4. The Fountain Incident
With abilities to set me free
Free, make me be me
Makes me want to say
Mack was still giddy, “I have a date. I have a date!” She was practically jumping up and down. “So, who are you guys taking?”
“My wife,” Sean said.
“I’m taking Billy,” Dom said. They laughed.
“Are you asking me out?” Billy asked.
Dom shrugged, “I either go with you or go stag.”
“It’s a date,” Billy giggled like a schoolgirl, which was scary and funny at the same time.
“Omigod we have to get our nails done and get new dresses!” Mack was talking well…girly for once. Everybody laughed.
“I actually promised Liv to a girls day out tomorrow,” Mack sighed. “You guys might have to watch over Josh for me.”
Billy grinned mischievously, “Sure we’ll watch over him for you.”
“I swear if you guys scare away my date,” she threatened.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they’re on their best behavior,” Sean said.
“Thank you so much Sean! As for the rest of you,” she looked at each of them. “If you do lets just say you won’t be able to have children anymore. Understood?” They all looked scared out of their wits. “So Lij, who are you taking?”
“Bijou Phillips,” he said with a smile.
Mack coughed, “As in the model?”
“That’s the one,” his smile didn’t fade.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were dating someone?” She swallowed. A new emotion formed. Jealousy? It had to be something else. Besides she had a date already. She frowned.
“I don’t know if I would consider it dating. I did what you did with Josh. We’re friends so I called her up to see if she wanted to come.” He looked at her and she only shrugged. “Well I’m going to go get something to eat. See you guys later.” He waved as headed in the direction of the buffet.
Dom and Billy nodded, “I think I’m with him on this one.” They ran after Elijah to catch up.
“Maybe we should talk about this,” Sean said.
“Talk about what? He’s apparently dating someone and I have a date for this banquet also,” she resisted the urge to take out another cigarette. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Mack, first off your pretty much shaking. You can have a cancer stick if you want.” She almost ripped open the package right then and there. She lit one. “Mack look at me.” She blew out some smoke and faced him. “It’s obvious that you’re jealous. That’s completely understandable.”
She took another puff, “But he’s had these girlfriends before and it hasn’t really bothered me until now. I don’t understand it.”
“I think you’re just starting to realize what you are losing.” he gave her a reassuring smile.
She hesitated for a moment, “I don’t know Sean.”
“Just think about it ok?” he put his hands on her shoulders.
She sighed, “ok. I’ll think about it.” She crushed the remainder of the cigarette under her foot.
“Now I believe Orlando has some good new for us.” They both smiled and walked towards the buffet.
It looked like food was ordered out for lunch. It consisted of KFC and Wendy’s. Everyone was packing food on his or her plate, but for some reason she wasn’t very hungry. She sat down in between Dom and Billy.
“So, our new hobbit friend has finally decided to join us,” Dom said.
“Fuck off,” she said angrily.
“Touchy touchy,” Billy taunted.
“I’m resisting the urge to take out another cigarette,” she tapped her fingers on the table.
“Sorry love,” his eyes softened.
Orlando tapped on his Styrofoam glass, “I have good news!” Everyone looked his way. “I got accepted for the role of Blackburn for a new movie. It’s based on the novel Black Hawk Down.” Mack choked on her drink.
Billy patted her back, “Are you ok love?”
She was shaking, “Omigod. Omigod. Omigod.” Dom and Billy were confused. She got up and started walking away.
“Is she going to be ok?” Sean asked.
“I don’t know,” Viggo shook his head.
As she walked off she could hear people cheering for Orlando and congratulating him. Moments flashed before her eyes. She had to be dragged away from the plane that day. She shot all the armed Somali people in rage. For everyone she shot she said a name. This one’s for Joel! She pulled the trigger and hit her target. Her aim had never been so true. She heard someone following her. She didn’t want to deal with this. Her pace quickened. Someone put their hands on her shoulder and turned her around.
“What do you want from me?” She yelled.
It was Elijah, “I wanted to make sure you were ok.” He was being sincere.
“I killed them,” she whispered.
“What?” his eyebrows knitted in confusion.
“They trusted me with their lives and I fucking killed them…” her voice was barely above a whisper.
He started to understand, “So that’s why you quit.”
“We were on a mission. Someone fired an anti-aircraft missile and it hit its target. Its target was me. It’s my fault Lij. I’m the only one that survived.” Her eyes were stinging. “It all happened so fast. I did what I was supposed to but why did they all have to die? Why couldn’t it have been me instead?” Tears cascaded down her cheeks. “There was so much blood…so much blood.” She was shaking uncontrollably.
“Sh, it’ll be ok,” he promised.
“I almost went to a fucking mental institution Lij! They had to drag me away from the wreckage. I shut myself in my room for weeks until paramedics finally took me to the hospital for mal-nutrition. I almost commit suicide, but you know what kept me alive? The one thing I looked to for strength? You. You kept me alive Lij. My friendship with you gave me strength. I owe so much to you.” She was sobbing into his shirt.
