ONE MONTH LATER

Friday, February 18, 2028

Over the next few weeks, Mackynzie was asked out by Jake again. She and Jake have been hanging out a lot lately. Tonight is their first official date since they've been having ice cream and going to the mall with each other over the past month.

Mackynzie has been hanging with Rayne lately, getting to know her half sister. It hasn't been easy for Rayne, so Mackynzie hasn't forced the young teenager for a sister relationship.

Cody has been saving up for the past month for a house for his children. It hasn't been easy to do because he has been working two jobs right now. He has been working for financial management and sales manager. He has been wanting to back to school again.

Bailey has been working at the hospital as a receptionist until she finishes law school to start working at a law firm. She has been studying law for the past few years. She has been working her ass off for the past fifteen years. Being a single mother for the longest time has been hard for her. Now that Cody is around, it's been easier for her.

Zack and Maya are working on their own business. Zack went to business school and Maya went to college to be a physical therapist. They have been living in their seven bedroom and five bathroom home for the past 10 years. Two of their children share a bedroom. Everleigh and Harleigh have been sharing a bedroom for a few years. They didn't mind sharing a room when they were little. Even with their age gap, they still didn't mind it.

Addie has been seeing a boy for the past six months. He has been acting a little weird lately, so Addie has been trying to figure out why he's been acting so weird towards her.

It was five thirty in the evening when Mackynzie started getting ready for her date. She took a shower, blew dried her hair and then started looking for an outfit. She sighs as she was trying to find the perfect outfit.

"Mom!" Mackynzie yells from the top of the stairs.

Bailey puts her book down and looks up to see her daughter standing at the top of the stairs in her robe. "Mack, aren't you supposed be getting ready for your date?" She stood up from the couch and heads up the stairs.

Mackynzie sighs as she runs her fingers through her hair. 'I can't find an outfit for my date. I want to go casual but nothing I'm finding looks good." She says, with a sigh.

Bailey nods, as she walks with her daughter to her bedroom. "Come on, I'll help you." She and Mackynzie head into her bedroom and heads towards to her closet.

"I want you to look nice, so I think I have the perfect outfit for you." Bailey grabs a strapless white shirt and skinny jeans and of course a cute coat. "Would you like that?"

Mackynzie smiles and nods her head. "Yes! It looks really nice. The jeans are ripped, but I think I can work with it."

After changing into the outfit, Mackynzie did her makeup and then straightened her hair. Around 6:30PM, she got a text message from Jake.

Jake; I'm here. I'm going to come up so I can meet your parents this time.

Mackynzie's eyes went wide as she read that.

Shit.

Bailey sees the distress on her daughter's face. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"He's coming up to meet you and Dad! I wasn't expecting that."

Bailey nods her head. "Honey, he just wants to be respectful since this is your official date." She walks her daughter downstairs, where Cody and Micah walked inside the house from seeing a movie together.

"Dad, my date is coming to meet you and Mom. Please don't freak out." Mackynzie pleads.

Cody nods, hugging his daughter. "I promise I won't embarrass you, baby girl. What can I embarrass you with anyway? I only been in your life for the one month."

"Right." Mackynzie sighs out of relief as there was a knock on the door and she walks to the door and opens it.

"Hi Mackenzie." Jake says, with a smile and flowers in his hand.

Mackynzie smiles brightly, as she sees the flowers and lets him come inside. "Jake, I'd like you to meet my parents. My mom, Bailey and my dad, Cody." She says.

Mackynzie hasn't mentioned that they weren't married, so Jake smiles at them.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Martin." Both Cody and Bailey stare at each other in a silent moment. Being shocked with what was said, both start shaking their heads.

"Oh, we're not- we're not married." Bailey mutters, and Jake's eyes widened as he realized what he said. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know. Mackynzie didn't mention that to me." He says, embarrassed.

"Jake, it's alright. We are together though." Bailey says. "Alright, we kept you two here long enough. Go have a nice time."

Mackynzie and Jake both nod and Jake smiles at her as he lets her go first out the door and he shuts the door behind him.

"You look so beautiful tonight, Mackynzie." He says, opening his passenger door and she gets inside the car.

When Jake gets inside the car, she smiles at him. "Thank you. I'm happy to get to know you some more, you know, alone." She says, nervously.

"No need to be nervous. You'll like where I'm taking you." He says, taking her hand into his and kissing it sweetly as he starts driving.

After Mackynzie left with Jake, Bailey puts the flowers in a vase with water and as she's doing that, she felt arms wrap around her waist. "I can't believe she's dating a boy." Cody sighs. Bailey breathes out, knowing he shouldn't be saying that.

