A/N: WELCOME BACK READERS! To those of you following in real time, I cannot apologize enough for the lack of posts this past year and more. While changes in my real life took away some of my time, I fear the real reason for my procrastination was a sudden and extreme lack of confidence in my writing abilities. I persevered, albeit slowly, and hope I have produced a chapter worthy of Mac! I will be posting another chapter in 2 weeks and hopefully another not too long after that (it's in my head and sounding really good...I just need to get the courage to see if I can translate the ideas into words!). Thank you all for your comments and continued support...they keep me going!
Chapter 63: Things Come Undone
Joanna settled into her office chair at Challengers and reached to turn the page on her ever-present desk calendar. It was the first day of August. She sighed quietly. Where had the summer gone? In four weeks she'd be returning to her part-time teaching position at Lincoln High School. A ray of early morning sunlight glinted off the diamond in her engagement ring, surprising her with a pang of regret. Another season had passed without a wedding ceremony tying her life to MacGyver's. She swiveled the chair to look out the window behind her. Several teens were already involved in what appeared to be a hotly contested basketball game. She leaned back and closed her eyes, reflecting on the events of the last two months.
Her summer vacation had started with her, Mac, and Frog going undercover as part of a sting operation to capture a group of dog-nappers. Shortly after that, she accepted MacGyver's invitation to move into the newly vacant side of his townhouse while they also discovered that several new club members from a nearby Latino neighborhood suffered from lead poisoning courtesy of old, run-down houses and lazy landlords. She was still in the process of moving into her new home when Jack Dalton showed up on Mac's doorstep and convinced him to go scuba diving in Lake Michigan in search of a sunken treasure. That escapade resulted in MacGyver getting the bends and his home getting ransacked. Fittingly enough, the only "treasure" he had found was fool's gold. Craving some fun and relaxation, she and Mac spent the Fourth of July in Chicago where a friend of his was performing in a Blue Angels aerial show. Only it ended in an aborted suicide attempt made to look like an accident. Upon returning to the familiarity of their work at Challengers, a man from Mac's past tracked him down and the three of them became involved in an undercover operation to break up a nationwide classic car theft ring. Still leaning back, she reached up to cover her eyes and groaned, "When did my life become a Nancy Drew novel on steroids?"
"Hey, you okay?"
And there was her answer. "I'm fine, Mac," she groaned, tearing her hands from her face and turning to watch as he entered her office and nonchalantly plopped down in the chair opposite hers.
"You don't look okay."
"Gee, thanks," she replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
MacGyver reached across the desk and took both her hands in his.
"I'm serious. What's wrong."
The concern and confusion in his tender gaze left her no choice but to tell the truth.
"I was just thinking about how fast the summer's gone."
"Yeah, I guess we've been awful busy. Time flies," he agreed.
When Jo remained silent he pressed on. "There's something else."
It wasn't a question, but a statement, and Joanna couldn't keep it to herself anymore.
"We've been engaged for ten months. I thought by now we'd be seriously planning our wedding," she confessed. "But there never seems to be a good time."
She felt Mac gently run a finger over the ring he had given her. "What if there's never a good time? What if something always comes up? Does that mean we never get married?" he challenged.
No longer able to look at the man she had come to love and adore, she let her gaze slip and offered a slight shrug of her shoulders. As she fought back a tear that threatened to fall, she felt MacGyver's finger now under her chin, raising her head to look her in the eye.
"When I proposed, it wasn't to have an indefinite fiancé but a forever wife. You've mentioned wanting a fall wedding. Well, we still have a couple months. Do ya think we could make it happen?"
A familiar feeling of warm affection coursed through her veins as she nodded. "You'd be willing to get married that quick? I mean, I know how serious you are about commitment."
"You mean how scared I was about commitment. And if I remember correctly, a few months ago it was you who almost torpedoed our relationship," Mac reminded her.
Joanna easily recalled those dark, lonely days when she had convinced herself that she wasn't the type of woman MacGyver deserved and had gone so far as to return his engagement ring. "Touché," she replied. "But I did come to my senses."
"Then I'm ready whenever you are," he smiled reassuringly.
"Well, it's just gonna be a small ceremony anyway," she replied, her mood brightening. "I could give Father Mike a call and see what our options are."
