Welcome to the second installment of Mac's life. Thank you for your kind words and scoring of the first part.
As always, all characters in this, in a sexual relationship, are over the age of 18 years.
Just a quick review of PT.01
Mac, or Michael, is a young man who lost his parents at a young age, leaving him the heir to a large fortune and head of a vast corporation.
After his parents passed, he was pushed around in a family that didn't want the responsibility. But, in the end, his grandparents, who had retired, took him in and gave him the stability he needed.
His new life lasted until his Grammy became sick and passed. During her long illness, Mac moved in with a teacher from the local high school, Miss Susan Harper. He became friendly with the girl who was in his class and also lived next door, Emma. They spent a lot of time together and even went on holiday to the family beach house together.
Mac's grammies death affected him badly, and he got into his head that people he got close to died. So Mac distanced himself from people, including Emma, the girl next door. Then, after a year of being away living at the family ranch, he returned. Since he returned, he has lived a strange double life.
When Mac returned, he had changed to such an extent that Emma didn't realize who he was. He hides behind a mask at school of a hoodie, beanie hat, and wrap-around tinted glasses that he initially used for an eye condition called Photophobia.
In his final year in high school, Susan Harper engineers it so Mac and Emma once again find each other. The one big worry for them is Emma's best friend and Mac's next-door neighbor, Donna. Donna has had a crush on Mac for years, and although she has tried many things to get his attention, he has chosen to ignore her.
Emma is now in the position of living in both of Mac's lives. They have restarted their friendship and are falling back into their old ways. This time though, they are old enough to understand their feelings.
******
Monday morning dawns, Emma can't wipe the smile from her face as she bounces down the stairs towards the kitchen. As she walks in, her father and mother are sitting at the kitchen table.
Emma sits down next to Kim, her mother, and picks up two halves of toast and a glass of orange juice. "Wow, I can't remember the last time you two were sat here together on a Monday morning," Emma says, taking a bite out of her first slice.
"Good morning sunshine, yes it doesn't happen often enough," her mother retorts, giving her husband the eye as she says it.
"You seem rather happy today," her father remarks, trying to deflect Kim's slight dig. "It wouldn't happen to be because of a certain kiss I saw you receive outside last night?" Ron says over the top of his paper, waiting for a reaction from his two favorite ladies.
Kim turns to her daughter, "hmm, missy, what have I missed?"
Emma squeals with excitement, "okay." Emma says, exasperated. "I was going to tell you last night. Mac yesterday hugged me before he left to meet his mates. Then when I went over there yesterday evening, he hugged me again, which made me start to cry with happiness. He kissed away my tears, but the last one was on my lips." Emma looks at her mum for any disapproval. She sees none and carries on, "then when he walked me home last night, he kissed me goodnight, which was what dad saw." Emma's face is beaming, and her parents can't help but smile at her excitement.
The morning's calm is ruined by a car horn outside, "that must be Donna." Emma picks up her last piece of toast, takes her last gulp of orange juice, and kisses both her parents goodbye.
She opens the front door to acknowledge Donna before picking her bag up and making her way down the steps. "Hey Donna, how's your dad?" Donna doesn't say anything and waits for Emma to get her belt on before pulling away at speed. "Are you okay, Donna?" Emma asks, a little worried.
Donna stops outside the nearby Starbucks for their morning coffee and to pick Mia up. She turns the engine off and then looks at Emma. She waits for a moment, "well?"
"Well, what?"
"Well, is there something you would like to share?"
"Well, I guess someone's told you they've seen me with someone?" Emma says, a little uneasy. She wanted to tell Donna on her terms, and this wasn't the time or place. But, to tell Donna, she has rekindled her friendship with Mac, and by the way, he's the same Mac that you've been drooling over.
"Well yeah, come on, spill." By this time, Mia has come out to see what the holdup is. "Emma was in the arms of a man," Donna says as Mia looks through the passenger window.
"Oh really? So who is this guy then, Emma?" Mia says, all excited that her friend has finally shown interest in the opposite sex.
"Oh, come on, you guys, you know that if I am with someone, it's only going to be one person."
Donna didn't get what Emma meant at first, but Mia's eyes doubled in size. "When did you meet up with Mac again?" As soon as the words left Mia's lips, Donna gasped.
"Look, guys, it is early days yet, and I don't want to say too much. But, you know, I don't want to jinx it." Emma is looking from Donna to Mia, hoping her friends will ease up on her.
Donna sighs and gets out of the car, she's desperate for her morning fix of caffeine, and with this revelation, she needs that extra kick for her to be able to process things. Donna is not happy; she had been hoping that Emma would get with Josh White. He is the school's quarterback and has been trying to go out with Emma since year nine. It would also help her have someone to double date with and with a person her boyfriend likes.
They sit in their usual booth. Donna has bought the drinks as normal after going to see her dad. He always gives her a couple of hundred dollars to spend. "So, how did your Mac contact you after all these years then, Emma?" Donna asks after her first sip of coffee.
"Oh, Miss Harper introduced us again."
"How does Miss Harper know your Mac?"
"She was his guardian for a while. That's how we originally met; he lived next door."
"I remember you two together always holding hands," Mia says. "You was the talk of the school for quite a while."
