Page 12 of The Facilitator: Part 3
We traveled into work one morning and she held my hand the whole way. It was as if she was nervous. She’d smile every now and again but mostly keep her focus on what was outside the window.
“Lauren. Oh my God, I’m so sorry about yourbrother. Come ‘ere, my love. Let me give you a hug,” Mary said, as we left the elevators on my floor.
She rushed on over and hugged Lauren, which made them both cry. “Oh look at me,” Mary said, waving her hand in front of her face.
I handed her a packet of tissues that Lauren had sitting on top of her bag.
‘Well, get one out, you ejit,” she said, using her fingertips to tap under her eyes as if she’d recently been professionally made up and didn’t want to smudge anything.
Lauren laughed as I fumbled with the packet to retrieve a paper handkerchief.
“Fucking hell,” I said, tearing it with my teeth. “Here.” I shoved one at Mary.
“Now it’s got your slobber all over it,” she said, taking the handkerchief by the tip of her fingers and holding it out as if it was contaminated.
I shook my head. “I’ll be in my office,” I replied, leaving the two of them alone.
“He’s a grump,” Mary said, and Lauren laughed again. I didn’t care what Mary said, she was a law unto herself, but if she made my wife laugh, she could insult me all she liked. One day I’d have the courage to fire her.
I chuckled as I sat at my desk and went through my messages. Mary was efficient, I had to give her that. She could run my office single-handedly. Everything wascolor-coordinated. Red was important and it went down in color to green. Green was theshit stuffshe’d say. I turned to green first.
Addison is demanding a telephone conference call with you. I told the nosy bitch that you was on your hols with your lovely wife and she’d have to wait. She isn’t happy and here’s her newcellnumber.Mary had written and enlarged the word ‘cell.’
I turned to the next green note.
Some weird bloke called, American, wouldn’t tell me his name. Said he was your brother-in-law. I told him, unless he was calling from God’s mobile, he couldn’t be since you just buried him. He put the phone down, I didn’t get any more information.
“Mary,” I called out. I stood and left my office holding the green note.
“Oh, which one is that? The bitch or the resurrected.” She then looked to Lauren. “Sorry, love,” she said.
“The resurrected. He didn’t give a name?” I asked.
“If he had, I would have written it, wouldn’t I?” She rolled her eyes. “No, I asked and he refused. It was a long distance call, I could tell. I messaged Alex and told him, just in case it was important and he could decide whether to interrupt you or not.”
Green or red notes, Mary was bloody great at her job. I was glad she did that. “Thanks, Mary. That wasthe right thing to do. This one is worse than the bitch,” I said, waving the green piece of paper.
“Mackenzie?” Lauren said, frowning.
“It may well be that Daniel has beenresurrected.”
“What?” Lauren said.
“Who the frig is Daniel?” Mary asked.
“The bitch’s cousin and the one who got her pregnant,” I said, walking to my office. I didn’t mind Mary knowing the facts.
“Oh my Lord,” she said, crossing herself. “I’m coming as well, your family is better than my soaps.” She grabbed Lauren’s arm and dragged her into my office.
I called Alex then replaced the handset. “Shit, it’s late out there. I’ll call him tonight.” I sent him a text apologizing for the call.
“So we’re not going to know more?” Mary asked.
“Sadly not. Do me a favor, don’t tell Addison if she calls.”
Mary nodded. She knew what Addison and Daniel had done to Lauren, the whole company knew since Addison had emailed erotic photographs of us to all on our server.
“Mackenzie, this isn’t good. Especially with the baby,” Lauren said.
