Dreams in Moonlight

Part 18

When Ben got to his feet, he retrieved his wallet, extracted a few notes and put them on the table. "Mallory, go with Greg. No arguments. Ok." He leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. "Greg, keep in touch."

The man nodded in silent communication. Ben turned to Mallory, "Don't give him a hard time, ok?" and with that he left them sitting at the table.

"I am perfectly able to look after myself."

"I see you listened to Ben. He said, remember, not to give me a hard time."

"I'm not. I'm telling you I can take care of myself. You do not have to put yourself out."

"Mallory, I'm going to say this just the once, ok, so listen up."

She pursed her lips.

"You are coming with me." He pushed back his chair. "Let's go. We'll stop off at your place for you to throw some kit into a bag for your stay."

So instead of being able to avoid him, Mallory found herself forced to spend two days and nights in Greg's company, staying at his nearly finished house all because Ben had forced Greg to take care of Mallory as the Stalker situation was resolved.

Staying with Greg for 48 hours was heaven and hell. Heaven when she and Greg slid into something close to what they'd had as teenagers, and she forgot he was with someone. Like old times. It was so easy to be with him. To laugh. To tease. To talk. It wasn't long before they were simply talking as if they were long time friends. He told her about what he'd done when he'd left town. Explained how he'd got his breaks, and how he'd built up his business. She was very proud of him and his achievements. And she told him so.

Then it was hell when she remembered he was with Amanda and when she caught snippets of conversation when Amanda phoned to talk to Greg. Mallory knew she was going to have to move away.

At the end of the two day stay she had firmed up her resolve. She couldn't keep living in this town. She'd have to start making plans to move. Greg was right. It would not work. He wanted to bring up his family here. He had a woman lined up to become his wife. It wasn't Mallory. And if listening to him on the phone was tough, she doubted she'd be able to cope with seeing him with his children, knowing that once upon a time it might have been her with him, and it would be their children. It had been difficult seeing him date Amanda. But living in his house and overhearing them talk made it so much harder.

A week later Amelia called to invite Mallory to a basketball game at the school. Amelia, Jack, Mallory and Greg shuffled along the bench seat.

"Good thing we came early." Amelia said as she moved an inch closer to her husband. The place was starting to get crowded. But then it wasn't often that they got national teams practicing in their local school.

"It certainly is getting crowded."

"Ah, there's Lisa. Just in time, they've closed the door." Amelia got to her feet and waved at Lisa hoping the other woman would spot her. "Oh good, she's seen us."

Lisa had been on the same fundraising cycle trip as Amelia and Jack, but she'd had to cut it short when she'd fallen off and hurt herself. "Have we got enough room?" Amelia glanced at the bench seat and tried to visualize whether they'd left enough room for another. "Did you say Amanda is coming?" She asked Greg.

"She said she'd try to make it, but it would be a long shot. Looks like she's missed it." And he knew he should feel guilty about the sense of relief. And he should feel guilty about the fact that he was looking forward to sitting beside Mallory. Things were different after the last weekend, when the stalker situation with Nic resulted in Ben asking Greg to keep Mallory safe. That was a week ago.

Lisa reached them.

"Hey. You made it." Amelia smiled and then beckoned her forward, "Ermm, I think you know Mallory, have you met Greg?"

Lisa shook her head, and then offered her hand.

"Hi." They both said. Greg smiled as he shook her hand.

"That was close." Lisa said, "I got through just before they closed the entrance."

"They've closed it?"

Lisa nodded, "Yeah, why?"

"Oh, just a shame. Greg's girlfriend was hoping to make it." Lisa glanced at Mallory. "Oh, we aren't together. Not in that way." Mallory smiled at Lisa as she attempted to explain what she was sure would cause her renewed pain. "You know the book store in town?"

Lisa nodded.

"Greg's going out with the woman who owns it. Amanda."

"Oh." Lisa smiled. Then she glanced back at Amelia, "So how was the honeymoon?" That was two weeks back. But this was the first time they were catching up. Last weekend, Amelia, Jack, David and Gabriella had gone to the south Island.

Amelia blushed. Jack chuckled. "Yeah. Good. We had a good time. Fiji was lovely." Amelia said, "The people were really friendly. It's a beautiful place."

"Got room for me? They aren't going to actually start for about another fifteen minutes. I'd love to hear more about the place, Tony is suggesting we go there at Christmas."

Amelia squidged up closer to Jack and Lisa sat down.

"And rumour has it that there's another wedding on the cards!" Lisa sat between Amelia and Mallory, with Jack on the other side of Amelia and Greg on the other side of Mallory. "And I think you'd be the best person to spill the goss, given you know both parties!"

Amelia beamed. "It's great news, isn't it?"

Lisa nodded. "Unexpected. I never suspected anything on that cycle ride, did you?" They launched into a conversation about the hottest topic in town.

Beside them, Mallory laced her fingers and locked them around her knees, hoping that she would manage to keep up her pretence.

"Amelia said you're flying north tomorrow." Greg broke the ice. She looked so cool. So calm. As if sitting here, beside him was no big deal. And yes, he'd set this up, with their talk the other week, but he'd figured things had changed after she'd been forced to spend two days with him at his house. They'd made progress, or so he thought.

He wasn't sure whether he should have been thrilled that she was treating him like one of the team. Just a friend. That's what he'd been pushing for. Pity it wasn't what he really wanted.

Mallory nodded, "Work. The Australian Ballet are performing in Auckland. I'm writing a piece for a news paper." And she was going to stay on for a friend's wedding.

"You freelance?" they hadn't really talked about her work when she'd stayed over. He'd avoided the topic because it reminded him of the fact she had left him because of her career. All those years ago.

"Sort of. I have a fairly steady stream of stuff." She stuck to her promise to keep things light, to stay calm, to hide her feelings, to prepare for leaving town.

"And the dance studio."

She nodded. "I don't actually run the classes, just manage the place. Open up the studio. Do the books. Manage the place." She couldn't take the classes because she couldn't do half the moves anymore. And without her stick she had difficulty with balance and movement.

"You miss dancing?"

She nodded. He knew it must hurt, for, it had been central to her life for nearly half of her life.

They sat, and talked. Quietly. The conversation moved from stilted to almost the way they had been as youths. Easy.