Severing Ties (Book 2. Ties)

32. Don't Call

A break had been essential, so I could continue with my life. England had been exciting and peaceful in all the right ways. I was glad Lucius had included me in his plans. My mom, Lucius, and I had spent our days with a good aura surrounding us on our trip. The trip felt like it was too short, since we had to go back home and deal with our responsibilities.

After our retreat, I would be starting summer school and work at the studio in four days. I was going to work for the first time in my life. I was getting a real paycheck. Meeting Calvin had turned out to be a good thing for me.

With receiving a job at the art studio, Eliana had to find a replacement for me. We had begun looking into qualified applicants and gone through each one. The day after I had arrived from the UK, I was going to the gym to discuss things with Eliana, but I was stopped dead in my tracks by a stand.

There were a few magazines with pictures that meant bad news. Hand in hand were Lucius and my mom on the front cover of various magazines; the picture obviously taken in England. The fact that you could tell they were in a relationship was not the problem. The real complication was that you could clearly see there was a bun in the oven, and that was bad because Lucius' family did not know that part. If hell had not broken loose on my birthday, it would all change when Lucius' parents saw the magazines.

Without hesitation, I pulled out my cellphone and dialed.

"Are you okay," was the first thing Lucius asked when the call went through.

I scowled to myself. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I take it you saw the tabloids already?"

"Yes," I answered.

I heard murmurs in the background of Lucius' end of the line. "...She's fine..." The words sounded muffled, so I knew they were not directed at me. "Your mom is with me. She was going into work, but papz were stalking her, so she's taking one more day off. I'll find a solution for the both of you," he told me.

I let out a giggle. "See I understand needing to protect my mom, but I don't need a solution. I don't have a problem. You two are the ones dating."

"They want to know every single detail about the woman I am dating and having a child with. You are her daughter, thus you are involved. And have you really looked at the picture on the magazines? You're in it too."

My eyes went back to the magazines on the stand. Sure enough, I was there. The prime focus was on them two, but anyone could see I was with them. I was laughing and gazing straight at them. Only my profile was shown, so that was one positive thing, but the reporters would do their research. I tried hard to go unnoticed in my life, and our trip to England was threatening to expose me and ruin what I had worked hard to achieve—invisibility. "Don't let them find information about me. I don't want to see me on magazines, Lucius. Please," I begged him on the phone.

"Just be careful. I'll fix it; don't worry, Mars."

"I have to go." I ended the call and continued my journey in the June sun to the gym to meet with Eliana.

I was at the door of the gym when I received a phone call that made my stomach drop. I took a deep breath in attempt to calm my nerves. "Hey, Robin. It's been a while since we last spoke." I had not seen or spoken to Robin since my birthday.

"Élisabeth is pre..." He couldn't complete the sentence. I could hear him try to say it two more times, but he never achieved to say it.

"I should start calling you Robin Hood, Robin Bird, or Rob. Pick a nickname; you need one," I rambled nervously.

"Mackenzie," he said sternly.

Quietly, I asked, "yes?"

"Is she?"