Mac's Instant Family
MacGyver stood shirtless in front of the full length mirror studying his bruises. Had they faded in the past twenty-four hours? It had been eight days since the thugs had beaten him up. Eight days since Joanna had shared his bed. He remembered waking up early the next morning to find Frog gone and Joanna cuddled against his side, her soft, sleepy breath warm on his bare arm. He marveled at how something so innocent could be so intense and satisfying. He reluctantly forced his thoughts back to the present. After communicating with Leroy on a daily basis, his boss had finally given him clearance to return to work.
Upon arriving at the law offices, the receptionist immediately directed Mac to a small conference room where Leroy was waiting for him. Joanna was there as well, and she smiled brightly at him as he entered the room. Since the incident with Jorge, it seemed as if their remaining defenses had crumbled, allowing them to fall into a safe, comfortable place together. Leroy motioned for him to have a seat next to Jo before sitting across the oblong table from them.
"I have a special assignment for you two," Leroy stated without preamble. "You may or may not be aware that our firm has been representing the wife of a wealthy local businessman in a very high profile and messy divorce battle. They have two children and the custody hearing begins later this week."
"What does that have to do with us?" Mac asked.
"The one thing the two parties can agree on," Leroy continued, "is that the children be kept out of the public eye until a settlement is reached. Normally they would go live with a relative, but their parents are quite paranoid and do not want them unduly influenced by other family members. They've gone so far as to take out several restraining orders against the grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other relations."
At this point, Leroy slid a thick manila folder across the table. MacGyver began to page through its contents and let out a long, low whistle.
"Man, I've been in countries with a smaller population than this."
"In addition, the children are home-schooled year round by their nanny and their parents do not want their schedule interrupted. That's why I've had papers drawn up giving you two emergency temporary custody. Joanna, with your education background, you can continue their lessons. Mac, I'm counting on you for security. Make sure the restraining orders are not broken and that other issues do not arise."
"You mean kidnapping," MacGyver replied matter-of-factly as Joanna whipped her head around to stare at him. "Cases like this are prime opportunities for disgruntled relatives, friends, or colleagues to earn a little ransom money," he explained to her.
"Will the children remain in their own home?" Joanna asked Leroy.
"No," her boss sighed. "You will all be staying in the firm's safe house in a nearby subdivision."
MacGyver's eyebrows rose beneath his shaggy bangs. "You mean you have an honest-to-goodness safe house?" he asked.
Leroy lowered his gaze. "Yes," he replied softly. "And I apologize for not sending you and Jorge there. From now on I will be taking any threats, real or perceived, seriously." He cleared his throat and slid one key towards Mac and another towards Jo. "These are the only two keys to the house. I'll give you the next two days to pack and get settled. The children will arrive the day after tomorrow. Here is a company credit card for food, entertainment, and any other incidentals."
"What about Frog?" Joanna asked.
"Frog is more than welcome to join you. I'm sure he will be a nice diversion for the children," Leroy responded with a smile before turning somber once more. "There is one stipulation, however."
"What kind of stipulation?" MacGyver asked warily.
"The mother demanded that if a couple was granted custody they needed to be married. To set a good example for the kids. So, by the power invested in me by no one in particular, I now pronounce you man and wife." With that, he unceremoniously dropped two rings on the table and made a hasty departure leaving a stunned Mac and Jo staring at the gold bands.
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Twenty-four hours later, MacGyver pulled his Jeep into the driveway of a modest ranch home in the middle of a quiet, suburban neighborhood. Grabbing his well-worn duffle bag from the back seat, he made his way to the front door, Frog at his heels.
"Now mind your manners," he told the dog as he slid his key into the lock.
The door swung inward and Mac walked inside. He was greeted by a large, comfortable-looking living room with an overstuffed sofa, matching chairs, and a large TV. Behind the living room was a spacious, eat-in kitchen with updated appliances. A hallway led to the master bedroom and private bath. Further down the hall was a smaller bedroom with two twin beds, a second bathroom, and a third room which was currently decorated as a den, but had a pull-out sofa to serve as another bedroom if needed. Suddenly, Frog began to scratch frantically at the back door. MacGyver had barely opened it before the bull dog scooted out and relieved himself on the first bush he found. Mac followed his canine companion into the yard. There was a small, cement patio that led to a well-groomed lawn. The area was enclosed by a tall, wooden privacy fence. MacGyver looked up to find flood lights attached to the garage and back of the house. He left Frog to become acquainted with his new surroundings while he hauled some boxes and bags from his Jeep. He had just deposited them in the house when he heard a car pull in the driveway.
