Full Circle

By

Jackie Clouse

Duncan Peterson sat behind his mahogany desk catching up on paperwork. Not only did being a lawyer keep his in box full but taking care of Mac Enterprises did as well. He didn’t mind though, normally a 69 year old man would be wearing out his usefulness and considering retirement but not Duncan; he was still needed and that alone made him smile.
His office door opened and a middle aged woman with graying chestnut hair that was tied up in a bun poked her head in.
“Mr. Peterson, Gillian MacGyver is here to see you.”
The older man’s face lit up. “She is? Diane why didn’t you tell me? Send her in!” He rose to his feet and looked at the tan blazer on the back of his chair. He debated briefly about putting it back on when his office door opened and his long time friend came in.
A bright smile spread across Gillian’s face as she held out her arms. “Duncan.”
“Hello Gillian.” He hugged her to his chest, closing his eyes. “How are you?”
Gillian pulled back from the hug, taking her friend’s hands. “I’m good Duncan.” She had on a maroon knee length skirt and a white sleeveless shirt and she looked down at herself briefly. “Uhh, in fact there’s something I have to tell you.”
Duncan raised an eyebrow. “You do? What?”
Gillian laughed, shaking her head as she gave the older man’s hands another squeeze. “You’re going to be a grandpa Duncan.”
His sky blue eyes widened and softened into a look of genuine paternal pride before growing shiny. “Gillian...” His lower lip trembled as he pulled her into another hug. “Oh that’s wonderful, congratulations.”
Gillian squeezed her eyes shut. “I wish Mom and Dad could be here right now.”
“I know Baby, I know but they’re watching over you and your little one too.” Duncan let go of her and wiped his face. “When is the baby due?”
“October.” She sighed, her hand rubbing over her stomach. “How’s Kate?”
“She’s good.” He put his arm across her shoulders and directed her to the navy blue furniture set that sat in the middle of the room. “Come on let’s have a seat, how’s MacGyver?”
“Good, he’s at a board meeting right now at the foundation.” Gillian sat down in the middle of the couch beside Duncan, taking a moment to look at the reddish wood paneling that covered the walls of the office. “I used the opportunity to come see you since he’s the reason I’m here.”
“Oh? Is something wrong?” Duncan turned towards her taking her hand; the creases in his face deepening with concern.
She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Oh no everything’s fine; I just need your help with something.”
Duncan creased his brow. “You do? With what?”
Gillian let go of his hand and leaned forward, picking up her purse. “I need you to look into this for me.” She pulled a piece of paper from it and handed it to Duncan. “It’s really important.”
The older man studied it and nodded. “Okay, I’ll look into it.” He stood up and went back over to his desk.
“I’ll make a few phone calls and let me know what I can dig up.”
Gillian checked her watch as she stood up, slinging her purse over her shoulder. “I have to go run a few errands and then meet Mac for lunch at 1 30.” She took her wallet out and a white card from it. “Here.” A pen got taken out from her purse and she wrote down a number. “I have a cell phone now; call me when you find out anything.”
Duncan took the card from her and looked at it. “Okay I will.”
Gillian gave the older man another hug. “Thanks Duncan for everything. I’ll be waiting for your call.” She kissed her friend on the cheek and left his office.

“So where are we going?”
MacGyver stared out the window at the cover of white clouds underneath them.
He and Gillian were in the ME jet sailing slowly through the sky towards Minnesota; however one passenger on the plane didn’t know the destination; MacGyver. He simply sat beside his wife taking her hand in his.
Gillian leaned towards him, resting her head on his shoulder. “It’s a surprise.”
Mac sighed, brushing his hand across his mouth. “Gill, I don’t like surprises. Where are we going?”
His wife closed her eyes briefly; she had hoped he would wait until they had landed before asking that; but no such luck.
“Minnesota.”
“Minnesota?” Mac’s head came up off the tan leather seat and he shifted towards his wife. “Why are we going there?”
“I rented a cabin near Mission City for us to stay in for the next couple of weeks. Since it’s your birthday tomorrow and our anniversary next week; I thought it’d be a great way to spend them and get away from it all for awhile.”
MacGyver didn’t know what to say, he hadn’t been home in over two years and the circumstances hadn’t been all that joyous. “What made you decide to take me home?”
His tone was mild and curious, making Gillian open her eyes. “Well I’ve never been to Minnesota before and what better tour guide then a native?” She raised his hand to her lips and kissed it. “Besides, I thought it’d be fun to spend two weeks in a cabin right beside the Minnesota River. We can go fishing and all that.” She unbuckled her seat belt and lifted the arm rest between them climbing into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. “Don’t you think?”
MacGyver shifted her so her denim covered legs were across his lap. “Yeah or we can do other things.” He hugged her to his chest, stroking her hair. “You always do this you know, go to a lot of trouble when you don’t have to.”
“Sure I have to.” Gillian raised her head and beeped him on the nose. “And you’re no trouble, believe me.” She kissed the tip of his nose and settled back down listening to the sound of his strong heart; a small knowing smile pulled the corners of her mouth up.

Gillian stretched, her thin white sweater raising a little as she did so. The plane ride had been only a few hours but it was long enough to make her feel stiff. The temperature was in the high 50s and a cool breeze blew through her hair as she looked around at the deserted, oil stained runway.
“Ready to go?” She turned around and saw her husband, putting his black leather jacket on over his grey long sleeved shirt and adjusted his collar.
“We have a cab right?”
“Right. It’s waiting for us at the terminal.”
“What about our luggage?”
Gillian crossed her arms over her chest; the blowing air had given her a chill.
“It’s being taken care of.”
Mac turned around and watched as some men in coveralls unloaded the plane.
“They’re taking it to the cab right now. Come on.” She motioned with her head toward the small white building.

The green cab from the Mission City Cab Company took the couple to the nearest car rental place. A small single wide trailer with a bright green roof and matching ramp, the cab pulled up to it and dropped them off.
“What do you think we should rent?” Mac stuck his hands in his pockets as he scrutinized the small trailer.
Gillian walked around it to look at the lot full of cars, trucks and SUV’s. “How about an SUV?”
“Yeah, that’ll work. We have no idea how bad the roads will be along that mountain pass.” MacGyver gazed over the long line of different size and shape SUV’s that made up the last row of cars.
“Just don’t get something so monstrous I’ll need a ladder to get into it or won’t be able to drive it.”
A small smile came to the blond man’s face. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Gillian narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. “You want this birthday to be your last don’t you?”
His grin only got wider as he walked up the ramp and went inside the trailer.

The navy blue Explorer raced through along the highway, heading for the Minnesota River. The sun dappled woods surrounded both sides of the black asphalt road towering over it; the aspen and birch trees providing just the right amount of shade like a natural tunnel.
“Wow…gorgeous woods.” Gillian stared out of her window at the surrounding forest and smiled. “I can see why you love it here so much.”
“Yeah, a great place to grow up. I had a lot of fun.” Mac sighed as he watched the scenery scroll by.
“So you said we have to take 212 all the way to 71?”
Gillian took the small notebook out of her purse and read over the directions. Little did her husband know that not only were the instructions totally fake, but the cabin itself didn’t exist.
“Uhh…right, but let me get the map and double check.” She opened the glove box and pulled out a map, studying it carefully. “Right, we should hit road 212 in about a half hour.” The map got carefully folded back up and returned to the glove box.
“You know we’re not that far from my house, maybe we can stop there and have a look at it. I’m sure the mortgage company wouldn’t mind if we dropped by for a few minutes.”
“Sure, if that’s what you want to do.” Gillian turned her face away from him, trying to hide her smile as her husband came to a set of crossroads and turned the SUV in the other direction.

