Chapter 67: Summer Breeze

Joanna lay awake after a sleepless night, staring at the ceiling and listening to the remains of last night's rain as she waited for her alarm to ring. A heavy weight across her legs pinned her to the mattress and intermittent snuffles assured her that at least Frog had been able to lose himself in sweet repose. She recalled her conversation with MacGyver and how she listened to him gather his things, start up his Jeep, and disappear into the stormy darkness. She imagined he would either go to Pete for advice or, more likely, to Harry's old cabin in Minnesota to sort things through his troubled mind. But she had meant what she told him…she didn't want to know where he went, or for that matter, when he would return. However, that didn't keep her from missing him already

With a sigh, she struggled to sit up, waking her canine companion who immediately jumped off the bed and trundled down the stairs only to curl up under the coffee table and reclaim his slumber. However, it took every bit of her mental fortitude to remove herself from the safety of her bed and prepare to face what was sure to be another formidable day at Challengers. Her mind was already spinning with everything that needed to be done involving insurance adjusters, contractors, and heaven knew what else. She was flying blind and scared to death, but getting Challengers up and running again was now her responsibility. "Lord, give me what I need to navigate this storm," she mumbled as she prepared to start the day.

Upon arriving at the gymnasium, she greeted Geena and Rosie who were already welcoming some early arriving teens. Taking a deep breath, she headed to the tiny coach's office which she figured would now be hers for the duration. She walked in to find the letter from Lee Vang still on the desk, only it was no longer alone. After stashing her purse in a rickety drawer, Joanna picked up the new papers which must have been dropped off yesterday after she had gone home. One appeared to be an official report from the fire department, the other a damage assessment and estimate from the insurance company. Both indicated there was more damage than originally thought. After briefly reviewing the information, she put her head in her hands and fought back tears. She had no phone, no computer, and no clue what to do next. On the verge of throwing herself a pity party to rival Mac's, loud voices coming from the gym interrupted her fears and piqued her curiosity.

"I'm sorry, but MacGyver isn't in today," she overheard Geena politely tell a tall, well-built African-American man who appeared to be somewhere in his twenties. He wore a bright green Polo shirt, khaki pants, and brown loafers. Squaring her shoulders and donning her cloak of professionalism, she approached them.

"Good morning," she said to the young man. "I'm Joanna Fairfax, MacGyver's partner, is there something I can help you with?"

"He said he knows MacGyver from Los Angeles. Challengers to be exact," Geena answered before the man could utter a syllable.

"So you're a friend of Mac's," Jo stated more than asked as she kept her eye on the stranger.

"He said his name is Breeze," Geena added in a loud whisper.

Still keeping her gaze trained on the man, Joanna quirked an eyebrow.

"I know this must be a surprise," Breeze acknowledged in a deep yet soft voice. "Is there someplace we can go and talk privately?" he asked, casting Geena a telling glance which the seasoned receptionist met head on.

"Of course," Jo replied and turned on her heel trusting that he would follow. She motioned him into her office, indicating he should take a seat on the folding metal chair as she settled into the wobbly rolling chair behind the desk. "Now, why don't we start from the beginning?"

"As your receptionist told you, my name is Breeze." He held up a hand to prevent her from speaking. "I know that's a strange name for a grown man, but it was my nickname from when I was younger and it just kinda stuck. I hope you don't mind."

Jo allowed herself a small smile. "Not at all. I'm kinda used to guys with one-word names."

Breeze chuckled and seemed to relax a bit. "Back in Los Angeles I used to run with a street gang called the Demons. That is, until I found Challengers and met Cynthia and Mac. They were the first adults in my life to give me a chance. They convinced me to leave the gang and join Challengers. MacGyver even got me interested in environmental issues and gun control. That's not to say I never got in any more trouble, but eventually I cleaned up my act for good. After MacGyver left, I went back to school for my GED and then went on to college and got a degree in business management."

"That's very impressive," Jo replied, appreciating the young man's openness and honesty. "But how did you find out Mac is here and why come all this way to see him?"

"I mentor some Challengers kids now and happened to run into Ms. Cynthia. She told me MacGyver had started up a Challengers here in Milwaukee and that he even got engaged so I decided to come see for myself."

"Well, I can vouch for his engagement," Jo said, showing off the diamond ring Mac had given her. "And obviously Mac did get another Challengers up and running, though we've hit a bit of a speed bump at the moment."

