What's in a Name?
Joanna leaned back in her soft leather office chair, staring unseeingly at her computer screen. It was almost noon on Tuesday. She and MacGyver had arrived home from Chicago the night before and, while she should be walking on air now that Mac had told her in no uncertain terms that he had fallen in love with her, she was dead on her feet as the events of the weekend caught up with her and the fallout at work began. She had come into the office to find a stack of files on her desk, all supposedly requiring her immediate attention, but they had to wait until her boss called her into his office to chastise her for taking off on the day the firm landed one of its biggest accounts. How was she to know that would happen?! To top it off, Mac had called to ask her to lunch and she had turned him down. She hated to, but it was necessary because if she walked out of the office right now there was a good chance she may never return. A sharp knock on her office door interrupted her reverie.
"Who is it?" she called.
"That man of yours!" a very familiar masculine voice replied.
Good grief! Joanna covered her face with her hands before mumbling, "Come in."
She was met with a chuckling MacGyver.
"You've been talking with Geena, haven't you?" she moaned.
"Hey, she's my favorite receptionist around here! Calls 'em like she sees 'em!" he said as she peeked through her fingers and melted at the warm smile he gave her.
"Anyway, since you couldn't come to lunch I figured I'd bring lunch to you."
He held two brown bags from their favorite deli and handed her one. She opened it up and inspected the contents.
"Alfalfa sprout sandwich and yogurt? I think this one is yours," she said, crinkling up her nose and handing it back to him while he handed her the one containing a turkey club and a bag of chips.
"Sorry about that," he said with a mischievous grin indicating he wasn't sorry at all and that, in fact, he probably mixed them up on purpose. "So, why'd you try to bail on me today?"
"I really didn't want to but I've had a tough morning," she explained.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"Not really," she sighed, but continued anyway. "I came into a load of paperwork and then got reamed out by Hernandez for taking time off."
"But you had that time coming!" Mac's voice rose. "He can't dictate how you use it!"
Joanna gave a sad laugh. "You know, a couple of years ago I would have been so mortified about getting yelled at that I would have run and cried in the ladies room. But now, I just can't seem to care. There are other, more important things in my life and I refuse to let my job get in the way."
"Am I one of those 'things'?" he asked with a crooked grin that made her heart beat faster.
"You know you are!" she chided. "Now, cheer me up by telling me how things are going at Challengers."
"It's actually going a lot smoother than I expected now that we're open twenty-four hours a day. Of course, most kids are still in school for the next couple weeks," Mac answered around a mouthful of sprouts before swallowing.
Joanna frowned. "I wish I could help you out more."
"Hey, you're there every day after work to tutor, that helps out more than you know."
She then watched as he eyed the stack of folders on her desk.
"Of course, if you can't make it tonight everyone will understand."
"Are you kidding?! Looking forward to working with the kids is the only thing that keeps me sane!"
"The only thing?" Mac asked huskily.
"You know what I mean," she replied in a clipped tone signaling the end of the conversation.
MacGyver suppressed a grin as he stole a peek at his watch.
"I better get back," he informed her. "Cynthia wants to take some time off to go shopping and after she covered for me all weekend I owe her big time."
"I'll say," Jo agreed. "I'll see you in a few hours."
"You sure you don't just want to go home and rest up?" he asked, his concern for her evident.
"I'm positive," she said, smiling up at him.
He leaned over and wiped a glob of mayo from her lips with the pad of his thumb before kissing her gently. "Later," he whispered, disappearing through the door before she had time to respond.
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MacGyver spent the remainder of the afternoon alternately looking at the clock and watching the front door to the club. He couldn't wait to see Joanna again. Something fundamental had shifted in him the other night on the Thornton's couch when he had finally told her that he loved her. Finally said the words aloud, face-to-face, making it all very real. Interestingly, the sense of uneasiness he had anticipated never came. Instead, he felt a steadying calmness. A feeling that, for once, everything in his life was coming together. It hadn't been that long ago that he had been, for all intents and purposes, alone in the world. Then Sam had found him and now he had found Joanna. Could they eventually become the family he was yearning for?
The sound of high-pitched voices coming from the recreation area broke into his thoughts. He went to stand in his office doorway, watching as the club members talked amongst themselves and chose various activities to participate in. He smiled as the teens and adolescents respectfully played and worked together regardless of age or skin color. That peace was suddenly shattered when a mob of teens, with Joanna's head bobbing in the center, barreled their way through the front door, all talking at once, some waving hands and arms in exasperation.
