surname is Turner, that was my mom’s name too. I don't think she ever married.”

Fiona looked puzzled. “What makes you think you have family here, that isn’t a popular name in these parts. In fact, you are the first Turner I have ever met.”

I must sound crazy to this woman right now. “I am not sure why I feel I have family here; I found a receipt for this place in a box. My mom never mentioned being in Scotland before, so I figured it might mean something.”

“Let me get this straight, you came all the way from America to Thurso Bay because you found a receipt for this place?”

I suddenly felt extremely embarrassed. I looked at my now have empty plate, careful of how I should answer. “That just about sums it up, it sounds crazy I know, but I just had a feeling this is where I should be.” Without realising I was doing it; I touched the pendant that was hanging round my neck. I found it very cathartic just to touch it. I was still unsure why.

Fiona suddenly sat up straighter and stared at the pendant. “That necklace, where did you get it?”

“It was in the box with the receipt for this place, along with a ferry ticket for a place called Dragoona Island, have you ever heard of it?” I looked at Fiona with what must have looked like puppy dog eyes because she sighed and shook her head, as if she did not want to upset me.

“Fiona, if you know anything about this pendant or Dragoona Island you have to tell me. I have travelled three days to get here, I need to know if I have a family. Please.”

Fiona shifted uncomfortably in her seat before getting up and walking behind the counter. She lifted a picture of the wall, behind it was a small safe, she covered the keypad as she punched in some numbers. She closed the safe again and put the picture back in place.

“I cannot tell you much, because I do not know much about your circumstances, you will need this though to find the answers you’re looking for.” Fiona handed me a small ticket.

I looked at it, there was a gold dragon on one side and when I turned it over it said ‘Dragoona Island’ on the other side. I looked up at Fiona, feeling somewhat overwhelmed. “Thank you for this Fiona, I can’t tell how grateful I am for all your help. Can I just ask why though, what makes you want to offer me this help? You don’t even know me.”

Fiona sat back down across from me and looked hesitant to respond at first, but then she spoke, “You’re right Cassie, I don’t know you. I do know the person that necklace belongs to though. If your mother, had it in her possession, there is only one way she could have got it.”

I hoped I was going to like the answer to this question. “How?”

Fiona pursed her lips as if worried about what she was about to say. “Cassiena MacLeod must have given it to her.”