From his vantage point at the kitchen window, Gray was studying the group of women, while listening to the cluster beside him. He could see that Regan was animated, and from her body language she was arguing with them, and was enjoying it! It had puzzled him, this other side of Regan's character, the complete sincerity, directness and candour. With him, she opted for agreeable and compliant more often than not. Which is why he had been disagreeable a few minutes ago! He wanted to push past that wall she put up, the wall that kept those she didn't trust on the outside. He realised he wanted to be on the inside, he wanted to see her smile, for real. So today, he had gone out of his way to provoke her. He knew from what Mairie had told him, that Regan had paid what she could, and he'd seen first hand, that when it came to work she could put in the effort. But what he wanted, was to see if she saw him as anything more than the man she had paid, albeit cheaply, to work her farm. Because he realised he wanted more. He'd known that from the moment he'd seen her months ago, but he hadn't been ready to acknowledge it until today. Recognised that, was difficult. And the problem now, was how to get past her wall.
She usually had a smile on her lips, even when he was sniping at her. And she was remarkably composed.
Today, he finally admitted that he wanted something deeper with her, that he wanted something more from her. He didn't want that particular smile, a feign smile. He wanted her to smile at him, with sincerity. Wanted her to see him, the way she saw the Jones family.
She argued with them, teased them, smiled, laughed with them because she trust them. He wanted that. That relationship. That trust. That connexion. That rapport. That bond. He was going to work on that. For what struck him the most, was that when she smiled with the Jones, her eyes lit up. It wasn't the semblance of a smile, not just a tilt of the lips. Her eyes lit up, she looked like she was smiling from the inside out. And when she argued with them it was without inhibition. No restraint. This was a side she only shared with those who were really close and those she trusted.
A few minutes later, Gray saw Regan with her jacket on. She is leaving, obviously, his brain all but said with sarcasm, and it had him moving fast.
"Are you leaving?" Gray stood in front of her. Of course she was leaving.
"Yes." She had just collected her jacket, and was going to see Jenny and family to let them know she was leaving. They knew she was going to leave early because she told them. Her cows needed her!
He glanced at his watch and she rolled her eyes. She attempted to move past him, took one step and he mirrored her actions. "Do you mind?"
"Yes."
"What?" She blinked.
"I wanted a word."
She rolled her eyes again and waited. "What you do want, Mr..."
"You know my name."
"Yes. If that is ..."
"No." He kept his growl to himself. "I have a name, that you know because we lived together for months."
"Yes, so?"
"Friends do not use surnames...."
"You do not consider me your friend. So what I call you is immaterial." Regan huffed.
"I do consider you a friend."
"Well, too bad! Because, I do not consider you a friend!" She was fed up.
Lucy saw Regan with her jacket on so she reminded her mother "Mum, Regan is leaving."
Alison looked around at the direction that Lucy pointed at, and saw Gray and Regan's back. "She will come to us when she is ready to leave. She is talking to Gray!" Alison said quietly and re-joined the group conversation. So Lucy remained there. But when Lucy lifted her gaze a few minutes later she saw Gray stopping Regan's progress and saw Regan's reaction, Lucy thought Regan needed back up.
Lucy materialised beside them. "Everything o.k?" Her gaze flitted between the two. She could tell from Regan's posture she was anything but ok.
Despite that, they both replied, "Yes."
"Oh. Really." Now what? Lucy asked herself and looked around for help. She saw Jenny and Lucy used her head to beckoned her sister over. Jenny frowned and shrugged. Lucy scowled and nodded her head towards Regan and Gray. Jenny used her index finger, pointing it down, and mouthed, 'now'? Lucy nodded vehemently.
Regan and Gray missed those signals between Lucy and Jenny. "Regan said I am not her friend." Gray said bluntly, his eyes held Regan's eyes in hostage.