"Okay guys," she commanded. "Take a seat at the big table and I'll join you in a minute. We'll get this all worked out."
"What's going on?" Mac asked, taking Jo by the elbow and guiding her away from the chaos.
"I don't have a clue. I couldn't understand a word they were saying, but I think it has something to do with not passing into the next grade level."
MacGyver looked at the group, now seated quietly around a large, wooden dining table that served a variety of purposes. He recognized them as freshman from a nearby high school.
"Want me to talk to them?" he asked.
"No. I've got this. I just needed a minute to catch my breath. They were waiting for me when I pulled in."
Mac frowned. "They know better than to accost an adult. Or anyone, for that matter."
He started to walk toward them when Jo put a hand on his arm, causing him to stop and enjoy the tingling sensation he should not be so incredibly aware of at this moment.
"Relax," she laughed lightly. "I said I've got this. They're just upset. Everything's fine...really!"
MacGyver hesitated for a minute before allowing his muscles to relax and his jaw to unclench. He had gone into super-protective mode in one point two seconds and he knew that would never do. Not with Joanna.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"No problem," she smirked. "Just don't let it happen again." She gave his arm a reassuring squeeze before she dropped her hand and headed into the teenage fray.
His concern put to rest, curiosity was now front and center in his brain. He trailed Jo to the small group and stood off to the side as he listened in on the conversation.
"It's not fair! She can't make us do anything!"
"Hold on, Jessica. Who can't make you do what?" Joanna asked calmly.
"The vice principal said we won't pass ninth grade unless we do an extra credit assignment for Sociology," Sergio explained.
"At least she's giving you a chance to redeem yourselves. She could just let you fail,"
Jo reasoned, much to the students' dismay.
"When you put it like that it doesn't sound so bad," a girl named Jordan muttered as the others nodded their heads.
"All right. So what's the assignment and when is it due?" Jo asked, her eyes twinkling with the challenge.
This time it was Michael who spoke up. "We have to write up and give a presentation about our name. You know, its origin, what it means, if we like it or not. That sort of thing. But it's due this Friday."
"That sounds doable," Jo responded confidently. "I'll get some books and tomorrow you can come and do the research. On Thursday, we can get everybody here to listen while you practice your presentation. Then you'll be all set for Friday!"
The students let go a collective sigh and MacGyver was astounded at how easily Joanna had not only diffused the situation, but gotten a plan of attack together so quickly.
"That was great!" he commended her once the teens had scattered.
"Thanks!" she replied. "So then you won't mind if I leave early and hit the library before it closes?"
"Go for it!"
XXXXX
The following afternoon, MacGyver held open the front door to Challengers as Joanna carried in a tote bag full of books.
"Here, let me help you with those," he said, reaching out to take the bag.
"Thanks," she replied airily as she stepped past him and handed over the tote which was a lot heavier than it looked.
Mac followed her to the large table they had used the day before and started spreading out the books. Some were geared towards soon-to-be parents offering popular baby names while others were more reference-type books with historical information. They had just finished putting out some paper and pencils when the students arrived, smiling and happily chatting with one another. A much different scene than yesterday!
"Okay everybody!" MacGyver called above the din of voices. "Those of you who need to do the extra credit assignment need to come over to the table. Ms. Jo brought in a bunch of resources for you so let's get started!"
To his surprise, the eight students eagerly headed his way and were soon paging through the various books and commenting loudly.
"Man, dig this name!"
"I'd hate to be called that!"
"If I have a girl, I'm naming her this!"
"Okay guys, listen up!" Jo said, her voice an octave lower demanding their attention. "You're supposed to be looking up your own name. Got it?"
Their excitement turned to mumbles and hesitant head nods, but soon they settled around the table, reading the books and making notes on the paper while the adults monitored their progress and helped out when needed.
"Hey! I got an idea!" Michael said a few minutes into the project. "We should have Ms. Jo, Ms. Cynthia, and Mr. Mac do this assignment too!"
His classmates eagerly agreed as Mac's stomach dropped to his toes. Only his family and a few close friends knew his first name and they rarely, if ever, actually used it since they knew how much he hated it. He was not about to divulge it to a bunch of blabber-mouth teenagers!
"Count me in," Joanna told them. "And I'm sure Cynthia would love to participate as well."
"What about MacGyver?" Sergio asked. "We don't even know his first name!"
"Mr. Mac has a lot of work to do," Jo replied, coming to his rescue. "Ms. Cynthia and I will just have to do."
