Page 28 of Skipping Stones

Linney nodded, not trusting her voice and stood up slowly. “Thank you for listening.”

She outlined the plan to MJ over a cup of tea. “Will you be there?” she asked, looking for support.

“Of course. You do not have to do this alone.”

Mac was busy in the editing suite all day. Linney texted him after she got home and asked if he could come by so they could talk. She and MJ ordered takeaway and sat quietly on the couch, eating it, yet tasking nothing. MJ finally turned on the television to break the silence—and the tension.

Seven. Eight. Nine o’clock. “Do you think he’ll come?” MJ finally asked.

Linney nodded and put her finger in her mouth to stop the bleeding. She’d been picking at her cuticles constantly. They finally heard him fumble with his key just before ten o’clock and Linney took a deep breath. Getting up from the couch, she walked slowly to the door and opened it.

“Yer lock’s broken,” Mac said, walking past her. He took a bottle of whiskey out of a paper bag and a glass from the cupboard. Then he saw the look on her face. He was confused for a moment and then he remembered. “Oh, yeah. You wanned to talk. Whazzo ‘mportant?” He leaned over to kiss her. She turned away. “Aw, c’mon, gimmie a kiss.” He saw MJ in the living room. “Whazz she doing here?”

“Mac, it’s over.”

“Whad’ya mean it’s over?”

“We’re done, Mac. I can’t do this anymore. You need help. Serious help. You’re a brilliant journalist and a wonderful man. The world should see all of that.”

“Wha’rya talkin’ about? I don’t have a problem. I got it all unner control.” Mac swayed and tried to take Linney’s hands. She pulled them away with tears in her eyes.

“No, you don’t,” she said quietly. “Maybe you did once, Mac, but you don’t anymore. I don’t want you to lose everything. Please get some help.”

Mac grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her hard against the wall. Alarm bells went off in Linney’s head as she shrank from him. It was one thing to put up with verbal abuse. It was another thing entirely for him to manhandle her. Time seemed to stand still and even when MJ jumped up to help it seemed to happen in slow motion.

But Mac wasn’t done yet. “You don’ mean that. I don’t have a problem.” His words were slurred, and he was getting worked up now. “An’ I don’t need you either.” He let go of her shoulders with one last shove. “I was gonna break up with you anyway. I don’t love you. Yer nothin’ special. The whole world will find out just how much you’re nothing without me,” he finished with a sneer.

Linney opened her mouth to speak, but Mac kept on talking as he turned away. “Stupid bitch. I’m outta here.” He took the bottle with him as he stumbled into the hallway.

MJ closed the door. “Good riddance,” she muttered under her breath while Linney rubbed her upper arms where he had gripped her. She started to shake, all her nervous energy collapsing and when she sank to the couch, she put her arms around her knees and rocked back and forth. MJ sat quietly with her—there were no words to say.

Eventually, the rocking stopped and Linney put her head on MJ’s shoulder. “Thank you for being here,” she said. MJ stood and held out her hands to help Linney up. Linney followed her robotically into the bedroom and climbed into bed fully clothed. MJ lay on top of the covers stroking Linney’s hair until they both fell asleep.

* * *

Linney called in sick the next morning and left a message for Gemma that she’d followed through. MJ reluctantly left her for the newsroom. As soon as the door closed, Linney went back to bed until midafternoon, trying to process the past few days. Finally, she turned on the shower and stepped in, allowing the hot water to wash everything away. She pulled out her favourite leggings and sweatshirt and made a mug of tea and some toast. She was emotionally bruised and battered, but okay. Linney took a second sick day, still not ready to face her colleagues staring and whispering.

On the third day, she dragged herself into the newsroom, having used enough makeup to cover the dark circles under her eyes. Gemma called for her immediately.

“He’s gone to rehab.” Gemma didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

“What? How did you convince him?”

“Mac showed up yesterday afternoon, totally out of control and reeking of booze. He was dishevelled and ranting. I don’t think he’d slept. I gave him a choice. He could either take my offer of help, or I would fire him on the spot.”

“He must have hated that.” Linney looked at her recovering cuticles and resisted the urge to pick at them.

“Very much. But I knew there was room in a great program and told him he was leaving TCN one way or the other. He did not take kindly to that and tried to call my bluff. It did the trick, Linney. Somehow those words got through to him. I took him up to the rehab centre myself and got him checked in. He’s there for six months.”

Linney’s eyes flickered up to Gemma’s. Six months. This was a serious commitment.

“He knows how badly he screwed up this time. And not just here. With you too.” Gemma’s voice softened. “Leaving him was brave of you. But now you need to hold your head high out there and do your best work ever. Show the world what strong stuff Linney McDonnell is made of.”

Linney went back to her desk. It was hard to pull herself together, but she knew she had to.

That evening she texted her friends back home.

I did it. I left him. It’s too raw to talk about yet, so please understand if I don’t. MJ was with me. It was hard but I know I did the right thing. Gemma found him a rehab place. Thank you all for your support. ♥?

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