"Now that sounds like a soon-to-be-bride talking!" Mac grinned. But his reaction was short-lived as he watched Joanna's face fall once again. "What is it now?" he asked cautiously.
"I never should've let Connie buy me such an extravagant gown. I'm only going to be wearing it for a short time."
"But I thought you loved the dress? You said it makes you feel like a princess."
"I do and it does, but it's so impractical!"
"C'mon," MacGyver urged. "Isn't there some kind of rule that says every bride should feel like a princess on her wedding day?"
Joanna grinned wryly. "I always thought that was a pretty corny line, but now that I'm going to be a bride, I have to admit it's true."
"Then you'll wear the dress?"
Jo smiled at the wariness in his voice. "Yes. I'll wear the dress."
"Good! Now call Father Mike. Just make sure you give Sam enough time to put together an awesome bachelor party for me!"
Feigning disgust, Joanna reached for the phone and dialed her church, glad that it would be Sam organizing Mac's party and not Jack Dalton. She frowned as she was immediately connected with an answering machine. She quickly requested that her call be returned whenever it was convenient and hung up.
"Father Mike is out of town on a week-long retreat," she began to explain. But
before anything else could be said, a soft knock on the door jamb captured their attention.
"Could I please speak to the both of you? Privately?" Cynthia stood ramrod straight, her hands clenched in front of her.
"Of course," Joanna replied, a sense of foreboding encompassing her.
Cynthia entered and eased down in the chair next to MacGyver, her countenance somber. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath before speaking.
"You know I love you two like family and I love being a part of Challengers, but the other day I learned that a dear friend of mine was in a serious car accident. She has several broken bones and other injuries. Like me, her husband has passed on and they never had any children so she's basically alone. She obviously has a long recovery ahead of her and I need to be there for her."
Jo let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Of course. Take all the time you need, and if there's anything we can do please let us know."
At that, Cynthia lowered her head and Joanna's unease returned. "I'm afraid I wasn't very clear. My friend...she's in Los Angeles. I've decided to move back to California."
A heavy silence shrouded the room like invisible fog. "Please believe me when I say that I did not make this decision lightly. I've been thinking on it since I first found out. I don't want to leave you, but I also want to be there for my friend and, if I'm honest, L.A. has always been home. I'll miss everyone terribly. Especially you." She turned and cupped Mac's cheek in her palm. "But I have to go."
Joanna watched MacGyver's Adam's apple bob as he fought back his emotions. He looked as if he had been physically punched in the gut. She would miss Cynthia, but she had only known the woman a little more than a year. Mac had known her much longer and they had been through a lot together.
"We understand," Mac assured her, his voice thick. "How long until you need to leave?"
Hands once again clasped firmly in her lap, she held back tears as she answered. "I hate to give such short notice, but if I'm to get everything ready by the time she's released from the hospital, today needs to be my last day. I'll be flying out early Monday morning."
"I'll give you a ride to the airport," MacGyver told her.
"There's no need for that. It's better to just say goodbye now."
With that, Cynthia gathered her poise, rose from the chair, and headed out of the office to finish her final day at Challengers.
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Two days later, Mac parked his Jeep behind a taxi waiting just outside Cynthia's place as the sun was kissing the eastern horizon. He got out and approached the driver's side, tapping on the window until it slid down.
"You here to pick up Cynthia Wilson?" he asked the cabbie.
"What's it to ya?"
"I'm an old friend. I'll take over from here."
The cabbie eyed Mac suspiciously before protesting. "Time is money, kid. I ain't gonna lose my first fare of the day."
MacGyver dug in the front pocket of his jeans, pulled out a wad of bills, and handed them over. "This should cover it."
The cabbie quickly counted the bills and grinned. "Thanks kid. Have a good one," he said before pulling away.
Mac was casually leaning against the Jeep's fender when Cynthia emerged through the front door. Struggling with a large suitcase and carry-on she didn't notice as he approached.
"Need some help with those?"
"MacGyver! What are you doing here?!"
"I couldn't let you leave without a proper send-off. Friends don't let friends take cabs to the airport." He smiled reassuringly as he took her luggage from her and walked back to the car, trusting that she would follow.
Once on their way, Cynthia looked over at him and placed her hand gently on his forearm. "You didn't have to do this. I know how much you hate goodbyes."
