Page 36 of My Dearest Mackenzie

Mack didn’t interject.

I filled the pregnant pause. “My Paps talked about his Rosie, especially as he got older. He never forgot her.”

“That was Jimmy, the most caring man you ever met. He loved your grandma too. That’s how big his heart was. I guess not as much as Rose, but his feelings were genuine.”

A nurse came in and interrupted. “Connie, I’m sorry but you have PT.”

I was grateful for the respite. My heart was aching in a way I didn’t know possible.

“Listen, come back,” Connie said, reaching forward and taking my hand.

“Can we?”

“Of course.”

“Do you have the recipe for mishy-mashy soup?” My mind was working overtime. I’d found a connection to my Paps.

“I sure do! Come back and we’ll make it. That man, the one who called me?” Connie looked at Mack.

“Corey,” Mack offered.

“Have him call again, and I can give him the ingredients for you to bring.”

“Will do. Thank you.” Mack leaned over and gave Connie a hug, his cheek lingering next to hers. I sensed he was having an emotional moment, and I let him have it.

Some strange concoction of sadness, despair, and confusion swept over me. I’d found a connection to my Paps—wasn’t that what I wished for? Yes, but did that mean my time with Mack was coming to an end?

Wasn’t that also what I wanted?

I gave Connie an equally long hug as Mack’s and whispered “Thank you” in her ear.

She squeezed my side.

“I can’t believe it,” I said to Mack after Connie was wheeled away. “They loved one another all their lives and never got to be together.” Wistfulness blanketed my words.

“And my family never knew…”

“She was protecting you, in her mind. It seems like she felt nothing good ever came out of people knowing. She lost Jimmy. And Connie, for a while. And lost the ability to love.”

Mack frowned as we made our way out of the building. “I come from a loveless place. Now everything makes sense. My inability to love…”

While I was thrilled to get some information, I started to see how this visit wasn’t positive for Mack. He wasn’t himself in the car either, not mentioning the celebratory dinner he’d spoken about the day before.

Pulling up in front of my building, he looked up. “No way Corey isn’t inviting himself to make soup with us,” he said laughing, clearly trying to break the moment.

“No way! He will be there,” I agreed, wondering if I should get out or wait for Alex.

“Get you at four? I want to go see something before dinner.”

“Oh,” was all I could say.

“Great!”

Walking into my apartment, I had no idea what he’d planned or what I should wear, and I didn’t care. That was Mack to me. My I don’t care as long as I am with him…

And I was in trouble.

“I’ll get it, Alex,” I said as we pulled up in front of Frances’s place for the third time in one day. I was sure she could get around the city on her own, but something about this damn woman brought out the protective side in me.

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