Mack Daddy(75)

“Let me just make one thing very clear off the bat. I don’t want to have to pursue a paternity test. Jonah is my son. I’m the only father he knows. I don’t want him ever doubting my love for him. If I ever decide to tell him about the possibility that his grandfather is actually his father, it will ideally be when he’s much older, unless you force me to do it sooner.”

Mack didn’t really have any intention of putting Jonah through a test, but we wanted his father to believe he did. So, we were counting on this threat working.

“What does that mean?” his father asked.

Michaela intercepted, “I have the video and naked photos of Torrie. I will go to the press with them if you don’t agree to our terms. Your political career will be over. The press will have a field day with the fact that you had a torrid affair with your son’s girlfriend and that you could potentially be the father of your own grandson.”

Not really seeming surprised by the threat, Michael asked, “What are your terms?”

“First, you give Mother whatever she asks for in the divorce,” Michaela said.

Vivenne spoke for the first time. “By the way, I’m filing for divorce.” Apparently, she hadn’t announced that until now.

Michaela held her mother’s hand and continued, “She keeps the family house, and you make sure everything is handled as quickly and seamlessly as possible.”

Michael tapped his pen against the desk. “I suppose there’s more?”

“Yes, there is,” Mack said. “The information you uncovered about Frankie’s biological father will be concealed. You will do everything in your power to protect her and to keep that information as private as possible, which, in turn, protects Jonah because Frankie’s going to be living with us. You keep the three of us out of your political endeavors altogether. We want nothing to do with any of it.”

Torrie spoke up for the first time. “What exactly do you mean when you say Jonah’s going to be living with you? You’re not taking him away from me.”

“Nothing will change in terms of our custody arrangement during the week, but I don’t want him with nannies anymore during the day. I will pick him up after school and keep him with me until you get home from work.”

She didn’t argue with that.

“Are there any more conditions?” his father asked.

“Yes. You keep your distance from my son, and you accept that I have no intention of questioning my role as his father.”

Michael nodded once then said, “Are we finished?”

“There is one more condition,” Mack’s sister said. “You seek therapy. I don’t know how you will go about keeping it private, but figure out a way. You’re a narcissist, and you need help.”

After a long silence that seemed to go on forever, the stern politician rubbed his eyes and said, “I agree to these terms.”

“Good,” Michaela said. “I hope you can heal yourself. I really do. Your career will come to an end someday, and then what will you have left? Mom and us kids will have each other, and what will you have?”

Everyone waited with bated breath for his answer until he finally said, “I hope to have your forgiveness someday.”

“That will depend on your actions moving forward,” she said.

He looked his daughter in the eyes. “Understood.”

Mack had enough. He stood up from his seat. “Goodbye, Dad.”

I followed him outside.

He had paused at the front steps. The wind was blowing through his hair.

I came up behind him and said, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I feel amazingly free.” He smiled. “Welcome to my crazy family.”

“Hey, you’re forgetting. I come from crazy stock, too, apparently. So, I’ll fit right in.”

“Good. Maybe together we can cancel the crazy out.” Mack gave me a chaste kiss.

The sight of Torrie’s long legs approaching us interrupted our moment. We both turned to face her.

She cleared her throat. “I just wanted to say that I’m deeply sorry for how everything has turned out.”

“Everything has turned out great, actually.” Mack said. “I couldn’t be happier with how things have turned out.”

She addressed me. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry for what I did to you with the letter. I understand what it feels like now to be on the receiving end of blackmail, and it’s not fun. I was feeling desperate when I sent you that correspondence. I know I have a lot of work to do, and while I don’t expect you to forgive me, I just need you to know that I’m sorry for any pain I’ve caused.”

Looking over at Mack, she said, “Please come inside to the house when you drop Jonah off from now on. That’s all I ask. I want him to believe that things are going to be okay, even if we have a long way to go. I know you think I’m pure evil at this point, but I do truly care about my son’s perception of the situation.”

Oddly, I believed that she did.

“I can do that…for him,” Mack said.

“And I’m not going to make trouble for you, Francesca. If you’re going to be around Jonah, then we need to at least be cordial, even if you and Mack both hate me deep down. I really do want him to see us all getting along, even if it’s an illusion.”