Chapter 88 - Things We Do For The Ones We Hate.

Chapter 88: Things we do for the ones we hate.

Mckenna took a deep breath in front of the mirror. She was wearing makeup and she was holding a typed statement in her hand. She exhaled after holding the air in for three seconds.

God! She was so nervous. How did she go from nobody to someone the whole country was interested in hearing from? 

By marrying the richest man in the continent and by being fathered by one too...her inner voice told her.

Shut up! She shunned the voice.

She heard the door open and her daughter came inside. She was wearing a sky blue dress with a bow tie. Kara hated both things.

"Hey, Mom. I look like I fell into glitter" Kara complained to her.

"You don't have to wear that. Change into your black jeans and purple shirt, Sweetheart" Mckenna told her.

Kara sat on the bed instead. "Aunt Maze said I have to, I have to spread joy"

Mckenna tried not to laugh "Sounds like your bossy Aunt. It's just for a few hours, baby girl"

"Are you going to cry in front of the camera, Umma?" Kara asked her.

"No" it sounded like a question. "Why?"

"Aunt says it will make it more believable. Why do you hate grandpa Jackson?" 

"I don't... hate him, I just don't like him very much" Mckenna answered him.

"At least he is not trying to kill you" Kara murmured.

Mckenna turned and looked at her. She even went ahead to sit on the bed beside her.

"Yeah, at least he is not trying to kill me". She repeated after Kara.

The door opened and Jason entered.

"Are we hiding in here? Can I join you guys?" He said and tried to sit with them but Mckenna stood up.

"Nope! Let's get this charade going" 

Mckenna and her family went down the stairs.

Elixir was about to have a debate with her opponent, Ezekiel Ezekwe on live TV and to show the country that the families are not divided like the media are making it to be, The entire Donna family will be there cheering the Yagazies.

Mckenna was prepared Incase she was asked any questions by the press.

She fucking hated it!

Throughout the debate, Mckenna avoided looking at Jackson. And as they were about to leave, they were approached by the press.

"Mrs Ekoh-Yagazie, are you estranged from your father?" 

Mckenna felt her heart sink into her abdomen.

"My father and I are anything but estranged. He is not an emotional man but he took care of me immediately when he found out that I was his daughter. Thank you, Dad" Mckenna answered with a smile at Jackson even when she wanted to throw up.

"If you are in good terms with Mr. Donna, why haven't you been on any family vacation with them?"

Mckenna wanted to yell that it was none of their business.

"Well, you have to know that I am both a Donna and a Yagazie, given that I am married to one….and it's not a secret that these two family don't get along but for me, my father and my mother in law were willing to let bygones be bygones but...I don't want to push my luck by doing everything with the Donna's"

Mckenna answered perfectly again.

"Mr. Donna, what went through your head when you found out that she was your daughter?" 

Jackson wasn't a smiling man and he didn't bother to smile.

"I was shocked and then angry. I had this daughter who grew up without me. I pride myself that I am a family man and I was completely speechless and hurt that I was kept from her. But now, that I know... Mckenna Donna Yagazie is my daughter and so, help me God...I will be the father that she deserves" Jackson answered like he was coached.

It was time for the hug the publicist suggested. Mckenna smiled and hugged him in front of everyone. "Thank you, Daddy" 

She yelled for everyone to hear but when Jackson tried to pull away she held him tighter. "I have your money laundering records, you son of a bitch"

It gave her great joy as Jackson's body tensed up but both of them kept smiling.

Mckenna turned around and walked away. This time around the smile on her face was real. 

Joan Donna was there with Amazing and Max, Mckenna took a minute to thank them for coming.

"Joan" She made her father's wife walk with her.

"I know that what you just did with Jackson was difficult but thanks for doing it, Mckenna" Joan told her with a smile.

Mckenna nodded.

"Joan, I never thanked you for your help when my family was missing but I think I can thank you now, you don't have to worry about the IRS anymore. Jackson is off limits to them for now" 

Joan hugged her without reservation as relief flooded her. Knowing that her twins would have a father in their lives was the biggest gift anyone could give her.

"Thank you, Mckenna"

Mckenna smiled and started to walk away when Joan spoke again.

"He is not the devil, you know" 

Mckenna turned around "You don't have to make excuses for my father, Joan"

"He loves you and he cares about you...he is just having trouble showing it" Joan continued. "After you left his office that day, he called me. He told me to give you the money you needed"

"That is a lie, stop covering for him!" Mckenna told her angrily.

"He said the IRS was after him and if he gave you the money, you might find yourself entangled in the web of his own making. He wanted to keep his children as far away from him as possible. And so, he gave me the code to his safe and had me give you the money. As his wife, the court can't make me testify"

Mckenna exhaled. She hated this news. She hated every news that made Jackson Donna appear like anything other than the monster he was.

"Joan! Joan! Joan!" Mckenna had an exasperated look on her face. "We had a great thing going for us. Why did you have to spoil it? And even if he did that for me, does it mean I have to forgive him for the years he abandoned me?" Mckenna asked her step mother.

"No, of course not. But you can at least cut him some slack...he is trying to know you but he doesn't know how. It is why he showed up at your graduation in Canada without letting you see him or the numerous other things he does for you without your knowledge. Hell! He carries around your baby picture in his wallet and he doesn't even have Amazing or Max's picture there. He is your father and he is trying" 

Joan said and walked out.

"Crap!" Mckenna yelled and threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

When she returned to her family, she was in her head. Jason noticed that.

"Are you alright?" Jason asked her.

"My father is not a monster anymore. It's fucking annoying" Mckenna told him and entered the car.

Jason was confused and curious but he entered the car too and they drove off.

"See what grandpa Jackson gave to me" Kara said and produced a box of children's building blocks.

"It's childish. You hate childish things" Mckenna rolled her eyes and reminded her.

"Not when it's from a grandparent" Kara said with a smile. "Can I keep it?"

"Of course, sweetheart" Jason answered immediately to stop Mckenna from throwing the box out the window.

"Mom?" Kara called her like she was asking for her permission too.

The girl was smart enough to know that McKenna's decision was absolute when it came to Jackson.

"Oh don't mom me! I know you are using that word to bribe me into saying yes!" Mckenna told her.

"Is it working?" Kara asked with a dimmed left eye.

Mckenna exhaled and shook her head. If she said no, she would be the wicked witch of the world.

"Yes, it worked. You can keep the stupid box" she replied at last.

"Grandpa also said I can tag along with Max to the golf club...can I go, mom?" Kara said and flashed her most adorable puppy dog face.

"Kara, let's not push our luck, okay honey?" Jason told her.

"It's alright. She can go" Mckenna asked and Kara jumped on her and hugged her.

"Do you think I will inherit from him too?" Kara asked Mckenna.

Mckenna chuckled and started laughing, Jason joined in too.

"What? He is rich and I am his granddaughter" Kara said it like it was obvious.

Good lord! The girl was after another empire.

*****

Meanwhile….

Naya pointed the gun at Kane. He was dumbfounded. He was even more pissed off because the gun Naya was holding to him was his.

"Naya, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, I just thought we should catch up.. What's new with you?" Naya said like she was talking to an old friend about cheese.