Chapter 38
Mallory, Sasha and Kara were meeting at Mike's to go to one of the newly reopened malls. Alicia would be with them for part of the day. There was an appointment made for a haircut and color, manicures and pedicures and new make up for Mallory. Plus there were all kinds of stores to buy new clothes at.
Mallory had red, curly hair. She had been thinking about having it cut off for a while but her husband had demanded she keep her hair long, more because it gave him something to grab her by. She told Sasha that, and they picked out a bob that would look adorable with the curls. The hair stylist loved her hair color and decided to just put some highlights and lowlights in it. She didn't see a reason to change such a beautiful color completely. It turned out beautifully and made Mallory look even more incredible.
Mallory opted to not have a manicure because of her nursing, but did agree to the pedicure. That didn't really bother Sasha, Kara or Alicia because it was something they couldn't really have. They all had lunch at a sushi place inside the mall, and it gave them a chance to just visit. The three women were intrigued with Mallory and saddened with what little bit of her story that she would tell. They were confident and secure, and Mallory was not. She admitted that she was concerned that Mike would get tired of helping her and she would end up back on the street, or worse yet, was expecting something that she felt he wasn't ready for. It made them realize that Mallory might be a little more ready for it then she realized but she didn't feel that Mike could have those feelings for her, and used the excuse that he was not ready. All three women knew Mike had feelings but in part, didn't feel he was ready, and also felt guilty for feeling them. They choose to go on about their day, and let nature take its course. They knew Emma and Tom were playing matchmaker, and so they decided their part in it was to just give Mallory the confidence.
Mallory had an amazing figure, she was fairly short, but had curves that made all three of them a little jealous. She saw it as fat, but she was actually very solid. They picked out skinny jeans that accented Mallory's butt and her muscular legs, and found a couple tight shirts similar to the ones that Sasha frequently wore. They also found some sweaters and leggings. She found a pair of boots that would work with the jeans and leggings. When she would comment that she liked something, Sasha and Kara would find the same style and toss them in the cart in varying colors. Mallory told them it was too much money to spend, and they just told her Mike had made them promise that Mallory would have everything that she wanted, and they didn't want to disappoint him.
All joking aside, they also decided to go to a lingerie shop, not necessarily to get Mallory the sexy lingerie that had been discussed and joked about, but to get her the panties and bras she needed. They also got her some pajamas that were tasteful. Mallory was very modest. . Alicia had to leave but had given Mallory a big hug and let her know how much she had enjoyed the day.
They went to a makeup store and honestly had a blast experimenting. They knew that Mallory would rarely wear the makeup but it was still fun. She had a beautiful complexion. What surprised Kara and Sasha was Mallory's eye color. It was an almost icy blue-green.
While she had been trying clothes on, they had noticed the scar on her stomach but neither of them had the courage to ask what had happened. Tom had found out from Mike about her husband and so both women let it go. They had found her some workout clothes and headed to the base gym. Mike could easily teach her the self-defense moves that they would be teaching her, and eventually it would be better for a man to help her, because she could figure out how to use his superior strength against him, but for the time being, she was still a little scared of men.
Thankfully the gym was empty and so they went to work. They had agreed that they were going to start her with the basics and when the time come Mike or even Tom could take over. Wolf had given them some pointers and essentially told them to get Mallory mad, make her imagine whoever had hurt her and let her go. That was the tactic they used, and by the time they were done, Sasha and Kara's arms were aching. Mallory had a lot of aggression where her husband was concerned. He had done a lot more damage to her than anyone realized but she was starting to open up about it. She had told both women about how he would leave for months at a time, come home drunk and beat her, and would take things to places that Mallory was not comfortable with in bed. Kara finally asked her if he had ever raped her. It broke both their hearts when Mallory looked at them confused, and essentially told them since they were married it wasn't considered rape no matter how much she didn't want it.
They would warn Tom to be careful with his matchmaking and would hope that Emma would take her time too. Hannah was okay with her dad and Mallory being together but was not playing matchmaker, more because she knew that Mike needed to take some time.
They finally headed home but agreed to another girl's day. They had all had a lot of fun regardless of the weighty issues that Mallory had. The back of Sasha's SUV was packed with shopping bags and Mike would have his hands full carrying everything in. Mallory had bought some of the stuff herself, not feeling right about Mike buying her bras and panties or make up. Mike was saving her a lot of money that she didn't have before. But she was also hanging onto some money because she suspected her car's transmission was going out.
