Double or Nothing Pt. 06: Final Take

"You don't believe her, do you?" Melody asked.

"No, I don't," I responded.

"What's this crap she spewed about you sleeping with her?" Harmony asked.

"Just another attempt to mess with my life," I said. "She somehow thought you'd actually believe her and dump me." Harmony chuckled at that.

"Yeah, right," she snorted.

"So what did you tell her?" Melody asked.

"I told her in no uncertain terms that she's dead to me and I never want to hear from her ever again," I said. "Mackenzie feels the same way."

"You're not alone in that," Harmony said. "Listen, this has been a helluva day. Why don't you go get something to eat and get some rest?"

"What? Are you trying to get rid of me?" I asked playfully. Harmony shot a smile at Melody.

"He's onto us, sis," she joked. "That's right, our love. As soon as you're gone, we're going to ditch these hospital gowns and hit the clubs." Melody and I both chuckled at that.

"Yeah, right," I cracked. I gave them both a hug and a kiss and realized just how close I came to losing both of these wonderful women. I tried, but failed to keep the tears from falling down my cheek.

"It's alright, sweetheart," Melody said. "We're not going anywhere, and you're not getting rid of us just yet."

"That's right, our love," Harmony added. "We're nowhere near finished with you. Just wait till I get this cast off my leg."

"You two have no idea how much I love you," I told them.

"I think we have a pretty good idea," Melody said. "Just know that we love you and Mackenzie even more." I said nothing, but nodded my head in acknowledgment. They didn't have to tell me how much they loved us - they demonstrated it through their heroic and selfless actions, and I would never forget that.

"Now, go on, get something to eat," Harmony said. "And no Maccas, you hear me? You eat real food. You're going to need all your strength to take care of three recovering women." I chuckled at that. I hadn't even thought of eating fast food, but knowing me, I probably would've simply grabbed something in a drive-thru. Especially after a day like today.

...

Epilogue:

I got to the hospital early the next morning and checked in with my girls before joining Mackenzie. Her infusion went without a hitch and her doctor opted to keep her overnight to "observe" her blood levels and run some final tests.

Melody and Harmony spent one more night in the hospital and all three were released the next day. We were quite a sight as we hobbled into the airport. I didn't bother to check on Carol. She was in my past and I really didn't care what happened to her from that point on.

Melody and Harmony spent the next several months going to physical therapy at least once a week. It took almost a year before Harmony could actually walk again. It was almost like watching a child learn how to walk all over again.

Melody's hand finally healed, but it took about the same length of time for her to get most of her function back. As she told me earlier, at least it was her left hand, so she could still work and drive, but it wasn't easy.

Mackenzie went back to school, but had to get checked out every three months. Her cancer was in remission, and she was declared an official cancer survivor a year after her last treatment. The whole family celebrated with a massive outdoor cookout, and we even invited Ben to join us.

My daughter finished school and all of us attended her graduation. I was so proud to watch her accept her diploma. She took a job doing something with blockchains - don't ask me to explain it. I was even more proud - and happy - to see her get married to Ben.

I was probably the most proud father in the history of fatherhood the day I walked her down the aisle to her waiting soon-to-be husband. When the minister asked who gave her to be married, I looked at my two lovely wives, our children, William and Martha, before giving my response.

"Her family and I," I told the minister. I heard my girls and Martha as they sobbed happy tears, then shook Ben's hand. I took my seat between Melody and Harmony and nearly cried as I watched my lovely daughter become Mrs. Ben McDonell.

My little girl was all grown up now. But she would always be my little girl. I guess that's just the way it is with dads. When I got to dance with my newly-wed daughter, I quietly confessed that I was wearing the boxers she gave me for my birthday.

"TMI, Dad," she said with a wide smile. "I love you so much, Dad," she whispered. "Thank you for being there, for loving me."

"I'll always be here for you, Pumpkin," I said. "And I love you more." I couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and sadness watching my daughter leave with Ben on her honeymoon. We had been through so much together since that day she came back into my life.

Not long after that, I was in Melbourne meeting with plumbing contractors and decided on a whim to stop by the State Library of Victoria. After the incident at the hospital, I read up on Ned Kelly and learned the armor he wore was on display there.

I took in the 18 bullet marks on the homemade armor plating and shook my head in amazement. The display also included the Snider Enfield rifle he carried and one of his boots.

"That had to have been heavy as hell," I said to no one in particular.

"You have no idea," I heard someone whisper in my ear. Startled, I looked around, but no one was near me. I figured my mind was playing tricks on me, so I left, but felt chills the whole way back to my hotel.

My life took another turn when Mackenzie told me she was pregnant. Being a concerned parent, I kept a close eye on her, but settled down after seeing how well Ben treated her and looked after her. The first time I laid eyes on little Jordan, I knew my life was complete.

