One Night Stand With My Husband’s Brother

FEW DAYS LATER

That morning, Mackenzie dropped the kids at the door of their daycare center, as was part of her regular morning routine on weekdays.

The security details had escorted them to the school premises on Chase’s orders, to make sure they were safe at every step of the way.

She lowered herself by squatting and held both their hands. Both Calista and Cameron blinked rapidly as they smiled at her.

“Your daddy has promised to come pick you up from daycare today.” She said to them. Both the kids jumped up in glee, oval eyes glittering with delight as they embraced their mother and followed their teacher into the building.

Mackenzie also made sure to show the teacher a picture of Chase, letting her know he would be the one to pick the kids up from the daycare later that day. Chase had told her he wanted to know what it felt like to pick his kids from daycare.

“He’ll be here a few minutes after the kids close, so they can’t leave with anyone that isn’t him.” Mackenzie instructed, putting her phone back into her bag.

The lady looked both at Calista and Cameron as they walked hand in hand into the building, before turning to smile at Mackenzie.

“Yes ma’am. I am well aware of who he is. We would be expecting him.” She replied.

Mackenzie felt heat creep up to her cheeks as she blushed softly. She was starting to feel more like Chase’s woman, and not just the mother of his kids.

It wasn’t just her. Mackenzie had a feeling everyone around her knew, but chose not to speak about it. As she looked around, she could see other mother cast her long stares before turning away. Side glances from every corner, she could not tell if they were approving or disapproving.

As she walked back to the car, she continued to think about Chase. He was going to round off with work earlier than usual and pick them up. She was also aware of the fact that he had asked Nora to interview some ladies for the position of a nanny. Since they had both decided to work, they could hire a nanny and take care of the children together.

She ignored their stares, got into the car and allowed the driver take her back home.

There was a lot to do at home, especially with the expected arrival of her father and Beatrice. Harvest season was over in North Dakota, and her father thought it was best for him to come to Greenville, instead of the other way round.

After all, Beatrice wanted to see her dear Felicity – as she liked to call her.

She sighed and reclined into her seat. Felicity was waiting for her back at home. They needed to work together, as Felicity opted to use her channel to publisize Mackenzie’s work. Mackenzie knew she would have to break out of Axford at some point to achieve her dreams and goals of becoming her own boss.

She also knew she would have to make more time for the kids, and working in Axford wasn’t helping her do that. Chase had been trying his best. Amidst his demanding job, he had still found time to take the kids to a baseball game and spend time with them during the weekend.

She had been busy working on content for publicity that weekend, so she could not accompany them, but the kids couldn’t stop talking about all the fun they had with their father.

Mackenzie couldn’t help but smile as she thought about it. The children were so excited to be with him. He also promised to attend Calista’s next appointment with her doctor, and helped her move all her beautiful paintings to his home.

The adoption documents were being processed. Chase was working overtime to put everything in order, and it only made her love him and want to support him more.

She trusted him, and knew that he would do anythibg for their family – she could call it that, right?

Mackenzie finally arrived at her small apartment. Charlotte had gone to work, and Mackenzie could not help but be proud of her friend. Both her friends were doing very well, and even had plans to move into the heart of the city after receiving their first pay checks.

Mackenzie had also told them she would be moving in with Chase, and she could still remember the smirk on Felicity and Charlotte’s faces.

“Hey girl!” She called out to Felicity, leaning against her door frame and peeping into the room. Felicity looked away from her tripod stand and turned sharply in her direction.

“Mackenzie! You’re back! Come take a look at this.” Felicity replied, beckoning on Mackenzie’s presence with her right hand. Mackenzie moved closer to her and peeped into her phone screen. She found a video of a small aloevera plant playing on the screen.

“Wow. Did you shoot this?”

“I tried my best.” Felicity replied, a hinge of pride in her voice.

“It’s really amazing!” Mackenzie was visibly in awe of her best friend’s creation. The plant looked more beautiful than any aloevera she had ever set her eyes on.

“Okay, that’s it. Let’s get to work, we have a lot to do.” Felicity pulled Mackenzie by her right hand and made her settle into her work chair.

The two ladies began their work in an instant. Planning content, video editing strategies and social media promotion strategies. Everything needed to be properly planned for.

After that, they moved to the woodwork. Felicity busied herself with making the video, while Mackenzie had to work with the camera in her face.

Sweating profusely, she looked up at Felicity.

“It’s not bad that I’m soaked with sweat, right?”

“Of course it isn’t.” Felicity replied.