“I will always be here for you Mackenzie. Your friendship means so much to me. I just wish that you would have told me what was going on to begin with.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It was re-opening wounds.” He hugged her and right now that was all she needed. She felt like a boulder was lifted off of her chest. She felt anew but most of all she could trust again.
*
With the shooting done for the day the fellowship of friends headed home to get dressed for the nightlife of New Zealand. Liv was included in the mix, as promised Mack was going to make an effort to look nice. Liv was rummaging through her closet and the boys were getting ready at home.
“Aha!” Liv pulled out an outfit. “You can wear this.” She handed Mack a pair of black pants and a white top. The top had a lace layer over a white one. It was low cut. The straps were about an inch thick. Liv stuck with a white skirt and a green three quarters sleeve top.
She sighed, “Do I really have to wear this?”
“You promised…” Liv said. Mack sighed once again and headed towards the bathroom. A few minutes later she shuffled out of the bathroom. “Wow, Mack, you look really good! Just let me add a little bit of makeup and then you’ll be set!” Liv added white eyeliner to make it appear as if she had cat eyes. Then she filled in the eyelid with a white eye shadow and a little bit of glitter. She added a clear lip-gloss and put green eye shadow on herself.
“Is this really necessary? I mean it’s just a pub…” Mack wasn’t too sure of herself.
“Yes, but if you dress up then guys buy drinks for you,” Liv giggled.
“A free drink is a free drink,” Mack shrugged. They both grabbed their purses and headed to the car.
Within a matter if minutes they arrived at the meeting spot, Billy’s place. Mack took a deep breath as the door opened, “Hey Liv. Zee is that you? Bloody hell you look smashing.” She smiled shyly. “Come in. Come in!” He ushered them inside and shut the door. Dom and Elijah were arguing over something stupid while Orlando laughed. “You guys Liv and Mack are here let's go!” Elijah saw Mack and his jaw nearly dropped. He had never seen Mack dressed like this in the twelve years that he knew her. It was a change and he couldn’t look the other way. He came back to reality when Dom started talking.
“Wow,” Dom started. “Never seen you dress like that before.”
“Yea, yea,” she waved him off.
“So what’s the plan for tonight?” Orlando asked.
“Get as many free drinks as possible…” Mack said. “Come on tonight’s a night of celebration!” They all cheered and headed for the cars. They finally decided on taking three cars because ‘there’ll be more room!’ as Billy put it. Orlando and Liv in one car. Billy, Dom, Mack in the second. Sean and Elijah in the last. It was decided that Liv, Orlando, and Sean would be the designated drivers.
“You know I’m glad we’re driving together Sean. We don’t really get that much time alone except for when we’re on camera,” Elijah said.
“I saw the way you were looking at Mack,” Sean said suddenly.
“What?” He said.
“Don’t play dumb Lij.” Sean shook his head.
“I was just surprised. That’s all.” Elijah said defensively. Sean dropped the subject. He wasn’t going to push Elijah, but what Elijah didn’t say was that he was scared. Scared to fall for his life long friend, but most of all he was scared that she didn’t love him back.
*
They finally arrived at the pub. It didn’t look like too many people were there, but it wasn’t deserted either. Dom, Billy, Elijah, and Mack headed to the bar while the rest of their group found a table in the back. They head back to the table a few minutes later laughing.
“What so funny?” Sean asked.
“We’re at the bar right?” Elijah starts. “The bartender asks her what she wants to drink.”
“And she says I’ll have a martini shaken not stirred in a smashing British accent,” Dom continued.
“So she leans over the bar to get her drink right? The bartender looks down her shirt pretty much seeing everything. She asks how much for the drink and he says that she can have free drinks for her and her friends,” Elijah laughed.
“We started to leave and he asked Mackenzie to stay behind so he asks for her number and she was really hesitant and I don’t think she’s interested at him at all!” Billy laughed. “He wouldn’t let her go!”
“So she says I have a boyfriend and he asks who. So she grabs Billy and starts snogging with him. The bartenders face was priceless!” They all laughed.
“Needless to say I think he’ll leave me alone now,” Mack said.
“How was it?” Orlando asked.
“How was what?” Billy asked.
“The kiss!” Liv shook her head.
“Oh that!” Billy put his arm around Mack. “It was great we have real chemistry.” He winked. Mack laughed nervously.
“So Mack how was it for you?” Orlando asked.
“It was… interesting. Not horrible. It was actually kinda nice, but that’s not the point! My mission was accomplished. It was like a James Bond movie I got rid of the villain and got hot and heavy romance in the end
“And now for the theme song. Mack Evers!” Billy sang in a shrilly voice. It was right out of Goldfinger. “Her name sounds good in your ear!”
Through all the craziness and laughing Elijah said, “Wait! Billy is the love interest involved isn’t he suppose to be running in slow motion down that beach or something?”