"The only ones I hate are the ones I never get a chance to say," Mac replied somberly.
After giving his dear friend one last hug at the terminal gate, along with a promise to send a wedding invitation as soon as the date was set, MacGyver headed to Challengers. The night volunteers were still there and looked at him questioningly, but he simply smiled at them as he made his way to his office. He plopped down in the chair behind his desk and scanned the files and spreadsheets Cynthia had left for him. He blew out a breath and jammed his fingers through his hair. He was on his own. As he waited for his computer to boot up, he mentally chided himself for spending so much time away from the club these last couple months. He had a lot of catching up to do. At least Joanna would still be there full time for the next month to help out.
Over the next few hours, Mac was vaguely aware of the coming and going of staff and club members. Laughter and sometimes quarreling from the rec area permeated his office walls along with the staccato thump of a basketball outside his window, but it was the soft rap of knuckles on his closed door that finally caught his full attention.
"Come on in," he called, relieved that someone had finally seen fit to drag him away from the paperwork.
Scrubbing his tired eyes with his forefingers, he refocused to find Joanna standing on the other side of his desk, looking lovely in a floral print sundress which was a departure from the capris and polo shirts she normally wore. He allowed himself an extra moment to drink in the sight of her.
"Did Cynthia get off to L.A. alright?" she asked.
"How did you know?"
"I heard you leave. I also knew you would never let her take a cab, much less leave without one last good-bye."
"You know me too well. I'm glad you're not my enemy," he teased.
"Someone's been busy," she observed, turning his attention back to the paperwork, no doubt amused by the disheveled state of both him and his desk.
"I didn't realize how much stuff I missed this summer," he explained. "I'm just glad I still have you here."
Jo's face sobered. "About that. I just got a call from Mrs. Varga. She asked me to meet her at the high school this afternoon."
Mac's heart sank. The previous semester, Joanna had taken on a full-time substitute position. The vice principal had wanted her to continue come fall, but Jo had requested to return to her part-time schedule so she could still help out at Challengers. Had things changed?
"Did she say why?" he asked.
Jo shook her head. "No. It's probably just to review things for the upcoming school year."
A shriek from the upstairs dormitory interrupted their conversation. They hurried to the reception area and Rosie just in time to see Raul pounding down the stairs, dripping wet with a towel around his waist and a scowl on his face.
"What happened, mijo?" Rosie asked anxiously.
"I decided to take a shower after playing basketball and found out the hard way there's still no hot water!"
Rosie's face became stern. "I'll have to have a talk with the other boys. They mustn't be dawdling and using up all the hot water."
"It's not the others," Raul protested. "They usually clean up with the hose or go jump in the public pool down the street since we only have cold water here anyway."
"How long has this been going on?" MacGyver asked urgently, his question directed to Raul as well as the others.
The boy shrugged. "A couple days, I guess."
"I haven't really noticed," Rosie confessed, lowering her gaze. "It's been so hot out I've been using cold water to wash my hands anyway."
"And nobody else thought to say anything?" Mac almost growled.
His question was met with silence as the few teens who had just entered the room scurried back outside. Apparently no one wanted to be responsible for giving him bad news and he hadn't been around enough to notice. He jammed his fingers through his hair and blew out a frustrated breath. "It's gotta be the hot water heater," he grumbled.
MacGyver turned to look at Joanna. "I'll go upstairs and check the other showers. You and Rosie check the faucets down here."
The adults hurriedly completed their tasks and gathered to share their results.
"There's no hot water upstairs," Mac confirmed.
"None down here, either," Jo reported for both her and Rosie.
MacGyver sighed. It seemed as if they had just replaced the furnace and now this. "I'll go down in the basement and take a look."
With a quick stop at the utility closet to grab a flashlight, Mac headed down to the cellar with Joanna at his heels.
Unlike the shiny new heating unit that took up most of the central space in the basement, the hot water heater was located in a dark, dank corner and looked as if it had been there a hundred years.
"How old do you think it is?" Jo asked, wrinkling her nose.
"Too old," MacGyver replied, before kneeling down and looking underneath it. "The pilot light is out," he confirmed.
"Why don't we smell gas?"
"These units have safety measures built in to shut off the natural gas flow in case of malfunction," he explained.