She glanced up at Mac and surreptitiously pointed her chin in the direction of his office and he took the hint.
"Ms. Jo's right," he said. "In fact, I need to get back to my office now." He turned and walked away, thankful for the 'out' Joanna had provided him.
Hours later, when the last member had left, Mac and Jo went about their nightly routine locking up windows and doors and doing general clean-up of the rec area before heading home. Joanna suddenly paused and stood regarding him thoughtfully.
"What?" he asked.
"Look Mac, I know how much you hate your name, but did you ever research it, find out what it means? It might change your mind."
He sighed. "Several years ago I had my family tree traced and studied its origin."
"That was your last name. Did you ever learn about your first name?"
"There are some things that need to be left alone, and that's one of 'em!" he snapped but Jo wasn't deterred.
"Did you ever think that maybe your name has a really great meaning or story behind it? I mean, your folks chose it for a reason, right?"
"It's an old family name that I wish they would have kept in the past. It's not up for discussion."
"Fine," Jo shrugged. "Have it your way." She tossed out the trash she had collected, gave him a peck on the cheek and slipped out the door.
A shiver ran down Mac's spine. That had been too easy.
XXXXX
It was five-year-old MacGyver's first day of Kindergarten. His mom and dad walked him to his classroom door where he was greeted by his teacher.
"Hello, Angus, it's good to meet you." She held out her hand for him to shake.
First wincing then frowning at the use of his given name, he reluctantly but politely shook her hand as his parents had taught him.
"What do you say, son?" his dad prompted.
"It's nice to meet you, too," Mac muttered.
His new teacher led him to a large piece of carpet which would later be referred to as 'the reading rug'. Girls knelt primly on one side while boys sat cross legged on the other. A little blonde girl offered him a shy wave which he returned before taking his place with the guys. The bell rang and signaled the start of the worst day of MacGyver's life thus far.
Instead of taking tradition roll call the teacher asked each student to stand and introduce themselves. When it was his turn, he stood up and proudly stated, "Name's MacGyver," before quickly sitting down again.
"Thank you, Mr. MacGyver," the teacher responded. "But in my classroom we address each other by our first names. Could you please share your first name with your fellow students?"
Mac slowly stood up again, the collar of his brand new shirt suddenly feeling stiff and tight. "Angus," he muttered softly as the other boys and girls began to giggle and snicker. He felt his cheeks grow warm and he wanted to run out the door, but took his seat instead.
The second time the bell rang it was to signal the beginning of recess. He eagerly made his way to the door along with the rest of his classmates. Once on the playground, Mac approached a small group of boys who had a basketball.
"Can I play with you?" Mac asked hesitantly.
"Hey everybody! It's Angus!" the boy holding the ball announced in a teasing taunt.
"Why'd your folks name you after a cow?" another jested.
Before MacGyver could say or do anything, a third boy pushed him roughly to the ground as the others gathered around, looking down at him and chanting his name. All he could hear was "Angus! Angus! Angus!"
Mac bolted upright in bed, breathing hard. His hair was damp and sweat trickled down his bare back. Man, he hadn't had that dream since he was a kid! All this talk about his name had to end.
MacGyver arrived at Challengers earlier than usual the next day. As a result of his childhood nightmare, sleep had been out of the question. With Cynthia not due in for a few more hours, Mac grabbed some of the name books Joanna had brought the day before and locked himself in his office to do a little research. He actually had his doubts about whether or not a name like his would make publication, but he soon located it and began jotting down the information he found and, much to his surprise, it made him smile.
Later that day the after-school crowd began to pour in and along with them were Joanna and the eight students she had been working with. Mac and some of the older boys were put in charge of setting up folding chairs in rows to mimic a classroom setting. Room was left at the front where each presenter would stand. When most of the club members had arrived and filled the seats, Joanna stepped to the front and began explaining about the presentations. Mac took a seat in the back and watched as she orchestrated the event. The glow of her cheeks and the spark of fire in her eyes were testament to how much she loved working with and educating the youth in the community.
"To get things rolling," Jo began, "Ms. Cynthia and I are going to share what we learned about our own names, and then we will listen to your fellow club members. Please remember to be respectful and listen carefully as they put a lot of effort into their presentations.
"As many of you know, my first name is Joanna. I was named after my maternal great-grandmother, Johanna. Both our names derive from the Hebrew and Greek term meaning 'God is gracious'. According to the reference books, people named 'Joanna' are confident, ambitious, independent and self-sufficient. We also don't like taking orders." She winked playfully after that last sentence and Mac's heart flipped.
