Page 7 of The Facilitator, Part 3

Chapter Five

A week later we were back to work, I hadn’t wanted her to, but Lauren had insisted.

She wanted to get some normality back. She still mourned, but she also made a point to laugh each day.

She’d told me Seb would have hated for them all to be so sad for any length of time.

Each time she did laugh, however, guilt would cloud the smile.

Many times I’d told her to do what she felt was right.

Laugh or cry, scream, or chuckle. It didn’t matter as long as she was feeling something.

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 your brother. 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 was color-coordinated. Red was important and it went down in color to green. Green was the shit stuff she’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 new cell number. 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 was the 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 been resurrected .”

“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.

“I know. Fuck it,” I picked up the phone and called Alex, not caring what time it was .

Mary clutched her beads and I wondered if she thought they were a rosary.

“Hey, what’s up?” Alex said sleepily.

“I’m sorry, Alex, for calling so late. I think Daniel called here,” I said.

“Yeah, Mary told me. I’ve got some investigators on the case. Addison is acting very odd, skulking around, so we assume he’s back. We’re taking all precautions here, so you’re not to worry.”

“Go and check my house when you can. He knows where the key is. Maybe keep the key with you?” I asked.

“Will do. Seriously, don’t worry. There isn’t anything he can do to us, you know that.

He’s a drugged up prick, trust me, if he even attempts to get near this house or this family, he’ll be seeing fucking stars for months,” Alex said, and I wanted to chuckle but knew he was serious. I’d seen him lose his temper once.

“Okay, Addison is demanding a conference call, know anything about that?”

“The company folded, finally. She just couldn’t keep out of it and her dad sued and lost, but I think the owners just had enough. They closed the doors. Sad, because that’s a lot of people out of work.”

Addison’s father had owned a company he stole from my father.

We’d wrestled control with that company for years, decades, until I’d finally decided it wasn’t a fight I wanted anymore.

I’d done well, I’d survived, and I’d risen beyond anyone’s expectations, including mine.

I won. So I sold my shares and the new owner ousted Addison’s dad, who then spent the next couple of years trying to sue them.

He was broke, no doubt she was broke, and I didn’t feel one ounce of pity for either of them.

It was just concerning that it coincided with the return of Daniel.

“Can we reemploy them?”

“No, Mackenzie. We’re doing okay and we don’t have room to take on more people. Not at the moment.”

Alex was a more ruthless businessman than I was and I admired him for that. I was saddened by the lost employment, though. Some of those men worked for my father years ago.

“However, I have made sure they all received a rather nice severance package,” he added, and I smiled.

“Thank you, you know my connection to those guys,” I said.

“I know, which is why I stepped in with a cash offer for the premises and made sure that we used some of the fund money to help the staff,” he said.

“Okay, the building is useful, what are your thoughts?”

“Property. Dock frontage is prime. The whole area will be developed at some point so we just sit on it for a while. ”

Like I said, a very astute businessman.

“Well, I’ll let you get back to sleep. Let me know if there are any developments on your end.”

“Will do, and likewise,” he said. We then disconnected our call.

I relayed the conversation to Lauren and Mary, who was still hanging on to her arm.

“I need to get down to my desk,” Lauren said. “Let me know if you hear anything more.”

She blew me a kiss and headed off to the elevator.

“Aw, she’s a keeper that one is,” Mary said, staring after her. “Anyway, can’t hang around here talking to you, I have work to do.”

I often wondered exactly what Mary did, other than keep my schedule, take my messages, arrange all my travel, and ensure I had a wardrobe of clothes for after-work meetings.

I never sent mail, only email that I typed up myself.

I chuckled, even if she had nothing to do, she’d be part of the team.

I secretly loved her around but I’d never tell her that.

Midmorning I received a text message.

My list – 1. I want to be watched. I want you to fuck me and know someone is getting aroused by that.

A smile started to creep over my face, a wicked smile. She didn’t need to sign off, of course I knew it was Lauren, and I also remembered how turned on she’d been when I’d taken her to the club and made her watch a threesome.

I wouldn’t reply to the text, that wasn’t part of the game. She wasn’t to know when. She’d assume the club, of course, it was the safest place for that kind of play. I’d never put her in a sleazy position of having just any old stranger watch her.

I picked up my phone and made some arrangements.

That evening I’d cooked an early dinner and there was no mention of the text message. The anticipation had Lauren on tenterhooks and I loved that. The tease, the anticipation, the arrangements that aroused me the most. I’d walked around work with a hard-on all fucking afternoon, knowing what I did.

“So, did you do anything exciting today?” she asked, sitting at the kitchen table.

“Just the usual, I didn’t hear back from Alex so I’m assuming there’s nothing to report yet.”

“Oh,” she said, then smiling. “I spoke to Mum, she said that she and Reenie have decided to take a holiday, a cruise. I was hoping she’d come here for a bit.”

“A cruise sounds good. Do you know with which cruise line? ”

“I don’t, I’m sure she’ll tell me.”

“Upgrade them, let them have a great experience. Your mom hasn’t had the chance of a vacation for years, make is special,” I said, sitting beside her.

“I was thinking the same thing,” she said.

I checked my watch and then silently, I took her hand. I pulled her into a standing position and looked her over. Satisfied with her attire, I led her to the front door.

“Mackenzie?” she asked, and then chuckled. I imagine she knew what was about to happen.

I didn’t speak to her all the way to the club. I punched in my code at the gate and it swung open for me. I left my car on the drive for the valet to park.

“Mackenzie, Lauren. I’m sorry to hear about your brother,” Veronica said. She had opened the front door.