Page 14

Theo

The soft glow from my laptop lights up the desk as I power it on. It’s early. Outside my condo window, morning fog hangs over the city. Crystal emailed last night and asked for a call this morning, and this seems the least I can do. I’m eager to connect with her, though I’m also not sure what to expect. It’s been a long time.

The rest of the house is quiet, Mackenzie and Levi still sleeping as I start the video call. My heart pounds with fear and hope, feelings I’ve gotten used to these past few days.

“Crystal?”

Her face appears on the screen, and I stop breathing for a second. She looks nothing like the Crystal I know. Dark circles under her eyes make her look like she hasn’t slept in days. Her hair is messy, like she’s been pulling at it. She’s barely holding it together.

“Hey,” she whispers. Her voice is rough and tired, and it makes my chest tighten.

“God, Crystal, you look…” I can’t finish the sentence. Nothing I say will help. So I just keep going. “You need to come home.”

She laughs, but there’s no joy in it. She shakes her head, and her hair moves in wild little sways. “Home?” she says. “Theo, I’m the main suspect. They think I killed Justin. My Justin.” Her voice breaks, and she wipes her eyes, smearing dark makeup like paint across her face.

“Listen to me,” I say, leaning toward the screen. “We can fight this. But you need to be here. Grantham—your lawyer—he’ll help.”

“Grantham?” she snaps, her voice bitter. “He was on the line during the police call. It went terribly. They don’t want answers, Theo. They want someone to blame. Me . They’re pushing so hard, I thought the screen was going to shatter.” Panic flashes in her eyes.

“Crystal, don’t let fear decide what you do,” I tell her. “You didn’t do this, and we’ll prove it. But if you keep hiding, it just makes you look guilty.”

For a second, it seems like she’s listening. But then she shakes her head again, her fingers twisting tightly in her lap like she’s holding on for dear life. “That’s easy for you to say,” she whispers. “They’re not after you. They’re not going to throw you in jail without thinking twice.”

I clench my jaw. I want to say something, but the words won’t come. She’s right. I’m not the one in danger. But I know running won’t help her.

I watch as tears roll down her face. Her shoulders shake, and I feel helpless. I remember the friendship we once had, and it hurts to see her like this.

“You have to come back, Crystal,” I tell her again. “It’s easier to fight when you’re home. You didn’t do this. We’re all here to support you.”

She looks up and wipes her face. “You don’t understand. You never will.”

Then the screen goes black.

I stare at my reflection in the laptop screen. Frustration and fear burn in my chest. I have no idea how to manage this situation.

I change into workout gear and hit the treadmill in my home gym, running three miles to shake off the lingering fog of sleep and worry. But my mind won’t settle. It jumps from Justin to Crystal…and then to the woman sleeping in my guest room.

I can’t let myself go there.

I want to, but nothing good comes from that. It’s asking for trouble.

When I’ve finished, I head for the kitchen. I need coffee. A shot of espresso won’t fix anything, but at least it gives me something to do, something to keep my hands busy.

I drop a capsule into the machine just as Scott walks in, right on time. He’s here to take Levi to school. Outside, the rain taps gently on the tall windows.

“Morning, Scott,” I say, trying to sound normal.

“Morning.” He gives me a look. “Tough night?”

“Something like that,” I mutter.

Levi walks out of his room with his backpack, looking more ready for the day than either of us.

“Hey, little man,” I say, fixing the collar of his jacket. “Where’s your sister?”

“She’s still sleeping.”

“And you got ready on your own? Great job,” I tell him. “What time do you need to be at school?”

“We have about five minutes before we need to leave,” Scott interjects.

“Are you excited?” I ask Levi. Do I need to get him some breakfast?

“I have a friend. His name is Geoff with a G. He and I like to play soccer at recess.”

“That sounds like fun.” I hand him a granola bar. “Do you have your lunch?”

He shrugs. “Nah, not hungry.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Okay, but you should eat that bar, and you might be hungry later.” I know how kids are. One minute, they say they’re fine; the next, they’re acting like they haven’t eaten in days. “I’ll send something to your school. What do you want?”

His eyes light up. “Can I have cheese pizza?”

“Done.” I grab my phone and order it, setting it to show up right at lunchtime.

“Thanks!” Levi grins, and for a second, the tight feeling in my chest eases a little.

“Anytime, kiddo.” I reach out like I’m going to grab him, and he laughs, ducking away as he heads out the door with Scott.

The condo goes quiet.

It’s almost eight, and Mackenzie is still asleep. Part of me wants to let her rest. She’s been through so much. But life keeps going, even when everything feels like it’s falling apart. I’m pretty sure she didn’t intend to sleep this late.

I walk to her room and push open the door. I can hear her slow breathing. She’s wrapped up under the blankets, her hair messy on the pillow. She looks nothing like the calm, put-together Mackenzie the world usually sees.