As Jo quietly took a seat, Cynthia took her place in front of the teens and began her presentation.
"My name is Greek for 'From Mount Cynthus'." This statement was met with muffled giggles from the audience. "My name means I'm independent, practical, decisive, capable, efficient, and appreciate art and music."
Wow, that described her perfectly, Mac thought as the students applauded and Cynthia was replaced by Michael.
"First of all, I hate my name," the boy began earnestly. "It's so common! There are guys named Michael everywhere I go! But after learning about it, I can see why folks would want to name their kid that. Ya see, it's Hebrew for 'Who is like God' and really, who wouldn't want to be like God?!" This received a hearty laugh. "Anyway, according to the books, I'm clever, responsible, self-confident, and I care about my family and friends so I figure that makes me a pretty awesome dude!" Michael shot his classmates a huge smile as everyone clapped happily. The next presenter was Jessica, who had been the first student to complain about the assignment.
"Just like Michael, I hate my name too. People often call me 'Jessie' and I don't mind, but then a lot of kids tease me, calling me 'Jessie's Girl' from that old '80's song. Jessica is Hebrew and means 'to see before'. The qualities I possess are courage, honesty, determination and creativity. I'm also outgoing and like to talk with people. All my teachers get on my back about that, but now I have scientific proof to show them why I do it!"
Joanna turned, caught Mac's gaze and did an exaggerated eye roll before Sergio took his turn.
"I always thought my name was pretty cool. You know, really slick and attractive to the ladies. Now, thanks to this dumb assignment, I find out it's Italian for 'servant', and I ain't nobody's slave!"
"Sergio…" Mac heard Joanna warn from her seat.
"Um, sorry about that, Ms. Jo. Okay, my name also means I'm friendly, sociable, charming, and give good advice. Heck, I could be the next 'Dear Abby'!"
Joanna cleared her throat loudly and Mac tried not to laugh.
"But anyway, I also don't like to be told what to do and I never change my mind once it's made up, which is true. So I guess my name's really not so bad after all."
Everyone applauded and Mac watched Jo's shoulders visibly relax. Sergio was apparently her most challenging student in the club. Next, a diminutive girl with glasses moved to the front.
"My name's Jordan and I don't like it because it's usually a boy's name. I think my parents just picked a name they could use either way. And this year I took a world geography class and kids started calling me 'Jordan River'. But anyway, my name is Hebrew for 'one who descends'. I'm gracious, capable, and clever, but I'm also a private person and I like to read and stuff but don't like to do spontaneous things so I guess that sums me up pretty good."
Every clapped as she took her seat and the next student began their presentation. As MacGyver listened to their reports, he was amazed at what Joanna had helped them accomplish in so little time. He was also learning a lot about some of his club members and looked forward to spending more time with them.
When the final student finished, they all huddled around Joanna and exchanged hugs and high-fives.
"Now do it like that in school tomorrow and make me proud, okay?!" she encouraged.
It seemed like forever until Jo was once again standing by herself. MacGyver walked up beside her and gently placed an arm around her shoulders.
"You've done good, teach!"
She leaned into him and smiled. "I didn't do much, just provided the tools, the rest was all them."
"And you loved every second of it."
Jo nodded before turning, burying her head in his chest, and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I miss teaching, Mac. I miss it so much."
"I know you do, baby. I know," he crooned as he stroked her hair and let her silent tears dampen the front of his shirt.
XXXXX
Friday afternoon found Joanna pacing back and forth in the rec room waiting to hear how her students' presentations went.
"Ya know, I just waxed that floor and now you're wearing it all off," Mac quipped, earning him a slit-eyed scowl.
"Cynthia, can you please come and tell Jo that the kids did great and she needs to stop worrying?" he called across the room.
"Nope!" Cynthia called back. "She said it herself, 'Joanna's' don't like taking orders!"
MacGyver threw up his hands and walked away, hoping to find something that needed fixing. The truth was, he was probably just as anxious as Jo was to hear the results.
At long last, the doors to Challengers flew open and Jo's eight students scrambled in.
"We did it, Ms. Jo! We did it! We're all gonna be sophomores!" Jessica exclaimed as the others quickly gathered around her for a celebration session.
Mac couldn't suppress his own smile and the tinkling of Joanna's laughter only made his smile grow. He was so engrossed in watching the happy group that he didn't notice the appearance of a petite, middle-aged woman until he heard Cynthia greet her.