"Oh." Lucy looked over at Regan and she hoped that Jenny would reach them soon. "You told him he is not your friend?" That is not Regan's attitude. Regan would never tell anyone they were not her friends, she would stay, listen to them, and eventually would walk away without saying anything about being friends or not!
"True." Regan said bluntly. Lucy bit her lips, caught between laughing and crying about Regan's behaviour. Regan folded her arms and added for emphasis, "He isn't."
"Oh." Again Lucy bit her lips.
"That is not true." Gray said and moved closer.
"Yes, it is true." Huffed Regan.
By that time, Jenny materialised beside them.
"Everything ok?"
"No." Said Lucy. While Regan and Gray looked at each other, with Regan scowling at Gray while Gray smiled at her!
So Jenny asked Lucy. "What is going on?"
"Something about not being friends." Lucy said with a shrug.
"Well, that is true." Jenny nodded.
"See!" Regan said with a smirk and took a step back.
"Of course she considers me a friend." Gray moved forward. Jenny nearly snorted and followed Gray when he said, "She shared her home with us."
"Yes, of course. We all know that. But you and your family needed somewhere to stay." Jenny said quietly.
"She helped us when we was stuck."
"True. She did. We know that." Jenny thought this was a good time to point out where exactly Gray made a mistake. "But remember, you got another job and moved out!"
"In any case, just because I helped you and your family doesn't make you my friend!" Regan glared at him. "Jenny said you needed a job and a home, so I gave you a job and home, because Jenny is my friend!"
"And what, Jenny is your only friend?" Then Gray took another tack, "In any case, you did more than that! Not just the home, the food..."
"Like what?" Jenny asked quietly.
Gray narrowed his eyes and watched Regan's eyes, "I had not been on a date for months."
"Regan? You went on a date with him?" Lucy all but screeched in surprise. "You didn't tell us..."
"Don't be silly! Of course I didn't." Regan shook her head.
Gray looked over at Lucy, "I asked Caro for a date."
His statement burst their balloons. "Oh" both Lucy and Jenny said deflated.
"Unfortunately, I lost confidence after the attack, because of the scars on back. So I had not been on a date with anyone." Gray knew the old Gray was back, as it was easy for him, now, to tell Jenny and Lucy about his lack of confidence because he has confidence now! He knew he could handle any situation. His mental health was intact. "I was about to call off the date, on the day when, she," he pointed at Regan, "gave me a boost."
Lucy and Jenny shared a look. "A boost?" Lucy frowned.
Gray kept his eyes on Regan and said quietly, "You could have used my lack of confidence to get even with me. But you didn't."
"Of course Regan would never use your lack of confidence as a weapon." Lucy said.
Gray continued, "I know that. But she could have."
"It is not in her character." Jenny said.
"I know. That is why I want to offer my apology." He said quietly. Regan squirmed.
Lucy and Jenny shared another look. Messages passed between the two, should they leave Regan to sort out this situation or stay to ensure Gray has a conversation with Regan?
"Fine. I accept your apology." She kept her voice quiet, but her eyes sparked, "If that is it! I am leaving." Regan folded her arms and looked directly at him.
"Your acceptance doesn't sound sincere." Gray said bluntly.
"What?" Regan snapped.
"It doesn't sound sincere." Gray retorted and banked his smiled.
"Too bad!" She nearly yelled. Lucy and Jenny blinked in surprise at Regan's tone.
Gray looked over at Lucy and Jenny, with a charming smile on his lips he said, "Did she tell you, that the next day after the date, she dragged me to a mirror where she told me that I am more than the average man!"
They both said "No." And both shook their heads. Looked over at Regan with more that speculation. Things were getting interesting here they shared a silent message
Gray poked his tongue into his cheek, before he said, "She told me, the clincher for her," He took a moment, tipped his head to the side, his eyes sparkling with humour, he watched Regan and hoped she would accept his apology, "was my eyes!"
"Oh!" Lucy and Jenny blinked and said in tandem.