Page 11 of Heartless

“Then what are you saying that she’s right about?” I ask, giving the next person a roll before offering them their dessert options.

“About someone stepping in to deal with Danica. I’ve pointed it out to Shep on several occasions, and Yaya and I recently talked, and she’s done the same thing with Cade. But they’re both insisting it’s not their place to get involved and that if her parents and brother aren’t—”

“Well, someone needs to get involved. I don’t give a shit if it’s Pope Francis himself. Someone needs to get that girl before things spiral out of control,” Kaia interjects.

“Yeah, my sister, Brynlee, called the other day asking if I’d seen her latest show. I told her that I hadn’t.”

“What happened?” I ask.

“I went back to watch the replay because I always record it. At one point, she kept stumbling over her words and looked as if she was going to pass out. I called Shep, and he said that her agent, manager, producer, or somebody like that would handle the situation. I was wondering why they didn’t edit it myself. But then again, the only thing those producers give a shit about is ratings. If it were my staff, you’d best believe that I’d fire every one of their asses for not making sure that I look good. After all, I’m in the business of making people look good no matter how ugly,” Mak quips, twisting her lips with a smug smirk.

“I saw that show, too. My heart went out to her because it’s clear that she doesn’t have anyone around her who gives a shit about her,” Kaia says.

“Look like that’s the end of the line,” Mak says as the last person steps to Kaia for some soup in their bowl.

We all take a step back from the table and sit down on the stools behind us to rest.

“It’s not that the people around her don’t give a shit about her. It’s that Dani isn’t easy to manage. She’s stubborn, she’s a firecracker, and she’s a bully when things don’t go her way. It’s easy for her to turn aggressive or shut everyone out,” I explain. “Ask Mak. She knows.”

“She is telling the truth. I’ve tried to have conversations with her, casually asking if she was okay, but she shut down on me quickly. I always figured someone closer like you might be able to help her,” Mak says.

“I agree with Mak, Meadow.”

“My husband’s family is his family, just like my family is mine. I know what I believe to be the best thing, but I’m not about to overstep the boundaries and disrespect him by going behind his back to converse with his sister. They already feel a way about her being more receptive to take my calls and texts than theirs.”

“Then maybe that’s how you should present it. Let them know that this isn’t about who she prefers or doesn’t prefer or who’s her favorite person. This is about saving a life, a soul, a family. Doesn’t that count for anything with them? She can love them more than you and still be more receptive to your message, don’t you think?” Mak asks.

Shaking my head, I say, “My in-laws don’t see the two as being related. In their mind, if she listens to me more then that must mean that she’s closer to me, and she’s rejecting the family. She can’t be close to them and not receive their advice.”

“The two aren’t mutually exclusive, you know.”

“Sometimes, people get an idea stuck in their head and to renounce that ideology would be like giving up everything they believe in,” Kaia says.

“Right, like my dad.”

“Girl! Who you telling?” Kaia agrees.

“What about your dad?” Mak asks.

“While he loves and supports me, it’s no mystery that he’s not a big fan of the Maxwells; my husband included.”

“Why not?”

“My dad believes the rich have one purpose and one purpose only; to steal, to kill, and to destroy. He believes they’re no different than the adversary and that, in fact, they come from the adversary. According to him, nothing good will come from my marriage to Onyx. He says I’ll pay a high price for that decision and suffer for a lifetime.”

“Wow!”

“Yeah. He talks about how Jesus was a carpenter, and he had no solid place to rest his head. He speaks of the sacrifices that Jesus made and how he served others, and that we should all uphold that attitude, not pursue wealth,” I express.

“And his favorite scripture to quote is Matthew nineteen and verse twenty-three... ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven,’” Kaia and I say together.

“Hasn’t he read Matthew seven verses one and two that says, ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you?’” Mak retorts.

Laughing, I say, “Then he’d probably quote you Matthew four verses one through eleven and point out how even Satan quoted scripture.”

Mak lifts an eyebrow and says, “Now I have complete respect for people’s parents, but I won’t lie, Meadow, if your father hadthe balls to call me Satan to my face, I’d have to chop those balls off.”

“Get in line, girl. He’s my daddy, and I love him, but I promise you that sometimes I want to hurt the man.”

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