A Heart Worth Healing

Chapter 18

When Derek led Kirsty out of the limousine and into the house, she was momentarily subdued by memories of happier times and regret for lost chances. She felt uncomfortable knowing that Derek was unwittingly causing her pain by bringing her back to Thurston.

Holding her hand, Derek led her into the living room. Kirsty gasped in surprise and she saw Claire and Mack sitting on one of the couches.

"Claire!" Kirsty called, rushing over to them. The two women hugged affectionately. Mack shook her hand briskly.

"We haven't seen you for so long," Claire said. "You look great."

"So do you!" Kirsty answered enthusiastically. "Seeing you and Mack again is the nicest surprise Derek ever gave me."

Derek smiled and put his arm around Kirsty.

"All I had to do was call Claire and tell her you were coming," he said nonchalantly.

"Yeah. I missed our gossip sessions," Claire said, giggling.

Kirsty smiled. She had also missed her friend. She missed having a woman her age to confide in.

"Oh, you women are all alike," Mack said in a mocking tone. Claire punched him playfully in the shoulder. It was easy to see that they were still as happy as ever. Kirsty was glad for them.

A few minutes later, they went outside to the limousine. Once they were inside the car, Mack asked, "So, my dear in the blue dress, what have you been doing since this idiot deprived us of your company?"

Kirsty could not help but laugh at Mack's humorous tone.

"Nothing spectacular, I assure you," she answered quietly.

"Don't you believe that," Derek chided. "She was hardly home and I had to phone many times to see if she could come tonight."

Claire, who was sitting across from Kirsty, said, "There's nothing wrong with playing hard to get." She recognized Kirsty's sombre attempts at gaiety.

The men continued to tease the women until they arrived at their destination. Kirsty felt more comfortable about the pending evening because they would be with Mack and Claire.

As they went into the large ballroom of the fancy hotel and got their wraps checked, they could hear a band playing in the distance. Kirsty realized that she had not regretted leaving all the public engagements she and Derek had attended. She remembered that they were tedious and boring some of the time. She hoped her present fatigue would not show too much.

There were many chandeliers in the ballroom. The dance floor was surrounded by round tables set with silver and china. It was obviously a high class function.

Kirsty felt her stomach clench with tension as Derek held out a chair for her and she sat down.

"I hope they don't serve pasta," Claire mentioned, as Mack helped her sit. "I always eat too much of it and I can barely fit into this dress as it is."

"That's ridiculous, Claire," Kirsty said. "You look as skinny as you ever did."

Claire did look petite in her simple black dress. She always looked elegant and Mack agreed with Kirsty.

A few minutes later, a waiter came around with a wine list. Derek ordered some wine for them.

"It looks as though there are quite a few people here tonight," Mack noted, looking around at the other tables.

"I recognize a few people," Derek answered. "I'll have to go say hello to them later."

Kirsty looked around, but she did not see many people she remembered. She had probably made small talk with some of them in the past.