Breeze smiled and shook his head. "Never thought I'd see the day that MacGyver would settle down." Then he turned serious. "But to be honest, the main reason I came was because Cynthia told me about what happened to the club and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help. I kinda feel like I owe him, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know," Jo agreed even as her cheeks flooded with heat. Mac had been adamant about not telling Cynthia about the explosion and events that followed because he didn't want her to worry. It had been Joanna who secretly called her, feeling the older woman deserved to be notified. After all, she had played an integral role in the growth of the club. "But I'm not sure what you can do here," she told Breeze, returning to the conversation at hand. "I don't even know what to do!"

"What about Mac?"

"He's taking this pretty hard. That's why he's not here," Jo explained.

"I never pictured MacGyver as a paper-pushing businessman," Breeze mused.

"Trust me, he's not!" Joanna said with a short laugh.

"But I am," Breeze said seriously. "And it sounds like you could use a business manager like myself to help take care of things," he suggested, eyeing the reports on the desk.

"That's a wonderful offer, Breeze, but we can't afford to hire you, especially now."

"I'm not asking you to hire me. I'm volunteering."

"Are you sure about this?" Jo pressed. "It's quite a project."

"I'm sure," Breeze assured her. "But I'll need a place to stay. Are there any decent cheap motels around here?"

Joanna had a sudden idea of how she could repay him, at least for a little while. "I know the perfect place."

"Awesome! Now, get out of my chair and let me get to work!"

XXXXX

The late summer sun sat low in the sky when Joanna pulled her car into the driveway with Breeze and his rented sedan behind her. They had spent the entire day working together. After Jo had explained the details of Mac's absence, they worked for hours reviewing and outlining the steps that had to be taken if Challengers was to continue to exist.

Joanna made quick work of opening her front door as Breeze grabbed his luggage from the trunk and soon joined her in the living room where Frog was begging for attention.

"I hope you don't mind dogs," Jo said as she crouched to cuddle the lonely canine. She knew he was missing Mac terribly.

"Naw, dogs are cool," Breeze replied, looking around the townhouse. "Are you sure MacGyver'll be okay with this?"

"Of course! Besides, his place is just sitting empty right now."

Joanna ushered the young man through the door connecting her place with Mac's. "Make yourself at home."

Breeze set is luggage down beside the couch before heading toward the kitchen where he opened the refrigerator and frowned. Jo had forgotten that the only thing they had eaten was a light lunch several hours ago while they continued to work. She could only imagine the meager offerings Mac had left behind. Stepping further into the living room she cleared her throat. "What do you say we get a pizza delivered?" she asked.

"I say 'yes'!" her new co-worker replied with a wide grin.

In between devouring the cheese and pepperoni pizza, Joanna told Breeze the story of how she and Mac met and ultimately became engaged while he relayed more of his experiences as a teen and how he ended up becoming what he termed a "respectable adult". When the last pieces of the tasty pie had been consumed, Jo struggled to stifle a yawn.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's been a long day, but I'm so glad you came. You are literally an answer to my prayers."

"I've never been called that before," Breeze replied with a wry grin. "Why don't you go to bed. I'll clean up here."

Normally Joanna would protest, if only to be a good host, but tonight she was too tired to care. She barely had enough energy to change into her pajamas before crawling into bed where she immediately fell into a deep sleep, completely forgetting to set her alarm.

A warm ray of sunlight coming through the skylight caressed Jo's cheek, gently waking her. She yawned and stretched like a contented cat. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept so well. Rolling over she caught sight of the clock and bolted upright, her heartbeat kicking into high gear. She had overslept by two hours!

Joanna made it to the make-shift Challengers in record time to find Breeze working in the small office, making phone calls on his personal cell phone and typing away on a computer they had borrowed from the school office.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," she said as she sat down across from him.

"It's okay. I've got everything under control. Why don't you go and see if Geena needs any help supervising the kids. They're supposed to be painting one of the science rooms today."

Jo couldn't help but be taken aback by the authority this young man possessed. Perhaps it was the fact that he had taken the reins from her hands, but she suddenly began to second-guess her decision to allow him to help and her thoughts must have shown on her face as his next words eased her mind.

"Hey, I didn't mean to sound like your boss or anything. I'm just kinda wrapped up in some stuff right now and I know firsthand the danger of giving teenagers paint brushes."

