04: Improvised Stage

Evermore didn't know what to expect.

"You may all know me already, but I am Zac Kalona. I am the guy who's lucky enough to be marrying into the Harkness family. See, like... 99% of you all, I really didn't notice the Harkness kid. Ever never really kept him hidden. We all knew... just never noticed. See when I was told I had to speak today, it felt hard to find the words to say. It's easy, I can tell you all how much I love her and how happy I am to marry her and you would believe me."

She - like everyone else - wondered where he was going with this.

"But I want to tell you about when I first realised I was in love with her. We weren't together seriously at the time, and we were a secret from the world. I didn't care I was with a woman who is my everything. It was a Thursday, we were sorting out paperwork when I saw Jo bring in this kid. He was annoyed, angry, confused and also hungry. Ever stopped her work, silenced all the calls in the room and hugged him. She went home with him, didn't show up the next day. Now, the office scrammed to find out where she was and Jo asked me to see if she was ill at home. I turn up, and the door opens."

Machi furrowed his brows, shocked it was that day of all days.

"The kid takes one look in my eyes and yells "Mom, your boyfriend is here". Now we both deny it like hell, saying we are just friends. Ever questions why he said that, but he just turns around, goes back inside and I don't see him for weeks. I lied, told the office Ever needed a personal day since she and her son came down with a cold. I bought her two days. Few weeks later, I decide to surprise my hardworking girlfriend and decide to take her on a nice walk at night. She's not home. But the same kid from a few weeks ago opens the door. "She's not home." He tells me."

Machi knew that was a very common phrase between him and Zac but he listened to the story to see his side of it.

"You can try and call Jo to ask when she plans to sleep. I shook my head and looked at him properly for the first time and the words left before I could even process them in my mind. "You have her eyes." Strange, yes, but they left me. He stares at me and nods. "Probably the nicest thing someone has ever said to me." And I am left there, shocked. "Most people look at me then look at my wrist and ask, "how am I her son?" or "you are a level 2 you can't be her son."" Takes me a second to find the words but there are none. Anyone want to guess what I did next?"

People yelled out "LEFT" but Machi raised his hand and was handed the microphone. "Kiddo?"

"You ask if he wants to eat the takeaway initially for your late night date, he says yes, and invites you in, just in time for the rain to start pouring." Rocco looked to his best friend and nodded in respect before eating another lobster tail.

"That's what I did. Jo, Anne, Kai, no faith." Everyone chuckled and while Lady Harkness showed no signs of crying, she was enjoying this every moment. "I had to stay the night. The next morning I woke and see a pile of clothes for me at the foot of my bed. Turns out ever since he figured us out, he was making sure there was something for me to change into."

Machi smiled and nodded and Ever looked to the pair and sighed.

"I make breakfast as normal, and I instinctively made it for 3. So he turns and tells me that there's a bag on the cabinet by the door, with a change of clothes for her he leaves. "...never could take it to her but she always knew to take it with her. She forgot yesterday so she needs a change of clothes since its a new day.""

He took a pause and then looked to Ever and smiled. "I saw a new side to her life. Not really, she never hid it. But when sitting on the train with a bag containing a suit and a box with breakfast from a home I was welcomed in without question, made me see... made me realise that I'm probably moving in with them. I'm making breakfast more often and that every morning, not only would I have and be with the woman I love, but her son who I have come to love as my own. I know I can't replace your father kiddo, you're not my blood I didn't raise you, and you're old enough to choose if you want that from me, but know that I'll be here for you, and I'm not going anywhere."

A loud round of applause filled the venue and Zac sat down and smiled to Ever and she smiled but no tears. "No tears."

"Is that all that matters?" She huffed. Everyone nodded and she sighed and looked to her right and was a space where Machi sat. Rocco was also missing.

"Ah the feedback. Who is that?" Wendy moaned and Zac looked and laughed.

"Oh, that actually makes a sound." Evermore was shocked seeing her son willing to speak. But she laughed at Rocco at the other end holding up cards. "Thanks mate, don't need the cards."

But then he held up one saying Round 2 : Machi version and she internally cried.

Clearing his throat, he looked to everyone who waited for him to speak. "Well I better introduce thyself. Yes, I am the son to our leader, and no I will not say I am lucky to be her son. I will get onto that in my improvised stage today." Zac chuckled and Rocco was now on PowerPoint. "Ok to be clear Rocco ain't my assistant, he's volunteering to help me win a bet cause I bought him here and gave him lobster rolls ANYWAYS..." everyone laughed and Rocco confirmed and nodded.

"To all the adults who aren't drunk thanks for listening. To those who are... you'll be able to collect your car keys when my mom goes back to work none of you are driving. Ok, anxiety really helping make the crowd laugh... where to begin..."

