It's Nice To Have A Friend

41 - Sorry

"You told Donny no because of Sirius, didn't you?" Diane softly asked as she sat with Mallory on the back porch, watching the rain fall from the sky.

"Partly," Mallory admitted quietly, "but there was something off about him and I didn't trust that he was a good person."

"I think you made the right call," Diane admitted. "No one else will treat you the way that Sirius does."

Mallory nodded at her, watching a puddle fill with water. "What if I'm wrong though? What if Donny is a wonderful person and I just threw away a perfect opportunity to date him just because I had a bad feeling?"

"Mallory, trust yourself. If you noticed something weird, then there was probably something weird," Diane assured Mallory softly. Max ran outside as thunder rumbled throughout the valley. He whined softly and sat beside Mallory.

"Max wants us to go inside," Mallory said as she stood up.

Diane laughed softly and scratched Max's head as she stood up beside Mallory. The two girls walked inside to find James staring into the pantry.

"Sorry, James, we still don't have anything nutritious for your breakfasts," Mallory told him softly. "You could make yourself eggs or have some oatmeal."

James mumbled a curse under his breath. "Mal, tell your family to eat better," he grumbled. He grabbed an oatmeal packet and stared at it.

"I'm hardly ever home," Mallory reminded him with a laugh.

"So?"

"I don't care what they eat."

"Wow... You're an amazing daughter and sister, Mal," James grumbled. He flipped the oatmeal packet over. "How do you make this shit?"

"Read the instructions," Mallory told him. "I don't eat that."

"There's nothing on it, Mal! Merlin, do you think I'm an idiot or something?"

"Kind of, yeah."

James glared over at Mallory as she grinned back at him. Diane groaned as she took the packet from James's hands. "Honestly, it's not hard. You two are both idiots," she mumbled.

James watched her and laughed, turning to Mallory. "What's got her knickers in a twist?" he asked. Diane mumbled something under her breath. "How'd you sleep, Mal?"

Mallory shrugged. "Okay," she admitted.

"Have any dreams?"

"Yeah. It was a weird dream," she softly admitted as she grabbed out bread and put it into the toaster.

"Oo... Do tell," James said with an obnoxious grin.

Mallory sighed. "It's kind of dark," she told him.

"Please, Mal. There's nothing dark in that mind of yours," James laughed.

Mallory sighed before telling him about her dream that had left her slightly traumatized when she woke up. James listened intently, asking questions when she paused, and overall looking just as horrified when she finished.

"Merlin, Mals, you were pregnant?" he asked as she finished the story, telling him about how her mom had found out and was disappointed that Mallory hadn't told her sooner. "Who was the dad?"

Mallory awkwardly shrugged as she spread butter onto her toast. "I don't know," she mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't really know in my dream."

"What do you- Oh..." James said. He fell silent. "Are you alright?"