Mac leaned against the front door jamb as he watched Joanna exit her vehicle and pull a large suitcase out of the trunk.
"Need any help with that?" he called.
"I've got it," she called back, wrestling with the heavy piece of luggage. Soon she was beside him, the bag at her feet.
"Want me to carry you over the threshold?" Mac asked her, waggling his eyebrows.
Joanna rolled her eyes. "Not necessary," she stated firmly.
"C'mon," he coaxed. "We're supposed to be newlyweds." He grabbed her by the waist and leaned down to nuzzle her neck only to be pushed away.
"Save your energy. No one's watching." They both glanced at the neighboring houses, window shades and blinds pulled, their owners probably at work.
More disappointed than he probably should be, MacGyver reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out the two wedding rings.
"At least put this on," he said, handing the smaller one to Jo as he slipped the wider band on his left ring finger.
"Feel weird?" she asked him.
"Not weird. Just…different," he smiled crookedly
It had been quickly decided that Jo would occupy the master suite while Mac slept on the pull-out bed in the den. Once Joanna had unpacked, the couple visited the nearest grocery store to stock up on various and kid-friendly food. It was early evening before they had a chance to relax, sitting next to each other on the sofa.
"Do you really think someone will try and abduct the children?" Joanna asked, breaking the comfortable silence that hung in the room.
"Hard to say," MacGyver shrugged. "I'd like to think not, but it's better to be safe than sorry."
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The following morning Joanna stood on the front lawn of the safe house, mouth dry, hands sweaty, and stomach queasy. The children were due to arrive any minute. She was used to dealing with kids in a structured learning environment, but knew precious little on the care and feeding of said kids outside the classroom. MacGyver stood next to her looking totally unfazed while Frog whined pitifully from his temporary confinement in the back yard.
A few moments later a dark sedan stopped by the curb and parked. An aide Joanna recognized from the office got out, opened the back door, and encouraged the occupants to step out. A ten-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl hesitantly emerged from the vehicle. The aide took their hands and led them to the adults who would be caring for them.
"Jeremy and Sarah Crandell, this is Mr. and Mrs. MacGyver. You'll be staying with them for a few days," the aide said by way of introduction.
Jeremy had light brown hair and chocolate eyes. He stood with his arms crossed in front of him, a sullen look on his face.
Sarah, on the other hand, had long blonde hair held back by a headband and bright blue eyes. Her lower lip was sticking out in a pout, a well-loved doll grasped in her hands.
"Hi guys!" MacGyver greeted them cheerfully. "You can call us Mac and Jo."
"Kinda like mac and cheese," the little girl responded softly. Her brother grunted his disgust at her statement, but the adults laughed.
"Yeah, kinda like that," Jo told the girl with a friendly smile.
"What do ya say we get you settled, and then I have a special friend for you to meet," Mac said as he pulled their luggage from the trunk of the car.
The brother and sister did not respond, but Jo could feel the anger seething in Jeremy and the fear overwhelming poor Sarah. This was not going to be an easy assignment.
Thankfully, Frog proved to be the diversion the children needed. Once they had unpacked and put away their belongings the dog came charging into the house, eager to greet his new friends. Sarah fell into a fit of the giggles as the bull dog slobbered doggie kisses on her check. Even Jeremy lost his sullenness as Frog made sure to give the boy equal attention. Joanna felt herself relax for the first time since she had laid eyes on her new charges.
"Looks like they're gonna be fine," Mac observed quietly, casually draping his arm around Joanna's shoulder as they stood watching the playful encounter.
"I hope so," Jo sighed, leaning into him. "I can't imagine what they must be going through."
"I know," MacGyver replied. "But we can try and take their minds off it for the next few days at least."
Joanna stood looking out the kitchen window as Mac, the kids, and Frog romped in the backyard. MacGyver had had the foresight to arm himself with various sports equipment, including baseball gloves and bats. A simple game of catch between him and Jeremy had turned into an all-out melee when Sarah and Frog joined in. Currently, Mac was pinned to the ground laughing with Sarah sitting on his legs, Jeremy holding down his arms, and the dog barking happily, his stubby tail wagging joyfully.
