Six weeks later, Mackenna was sitting in her old office going through the motions of doing her job and very much aware she was neglecting one file on her desk. Dulce's billing had yet to be rectified but she was avoiding it. She'd been avoiding it for almost three and a half weeks.
She had flown back to Phoenix almost as soon as the doctor had cleared her to fly. Her employer hadn't yet filled her position and the office had been a mess from temporary replacements who couldn't do the job to her standards. The hospital was thrilled to have her back and had even given her a raise as they'd learned how valuable she was to them in the short time she was gone.
She had given her grandparents a quiet send off and during the entire process, she continued to remind herself of the doctor's words to her. They had been found holding hands. They had been married for over sixty years and as horrible as their death was, Mackenna felt peace in knowing one had not needed to live without the other.
Alessandro had arranged for security to be present at the ceremony to ensure paparazzi didn't disrupt Mackenna. When he'd reached out to offer this, Savannah had overseen all the details. She had not spoken a single word to him since she had left him in Phoenix seven weeks before. Even when he arrived to pay his respects to her grandparents, accompanied by his mother, she had excused herself. The funeral director had allowed her to sit undisturbed in his office until Savannah confirmed Alessandro and his family were gone.
She had spent another week going through her grandparent's home, sorting through their belongings. She had gone over their will with their legal advisor and arranged for the items she wanted to keep being shipped to her later. She had them moved to a storage container, supervising the process herself. Everything else the lawyer would arrange to sell on her behalf, including their apartment. She had no need to keep her grandparents' home, no matter how sad it made her to be done with it.
Once she'd arrived in Phoenix, the first two weeks comprised of the paparazzi chasing her and screaming questions at her to try and get a reaction or sound bite.
Chapter eventually gotten bored with her coming and going to and from work once they realized how dull she truly was.
She hadn't heard from Alessandro at all since the funeral. Camille had told her he had paid the entirety of her bills and Mackenna had simply shrugged and thanked her for letting her know. She knew the woman was concerned for her and while Mackenna was grateful for the woman's friendship and guidance over the last several months, she needed to move on with her life.
With a deep sigh she picked up Dulce's medical billing file and opened it.
Instantly she noted discrepancies in the entered codes. She lifted her phone and faced her computer. "Portman, are you out of your mind? What are with the codes you put on the billing for Dulce?"
"Mac, I missed your voice hounding me. Can I just say the woman they hired when you were gone had the most obnoxious of voices and yours is so much better?
"Portman, not in the mood," she snapped back, "I had corrected the original billing for Dulce but there are additional bills after her discharge. Can you please elaborate on these?"
"I did multiple telephone consults with her physician in Italy."
"But you billed as an in-person rate?"
"I used the wrong codes, sorry Mac." His tone was apologetic. "Do you want me to come adjust the paperwork?"
"No, I'll do it here. Thank heavens it hasn't been sent out yet for processing." She closed her eyes as the sound of a knock on her door interrupted the conversation. "Someone's at my door." "Mac, before you go," he spoke softly, "I just wanted to say I'm glad you're back and if you need a friend, just a friend, I'm not pushing you for anything more but if you need a friend, I'm here for you."
She wiped a tear off her cheek. "Thanks Derrick. I appreciate your kindness. I'm grateful for your friendship." She hung up the phone and looked up to see who it was
+5
She uttered an expletive causing dark eyebrows to lurch high above amber eyes with surprise. She didn't even hesitate and picked up her phone. "Security, there is a man in my office I need removed. Now." She didn't even wait for the response from the security team and cradled the handset. "Get out."
"We need to talk," Alessandro sat down in the chair as if oblivious to her directive.
She ignored him and took a deep breath and focused on the file in front of her and started plugging in the correct codes for the billing. The file was nearly an inch thick considering the length of time the woman had been admitted to the ortho ward. "Mackenna," he started but stopped when her phone rang, and she instantly picked it up cutting him off.
"Mac Keebler," she spoke into the receiver, ignoring the hiss of irritation from the man sitting opposite her. "Hey Doctor Ferguson. Yes, I do have the file for your pediatric ortho consult, it was next on my list." She listened to what he said and then nodded. "No problem, Doc, I got you covered. Thanks for letting me know." She pulled the file and made the notes the pediatric orthopedic surgeon had asked her to change and the slipped it back under Dulce's file.
"Your name is not Keebler."
"It is most assuredly Keebler," she retorted not looking back up at him, hating even after all she had been through, her body still reacted to his nearness. There was a fine line between love and hate and he was tiptoeing all over it.
"You have lost too much weight," he commented suddenly.
"Not sure if you were aware, but a maniac hired an investigator to track me, and the man he hired ended up chasing me and my grandparents causing us to crash and killing them and my unborn child. Losing a few pounds is the least of my worries," acid dripped from her tongue as she took perverse pleasure in lashing out. Staring at her computer screen she missed the combined horror and sadness at her cold words.