The crossroads stretched out for several miles and with it the forest slowly tapered off, giving away to more level farmland. The lush green meadows with the trees in the distances made for a more picturesque landscape.
“Oh man do you have any idea how spooky this is?” MacGyver dark eyes took in the terrain he was driving through, memories of his long ago childhood coming back to him. “This was how the school bus used to go to drop me off.”
Gillian looked around at the passing scenery, seeing the farms off in the distance. “Kind of a no man’s land out here.”
“It’s really not but this is the main road so it sort of seems like that.” The SUV slowed down as a lone sign came into view. The white rusted sign with faded black lettering read RR 14.
“Rural Route 14?”
“Yep.” MacGyver sighed as he turned the SUV down a paved road that had tall trees on either side of it. Their long branches and a few stubby little bushes reached towards the SUV, a few of them scraping along side.
Mac winced at the sound of tree branches coming in contact with metal. “Good thing I got extra insurance on this thing.”
“So how far down is it?” Gillian saw a white rabbit go scurrying across the road. “Watch the rabbit.”
“It’s coming up.”
The road dipped down low in one section before once again becoming level. As soon as it did a white house and a white barn came into view. Gillian glanced at her husband seeing a small smile come to his face, his dark eyes seemed to twinkle.
“And there is it…”
MacGyver pulled the Explorer up to the house and got out; his knees feeling like gelatin as so many memories came back to him he felt a little lightheaded. Gillian got out of her side looking around.
The white house, now covered with chipping and flaking paint, was two story with a peaked roof; the very front had a red brick porch with four pillars that lined it. A small set of wooden steps led to the front door and hanging below the porch light sat a small black square mailbox.
“Oh my God this is weird.” Mac climbed up the steps, his hand reached out to touch the white screen door that sat in front of a dark oak one with a tarnished brass knocker.
Gillian stood beside him and touched his back, her contact making him jump. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah…” His tone gently, barely above a whisper. “Just so many things I had forgotten.” He glanced out at the small carriage house that was an exact copy of the house right down to the brick porch. The only difference was a set of dark wooden double doors.
“See the barn?”
“Yeah.”
“I rode my bike off it when I was 7 wearing a sheet for a parachute.” He sighed remembering how frightened his mother had been. “Just about gave my mom a heart attack. My lab is in the loft.”
“You can show me later.”
“I wish I could; this place is locked up pretty tight though.” Mac sighed as he turned away from the door, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops as he walked across the porch.
“God it’s been so long.” He gazed out across the yard at the several large trees, now they didn’t look so massive to him; one at the end of the yard had the tattered remains of what looked like a big box.
“There’s my tree house.”
Gillian stood beside him, taking his arm. “Is that where you took girls to make out?”
Mac’s cheeks turned a light shade of red. “When I was older.”
“So are you going to give me the tour or not?”
“I told you I can’t, this place belongs to the mortgage company; technically we’re trespassing.”
A grin came to Gillian’s face. “I don’t see any signs.”
“Well I’m sure there is somewhere.” He patted his wife’s hand. “Come on, let’s go. I don’t want the Sheriff to get us for trespassing.”
“I told you Mac we’re not trespassing.” They walked off the porch and headed towards the Explorer.
“I thought seeing this place would make you happy.” Gillian opened her door and climbed in.
“It does, I just wish I could get it but who knows what kind of red tape and legal junk I’d have to go through.” Mac stretched, reaching into his pocket for the keys.
Gillian crossed her legs. “Boy you weren’t kidding about that, miles and miles of red tape.”
MacGyver put the key in the ignition. “How do you know?”
“Oh…just a guess.” Gillian reached into her sweater and pulled out a set of keys on a grungy old keychain that had a small carved wooden dog on it.
Mac saw it and his eyes grew as wide as a pair of headlights; his mouth suddenly went dry as a bone. “Where did you get those?”
“From the mortgage company of course, along with this.” Gillian picked up her purse and pulled out a chunky white envelope. “Here, have a look.” She passed it to him and Mac took it with shaking hands as he pulled out a set of thick blue papers out of it and read them.
“This…this is a deed.” He raised his head, his eyes focusing on his wife. “To this house, the barn and the land.”
“Right.” She handed him the keys. “This place is ours now Mac, lock, stock and barrel.”
He took the keys from her, his fingers tracing over the little carved dog. “I made this for my keys a long time ago.” His gaze once more focused on his wife, his eyes still wide with astonishment.
“How? How did you do this?”
“Duncan…he flew to Minneapolis last week and closed the deal for me.”
MacGyver got out of the vehicle and walked around it, opening his wife’s door. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her so hard she almost couldn’t breathe.
“I can’t believe you did this, I don’t know what to say.” Mac buried his head in Gillian’s shoulder.
Gillian returned the embrace, stroking his hair. “Happy Birthday and Anniversary Baby.”
Mac pulled back, giving his wife a sideways glance. “There is no cabin, is there?”
“No, we’re staying here for the two weeks.” She touched his cheek and glided her fingers down it. “Surprised?”
“Blown away.” He placed both hands on his wife’s face and brushed his lips against hers in a deep, gentle kiss; his arms wrapping around her.

MacGyver stuck his key in the lock and gave it a few turns; the oak door slowly creaked open. The smell of must and dust hit the couple as they stepped into the house; the first thing that greeted them was the staircase on the right hand side.
“Wow, this place needs some serious airing out.” Gillian wrinkled her nose as the urge to sneeze hit her. “How about we leave the door open for a while?”
“It’s been locked up since my mother died a decade ago.” Mac glanced to the left seeing the bare wooden floor of the living room; the darker outline of the round rug that always covered it still visible in the sunlight.
Gillian saw the expression on her husband’s face; he looked like he just walked through a time doorway and on some level he had. She touched his back.
“Honey why don’t you take a look around, okay? I’m going to check on the water and electricity. Duncan said he had them turned on; we just don’t have a phone yet.”
“Okay.” Mac headed for the stairs and slowly climbed them.
To the right of the staircase was the dining room and off of it the kitchen doorway; Gillian stepped through it, the wooden floor slightly creaking beneath her feet.
The kitchen had white tile; matching counter tops and light beige colored wood and glass cabinets all along two of the walls. A steel double sink sat in the middle of the counter and a brand new dishwasher was just to the left of the sink. At the very end of the counter near the back door sat a brand new black stove; the fact all these appliances were new made Gillian curious.
“Hmmm the mortgage company must have replaced everything for some reason.”
Gillian crouched down and looked at the wall behind them seeing that it too had been replaced.
“Must have had a leak or something.”
She stood up and went back over to the sink and gave the clear handle a turn and after a second or two water came out of it.
“Well we got water.”
A pair of doors was across the sink and Gillian opened them to find it was a pantry with shelves that went from the top of the closet to the floor.
“Wow…nice.”
Next to the pantry sat the brand new double door refrigerator. There were papers still stuck to the doors and she pulled them off.
“Duncan must have done this.”
Gillian opened the fridge and a blast of cold air hit her. On the top shelf sat a half gallon of milk, a bottle of orange juice, a gallon of water, a loaf of wheat bread and a carton of eggs. She opened the meat keeper and found a Ziploc bag of ham and one of cheese.
“Well he got us a few groceries.” She said as she closed the doors.
There was plenty of room in that kitchen for a small table and chairs and the marks on the tile indicated one had sat there for many years. Beside the fridge was a doorway and Gillian walked through it to see a toilet and sink.
“A half bathroom.” There was another door and she opened it only to find herself right under the stairs.
“This place is like a maze.” She heard creaking above her and she raised her face to the ceiling.
“Mac?”
“Yeah it’s me, come on up here.”
Gillian walked to the front of the stairs and gripped the reddish oak banister as she climbed up the dark grey carpeted stairs.

Five dark oak doors came into the view as Gillian stepped out onto the landing. The same grey carpet that covered the steps went down the long hall that she walked down.
“Mac?”
“Over here.” A hand waved out of the second door and she went over to it, peeking through the open door. Her husband stood in the middle of the room, his hands on his hips.
“Let me guess, this was your room?” Gillian took his arm as she looked around.
The walls, a now faded blue, had the tape marks and small holes from where various pictures and posters had been hung. A long scraped line beside the window indicated a twin bed had once sat there and a pair of sliding wooden doors along the west wall made up the closet.
“Any skeletons in here?” Gillian carefully slid back one of the doors. The only thing in the closet was a shelf and a few hangers.
“There might be.” Mac sat on the window box drawing his legs up and hugging them as he stared out the window.
Gillian closed the closet door watching him; two thoughts came into her mind, leave him alone or talk to him. She debated which of the two to do when he turned towards her; his eyes like melted chocolate.
“Come here.”
She went over and stood looking down at him. “Mac I didn’t mean to upset you by doing this. Hearing you talk about Minnesota and how much you’ve missed it. You talked about never being able to go home again and I wanted to change your mind; I thought doing this would.”
He reached out and took her hand pulling her a little closer; his arms came around her waist as he leaned his head against her stomach.
“I’m not upset; it’s just going to take a day or two go get my bearings that’s all. I feel like a little kid again and I can’t believe all the little things that are coming back to me.” He raised his head staring up into her face. “And you’re right, I did say I couldn’t ever go home again but I was wrong.” His hand traced over her stomach gently. “I’ve got two very important reasons now to take this place and make it a home again.” He raised his head once more. “Right?”
Gillian smiled gazing down into his upturned face. “Right.” She leaned down and gave him a kiss. “But the first thing we need to do is get some furniture. We have power and water and the fridge has a little bit of food in it but not much.”
Mac nodded. “I better check and see if the wood box out by the barn has any wood in it.”
“Wood for what?” Gillian creased her brow. “It’s spring; why do we need wood?”
He let go of her and stood up taking her hand. “This is Minnesota not LA. As soon as the sun goes down it’s going to get cold.”
“Where are we going?”
MacGyver took his wife to the fourth door and opened it. The first thing Gillian saw in the corner was a small black Franklin stove, the pipe protruding into the ceiling.
“That’s what the wood is for; we’ll have to burn some tonight to keep this place warm.” Mac walked around the room, his boots thumping slightly on the floor.
Just off the door was the bathroom and Gillian peeked into it. It had a huge cast iron, clawed foot bathtub with a curtain around it and an old fashioned sink and toilet.
The bedroom was massive, twice as long and wide as her husband’s. The long room was completely empty; the wooden floor had rug marks just like the living room one did. Two sets of double doors stood beside the stove; obviously they were his and her closets.
Gillian shook her head. “This is a huge bedroom; most of our house in LA could fit in here.”
“Well this farm’s been in the family for a while now. It was passed onto my father from my great grandfather.” A pair of windows was on the north wall and he pulled up the shade on one of them looking out into the yard.
“And now the house and the three acres belong to you.” Gillian came up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. “It’s back in the family where it belongs.”
Mac turned around to face her. “You’re right it is.” He checked his watch. “It’s getting late though and we need to go into Mission City for some things.”
“A bed would be nice.” Gillian walked around a little standing in front of the east wall. “Although we could fit two king size ones right here.”
“No, one is fine. There’s a really nice furniture store in town, should have everything we need.” He touched his back pocket, checking to see if he had his wallet. His pocket was empty and he creased his brow.
“I put my wallet in the glove box right?”
Gillian nodded. “Yeah that’s the first thing you did when we got into the Explorer.”
“Okay, come on. I want to get back before dark.” Mac took his wife’s hand and the two of them left the bedroom.

