Four asked.
Their mother swallowed a good portion of her drink. “She has to be punished.”
“Flogged?” Stephanie asked, her tone snippy. “Are you going to take out a contract on her? You’re being ridiculous, Mom. You made this happen and now you’re having to deal with the consequences. She’s going to leave and I don’t blame her.”
Her mother leaned back in the sofa. “You’re very free with your opinion tonight.”
Probably because she was trying to make up for not telling Avery the truth, Stephanie thought, still disappointed by her earlier behavior. Plus, she hadn’t been supportive when Mackenzie had first told her about the divorce.
“I’m telling the truth.”
“You’re being disloyal. I would be careful about that if I were you.” Her mother glanced at all three of them. “As of today, none of you will have any contact with Mackenzie. You’re not to speak to her or text with her. As far as you’re concerned, she’s dead to all of us.”
“Gladly,” Lori said quickly.
“I don’t think so,” Four told her.
“Not happening,” Stephanie added. “She’s my best friend, Mom. That’s not changing. I love her and I want her in my life. I want her in my kids’ lives. Whatever she needs, I’m going to help her get.”
Her mother stared at her, her expression stern. “You say the words so easily, but know this. There will come a time when you have to choose. Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to cross me, Stephanie.”
Despite the shiver that rippled down her spine, Stephanie remained defiant. “Or what? I’ll be punished, too? We’re all adults, Mom. You can’t ground us. Besides, you’re wrong about how you’re handling this.”
Four leaned toward their mother. “We’re a family, Barbara. No matter how angry you are, that doesn’t change.”
“And you two need to remember your places in my world. I can make things uncomfortable.”
Stephanie stood. “I’ve had enough. I know you’re upset, and yes, it’s awful that she’s leaving, but it’s also your fault. You did this to yourself and to us. We’re all going to suffer because of you. I don’t care about your threats. I care about losing someone who matters to me. While Mackenzie and I will always be friends, everything is going to change. So threaten me all you want, but know that it’s going to take me a long time to forgive you for this. For how you’re acting. You’re giving mothers everywhere a really bad name.”
With that, she walked out of the house. Her defiance lasted until she was into her own place. Once there, she closed the door, then leaned against it, trying to ignore the trembling that started in her hands and worked its way down to her legs.
Unlike Four, she’d never gone out of her way to stand up to her mother. Mostly she simply ignored what Barbara said and went her own way. But not tonight. Tonight she’d overtly rebelled, and while she wasn’t sorry, she couldn’t help wondering if, one day very soon, she would be.
* * *
Mackenzie walked into the restaurant and moved toward the hostess station, but before she got there, she spotted Stephanie and Four already at a table and turned in their direction.
She was dealing with so many emotions—feeling both hopeful and adrift at the same time. She was still upset about her encounter with Barbara, sad about her divorce and scared about her future. Everything was different now, including the fact that she had to meet her sisters-in-law at a restaurant instead of just having lunch in one of their kitchens.
Mackenzie paused a few feet from the table, wondering what other changes there would be in her life. A few short weeks ago, she’d known exactly how each day was going to go. Her work and her days had been defined by the seasons. Now she wasn’t sure about anything.
Stephanie looked up and saw her. Her immediate smile drew Mackenzie forward. Four followed her gaze and her mouth turned up in a huge grin. Their obvious pleasure at seeing her eased a tension she’d refused to acknowledge until that second.
Mackenzie walked into the three-way hug and hung on. “I was so scared you’d be mad at me for what happened with your mom,” she admitted.
“Never,” Stephanie promised.
“You’ve done nothing to make me mad,” Four pointed out. “Besides, I’m not sure how you could upset my energy that much. I do my best to go with the flow. To observe rather than embrace negative emotions.”
The very “Fourness” of that