Page 36 of Catching the Mistletoe

I watched as Mack spoke to the CPS worker and I swear I could feel the tension rolling off him from here. The lady nodded, her face turning grave. After a brief but intense discussion, they both walked over to us.

Mack knelt down next to Ben. “Hey, buddy. This is Angela. She wants to have a chat with you.”

“Is it about what I said?”

“It is, yeah.”

Twisting the bracelet on his arm, Ben’s voice was tortured when he said, “Will you come with me?”

His face completely devoid of expression, Mack looked at Angela, saw her brief nod and said, “Yeah, I can do that.”

It was obvious that something heartbreakingly terrible was going on here. Every molecule in my body was screaming for me to step in, to stop Mack. To protect him. But he didn’t look at me as he pushed to his feet. With his hand resting lightly on Ben’s shoulder, they followed Angela into a little side room, closing the door behind them with a quiet snap.

I was left with a cluster of kids who were more interested in tying knots around each other than making bracelets. The jovial atmosphere had turned thick with unspoken concerns, at least for me. I tried to focus on the kids around me, but my eyes kept drifting to the door Mack had walked through. Cold, hard dread hit me in the chest and I rubbed at it, willing the tension to go away.

The next hour ticked by with excruciating slowness, each minute stretching out for so long it felt like it lasted an hour. I was so wound up that by the time the door finally opened, my heart was hammering so hard I could barely breathe. Angela and Ben came out first. It was obvious that Ben had been crying, and that Angela was doing her best to look after him, with her arm around his shoulders as she led him away.

But where was Mack? Just as I was thinking I should go and check on him, he came out. The moment I saw him, I knew something was off. He walked toward me, but his eyes were vacant, like he was there but not really there, you know? It was like he was navigating through some sort of fog, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

I felt my throat tighten as Mack took a seat next to me, his eyes still lost in that far-off place. “Hey,” I whispered, cautious not to jar him from whatever world he was in. He didn’t even flinch, just picked up a string from the table and started fiddling with it, his movements mechanical and distant. A cold knot of worry formed in my gut; whatever had gone down in that room had shaken him to his core.

I noticed the kids giving Mack sideways glances, their young faces etched with confusion. Fuck. This wasn’t the place for whatever Mack was going through. It was too raw, too personal, and these walls were too thin. I needed to get him out of here, away from prying eyes and innocent curiosity. I knew him well enough to know he’dhatefor the kids to see him like this.

I caught Evelyn’s eye across the room, and I could swear she sensed the urgency in my gaze. She weaved her way through the kids and hurried over. “Mack’s not well,” I whispered, my voice laced with concern as I kept my eyes on him. “I need to get him to the RV.”

Evelyn’s eyes were clouded with worry. “Sure thing.”

Turning to Mack, I lowered my voice, saying softly, “Come on. It’s time to go.”

He didn’t budge, and I fought back the panic that threatened to overwhelm me. The blank look in his eyes was starting to freak me out. Sliding my hand under his elbow and giving a gentle pull, I said, more firmly, “Mack. Let’s go.”

Finally, he stood, his movements robotic, and followed me without a word. Tina led us to the exit, her demeanor still warm but tinged with concern. “Thank you for coming,” she said quietly, her eyes flicking to Mack before meeting mine. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

We stepped out into the crisp air, the door closing softly behind us.

Unlocking the RV, I nudged Mack gently toward the open door. “Go on, get in,” I said, my voice soft but tinged with urgency. He climbed in, still in that distant, far-off place, and sat down on the couch.

Evelyn, who had followed us, looked at me, her eyes filled with concern. “What should we do?”

“Honestly? I don’t know,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair. “Can we go back to the park? Maybe a change of scenery will snap him out of it? I’m just spit balling here, Evelyn.”

“If he needs help, we can get it. You’re not alone in this, Arabella. Neither is he.” With a sympathetic look, she pulled out her phone and made a quick call to Sam, who was still inside with the kids. A few short moments later, he was in the driver’s seat of the RV, while Evelyn hopped into their campervan.

The drive to the RV park was fucking agony. There was no other word for it. Mack sat there, like a statue, his hands open on his lap, staring at the floor. God, I wanted to cry. But for now, all we could do was ride it out, hoping the change of scenery would bring him back to me.

Sam pulled up at the park and looked back at me. “Let’s go talk to Evelyn.”

“Okay.” I dragged in a deep breath, steeling myself, and left Mack sitting by himself while I went outside.

Evelyn was leaning against the hood of the campervan, her arms folded, tapping her foot on the ground. “Times like this make me sorry I gave up smoking.”

“I hear that.”

“No change, then?”

I shook my head. “Nothing. He’s still... somewhere else.”

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