Bridge Over the Atlantic (29 page)

She walked away from him for the second time that day and again a little piece of her heart broke. She walked fast in case he had decided to follow. He hadn’t. When she got inside, she closed her front door behind her and burst into tears. This was becoming a habit now. Her subconscious was quite right.

Her shift started at seven that night. When she arrived outside she was greeted with a sight she would rather not have encountered. The chalk board she had made for Greg was propped up outside the door and it was evident that her former friend was playing.
Great
. She was tempted to turn and retreat back to the cosy womb of her newly decorated house. But instead, she walked through the door putting a fraudulent smile on her face. She would be busy so it would all be fine. Wouldn’t it?

She got herself set behind the bar and noticed Greg was sitting in his usual pre-gig spot with
her
. They were chatting and laughing together. Every so often she would touch his arm or toss her hair. From what Greg had told her of Alice it seemed that old habits, did indeed, die hard.

Dammit!
Alice looked over and realised that Mallory was glaring in their direction. She muttered something to Greg who turned toward the bar. Mallory quickly dropped her gaze and wiped the glass she was holding so hard that it slipped from her grasp and shards of glass flew everywhere as the vessel shattered. Greg rushed over.

“Hey are you okay?” he enquired, concerned.

“Greg, it’s just broken glass. I’m fine.”

“Let me help you.” He grabbed the dustpan and brush from its place on top of the dish washer, but she snatched it from his hands.

“Greg, just go. You’re supposed to be singing aren’t you? So go do it,” she snapped viciously.

“Look I’ve said sorry about everything. What else am I meant to do?” he pleaded.

“Nothing. There is
nothing
you can do. Just go!”

Ten minutes later Greg sat in his usual place ready to perform. The bar had filled up and there was a hum of chatter and anticipation. Greg had become somewhat of a local star and his gigs were very well attended. Mallory did her best to stay focused and busy, serving the many thirsty customers.

“Evening all.” Greg’s voice boomed out of the PA system. “I’m not going to talk much tonight. I’m sure you’s don’t want to hear me rambling on about stuff all night, eh?” He cleared his throat. “I know you all are gradually discovering how eclectic ma taste in music is. Well just to prove the point even further I’m going to kick off with a little bit of Chicago. The band not the musical.” He chuckled and the audience chuckled with him. “This is a beautiful song called
Hard to Say I’m Sorry
.” The audience clapped and cheered before falling silent and listening intently as raw emotion poured from Greg’s lips.

Mallory tried her damnedest to swallow the lump that had become lodged in her throat as she listened to the words she knew were indubitably for her benefit. She avoided making eye contact with him at all costs and she had to remind herself why this chasm had opened up between them lest she run over and fling her arms around him.

She stuck it as long as she could but when her emotions got the better of her Mallory had to leave the room. She went to the ladies restroom and splashed water on her face. When she stood up and looked in the mirror at her red, puffy eyes, a presence startled her.

“Hello Mallory.” The beautiful blonde woman said to her reflection.

“Alice.” She dabbed her face with some paper towels and threw them in the waste bin.

“You’ve broken his heart you know.” Alice folded her arms across her chest and leaned on the sink, addressing Mallory directly.

“I think you got there before me, don’t you?”

“What you’re doing is much worse.” Alice snorted.

“How the hell do you figure that one out?” Mallory couldn’t quite believe her ears.

“You could just walk away. You could crawl back to your little hole in Yorkshire and let him move on. But instead you’re here taunting him with the presence of what he thinks he wants but can’t have. It’s cruel.” Her eyes flashed angrily.

Bile rose in Mallory’s throat.

“How dare you? You told him you were pregnant! There was no baby! That is the epitome of cruelty. Then you slept with his best friend! You bitch. And my ‘hole’, as you referred to it, is more desirable than spending another second in your presence now get out of my fucking way.” Mallory was shaking with anger. She didn’t swear lightly and the words falling from her mouth sounded like someone else, not her.

