Nine
Mackenzie stared at the framed picture at her bedside, the one of the family at her college graduation: Emma and Shelby standing back to back like Bond girls, Mom and Dad smiling, as far apart as could be. Mackenzie was in her cap and gown, grinning at the camera, and Eliza was at her side, looking up at her with round eyes and an earnest smile.
Little sisters. They didn’t make them all the same. Eliza had always looked up to her, perhaps too much. Eliza’s face was the picture of adoration here. Like Mackenzie could do no wrong.
Mackenzie wasn’t perfect, though, as the past few weeks had clearly showed.
She heaved herself out of bed. How was this happening? She was supposed to be the one who had it all together. The big sister with all the answers.
She was twenty-seven years old! Too old to throw her life and everything she’d worked for away because of a – what? Because of a boy?
It was too shameful to say out loud, but it was eating her alive. Maybe the one person she could tell was Eliza.
Eliza never judged and she didn’t lecture. If anyone would listen, it was her. She might even be able to help.
Mackenzie’s phone almost slipped out of her sweaty hand as she hit call.
Eliza picked up after three rings. “Hey!”
“Hey, it’s me.”
“How are you doing?”
“Good,” she lied. “How are you?”
Eliza sighed dramatically. “Oh, you know, just in hiding since becoming internet famous. Or infamous. I’m not sure.”
Mackenzie frowned. “Has it been bad? I thought it would’ve blown over by now.”
“Eh, you know. Things linger.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be! It’s okay. What’s new with you?”
Mackenzie took in a shaky breath. “Ah, well—”
“Did you and Steve announce your takeover of the company yet?”
She shut her eyes. How arrogant she’d been with Steve, joking how they were the company power couple. How na?ve she’d been to trust him at all. “No, but he announced something else.”
“Shoot, is he leaving? Did he get another job?”
Her throat was tight. She tried to swallow and ended up coughing. Maybe she wasn’t ready to talk about it. “No. Never mind.”
“Oh, come on. I’m sorry. I’ll stop guessing.”
A glass of water sat on the bedside table. She probably hadn’t been drinking enough water – not enough to keep up with all the crying. She took a sip. “I was thinking of coming to visit you guys again.”
“Really? I would love that! Are you going to bring Steve this time?”
She set the glass down. Why had she called if she wasn’t going to talk about it? What was the point in hiding it from Eliza, of all people? “We broke up.”
“ What? ”
She cleared her throat. “It’s so bad. I can’t tell you, Eliza.”
“It’s okay! You don’t have to tell me. I’m so sorry, Mackenzie. I know how much you loved him.”
A sob rose from deep inside her chest and rocked her forward. Mackenzie tried to keep her lips pressed tightly shut, but a whine escaped.
“Mack? Are you okay?” The pitch rose in Eliza’s voice. “What happened?”
“He’s engaged, Eliza.” She swallowed back the tears and mucus in her throat. “Steve is engaged.”
“How is that possible?” She was yelling now. “He was dating you!”
“He said – well, he announced he was engaged to Addy two weeks ago.”
“ What! After all this time telling you no one at work could know about you guys because it was unprofessional and…” Eliza stopped. “Oh. Was he…?”
Mackenzie got a tissue and blew her nose before speaking again. “Yeah. You figured it out faster than I did. Turns out I was the other woman and I didn’t even know it.”
“That can’t be right.”
“It is. I feel crazy. Like I imagined the whole relationship or something. I don’t know, Eliza. He said we were always good friends, that we can keep being good friends.”
“You didn’t imagine it! He came to visit for your birthday, and he got you three dozen roses on Valentine’s Day this year. Remember that?”
Her lips were numb from forgetting to breathe. “Oh yeah. I forgot he did that.”
“Those weren’t ‘good friends’ roses! What is the matter with him?”
Mackenzie looked down. She wasn’t crying because of the humiliation or the shame.
Well, that was part of it, but mostly she was crying because of something far worse.
She missed him.
What was wrong with her?
“I don’t know what to do.”
Eliza gasped. “He’s your manager now, right?”
“Yeah. He got promoted.”
“Ew. Wait, is he her manager too?”
Mackenzie blew her nose again. “Yeah.”
“This is a hostile work environment.” Eliza sighed. “I’m so sorry, Mack.”
“It’s bad, but I can’t quit. I’ve gotten so far and…” Her voice trailed off.
“Don’t quit, then. Can you come and visit? The bottom bunk in my room is wide open.”
“Our sales numbers are down and I can’t take time off.”
“Oh, because it’ll hurt his numbers for your numbers to be down?”
“Yes,” Mackenzie said weakly.
“Okay, this ends now. You need to get out of there. You’re confused and you need a hug. I’ll make cupcakes and I’ll have Russell send the private jet.”
Mackenzie laughed. “Please don’t do that.”
“Remember when he flew you out for Christmas?”
She smiled. That was a happier time. As dramatic as it sounded, she felt like she’d never feel happy again. “I still dream about the French chocolates the flight attendant gave us.”
“Come on, just come out for a few days. Please?”
She hadn’t been able to get much done that week, insisting she was sick and working from home.
All she’d done was fall apart, walking from one room to the next. At least if she was with Eliza, she’d have someone to talk to. “Okay, fine. But I’ll fly out myself. Don’t call Russell.”
“Good, because I don’t think he has the money for a private jet and Mom would yell at him. Yay! I can’t wait to see you! Tell me when you’re coming—Granny will make a feast.”
It wasn’t just Eliza. There was Granny, of course. And Mom. Three whole people who would be happy to see her, who knew she hadn’t imagined the whole relationship. “I will.”
“Love you!”
Mackenzie smiled. “Love you, too.”