Gillian pulled a thick grey and blue comforter over the top of the king size bed and sighed; collapsing face down on top of it. The couple had spent the past few hours getting some things they would need for their house. The setting sun put an end to their shopping trip for the day and now she could feel the familiar weight of fatigue settling over her.
MacGyver walked into the master bedroom carrying a box filled with wood. “Found some wood; it’s pretty old and dry but it’ll do.” He set the box beside the stove and looked over his shoulder at his wife.
“Gill?”
Gillian turned her head sideways. “Yeah yeah I’m alive…sort of.” She groaned as she sat up slowly. “God I’m tired and we didn’t even get everything we need.”
Mac opened the small door on the round stove and piled a few pieces of wood into it. “I know but we probably don’t need much more. The kitchen has all that new stuff in it but I’d like to get a table and chair set for it.”
“What about the dining room?”
“We can find something simple.” MacGyver closed the door and brushed off his hands. “But stuff like that isn’t important right now. We’ve got a bed and some things for the kitchen; I don’t want to get into the heavy furniture buying until we get this place inspected.”
Gillian nodded rubbing her arms; the room was starting to get chilly. “We’ll have to set all that up tomorrow.” She shivered a little. “You were right about needing the stove.”
“Welcome to Minnesota.” Mac pulled a match from his pocket and dragged his thumbnail across it sparking it to life. He opened the stove door and dropped the match into it.
“There, that should get going in a minute or two.” MacGyver hugged his wife to him. “Why don’t you go take a hot shower?”
Gillian snuggled into his grey shirt sighing. “I’d rather use you to get nice and warm.”
“I don’t think I’ve got enough heat for the both of us.” Mac chuckled kissing the top of her head. “I’m going to go downstairs and make us some sandwiches.”
“Can I come?” Gill raised her head nuzzling his throat. “Please.”
Her lips gently nipping at his Adam’s apple made him sigh and close his eyes. “You’ve got a great method to convince me you know.”
“Or should I maybe save my persuasive powers for later?” Gill’s hands roamed up and down her husband’s back.
“Saving them for later might be the best thing.” Mac lifted his wife’s chin and planted a kiss on her lips. “Come on I’m starving.”

Gillian scrunched down in the big fluffy bed, pulling the covers a little higher over her pink flannel nightgown. The only light in the room came from the glowing stove and the shadows the flames threw on the walls and ceiling seemed to be in the most fascinating patterns. Outside the wind blew against the side of the house making the trees wave gently; the moving branches taking on the appearance of waving arms directly in front of the bedroom windows.
“Mac?”
“Yeah?” Her husband turned towards her; wearing a raggedy hockey jersey and sweat pants to bed; the stove helped but a slight chill still hung in the air. Mac had his arms tucked behind his head.
“Something wrong?”
Gillian turned on her side and snuggled up to him. “It’s kind of spooky here. It’s way too quiet and it sounds like someone stomping around in the attic.”
“Well there could be someone in the attic.” MacGyver wiggled his eyebrows at his wife. “Or maybe it’s a ghost.”
A loud creak suddenly sounded over their heads and Gill gasped, her eyes widening.
“Oh that’s it! You get out of this bed and go check the attic!” Gillian pulled her pillow out from underneath her head and put it over her face.
“Gill I’m not going up there right now.” Mac propped himself up on his elbow and tried to pull the pillow off his wife’s head but she held it too tightly. “I was just kidding about the ghost.”
“I’m never going to be able to sleep here.” Her voice was muffled thanks to the pillow and finally MacGyver jerked it away from her.
“Oh come on, you’re just not used to this house that’s all. Trust me there’s no ghosts in the attic and first thing tomorrow we’ll go up there and check.”
Gillian sat up. “Ha! I’m not going up there!”
Mac laid back down. “Come on, just lay down close to me and relax.”
His wife sighed as she scooted down in the bed and leaned with her head on MacGyver’s chest.
“It’s been a long day and you need to rest.” He ran his hand down his wife’s long hair in a slow repeating pattern, trying to settle her down. “You know when I was little I used to have nightmares.”
Gillian lifted her head a little looking up into his face. “You did? Why?”
“My dad and Grandma dying in that crash.” He sighed, closing his eyes briefly. “For a longest time I would wake up crying out for them or sometimes I would wake up screaming like I was trapped in that car with them.”
Gillian shuddered a little; the image of that flooding car flashing in her mind. It made her put her arm across his waist and hold him. “Oh God.”
“Yeah, I would come into this room where my mom was and climb into bed with her or sometimes she would hear me crying and go into my room.”
“What would she do?”
A small smile came to MacGyver’s face; his hand still caressing his wife’s head. “She would hold me close and stroke my hair until I fell back asleep. It always worked, no matter how scared I was she would just tell me I was safe and that nothing was going to happen to me.”
Gillian yawned covering her mouth. “She sounds like a good mom.”
“She was; taking care of me and this house couldn’t have been easy.”
“I can relate though, after my parents died I used to dream about them too. Sometimes I would wake up with a sopping wet pillow or screaming at the top of my lungs.” Her husband’s fingers were making her feel drowsy, her eyelids feeling heavy. “I do feel safe though Mac; I always feel safe with you.”
He lifted his head and kissed her temple. “Good, go to sleep.”
“You too.” Gillian yawned again as she snuggled a little more against her husband and dropped off.
Mac listened to his wife’s deep even breathing and sighed.
“Night Gill.” He closed his eyes and joined his wife.

Gillian stood in the hallway looking at the door beside the one to the master bedroom; it had a clear crystal knob and led to the attic. The sound of running water suddenly stopped and she glanced at the bedroom door.
“Mac?”
“Yeah?”
“Meet me in the attic when you’re done okay?”
“Okay.”
She wrapped her hand around the crystal knob and turned it; the dark door creaking as she pulled it back. A set of dark wood stairs greeted her and she touched the wall feeling for a light switch. Her fingers brushed one and the attic suddenly lit up. She climbed the last step and her eyebrows went up at the sea of dust covered boxes that went from one end of the room to the other.
“Wow!” A cobweb covered beam was close to her head and she ducked down as she stepped out onto the wooden floor.
Gillian crouched down at the first box she saw and pulled back the flaps. The box contained an old scrapbook and she sat down on the floor not minding if she got dirty; her choice of clothing for that day was a pair of old blue sweat pants and a white t-shirt. She opened the book and flipped to the first page; her brow creasing when she saw a black and white photo of a grinning little boy in jeans on a bike.
“Hey…I recognize that grin.” One corner of the picture wasn’t taped and she lifted it with her finger.
Angus age 5
“I knew it! Can’t mistake that smile.” She shook her head as she flipped through the pages finding more of her husband. “Aww such a cute little boy.”
A photo of him fishing with a very young Harry was the last one in the book.
“Wow! Look how young Harry was!” She closed the book and set it back in the box and stood up.
Gillian moved that box aside and grabbed another opening it up. The box contained metal cars and trucks and she went through them.
“Bet these things are worth some money.”
She picked up a small truck and inspected it.
“Gill?”
The sound of her name startled her and she touched her hand to her chest. “Yeah I’m here, you’re not going to believe what’s up here Mac.”
“Oh yeah? How come?” The sound of his hiking boots stomping up the stairs grew louder and she turned to see him come up to the top step.
“Whoa! What’s all this?”
Gillian grabbed the scrapbook and opened it to the first picture; holding it up for him to see. “You tell me? Who’s this little cutie on the bike?”
Mac eyes widened and a grin came to his face as he took the album from his wife. “Oh my God!”
“You were adorable Mac, what happened?” She fluttered her eyelashes at her husband.
He tilted his head to one side as he narrowed his eyes playfully at her. “If you didn’t think I was adorable still you wouldn’t be here.”
“Ah good point. Wait until you see that one of Harry.” Gillian put her arm across his waist and gave his blue jean covered butt a pat. She walked around the boxes and spotted one with a few toys in it and crouched down. Something green and faded with a small black thread grin stitched into its face got her attention and she pulled it out of the box.
It was a small brontosaurus with a crooked neck; the bean bag stuffing having shifted over the years. She had a pretty good idea who it belonged to and straightened up.
“Mac? Recognize this?”
MacGyver lifted his head from the album and spotted the toy his wife held in her hands. Despite the low amount of light in the attic, the darkening of his face in a blush could easily be seen.
“Oh...uh...just a toy; that’s all.”
“Your red face tells me this was more than just a toy Mac.” She tossed it at him, the dinosaur hitting his blue t-shirt and leaving a dust mark on it.
Mac sighed; shaking his head. “Danny Dinosaur. I used to carry him around with me all the time when I was little.” He looked the little dinosaur over, seeing the stitch marks on his feet.
“Mom had to sew his feet up because he was leaking stuffing.”
Gillian smiled at his admission. “My security blanket was a little blond rag doll in a pink flowered dress named Paige.” She walked around amongst the boxes trying to see what caught her attention.
Mac set Danny Dinosaur aside and began rummaging through a few of the boxes at his feet.
“I can’t believe all this stuff is up here.” He found a box of clothes and pulled out a suede vest with long fringes. “Oh man!”
Gillian turned around, seeing what her husband held in his hands. “Aww Davy Jones I presume?”
“Nah, I’m a lot taller than he is.” MacGyver’s face flooded with color once again as he slipped the vest over his t-shirt and buttoned it up. “Damn it still fits!” He spread his arms and showed his wife.
“What do you think?”
A snicker sounded out and Gillian put her hand over her mouth as she cleared her throat.
“Oh you sexy thing you! Where’s your headband and bell bottoms?”
“Probably in another box.” Mac bent over as he looked through the box and pulled out a pair of round wire rimmed mirror sunglasses and put them on.
Gillian watched him shaking her head. “Strolling down Memory Lane are we?”
“Well, sort of. I thought all this stuff was thrown away after my mom died.”
“I’m glad it wasn’t. We can take it back to LA with us.” Gillian saw a large tan trunk over in the corner and went over to it. She crouched down and opened it; the heavy lid thudded against the wooden floor kicking up a small cloud of dust that she waved away. A black shoe box sat in the bottom of it and she picked it up; sitting down on the floor as she took off the lid. A few small silver film cans and a small 8 millimeter camera was in the box.
“Mac, look what I found.” She picked up one of the cans and read it. “Home movies.”
“Home movies?” MacGyver crouched down beside her and took the camera out of the box. “Wow I haven’t seen this in a long time.”
Gillian glanced in the trunk and brushed aside a few hats; spotting something black with a handle lying on its side. “What’s that?”
Mac handed her the camera and reached into the trunk lifting the black object out. It was a case of some kind and he set it down on the floor and opened it. “It’s a projector.”
“So do you remember these?” Gillian went through the cans; all of them marked HOME MOVIES.
“Yeah, but I thought they were lost.” He took his glasses off and put them on top of his head. “Want to see them?”
Gillian smiled. “Sure, maybe they’re of you.”
“Maybe. I do remember seeing Harry with this camera but only a couple of times.” Mac stood up and stretched out his hand to his wife. “Come on, later on we’ll come back up here and see what else we can find.”
Gillian placed her hand in his and he pulled her to feet.