"I am officially the happiest man on earth," I proudly proclaimed to Melody and Harmony as I held my grandson. I watched my daughter and her husband raise little Jordan and I could not have been more proud of my child.

"He's going to be a plumber, just like his grandpa," Mackenzie once told me as I bounced him on my knee.

"I don't know about that," I said. "But I'll support whatever choice he makes." Mackenzie and I became even closer and we talked a lot about her mother. She told me more than once that she had never contacted her after that day in the hospital.

"I know I haven't contacted her, but I really think you should, Dad," Mackenzie told me one day.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you need closure," my daughter said. "You need to be honest with her and let her know that she failed, despite everything she did to hurt you. Everything she encouraged me to do to hurt you," she added, her eyes downcast. I looked at her in amazement.

"And where did all this wisdom come from?" I asked.

"From you," she said. "And my two mums," she added with a smile. "You taught me the real meaning of love and I intend to teach that to little Jordan. I love you, Dad. And I always will."

"And I will always love you, Mackenzie," I said. So, I wrote a letter to Carol and hoped she would take it to heart. Yes, there was still a lot of residual hate for what she and the dickhead had done. But time and the love of my new family had helped heal the hole in my heart.

...

Carol lay in her bed, thinking about what her first husband had written in his letter. Her mind wandered to the day so long ago when she left Terry, a man she had known since junior high school. They had been married for fifteen years. She didn't even have the courage to tell Terry to his face that she had been carrying on an affair for 18 months.

She never forgot the reason she used to justify her actions: "...you being a plumber is not enough."

And after all the hurt and heartache, where was she? Alone, twice divorced, her daughter now wanting nothing to do with her. Her second husband, the man she left Terry for, was now dead, having been shot as he tried to murder her daughter and her first husband, a man who had done nothing except love her with all his heart.

She sobbed loudly as she realized all that she had lost - or rather, thrown away. And for what? Money? Prestige? Recognition? In a blinding moment of clarity, she realized that Terry was right. Everything that had happened was on her.

Something snapped in her mind. There's nothing left for me here, she thought. Nothing, and no one. She went to her bathroom and opened her medicine cabinet. There it was - the answer to her problems. She pulled out the nearly-full bottle of sleeping tablets, then went into her kitchen and grabbed her bottle of wine.

There's enough here, she thought. I can just take these pills and go to sleep, forever. She pulled out a notepad and a pen. Sitting at her table, she wrote a short note to Terry and Mackenzie.

"I'm sorry for everything. Please forgive me, if you can," she wrote, tears falling down her face, staining the paper. She put the note on the middle of the table, then looked at the bottle of pills and the wine.

Then it hit her - who would actually mourn her death? Anyone? Would anyone even care? She sobbed as she sat at her table. All she wanted was for someone to love her. She knew Terry was lost to her forever, but she still had a daughter and a grandson.

Then she saw the large number on the folded newspaper she had placed on the table earlier. With trembling hands, she picked up her phone and dialed the number on the paper.

"Suicide hotline," a young female voice said.

"Please... Help me," Carol cried.

...

Sixteen months later:

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing, Dad?" I looked at Mackenzie and considered her question carefully. We were all shocked, and more than a bit anxious when Carol reached out to us. She wanted to know if it would be possible to visit us during the Christmas holiday. We spoke about it at length, as a family, and decided to give it a chance.

"I don't know, pumpkin," I said. "I hope so. Maybe this will give us all the closure we really need." I looked back out the window and saw a car stop in front of the house. A tall, weather-beaten man got out of the driver's side, then walked around and opened the passenger door.

We were both shocked when a fairly slim woman with long hair stepped out. Was this Carol? If so, she would've lost at least 75 pounds since the last time I had seen her. She smiled as she looked up at the man, then offered an arm and led him to the door.

She had a cane in one hand and I noticed that she walked with a bit of a limp. The man held her arm to support her as she walked. Mackenzie opened it before they got to the porch.

"Mother?" my daughter asked. Carol's smile grew and she reached out to Mackenzie.

"Yes, Mackenzie, it's me," Carol said as she hugged her daughter. "You're so beautiful."

"Thank you, Mother," Mackenzie said. "You're looking quite good as well. Who is this?" she asked, looking at the man with her mother.

"This is Trevor McDaniel," Carol said. "Trevor, this is my daughter, Mackenzie." The man smiled as he shook my daughter's hand.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you," he said.

"Please, come in," Mackenzie said, stepping aside so our guests could enter. Carol looked at me for a few moments before saying anything.

"Terry... It's good to see you again," she said nervously. "You're looking quite well."

"And so are you, Carol," I said. Trevor extended his hand, which I accepted.

"G'day," he said. "You must be Terry. I've heard a lot about you as well. It's good to finally meet you." I could tell from his grip that this was a man who works with his hands. A tradesman, perhaps?

