Status: Contest entry, let me know what you think!
Family Is All It Takes
Chapter 17
“That’s fucked up,” James shook his head. “Her mom said that stuff?”
Brandon nodded. “And she just stood there.”
“That’s not the Mac we all know,” Sidney said. “Something’s got to be up.”
“Yeah, her mom’s a bitch,” Tyler scowled. “Poor Mac.”
“I don’t need pity,” a voice sounded from behind them. “And did you just tell them what I think you told them?”
Brandon nodded hesitantly. “Don’t be mad.”
Mackenzie sighed. “I’m not. They were going to find out eventually.”
“We’re happy for you,” Pascal assured them. “You deserve someone better than that ass.”
“Whoa,” Mac smirked. “Did Pascal Dupuis just say ‘ass’? Alert the media!”
“Alert the media of what?” another voice asked.
Mac’s eyes went wide as she turned around.
“Mr. Ervin,” she gaped. “What are you doing here?”
“I think we need to talk,” he said. “Do you have an office?”
“Yes, of course,” Mac nodded. “Follow me. I’ll see you boys later.”
****
“Have a seat, sir,” Mac gestured to the chair by her desk. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve come to discuss the reply you sent to me about my previous email,” he said. “I’m afraid I wasn’t pleased.”
“Pardon me?” Mac leaned forward. “I-I don’t think I heard you.”
“I said I wasn’t pleased. I expected you to listen to my instructions,” Mr. Ervin frowned.
“But your ‘instructions’ were ones that were asking me to blatantly disregard all the morals of journalism,” Mac protested.
“I am your editor, Miss Lawrence. And I thus hold you career in my hands. I suggest you do as I say,” he scowled even more.
Mac stood up. “I won’t.”
“Excuse me?”
“I won’t do it. I won’t dig up dirt on my friends,” she reaffirmed. “You can get someone else to do your dirty work.”
“Perhaps I’ll just have to do it myself,” he said matching her stance. “Miss Lawrence, I think it would be best if I let you go.”
“What?” she gaped at her boss. “What?”
“You are no longer a journalist at my newspaper,” Mr. Ervin stood up and walked to the door. “Hand in your finished article by Monday morning. No later.”
****
Mac was left with tears threatening to spill out and her mouth hanging wide. The team had heard the end of the conversation and none of them knew what to do. They simply watched their friend sink down against the wall of the tunnel and bury her face in her hands helplessly.
Mackenzie Lawrence was officially screwed over for the second time in her life.
Brandon nodded. “And she just stood there.”
“That’s not the Mac we all know,” Sidney said. “Something’s got to be up.”
“Yeah, her mom’s a bitch,” Tyler scowled. “Poor Mac.”
“I don’t need pity,” a voice sounded from behind them. “And did you just tell them what I think you told them?”
Brandon nodded hesitantly. “Don’t be mad.”
Mackenzie sighed. “I’m not. They were going to find out eventually.”
“We’re happy for you,” Pascal assured them. “You deserve someone better than that ass.”
“Whoa,” Mac smirked. “Did Pascal Dupuis just say ‘ass’? Alert the media!”
“Alert the media of what?” another voice asked.
Mac’s eyes went wide as she turned around.
“Mr. Ervin,” she gaped. “What are you doing here?”
“I think we need to talk,” he said. “Do you have an office?”
“Yes, of course,” Mac nodded. “Follow me. I’ll see you boys later.”
****
“Have a seat, sir,” Mac gestured to the chair by her desk. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve come to discuss the reply you sent to me about my previous email,” he said. “I’m afraid I wasn’t pleased.”
“Pardon me?” Mac leaned forward. “I-I don’t think I heard you.”
“I said I wasn’t pleased. I expected you to listen to my instructions,” Mr. Ervin frowned.
“But your ‘instructions’ were ones that were asking me to blatantly disregard all the morals of journalism,” Mac protested.
“I am your editor, Miss Lawrence. And I thus hold you career in my hands. I suggest you do as I say,” he scowled even more.
Mac stood up. “I won’t.”
“Excuse me?”
“I won’t do it. I won’t dig up dirt on my friends,” she reaffirmed. “You can get someone else to do your dirty work.”
“Perhaps I’ll just have to do it myself,” he said matching her stance. “Miss Lawrence, I think it would be best if I let you go.”
“What?” she gaped at her boss. “What?”
“You are no longer a journalist at my newspaper,” Mr. Ervin stood up and walked to the door. “Hand in your finished article by Monday morning. No later.”
****
Mac was left with tears threatening to spill out and her mouth hanging wide. The team had heard the end of the conversation and none of them knew what to do. They simply watched their friend sink down against the wall of the tunnel and bury her face in her hands helplessly.
Mackenzie Lawrence was officially screwed over for the second time in her life.
♠ ♠ ♠
I'm sorry these chapters have been so short! The next one will be interesting, I think. We're getting close to the end! Let me know what's on your minds, lovelies!