Chapter 7:
A dinner, nothing more…
Very late at night… same day. Inside the residence.
Mac came back to the residence very late after working all day. Everybody was already in bed, so she went to the kitchen and started having dinner alone. She couldn't stop thinking about that morning… the conversation that took place during breakfast and the looks she and Rod had shared. What did they mean? They seemed to be re-connecting. Maybe, just maybe, there was still hope for their marriage. Maybe all what they needed was time to work things out. After a quick dinner she headed to her bedroom passing by the Guest-room that had its door opened. She noticed that Rod was in there packing his things.
Mac- so… you have to go back to New York?
Rod- yes, I'm leaving now so I can be there in the morning…
Mac- oh… and do you HAVE to leave right now or maybe you can stay a bit longer?
Rod looked at Mac with curiosity. He had not idea what Mac was feeling and he had not idea why all the sudden she wanted him there. He was convinced that Mac didn't love him anymore and that she didn't need him at all. He thought that Mac didn't care about him and he thought that was the reason why she let him go to New York in the first place and then kissed Jim. He was about to reply something but suddenly the phone rang. Since Rod was closer to the phone he picked it up.
Rod- Hello…. (He nodded understanding) ok… yes, here she is…
Rod gave Mac the phone saying…Rod- It's "The First Mistress"
Mac gave Rod an angry look for calling Jim that and then took the phone.
Mac- hi Jim… is something wrong? (as she was listening to him her face got darker) ok… but don't do anything yet… I'm on my way…
She couldn't remember how many times she had said that since she became President. She gave Rod an apologetic look…
Mac- I have to go to the sit room… one of our military planes was shot down…Rod got very concerned.
Rod- but… Where?… Who?
Mac gave him a look that meant: "You know I can't tell you" and he simply said…
Rod- ok… whatever…
Mac- Rod… I have to go… please… just stay until I get back so we can talk…
Rod shook his head and looked at her very hurt and disappointed.
Rod- for what?
Rod thought that there was no point in talking things over… He really wanted to fix what was wrong with their relationship, but that seemed impossible.
Four days later… Inside the Oval office.
Mackenzie was in the Oval Office talking to Vince Taylor who was giving her and update of the last events in the Household.
Vince- the kids are back from the school and the First Gentleman just arrived from New York…
Mac was about to throw away the charade and say to Vince that the First Gentleman could go to hell… Rod had left to New York three days ago without even talking to her and he didn't even call her. But before she could say anything her mother entered in the Oval Office.
Kate- hello honey… hi Vince
Vince- hi Mrs. Allen.
Mac- hi mom… what's brings you here?
Kate- I just wanted to see you to ask you one little thing…
Mac- if it's related to my birthday no, you can't…
Mackenzie's 46th birthday would be next week and Kate had been doing a lot of effort to organize a big birthday party to celebrate Mac's first birthday as a President. Of course, Kate had been organizing everything very carefully with Nora Woodfuff's (The White House Social director and the First spouse's aide) help. But Mac wasn't so thrilled about her birthday this year…
Kate- please honey… I just need to know if you already chose a dress… because it has to match the color of the balloons…
Mac didn't really know how to react to that… She looked at Vince and Kate confused.Mac- is that a joke?
Kate- no… did you choose a dress?
Mac- no… I kind of have more important thing to do in here…
Kate- sorry… but I'm not asking much… I showed you like 5 dressed yesterday… Which one do you prefer?
Mac thought quickly… she didn't care, but her mother did… so she just said…Mac- the "Dolce & Gabanna" one… the one you showed me first… It's long and dark red…
Karen- Ok… the red one it is! Thank you…
Karen left and Mac looked like she was about to be thrown to a pool full of sharks and couldn't stop it. Vince simply looked at her not knowing what to do…
Vince- she just wants your birthday party to be perfect…
Mac- I know… it's just, I'm not really in a mood for a big party… actually I never liked having a huge birthday party… I prefer a simpler small celebration…
Then her son Horace entered shyly…
Horace- hi… sorry to interrupt… I just need you to sign this, mom…
It was his report card from the School… Mac looked at it very impressed, he was doing so much better at school and Mac gladly signed it.
Mac- congratulations Horace… I'm so glad you are doing better…Horace- thanks…
He started to leave, but then Mac asked in a worried tone….
Mac- Horace… is this party your grandma's planning going to be a big deal?
Horace looked at his mother amazed. Obviously she was totally clueless about how huge it was going to be. So, he decided to tease her a little…
Horace- Not really… congress will close that day and flags will fly at half-mast. Whitney Houston will come and sing: "Hail to the Chief", and Barbra Streisand will give her final concert... again. Now, the Pope has previous plans, but he's trying to get out of them. However, the Queen and Prince of England are coming and they're bringing the chips.
Mac laughed at the joke and shook her head.
Mac- I asked one simple question… anyway…She was interrupted by Kelly who entered with very worried expression in her face.
Kelly- ma'am President… something happened after I talked to the press this morning… I need to speak with you alone…
Mac- ok. Vince, Horace… Could you please…?
She didn't need to say more. Vince and Horace nodded and left the Oval Office. Kelly took a sit in front of the President who was sitting in her chair, behind her desk.
Mac- Tell me Kelly… what's wrong?