When they got home, Mike and Emma helped them carry bags in, and set them in the laundry room. Mallory mentioned that she thought maybe she had gotten too much, and that she had bought a little of it herself, she also told Mike she thought the transmission was going out in her car, and was trying to hold onto money to purchase a new car. Mike let her know that they would go and look for a new car for her before his surgery because he didn't want her caught without a car. He would just simply make sure she got a good price on it. As far as the clothes were concerned, she had gotten far less than he had planned on and had not intended on her paying for any of it herself. He had gone out to figure out what was going on with the car, and she showed the girls some of the purchases. They were just as excited and Hannah had come up with all kinds of outfit ideas. She was getting a little tired of wearing comfy clothes all the time, and decided she could live vicariously through Mallory. They also played with the makeup and discussed getting their own pedicures. Now that Hannah's feet were almost healed, a pedicure might actually do her some good, and that was not something she wanted to go to Mike with. Emma just thought it sounded like fun, but it did bring something to her attention that would also hurt Mike. She had asked the girls if Christine had ever taken them for pedicures, and Hannah had said she had but Emma teared up.
"I don't remember if she had or not…I kind of remember her but it's like the memories are getting dimmer. And I can't remember Lucas at all. I just don't want to tell Daddy because it will make him sad and maybe a little mad that I can't remember them well. It does help to have all these pictures around though."
Both Mallory and Hannah hugged Emma, and Hannah told her that Christine had taken them both when Emma was about five for Hannah's birthday. Emma had insisted on getting her nails painted electric purple and Hannah had gotten hers painted pink, and Christine had gone with a red. By the time she was done, Mallory could tell Emma was starting to remember it and had brightened up.
Mike came in and confirmed that he and Tom had looked at the car and the transmission was going out, and he suspected the radiator was on its way out. He had an appointment with his attorney on Monday to get Tom's name on some stuff and after they got done, Tom had said he and Sasha would watch the girls while Mike and Mallory went car shopping and for her to figure out what she wanted.
They ended up ordering pizza and playing board games that night. Mallory loved how Mike and his girls included her in their family time. The girls loved her new hair style and color and Mike complimented her on it. Hannah was still arguing with Mike about the baby monitor issue and Mallory refused to be put in the middle of it. She understood Hannah's viewpoint but she also knew Mike had a huge fear of something happening to either daughter. She told Mike privately that she agreed with the baby monitor staying on for a while longer but also reminded him that in a week, it was him that would need to be monitored. He asked her if she thought it was safe for Hannah to go under the knife. She was shocked that he had never bothered to ask about himself, just Hannah. She had warned him of the complications that he could face and that Hannah would be up and moving really quickly.
He put Emma to bed, and had given Hannah a kiss goodnight. Mallory could tell that even bothered the girl, but Hannah adored her father and would not tell him no. She knew Mike was smothering the girls just a bit, but in his shoes, she would be too. Plus, the next week it would be the girls doing the smothering and Mallory figured Mike would be getting a taste of his own medicine. She also knew it would all be done in love.
The girls had gone to bed and Mike was sitting on the couch reading some of the pamphlets on what would happen to the recipient of the skin graph. He was neglecting the ones about being a donor. Mallory sit down on the opposite end of the couch and handed him one of them and he just laughed at her. He drank a beer and she had a glass of wine and they discussed what type of car she would be getting, Hannah's swimming sessions, and Emma getting Molly. She told him of the conversation about Christine that she and the girls had earlier and told that honestly the best thing to do was let Hannah help. She knew it bothered him but he had admitted he had expected it.
Sasha had told him quietly what Mallory had told her and Kara at the gym. He was absolutely disgusted, not at Mallory but in general. He was glad Bradly was dead, because if he wasn't… Despite the problems he and Christine had, he never laid an abusive hand on her, had never done anything that she wasn't completely okay with. They actually had a very loving, passionate marriage and their sex life was great. The problems they had were due to lack of communication, and him taking so much time away from the family. Mike hated that his relationship with Christine had been strained at the time of her death, but he knew that Christine knew that he loved and adored her.
Part of the reason Mike was doing everything he was doing for Mallory was because he wanted his girls to see that they deserved to be treated well, and in his own small way, it was the way he could set an example of how they should be treated in the future. No father wanted his daughter to be treated like Mallory had been and if something even close to like that happened to either of his girls and he was alive to see it, the man would wish he had never met Mike's daughter. Mike fumbled up a lot where his girls were concerned, telling Emma that he had considered giving her up, arguing with Hannah about the baby monitor, but he loved and adored them and would come completely unhinged if anyone hurt them like Mallory had been hurt.