"Hello, I'm looking for Joanna Fairfax," the woman stated. Dressed in a grey skirt suit with a white blouse buttoned up to her neck, Mac assumed the woman had come from the law firm.
"I'll go see if I can pry her away from her adoring public," he told Cynthia and the woman as he reluctantly went to interrupt the happy group.
Joanna was laughing and putting her hands up in a "time out" gesture as she addressed the teens that surrounded her.
"All right, that's enough!" she huffed. "Why don't you take your teenage energy and go do something productive with it?!"
After a final round of thanks and congratulations, the kids began to disperse allowing Joanna to see MacGyver making his way towards her. She smiled automatically at him, but when it was not returned she wrinkled her brow in concern.
"There's someone her to see you," he said flatly, indicating a woman in a grey suit.
"Who is she?"
"You don't know?" Mac asked. "I assumed she was from the firm."
Jo shook her head. "I've never seen her before."
She slowly approached the stranger as MacGyver followed just steps behind. Who was this woman and what did she want?
Cynthia smiled and made the introductions. "Joanna, this is Mrs. Elizabeth Varga, vice principal at Lincoln High where several of the Challengers members attend."
As the two women shook hands, Mrs. Varga's stern face brightened. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Some of our students have told me a lot about you."
"All good, I hope," Joanna laughed.
"Absolutely. And that's why I'm here," Mrs. Varga said, looking around the large room. "Is there some place where we could speak in private?"
Jo glanced at MacGyver. "You can use my office," he told the two women.
They smiled their thanks and walked away.
Now it was Mac's turn to pace the floor. He'd re-wax it tomorrow if he had to. Twenty minutes later his office door opened and Mrs. Varga was the first to emerge. Both women had a smile on their face as she turned and shook Jo's hand.
"I look forward to hearing from you next week and don't worry, I can see myself out," Mac heard the older woman say before heading to the exit. He looked at Jo who still stood in the doorway, a stunned look on her face, and hurried to her side.
"What was that all about?" he asked. "Are you okay?"
She nodded slowly before looking up at him with her liquid brown eyes. "She just offered me a job." Her voice was monotone, as if she couldn't believe what she was saying.
"Congratulations! That's a good thing, right?"
"I'm not sure," she replied flatly.
"Care to explain?"
She shook her head. "Not yet, Mac. I need to work some things out in my head first."
"No problem," he smiled softly. "I'm gonna head out soon. Why don't you come over for dinner tonight."
"I'd like that," she said quietly.
XXXXX
Joanna picked at the piece of eggplant parmesan in front of her. She had only taken two bites while MacGyver was already on his third helping. Frog sat at her feet, watching her expectantly.
"When did you turn him into a vegetarian?" she asked.
"When he started begging for table scraps."
"No more chicken livers?"
"Only on special occasions," Mac grinned wryly. "So, feel like talkin' about that job offer?"
Jo pushed her plate away and sighed. "Mrs. Varga wants to hire me to teach Freshman English this fall."
"I thought you didn't want to teach in a traditional school environment."
"That's just it! Lincoln High is a charter school, meaning they don't have to adhere to the strict policies of the public school system. The administration, teachers, and even students have a lot more flexibility. Mrs. Varga said that most teachers even get all their lesson plans and grading done during the school day so they don't have to do it at home."
"That sounds perfect for you! And you did say you missed teaching."
"It is, and I do, but unfortunately the position is only part-time," she sighed.
"So?"
From the look on her face you would have thought he had just asked her to swim across Lake Michigan.
"So," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Even if this was a full-time position I would still be taking a significant pay cut and losing benefits."
"So this is all about money to you," Mac stated scornfully. After all the time they had spent together, she had never once appeared materialistic. If anything, he had admired her frugality. Had he misjudged her so completely or was she playing him for a fool after he had given her his heart.
"Yes! No!" she huffed. "Look, no one goes into teaching for the money. I've always been smart financially, but when I got laid off a few years back it was a real wake-up call for me. Thankfully, I didn't have to worry about how I was going to pay rent or feed myself, but it was still an eye-opening experience."
"I get that," MacGyver replied, ashamed of his initial reaction. "But would you really rather stay at a job you never did like in the first place just for the money? I see how your eyes light up when you're with the kids at Challengers. That's what you were meant to do!"
"That's why this is so hard on me, Mac. I really want the teaching job, but it's scary to give up the financial stability I may need one day."