"Cody, I don't think you have the right to say that..." Bailey starts to tell him.

Cody groans, taking his hand and ran it through his hair. "I-I know, Bailey. I don't deserve to say these things because I haven't been in her life for the past 15 years. I wish I was there for you, Micah and Mackynzie. I will regret missing 15 years of their lives." He pinches his nose with his fingers.

"You've been through a lot." He looks at her. "Bails, I think we should go to therapy together. What do you think?" He suggests to her.

Bailey takes a deep breath, she wasn't sure if she should, but if they want to have a healthy relationship, she decided that it might help with her anger she has been holding in for the past fifteen years.

"I think I'd give it a try." She says, looking at him.

"Alright. We'll go to therapy and work on this together." Cody tells her, kissing her head.

Meanwhile with Mackynzie and Jake, they arrived at the restaurant and ordered their food and drinks. They began to get to know each other a little bit before Jake had a question he needed answered.

"This might be a sensitive topic for you, but I need to know."

"What?" Mackynzie asks and Jake sighs. "Your parents aren't married, but had you and Micah, why didn't they get married? Haven't they been married for a while now? Or did they split and that's why you have a half sister?" He asked.

Mackynzie's eyes widened in surprise. After taking a minute to collect her thoughts of hurt, heartbreak and overwhelming feelings, she held back tears as she looks out the window.

"My dad told me that he had left everything behind, left his family, friends and my mom after being rejected by Yale, his dream school. He ran off, didn't tell anyone. Shortly after he left, my mom found out she was pregnant with me and Micah. She raised us on her own with the help of his brother and mother." She says quietly, as she held back tears. "A lot of people in the school knew about it, I'm surprised you didn't know."

Jake was surprised by her answer. "I knew he wasn't there. I just thought he was kicked out or something and that's why you have a half sister, I don't know. I tried not listening to the rumors at school because a lot of people spread the weirdest shit."

Mackynzie let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, well, no. I actually have six half siblings. My dad married his ex wife fifteen years ago, who tragically died a month ago. They lived in Riverdale for a while before moving here a month ago."

"Wow. That's rough to know your dad didn't know about you and growing up without him, huh?" Jake says, causing Mackynzie to nod her head.

"Yeah, it is. It's hard getting to know the man who made me, but wasn't there for my whole life until now. He's been trying to have a relationship with us and right now, it's not that easy." She explains to him before eating her food that arrives.

They talk some more, enjoying their first date and by 9:00, Jake pays for the bill and then he drives Mackynzie home.

When they arrive back at Mackynzie's apartment, Jake turns to her and smiles. "I had a good time tonight with you, Mackynzie. I hope we do this again."

"Me too." Mackynzie smiles. Not wanting to scare her away, he just kisses her cheek. "I'd kiss you, but I don't want to rush into things."

Mackynzie nods her head. "I understand. I agree with you, actually." She opens the door after saying goodbye to him and then shut the door.

Cody looks at his daughter and gave a small smile. "Hey sweetie. How was it?" He asked as she was taking her jacket and shoes off.

"It was good, dad. I enjoyed it." She sat down beside him.

Cody smiles at her. "I'm glad you had a good time tonight. I hope he treated you well." He sighs. "Mack, I wanted to see if you would be open to going to therapy with me. I completely understand if you aren't ready or-" He was cut off by Mackynzie nodding her head.

"Actually, I think that's a good idea. I want to have a good relationship with you, dad. I don't want to hold in the hurt forever..." She says.

Cody nods, and Mackynzie stands up. "I'm going to go to bed. We can talk in the morning."

"Alright. Goodnight, love." Mackynzie nods. "Goodnight, dad." Mackynzie heads upstairs to her bedroom. She changes out of her outfit and into her pajamas and then removes her makeup. She brushed her hair before putting it up in a ponytail.

As she was pulling her covers back, she turned around to see her mother standing in her bedroom doorway.

"Hi, Mommy." She gave a tired smile.

"I wanted to say goodnight. We'll talk in the morning, alright?" Bailey smiles.

Mackynzie nods her head as she got into her bed. "Okay."

AN: Hi, so here's chapter eight! :)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Life update: I've been binging Hoarders on Hulu. It's crazy. Lol. Also, been lazy with not calling for closer doctors by me.

I really want to change doctor's and not have my future mother in law keep driving thirty minutes from her house to pick me up and then drive me 40 minutes away.

It's literally not worth so I'm changing so I can Uber to my appointments until my boyfriend can drive me.

I love you guys :)