Love to Hate You: Three's a Crowd

Chapter Twenty-Four - Hell Hath No Fury

Mattie had called time on her marriage. Such monumental news – along with the departure of Rafe's right testicle – and Ramona (whom Mattie had called to the house to collect her son) travelled fast. Mattie thought Rafe looked in no fit state to be cavorting about Surrey on his own. Nor did she want her husband to moulder in a hotel room when he needed care and support. His mother could do that for him nicely. Mattie had other priorities; ones which suited the foul temper she found herself to be in. She hot-footed it to London.

'Mattie?' Chris stammered, gaping upon seeing the short woman come bundling into the office like a mother fighting over the last remaining must-have toy of the festive season.

'Not right now,' she replied, dumping her bag and coat in her office before turning about and making straight for Lucy Williams' desk.

'Mattie, wait!' Chris wheezed, hurrying after her.

'No thank you,' she called over her shoulder. He ran – well, ran as much as the friction of his thighs would allow – but he didn't have the athleticism to catch up with her determined little legs.

'Lucy,' she said, with well-crafted concern. 'I've just heard.' She shook her head. 'It's terrible. Can we talk?'

'Mattie!' Lucy gasped, recoiling in her chair. 'What are you – I thought you were on compassionate leave?'

'I am,' she nodded, 'but when I heard,' she widened her eyes, 'I couldn't just sit at home. I had to come and check on you.'

'Oh,' was all she could manage.

'Can we talk in meeting room two? It's free. I just... I really need to understand everything. For my own peace of mind, for the boys, y'know?'

'Um... Well, it is a bit awkward,' Lucy told her, with obvious reluctance. She had hoped to avoid seeing the stunted woman.

'I know, and I hate to ask, but how can I trust him? I just need to hear your version of events.'

'Alright,' Lucy said, as a panting Chris danced about beside them, wheezing and spluttering as a result of both the physical exertion of chasing a determined woman, and the stress of said determined woman having it out with a blatant liar. He knew Mattie well, after all, and there was bugger all chance of her believing any such accusation, and – to anyone who knew her – no sincerity in her voice, whatsoever.

'I'll, um... Is this wise?' Chris asked. 'Shall I get HR?'

'No,' both women said in unison.

'Lydia, then. I'll get Lydia,' he nodded, his jowls flapping.

'Yes, and a herbal tea, Chris. Think about your heart,' Mattie said, this time with genuine concern. 'Shall we?' a fake smile plastered to her face, as she looked at Lucy and gestured to the meeting room.

Once inside, with the door closed, Mattie invited her to dig her own grave.

'And he exposed himself to you?'

'Yes,' Lucy nodded.

'I'm sorry to ask, but was he... I know this is awkward, but was he flaccid, or erect?' Mattie said, with a cringing expression.

'Erect.'

'That's awful,' Mattie replied, pressing her hand to her mouth in dismay. 'He got off on it... What a sick bastard.'

'Yes,' Lucy replied, nodding in agreement.

'And they said... They said... Lord, I can hardly bear to repeat it, but they said he tried to force you to... y'know... with your mouth?'