What Did You Expect From Me?

Five minutes into the car ride to the hospital, Mackenzie was ready to jump out of Alex's truck and walk the rest of the way. She would have rather walked than deal with the uncomfortable silence for the next twenty minutes or so. The tension between Alex and Mackenzie was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. And just when Mackenzie thought things couldn't get any worse, Alex drove straight into bumper to bumper traffic.

Alex groaned, while Mackenzie pulled out her phone to text Brooke and inform her older sister about her predicament. Brooke responded instantly saying that their mother was alright for now, but she hopes the traffic starts moving soon. Instead of replying, Mackenzie just sighed and locked her phone. She turned and stared at the scenery around her when Alex started drumming absentmindedly on his steering wheel. Mackenzie hated when he did it in high school and she only hated it more now because of the situation she was in. After two minutes of nonstop finger drumming, Mackenzie let out a growl and yelled at Alex to quit it. He only smirked and continued, increasing the volume of his fingers hitting the wheel.

"You are such a child," Mackenzie huffed, looking away from her ex boyfriend.

"So I've been told," Alex responded dryly.

As Mackenzie went to make another remark, she was cut off by her phone vibrating violently in her hand. She looked at the screen and saw that her boss was calling her. Without hesitation, Mackenzie answered.

"Good morning, Mackenzie Geller speaking."

This caught Alex's attention. He decided to listen in on Mackenzie's conversation to pass the time.

"No, Mr. Clark. I'm currently in Baltimore. Lindsey assured me she would inform you about my sudden departure....Yes. I should be back within the next week or two....No, I will definitely be back before May third. That is a month away....You need me to do the Hopeless interview?" Mackenzie squealed. This definitely peaked Alex's interest, so he continued listening.

"Okay, so May third, Hopeless is picking one of their bands for me to interview? That sounds easy enough....Yes, Mr. Clark. I can easily make that into an eight page spread. I think it could possibly be a cover worthy interview....Yes, Mr. Clark, you have my word. I will be back before you know it. Have a wonderful day," And with that Mackenzie hung up her phone, only to be met with Alex's eyes boring into her.

"Can I help you?" She quipped.

"You're interviewing a band from Hopeless Records on May third? Well, isn't that something?" Alex smirked and turned his attention back from the unmoving traffic.

Mackenzie felt like Alex was suddenly judging her career choice. But then she realized that that was impossible, considering he also didn't have your average nine to five job. Then Mackenzie had a gut feeling that Alex knew something she didn't. But she didn't want to press the issue any further, since she probably wouldn't have gotten an answer anyway.

After another awkward ten minutes of silence, traffic had finally started moving again, and the pair couldn't have been more relieved. As they inched closer and closer to the hospital, there was a question gnawing at the back of Mackenzie's head. She knew that if she didn't ask now, she'd never get an answer.

"Alex, why are you marrying Brooke?"

Alex felt himself pale at Mackenzie's question. He was expecting it, but he wasn't expecting it so soon. He was dead set on staying silent for the rest of the car ride, but of course Mackenzie had to question him. Her inquisitive mind was always asking questions. And somehow Alex had always produced answers for her.

"I'm marrying Brooke because I love her," he answered confidently.

"How long have you been with her?" Mackenzie fired back.

"Uhm..." Alex began, but he really had to think about the last question. He racked his brain frantically, trying to remember his anniversary with Brooke. Then it hit him, "July will be four years."

"How long have you been engaged?"

"Four months."

"When is the wedding?"

"Jesus Christ, Mackenzie," Alex groaned. "You aren't interviewing me for one of your articles. You can stop with the third degree. We aren't even on friendly terms, yet. Stop prying into my life. You lost that privilege six years ago."

Mackenzie processed what Alex had said. After a few seconds, she decided to ask one last question.

"So you read my interviews?"

"God damn it!" Alex shouted and Mackenzie smirked. She knew she won this round. But Alex interrupted her moment of happiness. "Get out. We're here. She's on the third floor, room 303."

Mackenzie rolled her eyes but jumped out of the Range Rover. Without checking to see if Alex was following her, Mackenzie darted into the hospital and made a beeline straight up to her mother's room. When she got there, Mackenzie saw Brooke looking out of the window and her mother lying in the hospital bed looking frailer than she had ever been. Mackenzie realized Brooke still didn't know she was there, so she cleared her throat, finally gaining the attention of her older sister. Brooke looked toward Mackenzie and her eyes almost bugged out of her head.

The last time Brooke saw Mackenzie, she was still an awkward teenager with purple hair and no fashion sense. But now she was all grown up. Brooke stared at Mackenzie and her now dirty blonde hair. That was something Brooke never expected from her sister. Then she realized Mackenzie was wearing a fitter black leather jacket, a lavender tunic, paired with black leggings and black wedges. Brooke was impressed with how her younger sister matured.

After what felt like an eternity of staring, Brooke stepped away from the window and towards her sister. As Brooke got closer, Mackenzie saw the ring adorning her finger. That's when Alex's statement finally became real and the sadness finally sunk in. Mackenzie began tearing up. Brooke mistook Mackenzie's reason for crying and engulfed the younger Geller into a hug ensuring her that their mother was a strong woman and if she tried enough, she would pull through. Mackenzie only nodded into the embrace, knowing that if she tried to speak, her voice would fail her. Mackenzie also knew that the chances of her fifty-two year old mother surviving stage four ovarian cancer was slim to none. But she humored Brooke's sense of false hope.

A few moments later, the girls' embrace was disturbed by none other than Alex. He walked into the room, staring intently at his phone and speaking to Brooke. When he looked up, he saw Mackenzie wiping her eyes and walking over to the side of her mother's bed. Brooke just stood in the same spot, looking annoyed at her fiancé.

"Did I interrupt something?" Alex asked dumbly.

"Yea, you did," Brooke snapped. "It's whatever. Mackenzie needs time alone with our mom, so let's go."

With that, Brooke and Alex exited the hospital room, leaving Mackenzie alone with her mother, who was beginning to stir. When her mother came to her senses, Mackenzie's mom, Christine, looked over at her daughter and smiled as wide as she possibly could.

"Mack, you're here," Christine greeted groggily.

"Hi, momma," Mackenzie smiled as she gripped her mother's hand.

"Before we start catching up, I need you to promise me something," Christine began.

"Anything, mom," Mackenzie cooed.

"Mackenzie, I do not want Alex marrying Brooke. I don't care what you have to do, but don't let it happen. I love Alex like he was my own son, but he and Brooke are not meant for each other. He is using her to try and replace you. And to be honest, if he plans on marrying any Geller, it is going to be you. Not your sister. Understand?" Christine asked, pointing a stern finger at her younger daughter.

"But mom, how am I supposed to do that?" Mackenzie whined, clearly displeased with her mother's request.

"You'll find a way, Mackenzie. You always find a way to keep your promises. Anyway, how is California?"

At the last question, Mackenzie's mood automatically changed. Her eyes lit up and happiness was written across her face. After six years, Mackenzie still loved California, and she never saw that changing. But unknown to the mother and daughter who were now deep in conversation, Alex was standing outside the door and he heard everything said between the pair. Brooke sent him back to the room to retrieve her phone and he accidentally started opening the door when Christine was making Mackenzie promise to break up Brooke and himself. And for some odd reason unknown to Alex, he hoped that Mackenzie would follow through with her promise.

Notes