MacGyver stood on a chair in between the two windows in the master bedroom. He had the white shower curtain in his hands and stuck the curtain rods from both windows through the rings. He carefully put the rods back in place; the shower curtain not only blocked out the sunlight but made a nice wide screen for the movies.
“Ah there we go.” He jumped down from the chair and put his hands on his hips. “What do you think?”
Gillian had her back against the headboard, her ankles crossed. “Very good Mac; I’m impressed.”
Beside her was a big bag of popcorn and she stuck her hand in it and popped a few kernels in her mouth.
“Are we ready for the big show?”
Mac set the projector on the chair and propped it up using the case it came in. “Yeah almost.”
He flipped it on and a white square appeared in the center of the shower curtain.
“Perfect.” He shut it off, turned another dial and flipped it on. “Time for the show.”
A countdown began and he quickly joined his wife on the bed, digging into the bag of popcorn with her.
The film was in black and white and a young woman with long blond hair wearing a pair of dark pants and a light colored shirt waved at the camera. A big smile was on her face as she turned to the side and put her hand on her hip, fluttering her eyelashes
“Is that Ellen?” Gillian turned to look at her husband, seeing a smile on his face.
“Yeah…God she was so young.” Mac shook his head. “You tend to forget your parents had a life before you came along.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“Yeah she was.” MacGyver ate another handful of popcorn.
The scene changed and this time a young man came on the screen wearing cut off jean shorts and a tank top. He had dark short hair and a big wide grin as he started flexing his muscles for the camera.
Gillian laughed, shaking her head. “God you were such a ham Mac.”
MacGyver licked his lips and pressed them together. “That’s not me Gill.” His voice was scarcely above a whisper as he stared at the screen.
His wife creased her brow. “What do you mean that’s not you? I mean yeah your hair was dark but you told me it was when you were younger.”
“Gillian that’s not me.” MacGyver got up from the bed and stood beside the makeshift screen. “That’s my father.”
She studied both men; the real one and the one on the screen and her eyes widened.
“Oh my God.” She scooted to the edge of the bed; watching James. “Mac you’re the spitting image of him!” Her hand touched her mouth. “It’s so scary! The smile, those eyes.”
Mac swallowed hard; his throat feeling dry. “It’s been so long since I saw him a picture of him. I forgot what he looked like. I always thought I looked like my mom.”
“No way, you look exactly like James Mac; there’s no doubt about it.” Gillian got down from the bed and stood beside her husband.
“Come on let’s get back to the movie.” She took ahold of his arm and tugged on it; leading him back to the bed. They climbed back into it and settled down watching James and Ellen on the shower curtain screen.

The silent reel contained footage of a very young, possibly newly married James and Ellen MacGyver. The gentle, playful antics of his parents brought a smile to their son’s face yet at the same time only hammered home the fact they were gone. He shifted on the bed turning on his side and looked away from the screen.
Gillian noticed he wasn’t watching anymore and touched his back.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” His flat monotone told his wife he was anything but okay.
She tugged a little on his shoulder rolling him onto his back. MacGyver’s ginger eyes were empty; the normally sparkling orbs now dull with pain.
“You’re not okay Mac so don’t even try and tell me you are.”
He reached up and covered his face with both hands. “I wanted you to get to know them Gill. For the longest time I wanted to show them to you; to share who they were and what they were like with you.” He uncovered his face. “But now--”
“But now?” She took ahold of his hand and held it.
Mac shifted his gaze to her and licked his lips. “But now that you finally get to see them and know them it just makes it all the more painful because they’re gone.”
Gillian shook her head, squeezing his hand. “No Baby it doesn’t. I’m glad I finally get to see your parents because I wanted to know who it was that made you the man you are today. And even though they’re gone I’m grateful for this chance to see them.” She reached out and touched his cheek. “This movie is a gift to be treasured, not mourned. Now you have a piece of your parents to share not only with me but with our baby too. This is their legacy just like you are; don’t let pain and grief spoil it.”
MacGyver stared at her wide eyed for a moment or two; letting her words roll around inside his head. When they registered; a slow grin slowly moved across Mac’s face as he took Gillian’s face in both his hands. He craned his neck to plant the sweetest, gentlest kiss on her lips touching his forehead to hers.
“I’m glad you finally got to meet them Gill.”
The reel ended; the film whapping as it spun in the projector and throwing a flashing white square on the screen. Mac got up from the bed and turned it off returning to snuggle with his wife.
“What do you say we rest for a while?”
His wife yawned covering her mouth. “Good idea.”
The couple settled down and fell into a peaceful sleep.

Gillian opened her eyes, seeing the empty half of the king size bed that belonged to her husband.
“Mac?”
She sat up slowly and looked around seeing the bright light of early afternoon coming in through the windows despite the shower curtain over them. The house was quiet, too quiet so clearly her missing husband wasn’t indoors. She got down from the bed and bent down to pick up her tennis shoes slipping her feet into them.
Her footfalls echoed on the stairs as she made her way down them and walked through the kitchen, seeing the backdoor open and the screen door slightly ajar.
Gillian peered out the door, the breeze blowing in through the screen over her face as she stared out into the lush green grass. The wind carried with it the faint sound of hammering and it made Gillian open the door; stepping out into the backyard.
She walked around the side of the house and followed the line of trees; sure enough the closer she got to the last one the louder the hammering became. Gillian stopped walking as a familiar looking boot dangled from the thick branches of the tall, wide oak tree.
A pile of old boards sat at the base of the tree and something about them caught her attention. She bent down and picked one up; seeing a medium sized carved heart with the letter M + KB in the center of it. A few jagged scratched slashed through the heart but the initials were visible none the less. She set down the warped and weathered piece of timber and picked up another one with a heart and the initials M + TD cut into it. Gillian saw a pattern here, all the beaten and worn wood had at least one carving put into it that had been scratched out.
Her dropped the wood and jumped up, smacking her husband’s ankle. The reaction instant; MacGyver nearly fell out of the tree and looked down at his wife.
“Don’t do that! Are you trying to scare me to death?” Mac had changed into a grubby white t-shirt and jeans; holding a hammer in his hand.
Gillian bent down and picked up a piece of wood. “MacGyver plus ES? Who’s ES?”
“Oh... no one, just an old friend.” He cleared his throat, pulling another piece of wood out of the platform and dropping it. He shifted a little and straddled a branch as thick as a telephone pole.
“And KB? TD? JC? KE? Are these all friends too?” Gillian raised an eyebrow. “There’s more letters here than in a can of alphabet soup.”
“Yeah well high school, you know?” Mac set his hammer down and carefully lowered himself from the tree sliding down the thick trunk. The color in his cheeks high; he tried to ignore it as he brushed off his hands and shirt.
“I thought I’d get some work done while you were asleep.”
“Uh huh; and here I thought this tree house was crumbling from the highs and lows of Minnesota weather not from these carved hearts wearing out the wood.”
MacGyver’s blush flared back up again as he gathered his wife in his arms. “They were just girls I occasionally brought to this tree house for pubescent experimentation; that’s all.”
“Pubescent experimentation?” Gillian pulled back and cocked her head. “You were young and horny and carved their initials in the floorboards of this tree house. I hardly call that an experiment.”
He rubbed his hand over his face. “Okay so I might have been a little hormonal. The point is it was a long time ago and you’re the only girl I want to bring to my tree house now.” Mac cupped her chin and planted a kiss on her lips. “Got it?”
Gillian sighed shaking her head. “Got it.”
“Good.” Mac turned around and looked up at the platform briefly. “I’m going to need some more wood and screw anchors to really secure it to the tree. Want to come into Mission City with me?”
“Sure, I’m starving.” Gillian rubbed her stomach. “How long was I asleep?”
“Oh about four hours.” MacGyver checked his watch. “Let me change really quick. We better get going if we want to go and come back before it gets dark.”

The couple walked hand in hand down the section of Mission City known as Shoppers’ Grove; every kind of store one could want was located right there in about a four block radius. Mac had parked the Explorer at one end on the first street and the couple worked their way down passing a few antique stores, an ice cream shop and a coin shop. The next store was a hobby one named Al’s Hobby Emporium; the front window covered from top to bottom in model cars, airplanes and ships.
“Wow it’s still here!” Mac pressed his face to the glass admiring the models.
“I take it you used to come to this place a lot?” Gill peeked in the window seeing all the display cases.
“All the time! Al’s son and I went to school together so I always got discounts on whatever I needed.” He paused for a moment wondering if he should go in before finally grabbing the metal handle and pulling the door back.
“After you.”
“Thanks.” Gillian stepped over the threshold; the smell of paint and dust hitting her as she walked into the store.
“Can I help you Miss?” A tall lean man with dark hair, hazel eyes and a blue polo shirt came in from the back room.
“Uhh…”Gillian turned to look at her husband, who stepped up to the counter.
“Hi, I’m looking for--” He cocked his head to one side as he studied the man his eyes widening as recognition flooded his senses. “Ski?”
The dark haired man narrowed his eyes as he stepped back a moment. His face suddenly brightened as a wide grin formed on his lips. “MacGyver?”
Ski came around the counter and hugged his friend hard. “Christ Mac it’s been years! How’ve you been?”
Mac patted his friend’s back and let go of him grinning. “Good Ski, I’ve been good.” He turned around and put his arm around Gillian’s waist. “Gill this is Raymond Yablonski, an old friend of mine. Ski this is Gillian, my wife.”
Gillian stuck out her hand. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”
Ski’s large hand wrapped around hers and squeezed it gently before letting it go.
“It’s a pleasure Ma’am.” His focus shifted back to Mac. “So what brings you back here last I heard you were in LA.”
“We are in LA but we’re just here for a few weeks vacation, staying at my mom’s place.”
Ski nodded. “Yeah I heard someone bought it.” He looked at Gillian and smiled. “And what is it that you do Mrs. MacGyver?”
“Oh it’s just Gillian, please.” She gave Ski a smile. “I’m an archaeologist.”
“Wow that’s really interesting.” Ski checked his watch. “Well I better let you two get back to shopping.” He stretched out his hand to his friend. “It was good to see you Mac; come back and see me before you guys leave.”
MacGyver shook his hand, patting it. “I will Ski; I promise.”