I hesitate, then quietly say, “Mackenzie.”

She sits up immediately, her eyes wide and confused. “Theo? What time is it?” She looks at the clock, then groans as she grabs for her phone. After a moment, she shakes her head. “I set my alarm for six p.m. instead of a.m.” She runs her hands through her messy hair and sighs, like she wishes she could turn back time.

“Take it easy,” I say, leaning against the doorframe. “Levi’s already at school. And don’t worry. He won’t be hungry. I ordered him lunch, and it will be delivered to the school.”

She looks over at me, her eyes sharp. “You did?”

For a second, something soft flashes in her eyes, but it disappears quickly. That wall she always puts up is back.

“Yep,” I say. “And listen, if you want to take the day off, that’s okay. After everything—”

“Stop,” she cuts in. She shakes off sleep and starts moving like she’s already back in work mode. “Just because everything’s upside down, doesn’t mean I stop showing up.”

She grabs her things and heads for the bathroom, pushing aside her tiredness like it doesn’t matter. But then she says, “Thanks…for helping Levi.”

I nod, arms crossed, just watching her. She’s tough. That’s why Justin hired her. It’s why we all count on her more than we probably should. “Take your time,” I tell her, though we both know she won’t. “And remember, it’s okay to lean on people. We’re a team.”

She mumbles something, but I don’t push her. Instead, I walk back into the quiet kitchen, and the weight of the day, of everything, settles over me. There’s no map for grief, no clear way to handle what we’re going through.

But here we are. Together, yet apart. Each of us fighting our own battles while the world watches and waits to see who’ll fall first.

I take a quick shower and change into clean clothes. Despite everything, I feel a mix of nerves and excitement as I think about driving in to work with Mackenzie.

“We need to go!” she calls from her room.

I hear her rushing down the stairs and turn to greet her with a smile. But as soon as I see her, I lose all words.

She’s wearing a pantsuit Caroline gave her, and it fits her perfectly. Like it was made for her. She looks strong and confident. And beautiful.

“Wow.” The word slips out before I can stop it.

And then, somehow, I trip.

One second, I’m standing. The next, I’m falling. My arms wave wildly, but I can’t catch myself in time. I hit the floor, and pain shoots through my side.

Great . A pulled muscle. Just what I needed.

“Are you okay?” Mackenzie asks. She sounds worried, but I can also hear the smile in her voice.

“Never better,” I mutter, trying to stand and pretend I still have some pride left.

Mackenzie crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. “I cannot believe you didn’t leave without me.” Her voice isn’t just surprised. It’s a little annoyed. “Everyone’s going to think we’re dating.”

I roll my eyes and hand her a cappuccino I made as I guide her toward the elevator. “Relax. If you don’t stop, I might just have to give you a big, fat kiss in front of everyone.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she counters. She holds her drink like she’s ready to throw it at me.

“Try me,” I say with a grin, giving her a gentle nudge. “If we don’t get moving, you’ll find out.”

She glares at me, but I catch a small twitch at the corner of her mouth, almost like she’s trying not to smile.

“And hey,” I add, “now that Rhys is back, maybe you could date him. That would really confuse people.”

“Sure,” she says with a snort. “Very believable given that he was away on his honeymoon.”

Even with everything going on—the reporters, the questions, the grief—there’s something nice about sharing this silly moment. It almost feels normal.

I lead Mackenzie out of the elevator and into the garage, safe from the prying eyes still camped out front. Phillip, my driver, stands by the car looking professional, except his eyes follow Mackenzie just a little too long.

I clear my throat sharply.

Phillip looks at me, his face turning red. “Sorry,” he says as he opens the car door.

“Thanks,” I say, sliding into the backseat.

As soon as the door closes, I reach for Mackenzie’s hand. Her skin is warm, so different from the cold, serious words I’m about to say. “Stop worrying about what everyone thinks,” I tell her. “You know why you’re staying at my place, and you can’t make everyone happy.”

She gives me a look that could cut glass. But I think she knows I’m right, even if she doesn’t want to hear it. We ride to the office in silence.

When we get into the building, Mackenzie puts on her usual calm face and walks straight to her desk. She disappears into a pile of work and ringing phones.

I hardly see her after that.

Hours pass, full of meetings and tough calls, the usual office stuff with a continued layer of drama on top.

“Who’s the hottie at the desk?”

I look up and see one of the newer guys leaning against my office door. He’s smirking, and it makes my blood boil. He has to mean Mackenzie. “Hands off,” I snap. “And have some respect.”

The guy blinks and quickly backs off, holding up his hands. He disappears down the hallway.

I let out a long breath and try to relax my jaw. Mackenzie doesn’t deserve this—the stares, the whispers, the way people talk behind her back. She deserves respect. And if I can help it, no one will mess with her. Not while I’m here.