Kelly was incredibly nervous…Kelly- I don't know if you knew anything about this, ma'am… but… after my morning conference a reporter confronted me and gave me this…
Kelly handed the President a picture she had in a folder. Mac looked at the picture carefully. It was a picture of Rod with another woman in very expensive and romantic New York restaurant. Showing no emotion, she asked…
Mac- When is this going to be published?
Kelly- tomorrow morning… ma'am… Did you know about this dinner?
Mac- no… I had no idea…
Mac looked at the picture again, astonished and heartbroken. Kelly noticed then how hurt Mac was so she tried to say something to comfort her…
Kelly- they can't prove that anything happened… all they saw was a dinner, nothing more. If anything else had happened between Rod and that woman you would have found out by now… just like you found out about the dinner…
Mac kept staring at the picture. Suddenly recognizing the woman in it… it was Cristina Macalister. She was the one having dinner with Rod. And even when the picture alone showed nothing but a dinner, Mac knew that there was so much more behind it… Kelly started to feel very concerned because Mac kept staring to the picture and nor saying a word…
Kelly- Ma'am President? Are you ok? Honestly, it looks like it was just dinner…
Without answering, Mac stood up and headed to the door of the Oval Office, she opened it and, faking a calm tone, she said to the Security agent who was guarding the office… Mac- please… Could you tell the First Gentleman to come here as soon as he cans?Then she shook her head astonished, wondering why the hell did she still bothered in pretend that everything was ok… then she added…
Mac- Screw "as soon as he cans"! You tell my husband to get his ass down here right now!
The Security Agent was stunned… but he didn't show it. He simply went to do what the President told him to do. A few minutes later, Rod entered in the Oval Office felling a bit scared. He knew exactly why Mac wanted to see him and he knew he had a lot to explain. As he entered, he saw her. She was standing with her arms crossed and looking at the view through the window, clearly lost in her own thoughts. As soon as she noticed Rod's presence she looked at him with the coldest expression Rod had ever seen in her. She simply said…
Mac- What is wrong with you, Rod?
She was actually asking him. It wasn't a rhetorical question. She couldn't understand what on earth possessed Rod to do what he did… very weakly Rod said…
Rod- it was one dinner with a friend… nothing more…That was the truth… It had been just a dinner. But that dinner had taken place in a public restaurant, where everybody could see them. Rod realized now that, subconsciously, he had done that on purpose… to hurt Mackenzie like she had hurt him. And now he felt like a complete jerk for doing that.
Mackenzie- Nothing more! Am I supposed to believe that?
Rod- it's the truth, I swear… you saw the pictures! What they show it's the only thing that happened…
"What you saw is the only thing that has ever happened with Jim…" Mackenzie remembered saying those words when Rod saw her kissing Jim and suddenly this situation started feeling very familiar. And then it hit her. Rod was getting revenge. He was still punishing for the kiss… for not giving him the job he wanted and making him feel like he wasn't important for her… She shook her head in disbelief.
Mac- You are unbelievable!
Mac was about to cry… but, of course, she refused to give Rod that satisfaction. She just turned around facing the window again and praying that she could hold the tears until Rod couldn't see them. Rod approached her and put his hand in her shoulder.
Rod- I'm really sorry, Mac…Too little, too late. Mac angrily pushed Rod's hand away from her shoulder.
Mac- Go away!
Rod looked at her very sad with begging eyes…
Rod- but Mac…
She made her self stronger somehow and repeated what she had already said.
Mac- please, go away! I don't want to hear you anymore… I'm so sick of this… it's getting ridiculous! Seriously Rod… How long is this going to continue? I Don't give you a job so you leave to New York… you leave to New York so I kiss Jim, I kiss Jim so you have dinner with Cristina… How long will we continue hurting each other like that? Since when our marriage became this stupid contest of who gets to do more damage?
When Mackenzie putted it like that, Rod felt like the biggest idiot in the entire universe. He suddenly found himself hating everything he had done in the last months. He should have never gone to New York. That was what ruined everything and he had only done that because of his big stupid ego.
Rod- I'm so sorry… please, Mac... you have to forgive me… you HAVE to forgive me…
He became closer and closer to her. His lips were now very close to her and he was about to kiss her. But suddenly she shook her head and pushed him away.
Mac- no, Rod… I can't… you can't just kiss me and make everything go away… please… leave me alone now…And this time Rod didn't objected. As soon and he left the Oval Office and closed the door, Mac collapsed in her chair and cried her eyes out feeling incredibly stupid for doing so. It wasn't only that Rod had dinner with Cristina and, on purpose, made it public. There was also the fact that Mackenzie didn't believe that it had been just a dinner… there was something else Rod wasn't telling her. She could sense that her husband was hiding something. It didn't matter how… Mackenzie Allen was determinate to found out what.
To be continued…What is Rod hiding? (If he is)… Will Mac discover something that will make matters even worse? Or will her discovery save the day? If you wanna know all this continue reading and reviewing this story… and don't forget that Mac's birthday is coming up!
By the way… thanks for the good reviews I got.
The red "Oscar de la Renta" dress is not a reference to Geena's dress. Actually, I have not idea who designed the gorgeous red dress Geena wore for the Golden Gloves… (I so loved it). I just liked the idea of Mac using a short red dress to seduce Rod… and I just figured she uses the top designers.
Anyway… I hope you continue enjoying this! We are not so far from the end now…. Please… send more reviews…
Lara