“He seemed really nice.” Gillian reached down and once more took her husband’s hand.
“Yeah he is; we were pretty good friends in school. I’m glad to be back in touch with him.”
They passed a coffee shop; the strong pungent aroma of the ground beans coming to them both.
“Whoa! That’s smells strong enough to melt your insides.” MacGyver wrinkled his nose at the rather hair curling smell.
“Or make them come back up.” Gillian waved her hand in front of her face. “Yuck.”
Another antique shop was up ahead and Gillian peeked in the window at the display of polished stones set in gold or silver. An obelisk shaped piece of turquoise encased in sterling silver set against a piece of black velvet caught her attention.
“That piece of turquoise is beautiful!” Gillian glanced over her shoulder at her husband. “Turquoise is said to have spiritual properties to it.”
Mac hooked his thumbs in his belt loops, studying the window display. “Do you want to get it?”
“Really?” Her dark eyes sparkled as she looked at the pendant one more time. “I’d love to have that.”
“All right it’s settled then.” Mac pulled back the door and they both went inside.
A young woman in a navy blue skirt and white shirt unlocked the window box and reached inside, taking the pendant from it. “Turquoise is said to protect its wearer from negativity and help channel love.” She relocked the box and tucked the keys in her pocket as she handed the necklace to Gillian.
“I can’t really say I believe that but it’s a nice thought.”
“Indians do believe in its spiritual and healing potential. Turquoise is sacred to most tribes.” The pendant wasn’t on a chain but rather a dark piece of leather. Gillian put it over her head; the bluish green stone sat directly in the center of her chest. “What do you think?”
Mac touched it gently; his fingers gliding over the shiny polished stone. “It’s nice, we’ll take it.” He handed the saleswoman his credit card and she disappeared to go run it.
“It’s a gorgeous anniversary gift Mac, thank you.” Gillian put her hands on her husband’s shoulders; kissing his cheek.
The saleswoman returned; with a fast signature and his card returned the couple headed for the exit. The glass door opened and a dark curly haired woman dressed in jeans and a pink cashmere sweater came in. She paid no mind as to where she was going and bumped full force into Mac.
“Oh! I’m sorry.” The woman’s eyes grew wide as they locked on MacGyver’s. “Mac?”
He focused his gaze on her face and soon he too had round eyes. “Kelly Ebersall?”
“Actually its Ebersall-Hinkley, but yeah!” She hugged Mac around the neck; a wide smile on her face.
“Are you all right Ms. Hinkley?” A young blond woman in a blue pant suit seemed concern with the collision.
“Oh Tina I’m fine.” Kelly took Mac’s hands and shook her head slowly. “My God MacGyver you’re still a great looking guy.” She sighed; a small wicked grin coming to her lips. “Remember the tree house?”
Mac cleared his throat, suddenly remembering his wife. “Oh! Kelly there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Gillian had a curious expression on her face as she stood beside her husband. “Tree house huh?”
He licked his lips and pressed them together feeling his face warm. “Kelly this is my wife Gillian.”
Kelly seemed to pale right before her eyes. “Wife?” She shook Gillian’s hand. “A pleasure Gillian.”
“Same here Kelly, you were saying something about Mac’s tree house?”
The dark haired woman pulled a little at the collar of her sweater. “Oh well it’s just that a lot of the girls in our class were familiar with it. That’s all.”
Gillian nodded her gaze shifting from her husband to Kelly. “Popular place was it?”
MacGyver smiled. “So uh Kelly, what are you up to these days?” His embarrassment radiated off of him in waves of heat; like a concrete slab in the summertime.
“I’m a financial advisor in Minneapolis.”
The sound of ringing broke the conversation and the blond woman was quick to answer it.
“Excuse me Ms. Hinkley but its Mr. Hinkley.”
Kelly took the phone from her. “Excuse me a moment.” She stepped away from the couple.
Gillian’s gaze focused on her husband. “So that’s KE huh?”
Kelly hung up her phone, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry but I have to go something’s suddenly come up.” She gave Mac a kiss on the cheek. “Great seeing you again Mac. And it was nice to meet you Gillian, bye.” She hurried out the door with her little assistant in tow.
Gillian shook her head and sighed. “Well this has been an interesting shopping trip so far and we haven’t even made it to the hardware store yet.”

MacGyver laid out boards over the long shopping cart.
“This chemically treated wood should make the tree house last a good long time and be able to withstand the weather.”
Gillian sat on the edge of the cart. “Well that’s good considering we won’t be able to get down here but a few times a year.”
“Yeah hopefully more than that though.”
An older man with a mostly bald head, blue apron and small round wire rimmed glasses came up the aisle watching Mac stack the wood. “Need any help there young man?”
“No I got it, thanks.”
“Building something?” He took off his glasses and cleaned them with his apron.
“Rebuilding a tree house.”
A grin came to his face, making the lines in it go even deeper. “Tree house? Would that be the one on the MacGyver property? Let me know if you need any help.” He started chuckling as he walked away.
Gillian slapped her hand over her eyes. “Oh God another one!” She said in a low voice.
Mac’s eyes widened as he turned to gaze at his wife. “I have no idea what he’s talking about!”
His wife uncovered her face. “Just an innocent little tree house huh? Sounds more like the Minnesota version of the Playboy Mansion. The Mac Shack-o-Love!”
Out of desperation MacGyver gently covered his wife’s hands with his. “Gill I promise you that nothing bad ever happened in my tree house.”
“Nothing huh?”
Mac tilted his head to one side. “Well nothing to give it this kind of reputation.” He squeezed her hands. “Do you believe me?”
Gillian studied her husband for a moment before nodding. “I believe you.”
“Thank you.” He kissed her head and let go of her hands. “Come on let’s go to the nail aisle for those anchors.” Mac bent over and pushed the heavy cart as they headed up the aisle.

With the setting sun came dinnertime; Gillian wiped her hands on a dishtowel and flipped it over her shoulder as she stood at the stove. Since it was Mac’s birthday she decided to make him his favorite meal and had spent at least an hour at the grocery story gathering all the ingredients. She stepped back and opened the oven, a blast of heat hitting her as she checked on the bubbling glass pan with the foil top.
“Okay, five more minutes and it’ll be done.”
The aroma of the baking sauce and cheese only made her stomach growl all the louder as she closed the oven door. Since there was no kitchen table, the best Gillian could do was set up two wooden TV trays with plates and silverware that could easily be carried up to their room.
The timer suddenly went blared to life; the loud beeping echoing in the kitchen. She flipped it off and turned the knob on the oven, the click telling her it was now off.
“And dinner is done! Time to go get the birthday boy.” Gillian took the dishtowel from around her neck and set it on top of the counter.

The last floorboard in place, MacGyver sighed as he set the hammer down and looked out across the square platform. The tree house wasn’t going to be huge, it seemed much more so when he was a lot younger and a few inches shorter.
He stood up carefully, not exactly sure if the anchors he used securely attached the small foundation to the tree. A few steps seemed to answer the question and even leaning extra weight against the floorboards didn’t seem to affect their stability one bit.
In one corner of the foundation a small stack of wood was piled up, they would make up the walls but for now they would have to wait. The darkness made it difficult to see despite the single light bulb that hung over his head and he really didn’t feel up to more hammering. Beside the lumber pile sat two red boxes and Mac crouched down and took off the lids; a small smile on his face as he pulled out two strings of lights. They were in the shape of little old fashioned lanterns; a suitable replacement for the single bulb that really didn’t give his new tree house much style. He stood up; the string of tiny three inch green lanterns in his hands as he lifted his head and tried to decide where would be the best place to start hanging them. He chose one corner and carefully intertwined the cord between the branches.

Mac fixed the last light and stepped back brushing off his hands as he looked at the two rows of dozen lights that formed an X above his head. With the click of a small switch they came to life; the multicolored bulbs casting an assortment of colors on the floor.
“All right.” He said to himself with a small smile as he put his hands on his hips.
This small wooden structure had been his escape from the world and one of the few places he felt really safe. Now it was back, and a small part of him wondered why. Why was he doing it? Why was it so important this little wooden box be resurrected? A good question…Mac had put it to himself many times as the palm of his hand complained with each blow as the hammer rose up and slammed down into the nails over and over again. Was it a way to recapture some lost portion of his childhood? Maybe… Did it stand as a monument to simpler times? Maybe… But whatever the reason, the tree house was going to be built. MacGyver suddenly saw the answer to his question clear as day as a familiar shape walked across the cool grass towards the tree.

