Sitting across from her beautiful husband and enjoying a rare warm evening that allowed them to eat out on the little patio behind the restaurant, Lauren circled mentally around how to ask for permission for her girl's night. In the rare times she'd ever thought about being married, the girl had always assumed that she and her spouse would both have outside interests, other friends that would enrich their lives and give them new things to talk about and keep them from being the Boring Couple That Did Everything Together Because They Were Surgically Attached At The Hip. The reality of her unusual marriage and knowing she would have to ask for permission to see Macie surprised her and made her a little sad.
"Lauren? Come back to me, darling."
Looking up from her pork chop sandwich, she flushed, "Sorry, Thomas. I was just thinking about Macie. You know, the girl who attended Julliard with me? We were in the-" Lauren stumbled a little, thinking about her abrupt departure from the quartet, "we played in the quartet together?"
Thomas had pushed his plate away and was giving her his full attention, toying with the stem of his wine glass. "Yes?"
"She invited me over for a junk food feast on Friday at her flat." Lauren was sweating,Why am I sweating?she thought crossly and gave him a hopeful smile. "You mentioned having a late meeting that night, so I thought maybe I could... hang out with her? If you don't mind?"Stop talking!she scolded herself. "Unless you've got something you need me to do, or-"
"That's fine." Thomas was back to cutting into his ribeye and gave her a distracted smile. "No need for you to sit at home."
Lauren's jaw dropped at his instant capitulation, but she recovered quickly. "Thank you, that would be great." Hastily changing the subject before he could change his mind; she felt a little warmth in her chest. An evening with a friend.
And at first, it was wonderful, everything Lauren had hoped for: vile junk food from the states, like the aforementioned Cheetos, beef jerky and Twinkies. "Mmmm..." she sighed rapturously, "why is it the rest of the world does not understand the sacred nature of Twinkies? They should be grateful that they have a never-ending shelf life!"
"Right?" Macie said thickly through a mouthful of Cheetos, which were staining her mouth orange, "They have no idea what they're missing."
There was a selection of cheesy '80's movies and Lauren began to feel that frozen part in the center of her start to unthaw just a bit- the part that kept her upright, alert, cautious. It was so nice to be with Macie again, the girl who'd let Lauren sleep on her couch when her dad threw her out and she still had a month before the dorms opened up. The girl she'd nursed back to health after constant alcohol binges and even went to Macie's first few AA meetings with her because she was scared to go alone. Remembering those AA meetings, Lauren squirmed uncomfortably. She'd been longing for a glass (bottle) of wine all night and of course, there was no alcohol here.I'm missing the wine too much,she thought briefly before starting the next movie.
It was halfway throughGrosse Pointe Blankwhen Macie rose, returning to the couch with a folder and a determined expression on her face. Lauren's heart sank. She knew that expression, the one that meant her bull-headed friend had something to say, and there was no stopping her, by god, until Macie hadsaidit.
"Lauren." She seated herself on the lumpy couch next to the suddenly miserable girl next to her, turning to face her, knees touching. "I've been doing some research, and-"
Oh, fuck!Lauren screamed internally, looking at the folder. Of course, the concept of what Jaguar Holdings might include was there for anyone determined enough to dig for it, no matter how many politicians, celebrities and the wealthy flocked to The Corporation events. Power was more magnetic than distrust.Don't, Macie,she pleaded internally,please don't-
"-you have to know there's something wrong there," the girl was saying and Lauren forced herself to pay attention. "There's so much here, honey, just look-" Macie proffered a pile of copies from news stories. "These guys are sick fuckers, and Iknowyou," putting her hand on Lauren's knee, she didn't quite recognize that her friend was stiffening under her hand, "I know you know it! Why are you married to this guy? He's a murderer!"
The vision of Thomas calmly shooting a gun out the back window of the Jaguar while she steering surged up, and Lauren pressed a hand against her mouth to keep back a hysterical little titter. That would not be helpful here. "Maze, you have to stop. You have to shut up now before you say another word." Of course, Macie's mouth immediately opened and Lauren grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "Listen. To. Me," she enunciated sharply. "Not another word. You never speak of this again, not ever. We burn these papers and you erase the history on your laptop-"
"But, Lauren, you're not-"
"MACIE!" Lauren shouted with frustration that her well-intentioned friend was not paying attention, suddenly terrified for her well-being, angry that Macie could just notleave it the fuck alone. "You have to fucking listen to me! You can't talk about this ever again. Not to anyone, do you hear me?"
"Oh, I already have," Macie interrupted earnestly, big, brown eyes so sincere, "a police investigator from the local precinct, he-"
Lauren shot up abruptly, backing away in horror. Macie was going to die. She was probably going to die, too, but that still wasn't as horrifying as knowing she'd just killed her best friend. "You have no fucking idea what you've done, Maze," she managed to whisper, "call this guy, tell him you were wrong. Don't ever speak to him again. Don't ever speak to me again. You can't imagine- Jesus, please fucking listen to me! Get rid of anything you've investigated."
Her friend, her good-hearted friend who always stood up for her, yelled back. "You're married to a fucking murderer, an arms dealer, probably human trafficking and all kinds of sick shit and that's all you can say? Lauren honey, what-"
Gathering up her jacket and messenger bag, Lauren began frantically stuffing her items back into it, texting Chuck with one hand to come to pick her up. Turning back to look at Macie, who was clearly shocked and now had disappointment crossing that pretty face, she blinked back tears. "I'm trying to keep you alive, Maze. Never fucking talk to me again. I'm trying to- just don't. Drop this now. Never talk about it again." Without waiting for a response, she fumbled with the locks on the door, struggling to get out and slam the door behind her. On the stairwell, she paused for a moment to press her hands - hard - against her welling eyes. It hurt and made her stop crying. She had to look normal. Chuck had fucking eyes like a hawk and he'd hone in on emotion like she was a trembling rabbit.
"A good evening, Miss Lauren?"
She stretched ostentatiously, yawning as she got in the back seat. "Yeah, Chuck, junk food heaven, thanks."
She'd not been home long by the time Thomas returned from his meetings, but Lauren was three glasses of wine in and just beginning to think she could face her husband without bursting into terrified sobs. She was pouring the fourth glass with a shaking hand when she heard the Voice.
"Lauren, little girl, your Sir is home. Where are you, lovely?" Thomas's deep voice purred, it soothed and aroused her at the same time. It was the tone that told Lauren that her Sir was ready to play.
Hastily smoothing her hair and making sure her mascara wasn't smeared, she attempted to walk sensually through the great room to where Thomas was pulling off his jacket and tie. "Hello, Sir," Lauren lowered her voice, trying to sound as compelling as her dark spouse.
Thomas looked up, fine lines around his eyes crinkling as he smiled, cobalt gaze sweeping up and down her body. "Hello, baby. Did you have a good time tonight?"
Forcing herself to shrug casually, Lauren held up a glass. "Can I make you a drink?" At his nod, she gritted her teeth, focusing on pouring the scotch without her hand shaking and spilling it. "It was okay... it's just. I dunno, it seems like we don't really have anything to talk about anymore. We're different people, not much in common, you know?"
"Hmmm..." Thomas took the glass from her, kissing her hand lingeringly. "A pity. But it happens. Once you don't have school in common, it can be hard to keep in touch."
Lauren nodded rapidly, acutely aware that his tongue was sliding between his lips on her skin, the tip stroking across nerve endings and setting them sparking. "You're right. It's just a shame, she was my only friend from home, here." She didn't think her voice broke, but Thomas looked up from her hand. Pulling her closer, he set down his drink, an arm going around her waist, the other caressing the back of her neck.
