Mackenzie Allen was surveying the crowd gathered in the Courtyard when she felt familiar arms embrace her from behind.
"Can you believe this, Carl?" she asked, smiling and squeezing the hands clasped in front of her. "Kindergarten graduation…"
"High school graduation…" he added.
"College…"
"And now…"
"Law school," they said in unison, giggling at how inseparable they had been all these years.
"How am I going to survive without you if you decide not to come back to Hartford? Have you decided, by the way?"
"No," she sighed. "You know I'd be the last person to admit that I'm letting a silly boy get to me, but…" She paused, looking down and shaking her head. "I just can't help it. I really don't want to leave him. What if I lose him?"
Carl had rarely seen Mackenzie exude such emotion. She was one of the strongest people he'd ever known, so he could tell that she was really torn. "Mac, Hartford isn't that far away," he consoled, giving her an extra tight squeeze. "What did Rod have to say about you leaving anyway?"
"Nothing, he doesn't know about the job."
Carl unlocked himself. She turned to face him, knowing what he was going to say. "I'm being ridiculous. I know."
"Yes, you are," he confirmed. "You know as well as I do that he would be furious if he knew you were even considering turning down this job. It's the DA's office, Mac; a foot in the door for you. And it's exactly the job you were wanting. You know that, I know that, and he knows that." Carl paused for a moment, then took her hands and looked her directly in the eyes. "Mac, Rod lights a fire under you like no one else. There's no way he would let you walk away from this opportunity. And there's no way he would walk away from you for taking it. Talk to him."
"Thank you," she said softly.
Over Mackenzie's shoulder, Carl could see Rod approaching. "No time like the present," he said, signaling her to turn around.
She spotted Rod, then turned back to Carl and smiled, "Are we still on for studying tomorrow night?"
"Absolutely," he replied.
One last hug and Mackenzie turned her attention to Rod.
(Note: It has been brought to my attention that there's some confusion here as to why Mac and Carl would be studying since they already graduated. And to clarify that, they will be studying for the bar exam to be taken at the end of the summer.)
"Congratulations, Madam Graduate." He held her face and planted a playful kiss on her forehead. Then, offering his arm, "Your fan club is waiting." He pointed to the far end of the Courtyard where Mackenzie could barely see the top of her father's sleek silver head above the crowd.
"Let's walk slowly," she said hesitantly. "We need to talk."
"Okay. What's wrong?"
She could tell by the worried sincerity in his voice and the sudden tightening of the muscles in his arm that she had rattled him. "Nothing's wrong," she assured him. "I got a job offer a couple of weeks ago."
Rod stopped, still holding Mackenzie's arm, forcing her to stop as well. "What do you mean 'a couple of weeks ago'? That's big news, Mac. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was…confused. The job is with the District Attorney's office in Hartford. I wasn't sure I could bring myself to leave you."
"Oh, Mac," he sighed, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. "You're taking this job. No further discussion. I don't care if I have to drive to Hartford every day to satisfy your undeniable need to be with me." Mackenzie rolled her eyes and smiled at his teasing. That is exactly, or almost exactly, what she had expected him to say. Carl was right: no one supported her more than Rod did. He believed she could do anything, and she had come to depend heavily on his confidence.
"So, is it safe to assume that your parents don't know about this either?" Rod asked.
"Yes…or no…Yes, it's safe to assume that, no, they don't know."
Then, offering his arm once again, they continued to make their way towards the spot where both Mackenzie and Rod's families had gathered. Kate was the first to grab Mac when she arrived. She hugged her daughter fervently, whispering, "I am so proud of you, sweetheart. I love you so much."
Mackenzie kissed her mother's cheek. "I love you too, Mom. I deserve cookies for this; lots and lots of cookies. You know that, right?"
"Oh, yes, absolutely," Kate nodded seriously. Cookies meant conversation, and that had always been what kept the two of them close.
Her father stood next in line with open arms. He hugged her heartily and, like her mother, whispered in her ear, "I love you, little girl."
He was followed by Stephen, Meagan, Matthew, and, finally, Sarah Calloway, who managed to muster up the decency for a quick and unaffectionate squeeze of the shoulders. "James and Bryan send their congratulations," Stephen said. "They're sorry they couldn't be here."
"Oh," Mackenzie smiled, "it was sweet of them to even think of me. You'll have to thank them for me."