A knock on her door had her calling out to enter and security stepped in.
"Sir, will you come with us please?"
"Why are you doing this Mackenna?" Alessandro questioned quietly ignoring the men at the door.
"Because I loathe you," she finally looked up and met his gaze head on, hoping the words she spoke were reflected in her eyes. "You are a spoiled selfish man who cares nothing about anything unless it is what you want. I am done pandering to your whims. Get out and don't come back."
He shook his head. "This is not who you are."
She tilted her head with incredulity. "Do you know what my last conversation with my grandfather was, Alessandro? It was me hearing him curse for the first time in my life because he felt guilty for not protecting me better from you. My last conversation with the gentlest man in the universe was filled with anger and guilt because he felt he did me a disservice. For the rest of my days, I have to live with the fact he died trying to protect me from you. Get out now." She was standing now, her hands clenched into fists on her desktop. "If you come near me again, I swear on my grandparent's lives, I will do a tell-all interview with the biggest tabloid I can find." "You truly hate me," he said quietly, "I am sorry Mackenna, but it is important we talk. I will leave you for now but know I will be back."
She was done speaking with him and turned back to the files on her desk. From the corner of her eye, she watched as he left the office followed by the two security officers. Once he was out of her range of vision, she dropped her head onto her desk and allowed the tears she'd been holding back to spill unchecked.
Just seeing him had brought att her emotions to the forefront and it was more than she could bear. She didn't even look up when she heard Savannah knock once and step into the room, closing it behind her. "Why is he here?" she wailed as Savannah rocked her gently in her arms.
"I don't know but hopefully you said what you needed to say, and hestays away. Savannah whispered. "Do you need to go home? I can take a break and walk you home."
+5
It hurts but if I give into the pain, I'll be stuck in this moment forever. I remember when my parents died, my grandfather told me they will always be a part of me, and I believe this to be true. They are all here," she pointed to her chest, "and I need to honor them by continuing to put one foot in front of the other."
"Okay," Savannah stood up. "Well, the reason I came up here was to tell you it's lunch time and to invite you to dine with me in high fashion in the cafeteria. I hear it's a beef noodle casserole today." "Actually, if you don't mind, I really want to get this done. The sooner I have this particular file off my desk, the more sound of mind I'll be." She smiled her gratitude as Savannah promised to bring her something back and sadly backed out of the office.
It took nearly the rest of the afternoon to finish correcting the information Derrick had put it but also the errors her temporary replacement had created in the folder. By the time she was done with the file, the bills prepared and ready for mailing, it was near time to go home for the day.
Savannah was working a double shift again, so she was heading home alone for the night. She was glad as all she wanted to do was take a hot bath, drink a good glass of wine, and take one of the sleeping pills her doctor had prescribed for her, She made her way through the hospital and scowled as Nuncio came into view.
"Are you kidding me?"
"Signora," he nodded to her with a sad smile. "The press is aware Alessandro is back in the United States. He asked I ensure you make it home safely."
"Then perhaps he should have'stayed away as they had all but dissipated," she snapped at him. "Your boss is an asshole."
Nuncio had the good graces to look away as if he agreed with her assessment.
"You're not going to go away, are you?"
"No," he shook his head, "not until Alessandro gives me the instruction to do so.
"Fine, but try to keep up, I just want to go home and go to bed." She gave an
irritated wave of her hand as she shrugged into her jacket. She gave a wave to the security officer now on duty at the desk who gave her a warning glance about the crowd outside. "God, I hate that man," she muttered under her breath.
Nuncio uttered a string of Italian
expletives which nearly made
Mackenna toss a grin in his
direction, before she reminded
herself, he worked for the enemy et
Instantly the group tried to circle throwing questions about Alessandro and Dulce and her grandparents at her but, she kept her head down, ignored the pain in her chest and just pushed through, grateful Nuncio had his arm around her protectively.
By the time she reached her apartment, Nuncio was murderously angry and when she bolted the door behind them, he was tearing his phone out of his pocket to call his employer.
Mackenna would have been thrilled
someone else was furious with him,
but she was too exhausted to enjoy the moment. As Nuncio spewed a stream of Italian speaking so quickly even her practiced ear had a hard time keeping up, she made her way to the kitchen and poured two large glasses of red wine. Since she'd been back from Italy, she'd forgone the cheap stuff she usually had stocked. She walked to Nuncio and pressed one into his hand. Content
She saw him hesitate for a moment before he grabbed it with a thankful smile.
Just this one time."
"I'm going to take a hot shower. The rest of the bottle is that way if you need it." She motioned to the kitchen. "Also, Romeo is around here somewhere. He's been cranky since I've been home so watch yourself. He bites."
She moved to the bathroom and wondered how Savannah would feel if they moved to an apartment with a bath. She wanted a long hot soak. Instead, she took her glass of wine into the shower with her and as she stood under the burning heat, she cried her heart out while sipping the cabernet.
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