Getting to us Chapter 10
"Look Mike, the fact is, Will should never have been down there with her in the first place. We can insist that she drops the pregnancy abortion allegations, but beyond that we can't control who she talks to. You know that as well as I do. "
Mike Owens knew he was right. Stanley Crane was his old friend and colleague and the chief legal council for CBN. Over the years they had argued the countess legal issue that arose between their rival networks.
" I know that, and believe me Will does too, but why in the hell would she want to go to the press with her dirt?"
" I don't know what's going on in her head. Look at it this way. You won the the big points here. You managed to shut down the serious charges. I think you're going to have to be satisfied with that, because there is nothing more we can do to fix this."
"Ok, thanks Stan. I'll go back and give Charlie the news. Thanks for you help on this one. You did your best."
"Ok, that's the line-up. Back here at 4 and we'll lock it in. Neal, I want more on the Steve Jobs piece. See if you can get a statement from Apple's new CEO."
As the room cleared, Mackenzie gathered her notes, pretending not to see Sloan glaring at her. She had come back to work, determined not to let on that anything had changed. She avoided Will's gaze until she was certain she had composed herself. She argued with him when he suggested that they interview Janna Ryan with the same polite, " you have to be kidding" that was her style. Being a couple was never going to alter her iron clad views on the content of this show, and he knew it. Will gave up trying to sway Mackenzie and went back to his office, shaking is head. He should have known better than to even try. He did want his EP to go soft on him, and he knew she wouldn't!
Sloan stayed glued to her seat and glared at Mackenzie.
"Ok Sloan, let's go for coffee. We're not doing this here!"
Sloan chased Mackenzie to the elevator, grinning all the way.
" Don't think I don't know where you were last night Kenze"
" Shush. I told you not in here!"
As they settled into their favorite corner of the Lobby Café, Mackenzie suddenly reached over and hugged her friend warmly until they both burst out laughing.
"Oh Sloan, I'm so happy I'm pinching myself. It was magical, our dinner, and the whole weekend, everything. " Mackenzie's eyes were shining as she spoke.
" Start from the beginning. Did he die when he saw you? You really did look awesome in that dress you know.
"He told me I was gorgeous and kept staring at me all through dinner. He wore my favorite blue shirt; you know the one that brings out his eyes… We went to Café Boloud at the Surrey Hotel and then back to my place for a drink."
"And?"
"And that's all your getting."
" Mackenzie be serious!"
" I am serious. I told you, no details…. except that we're happy Sloan, really happy, and if I don't screw this up, we might have a chance this time."
"Don't do that to yourself. Don't go back to being scared and letting him run all over you. Promise you won't do that."
"Will's not going to hurt me. He wants this just as much as I do. You need to give hima break Sloan."
" Ok. But remember, guys get lazy and Will needs to stay on his toes this time. What ever made you take those booty calls from Brian last time around, was not all in your head Kenze"
" I don't know what you're talking about. That was me being stupid. Nothing to do with Will."
" It takes two to screw up a relationship. I may be thick about a lot of things but equations I'm good at . I'm just saying…."
" OK I get it. But we're different now. We lost each other for years. You can't know how much that hurt us. We understand that now.
" So…was it as hot as I think it was? Did you guys just do it all night?"
"Sloan, shut up! I told you, no details- we're leaving now!" Mackenzie's face was red as she turned her head away and grabbed her bag.
Sloan laughed as they got on the elevator. " I knew it!
"Mr. Skinner, Mike Owens is on his way up. He says you're expecting him."
"Thanks Millie. Send him in when he get's here." Charlie leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Let this be good news, he thought. If only Will hadn't been so stupid.
The sight of Mike's grave face as he sat down heavily and leaned back in his chair, made Charlie's heart sink.
"That bad?"
"Well the good news is she's dropping the pregnancy abortion, talk. Stan managed to get that squelched. She didn't have a leg to stand on, on that one. But beyond that, there is nothing they can do to shut her up. And frankly it doesn't sound like they care. I don't get it Charlie. But from a legal stand point I know they're right. So long as it's true, she can talk all she wants and we can't do a damn thing about it. What the hell was Will thinking?"
"Well I do. They want anything that will boost ratings. Erin's show isn't news, it's gossip,and the ratings have been sinking fast since she's no longer the wife of a big time ball player, and the booze isn't helping . If she makes the cover of The Enquirer because Will McAvoy banged her for a week on some island, it's buzz for them, and buzz boosts ratings. People will tune in who have never seen her show, just to see what she looks like. That's what this is about. And the answer is he wasn't thinking. He was drowning his sorrows and letting Erin help him do it. That's all that was. "
"So we let it blow over and not worry about the fall out?"
" You're damn right we worry. Will's not Erin. He's a serious news anchor reporting on serious news. and he needs to be above all that crap. Long term these things blow over, but the next few weeks could be dicey. If this story breaks there will at best be short-term damage to the show. No question. "
"Will you tell Will?"