“You should know, before you walk away, that he and I are going to give things another go. He still loves me. It won’t take him long to get over you.” And with that she walked out. Mallory leaned against the sink feeling as if she had been winded.

She gathered herself and went back out to the bar. Greg was just having a drink before his next song. Mallory looked over to him. Was her presence hurting him more? She didn’t intend to make things worse. She resolved to take a few days away in Yorkshire. Maybe the distance would help both of them.

Greg looked directly at her with sad eyes as Alice arrived at his side briefly drawing his attention away. She kissed the top of his head.

Stella, who had appeared from the back, saw the display of affection and looked over at Mallory with a sad smile.

“Anyway, onto my next number…ahem…Now unrequited love is a bitch eh? I know I’ve been there; anyone else?” The audience murmured in agreement. “Aye well, some of you should relate well to this next one. It’s by one of my favourite bands, Fleetwood Mac and it’s called ‘
You Can Go Your Own Way’
. Oh and don’t sing along, eh?” He forced a laugh and winked at the audience who laughed along with him.

He began to sing yet another song aimed at Mallory. She felt her cheeks burn and saw Alice glaring at her as if to say
I told you so
.

Greg’s eye burned into Mallory whilst he sang. She wanted to leave but for some reason she was equally as compelled to stay. She didn’t want to run and give Alice the satisfaction of knowing she had burrowed under her skin.

Greg was doing his usual thing of communicating with other people’s words and tonight he was on a mission.

“Sorry folks, it’s all a bit melancholy tonight. I’m feeling that way out. Must be my hormones.” He laughed. “Anyway, this next one is a sad, sad song by a wonderful song writer called John Waite. It’s about a guy who’s in love with a girl. She left him and moved away. He really doesn’t know why she’s gone and he misses her desperately but he’s trying to convince himself that he isn’t…he’s failing miserably. She’s all he can think about. She’s all he sees. He wants her to realise and come back to him…it’s called ‘
Missing You’
.”

He began to play and Mallory stopped what she was doing this time.
If he has something to say then you should damn well listen!

She listened for a few moments, knowing the song of old. The lump in her throat returned and she was finding it difficult to see through the glassy film over her eyes. She feigned a headache and Stella told her to go on home. She was certain that Stella knew exactly what the real reason for her swift departure was. Mallory slipped out of the back door and made her way home.

“Hi, babe! How you doing?” Josie answered Mallory’s call within two rings.

“I need to come and stay. Please, can me and Rubes come tomorrow?” Mallory sobbed down the line at her best friend.

“Of course you can, hun. What on earth is wrong?” Josie sounded concerned at Mallory’s emotional, distressed call.

“I just need to get away from here, from Greg; from memories.”

“Come whenever you like, hun. I’ll make the spare room up.”

Before bed Mallory packed a small case with essentials and set it by the door ready for an early start in the morning. Ruby jumped on to the bed and snuggled up to her. Mallory sobbed once again into the fur of the little black dog.

After breakfast the next day Mallory scooped up Ruby and her case and put them in the car. It was nine o’clock and she was determined to set off soon. She pulled up outside Colin’s shop and went in to let him know she was going away for a few days. She had already called Stella who had been very understanding, as always. She turned the car around and began to pull away. Greg appeared out of nowhere in front of the car; hands held up to stop her. She slammed the breaks on. He came around to the driver’s side and she rolled down the window.

His expression was pained. “Mallory…are you leaving?” He was out of breath.

“What does it have to do with you?” Her frustration was evident in the terse tone with which she addressed him.

“The case in the back. Ruby…are you going for good?”

“Why don’t you ask your wife, Greg.” She bristled and hit the accelerator.

Chapter Eleven

It felt good to be emancipated, even if was temporarily, from the stress of the chaos that had become her relationship with Greg. She was looking forward to seeing Josie.