“Hey it looks like a party boat!” Gillian made it to the base of the tree, staring up at her husband. She saw the steps and began climbing up them.
“Hey what are you doing?” Mac crouched down near the edge of the platform. “You shouldn’t be climbing up here you know.”
“Oh Mac relax.” The toes of her hiking boots were just the perfect size and width to fit the top of each slat as she climbed her way up. Her fingers touched the top of the floor and she pulled herself onto it without any help from her husband.
“There!” Gillian brushed off her hands, rubbing them across the tops of her denim covered thighs. “That wasn’t so bad.” She walked around on top of the scaffold.
“Wow this is going to be really neat when it’s done.” She went all the way to the far corner and something caught her eye; she crouched down and spotted a small heart with the initials AIM + GEM inside of it. She stood up and turned around to gaze at her husband; her dark eyes sparkling in the lantern light.
“You didn’t have to do that you know.”
MacGyver stood in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Yeah I think I did.” He chucked her chin. “I want this to be our little hideaway now, not just mine.”
Gillian smiled at him her hands tracing down his chest. “Did I wish you a Happy Birthday yet today?”
“Ummmm….” Mac moved his head a little from side to side in thought. “Nope, you didn’t.”
“Then I better.” An idea suddenly popped into her mind and a wicked smile came to her lips.
“I came to tell you that dinner is ready, how about when it’s over we come back out here and I’ll wish you a Happy Birthday?”
MacGyver creased his brow. “Out here? What are we going to do out here?”
“Oh…I’m sure we can think of something.” Gillian wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Come on; let’s go eat your four cheese and spinach manicotti before it gets cold.”
His dark eyes widened. “You made that for me?”
“Of course! The birthday boy always gets his favorite meal on his special day.” Gillian reached down and took her husband’s hand; tugging on his wrist.

Gillian smiled to herself as she arranged the two long body pillows and covered them with a pair of thick, fluffy feather quilts she found in the attic. Half the platform was now covered but that was all right, still plenty of room for what she had in mind.
“Gill?”
The voice of her husband called up to her and she straightened up and walked to the other edge.
Mac had his hands on his hips as he stared up at his wife. “What are you doing up there?”
“I said I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday remember?” Gillian smiled as she tilted her head to one side. “Why don’t you come up on?”
Both of MacGyver’s eyebrows went up. “Yeah I know that’s what you said, but…?” A smile came to his face. “Isn’t it a little chilly to be out here?”
“I think we’ll be okay.” She stretched out her hand. “Come on.”
“Okay.” Mac sighed as he climbed up the tree and stepped out onto the scaffold. He saw the spread out blankets and a stereo sitting beside it. “So what’s this?”
“Just a little something for your birthday.” Gillian crouched down and pressed the PLAY button and some soft piano music began to drift through the speakers. She stood up and stretched out her hand.
“May I have this dance?”
“We haven’t danced since our anniversary.” Mac accepted her hand and pulled her to him; his hands encircling her waist.
“I might be pretty rusty you know.”
Gillian dragged her hands up his chest; they came to rest on his shoulders as they slowly began to sway to the music. “You don’t seem rusty to me.”
“I’m surprised.” MacGyver stared into his wife’s face; watching the way the lights made her large eyes bright. “This is nice.”
“Yeah it is. I wanted to make sure you had a nice day.” Gillian leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed.
“It has been Gill; and you gave something that’s so special to me I still can’t believe it.”
She raised his head. “This house?”
Mac nodded at her. “Yes.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I don’t know if I can ever thank you enough for it.” The dancing came to a halt.
“You don’t have to Mac.” She moved back a little and touched his chin, raising it. “I did it for you yes but I did it for us too. This place held a lot of memories for you and I want to make new ones.” Gillian picked up his hand and placed it on her stomach.
“As a family.”
Mac traced his hand over it slowly. “I’d like that…a lot.” He lifted his head and leaned forward brushing his mouth against hers. His hand moved to the back of her neck as the kiss lingered and deepened.
Gillian groaned against his lips as she pulled his sweatshirt up; her fingers slipping into the waistband of his jeans. The kiss broke and she leaned her head again his collarbone.
“Can you guess what your other birthday present is?”
“Could that be perhaps why there is a pile of blankets over there?” MacGyver closed his eyes as he held his wife to him.
“Uh huh…good guess.” Her hands moved around his waist to crawl up his back. They moved the other direction and began to caress his behind. “Are you interested or not?”
Her husband sighed, tilting his head back a little. “Oh I don’t know, I think I need a little more persuasion.”
“You do? How’s this?” Gillian pushed his hips forward against hers and brought one leg up to wrap around the back of his thigh. She gave a little shimmy of her hips and the friction of their pelvises made her husband groan.
“Uh yeah that’ll do it.” Mac cleared his throat as he looked down at her. A wicked smile drew up her lips as she did it again; her pubic bone nudging his fly. “A little on the wild side tonight aren’t you Miss Wigglehips?”
“This is the tree house-o-love isn’t it? It has a reputation to live up to.” Gillian lifted his chin and nibbled on his neck. “I’m the only set of initials here that makes me the tree house queen.” Her teeth brushed against his Adam’s apple and she giggled when she felt him wobble against her; a deep sigh coming out of him.
“Am I getting to you?”
“In a hurry.”
She pulled down the collar of his sweatshirt and sunk her teeth into the side of his neck.
MacGyver whimpered as he tried to control his suddenly quaking knees.
“All right, all right I surrender.” He stated breathlessly as he bent down a little and picked his wife up.
Gillian wrapped her legs around him as she covered his face with kisses.
Mac carried his wife to the thick pile of blankets and plopped her down on top of them. He covered her body with his as the couple fumbled with one another’s clothes.

A cool breeze brushing across the warm skin of an exposed back and a lean hip roused MacGyver from sleep. He opened his eyes seeing one of the blankets had been pulled off him. He snuggled up against his wife’s back as he grabbed one of the quilts and pulled it back over him.
“Hey hey don’t be a blanket hog.” Gillian mumbled as she shifted beside him.
“I’ve got no blankets to hog.” MacGyver scooted down and put his arm across his wife’s waist and pulled her against him, the both of them now sharing one body pillow. “I need to get warm.”
“You do huh; wonder if I can help in that department.” She wiggled against him and heard his sharp intake of breath in her ear. “Seems I found just the right spot.”
“Still being a Miss Wigglehips?” Mac’s hands moved down his wife’s stomach and wiggled back, his lower body sliding against her backside.
“Two can play at that game.”
Gillian groaned closing her eyes; the warmth of her husband’s persistently rubbing body against hers made tingles stir in the pit of her stomach. “I was only trying to warm you up.”
“And you did but now I’m too warm.” Mac’s hand glided down the long planes of his wife’s legs and lifted one, setting it on the outer edge of his thigh.
“Want to indulge in another piece of birthday cake?” Gillian glanced over her shoulder at her husband seeing his wicked grin.
“Oh yeah, I still got one flaming candle that needs to be blown out.”
Gillian put her head back down and started snickering, her shoulders shaking with the force of her laughter.
“Oh God Mac, that’s one way to put it.”
Mac leaned forward kissing the nape of her neck. “But I know the best way.” His arm snaked around her waist as he shifted her a little and pulled her onto his lower body.
Gillian squeezed her eyes shut as she sighed, reaching down to grab the arm around her. She groaned with every nudge of her husband’s hips; feeling the flush warming her face.
MacGyver’s breathing hard ragged; he let go of his wife’s waist and rolled her onto her stomach. His fingers digging into her shoulders as he thrust into her dropping his head back briefly as the pleasure slowly rolled down his spine.
“Feel so good Gill… I can’t get enough of you.”
Gillian reached behind her head and wrapped her fingers in Mac’s hair.
“You either Baby…you make me crazy.”
The couple moved together, the noise of their mutual pleasure drifting through the dark night. Mac slid kisses down his wife’s spine; feeling the warmth of her skin against his lips.
Gillian slid back and forth across the soft pillow; her husband pounding her into it repeatedly; the powerfulness of Mac’s body only incased her desire.
She whimpered as tingling in her belly began to grow; she cried out against it; her body shuddering under her husband’s. She let go of his hair and flopped face down against the pillow breathing hard.
Mac’s fingers dug into the flesh of his wife’s shoulders as he pulled her harder onto him; his pleasure exploding within him forcing a loud groan from between his lips. He dropped onto Gillian’s back; trembling as he felt the pounding of his heart within his chest.
“Oh God.” He mumbled as he kissed the back of her shoulders.
“Enjoy yourself did you?” Gillian raised her head, a satisfied smile on her lips.
“Best birthday present I ever had. We should do it outdoors more often.” Mac rolled onto his back and took his wife with him, putting her against his chest.
“Well with this tree house that shouldn’t be a problem.” Gillian sighed and raised her head to plant a kiss on his lips. “But I do think we should go back inside before we freeze.”
“Do we have to? I don’t know if I have the strength to move right now.”
Gillian grinned as she sat up and adjusted the quilts over them. One of them was a white with gold anchors and portholes; half of them had Donald Duck’s head sticking out of them.
“I meant to ask you Dear, is this your Donald Duck quilt?” She asked as she settled back down.
Mac’s eyes flew open as he raised his head and looked down at the blanket. “Uhh, no…why do you ask?”
“Oh I was just curious. I found it in the attic wrapped in plastic. Are you sure it’s not yours?” Gillian studied his face waiting for a reaction.
“I’m positive, it’s not mine.”
“That’s odd because I found this.” Gillian folded the edge of the blanket over revealing three initials sewn in blue thread. The initials were AIM. “I mean aren’t these your initials Angus Ian MacGyver?”
Mac narrowed his eyes at his wife as a flush bloomed in his cheeks. “Okay, all right so the blanket is mine.” He laid back down. “My mother made it for me when I was 5; she said I reminded her of Donald Duck.”
“She did?” Gillian sat back up and looked down at her husband. “Well yeah you do have that duck-ish quality particularly your hair; sometimes the back of your head does remind me of a duck’s butt.”
“A duck’s butt?” Mac grabbed his wife around the waist and threw her down on the pillows; doing an imitation of Donald Duck in her ear as he tickled her.
“Mac! Stop it!” Gillian tried to grab his hands but she was laughing to hard as his fingers burrowed into her ribs.
“Give up?” He asked, still speaking in his Donald Duck voice.
“Uncle! Uncle!”
The magic words stopped Mac’s fingers dead in its tracks as he gazed down at his panting red faced wife.
“Seems…to me…you’ve regained…your strength.” Gillian panted as she sat up; her sides and stomach sore from laughing.
“Let’s go inside; its getting cold.”
Mac sighed as he threw the quilts back and grabbed his t-shirt and boxers that lay on the platform beside him.
“Yeah, I’ll probably need to build a fire in the stove.”
Gillian stood up and picked up her panties and jeans, slipping into them. “Do we have plenty of wood?”
“I think so.” MacGyver pulled his t-shirt down his chest. “I don’t think the wood box is empty but I better grab some just in case.” He put his boots over his feet and tied them. “Go ahead and go inside the house, I’ll be there in a minute.”
“All right.” His wife finished dressing and walked to the edge of the platform. “Let’s leave all this stuff for the morning.”
She stepped carefully onto the last wooden slat and climbed down the tree.