Jo marveled at how easily the kids had taken to Mac, and him to them. He deserved his own family, his own children, not a make-believe wife and temporary offspring. Sobering, she turned back to the kitchen table where she had laid out the homeschooling books and materials. She needed to figure this out fast since she wanted to start the children's lessons tomorrow. Suddenly the back door burst open.
"Don't forget to wash up!" Mac yelled as small feet pounded down the hallway. "How's it going?" he asked, turning towards Joanna.
Jo glanced at her watch. "How did it get so late?" she groaned from behind a pile of textbooks.
"Kinda overwhelmed, hey?"
"You can say that again," Jo replied. "This curriculum is more rigorous than what we taught at Challengers!"
"It can't be that bad." Mac pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Oh yeah?" she challenged, handing him Jeremy's science assignments.
"They're learning this in fifth grade these days?"
"Yep!" Jo replied succinctly.
"Man," MacGyver murmured as he flipped through the papers. "Tell you what, I'll take care of the math and science and you can do English and social studies. Would that help?"
"That would be wonderful!" she exclaimed. "It will also help break up the monotony. I'm sure they don't want to hear my voice all day long."
"They don't know what they're missing." Mac stood up and kissed the top of her head just before the subjects of their conversation appeared in the doorway.
"We're hungry," brother and sister announced in unison.
Soon the little family was busily preparing the first supper they would share together. Joanna cooked spaghetti noodles and sauce while Sarah helped Mac put a salad together. Jeremy was tasked with setting the table. The meal passed quickly with Sarah and Jeremy regaling Jo and Mac with stories of their home, school, and friends between bites of pasta. Joanna could not believe these were the same kids she had met less than twelve hours ago. Before she knew it, the meal was over, the kids were in the living room arguing over which TV show to watch, and she was handing freshly washed dishes to MacGyver to wipe dry and put away.
"Okay, time to get ready for bed," Joanna announced a couple hours later, taking the remote from Jeremy and clicking off the TV. To her amazement, both children got up and quietly went about what she assumed was their normal nightly routine. It wasn't long until they were each tucked into one of the twin beds and bidding Jo and Mac goodnight.
"Where's Frog?" Sarah asked drowsily.
"Yeah! Can he sleep with us?" Jeremy added.
Joanna looked to MacGyver who shrugged. "Why don't we let him decide?" Mac called the dog's name and Frog eagerly ambled toward him.
"Hey Frog, wanna sleep with us tonight?" Jeremy called from his bed.
The pooch looked up soulfully at Mac and then Jo before waddling into the middle of the room, turning himself in a circle before plopping down with a sigh.
"Well, I guess that's your answer," MacGyver declared, pulling the door only half-way closed so they could hear if the children needed them during the night. He then put a hand on Jo's back and guided her down the hall.
"I don't know about you, but I'm beat," Mac said quietly. "I think I'm gonna call it a night." He bent down and kissed Jo on the cheek before heading to the den.
Joanna was exhausted as well, but still too wired to sleep. She changed into her pajamas, climbed into bed and leaned against a pile of pillows while opening a brand new novel. She was just about to start the third chapter when something caught her eye. She looked up to find Sarah standing in the bedroom doorway.
"What's wrong, honey? Can't get to sleep?" Jo asked, setting her book aside.
"Where's Mac?" the young girl asked softly.
"He's sleeping in the den."
"Did you have a fight?"
"Of course not," Jo replied. "Why do you ask?"
The child looked near tears so Joanna motioned for Sarah to join her on the bed.
"When Mommy and Daddy fight, Daddy has to sleep on the sofa. That makes him mad."
Jo sighed. "Mac and I didn't have a fight and no one is mad." Here she hesitated. She didn't want to lie to the girl, but she also wanted to put her at ease. "Mac has to get up very early. He's sleeping in the den so he doesn't wake me up."
"So you still love each other?" Sarah's voice quivered with unshed tears.
"Of course we do," Joanna assured her, the line between fact and fiction suddenly blurring.
"Then why don't you let him sleep here?"
Never in her wildest dreams had Joanna ever imagined having a conversation like this, particularly with a seven-year-old.
