Dreams in Moonlight

Part 23

Mallory sighed for effect. "I didn't know they made them like him anymore." She patted her chest and closed her eyes theatrically, "Oh, be still my heart!" She smiled at her friend. 

Cait giggled at her friend's teasing. "Ok, ok." She giggled. "I can't believe it myself sometimes! He loves me. " She whispered. Then with a rueful chuckle she propped her chin on her palm and quirked a brow, "Enough about me. What about you? Anyone on the horizon? Some gorgeous man?"

But before Cait could ask about the flicker of pain she saw in Mallory's eyes, Sandy had bounded over, "Cait, come on. Sorry to interrupt Mallory, but we need Cait."

"Sandy!" Cait admonished. "I was in the middle of..."

"Well, I've been ordered to get you. So, come on. You know we have something to do, remember?" Sandy tugged.

Cait rolled her eyes. "Sorry Mallory. I'd better go."

"Yes, you'd better." Mallory grinned.

So, reluctantly Cait was tugged to her feet by her sister and practically dragged away. But Cait managed to detour to her mother. "Mum, can you talk to Mallory. Something's wrong. Man trouble I think."

Francine got to her feet, kissed her daughter's check, "Only you would be sensitive enough to notice someone else's pain. Off you go with Sandy, before she tears your arm out of your socket. Sandy, please remember you are part of this family and today is not the day for your shennaginans!" Sandy rolled her eyes.

"Mum! We have something, important, to do, mum! Cheek."

Francine kissed her daughter and then she headed for Mallory. "You look lovely Mallory." Francine looked for the seat that had recently been vacated by Cait.

With an understanding chuckle Mallory looked at an older version of the three daughters, and then grinned as she said, "Cait sent you, didn't she?"

Francine nodded, pulled up a chair and sat. "Yes." She looked directly at Mallory, "And Cait is pretty astute, so if she says something's wrong, then something is wrong."

"You don't want to be sitting here listening to my trivial woes." Mallory said with a rue smile. But she knew in her heart, she would appreciate this tete-tete chat.

"Depends. Might be interesting." Francine reached for some of the nibbles that had been placed on the table, "Cait said man trouble."

Mallory huffed out a breath, "She's amazing, isn't she?"

"Yes, I think if you were looking to escape notice, you'd need to be friends with Sophie, Bella or Sandy. Cait is too observant where people are concerned. She'll probably want to know all is well before she leaves! So, you'd better tell me everything!"

Mallory had met Francine numerous times, whenever she came to visit Cait, Cait usually took her to visit her parents. So Mallory knew Francine well enough. Mallory bought herself a few more seconds, she sipped her wine and thought about what to say, "About ten years ago, I received a marriage proposal." Mallory looked up, wanting to see if Francine would be surprised.

"To be expected. You're a lovely young lady with a lovely personality!"

Mallory's eyes twinkled, "Thank you."

"And?"

"I accepted his proposal."

"I see. At least, I think I see!" Now Francine was surprised because she knew Mallory wasn't married.

Mallory laughed anxiously, "He left town the next day!" Even now, ten years later, retelling that aspect always made her feel like a failure. A man had proposed to her and then run out. She knew that. Tina had spent many a year telling her she'd scared him off.