"Then what's the problem?" Joanna asked.
"I'm not sure. Hand me the flashlight, will ya?"
Jo complied and MacGyver began to inspect the outer valves and components of the tank. His attention was soon focused on a thin, copper tube. "Looks like we got a bad thermocouple," he pronounced.
"How can you tell?" Joanna asked, bending to get a closer look at where the beam of the flashlight was aimed.
"See this tubing?" Mac asked. "It has small cracks and is slightly discolored. If you look real close, you can see little holes like pin pricks in it too."
"Can you fix it?" she asked.
"Sure. No problem."
"Great! I'll run upstairs and get the duct tape. Will you need anything else?"
MacGyver chuckled before he realized Jo was serious. He stood up and let his arms lightly encircle her waist. "What I meant was that I'll go to the hardware store and get a new one and replace it."
"Oh," Joanna mumbled, her flushed cheeks obvious even in the low light.
"I can wrap the new tube with duct tape and even use my Swiss Army knife instead of a regular screwdriver if it'll make you happy."
A firm hand on his chest caused him to involuntarily step back. "Don't tease me," came a curt reply.
Reaching out and pulling her closer than he had before he apologized. "I'm sorry, baby," he whispered before kissing her tenderly on the forehead.
"It's okay," she whispered back before peeking at her watch. "Oh my gosh! I'm gonna be late for my meeting with Mrs. Varga!" she exclaimed, her voice back to its normal volume.
"Then get outta here! I'll have this fixed by the time you get back."
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The conversation Joanna had with the vice principal was still replaying through her mind as she entered Challengers a couple hours later.
"Where's Mac?" she asked Rosie.
The receptionist handed her a note. "He left but said to give this to you."
Jo took the note, unfolding and reading it as she headed to her office.
Come straight to my place after work.
Mac
Since 'her' place was only separated from 'his' place by a thin wall, she wondered what he was up to. However, all curiosity disappeared when she opened her door to the pile of paperwork she had left on her desk earlier that day. By the time she finished, the slim crew of night volunteers was arriving and most of the kids had either headed home or gone to some fast food restaurant for dinner.
The summer sun was already beginning to make its descent when Joanna finally pulled her car into her garage. Turning off the ignition, she massaged her temples, trying to discourage the headache that was forming. Tired and still thinking about her meeting at the school, all she really wanted to do was go home, change clothes, and curl up with a good book. And maybe Frog. Human interaction, even with her fiancé, was not at all appealing. Regardless, she followed Mac's directive and crossed the yard in front of her side of the townhouse and walked up to his front door. Her breath caught when she saw him standing on the threshold leaning casually against the door jamb, hands stuffed in his front pockets.
"Welcome home," he said with a knowing smile. Clad in faded jeans and a black tank top that showed off his firm chest and muscular shoulders, he knew he would get Joanna's pulse pounding.
"Hi," she replied huskily, clearing her throat as his grin grew wider. She felt her cheeks turn hot, but it wasn't from the warm evening air. Does he have any idea how great he looks? she asked herself, and from the smug expression on his face she figured he did. "You needed to see me right away?" she asked, regaining a bit of her equilibrium.
"Yeah, c'mon in." He stepped aside and allowed her to enter.
For a minute, Jo stood in the small foyer, reveling in the heat of his presence. Then she slowly became aware of her surroundings. Rays of fading sunlight kissed the room. Soft music came from somewhere inside. The small kitchen table was draped with a white linen table cloth and set with fine China and flatware. A vase of seasonal flowers, freshly cut, graced the center along with two taper candles, their wicks already flickering. She felt Mac place his large but tender hands on her bare shoulders. As he leaned down to whisper in her ear, a pleasurable shiver slid down her spine causing all thoughts of wanting to spend the evening alone to evaporate.
"What do you think?" he asked softly.
"I can't believe you did all this," she replied just as quietly as she hastily scanned her memory to see if she had forgotten an important anniversary or event. Coming up blank, she turned in his arms and stepped closer, hugging his waist. "What's the occasion?"
MacGyver shrugged the best he could with his arms firmly enfolding her. "Us," he stated.
"Just 'us'?" Jo queried.
"Yep," Mac confirmed as he captured her lips in a quick but searing kiss. "Just 'us'."