“You’re right!” Billy started running in slow motion by the table and singing corny music in the background. The whole table erupted in laughter. He shook his head like he was a dog trying to dry itself off. Then, he said in a high-pitched “girly voice” “I’ve been expecting you Mr. Evers!”
Mack couldn’t stop laughing, “My side hurts so much.”
Dom walked up to her, “Mr. Evers I challenge you to…a drinking match!”
“Count me in on that,” Billy said still in a girly voice.
Elijah shrugged, “What the hell. I wanna join too.”
Dom went up to the bar and came back with a bottle of tequila and four shot glasses. He set a glass in front of each person including himself. Orlando took the bottle from him, “We want to make sure the amount of alcohol is equal.” Orlando poured an equal amount of liquid into each glass. One person sat in each chair around the table.
“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Liv said.
“Don’t worry we don’t have to go in until late tomorrow. Plus we’re not the one’s that will be driving.” Billy said.
“Ok!” Orlando began. “The rules are as follows: The first one to pass out, vomit, or if you can’t drink the shot you’re out. No exceptions and begin!”
Each person drowned the first shot. So far so good. Orlando refilled each glass. They all raised the small glasses and drowned the liquid down. Nobody was backing down. The shot glasses were filled again and again. By the time they got to the sixth one Elijah was completely sloshed and couldn’t take the next shot.
“Jeeze this girl can hold her liquor.” Sean said.
“I used to go out drinking with my guy friends, plus I’m one hundred percent Irish.” she wasn’t even slurring yet. The three remaining contenders drowned another shot.
“My poor poor liver,” Dom slurred.
“Dom mate maybe you should stop there,” Orlando said. He filled the glasses once again.
Dom drank the glass in front of him, “I think I need to make a trip to the loo.” His face was turned green as he ran into the bathroom.
“And then there were two,” Sean said in his best Sean Connery voice.
Shot after shot was taken. Neither part was giving up. Orlando kept refilling their glasses. They got up to fourteen glasses each. The tequila bottle that was once full was almost empty.
Billy raised his glass and then put it down again. They were both swaying in their chairs. Bill’s drunkenness looked more severe. Billy’s eyes half opened and closed again and again. He leaned too much to his right side and fell out of his chair. Mack giggled.
“Now Mack all you have to do is take this last shot and you win,” Orlando said. Mack raised her glass and drained it. Orlando raised her arm in triumph and Mack couldn’t stop laughing.
“Well, we should probably get them out of here especially before any of them drink anymore,” Sean said. They grabbed the ‘drunken fools’ and headed out the pub door.
Mack was still giggling uncontrollably and stumbling. Dom and Billy had their arms around each other nobody could understand Billy with all the slurring. They walked by a huge beautiful fountain on the way to their cars. Liv stopped to take a picture. Dom and Elijah insisted that they stand on the fountain and be in it. Before Liv could take the picture both Elijah and Dom have their flies open and were ‘marking their territories.’ Despite the fact that it was incredibly funny Mack found it even more amusing.
“Do you think they’ll remember this in the morning?” Sean asked.
“This will probably be the only thing they remember,” Liv laughed.
Mack walked, or rather stumbled over to where Sean and Liv were standing. She was still giggling like a little schoolgirl, “Did you see that?”
“I think I’m scarred for life,” Orlando said.
She continued giggling, “You know you like it.” Orlando raised an eyebrow.
Once Dom and Elijah were…done with their business they met back up with the group. Elijah seemed to be hanging on Mack but she didn’t push him away. They finally walked the short distance to get to the cars. Sean took Elijah and Mack. Liv took Billy and Orlando took Dom. Mack and Lij wouldn’t part.
“Come on guys into the car,” Sean said as he ushered Elijah and Mack into the backseat. He started the car up for the short ride home. He heard Mack giggling in the backseat. He assumed it was because she was highly intoxicated but when they stopped at a red light he looked in the rear view mirror to see Elijah kissing her neck. “Jesus,” he whispered. “That’s gonna leave a mark.” He winced. They weren’t even going to remember tonight.
He finally reached the apartment where they all decided to meet. He pried Elijah and Mack apart and led them into the building. Liv and Orlando pushed the other highly intoxicated members into the apartment.
“Ok,” Liv started. “Where’s everyone going to stay?”
“Well, Elijah and Mack are not sharing a room. I have no idea what they’ll do alone…under the influence.” Sean shuddered at the thought.
“Orlando you can go home. Sean and I will stay here. I’ll share Mack’s bed with her. Billy is already passed out on the couch. Elijah can stay in his room with Dom and you can take the extra bed room.” Liv said.
They all nodded. Dom fell onto Elijah’s bed with a plop and Elijah had already gone to his bedroom and stripped down to his boxers and an undershirt. Liv tugged Mack along to her room. Sean sighed and went to the guest bedroom and closed the door behind him. This was one hell of a night.