He obviously was trying his best to say something and looked to his mother who smiled and nodded. "I'm a level 2. A rank that most people are at but unlike them, I have been this ghastly shade of pink my entire life. I said it. The shade is horrible to look at for most of your life. My mother, who's a black band 5.5... well obviously people thought I had potential. My mother however, even if the C's in school pained her, she was never upset. Everyone dreams of being the child of the leader-- Nope no, she has no children. Lady Harkness isn't a mother. Evermore is, the kind woman who feels guilty about missing things her child doesn't partake in is a mother, but the ruler of this City... she isn't. She can't be a mother just like my mother can't be a leader. My mom chose between the two a lot. Chose this nation over me a lot. Bratty me hated her for just not being there. Bratty me was 12 year old me by the way."

He smiled and ruffled his hair. "Some days... I just want my mom though. I only grew up with one parent who else was I supposed to yearn for? But I didn't say anything. Pretended that all was fine because if the nation was safe, perhaps I could have my mother for a few hours. As a kid, I saw posts about me being portrayed as a rich spoiled home schooled brat. Great. Except I'm not rich. I never asked for much. I was tutored to make my mom's life easier. The first time I was with my mother as her being my mother... was the last time I ever went out with her. To everyone Lady Harkness is that 24/7."

"The next part is going to be a dig on me." Zac whispered.

"How?"

"Enter Sir Isaac Rufus Kalona."

"That's never going down is it?" He asked.

"I'd make shirts." Machi laughed.

"In all honesty, did I like Zac when I met him? He was alright. Never actively socialised with him. Wondered how the relationship worked when my mom was married to work. You heard what Zac said, didn't make mom cry though and I am not even done and tears are flowing. Then again she was already emotional from the moment she realised her son was going to say something."

"My mother to me while I was growing up was my mother, my father, my hero, a leader, a warrior and more. So when Zac came along into her life, yeah I was hesitant. What could he do for me my mom couldn't already do? We were a complete family. He wasn't needed - again - bratty me so..." he turned to Zac and placed his finger on his lips and he laughed. "I'm not saying anything."

"Shh." Everyone hushed him and Machi chuckled.

Machi looked to Rocco who changed the slide. "He didn't bring anything. As the time passed, and I noticed that my mom and him were serious, my mom asked what they'd do about living together. It was funny how quick he was to suggest he move in. When does moving count as moving in however because before they suggested that I had counted 5 consecutive weeks Zac was staying at ours. What I was used to changed. Then he gets called for a double S rank mission the one that made the news a while back. Yeah... that wasn't fun. Because I got used to waking and seeing him, the day he left - even temporary - didn't feel ok."

Zac and Ever never really realised how that mission affected Machi. "I wasn't there at the ceremony where they announced they were together. I saw it on TV and ladies and gents and kids and drunks, they were never supposed to announce they were together unless Zac proposed. So yeah, my mom let her emotions get the better of her and now everyone was obsessed with the couple."

Machi went silent and recalled another memory.

"Let's be real my mother only really has me consistently. So imagine, waking up to a nice breakfast but also a card saying "can I propose to your mom". Yeah, Zac sought my permission and I was half asleep. A few hours later he sat me down, handed me the card again, and that's when I knew it. He cares about what I want. I grilled him until I got him to admit it. "I'm marrying your mother Machi, I care about what her son thinks and if he likes me". He won me over when he arrived alive and took me to sundaes on the same day.

He didn't say, "I'm going to be your father". That's what earned my respect for him. Because my father is dead. Died a hero I never met him. Didn't know what a father was supposed to be like. The family I 100% thought was complete suddenly felt whole and warmer when Zac proposed. My mom was finally happy that's what the world cared about. What the world doesn't know, is that my mom turned to me, and asked if it was ok. 15 minutes of me explaining that we cool and that she deserves to be happy with the one she loves and then boom, they're engaged."

Machi was beginning to end his speech and didn't notice that Evermore was crying a lot and Zac was close to breaking.

"And yeah, maybe our family was complete before Zac arrived but as someone in the family, I'm glad he's marrying my mother. I consider you a father figure and I don't show it but I do want you to be in my life for as long as possible. You complete my mom... gave her a smile and laugh she's never shown before, a happiness only possible because you're in her life and you are accepting a family that seemed complete... that now is whole."

Rocco began to clap and everyone followed, Jo eyeing Machi. The Harkness son turned around and winced at the sight. "Who stepped on your toe?"

"You're horrible." Ever chuckled as she wiped her tears away. He looked to Rocco who shrugged before heading to him and the pair made jazz hands.

Jo shook her head and confusion rang through the crowd. "What is going on?"

"I can do 5 days." She said to Machi.

"The bet was if you cried, Jo would give you a week off for the honeymoon you didn't plan." Rocco smiled.