Mackie found it hard to gulp down the sauced meat, it was his fifth spoon. These days he found it so hard to eat or drink anything at the thought of him spending forever with someone he felt nothing for. He knew Annabel was staring at him and he did well to avoid it just like always. He loved her too much to want to see her hurt.
” You play with your food these days, are you good?.” Alac asked worried and wondering about what could be going on in his head.
” Hmmm hmm.” He murmured and continued playing with his food. He had lost interest in lots of things, chitchats, games, foods and everything. Thanks to the Princess absurd request, he felt like his life functioning unit had being cut off.
” I know what’s wrong.” Alac said. He had felt the same way with Aliya. Seeing Mackie that same way made him want to weep and cry like a little child whom missed his mother. He wiped his left eye with the pinky finger on his right palm.
” You do?.” Mackie asked, surprised.
Did Alac know? If he did, then how? Who told him? Did Annabel….? Hell no, she couldn’t have.
He wondered, scared to the bone, for Annabel’s life. He knew their forbidden love could end her life.
” Of course I do.’ He said and patted his back while watching his eyes widen in fear. ‘ Oh calm down little brother, I know you are probably nervous at having to spend forever with your dream woman. That feeling you get when you think about walking down the aisle with her, your tummy threatens to explode right? And your cheat beating out of rhythm. I sure know how it feels.” He said and laughed softly.
I sure have being there.
He muttered underneath his breath.
Sweet old memories he had with Aliya.
” Hmm hmm.” Mackie replied. He wasn’t ready to exchange words with him or anything, all he wanted was to wake up from the horrible dream. His uncle barely stayed home these days, he was always out, doing only what he knew of.
” The new groom is too shy to talk.” Alac teased and watched Mackie send him an angry glare.
He knew Alac was testing his patience just like always but he wasn’t ready to give in to him.
Annabel glanced at Mackie one more time and felt a tear run down her cheek, hearing the words again hurt her the more. She had to leave to the room, she knew she had to run back to her comfort Zone. She wasn’t ready to break down again. She braced herself and held her half touched meal in her palms.
” STOP!.’ Alac ordered and Annabel froze. ‘ Come back here.” He ordered and she did as told, crawling towards his seat. He took a glimpse at her plate then brought his hand towards her forehead. Annabel knelt there, shocked and frozen.
Why was he touching her here and right now, with the other pets watching, with Mackie watching?.
” Are you sick Pet? You couldn’t eat.” He asked, a bit concerned.
” Hummm…. No… Master.” She stammered, wishing she could exit the room and flee from Mackie constant glares.
” Eat it all.” He ordered.
” Bu…. But… Master.” She replied, shocked by his sudden reaction.
” But nothing pet, you are mine and you belong to me so I decide what you do and when you do it.” He said.
You are mine? You belong to me?.
The words echoed in Mackie’s head. Annabel wasn’t Alacs’, she was Mackies’ . She belonged to him and no one else.
He watched her settle down to gulp down the rest of her food and said nothing. He wanted to throw a punch in his face but held himself back. He didn’t want to create a scene here and now, it would raise questions.
” Aren’t you happy or you are in love with someone else?.” Alac questioned.
Mackie froze, he was scared and afraid. He could also sense Annabel’s fear. Annabel’s heart beat stopped the moment her Master said it. She feared he had noticed something, maybe from her attitude. She was scared Mackie would get so angry and spill it all out and was relieved when he denied though a part of her silently wished he had owned up to their love life.
Did Alac really know? If he did then it meant trouble. Was that why he said what he did? Was he trying to get him to react and talk out?.
” N…. n…. no.” He stammered, scared of what Alac would say next. He felt that crazy urge to man up to his brother and confess his feelings to a pet but knew deep down that it would be the most stupid thing to do.
” Calm down brother, I was only joking.” He replied jokingly.
” I am off to my room.” Mackie said and got up in annoyance. He wasn’t ready for Alac’s drama and staying long meant danger. He made way for his room, refusing to look back.
” I wonder why he is so worked up lately.’ Alac said after him then turned to Annabel. ‘ Let’s go pet.”
Annabel crawled after him and wondered what was really going on with her Master. One minute he was loving, the next minute his monster instinct came running.
Welcome to a life of drama.
The voice said mockingly.
~~~~~~~~~~~
” Did you notice the way he looks these days.” Number 3 said while folding their clothes. It was a Saturday and that meant more chores for them.
” Who?.” Number 4 asked.
” Master Mackie of course, who else? These days I feel like he gets more unhappy and withdrawn.” She said sadly.