“As a matter of fact, it’s good that you are sweating. At least people can get to know that you are actually working.”

Mackenzie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Felicity.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I’m not trying to joke, Mackenzie, really. The fact that it is going on social media doesn’t mean it has to be fake or lack authenticity. You are soaked with sweat while doing the job you know how to do best, no one else is doing it for you.”

Mackenzie did see truth in what Felicity had said, and continued with her work. She was going to be working on children toys this time, beautiful and sweet figurines, tables, and little chairs.

She made sure she put her prospective audience through the process of everything. From start to finish, she left nothing out.

In the middle of the her work, Mackenzie heard her phone ring. Felicity offered to help her get it, and when she did, she handed the phone over to Mackenzie.

Mackenzie stared at the caller ID with narrowed eyes. It wasn’t a number she knew. As a matter of fact, there was no number displayed on the screen at all.

She answered the call, dropped her mallet and held the phone in her right hand.

“Hello?”

“Miss Torsney.” The voice that spoke at the other end of the line was distorted. She could not tell if it belonged to a man or a woman. It sounded more like a computer system than a human being. The voice texture had been tampered with.

Panic clawed at Mackenzie’s chest.

Who the hell was this?

“Mackenzie, you have sixty minutes to pack your things and leave Greenville for good, with your two children.”

Mackenzie’s eyes widened as her grip on her phone tightened.

“Who is this? Who the hell is…?”

“Your sweet daughter is already in danger, Mackenzie. Don’t go to North Dakota, you can disappear into another city, where no one would ever find you.”

Dread filled eyes glanced up at Felicity who stared at her with a million questions in her eyes. Mackenzie tried to speak, but her tongue was tied by the mention of her daughter.

Calista was in danger. The sweat that poured from her face doubled in quantity, soaking even her palms this time.

“A car would be waiting outside your door. If you take the car, I would assume that you are not ready to lose your child. The car would drive you to another city, another home, where you can be free to do whatever you want to do.”

Mackenzie’s heart pounded against the muscular walls of her chest. She could barely breathe. Whoever was on the line knew far too much about her.

She thought about calling to warn Chase, he had to know what was happening.

“Don’t even bother to call Chase.” The voice chipped in.

“Your phone has been tapped, and if you try to call him, your sweet babies would be gone faster than you can say their names.”

Mackenzie sprang up from her seat immediately. The fear that sliced through her chest with sharp claws had pulled her off her seat.

“Hello? Who’s this? How much do you want?!” Tears gathered in her eyes as she cried. Felicity rushed to meet her.

“Don’t hang up! Tell me what you want!” She continued to scream.

Felicity tried to pull her in for a hug, but Mackenzie remained rigid, planted to the ground.

“What’s happening, Mackenzie?” Felicity asked. Her eyes searching Mackenzie’s face.

Mackenzie rushed into the house, pacing about with both hands on her head. Felicity probed her more, until Mackenzie answered her. She told her everything, stuttering at regular intervals because she was too scared to speak.

“What do I do Felicity? Do I run?” Mackenzie cried out. Before Felicity could speak, she continued.

” I have to…I have to tell Chase.”

“No, Kenzie! They said your phone is tapped. Not to scare you any further, but they could be close to Calista.”

“Yes, yes. But they’ll only know if I try to call him with my phone. We can use your number…”

“Mackenzie…” Felicity slowly shook her head, trying to move to her, but Mackenzie was too paranoid to listen.

“Please, Felicity! I…” she was interrupted by the sound of her ringtone.

Mackenzie rushed to grab her phone from her pocket and placed it on her right ear.

“Hello?”

“Am I on to miss Torsney?” A female voice said.

“Yes, yes.” Mackenzie swallowed hard, her heart hammering in her chest.

“There’s been a fire in your children’s school…”

“A what?!” Mackenzie screamed at the top of her voice. Crumbling into the couch behind her.

“Everyone is safe, but ma’am, we can’t seem to find your daughter, Calista Torsney.”

Mackenzie’s blood drained from her face. She couldn’t speak. Her daughter…her daughter was missing?!

Felicity took the phone from her hand and helped round off the call. She placed the phone next to Mackenzie again, saying nothing other than trying to assure Mackenzie it’ll be alright, while trying to get her to call Chase’s number.

Mackenzie’s phone rang again, and even if she was terrified to answer it, she knew she had no choice. The person who had called earlier prob had her daughter right now.

“Hello?” She called out, her voice trembling with tears.

“If anyone calls to ask, let them know Calista is alright. She would be as long as you do what we ask you to. Don’t you dare make a scene.”