C7 CHAPTER 7 – MOMMY ISSUES

Hello, father. It's me, Mackenzie. How are you? How's everyone?

As Mackenzie hit the send button, tears rolled down her cheeks.

This was the first message she ever sent to her father in a while that did not involve her informing him that she'd wired some money to his bank account.

Now that she thought about it, she realized that was vain and all the efforts she was putting into helping her father was just a heap of heavy dust. What was money going to do for her now? It could never make her a better daughter.

She might die. How would money save her from her unlucky fate?

"Mackenzie!" A shrill voice yelled, "Are you going to neglect the house chores again?! Your disease is not even life-threatening so don't you dare try to use it as an excuse!"

Mackenzie could hear it. The mocking tone in her mother-in-law's voice.

It wasn't the same tone she'd used to speak to her in the past.

Could money take her back in time, when everything was so perfect?

No—

If anything, she'd sacrifice all the income she'd inherited from being Jeffrey's wife and go back to her life as a poor farmer's daughter.

"Mackenzie!" The door to the guest room opened.

Mackenzie knew her mother-in-law had caught her but she had no strength to move from her current position.

It was just too heavy.

She felt too heavy… The burden of being a rich man's wife.

"So this is where you were hiding!"

The room next to the patio. A haven where she happily made furniture until it was infiltrated by her mother-in-law.

"Get up!"

Eleanor walked over to where Mackenzie was sitting miserably on the floor. She grabbed both of her hands forcefully while pulling her upwards.

Mackenzie resisted. "Leave me alone!" She said,

But Eleanor was not having that. She continued to pull Mackenzie's hands.

Mackenzie became overwhelmed. This was feeling too much.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted and pushed Eleanor away from her.

Eleanor fell flat on her butt. She hadn't been strong enough to maintain her opaque pose.

"Why do you all have to do this to me!" She cried, staring down at her mother-in-law who was stunned to see her in this gory state.

She hadn't imagined that Mackenzie would be this… depressed about her disease.

"First, it was your son who promised me the world but cheated on me!"

Eleanor swallowed nervously.

So it was about that.

She never imagined that Mackenzie would find out about his affairs.

"And then I find out I have a brain tumor and what was your son doing? He was fucking his brother's wife!"

Eleanor immediately got on her knees on hearing that.

She knew what her son was capable of doing and she knew even more that Mackenzie would never tell a lie. For her to react like this, she must be telling the truth.

But still, she had to try and protect her son's pride - Her pride as Richard's wife.

"My son would never do something like that,"

"You know the truth, Eleanor. No need to pretend."

Mackenzie lurched for the door and Eleanor grabbed her right foot.

"You must never tell anyone about this!"

Mackenzie stared down at Eleanor and scoffed.

She was a cruel mother-in-law, but she didn't expect her to be a bad mother to her son.

"So," She said, "You want to clean up after your son's mess?"

"What do you want?" Eleanor said, her voice stricken with panic. "I'll give anything you want,"

Mackenzie forcefully escaped from her mother-in-law's grip and skidded down the hall.

Right now, she felt the need the need to preserve her life or today could be her last day in the world.

You should be happy, Jeffrey. She thought as she glided down the stairs and made her way out of the house.

You have a doting mother.

Mackenzie started to run, feeling the wind tussle her hair back and strip off the burdens she felt on her back.

As she ran, she made up her mind. She would dedicate today just for her. She would do whatever she liked.

Soon enough, was in a flower shop buying a bouquet of white chrysanthemums.

The first thing she'd neglected since she married Jeffrey was the ability to grieve. After she lost her child, she immediately started thinking of new ways to please her husband and mother-in-law.

Now that she remembered it, she felt horrible.

Mackenzie went next to a nearby store and bought a bottle of liquor, and went to sit on a deserted flower road.

Now that she was thinking deeply about it, she realized that she did not find out if a grave was dedicated to her child.

I'm sorry, honey.

She bowed her head over her lap, breaking into sobs.

I didn't deserve you. No wonder you left this world without even looking at me.

I didn't even prepare you a name. Even I carried YOU in my belly, I was only looking at my husband.

No wonder you didn't even look at me.

Moments later, she took a sip of liquor and poured the rest onto the ground to honor her long-deceased son.

She sat there for a few hours. Just being, and letting herself feel the sadness of losing her child.

Then her phone rang in her pocket.

She picked up her phone and stared at the screen but there was no caller's ID.

Then she remembered her altercation with Chase the previous night.

She hurriedly picked up the call and placed the phone against her left ear.

"H…hello?"

"What are you doing? Why did you answer my call late?"

Mackenzie could not forget that voice.

"Chase," She whispered.

She heard his scoff through the line before he said, "Did you forget what I said would happen If you didn't pick up my call?"

"No, I didn't forget."

Mackenzie stood on her feet, looking around the empty road as though he was somewhere in hiding, watching her.

"If you understand, then you'd do as I say."

Mackenzie hesitated for a moment, "Okay."

"Come to Riverdale hotel. Room number 12. Right away. Be there in fifteen minutes or there will be trouble"

With that, the call ended.