A short time later Mac seen his beautiful angry wife walk by. As much as he wanted to talk to her, there was no way he was going to make amends first. Afterall why should he. He hadn't started it, she had.
Feeling his temper rise again, he cracked another pencil as he thought to himself...
"Damn woman still drives me insane after all these years of marriage. I mean what does she expect me to do? God, why can't she just leave those kids alone."
"Hey dad, you busy?"
"No. Come in Eric. What is it?"
"Are you and mom okay? You both seem pretty pissed. Oh and to let you know mom left dents in her locker. She's got one hell of a punch."
Mac smirked. He knew his wife had a temper. He also knew it rivaled his. The two of them could stew for hours before giving in to the other.
"That's okay. We're fine Eric. Don't worry. How's Mackenzie been feeling?"
"I don't know dad. She's different some how. Very emotional. I don't know what more I can do for her. Sometimes I wish she'd tell me what's wrong. But she's so independant, always leaving me guessing. It's just not healthy. The girls are feeling it too."
Mac sighed, he knew he couldn't fight them both.
"Fine. I'll talk to her. But not about what is bothering her. Understood? I'll just see how she's doing. That's as far as I go."
Nodding that he understood. Eric left his office.
Locking up his office, Mac left for the rest of day.
"Hey Mac!! Where ya off too?"
"Out. Tell Stella I'll meet her at home."
"Sure Mac. No problem."
Don and Danny stared at each other.
"What do you think?"
"I don't know man. But it can't be good. Mac's not even smiling."
When Mac arrived at his daughters he walked in to silence. Knowing the trip's and Michelle may be down for their naps he checked the den. Walking in he found his daughter sound asleep with tears in her eyes.
"Mac!!! Mackenzie...wake up sweetheart."
Turning over and sobbing....
"Please daddy. 'm sorry. I'm so sorry daddy. I never meant for him to hurt the girls, I know I should have known. I know I should have been home more. It's all my fault he touched them. God I'm such a bad mother. I'm sorry. How they suffered, so many scars daddy."
Mac was fuming. Scars?? What scars. He had never seen any on his grandbabies. Unless??? He knew she was still sleeping. He knew she was unware of what she was saying. Running upstairs he seen the girls in their room.
"Peanut, come here."
"Papa?? Why are you here?"
"I came to see my grandbabies."
Mac wasn't sure how he could get a look at them. He knew there was no way they would allow a stranger. He also knew grandbabies or no grandbabies it wouldn't be right for him to look.
"Dad!!! What are you doing here?"
"I came to see the girls. How are you feeling love?"
"I'm fine daddy. Why?"
"You look like you've been crying. Are you sure you are alright?"
"Yes daddy. Would you stop. You're as bad as mom. Besides that you seem very angry. What's wrong with you?"
Getting up he pulled his daughter into the hall.
"I want to see my grandbabies bottoms Mackenzie, now."
"What?? No daddy."
"Listen Mackenzie, either you show me, or I have someone from the Miami-Dade do it."
Mackenzie broke.
"Please daddy. Why are you doing this?"
"Fine."
Turning his daughter around, he pulled her pants below the waist, and that's when he seen the reddened scars across her lower waist. Never would he have thought to even look there. Even when she came to his home four years ago with bruises on her arms, he never thought to look at her fully.
"Awww...for Christ sakes Mackenzie. Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Cause I knew you'd kill him daddy. I knew you would not be able to hold back. So I never told you."
"And my grandbabies? Do they bare the same marks? Were they beaten and left with scars on their backsides? Were they Mac???" As he shook her.
"Yes daddy. Okay? Yes they have the same marks, and so many more inner scars."
"How did you keep this from Eric. How could he not see your scars."
"Cause I never turned on the light daddy. We've never showered together. Eric often asked why, I just told him I wasn't comfortable with it."
"So many lies Mackenzie. Did you ever think your daughters would need help getting through this? More help then you could offer them."
"I know this daddy. We were in Counciling. Ever since we arrived in Miami four years ago. We had been getting help through it. And everything was fine until that animal touched my daughter. Then everything came flooding back."
Mac was so angry. He couldn't believe how many lies his daughter had kept from him, from her mother, but most of all from her husband.
"You know what Mackenzie. You are going to have to hope that Eric understands all these painful memories you've been keeping from him. For he 's been with you every step of the way. And for you to do this to him, I just don't know Mackenzie."
She started crying again.
"I can't lose him daddy. I love him so much. I'm so sorry I lied to all of you. But I can't lose Eric. I just can't."
"I'm taking the girls home with me. When Eric gets home, it's your choice to tell him Mackenzie. Just make sure it's the right choice. Or you will lose him. He loves you unconditionally, and what you've done."
Pulling his daughter into his arms, he just held her while she let it all out.
"Papa?? Is mommy okay? She didn't mean not to tell papa. Please don't be mad at her papa."
Mac was in tears. His grandbabies were a mess, his daughter was a mess. So many wounds that needed to be healed. Such a web of painful lies, painful memories, and haunts of the past coming to the surface.
"Pack up your stuff girls, you are coming home with me and nana for the night."
"The trip's too papa?"
"Yes Peanut. All of you."
"Yay!!! We get to go to papa and nana's for the night."
While the girls packed. Mac held his daughter tighter, and as she poured her broken tears onto his heart, his fell into her hair.