"I'll make you a deal," Jo offered. "If Mac sleeps in here do you promise to go back and sleep in your own bed?"
The little girl's frown turned to a smile and she nodded happily.
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MacGyver veritably flew across the desert sands on the back of his trusty steed. Each stride took them further from their would-be captors. The relentless sun burned his face and the hot wind whistled in his ears, but he was free. Finally free! Suddenly he heard a faraway voice calling out to him: "Mac, help me! Mac, I need you!" No. He would not, could not, go back. Just as he urged his mount to go even faster, the horse stopped dead in his tracks and reared, tossing MacGyver onto the desert floor before galloping away.
Mac bolted upright, sweat beading on his forehead.
"I didn't mean to startle you," the familiar voice from his dream said.
He shook his head to clear away the last visage of his dream before reaching out to turn on a nearby lamp only to find Joanna standing next to his bed.
"Bad dream?" she asked.
"No, just…nothing." It was then he saw the look of desperation in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked anxiously.
"I need you, Mac. Will you sleep with me tonight?"
Either he was still dreaming or he hadn't heard her correctly. He discreetly pinched himself on the arm. Ouch!
"What did you say?" he asked for clarification.
"Will you sleep with me tonight?"
Okay, he had heard her correctly, but had he misunderstood? She apparently noticed the confusion on his face as she went on to explain.
"Sarah's upset because we're sleeping in separate rooms. She thinks we had a fight like her parents. The only way she'll go back to bed is if you come and sleep with me."
"Oh…um…sure," he agreed groggily, following her to the master bedroom, totally unaware of the little blonde head peeking around the door frame.
The following morning MacGyver awoke to an empty bed and the sound of muted voices coming from the kitchen.
"Good morning," he greeted his so-called family who were all shoveling various types of cereal into their mouths. He sat down at the table and fixed a bowl for himself.
"Okay guys, go get dressed so we can start your lessons," Joanna directed.
The children moaned their displeasure.
"The sooner you get your school work done, the sooner you can go outside and play with Frog," she reasoned.
MacGyver chuckled as the brother and sister scurried from the room. "Resorting to bribery already?"
"Whatever works," Joanna shrugged.
With both adults teaching, Sarah and Jeremy finished their lessons in half the time and hurried out the backdoor followed closely by Frog and MacGyver who produced a soccer ball for them to play with. The foursome was chasing the ball around the yard when Joanna called from the doorway.
"Mac, telephone!"
MacGyver jogged across the grass and into the house. "Hello?" he answered, breathlessly.
"Hi Mac, this is Leroy. I just wanted to give you an update on the custody hearing."
MacGyver listened carefully before thanking the lawyer for the information and disconnecting the call. He could feel Joanna's eyes boring into his back, waiting for a full report.
"That was Leroy," Mac began. "Looks like the hearing is going to last longer than anticipated. We may have the kids all next week."
"Should we tell them?"
MacGyver ran his hand over his face. "Naw, not yet. Let's see how things go. Maybe it will wrap up sooner than expected."
Returning outside, Mac noticed the gate standing open. The gate that always stayed closed. A shiver ran up his spine as he quickly scanned the yard and found Sarah cuddling Frog but no Jeremy.
"Sarah," Mac called. "Where's your brother?"
The little girl turned towards him. "He said he was going in the house for a drink of water."
Aw man, the boy must have overheard him and Jo talking about the hearing and took off. At least that's what Mac hoped had happened because he did not want to even consider the alternative. MacGyver ran out of the yard and to the street. He looked up and down and called Jeremy's name, but the neighborhood was deserted.
"Wouldn't Frog have alerted if there had been a stranger nearby?" Joanna asked after Mac had told her what he just discovered.
"I would assume so," MacGyver answered her. "That's why I think Jeremy just got upset and ran away. He's probably trying to avoid being seen by cutting through neighboring yards. Go in the laundry hamper and bring me a piece of his clothes, something he wore recently," Mac instructed Jo as he reached for Frog's leash.
"Maybe we should call the police," Jo suggested. "Or Leroy."
"Normally I'd agree with you, but we need to keep these kids off the radar as long as we can. Give me a chance to find him first."
Back in the yard, Sarah clung tightly to Joanna as Jo tried to soothe the whimpering girl. MacGyver clipped Frog's lead to his collar and shoved one of Jeremy's soiled shirts under the dog's nose.
