Chapter 55
CHAPTER 55
‘ H ow do you do it?’ I asked Mara a few minutes later in the studio.
A woman with a bandaged ankle was standing on crutches beside her.
‘This is Simone,’ Mara said with a happy smile.
I nodded weakly to Simone, blinking away threatening tears.
‘Tough few weeks, hey?’ Simone asked.
‘Understatement. I don’t know how you can work with Graeme without itching to stab him in the back every minute of the day.’
‘We have each other.’ Mara slipped her arm through Simone’s. ‘If I didn’t have Simone, I’d go mental, which is almost what happened when she was sidelined with a broken ankle.’
I sighed. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.’
‘You did great, Kate, but Simone and I know how to handle Graeme.’
‘Most of the time.’ Simone looked down at her foot. ‘Anyway, I’m back now, and even with these crutches, I feel stronger than ever. Together, Mara and I can take on the bastard and win.’
‘But what with Fern and everything,’ I began .
‘So… you know?’ Mara asked.
‘Yeah – you too? I still can’t believe it. I keep asking myself, why ?’
Mara sucked in her cheeks. ‘Who knows? You do what you can to get by, and I guess those two fulfil each other’s needs. Simone and I have had endless discussions. Graeme’s a bully – brilliant and eccentric when he wants to be, but a bully all the same. If he can intimidate you, he will, if only for the purpose of being intimidating.’
‘His weakness,’ Simone added, ‘is he likes to be dominated, which is the basis of his relationship with Fern. She dominates him because of her position here.’
‘Still…’ I didn’t want the image of Fern’s perfect life shattered. I looked up to her, admired her. Wanted to be like her. I’d thought Fern had it all. She had four children. She had Terry. She was the boss. Why did she need more? Why did she need Graeme? But who was I to judge? I’d almost had sex with the guy myself. Not to mention my Arnaud fantasies.
I couldn’t face Fern right now. I’d come in tomorrow and see her. I left the building, got into my car and drove away.
What if Matthew found out? It was all I could think about. What if I’d destroyed my marriage over someone as pointless and worthless as Graeme Grafton?
I had to see Mum. Talk to her. Hear the truth about what I said to her that night after I’d come home after being with Graeme. Maybe my memories were distorted. Perhaps I’d only dreamed about being at Graeme’s apartment. Part of me clung to the hope none of it had really happened. Perhaps only a vile hallucination.