She stuck in her Alanis Morisette CD and felt an angry sing along was just what the doctor ordered. The growling, scathing lyrics of ‘
You Oughta Know’
seemed so fitting and rang through the car and out into the warm September morning through the open windows of her car. Then it was the turn of Pearl Jam and ‘
Rearviewmirror’
followed by Avril Lavigne’s ‘
So Much For My Happy Ending’
. Good clear-your-head-get-it-outta-your-system songs. She felt better already.

Eight hours later after taking only one brief stop off; and after singing along to as many angry, loud songs as she could lay her hands on, at the top of her voice—much to the amusement of other motorists—she arrived at Josie’s house. It was just after six and she was starving. Josie’s was a semi-detached estate house not far from Railway Cottages but much more modern.

Josie had seen her pull up and was waiting. Exiting the car and almost running up the driveway, Mallory flung her arms around her best friend.

“It’s so good to see you,” Josie said as she hugged her back hard.

“It’s good to be here, I’ve missed you,” Mallory replied, fighting back the threatening tears.

Josie helped Mallory into the house with her things and then made a pot of fresh coffee. Ruby ran around in the familiar surroundings wagging her tail. Once Mallory had deposited her case upstairs she came down to tell Josie about Alice and her antagonistic accusations.

Josie gasped in shock, her hands on her face. “So do you think they are going to get back together for real? Or is that just her wishful thinking?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. She kept touching him and kissing him, but he looked uncomfortable. All the songs he sang had hidden messages which were clearly aimed at me. I don’t know what to think. But it’s irrelevant, Josie. I can’t trust him.”

Josie took a deep breath and paused as if unsure whether or not say what she was thinking. “Mallory, I get that he was economical with the truth, but you obviously have feelings for him or you wouldn’t have rushed down here.”

Mallory was annoyed by the direct approach, but that was Josie; she was nothing if not direct. Mallory shifted in her seat and her lips were pressed together.

Josie continued on her mission of truth, “You need to think long and hard like I’ve said before. If he feels for you like he says he does, then Mrs. Conceited-Pants will have no chance at getting into his life again. There are only so many times you’ll let someone break your heart you know.”

Mallory relaxed a little and sighed as she remembered what Greg had told her about Alice. She was a nasty piece of work, out for her own gains. Greg was just the opposite.

“I just need some time away. I need to be able to think clearly about everything. Not just Greg but the shop too. I was considering selling up and moving the whole thing to
Easdale
, near the house, but then all this happened and I am now thinking of coming back here.”

Josie squeezed her hand. “Mallory, you have enough money now to open a second shop. You could do that when you go back. I’m quite capable of dealing with the
Leeds
branch. I do love it and we have a regular customer base now; plus the tourists love the bespoke local signs you make. No one else is doing things like that in the centre.” She hesitated again. “Look, don’t get me wrong, if you decide to sell I will go find something else, or I can go back to college. This isn’t about me. I just think it’s a shame to fix something that isn’t broken.”

Mallory liked the prospect of a second
Le Petit Cadeau
outlet. And judging by the forecasts and current figures,
Leeds
was excelling. Josie was right. But the fact still remained that she was considering coming home to
Leeds
. She would have to figure things out.

The following day was a trip down memory lane. She hadn’t been to
Leeds
for a while. It felt good to be back in the hustle and bustle of the busy shopping precinct with its huge department stores and vast array of designer shops. Josie had suggested Mallory came into the shop to see for herself how things were going. She wanted Mallory to see the fruits of her labours as she had managed to encourage other local crafts people to have commission based stands within the shop and so the variety of goods had increased dramatically. Business was booming. Mallory’s heart warmed to think that what started as a hobby had become a viable business venture. Sylvia would be so proud, she thought.

As she sat by watching Josie work her sales magic her cell phone buzzed in her bag. She expected there to be a message via
Facebook
from Reece who had met someone and had gone on a date a couple of days before. Excited to hear his news she fumbled around in her bright red bottomless pit of a bag and located the phone. It was a text. From Greg.

Hey, how r u? Am worried u will not come back. I miss u so much. Please just let me know u r ok.

She thought for a moment and hit reply.