The noises we’re making don’t even sound human as we laugh and gasp for breath. I snort, which makes the other two laugh harder.
“The Saint Laurent of Snatches.” I don’t even know who says that last one, the voice sounds so strangled and I’m blinded by tears.
“The Cavalli of Cunts.” I just know that’s Ash.
We all lie back and gasp for air, the giggles and laughter still randomly breaking out.
“Oh my days, I needed that laugh,” I say to no one in particular.
I sit up straight, forcing Ash to get her head out of my lap, where she’s once again resting it, and take a sip of my wine.
“So come on, spill, Georgia Rae. What the fuck was going on when I got here earlier?”
I knew Jimmie wouldn’t let it drop. What I don’t know is how she managed to fill Ash in on my “moment” already.
“Yeah, what’s going on, Slutster? I’ve revealed my varting abilities, Jim’s revealed all about her designer vagina, now you need to spill the deets about your meltdown. What the fuck happened?”
Jimmie stands up. “Hang on, we need more wine for this.” She heads off to the fridge while I retrieve the letter from my desk.
Once we’re topped up and I’ve settled the girls side by side so they can read at the same time, I pass them the two sheets of paper.
They each take a sip of their wine and start to read.
Ashley looks up at me a couple of times. Jimmie’s hand goes to her mouth, drops, and then goes back a total of three times.
“Wow,” Jimmie states as she finishes.
“Fuck!” Is all Ash has to offer.
We all look at each other, shaking our heads.
“It’s like, I dunno. It’s almost like he had a premonition, but at the same time, he seemed convinced he wasn’t going anywhere,” Jimmie says.
“Yeah, but this is Sean. He’d do anything to protect and not worry me. If he had a feeling that something was gonna happen, he’d never have let me know.”
“How’d you feel, George, after reading that, how’d ya feel?”
I move from where I was leaning against my desk and sit back down next to the girls.
“I really don’t know, Jim. I had that crate shipped to Australia, but the time wasn’t right, so I just packed it all up and shipped it back without reading them, well except one I think.”
We’re all quiet for a few long moments. Jimmie and Ash obviously trying to digest Sean’s words the same way I had …was still trying to in fact.
“George, if I ask you something, will you be totally honest with me.”
My mouth fills with saliva, the way it does if I’m about to vomit, as I nod my head at Jim’s question.
“Of course, go for it.”
Jim stands and takes up the spot I was in earlier and leans her arse against my desk.
Ashley puts her head back in my lap and takes a hold of the hand not containing my wine glass.
“Did anything ever go on between you and Cam, once you were back with Mac?”
Despite having to swallow hard to get rid of the excess fluid in my mouth, it now feels incredibly dry. I take a long draw from my glass, look down at Ash, and then across to Jim.
I know I can tell these girls anything. They’ve loved and supported me through the worst of times and celebrated with me during the best. And they have never ever judged. This is the only thing I have ever kept secret from them. Admitting to myself what happened between me and Cam is harder than saying it out loud.
I nod my head slowly, and a very lost and lonely, stray tear makes its way down my cheek.
Ash pulls her hand from mine and reaches up and brushes it away.
“Don’t cry, George, it was all a very long time ago. You don’t have to tell us if you don’t wanna.”
I let out a loud sob. Despite the release, my jaw trembles when I try to speak.
“It was the night I kicked the shit out of Haley White.”
Jimmies eyebrows raise up towards her hairline. Her eyes dart around the room, and I can almost hear her brain tick as she recalls that night.
“What? When? We all stayed at the loft that night, you came home with us.”
“His office,” Ash says from my lap.
“We left, he asked you to stay. You fucked him in his office.”
I nod my head slowly. “That’s exactly what happened.”
“Fucking hell, George.” Jimmie says before finishing the contents of her wine glass.
“It was just that one time. We never did it again, not even in Australia when we spent the night in the hotel room.”
I was suddenly too hot and felt shaky.
“Fuck, I thought you and Maca had an epic love story, but you and Cam, that’s just … I don’t even know what to say, George. You’re like, magnets or something. Parts of a puzzle that just have to be together,” Ashley whispers quietly.
“And Maca’s letter just makes it all even more … I dunno. What’s the right word? Surreal?” Jimmie asks.
I press my fingertips into my forehead and squeeze my eyes shut for a few seconds.
“I’ve no clue. I’m at a loss for words really.”
“Me too,” says Ash, still whispering for some reason.