Page 29

Mackenzie

On Thursday morning, I pause for a moment, just to celebrate making it through and coming out on the other side. My towel clings to my damp skin after my shower, and I can smell fresh coffee in the air. I hear voices—Levi’s happy laugh and the low sounds of Dad and Theo talking. Yesterday was Justin’s funeral, and it was tough. There’s no getting around that. But now, I’ve cried myself dry. We’ve got to keep moving forward.

I quickly dress and head downstairs. But I stop at the bottom step. For a moment, I don’t move. It feels good to have just a little more quiet before the day begins.

“Remember, it’s going to be a long weekend,” Dad says from the kitchen, talking to Levi. “But I’ll be back. And you can call me if anything comes up.”

When I step into the kitchen, Levi is sitting on a stool, swinging his legs and talking a mile a minute. Theo leans against the counter, listening with a soft smile that warms something inside me.

“Hey, sport.” I reach out to give Levi a squeeze.

He looks up at me and grins wide, showing the space where his front tooth used to be. “Morning, Kenzie!” he says.

“Morning,” I reply.

“Don’t worry about us,” I tell Dad. “We’ll be fine.” I nod as I speak, hoping it helps make the words feel more true. “Georgia, the nanny, will come help this afternoon. And now that the funeral is over, Levi and I will go back to my place, probably later this week, once I talk to Jim.” It’s not an exact plan, but it’s something. A small step back toward normal.

Dad looks at me. I know that look. He’s had it my whole life, every time I said I could do something on my own, even if I wasn’t really sure I could.

After a moment, he nods. “All right,” he says. “You two take care of each other.”

“Always,” I assure him.

Theo sets a fresh cappuccino in front of me, and I smile. “Thank you.”

Levi looks at us a moment, and then loud and clear, as only an eight-year-old can, he says, “Dad, Kenzie was naked with Theo.”

My stomach drops.

His eyes are huge, like he’s just told the biggest secret in the world.

My face gets hot, but I try to play it cool. “Levi, sometimes grownups have sleepovers too,” I say with a smile.

Dad doesn’t say anything. He just looks at me.

Theo steps in. “Hey, buddy, we need to get you ready for school, or you’re going to be late.”

Levi springs from his seat. “Yes! Today is sports day!” He runs off to find his soccer ball, the whole thing already forgotten.

But the second he’s gone, the room goes quiet again.

Dad sighs. “Mackenzie, I’m not sure this is the right place for Levi.”

I lean against the counter. I knew this was coming. I was ready for it. Still, it stings. Does he not realize he’s had a parade of women in and out of my life?

“We’re going back to my place soon,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “Now that the funeral’s over, things will calm down. The reporters will leave.”

Dad’s face softens, but his eyes stay serious. “I just want him to feel safe, to have a steady place to grow up.”

“He has that with me,” I say firmly. “Levi is safe. He’s loved. He is catching up in school, and this summer, he’ll have day camps to attend with his friends.”

There’s a pause. Finally, Dad nods. “Fine,” he says. “Just…try to set a good example.”

I grind my teeth and paint on a smile. “I will.”

“Mackenzie’s got this,” Theo says, stepping back into the room. “She’s even working with Ellie, so she can see Levi again when she finishes rehab. That’s what real stability looks like.”

Dad turns to Theo, doubt flickering across his face. I can see he wants to argue, but something about the way Theo speaks, calm and confident, makes him pause.

I take a breath, and my heart beats fast as I walk over to the dining table. My bag is sitting there, and I reach inside and pull out a folder.

This is it.

I turn to face Dad, offering him the folder. “Dad… I want you to think about giving up your parental rights to Levi.”

His face turns red, and his eyes go wide, filled with shock and pain. He takes a step back like I just hit him. “Mackenzie, how could you even ask that?” His voice cracks, hurt and angry all at once. “I’ve been going back and forth from LA. I’ve been trying. I’m here for you both…aren’t I?”

