Uncle Harry

-21-

I wasn't completely devoid of all emotion when it came to my choices regarding my husband and his attempt to reach out to me. My temporarily turning off all guilt only lasted for the rest of the night so that my body would allow itself to sleep through tumultuous dreams. Once the sun had risen again and once the nasty realization of what had transpired between me and my uncle had materialized, I was clumsily pushing back sheets to grab at my phone. Harry didn't stir one bit as I fumbled out of the room and into the guest room I had been occupying across the hall.

Dialing Jack's number and walking into the bathroom, I sit on the ceramic border of the luxurious bathtub, staring at the dark circles sculpted into my face in the mirror. My foot won't stop tapping and the anxiety riddling through my muscles has stiffened my legs into locking together, has made my previous night's dinner come back up as bile in my throat.

"Hey, darling." Jack's melodic voice soothes all muscles in my body. I stop shivering, nausea subsides. Home is on the other end of this call and it's warm and inviting. I don't deserve his 'darling,' not one bit.

The tears that were suppressed by my disregard for my former life last night are starting to form in my eyes. That knot that I had prevented from choking my speech has arrived with vengeance. What the fuck did I just do? It wasn't just my vows, it was our vows that I had tainted. "Jack-" I can barely get out before I croak a sob on my end.

"Woah, woah. Mallory, I only said hello." He's quiet for a few seconds as I quietly cry into my hand. "Are you alright? Is everything okay over there?" Not even having the energy, I can't respond to him. "Look, I know you missed me, but calm down, woman."

I smile through my ugly tantrum at the way he jokes with me, the way he's always been able to turn my mood at a simple change in octave with his words. "It's heaven to hear your voice right now," I tell him, sucking up snot back into my nose. "How er, how are you? Did you make it through the night?"

"Oh, sure. I was fine. Just spent the night mostly looking over the contracts that Niall had sent to the warehouse. It was a lot more paperwork than I had thought it would be. It's a whole rutting packet of outlines and clauses. They really don't like to be liable for anything, these large companies, do they?"

The thought of Jack in his large rimmed glasses licking his thumb and turning pages with a Disney movie in the background was an entertaining thought. "I suppose they don't. Do you want to wait for me to get home before you sign anything? Just for my oh-so-professional second opinion?"

He sighs and I can hear him throw the packet onto a surface. "Yes. You're better at this crap than I am. Maybe when Harry drops you off, he can run through it with me quickly."

Harry's name coming out of Jack's mouth makes me cringe and I stand up, moving towards the shower to turn the faucet on so I can start my morning routine. "Sounds like a plan then. Have you talked to Lily?"

"They FaceTimed me last night after they hung up with you."

"Your poor mum," I say, remembering how up the wall our daughter was last night with her grandparents.

"She was completely batty, wasn't she?"

"I've told them multiple times not to give her so many sweets and they've never listened to me all these years. Every time they sneak her treats behind my back, they think that I don't see them. Think they've learned their lesson now, though." Putting him on speaker, I set my cell on the counter and start to disrobe. There was no point in shutting the door, it wouldn't matter if Harry walked in and saw me now.

"They've got tickets to this show tonight," Jack starts to say as I notice brick red marks on my skin, like little firework burns on my breasts and neck. Running my fingers along the bruises, my breath hitches thinking of how Harry had meticulously placed them there with his mouth. I wip my eyes and start to chew at my bottom lip as he continues, trying to get rid of the memory before it replays in my mind. "So my dad is going to drop her off at your mother's this afternoon. She'll probably stay there until you come home in a few days."