"C'mon boy, let's go find your friend!" Within seconds, Frog was tugging his way out the gate and gaining speed even as he kept his nose to the ground.
Weaving up and down driveways and in and out of yards, Frog continued his pursuit. Even though it was the weekend, houses remained closed tight. Good because no one saw Mac and Frog trespassing, bad because no one could see a lost little boy. With each passing minute, MacGyver became more inclined to return to the house and call in some back up. Suddenly, the bull dog pulled Mac to a large tree and stopped.
"All right, do your business," Mac told him as he finally made the decision to call off his one man search and report the incident.
Frog lowered his butt to the ground, looked up at his master and whined. MacGyver tugged at his leash, but the dog wouldn't budge. Soon his whining turned into full-fledged barking, something he didn't do very often. All of Mac's senses sprang to life.
"What is it?" he asked the dog. "Is Jeremy here?"
MacGyver made a full circle scan of their surroundings. Nothing. So much for Frog's tracking skills. Just as he was about to drag Frog away, a rustling noise and whimper came from above. Looking up through the branches of the old elm tree, Mac thought he spied a white athletic shoe.
"Jeremy!" he called. "Are you up there, Jeremy?"
"Leave me alone!" came the angrily mumbled reply.
"You know I can't do that. Come down and let's go home."
"That's not my home!" the boy shouted, but Mac could hear the tears in his voice.
"I know, but you need to come down. Then we'll talk about it."
"I can't," Jeremy said meekly. "I'm stuck."
"All right," MacGyver sighed. "Sit tight. I'm comin' up."
Mac dropped Frog's leash, certain the canine would not abandon them. He then searched for foot and hand-holds on the tree trunk to use before lifting himself onto a low but sturdy branch. Twigs and leaves poked and scraped his face and forearms as he carefully made his way up to the boy. There was nothing physically impeding Jeremy's descent, so MacGyver figured he was simply too afraid to climb back down. MacGyver gently guided the boy until they were both on firm ground.
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"They're back! They're back!" Sarah called as she hurtled through the front door before Joanna could stop her. The girl raced to her brother, threw her arms around his waist and hung on tight. Jo smiled when Jeremy returned his sister's hug, Frog prancing merrily around the duo.
"It looks like you went ten rounds with the neighbor's cat…and lost," Jo observed as MacGyver walked past her into the house.
"More like the neighbor's tree," Mac mumbled. "Come on, Jeremy, let's get cleaned up."
Joanna headed to the kitchen to start dinner just as the phone rang.
"This is Leroy, I have some news," her boss informed her as a greeting.
"What's going on?"
"The Crandells' lawyers have been working all weekend to work out a custody agreement. They're presenting it to the judge tomorrow. I need you and MacGyver to bring the children to the court house first thing in the morning."
"Sounds good, sir. We'll be there," Jo replied before disconnecting the call.
"Who was that?" Mac asked as he walked into the kitchen, his cuts and scrapes a bit less obvious since he washed up.
"Leroy. He thinks there will be a decision tomorrow. We all need to be there."
"Are we going to see Mommy and Daddy tomorrow?" Sarah asked excitedly upon overhearing the conversation.
"It sounds that way," Joanna answered encouragingly. "Now let's all have supper and get a good night's sleep. We have a big day ahead of us."
Hours later, after the children had gone to bed, Mac and Joanna once again sat side-by-side on the living room sofa, their stocking feet resting on the coffee table. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
"So, who do you think is going to get custody?" MacGyver asked softly.
Joanna shrugged. "In most cases the courts tend to side with the mother."
"It's not fair," Mac grunted.
"I know it's not, but that's the way it is," Jo agreed sadly. MacGyver put his arm around her shoulders and she rested her head on his chest.
"Do you want kids?" she asked softly.
"I already have one."
"I mean besides Sam. I've been watching you with Sarah and Jeremy. You're a natural dad."
"There's only one problem," Mac replied.
"What's that?"
"Next time around…if there is a next time…I wanna do things in the right order. Wife first, kids second."
"You're a good man, MacGyver. It'll happen," Jo promised as she wrapped her arm around his waist.