Gillian escorted the young dark haired man with the khaki pants, blue dress shirt and bad red tie to the front door.
“Thank you again Mr. Diggs for coming over.”
“It was my pleasure, be sure and tell Duncan I said hello.” He tucked his silver clipboard under his arm and stretched out his hand. “You have yourself a nice day Mrs. MacGyver.”
“Thank you, same to you.” Gillian gave his hand a shake as she opened the door and closed it behind him.
She sighed as she leaned against the door; Mr. Diggs ended the long parade of inspectors that had come through the house over the course of the past few hours. She glanced down at the report and read over the inspector’s findings.
“Hmmm, everything seems okay.” Gillian went into the kitchen and added the report to the pile that sat on top of the counter. The back door hung wide open; she pushed open the screen door and walked around the side of the house; seeing the row of trees. The tree house had been completed almost a week ago so she saw no reason for her husband to be there.
Gillian walked further, spotting the carriage house. The double doors were wide open and so were the windows in the loft above them; the sheer curtains fluttering lightly in the breeze.
“Aha! So that’s where he is.”
She crossed the yard; stepping through one of the doors and spotted the two big spaces were a pair of carriages would have been parked. A small narrow staircase was against the west wall and she gripped onto the rail and slowly climbed up the stairs.
“Mac?” She reached the last step and watched her husband fumble with something putting it behind his back; his face a bright shade of red.
“Oh hey…didn’t hear you coming.”
On the wooden floor in front of him was what looked like a cubby hole, the door to it standing open.
“What are you doing out here?”
“Oh nothing, just going through some stuff.” Mac turned away from her, his cheeks still stained with a blush.
“Then why do you look like you just got caught with your pants down?” Gillian knelt down and stuck her hand in the hole. “And what’s in here?”
“Nothing!” Mac grabbed her wrist. “Not one thing that would interest you.” His dark eyes were round, looking like two hubcaps.
Gillian raised an eyebrow as she took his hand off of hers and stuck it in the hole. Her fingers touched something paper and she curled them around it and brought it up.
It was a magazine with a nearly naked young woman on the cover, donned in a jock strap, her hands covered in a pair of hockey gloves that clutched at her ample chest. The name of the magazine was Hockey Honeys.
“Hockey Honeys?” An amused smile lit up Gillian’s face as she began flipping through it.
Mac slapped his hands over his eyes in embarrassment. “Oh God.”
“No wonder you didn’t want me to see this.” Gillian opened it to the center fold; it was a young blond woman with pucks put in various places on her body.
“She gets credit for most creative way to use a puck.”
Her husband finally uncovered his face and stuck out his hand. “Can I have that back now?”
She handed it to him and quickly snatched the one behind his back. “So that’s what you’ve been doing up here all day, going through old porn.”
“I was not!” Mac took that magazine from her too and pulled three more out of the hole and set them aside. “I just happen to come across them while I was looking around.”
Gillian shook her head as she glanced around the room. There were several wooden tables that formed a square all around them with the exception of one empty wall near the window on the east side of the room.
“Wow, so this was your lab huh?” Some of the table surfaces looked stained, warped and scorched.
“Yeah, I used to have a bed over there in case it got too late to go back to the house.” Mac bent down and took more things out of the cubby hole. He saw what they were and his cheeks once more grew warm.
Gillian spotted her cherry faced husband. “Again with the blushing.”
She saw what he held and started snickering; there were posters of a familiar red head.
“Is that who I think it is?” She plucked a poster from the pile and opened it; sure enough the bright red hair, long legs and wide smile of Ann-Margret greeted her.
“Hello Ann!”
Mac snatched it back from her and folded it back up. “Just forget you saw these, okay?”
Gillian put her arm across his shoulders. “You had a thing for Ann-Margret; that’s very sweet.”
“The theater owner knew me and gave me the posters from State Fair, Viva Las Vegas and Bye Bye Birdie.” He set the posters aside on top of the pile of magazines.
She leaned close to him and nuzzled his neck. “So you had a thing for red heads with long legs, huh?” Gillian shifted onto his lap and stretched her legs over his lap. “Is that what your dream girl has?”
Mac whimpered as his hands touched her legs. “Maybe…maybe not.” His dark eyes shining as he traced his fingers down her legs and back again. “Are you trying to be a kitten with a whip?”
“Could be.” Gillian purred in his ear as she nibbled the side of his neck. “Today is our anniversary you know; it could be your present.”
“I already got my present.” Mac put his hands under his wife’s arm and shifted over; pressing her against his chest. He took her face in his hands and kissed her hard, leaving his wife breathless; her dark eyes bright and soft.
“But you are my dream girl; you beat Ann-Margret hands down.”
Gillian grinned; touching her forehead to his. “Thanks, I appreciate the compliment.” She gave him another kiss and shifted sideways on his lap. She peeked down in the cubby hole.
“What’s this?” She leaned over and picked up a cigar box, blowing off a fair amount of dust.
“My old treasure box.” Mac tucked his legs under him and opened it.
“Let’s see here.” He pulled out a baseball and set it aside. There were photographs in the box along with a Swiss Army knife and a spool of wire.
“Wire?” Gillian shook her head. “I see that hasn’t really changed about you.”
She picked up the pile of photographs and started going through them. There was one of Mac with his parents; he looked to be about maybe five years old. Another photo was of Harry and Celia holding Mac on her lap. The next one was of Mac and a stout dark haired kid.
“Is that Jack?”
MacGyver glanced at the photo. “Oh yeah, the terror himself.” A blue velvet box was on the bottom and he picked it up and opened it. It contained a gold signet ring.
“Whoa what’s that?” Gillian set the photos in her lap and picked up the ring. “Nunquam Obliviscar. I will not forget.” The ring had a picture of a wild boar on it. “A boar, well that certainly explains the stubbornness.” She flashed her husband a smile. “Where did you get this?”
“My grandmother, one of the last things she gave me. She said I had a right to know where I came from and to be proud.”
“She was right.” Gillian handed the ring back to him. “We’ll take it home with us.” She picked up her pile of photos and moved the one of Jack aside. A blond girl with big blue eyes, freckles and pig tails was the next one.
“And who’s this?”
Mac glanced at the photo. “That’s Susie, she was a good friend of mine growing up. We used to run wild through the backyard catching bugs.”
“So what happened to her?”
“I don’t know, she moved away when I was 10.” MacGyver picked up two fishing lures. “I used these whenever Harry and took me fishing. They’re lucky, always caught fish with them.”
“Anything else in there?” Gillian tipped the box towards her and picked up a small gold key. “What’s this go to?”
MacGyver saw it and creased his brow. “I don’t know.” He took the key from his wife and studied it. “I don’t remember.”
“That’s the last thing in here.” Gillian picked up the box and turned it upside down and shook it. She flipped it back over and saw the bottom had shifted. “Let me see your knife.”
Mac handed her the rather old looking Swiss Army knife. She flipped the long blade opened and used it to pry the bottom up. A yellowed piece of paper was in it and she picked it up; unfolding it.
“It’s a treasure map.”
“A map? Of what?” MacGyver took the paper and looked at it. He recognized his own writing and the layout depicted. “Well it’s this property, I recognize that but--”
“But you don’t remember what you buried?”
“Not a clue.” He glanced down at the map again. “Guess there’s only one way to find out.”