"I will…later. Right now, we all have 6 o'clock dinner reservations, my treat. Kate and Michael, you can ride with Rod and Mackenzie. And Rod," he continued, handing him a small note card, "meet us here."
Rod took the card, read it, and laughed. "Okay."
6 o'clock on the dot:
Rod pulled into his father's driveway.
"These are our dinner reservations?" Mac questioned.
"That's what the card said." Both Michael and Rod exited the car and opened the ladies' doors like true gentlemen.
Stephen's car was already in the garage and they could hear commotion in the backyard, so they headed that way. Mackenzie was first through the gate. "Oh my…" she gasped. Torches lined the walkway that wound through the yard and lanterns hung from tree limbs while candles and flower petals floated in the pool. And there were James and Bryan Calloway, standing over a giant grill. "So this is what you were busy doing…cooking."
"Well," James replied, "we're not quite as good as Dad at this, but the surprise worked out better this way."
Bryan added, "We just hope the food's okay."
"It'll be perfect," Mac exclaimed, hugging the both of them before running off to give another round of hugs to the rest of the family.
"Michael," Stephen called from the back door, "I've got a couple of ice chests in the garage. Would you mind lending me some of that military muscle?"
"When duty calls…" he joked in return, following Stephen to the garage. When they were alone, he continued, "Thank you for doing this. It's really nice of you to go to all the trouble."
"Oh, it's no trouble. You've got a great girl there. And she means the world to Rod, which means she means the world to us. And we realize that you guys don't live in town, so it seemed like a good way to celebrate and spend some time together."
By the time the men returned to the patio, the table was set and everyone was ready to eat. "Dad," Mackenzie said suggestively, stepping between them and grabbing their hands. She loved to hear her father pray. No voice could bring her soul closer to Heaven than his could.
The rest of the group followed suit, holding hands and bowing heads. "Loving Father, we thank You for this food and for all Your many blessings. Lord, come be our guest at this table, and as this food feeds our bodies, we pray that You would nourish our souls. And, Lord, we thank You for friendship and family in a world where so many walk alone. With Your peace in our hearts and Your love in our lives, we ask that You continue to guide us and direct us all our days. Amen."
"Amen."
Over dinner, Mackenzie told everyone the news about her job offer. They were all excited and congratulations were again in the air, though not for the final time that evening as they would soon find out.
Rod didn't utter more than five words through the course of the meal. Rather, he spent the time just watching Mac and thinking. She was beautiful, so beautiful, and brilliant, and kind. He'd never met anyone in his life with a bigger heart than she possessed. He watched her laugh and joke with his family. They got along so well. And physically, she fit perfectly by his side, and in his arms, almost like they were created only for one another. In his eyes, she was perfect, and his heart told him she was all his eyes ever needed to see.
It was getting late, dinner had long since been polished off and conversation was beginning to slow. Michael and Kate rose and began to say their goodbyes, when Rod stood and interrupted, "Before you go, sir, could I ask you something?" His heart began to pound, but his adrenaline rushed. "I want you to know that I love your daughter. I love her more than I could ever possibly relate to you in words; and I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she is all there is in this world for me. I would be honored…blessed…to be the man that forever stood at her side. I have never wanted…needed…anything more in my life. But before I ask her to marry me, I want to know that I have your approval."
He never broke eye contact with Michael. He never looked at Mackenzie, who was on the edge of her chair with her elbows on her knees and her hands over her mouth.
Michael looked at the love of his own life as he prepared to answer Rod's plea. Kate had tears in her eyes. She smiled and tilted her head as if to say, 'Tell him yes already.'
"Rod," he began. "There's no better man on this earth. You not only have my approval, you have my trust and my blessing."
Rod nodded in acknowledgement and turned to face his future. "Mackenzie?" He grasped both of her hands, pulling her to standing. "Will you be my wife…my best friend…the mother of my children…mine, and mine alone, forever?"
"Do you want me to cook your dinner too?" she asked sarcastically.
He smiled, pressing his forehead to hers, "Smart ass. But, if you're offering…"
She lifted her head and brushed her nose against his. This put their lips a mere inch apart and sent a wave of heat through his body. "Yes," she said. "Yes, yes, yes, and we'll compromise on the dinners."
With those words and the gravity of what they signified, Rod could contain himself no longer. He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could. He kissed her lips, her cheek, and buried his face in her neck to hide the tears that managed to escape. Her hair smelt like coconut, and that was how he would remember that moment for the rest of his life.