I take a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I know you love us, but being around isn’t the same as really being there for someone,” I say. “Levi needs someone to be focused on him and what he needs.” It’s the truth, and we both know it. “Levi and I need this protection, so I can do that for him. Please.”

Dad’s jaw tightens, and his hands ball into fists at his sides. I can see the fight inside him—the guilt, the stubbornness, and the sadness. For a moment, I see the dad I used to know, the one who would do anything for me. But that version of him is now buried under work and ex-wives and a lifestyle that’s hard for me to fathom.

This is Levi’s chance. A real home. A safe place to grow up. But it’s Dad’s choice to make.

He lets out a long breath and runs a hand through his messy gray hair. The silence stretches between us, heavy and uncomfortable.

“Dad,” I say, “I know you miss Mom. And I know you’ve been trying to fill that empty space ever since she died.” I look him in the eyes. “But the job, the constantly rotating wives… They don’t fix what’s broken. And none of those women want to help raise Levi. He’s only got a week or so of school left. What will you do with him all summer?”

Dad shifts, looking toward the window like he’s searching for a way out of this talk. But there isn’t one.

“Do you remember how I found Levi?” My voice shakes just a little. “You were in Hawaii with Birdie. You left him with a nanny who wasn’t even there anymore. He was alone, Dad. In a place Ellie was getting kicked out of. And you didn’t even want to talk about it.”

Dad frowns, his mouth pulling into a tight line. “Mackenzie,” he says, clearly frustrated, “that’s not fair. Birdie is out of the picture. That’s over.”

“Over?” I let out a short, dry laugh. “You travel all the time, Dad. You are CEO of a major movie studio. You’re always on the go, flying from city to city. While you’re gone, I’m the one making sure Levi has a routine. I’m helping him with school, helping him make friends, and giving him a real home.” My voice is strong now, no doubt in it. “Ellie isn’t in a place to be a backup. If he gets sick, I can’t take the chance that you won’t answer the phone. I’m not even asking to adopt him. But I will if that’s what it takes.”

That makes him look at me. Really look. And something in his face changes. Maybe he feels guilty. Maybe he finally understands.

I slide the papers toward him and tap them with my finger. “Ellie has already signed. She knows what Levi needs most.”

I met with Ellie last week to go over all of this with her. She’s doing better and was thinking much more rationally. She signed the papers but said she hopes that one day Levi will come back to her. I was able to get her to agree that it would be up to him and not either of us.

“If you love him, Dad, if you really want what’s best, you’ll sign too.”

Dad sighs and looks away. When he turns back, his eyes, once bright and full of jokes, now look tired. Unsure. And for a second, I wonder if he still sees me as the little girl who used to think he could do no wrong.

“Levi deserves a real chance at a normal life,” I say. “You’re busy, and this still allows you to spend as much time with him as you want. It just protects us.”

I step closer. “Please. Do this for him.”

Then comes the sound of little feet running across the floor. I turn just in time to see Levi race into the room. He’s wearing his black Adidas track suit with a ball tucked under his arm.

“Ready for school,” he announces.

Dad looks at him, and his whole body shifts. His shoulders loosen, and his face softens. He crouches down. “Hey, champ,” he says with a smile. “I’ll be back next weekend, okay?”

“Will you come to my last baseball game next Saturday?” he asks, his voice lower now, like he’s already bracing for a no .

Dad pauses a second too long. “I’ll do my best, buddy.”

Levi nods, like he’s used to it. Like he’s already learned not to get his hopes up.

He turns to find his jacket, and Dad straightens. He looks older now, tired in a way that’s more than just being worn out. It’s the kind of tired that comes from knowing you’ve run out of chances.

“Thank you,” he says, looking at me. “For taking care of Levi.”

I nod. It’s not really an apology. But it’s something.

The papers are still on the table, waiting. He doesn’t say anything else, just leans down and signs them before gathering his things. No goodbye. Just the quiet ding as he calls the elevator. And somehow, that says everything.

Theo steps in once Dad has gone, breaking the silence with a clap of his hands. “Okay!” he says, his voice cheerful. “Where’s your lunch, Levi? Let’s do this.”