Macy’s Unravelling

Macy inherited her aunt’s farm. She and Daniel talked about making a go of it on the farm and leaving their city lives behind. Neither was sure what to do with a farm, but they wanted to learn and were excited to have the opportunity. The best part for Macy was that her sister, Nerva, lived just down the lane at the next house. 

Macy had been a famous midwife in the city and was willing to continue practicing in this rural community. Macy was the midwife who delivered lots of babies in town and was on call. Daniel was a physicist who needed to learn so many things at once. He knew he wanted to give the city life up and was grateful for the opportunity. 

Macy and Daniel lived happily together in that old farmhouse. Try as they might, they were not blessed with children. They resigned themselves to remaining childless. Daniel had always treated Nerva like a sister rather than a sister-in-law. If Nerva needed something, Daniel was her man. That’s what family does for one another. 

But on that fateful day, Daniel came into the kitchen to tell Macy, with a smirk, about him and Nerva having a baby and that Nerva was three months pregnant. It was too much for Macy to process. She saw red. How could a sister do that with Daniel? How would Daniel do that to Macy? This is messed up. Her mind told her, but she mustered up the words she knew she needed to say. 

"Get the hell out!" Macy shrieked at Daniel, slinging magazines, whipping shoes, and anything else she could put her hands on until an ashtray was all that was left. It shattered against the wall, missing Daniel by inches. She scowled as her eyes teared up. Her unkempt hair looked like she had been caught in a wild windstorm. 

After he left, Macy thought about how Daniel had sliced their dream into shreds. The news stabbed her heart. It was bad enough that Daniel and Nerva, her sister, betrayed her. Macy's gut-wrenching screams unleashed terror inside her, surging like an electric current coursing through her body.

Rage was everything she thought, said, or did. The image of Nerva and Daniel in bed together heightened her fury.

One day at a time was a big fucking crock of shit, she thought. When did Nerva get to be so underhanded? 

It took months for Macy to get over the betrayal. But like a phoenix out of the ashes, a new Macy learned how to live again without feeling like a bag of shit. For many months, she avoided the couple. That was easy. 

The phone rang at some point during the night. “Nerva is in labour.” 

Macy remained quiet.

“I need you to come, Mace, please.”

He cried as the line remained silent.

“Daniel, I would have paid to hear you say that while Nerva was going through her pregnancy, seeing as how I’ll never have kids of my own.”

Macy was spry for waking up, and she let Daniel have it, both ears full! Macy had no sad feelings about her sister’s death. 

“Please, Mace, for the baby. If not for me,. Please come.”

Daniel sobbed as he hung up the phone. Macy debated what she should do.

Although she wanted to be there, she didn’t want Daniel to know how she felt.

After all, what did they know about Daniel? What was Daniel doing before he came to town? Daniel was a common factor in our sisters' troubles.

Memories were recorded in her brain in bits, and Macy couldn't tell when her exhausted intellect failed to protect her. It swirled up and betrayed her again. 

After Daniel’s call, she rushed to Nerva’s house with the aid of the dusk-to-dawn light to get to her place so she could deliver the baby. 

Macy had promised Daniel that she would take her rage out on him and Nerva for their indiscretions and betrayals. Daniel’s eyes widened as Macy spoke because he knew Macy’s behaviour could quickly spiral out of control. That was months ago, and nothing terrible has happened to either of them since. Daniel assumed Macy was over it because she had taken a breather from him and Nerva. 

—-

“Come on, Nerva. Look at me now. And remember to breathe. Yes, that’s good, honey. Just like that, sweetie. Daniel, a word—ok, Nerva, now keep that up until I return. Just like that.” She caught his eye as she tilted her head to the side and then motioned with her eyes, so they moved towards the hallway together. 

“Have you contacted our village’s good doctor? You know, the one who is so skilled at childbirth? Where is he right now? My sister could die there, so send for him, or better yet, get him yourself.”

“I admit I made a mistake.” Daniel was desperate and overwhelmed because Nerva appeared to be in great distress. 

"A mistake, Daniel? Do you think it was a blunder that you impregnated my younger sister while living with me and the awful treatment both of you gave me? Only then can you call me months later and expect me to assist you in delivering your child?"

Daniel was silent now.

"For the record, Daniel, a mistake occurs when you think it's Wednesday, but it's a Tuesday. This is a never-ending nightmare!

You both did something deceptive and premeditated. That is a massive, unforgettable, and inexcusable error!"

Macy exuded a wild and dark aura as Daniel considered betraying his loyalty to calm her down and get her to do what he needed her to do.

"You had no right to drag me into the filthy, disgusting backroom sex arrangement you set up with my sister. It is incredible how quickly my two most trusted confidantes betrayed me." She scowled angrily, and her tears revealed the conspiracy’s devastation.

"You and she were supposed to be my two go-to people!" Macy scowled bitterly at Daniel, her eyes squinting. Daniel was alerted to the end of their conversation when her tears revealed their effect on her. 

She returned to the room and delivered a beautiful boy. Nerva took a turn for the worst. She hemorrhaged and died. Macy was beside herself. Daniel was fraught with grief.

“It's Mace,” she mewled, barely audible into the phone. "Nerva’s dead. She died in childbirth. But the rest of her family is dead, too. Come on, please.” 

—-------

When the police and ambulance arrived, Macy was pacing back and forth in the barn’s entrance, like a lioness at the zoo, in front of the glass. Macy’s eyes were tall and wide; her face was blank, and she smacked her palm against her forehead every few moments. Their statements would have to wait since Macy’s only family had been mysteriously murdered.

Macy was cautious and quiet, and they admitted her to the psychiatric ward until she talked. That didn’t happen until four months later. Much to the police’s dismay, no suspect was ever found. They frequently visited Macy, her therapist, and her psychiatrist, who had nothing new to tell them. When Macy was released from the hospital, the neighbours had already cleaned the house and barn. Macey now owns two prime properties in Rockville.

During her therapy sessions, Macy learned much about Daniel and his brief presence in her and Nerva’s lives. She realized Daniel was a leopard, and leopards do not change their spots, so she could not stop his roving eye.

Macy was in a dark place; she couldn’t bring herself to talk about or even think about it. When she did, her bladder let go, her breath became shallow, and her heartbeat accelerated like a sprinter in the final 100 metres. Macy had not yet completely prepared for this phase. She had only gotten as far as delivering the baby and ensuring Nerva and Daniel were dead. But more importantly, nobody suspected anything.

----------

Macy sobbed hysterically at the kitchen table. She buried her head in her arms. The secret she had kept hidden during those therapy sessions had become too much for her to bear. The truth flooded her mind, threatening to strangle her. The sensation of cloth in her throat as if to choke her.

Macy knew that the versions she gave the police had to be consistent with those she gave her therapy team. Macy did not correct any of them: the counsellor, the police, the coroner, or the psychiatrist—who all accepted the lie as fact. 

Macy had no idea that seeing Minerva, Daniel, and the infant together would create a reaction of rage and pure evil from within.

With her realization, Macy fell to her knees and screamed, “Oh, dear Lord!” She called out, exasperated. “Nerva, please forgive me!”

The memory of the family she should have had affected her emotional state.