By then, the rest of the family made it into the front room and introductions were made all around. Melody and Harmony stood back, watching for any sign of trouble. Little Jordan walked into the room with Ben and stood next to Mackenzie.

"This must be Jordan," Carol said, looking at the tyke.

"Yes, Mother," Mackenzie said. "And this is my husband, Ben." Carol hugged Ben, much to his amazement.

"I can't tell you how much it means to meet you," she said. Then she looked knelt down in front of Jordan and looked up at Mackenzie. I saw a tear in her eye.

"May I..."

"Of course, Mother," Mackenzie said. "Jordan, say hello to your grandmother," she told her young son. Jordan was a bit apprehensive about approaching Carol at first, but he finally relented and walked to her.

"Hello," he said quietly. Carol threw her arms around him as tears fell down her face.

"Hello, sweetheart," Carol said. They hugged for a while, then Trevor helped her back on her feet. We went out to the back and got to know each other a bit. I kept waiting and watching for something to happen, but to my amazement, nothing did. Carol was more like the girl I had first married so long ago. At one point, she stepped up to me while the others were talking.

"Terry, I want to say from the bottom of my heart, that I'm truly sorry about everything," Carol said softly. "You were right - about everything. And I... fucked it all up." I looked at her, expecting her to lay into me about something, but to my surprise, she didn't.

"That day at the hospital, did you know what the dickhead had planned?" I asked. Carol shook her head.

"No, Terry, I didn't. I knew he was on some kind of trial work release thing, but I didn't know he would be there that day," she said.

"Trevor seems like a nice man. Is he a doctor or something?"

"Not even close," Carol said with a smile. "He's a contractor. A builder. Started his own company and built it up himself years ago. He's now one of the most sought-after builders in Maitland."

"Are you two..."

"We've been together the last few months. I work with him now. I run his office while he handles jobs in the field," she said. "I'm hoping it becomes permanent."

"You still dream about... us?" I asked. She laughed as she shook her head.

"Oh no," she said. "Not since Trevor..."

"I understand," I told her. "You're looking good, Carol. Much better than the last time I saw you."

"Thank you," she said. "It's been hard these last several months. There's been a lot of changes in my life. You look good as well." She looked toward Mackenzie before speaking again. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to speak with Mackenzie for a bit."

"Of course," I said. This was a totally different woman than the one who destroyed my life so long ago and I couldn't help but wonder what happened to her. I decided not to press the issue. "And Carol... I accept your apology." I saw a tear in her eye as she kissed my cheek.

"Thank you, Terry. That means more to me than you know," she said before walking away. Trevor came up to me as Carol approached Mackenzie.

"She told me about what she did to you and your daughter," Trevor said. I looked at him, shocked. "Everything. The affair with that doctor - the works. Did you know she nearly killed herself when she read your last letter?"

"No, I didn't," I said.

"She called a suicide hotline and they talked her off the edge. She ended up spending nearly a month in hospital. She's been seeing a counselor ever since."

"She looks like a completely different woman," I said. Trevor nodded his head.

"She is," he told me. "Started a diet and workout regimen. Lost a lot of weight. Her counselor has done a world of good for her."

"So, how did you two meet?"

"I met her when my company was doing a remodel on the apartment building where she lived about eight months ago," Trevor said. "We started dating and things just progressed from there. She started working for me six months ago, and she's been a godsend." He pulled a box out of his pocket and opened it. "In fact, I'd like to propose to her, here, in front of her daughter. If that's okay with you."

"Of course," I told him.

"No time like the present, eh?" he asked with a smile.

"I suppose not," I said. We walked to where the women were sitting and Trevor got down on one knee in front of Carol, which got everyone's attention. He held the ring box open as he spoke.

"Carol, I wanted to say, in front of your daughter and her family, that I love you with all my heart, and would consider it an honor if you would marry me," he said. Carol started crying, then wrapped her arms around Trevor.

"Yes, Trevor. I'll marry you," she said. We all applauded and I saw Mackenzie wipe a tear from her face. The rest of the day went well for all of us. Even Melody and Harmony were happy for Carol. I kept watching, just to see if the old vindictive Carol would appear, but she didn't.

Strangely enough, I felt happy for her. We watched them drive away at the end of the day, and I realized that all of the hatred I had felt for Carol was gone. I looked at Mackenzie and saw the slight smile on her face.

"Well?" I asked.

"This was a good day, Dad," she said. "I'm glad we let them come."

"Me too, pumpkin," I said. "Me too."

...

Fade to black...

Notes: "Eli," one of the men who shot Stephen, is Justice O. Peace. You can read about him in my series, "Justice," and in my e-book, "Justice Rides." Ned Kelly was an actual person, a bushranger, or what would be called an "outlaw" in the American West. He was hanged in November 1880.