with her friends.”
“Aye, well… the reason she left was I sang ‘Chasing Cars’. It reminded her of when Sam proposed. It really broke her heart, Col. I felt terrible. And I know I wasn’t to know,” I said, forestalling the reassurance. “But that’s not all.”
Colin rolled his eyes. “Oh, great. What else have you done?”
“I… erm… pretty much told her she’s wasting away and needs to eat.”
Colin gaped for a few moments. “You did not . Gregory, you know how women can be sensitive about that kind of thing. Honestly. Have you not the sense you were born with, man?”
I felt my cheeks burning. “I’m not known for my tact am I, Col?”
He shook his head with a look of derision. “That’s true. I heard from Ron about how you greeted her when she first arrived. Goodness me, Greg, put brain in gear before engaging mouth.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve learned my lesson. I just wish… I wish I could do something nice for her. You know? I understand what she’s going through.”
As if the wheels were turning in his brain, Colin pursed his lips and stared into space. “Hmmm.” Then he walked away, shouting, “I’ll get the kettle on.”
Nothing more was said and so I set about fixing the tap, drinking coffee, and keeping my feet out of my mouth.
~~~
Mallory invaded my thoughts continuously. As soon as I arrived home, I jumped in the shower, turning the dial to cold, determined to eject her from my mind. The icy stream of water took my breath away as it pounded at my sensitive skin, and for a few moments my focus was drawn away from Yorkshire lasses with chocolate-brown hair and sexy curves. Instead I felt my teeth chattering and wondered if my balls would ever descend again. Once I had tortured myself enough, I switched off the shower and grabbed a warm towel from the radiator, wrapping it around my body and relishing the heat that radiated through to my bones. When I was dry I went downstairs, poured myself a glass of whiskey, and picked up Rhiannon. For some reason Fleetwood Mac always popped into my head when I thought about Mallory; and it turned out the shower had done me no good whatsoever as “Don’t Stop” popped into my head. I began strumming.
The lyrics could’ve been written for her. In fact, I could’ve written them myself , for her. That was the thing I’d discovered about music. I could never express my own feelings very well since Alice did the dirty on me. But I could usually find a song by someone else that said exactly what I was feeling.
Perhaps I’d sing “Don’t Stop” next time I played at the pub, and if she was there, I’d dedicate it to her… Soppy swine . I played a few more songs as Angus lay snoring on the rug in front of me. I stroked his belly with my bare foot, and he smiled. I know they say that dogs can’t smile, but Angus did. I could just tell.
When I was beginning to get tired, I made my way up to bed, stripped naked, and climbed in under the covers. As I lay down, I realized I hadn’t needed a single malt to take away the usual ache.
My eyes fluttered open and I gasped in shock at the figure standing at the end of my bed. Mallory was dressed in the biggest sweater I’d ever seen. I was confused at first as to why she was in my bedroom, but even more so as to why her sweater was getting bigger. I stifled a laugh, remembering that she didn’t like me and that I’d laughed at her before and received a tongue-lashing that made me feel two inches tall.
“I don’t fit, Greg.” Her voice was so sad and a tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away on the huge sleeve.
“What do you mean you don’t fit?” I asked.
“I don’t fit anywhere. I don’t fit here in Clachan Seil… I don’t fit back home in Leeds now that Sam has gone… I don’t even fit into my clothes anymore.”
My heart broke and I sat up and crawled to the end of the bed, disregarding the fact that I was naked. I cupped her face in my palms. “You do fit. You
“Aye, well… the reason she left was I sang ‘Chasing Cars’. It reminded her of when Sam proposed. It really broke her heart, Col. I felt terrible. And I know I wasn’t to know,” I said, forestalling the reassurance. “But that’s not all.”
Colin rolled his eyes. “Oh, great. What else have you done?”
“I… erm… pretty much told her she’s wasting away and needs to eat.”
Colin gaped for a few moments. “You did not . Gregory, you know how women can be sensitive about that kind of thing. Honestly. Have you not the sense you were born with, man?”
I felt my cheeks burning. “I’m not known for my tact am I, Col?”
He shook his head with a look of derision. “That’s true. I heard from Ron about how you greeted her when she first arrived. Goodness me, Greg, put brain in gear before engaging mouth.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve learned my lesson. I just wish… I wish I could do something nice for her. You know? I understand what she’s going through.”
As if the wheels were turning in his brain, Colin pursed his lips and stared into space. “Hmmm.” Then he walked away, shouting, “I’ll get the kettle on.”
Nothing more was said and so I set about fixing the tap, drinking coffee, and keeping my feet out of my mouth.
~~~
Mallory invaded my thoughts continuously. As soon as I arrived home, I jumped in the shower, turning the dial to cold, determined to eject her from my mind. The icy stream of water took my breath away as it pounded at my sensitive skin, and for a few moments my focus was drawn away from Yorkshire lasses with chocolate-brown hair and sexy curves. Instead I felt my teeth chattering and wondered if my balls would ever descend again. Once I had tortured myself enough, I switched off the shower and grabbed a warm towel from the radiator, wrapping it around my body and relishing the heat that radiated through to my bones. When I was dry I went downstairs, poured myself a glass of whiskey, and picked up Rhiannon. For some reason Fleetwood Mac always popped into my head when I thought about Mallory; and it turned out the shower had done me no good whatsoever as “Don’t Stop” popped into my head. I began strumming.
The lyrics could’ve been written for her. In fact, I could’ve written them myself , for her. That was the thing I’d discovered about music. I could never express my own feelings very well since Alice did the dirty on me. But I could usually find a song by someone else that said exactly what I was feeling.
Perhaps I’d sing “Don’t Stop” next time I played at the pub, and if she was there, I’d dedicate it to her… Soppy swine . I played a few more songs as Angus lay snoring on the rug in front of me. I stroked his belly with my bare foot, and he smiled. I know they say that dogs can’t smile, but Angus did. I could just tell.
When I was beginning to get tired, I made my way up to bed, stripped naked, and climbed in under the covers. As I lay down, I realized I hadn’t needed a single malt to take away the usual ache.
My eyes fluttered open and I gasped in shock at the figure standing at the end of my bed. Mallory was dressed in the biggest sweater I’d ever seen. I was confused at first as to why she was in my bedroom, but even more so as to why her sweater was getting bigger. I stifled a laugh, remembering that she didn’t like me and that I’d laughed at her before and received a tongue-lashing that made me feel two inches tall.
“I don’t fit, Greg.” Her voice was so sad and a tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away on the huge sleeve.
“What do you mean you don’t fit?” I asked.
“I don’t fit anywhere. I don’t fit here in Clachan Seil… I don’t fit back home in Leeds now that Sam has gone… I don’t even fit into my clothes anymore.”
My heart broke and I sat up and crawled to the end of the bed, disregarding the fact that I was naked. I cupped her face in my palms. “You do fit. You
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