Page 54 of A Seaside Escape
Chapter Ten
Monday night Mallory’s shifts in the pub started again. It was good to see Ron. He said he had missed her smiling face behind the bar and his beer hadn’t tasted quite as good with her not pouring it for him. Colin and Christine called in for dinner and she sat chatting with them for a while. Mallory learned that Christine made the most beautiful jewellery. She was wearing a gorgeous amethyst necklace and earrings that she had crafted using real gemstones. It was stunning. They were such a lovely couple.
Tuesday meant Greg would perform at the pub again. As usual he was on top form. He wore a new shirt – this one was white with folded back sleeves and a tiny pale blue paisley pattern on. It made him look tanned. He was so happy when he was performing and it was an infectious happiness that brought the pub to life. Mallory was bobbing up and down and singing along when she knew the words, but she did so quietly so as not to get in trouble with the artiste.
By the time Saturday had come around she was all ready for the beach barbie with Greg. She had made him a gift and wrapped it in her own hand-printed paper. It looked quite effective and she gave herself a little pat on the back, proud of her achievement.
She dressed in black linen trousers and a teal long-sleeved T-shirt that she had bought in Canada. She slipped on a black denim jacket, another treat from her travels. Her black sparkly flip-flops finished the look nicely. She went for contacts and left her glasses on the mantle next to the urn.
As promised Greg arrived at seven. He wore khaki cropped combats, flip-flops and a cream granddad-collar linen shirt. He had sunglasses on the top of his head, pushing his hair straight back. He looked nice, Mallory thought. Handsome even.
The weather was warm and dry and the sun was on the verge of beginning its descent. Greg had brought a kettle barbeque, coals, burgers, steaks and sausages. Mallory provided bread, salad and a picnic set. Greg had found some candle lanterns on stalks that stuck into the sand. Mallory had brought the paper lanterns and they had both written and kept their own tags.
They loaded up the Landy and drove a little way along the road to a small secluded beach. There was no one else around so Mallory set out their blanket and stuck the candles in the ground while Greg lit the barbeque straight away. Whilst the coals were heating to the right temperature for cooking, Mallory pulled out the package and handed it to him.
‘Oh Mallory, what’s this? You didn’t have to get me a gift,’ he protested, but from his smile she knew that secretly he was glad she did. Greg opened it eagerly and took out the hand-made plaque, reading aloud. ‘True friends are hard to find, thank goodness I found you.’ He smiled and she saw water well in his eyes.
He didn’t speak but clambered over to her and hugged her tightly. He looked down at her and it seemed as though ten different emotions fought for the surface all at once.
‘I couldn’t have dreamt of anything better, Mallory, it’s beautiful… thank you.’ He paused, gazing into her eyes.
A strange feeling washed over her. Her stomach lurched and her heart began to pound. She knew that he felt it too. She was terrified that he was about to kiss her and had no clue what she would do if he did.
He didn’t do it.
He pulled away from her and stood to attend to the coals. ‘I… think the temperature should be about right now. Better get the food on, eh?’
She felt a mixture of relief, sadness and other things that she chose to ignore. They went back to chatting normally.
‘Something has been bugging me, Greg.’ Mallory’s curiosity had been lying in wait for the right opportunity. ‘How come you didn’t want to invite anyone else here today?’
He shrugged. ‘All I can say is that the friends I’ve had in the past have had a habit of letting me down inbigways. I just feel it’s better to keep myself to myself.’
‘But what about me?’ Mallory wondered aloud, immediately regretting that the words had fallen out of her mouth.
He pulled his lips in and then huffing out said, ‘You’re different. Don’t ask me why, but I trust you. I don’t think you’d ever betray me. I get the feeling I’d only ever lose your friendship ifIwas the one who did the wrong thing.’ He looked directly into her eyes.
‘Hmm, better be on your best behaviour then,’ she laughed, trying to lighten the suddenly sombre mood.
Their meal was delicious and they drank a little wine but Greg switched to soda after one glass. Once they were stuffed and had eaten their fill of steak and hotdogs, they carried the lanterns and tags to the water’s edge. The temperature had dropped and Mallory was now chilly. Greg had said that she could speak first and so she began.
‘Mairi, you were a bright light in Greg’s life. You were a brave and adventurous woman, you made my friend very happy and I’m sure, had I met you, we would have been the best of friends too. Now you’ve left this world you’re a bright star in the night sky, you’re missed and will always be loved.’ She let her lantern go and they watched it float away.
Greg turned to her, squeezed her hand and spoke, almost in a whisper, ‘That was beautiful. Thank you.’ He turned to face out to sea; tears welling in his eyes. He looked to Mallory again and she nodded in encouragement.
He took a deep breath and let the words go. ‘Mairi, my heart and my love, you were a vivacious, stunningly beautiful woman, both inside and out, I was so proud of you for all you achieved at such a young age. Your courage knew no bounds. When you walked into a room, all heads turned and you made everyone smile; especially me. Since you left, my world has got a little darker. I’ve spent the last year feeling a type of pain that no one else could understand. Mallory came along and changed that. She helped me to come to terms with losing you. She helped me to come here today to say goodbye in a way I wasn’t able to do before. I miss you so much that sometimes I still feel physical pain, but I know that you can’t return and I have to try and let you go.’ A sob escaped his trembling lips and Mallory put a hand on his shoulder. ‘Please know that wherever you are I will always,alwayslove you.’
He let his lantern go. The two friends stood side by side and watched as their lanterns disappeared into the distance.
Greg rubbed the dampness from his face and turned to Mallory. ‘There’s one more thing I need to do… to let go of… You see my necklace?’ He held out the little stone on the black leather cord he always wore around his neck and she nodded. ‘It’s a pebble from this very beach. Mairi carved the Celtic symbol into it. It represents two opposites working together. She gave it to me when we’d been together a while.’ His voice croaked. ‘She said that’s what we were; opposites that somehow needed each other. Like… dark and light… Night and day… You can’t have one without the other. She was the adventurous spirit and I was the grounded one, she said.’ He unfastened the necklace and gripped the stone in his hand. ‘I need to let it go now. Let it become part of the beach again. Let the cycle complete.’ He kissed the stone and launched it into the sea so far that they couldn’t see when it hit the water.’ He stood silently looking out at the water for a while until he eventually turned to Mallory again. ‘Thank you for suggesting this. It’s been really cathartic.’ He smiled and touched her cheek. ‘You need to know that I would never have let go of all this if it wasn’t for… your help.’ His hand dropped to his side.
Mallory was shivering now and Greg put his arm around her, making her feel a little warmer. They wandered back up the beach to where their blanket and candles still remained. Greg grabbed a fleece from the Landy and threw a blanket to Mallory.
After sitting, looking at the stars for a while, and drinking hot chocolate from a flask that Greg had produced from the car, they decided it was too cold to stay longer so they packed their things away in silence.
Greg drove them back to Mallory’s house. He put on the handbrake and they sat for a few moments. There was a palpable tension in the air between them. They had been through a lot this evening and Mallory suspected it was the weight of all the emotions they had shared and experienced.
‘Do you want to come in for a coffee?’ she asked eventually, immediately wondering if the suggestion was a bad idea.
