CHAPTER SEVEN

Yashvi and Levi were sat at a table outside the coffee shop at the end of their shift when Freya came over. "Mind if I join you?"

Yashvi waved her into a seat. "Sure, if you don't get enough of me at home." She paused as Freya gave Levi a kiss. "Or that?"

"Are you asking us to tone down our PDAs?"Levi asked teasingly.

"Hey, I get them both in public and in private with you two."

"So how was your day?"Freya asked. "Or is that a secret?"

"Nothing special,"Levi replied. "Actually, we were just talking about Mackenzie."

"And the strangest living set-up around these parts, which is saying something,"Yashvi added.

Freya nodded. "Yeah, I still see her around the place but I guess I've learned not to ask too many questions about all that."

"I almost want to sneak in there and see what it's like,"Yashvi mused. "Mackenzie and Zara living together, talk about an odd couple."

"We could always bug them,"Levi joked.

"Do you think they're all right?"Freya wondered seriously.

Yashvi thought for a moment. "Yeah, Mackenzie's got her head screwed on. I'm sure it'll be fine."

Mackenzie stormed into the living area. "Wet towels? Again? Oh, and I see you used the last of the soap."

Zara was in the middle of packing her schoolbag. "I will get some more after school and…what was the other thing?"

"Wet towels,"Mackenzie repeated. "You know, the ones you left lying around on the floor."

"Right." Zara thought this over. "And I'm supposed to hang them up?"

"Putting them in the dryer would be better."

"Okay. I'll remember that in future."

Mackenzie sighed, left with the distinct feeling that she was fighting a losing battle. "Is this how you behave at home?"

Zara paused, curling her lip a little in a pout. "I thought I was home."

Mackenzie sighed, realising she'd fallen into a trap of some sort. "Right. Yeah. So could you…behave like you're at home here? We're in this together, which means we have to work together. I can't be the one looking after you." She paused. "Am I being harsh here?"

"You're being honest, I guess,"Zara admitted. "I guess this is all a bit new to both of us. I'm still being a kid and pretty soon I'll be looking after one."

"We will,"Mackenzie amended. "Offer's still open." Her phone rang and she answered the call. "Hey there, how are you? Today? And you'll be landing when? Okay, I guess we'll see you then." She ended the call and looked at Zara. "What are you doing after school?"

"I have a feeling you're about to tell me."

"Hendrix's family are coming to visit."

Mackenzie hadn't thought Zara actually owned any smart clothes. Okay, she'd seen her dressed up for Toadie and Melanie's wedding, but most of her wardrobe seemed to consist of ripped jeans. But somehow she'd found a reasonably smart blouse and skirt for the meeting, even of a size that didn't make her baby bump too obvious. "What do you think they're going to ask?"Zara wondered.

Mackenzie was surprised to realise how nervous the girl was. "I think they just want to meet you."

"But if they don't like me, could they take the baby away?"

"I…don't think so?"Mackenzie attempted. "I'm not sure if they could anyway. We haven't really studied family law that much."

"Rich guys tend to be able to do whatever they want."

Before Mackenzie could formulate a reply, there was a knock at the door. "That'll be them." She calmly opened the door and let Pierce, Lisa and Alana in. "Maeve not with you?"

Lisa shook her head. "I thought it best to leave her behind. We don't want to crowd…" She suddenly seemed to register the fact they weren't alone. "…Zara,"she concluded.

Zara gave a nervous wave. "Hi."

"Good to see you again,"Pierce greeted her.

Alana was a bit more blunt. "We didn't see you at the wedding."

"No,"Zara confirmed. "I wanted to come but Mum thought I had too much school work and…well, Hendrix and I were still working at being friends again at that point."

"Oh, after you stalked him, you mean?"

"Yeah. After that."

There was an awkward pause. "Do you have any plans for after the baby's born?"Pierce asked.

"Well, I still want to finish school. I was thinking of following Mum into fashion but I guess I'll need to concentrate on the baby."

"I'll help,"Mackenzie interjected brightly. Everyone looked at her. "Drink?"

Somehow, the evening managed to proceed on civil grounds from then onwards. Eventually, it was time for the three visitors to leave. "It was good to see you,"Mackenzie attempted as she and Zara showed them out.

"Yeah, nice to meet you all,"Zara added.

Lisa looked as though she was trying very hard to think of something polite to say. "I hope we'll see you again soon,"she managed at last.

"Both of you call if you need any help,"Pierce provided.

Alana looked from one of the pair to the other. "Well, I guess it's typical of Hendrix, and typical of this family, to leave a weird co-parenting arrangement behind, but you two are all right, I guess."

"And with that ringing endorsement, we'd better get going,"Pierce decided, steering the other two out the door.

Mackenzie closed the door behind them and she and Zara both breathed sighs of reliefs. "Do you think that went okay?"Zara asked.

"It could have gone worse,"Mackenzie suggested.

"What, they could have chained me up in their dungeon? I feel like I want to sleep for a week,"Zara announced.

"I'll join you,"Mackenzie told her.