I look over the condolence cards on my desk. There are so many, and each one reminds me that Justin is gone.

Vases full of flowers sit on every desk, table, and cleared space, their sweet smells too strong. The breakroom is full of catered food no one wants to eat. It’s too much—too much food, too much grief, too much silence.

“Another wreath just showed up,” Austin says as he walks into my office. “This place is starting to feel like a funeral home.”

I look up. “Where did Mackenzie go?”

“She’s helping the temps in the conference room, answering all the calls,” he says with a shrug.

I nod. It feels like we’re all drifting apart, though we’re in the same place. Grief is turning each of us into our own little island.

The rest of the day crawls by. No one gets much done, but we go through the motions—typing emails, sitting in meetings where no one really listens. I think everyone is thinking about Justin.

At the end of the day, as the light from the windows stretches across the floor in long shadows, I find myself outside Rhys’s office, staring at the door. I take a deep breath, open it, and step inside.

Austin is already there, slumped in one of the big leather chairs. He’s staring at nothing. When he sees me, he nods, but neither of us says a word.

I sit down across from him. “Remember when we first moved to San Francisco?” I ask.

Austin’s mouth twitches, almost a smile. “We had nothing but a tiny apartment and huge dreams.”

“Big dreams and even bigger credit card bills,” I say.

“Yeah.” Rhys shakes his head with a quiet laugh. “But we made it work. Late nights working on code, living off ramen and takeout… And Justin was always making us laugh, even when everything felt like it was falling apart.”

My heart clenches. “I never thought we’d be here without him.”

Austin looks away. “Me neither.”

“Never,” Rhys says.

I swallow hard, trying to push down the lump in my throat. “I still can’t believe he’s gone.”

The words hang in the air between us, heavy and painful. We sit in silence, lost in memories from a different time, a time that feels so far away now. A time we can’t get back.

Austin sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Justin would hate this. Seeing us like this.”

Rhys wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. “Yeah. He’d walk in with a bottle of bourbon, tell us to stop being dramatic, and say it’s time to get back to work.”

Austin stands and walks to the cabinet. “Speaking of that…”

He pulls out a bottle—Justin’s favorite. The fancy bourbon he said was for “special occasions,” but he always ended up opening it because it was a Tuesday and he felt like it.

There’s dust on the bottle. It hasn’t been touched in a while.

Austin pours three glasses and hands one to me and then Rhys. I raise it in toast.

“To Justin,” I say, my voice rough.

“To Justin,” Austin and Rhys repeat.

The glasses clink. We take a sip. The drink burns going down, but it cuts through the numb feeling. For just a second, it almost feels like Justin might walk in, smiling and full of new ideas.

But he doesn’t.

The warm feeling from the drink stays in my chest as Austin, Rhys, and I stand when our glasses are empty. We nod at each other. No words are needed. Just a quiet agreement that it’s time to go, each of us carrying today’s sadness in our own way.

When I step out of the office, I expect to see Mackenzie. But she’s still not there. Something doesn’t feel right. A quiet worry creeps in.

I turn to Phillip, who’s reading a magazine in our sitting area. “Where’s Mackenzie?”

He looks up. “She’s back at the condo,” he says. “She and Levi are having dinner.”

My phone buzzes.

Mackenzie: Dinner’s ready. There’s a plate for you if you want it.

I slip the phone back into my pocket. “I guess I’m ready then.”

Phillip and I head downstairs to the parking lot, and he drives me back to the condo. During the ride, I think about Justin and wonder what he would say about all this press. I know he’d hate it.

As soon as I walk through the door, the smell of something warm and tasty hits me. This smells like home. I follow the scent to the kitchen, not just because I’m hungry, but because something is pulling me there.

Levi is sitting on a stool, full of energy as he talks.

Mackenzie sits across from him, listening.

“…and then Geoff with a G scored a goal! He’s so cool!” Levi says.

I smile and find my plate, sitting down beside them. “Geoff with a G, huh?”

“Yep! We’re gonna join a soccer team together!” Levi says, bouncing in his seat.

“Sounds like a great plan,” I say, taking a bite of the food Mackenzie made. It tastes good, but the flavor isn’t what I notice most. It’s Levi’s laughter. It fills the room, and it’s the best sound I’ve heard all day.

I watch them—Mackenzie and Levi. The way she listens and encourages him. The way he lights up when she talks. This moment feels so easy. So right.

Something new stirs in my chest, shifting the grief and fear ever so slightly—warmth, care, and maybe even a sense of belonging.

I never planned to be a dad. But it doesn’t feel so foreign with Levi and Mackenzie here.

And as Levi laughs again, I catch Mackenzie’s eyes.

Maybe I’ve been wrong about what I wanted all along.