They both laughed and Jo relaxed, recognizing that he made a perfectly valid point.

Over the next few days, a comfortable rhythm was established. Breeze stayed on top of all the paperwork and phone calls that came in related to the accident while Joanna split her time between signing off on official documents and helping oversee the teens. Unfortunately, she could not ignore the fact that time was not on their side. In a few weeks they would have to relocate once again and the lawsuit against Mac would need to be settled one way or another.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was a couple of hours before dawn when MacGyver finally turned his Jeep onto the street where he lived. The flight from L.A. had been turbulent and he longed for the comfort of his bed, if only until sunrise. He parked his vehicle in the driveway and headed for the front door. Inside, all was quiet and dark. For a moment he considered crashing on the couch but quickly decided the bed he yearned for was a better choice this time. When he reached the top of the spiral staircase, he kicked off his shoes and pulled his T-shirt over his head. Just as he was about to crawl onto the mattress he noticed a lump of blankets on the far side. Heat suffused him and a wave of tenderness engulfed him. Joanna. He knew she sometimes borrowed his bed when he was gone and was glad she found comfort in it. Loathe to wake her, he noiselessly slipped onto the bed and, finding her back to him, lightly put his arm around her waist. A nanosecond later, an elbow hit him hard in the stomach, knocking the breath from him so he was unable to mutter the colorful words that were on his lips. As he tried to draw in oxygen, the form beside him quickly shot up and turned on the light beside the bed. Mac couldn't believe his eyes as he found a dark skinned man standing over him in a defensive posture.

"MacGyver?!"

"Yeah," Mac grunted, regaining his breath as his eyes adjusted to the light. Even though the man said only one word, MacGyver found the voice somewhat familiar and the face even more so. "Breeze?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's me," the younger man confirmed, relaxing his posture. "Sorry about the sucker punch. Instinct, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know," MacGyver said as he rolled out of bed. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"Maybe we should talk downstairs so we don't wake Joanna," Breeze suggested.

"Too late for that," came the sarcastic reply from the foot of the stairs where Jo stood with a short, light-weight robe wrapped around her, her cheeks flushed and her hair tousled from sleep.

Breeze quickly made his way to the first floor, shooting Joanna an apologetic glance as he passed by. Mac, however, descended more slowly, his eyes locked on the woman he loved who never looked more beautiful than she did right now in his opinion.

"I'm sorry we woke you," MacGyver said huskily as he stood in front of her.

"That's the risk that comes with having thin walls. I'm just glad you're home," Jo replied softly, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck. His arms automatically snaked around her waist and they held each other tight.

Breeze cleared his throat from where he sat at the kitchen table. "Umm, if you two want to be alone…"

With a herculean effort, Mac loosened his grip on his fiancé and took a step back as Joanna removed her hands from behind his neck and allowed them to roam down his shirtless chest before breaking contact altogether. MacGyver's body tingled under her touch as he relished the intimacy she initiated, but then her voice focused his thoughts.

"I think there are some things you need to know," she said as she headed to the kitchen table and took a seat.

MacGyver listened intently as Joanna and Breeze relayed all that had happened with Challengers since he had left. Their narrative ended just as the sun was rising. Breeze excused himself to go upstairs and take a shower before heading to the club for the day. Mac scrubbed his face with his hands and sighed. "I'm so sorry I left you alone to deal with all of this," he told Jo.

"Hey, I'm the one who told you to leave," Joanna responded and then fell silent, the question in her eyes louder than any she could voice.

"And you were right," Mac grudgingly admitted. "Some things…happened…that really helped me put a lot of stuff into perspective. Not only am I more sure than ever that I belong here with you, but I'm also not gonna settle the court case against me. I'm gonna fight to clear my name."

Jo smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand. "I'm so glad to hear that. But I hope you know that I would support whatever decision you made."

Mac cupped her cheek with his free hand and caressed her smooth skin with his thumb. "I know you would."

He noticed Joanna's gaze falter and finally land on the table. "I know I told you I didn't need to know where you were going or anything, but…I don't suppose you'd care to tell me how you came to that decision."

"It's a pretty long story, but I promise I'll tell you everything once we're…uh...alone." He felt Jo's gaze follow his to the staircase Breeze was descending.

"Well, I'm off," the young man announced.

"I'll be in soon," Joanna promised.

Breeze grinned and looked at her and Mac. "Take your time." And then he was gone.

