When A Man Loves A Woman(10)
Shock roared through her. She would definitely have remembered if Sarah had told her this tragic part of Mac’s past. “That’s terrible. I can’t imagine how awful that must have been for you.”
His expression darkened. “I was numb. By the time it happened I was already in the foster care system being shuttled from home to home. It’s because of Frank that Callie and I ended up separated in the first place. He was an abuser…and my mother stood by and let him mistreat us.” Mac let out a sound that would have alarmed her if she hadn’t realized it was tied up in emotional pain.
Delilah felt a sudden urge to lift his spirits up. From the sounds of it, he’d been to hell and back. Having worked with children who had experienced trauma, she knew the way it forever changed a person’s life. No doubt Mac had been shaped by his early life. It was tragic. Yet he’d been given an amazing gift by way of his adoptive family. The rainbow after the storm.
“But you survived it, Mac. And you thrived as a member of the Donahue family. That’s your true gift. Having a place to belong. A home filled with unconditional love.”
Their gazes held and locked. There was a flicker of something in his eyes that flustered her.
“I need to get going.” He stood up abruptly and headed toward the door.
“Wait! Don’t leave. I still have some questions for you that might help in the search.”
He turned back toward her, his expression shuttered. “Thanks for your time, Delilah. I should have known better than to drag you into this.”
Before she could say a word, he was gone. She jumped up from her chair and stood in her office doorway. Mac was nowhere in sight. She let out a ragged breath. His departure had been so abrupt, brought on she believed by horrific memories of his stepfather. Emotional pain that had risen to the surface. She ached for the little boy who had been so terribly abused and thrust into such tragic circumstances.
Her heart was thumping wildly as she sat back down at her desk. She had no idea whether it was due to Mac’s unexpected appearance or the tale he had just told her about his missing sister. It was almost impossible to believe that Callie had disappeared without a trace and that his own family hadn’t been sure of her existence. From what she knew of Maggie and Alec Donahue she had to believe that they had been convinced otherwise. Never in a million years would they have ever done anything to knowingly hurt their child.
On impulse she jumped up from her desk and raced to her office window. Within seconds she caught sight of Mac striding through the parking lot, his movements full of power. He stopped at a large red truck and let himself in, roaring off within seconds.
One thing was clear. She had promised to look into it and get back to him with any information she’d uncovered. It was safe to say that she would be seeing Mac again very soon. And something about that gave her a little thrill.
“Whenever you’re in doubt or you need a shoulder to lean on, there’s always a place for you at home. Our house will always be your home. No matter where you are or how far you roam.”
Alec and Maggie Donahue
Chapter Two
Mac got in his truck and headed straight back to his shop. He was angry at himself for becoming so emotional during the meeting with Delilah. Back when he had first arrived in Cape Cod to live with his family he’d been full of rage and aggression. With time, love, patience and therapy, he’d emerged as a calmer, more focused kid. Ever since then he had utilized techniques to keep his cool even in the most maddening of circumstances. As a result, sometimes people thought he was emotionless. That couldn’t be further from the truth, although he never corrected people. Truth to be told, he felt things much deeper than the average person. He felt the agony of others, so much so that he shied away from painful topics or news stories. Hearing about the horrors of the world was like scraping at an unhealed sore.
It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to squash down his emotions. After a lifetime of putting a lid on them, they were boiling over like an overfilled pot on the stove. He couldn’t seem to rein himself in. No doubt Delilah thought he was over the top. Or off his rocker. He had left her office rather abruptly as memories of the abuse he’d suffered at the hands of his stepfather had threatened to choke him.
Delilah. She had been helpful. And kind. She had promised to look into the situation, although she had warned him about the possibility that the records might not be available. He’d shocked himself by how open he’d been about his past. Something about Delilah’s calm acceptance had made it way easier than he’d ever imagined to bare his soul. And she had listened to every word he said without interruption. She hadn’t made him feel crazy either. Not one little bit.