” I noticed that too.” Number 1 chirped in.
” Hmmm hmm. Do we say he is unhappy with marrying a princess, a rich one at that or something else bothers him.” Number 3 chirped in curiously, hoping one of them would have an answer.
” I don’t know but all I know is he looks forced.” Number 4 replied.
” Or maybe he loves someone else.” Number 1 said causing Number 2 to send her a stern look.
” Would you all stop spewing gibberish. You all know it will land you in a big fat trouble.” Number 2 said and they went silent, sending glanced at one another.
” But you know it could be true right.” Number 3 said.
” Whether it is or not, it’s none of our business or would you love to ask Master Malburt himself?.” She asked angrily.
” No no, that would land me in death.” Number 3 replied, waving her hands in the air.
” Since you know that then keep shut. We are pets and should act like one.” Number 2 replied.
She was scared someone might get too curious and dig things up, she feared for the life of her precious little child..” Oh okay, my lips is zipped.” Number 3 said and demonstrated it.
” Only heaven knows why you are so bothered about the talk or do you know something that we don’t.” Number 1 said curiously as to why she would stand up for Mackie.
” Clearly because I don’t want to get involved in this mess.” She replied and focused on the clothes she was sorting out.
” I can never be in a loveless marriage. I just wonder if she will ever be happy.” Number 3 said.
” Number 3!!.’ Number 2 sent her an angry glare. ‘ It is none of our business.” She completed.
Annabel had walked in on Number 2 scolding someone but she didn’t know who. The Master had stepped out earlier today, giving them the chance to talk and walk as they pleased.
” Did I miss something?.” Annabel asked and sat close to Number 2.
” No you didn’t.” She replied.
” But Mamito, I heard you scolding someone.” She said curious about what they were trying to hide.
Were they talking about her? Was it something about the secrets they kept?.
Cause she knew it was unlike Number 2 to keep anything from her and knew the Mansion had a whole lot of secrets she would have loved to unveil.
” Nothing my child, are you well?.” She asked worried and placed her right palm on her forehead to feel her temperature. She was happy Annabel felt better, since the spread of the news of the marriage, she had looked worst.
” I’m fine Mamito and you?.” She replied and smiled at her.
” I am fine too Little child.” She said happily and patted her forehead. Seeing Annabel and talking to her made her miss her family. If only she had lived a normal life, maybe she would have had kids by now or her grand kids and maybe she would have met Annabel at a less emotional torturing circumstance.
” Blah blah blah, these days you both act like you are related. If you were both of opposite genders, I would have thought you both were lovers.” Number 1 teased.
” Funny one there Number 1, we all know Number 6 is like a child to me.” She replied.
” Hmmm hmmm so what are we Mamito? Or are we not allowed to call you so.” Number 4 teased.
” Of course not, only Annabel has the right to call me that.” She replied jokingly.
” Oh really, now you even call her by her name. What a strong bond.” Number 3 teased.
” No worries my kids, I am here for you.” Number 1 said facing 3 and 4.
” Okay Mama.” They chroused and laughed.
” What about me Mama? I want to call someone my Mama too.” A soft young male voice said slowly.
In years, that was the first sentence they had heard Number 5 say. They had all believed he was born deaf and dumb. Annabel felt sorry for the poor child, she could sense the pain in the words he said.
” Of course, you can be my child and you can call me Mama.” Number 1 said and moved closer to him, picking him up in her arms and placing him there. That was the closest contact he came with anyone. For years he had avoided them like plug and now there he was, smiling and laughing like he had knew them all his life. Guess he really did.
” I want a Mama and a Papa.” He said sadly, staring at his bruised knee. Number 1 felt sorry for him, they all felt sorry for him and wondered why a mother would abandon her child if not pure wickedness. Their hearts squeaked at the thought of the pain the little boy had to go through and will go through with time, as he grew up.
” I am here for you My child, we are your family now and i am your Papa.” Number 2 said and brushed his brown hair with her palm while stroking his chin with another.
” Thank you Mama and Papa, I love you.” He said and rested his back well on her arms, shutting his eyes to the ills and the sound of Earth as he slowly drifted to sleep. They knew they had never seen him that calm and relaxed when sleeping with a smile on his face
Annabel looked at the child countless times and knew she just couldn’t. She couldn’t afford and wasn’t ready to put a child through this, not a torture this painful and heart shattering. Mackie just had to go, their forbidden love had to end. She walked back into her room the moment the child was laid down. Their Masters could be back any minute from then and Master Alac might get so provoked if he didn’t find her inside.
Cheers to a newly found life without you, Mackie.