"I hope you don't mind that I let Breeze stay here."

"Of course not," MacGyver assured her. "But I'm assuming it is a temporary arrangement?"

"Most definitely," Jo agreed as Mac stifled a yawn. "Listen, I have to go get ready for work. Why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep."

"Naw, I'll just shower and change and meet you at Challengers. We have a lot of work to do."

Joanna raised a skeptical eyebrow and with good reason. Ten minutes later MacGyver was asleep on his couch.

XXXXX

The next few weeks passed in a flurry of activity. Once MacGyver formally submitted his request to fight the lawsuit against him, Lee Vang personally informed him that the families he was representing decided to drop the suit with no hard feelings on either side. As news of that spread, Mac was once again a positive force at Challengers which started welcoming new and former members even in their makeshift location.

Mac, Joanna, and Breeze balanced their time and energy between working with their funders, including the Phoenix Foundation, and city officials to quickly work through insurance red tape and other issues that needed to be resolved in regards to their former building and the explosion accident in general and overseeing the Challengers program as the teens continued to work on simple projects to ready the school building for classes. Unfortunately, the start of school would signal their eviction and they still had not secured a new site much to MacGyver's dismay along with the fact that Breeze seemed to be spending more and more time away from the club.

The weekend before Labor Day, Mac and Jo had agreed to carve out time to enjoy a romantic dinner. Since Breeze was still staying in MacGyver's apartment, though he was there less and less, they spent most of their time on Joanna's side of the house. She had prepared some of their favorite dishes and Mac supplied the flowers and candles to add to the ambiance. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they could not quell their concern about Breeze's absence and the lack of a new location for the club.

"Do you think I made a mistake accepting Breeze's help?" Jo asked Mac. They had eaten their dinner and now sat on the couch, Joanna tucked into the crook of Mac's arm.

"I don't know how we could have gotten this far without him," MacGyver said. "He's been doing a really great job taking care of the business stuff, but I am disappointed with his disappearance act lately."

Just then Breeze entered through the door connecting the two apartments.

"I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. It's time I tell you something. Well, actually, I need to show you something if you don't mind."

Never a fan of surprises, Mac stiffened. "What is it?"

"I need to take you there," Breeze replied cryptically.

Twenty minutes later, Breeze turned his rental sedan into the parking lot of a rectangular, one-story building. "Welcome to the new Challengers!" he exclaimed as he turned off the ignition. "This is why I haven't been around much lately."

Mac and Jo could only gape at him so he continued. "I've been trying to find a new place for you guys since I got here. This used to be a senior citizen recreation center but it closed a few years ago and has been abandoned since. It took a little negotiating, but I secured the lease and got some kids from the club to help me get it ready. Here, go take a look."

Breeze handed Joanna a key and the trio stepped out of the car and approached the front door of the building. Jo inserted the key into the lock. It turned easily. Breeze stepped in front of her, opening the door wide and then turning on the lights. MacGyver stepped over the threshold and was amazed at what he saw. A built-in reception desk already outfitted with a telephone and computer greeted them. A large, newly carpeted area spread beyond them filled with various pieces of furniture, some rescued from the former building, including a television, pool table, and weightlifting equipment. Across the way, partitions created three office spaces already furnished and supplied with phones and computers on the desks. At Breeze's urging, the couple wandered around on their own, checking out restrooms and even a kitchen area.

"Breeze, this is incredible!" Joanna exclaimed.

"Unfortunately there isn't any place for overnight guests and there are still some improvements I'd like to make like offices with actual walls, but I figure this will do for now," Breeze replied modestly.

MacGyver smiled widely. "Breeze, don't sell yourself short. This is already a whole lot better than the previous site." Then he sobered. "But I hope you made sure a full inspection was done and everything is up to code."

"You don't have to worry, MacGyver. I made sure all of that was taken care of."

"How can we afford this?" Jo asked, still looking around what was to be her new work home.

Breeze shrugged. "Like I said, it took some negotiating, but I convinced our funders it would be worth it in the long run."

"I couldn't help but notice you set up three office spaces. Does that mean you're staying?" Mac asked.

"Yessir. Part of the deal with Phoenix is that I get to work as a paid intern through the foundation for one year."

Mac couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could feel the tension he'd been carrying since the night of the explosion seep from his mind and body. Looking at Jo he could tell she felt the same. Not only was Challengers back, but he was determined to make it better than ever!