Joanna didn't know how long they sat that way, nestled together yet each deep in their own thoughts with only the approaching storm to indicate the passage of time. Suddenly a bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky followed closely by a thunderous boom. Jo instinctively closed her eyes and hunched her shoulders at the sudden noise. When she looked up, it was to find two children standing on the other side of the coffee table, eyes wide with fright.
"Can we sleep with you in the big bed?" Sarah asked, her lip quivering and a tear running down her cheek. Her brother was silent but remained next to her.
"The storm will pass soon," Joanna informed them, moving away from MacGyver. "Why don't you sit here with us until it does?"
The little girl quickly snuggled between the two adults while the boy took his time settling next to Mac.
True to Jo's predication, the storm blew through quickly, yet the children remained even as their eyelids grew heavy. Joanna caught MacGyver's eye and gave him a knowing look.
"Hey, what do you say we make tonight an adventure and camp out here in the living room?" he asked.
His question was met with tired cheers and soon the furniture had been rearranged and blankets and pillows littered the floor. Sarah once again positioned herself between Mac and Jo while Jeremy lay at their feet, Frog by his side.
Monday morning, Joanna awoke to find herself alone in the room. She pushed herself off the floor and followed muffled giggles to the kitchen where she found MacGyver and the kids making pancakes.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Mac greeted her, majestically waving a spatula in the air.
"Good morning," she laughed. "I see you had to one-up me. I feed them cereal and you make us pancakes," she teased, hoping to delay the tension she knew the day would bring.
Once sated with Mac's delicious breakfast, everyone went to dress and make themselves look as presentable as possible. When the children passed inspection, Joanna went to check on MacGyver. She found him frowning at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.
"Have a seat," she motioned to the toilet. "I think I have just the thing for those scrapes."
Joanna reached for her make-up bag and in no time was dabbing beige concealer on the offending scratches. Mac had initially resisted, but they both new it was best to hide the scratches if they wanted to avoid questions from Leroy and the others.
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MacGyver sat on a hard wooden bench just outside the courtroom staring at the floor. Sarah was on his right, playing with her doll, while Jeremy was on his left, leafing through a book about dinosaurs. He looked up when the large, ornate door opened and Joanna stepped through. Her smile did not reach her eyes and Mac knew it was for the benefit of the children. He rose and approached her.
"How's it going in there?" he asked as Jo led them off into a corner for privacy.
"It's horrible," she sighed. "Instead of arguing over who wants the children, they're arguing about why they don't want them."
"That's ridiculous!" Mac exclaimed in a hushed tone. "I thought you said the lawyers had everything worked out?"
"They thought they did too, but as soon as Mr. and Mrs. Crandell saw each other everything fell apart."
"So we're back to square one?"
"Hopefully not. The judge said he wants this settled today. Would you mind looking after the kids while I go back in there?"
MacGyver shook his head sadly as he watched Joanna disappear back into the courtroom. Who could not want these two great kids in their lives?
The day dragged on and the children became restless. He took them to the cafeteria for lunch and then they all walked to a nearby park to work off some of their energy. They had just resumed their positions on the bench when the courtroom door opened and Mrs. Crandell emerged, tears in her eyes, while Mr. Crandell followed stoically behind her.
"My darlings," Mrs. Crandall greeted them, arms opened wide. "The judge ruled in my favor. You both get to come live with me!"
Sarah quickly went to embrace her mother while Jeremy, as usual, hung back.
"What about Dad?" the boy asked.
Mr. Crandell cleared his throat. "The judge granted me very generous visitation rights. You'll be able to see me anytime you wish."
After asking and answering a few more questions, the fractured family turned to leave.
"Well, you called it," MacGyver conceded to Joanna. "The judge ruled in favor of the mother."
Jo caught Mac off guard when she produced the most unladylike snort.
"What?" he asked.
"It wasn't the judge who made the decision, it was the nanny!" she all but bellowed. "The nanny said that if Mr. Crandell got custody she would quit, and of course they can't have that. I mean, after all, who would actually raise their children? Certainly not them!"
Joanna swallowed the rest of her words as Leroy joined them.
"Congratulations on the victory," Mac offered.
"There are no victories in cases like these, MacGyver," the lawyer replied solemnly. "Only bad decisions and worse decisions."
The trio walked to a nearby window to watch Sarah and Jeremy hug their dad good-bye before crawling into the backseat of their mother's car.
"No victories at all," he repeated quietly.