Page 17 of The Facilitator: Part 2
He didn’t reply and I wasn’t overlyconcerned.
We drove in silence to the bar, fighting the London traffic until the driver pulled up outside. I noticed that the bar, unusually, had security on thedoor.
“What time would you estimate leaving, Miss Perry?” the driverasked.
I felt bad I didn’t know his name. We had a few pool cars with several drivers, and I made a point to learn theirnames.
“I’m sorry, I don’t think I know your name?” I said, as I gathered my coat andbag.
“It’s Louis,” he replied, smiling at me in the rear-viewmirror.
“I imagine I’ll be wanting to leave about nine, if that’s okay. But can I text if it’searlier?”
Louis fished around for something in the centre console. He reached back between the seats and handed me a Trymast business card. On the reverse was a mobilenumber.
“Lovely, thank you. I’ll call if it’s any different tonine.”
I liked the idea of a car waiting for me. As much as I loved Jerry, and I was excited to meet up, I was tired from the disrupted sleep the night before. I was also, and I wouldn’t admit it to anyone, getting anxious about Alex leaving and me taking over completely. I still doubted myability.
The heat from an air blower above the door hit me as I walked in. I scanned the room for Jerry, and not seeing him, I headed to the bar. As it was early, it wasn’t packed and I ordered a glass of wine before taking a seat in a booth facing the door. I waited. I watched as people came in, some in pairs, some in groups. Some laughed and headed to the bar, one or two looked sombre, and I wondered if a drink after work was to relieve their stress. I sipped from my glass and checked my phone. I waited ten minutes before I sent a text toJerry.
I’m here, how long before youarrive?
He didn’t reply immediately. As I sat I started to get hot. I had removed my coat but I could feel my cheeks start to heat up. The noise around me seemed louder than when I’d first walked in. I noticed a couple of men in suits at the bar looking my way, talking, and one raised his glass to me. I didn’t respond, not because I wanted to be rude but because I recognised him. Years ago, he had played in the same football team as Scott. He’d been an arrogant arse back then, and the last thing I wanted was a conversation with him. I averted my gaze to look through the window and out to the street. I started to sweat, and I couldn’t understand why my legs had started to shake and my heartrace.
Sitting in a bar on my own wasn’t something I’d done a lot of; it wasn’t something I’d ever choose to do. I wasn’t that confident and as the minutes ticked on, I started to feel veryuncomfortable.
I picked up the phone and dialled. Jerry’s phone went straight to voicemail; I didn’t bother leaving a message because I knew what I was going to do. However, as I gathered my bag I received atext.
Shit, babe, I’m sorry, I lost track of time. I’ll be there in a half hour orthereabouts?
I stared at the message and then pulled the Trymast card from my purse. I sent twotexts.
My evening has been cancelled, could you collect me as soon as possible, please? LaurenPerry
I wasn’t entirely sure how to sign off, but I didn’t feel comfortable calling myself Miss Perry. The second text wasn’t sopolite.
No! I’m heading home now. I’m not sitting on my own in a bar for another half hour, which, knowing you, could be three-quarters to an hour. Call me tomorrow, I’ll see if I canreschedule.
What pissed me off more was he hadn’t the grace to reply to my second text. Within fifteen minutes, the silver Mercedes pulled up outside. I waited for the driver to leave the car and stand by the door. It was the driver I was expecting, so I left the bar. He opened the rear passenger door and I settled in my seat, fuming. As I fumed my mobile vibrated in my hand. I looked at the screen before Ianswered.
“Hey, baby, I hear you’re on your way home early. Is everything okay?” Mackenzieasked.
I didn’t think, initially, to ask how he knew, I just assumed the driver would have checked insomewhere.
“Yes, when I finally got hold of Jerry, he said he’d lost track of time and would be another half hour. I didn’t want to sit there on my own,” Isaid.
“You should have called me, I could have sat with you until hearrived.”
“I’m sure you would have and I didn’t think, to be honest. I…I’m fed up with Jerry for it,” Isaid.
“Okay,” Mackenzie drew out the word slowly. “I’m sure you’re fed up with him, but is thatall?”
“No. I got a little anxious. How dumb is that? I guess, I haven’t sat in bar much on my own, so I feltuncomfortable.”
“It’s not dumb at all, baby. Are you hungry? I’ll have something ready for you to eat, and we can talk privately when you gethome.”
I hadn’t thought about the driver knowing my business and realised I actually didn’t want him to. Mackenzie was always conscious of what he said in front of anyone other than our usual driver. He seemed to have a bond with him he didn’t withothers.