Apparently she must have looked confused as he went on to clarify. "The other day you reminded me how busy we've been this summer. We haven't had much time alone and now that Cynthia is back in L.A. and your teaching job is starting up again, I wanted to take advantage of the time we have left before work gets in the way. Speaking of which, how did your meeting with Mrs. Varga go?"
Joanna frowned and stepped away from Mac's comforting presence. "Not like I expected," she said flatly.
"What happened?" he asked, his face and voice full of concern as he reached for her hand. "Did she change her mind and want you back full time?"
"No. Just the opposite. She said there's no room in the budget for a part-time teacher. She had to let me go."
MacGyver immediately pulled Joanna into his arms again. "I'm so sorry, baby. I know how much you loved that job," he murmured, resting his chin on the crown of her head.
"Yeah, but maybe there's a bright side," she offered, pulling away slightly. "With Cynthia gone, you'll need more help at Challengers. I'm working there full time now anyway, so I figured I'd just continue on. That is, if it's okay with you."
"Okay? That'd be great! Then we'd be able to sneak away whenever we wanted and…." his voice faded as he began to nuzzle her neck, causing her to giggle from the tickling sensation. A sudden buzzing sound jolted them apart.
"Supper's done," Mac declared as he side-eyed the oven timer, obviously annoyed with the interruption.
After MacGyver escorted Joanna to the dinner table and made sure she was comfortably seated, she watched as he retrieved two plates from the refrigerator and set one down in front of her. The chilled spinach, walnut, and strawberry salad dressed in a light vinaigrette was, indeed, a step above the ordinary.
"This is delicious!" Jo exclaimed after a couple of bites. The sweetness of the berries blended well with the tangy dressing and the nuts provided an interesting texture. She was pleased when her comment elicited a smile from the chef.
Once the empty salad plates had been cleared from the table, Mac pulled a large baking dish out of the oven and set it on the stovetop. Melted cheese bubbling on top of the concoction made Joanna's mouth water. Soon, MacGyver placed a large plateful of eggplant parmesan complete with homemade garlic bread in front of her before settling down to his own meal. Fork in hand, she was ready to take her first bite when Mac cleared his throat, causing her to pause. She looked to find him holding up his crystal water goblet. The room had grown darker, and the flickering candlelight reflected in his eyes. Her heart swelled with love for this man.
"I'd like to make a toast," he said. "To us."
"To us," she echoed quietly, touching her glass to his before taking a sip.
The entree was even more delicious than it looked and when they both had finished the last bite, Joanna sat back in her chair completely sated but still looking forward to discover what Mac had whipped up for the final course.
"So what's for dessert? Crème brulee? Chocolate souffle?"
MacGyver leaned towards her and motioned her forward with his index finger. "Ice cream," he whispered.
Fully aware of the special meaning the treat held for him, she swallowed the lump in her throat and allowed him to serve her one last time.
"Mmmm, that was one meal I hate to see end," Jo bemoaned as they cleared the dishes from the table.
"Who says it has to end?" Mac asked huskily, grabbing a remote control. The background music grew slightly louder. The waning sunlight had long since disappeared, giving way to the soft glow of the candles. "May I have this dance?" MacGyver stood tall and held out his arms to her. She felt herself float toward him, eager to lay her head against his chest and feel his embrace once more. Together, they swayed in rhythm to the strains of an old love song.
Losing all track of time, Joanna eventually lifted her face to Mac's.
"Thank you so much for this very special evening," she said.
"Thank you for being so special," he replied, then tenderly cupped her face in his hands and lowered his lips to hers. Unlike earlier, this kiss deepened and lingered with caring, respect, love, and passion. In the distance, a telephone rang and Mac groaned into her mouth.
Jo broke the kiss with a smile. "I think your household appliances have something against us kissing."
"They're probably just jealous," he complained.
Sensing his reluctance to release her, she encouraged him to take the call. Unlike back in Los Angeles, very few people had his phone number so if there was a phone call, it was likely important. She watched MacGyver stalk to the coffee table and pick up the cordless handset. His expression changed instantly from annoyance to concern as she listened to his side of the conversation. "No, she's with me." "Yes, I understand." "We're on our way."
Dread settled like a rock in the pit of her stomach. "What is it?" she asked.
"It's Challengers. There's been an explosion."