Page 89 of The Facilitator, Part 2

I wasn’t sure it was a comfort or not. It only took one person to forward it; just one, and then everyone hadit.

My mobile rang again. I recognised the ringtone and picked itup.

“Wowzers, babe, fucking wowzers,” Jerry said, thenlaughed.

“I have absolutely no idea why the fuck you are laughing at my, yet again, utter humiliation,” I said, then I cut off the call. He immediately called back and I ignoredit.

“He laughed at you?” Mackenzie asked,incredulous.

All I could do was nod. I closed the laptop lid. I didn’t need to see the photograph anymore; it was imprinted on my mind. I stood and walked down the steps to the beach. I just stood and let the sound wash over me, let the scent of hot sand and salty ocean comfortme.

I continued to walk. The warm water lapped around my ankles, my knees, and then my thighs. My dress clung to my skin and I held my arms outstretched. I fell and I didn’t want catching. I fell straight under the water and I held my breath. I held myself down until arms reached in and grabbedme.

Whether I wanted to be caught or not wasn’t my decision. Mackenzie pulled me from thewater.

He wrapped his arms around me and he kissed my lips. I leaned into him but didn’t speak. His embracetightened.

“I’m coming home with you,” hesaid.

“You need to spend time with your dad,” Ireplied.

“I need to spend time with you. You had to face this alone once before; I won’t allow you to do that again. No argument,Lauren.”

I was extremely grateful for his forcefulness and immensely guilty for taking him away from his dying dad. I was so fuckingtorn.

“We stay here for the remainder of our week, then let’s decide whether to extend, shall we?” Isaid.

“Are you afraid of returning to work?” hesaid.

I shrugged my shoulders and then stepped back to look athim.

“You’ll walk in that office with your head held so fucking high, Lauren, and dare anyonecomment.”

Of course I was afraid of returning to work. I was also terrified of facing anyone who might have seen the image. I wasn’t going to be given the chance to hide, though. As I glanced back to the house, I saw Gabriella, Alex, and Vivienne on the veranda. Vivienne waved and called out to me. I wanted to hide my face and I inwardly cringed. I felt sick with anxiety and pureembarrassment.

“Lauren, will you come here, please?” she calledagain.

“I don’t have to obey anyone’s commands, do I?” I said to Mackenzie, with a slight bitchytone.

He cupped my face. “She isn’t responsible for this. That is the support network you’ve never had,okay?”

Suitably chastised, I sighed and nodded. I wiped my eyes on his T-shirt and he smiled at me. Hand in hand, we walked back to the house. Vivienne held out a towel and wrapped me init.

“I have lunch. I thought we could picnic. I haven’t done that for years. Gabriella, we need wine, and steer clear of the couch, please,” shesaid.

My jaw dropped open. Everybody stood stock-still until she gave me a wink and her lips twitched as she struggled to hold back thesmile.

Gabriella covered her mouth; that was until I laughed. I laughed until I had to sit on the ground for fear of pissing myself. I cried while I laughed, as well. Gabriella fell to her knees and held me. She laughed and cried, complaining that she might also piss herself. We both had mascara streaking down ourcheeks.

“Girls, get up off the ground. You’re making a spectacle of yourselves. And fix yourmakeup.”

Gabriella wiped my tear-sodden cheeks before her own. I’d never loved a friend the way I loved her then. Not evenJerry.

“It’s an amazing photograph. I’m so jealous,” she said. I closed my eyes and shook myhead.

“It’s not okay, Gabriella. I don’t want it to be okay. I’m laughing because I just don’t know what else to do. Everyone at work could have seenit.”

Alex helped Gabriella to her feet, and Mackenzie held out his hand tome.