They sat in heavy silence with their own thoughts for several minutes until Mac began to form an idea.
"You've put in a lot of volunteer hours at Challengers, and I really appreciate that, but maybe it's time I-"
"No way!" she cut him off. "You are not going to pay me like some employee!"
"That's not what I had in mind!" he shot back. "If you recall, you loaned me the money to start up the club in the first place and I haven't paid you back one cent."
"And this is helpful how?"
"Technically, we're business partners, and you should be getting your share of our revenue."
"I didn't know you even had revenue? Besides, you should be putting it back into the club"
"We've gotten a few large donations and so far that's exactly what I've been doing, but I would much rather have the money go to a compassionate, competent 'partner' rather than a can of fresh paint. Besides, Cynthia's been dropping hints that she'd like to cut back on her hours. I think she forgot how challenging working at Challengers can be," he grinned. "We could really use you around there, especially with summer here."
"So let me get this straight. You're suggesting I quit the law firm, spend the summer hanging out at Challengers and then start teaching in the fall?"
Her answer came in the form of the sly, crooked smile that always made her stomach squishy. In short, the one she couldn't say 'no' to.
"All right, I'll call Mrs. Varga first thing Monday morning."
Mac's smile faded and he stared at her suspiciously.
"What?!"
"That was way too easy," he confessed.
"Maybe you're just way too persuasive," she responded coyly.
"Maybe you know this is the right thing to do."
"Touche," she replied, pulling her plate closer, suddenly ravenous.
"I have a surprise for you," MacGyver announced as Joanna curled up in the corner of his couch after dinner.
"Oh, really?" she asked, bending over to help Frog up on the couch before cuddling him against her chest.
"Yes, really," he countered as he pulled some note cards out of the back pocket of his jeans. "While you were working with the kids on their extra credit assignment, I took your advice and did a little research of my own."
Her jaw slackened and she slowly shook her head. "Oh Mac, you don't have to…"
"I want to. I want you to listen to my presentation."
Joanna leaned further back into the cushions as MacGyver cleared his throat and began.
"My name is Angus. I've hated it for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a small town in Minnesota doesn't exactly lend itself to the acceptance of unusual names. Especially names of cattle breeds. My first day of kindergarten I remember the other kids jeering and chanting my name until I cried. I begged everyone to call me something else, anything else, but 'Angus'. Finally, my grandpa Harry took pity on me and started calling me 'Bud'. Eventually, I convinced people to call me by my last name or simply 'Mac'. A few days ago, a woman who has my absolute love and respect challenged me to take a deeper look at the name I've despised and hid from for most of my life."
Here he paused and caught her eyes in a gaze that she swore would melt all her internal organs.
"My name's origin is Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It is interpreted as 'one choice', 'one strength', 'chosen one', 'unique strength', and 'exceptionally strong'. In Irish myth, my name means 'god of love and youth and beauty'. My name also represents a Celtic god who helped his people with his wisdom and intelligence. It's humbling to learn my name is defined by words such as 'strength', 'chosen', 'love', and 'wisdom' because I've always considered myself a pretty ordinary guy, but maybe my folks knew something I haven't figured out yet. Or, as Michael would say, 'I'm a pretty awesome dude!'"
Joanna laughed and clapped as MacGyver concluded his presentation and flopped down on the couch next to her, reaching out to fondle Frog's ears.
"So what do you think?" he asked. "Did I pass?"
"With flying colors!" she assured him. "So, what do you think of your name now?"
"Let's just say I won't be asking people to start calling me 'Angus' anytime soon! I appreciate the meaning behind it, and I'm glad you encouraged me to learn about it, but I think I still prefer 'Mac' if that's okay with you."
"I suppose I can live with it," she replied playfully, leaning in to kiss him, causing Frog to whine as he became squished between his two humans.
A/N: For those of you reading this in "real time", my weekly chapter postings are going on hiatus as of today (June 3, 2018). BUT THEY WILL RETURN! Work and summer activity demands have sorely slowed down my writing. I have 2 chapters waiting in the wings and ideas for 2 more that simply need time and energy to come to life! When I post next depends on my progress, so keep an eye out! I do promise that when I decide to end the story, I will write a proper and hopefully satisfying conclusion...however, I hope I won't have to do that for a long time! Thank you for your loyal readership and reviews! Mac and Jo shall return! In the meantime, always feel free to PM me and if you have any plot ideas I'd love to hear them!