out there, pal?” Greg fronted up to Brad.
Mallory panicked at the sudden confrontation. “Whoa, hey! Knock it off, please!” She implored. “Brad…Greg came to my rescue when I went a bit crazy tonight, and Greg…Brad wasn’t responsible for my lack of appropriate clothing. I went out like this of my own accord. So can you please just back up and shake hands?”
It was the most she had spoken in a while. They all stared at her, open mouthed, as if a miracle had just occurred.
Greg nodded to the two ladies and held out his hand to Brad. “I’ll be going, now that I know you’re okay.”
Brad grasped his hand and shook it. “Look mate, why don’t you stay for a coffee or summat? Warm you up a bit? And thanks for helping Mal. She’s like my little sister and I would never forgive myself if she got hurt.”
Greg looked to Mallory for her consent. Mallory shrugged.
Greg sat beside Mallory on the sofa. The others busied themselves sorting coffee and Renee went to call Ryan to let him know Mallory had returned.
Greg nudged Mallory’s shoulder with his own, “See, you have people who care. Don’t go scaring ‘em like that again, okay?”
“When we were in your car, you said it gets easier…how do you know that? How can anyone say that?” She pleaded.
“Well, only those who’ve experienced loss and grief and have come out the other side can really know, I suppose.” He frowned, staring into the flames of the fire.
“You’ve been through this?” She asked gingerly.
“Aye,” he continued staring. His voice was clipped.
“Your wife?” she asked, remembering the indentation of the wedding band.
“Na. My…” He inhaled deeply. He rubbed his brow as if it hurt to think about it. She wanted to ask more; to find out whom he had lost. For her own sake admittedly, which was selfish, but she wanted to know how he had got through it, so she could at least start to try. But she didn’t. “Look, it’s late, I’d better go, I’ve got an early start the morrow. Got to pick Rhiannon up and I can’t be late. Tell your family I’m grateful for the offer of a drink, but I really should be off.” His voice cracked as he briskly walked to the door, pulled it open with ease and left.
Mallory stared at the door, a little bemused as to why he had gone in such a hurry. She had no clue who Rhiannon was, but she was clearly very demanding. Josie and Brad returned to the lounge with a tray and glanced around the room.
“Where’s Cutie McHunky gone?” Josie tried to lighten the mood. Brad elbowed her. “Ow!”
“I think I upset him,” Mallory admitted. “He said he’d been through this situation and so I asked about it,” Mallory’s bottom lip began to quiver, “then he left and I feel so awful.” The tears sprang from her eyes as guilt washed over her.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay, don’t worry about him, you don’t even know him from Adam,” Josie soothed, “it’s you that you need to be concentrating on now.”
Mallory nodded, but deep down she knew there was more to what had just happened. He had been so caring; it was as if things were still raw for him. She regretted questioning him. She would have to apologise.
May 2011
In the few days that followed the cremation and her mini breakdown, new neighbours made themselves known to her. Her tragic circumstances had spread around the village like a wild fire. She was touched by their condolences, offers of kind, reassuring words and help.
Colin and Christine, the proprietors at the village shop, stopped by with homemade carrot cake; Colin’s specialty they had told her. Ron from the pub came by to walk Ruby several times and the lady from a couple of doors down, who had lost her husband a year ago, called by with flowers, a card and an understanding hug. Mallory had shed tears at how wonderful these, to all intents and purposes, strangers were being. She felt sad that her welcome had been under such sad and painful
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