"Right after the broadcast. I don't want to send him to air with this stuff in his head.
At least not tonight"
"Ok Charlie, sorry I couldn't be more helpful. Keep me posted"
As Stan left, Charlie poured himself a drink. He was silently thinking about Will and Mackenzie and how much in love they were. He saw it plain as day when they were in his office. He saw how Will took her hand and how tenderly he looked at her when he told Stan that they were together. He saw how her eyes shone while she watched Will talk. They were deeply in love. Christ, if only Erin would shut up and leave them alone. But that was a long shot and he knew it.
Will walked out of the studio and met Mackenzie as she was leaving the control room. The show had gone smoothly and he wondered if she would want to have dinner and talk about Abe and how things had gone. He wished they were just going home to order take out and lie on the sofa together, but that's not where they were.
He didn't know exactly what to say to her, except to ask.
Mackenzie followed Will into his office to find Charlie waiting for them both.
" How are you two kids doing anyway?" Charlie asked.
" Fine Charlie, thanks. What's up?"
"Sit down Will, Mac, I have news and I can't say it's altogether good"
"When is it ever? Will sighed and plopped on the sofa, patting the seat next to him for Mackenzie to join him"
" Mike was here earlier. He met with Stanley Crane over at CBN and the good news is Erin has agreed to drop the crap about pregnancy and abortion. "
" She had to. It's a lie and they know she would be libel. So what's the bad news?"
"That they can't shut her up. She's free to talk about anything else. If she wants to cry the blues to TMZ or any other rag about how you broke her heart and killed her marriage, she can. It's a free country and the fact is Will, you were down there with her while she was still married and that's a story. I'm sorry but you two better brace yourself for this to hit the press. That's all I can tell you, except that Mike seemed to think that she is going to talk."
Will stared at Charlie with a pained look in his eyes.
"Christ, do you think she will?"
" I do. Hell hath not fury, as the saying goes"
"But she's split from her husband. Why is this even a story?"
'Because they were married at the time and he's a big time ball player, and you my friend have a reputation in this town as a bachelor who loves the ladies, even if they're busy dosing you with their drinks. Don't tell me that you can't see the lead in for Christ sake !
"ACN Anchor and resident bad boy claims to love the Jets but not enough to keep his hand off the wife of their star pitcher" and then there's " Will loves women with cheat'n hearts " Shall I go on?
" Please don't. I get the picture. This is so fucked up."
Mackenzie was silent. There was nothing she could say that would help either of them now. She wasn't worried about herself of how any of this would affect their relationship. She was worried about their show and her team and she was upset that Will had sunk so low. She almost wished it would just happen so they could deal with it and face the fall out.
"Will you two please excuse me, I have a couple of calls I have to return."
Will squeezed her hand as she rose to leave the room
"I'll see you in few minutes"
" Ok, thanks Charlie. I know you did your best to protect us."
Mac walked back to her office and dialed the director of social services for her region. She had to explain that she would need some time off before she could resume her work. This was all too much and she needed to be with Will, and quietly work through her issues. She couldn't face any more upset right now. It was too soon to tell Will her news. First they needed to wait and see what Erin would do. Then the repair work would start.. At least she could let Will cope with that before ripping his heart with her story. She made the call. In time she would tell him everything, with Abe's help and go back to the work she cared so deeply about.
Will walked into Mac's office and pulled her from her chair into his arms. He pressed her head into his shoulder and whispered into her hair.
"I'm so sorry about this., I really am."
" I know you are. Part of me wants to punch you because you really were stupid Will… but the other part wants to kiss you. Fortunately for you that part is winning right now."
"What do you want to do. Shall Lonny and I take you home? Should we get a bite first?"
" Could we drop by my place first so I can get some clothes and things for the morning? I don't know why but I just don't want to let go yet. I want to be able to touch you tonight. Is that ok? "
" I don't want to ever let go Mac. I want to be touching you all the time. I just don't know how to do this exactly. I was trying to give you space."
"The only space I want is this space here, under your chin where I can fit my head" she said, nuzzling up to him and kissing his neck. " Tell me how you're feeling about us, please. What should we doing, I need details, please?
"I don't know about 'should"- I just know that I want to walk out of that studio at night and know that when I go home I can pull you on my lap and have that feeling we have Mac. I want to cook us dinners and talk about our day and I want to press myself against you at night. I want to pull you into the shower and lift you up and fuck you . And on Sundays I want to have long breakfasts and read the Times together, maybe see a film or go for long walks in the park. I want you to tell me what's been troubling and where you were going that you couldn't tell me, when you're ready Mac. I want to make love to you until we're so spent me can't move. Most of all I want to touch you and feel you touching me, pretty much all the time. And when I can't touch you I want to feel you in my ear, either coaching me or giving me shit. Either way. Is that enough detail? "
"Which part do you want to do first?"