Gillian carried a camping shovel in her hands as the couple followed the detailed instructions of the treasure map. They had to walk a certain number of paces and change direction many times before finally ending up in middle of the back field between the house and a small body of water than ran along the property line.
“Boy this sure is complicated.” Gillian stuck the shovel down in the tall grass and sat down.
“Whatever it is must have been pretty valuable.”
Mac shook his head as he looked around, spying the pond and the large tree on the edge of it. “I don’t remember this Gill, I swear I don’t.”
He checked the map again. “Well this is the spot, according to the map.”
MacGyver crouched down beside his wife and took the shovel from her. He handed her the yellowed piece of paper and stuck the mini shovel into the ground, tossing the grass and dirt to the side.
“I wonder how far down it is?” Gillian watched her husband dig another shovel full of dirt out.
“Well since digging is something I’ve always hated to do--” He stopped when the tip of the spade came into contact with something.
“See…told you I never liked digging.” Mac set the shovel aside and reached into the small hole, brushing the dirt from around something.
Gillian watched as her husband uncovered a plastic covered square tied securely with rope.
“What in the world is that?”
MacGyver sat down as he picked up the square, the old plastic crinkling as he did so. The feel of it in his hands sent a wave of memory so strong he almost couldn’t breathe. The flashes going off in his mind were of himself as a little seven year old boy lowering the box into the ground and covering it with dirt.
“Mac?” Gillian watched as he seemed to blank out, his gaze locked on that grunge covered box, his fingers tightening around it. Reaching out towards his arm, Gillian gently laid her hand on it, Mac started; his whole body jerking as he snapped back to the present, breathing hard.
“Are you all right?”
He nodded slowly, licking his lips. “I remember now…” Mac whispered as his gaze went back to the box, his hands shaking as he pulled at the rope, trying to untie it.
“Use your knife.” Gillian put a calming hand on his shoulder, seeing her husband’s slight frenzied state.
“It’s all right Mac just relax.”
He dug his knife out and cut the rope, slicing through the plastic as he finally uncovered a small dark grey metal box. The thick plastic covering had kept it from rusting in the ground for the past 35 years.
“Can I have the key?”
Gillian leaned back, reaching into her pocket and taking out the gold key. “Do you remember what’s in it?”
MacGyver didn’t answer as he stuck the key in the lock and turned it, the lid rising slightly with a click. He stared at it; another tidal wave of memories flooding through him. Through his adult eyes he saw his little hands closing the box and locking it; wrapping it in plastic. He could feel the warm tears sliding down his face as he did so and a tightness in his chest that could only be great pain.
That spaced out look dropped over her husband’s dark eyes like a veil; he grew so still that Gillian wondered if he still drew breath. She reached out and touched her husband’s chin and lifted it, a pang of pain surrounding her heart when she saw the wet tracks down his cheeks.
“Baby…what is it?”
Mac shook his head, swallowing hard as he handed her the box.
Gillian sat it on the ground in front of her and lifted the lid. She saw a small plastic bundle in the bottom of the box and picked it up. There were rubber bands tied it and she began pulling at them, the ancient rubber giving way with a few snaps.
Setting the broken bands aside, Gillian unfolded the plastic and found a ball of tissue paper. The ball seemed suspiciously heavy and she carefully tore it away, revealing a gold pocket watch.
The cover had an intricate carving of a hunting scene, a group of deer running from a barrage of hunter poised to fire at them from behind the trees.
“Oh wow… This watch is from the late 1800’s, probably around 1880.” She turned it over seeing a monogram. “Who’s CJM?”
Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Mac gazed at the watch. “Cameron James MacGyver— My great grandfather.”
He reached out and took the watch from his wife, tracing his fingers over the engraving of the forest scene.
“Want to tell me about it?” Gillian didn’t want to force him, knowing the tenderness of the subject and not wanting to add to her husband’s distress.
MacGyver said nothing, simply sitting in the grass with the antique watch clutched tightly in his hand.
“Not really.”
Gillian touched Mac’s arm, her fingers gripping it. “I’m not going to pressure you to tell me Mac, not about this. The last thing I want to do is hurt you even more than you already are.”
She gave his arm a gentle squeeze as she stood up and walked across the grass to the pond.
Sitting by the edge of it, she untied her hiking boots and pulled them off along with her socks. She cuffed her jeans rolling them above her ankles as she dangled her legs into the water, gasping at the coolness of it.
Gillian rolled up the sleeves of her blue flowered turtleneck and ran her fingers across the surface of the water. She turned her head a little; watching her husband from the corner of her eye. He hadn’t moved from the spot she had left him, still holding the watch.
No matter…Gillian thought to herself….He’ll talk to me when he’s ready to.
She kicked her legs in the water and sighed, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine and trying very hard not to worry about her husband.

The rest of the afternoon slowly crept by uneventfully; Gillian worked around the house trying to keep her mind off her husband. He mumbled something about yard work and disappeared the moment they got back. Now as the sun began to sink slowly in the west filling the house with its orange light; she wondered where he was.
The sound of low ringing broke her concentration as she came out of the kitchen, drying her hands with a dishcloth. The ring came from her cell phone and she looked around for it, remembering that it was in their bedroom she dashed up the stairs. It stopped when she reached the top.
“Damn it.” She whispered to herself as she walked down the hall, as she stepped into the bedroom the phone started up again. Her purse hung from the closet door and she snapped it up and dug out her phone.
“Hello?”
“Gill…its me.”
Gillian’s brow creased as she sat down on the bed. “Mac, where are you?”
She got no answer; only silence.
“Mac? Tell me where you are.”
He sighed, the sound of his breath hitting the speaker of the phone.
“Do you remember that cemetery I showed you the other day? When we went for groceries?”
“The one that’s just down the road?”
“Yeah…that’s where I am. I want you to come out here.” His voice dropped so low she could barely hear him.
Gillian’s heart sunk into her stomach. “Where are the keys to the Explorer?”
“On the hook near the front door.”
“All right, I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Just follow the main road that runs through the cemetery. You’ll come to a fork, take the left road. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Okay…I’m on my way.”
The line clicked and Gillian rubbed her stomach, feeling a large knot settle in there as she left the bedroom.

MacGyver stood on the edge of the road, watching the sunset sky. The orange glow right in his face; bathing him in the bright rays of the sun. His eyes slid closed as the warmth enveloped him; trying to ward off a chill from being in the quiet, lonely graveyard that had not one thing to do with the weather.
The sound of an approaching engine forced him to open his eyes. He saw the dark blue Explorer heading towards him, it came to a stop and his wife climbed out of it; a concerned look on her face.
“Mac?” Gillian stood in front of him, not exactly sure what to do. She wanted to hug him; hold him tightly in her arms but his quiet, calm expression made him seem unapproachable.
“Walk with me.” He stretched his hand out to her; the simple request made Gillian shudder; something about his eyes went right through her and her own hand trembled as she gently slid it into his.
They turned away from the road, heading across the green field peppered with stones of every shape and size; row after row of stone markers passed them as they walked.
Finally they came to a group of four stones, each one a dark grey color. Mac stopped, his grip on Gillian’s hand tightened as he stood looking down at them.
“This is it, my parents and grandparents.”
Gillian saw the white lettering stamped into each stone, the name, date of birth and death along with a simple statement that summed up that person’s life.
MacGyver stepped forward, crouching down beside his father’s headstone.
“James Andrew MacGyver.” He ran his hand along the name.
The dates on the stone read that James had been born April 3, 1925 and had died December 14, 1957.
“He was so young.” Gillian whispered as she read what was carved beneath it. It read Beloved Son, husband and father. She gave her husband’s hand a squeeze. “The watch was his, wasn’t it?”
Mac dropped his head; it nodded slightly as he took a deep shuddering breath.
“It was an unusual winter that year in Minnesota, for some reason it was warm; too warm for snow so we had rain, a lot of rain.” He shook his head slowly.
“It was raining the night my father and grandmother died.” He swallowed hard but still didn’t meet his wife’s gaze. “And it rained the day we buried them.”
A flash came to him, like a lightning bolt, he closed his eyes against it as a wave of feelings and emotions washed over him. His mind’s eye rewinding the past 35 years in a single blink, MacGyver opened his eyes feeling the chill in the air as the rain fell; seeing the steam that came out of his mouth with each breath he exhaled. He stood under the dark shadows of two umbrellas, Ellen holding his right hand while Harry held his left. He looked down at himself, seeing the black suit and white shirt he wore. Directly in front of him was a deep hole, and a pair of dark caskets; the rain droplets rolling off of them like tears.
The words the priest spoke seemed to echo yet he paid them no mind, the only sound that registered was the quiet sobbing of the two people on either side of him.
MacGyver turned slowly towards his mother, seeing her haunted face as she stared at the casket that contained the body of her husband. She kept closing her eyes as if the image being burned into her mind forever somehow wasn’t real. She met her young son’s gaze and locking eyes with him only made her cry all the harder as she squeezed his hand.
He turned towards Harry; he too looked haunted; his blue eyes filled with grief and pain.
“I’ll be all right Bud.”
He wiped his hand down his cheeks, the gold glint of his wedding ring looking brighter in the gloom of the overcast sky.
Mac had never seen his grandfather cry before and he didn’t really understand the incredible pain that both he and his mother were experiencing.
The priest stopped speaking and his mother let go of his hand. She picked up a pair of roses, kissed them and placed them lovingly on each casket. Her hand coming to her mouth briefly as she turned away and once more took her place beside her son.
Harry let go of Mac’s other hand and did the same, leaving another pair of roses. He lingered by Celia’s casket reaching a shaking hand to it and touched the cold wet surface. He dropped his head and squeezed his eyes shut standing that way for a few seconds before turning away.
“Mac…” MacGyver turned towards his mother, seeing her lip tremble as the tears streaked his cheeks. She reached out and touched his face gently.
“It’s time go to home now Baby.”

MacGyver sat on his window ledge, his legs were drawn up and he hugged them tightly; resting his forehead on top of his knees. His white shirt, dark coat and tie were on his bed; leaving him in a white t-shirt.
His bedroom door opened and his mother came in holding a small wooden box. Ellen stood over him touching his dark hair gently.
“Baby…”
He raised his head, seeing his mother still in her black dress and what she held in her hands.
“I’ve got something for you.”
Ellen sat down beside her son, she paused for a moment and took a deep breath as she opened the box and stuck her hand inside of it. She took out a small black velvet bag and dumped its contents into her hand. A shiny gold pocket watch rested in her palm as she stretched it out to her son.
“Here…I want you to have it.” Her voice trembled slightly; her eyes filling with tears.
“Your father wanted to give it to you when you were old enough.” Ellen squeezed her eyes shut as her breath hitched. She bit her lips trying to control her tears enough to finish speaking to her son.
“But I want you to have it now.”
Mac took the watch, his fingers tracing over the engraved forest scene slowly.
Ellen swallowed hard, touching her son’s knees. “Take care of it, put it someplace safe.”
She leaned forward and kissed her son’s head. “I love you Baby…I know it’s hard right now.” She lifted his chin, stroking his face.
“It’s okay for you to cry, I know you haven’t yet but I just wanted you to know that it’s okay too.”
She stood up and left the room; taking the wooden box with her.

His small fingers curled around the watch; Mac turned back towards the window.
Take care of it, put it somewhere safe… His mother’s tearful words floated around in his head as he looked out across the back field.
Put it somewhere safe…
MacGyver lowered his legs and stood up; he pulled his t-shirt over his head and got a blue one out of his dresser. He opened his closet and crouched down, rummaging through the pile on the bottom of it. He pulled out a metal box and looked down once more at the watch in his hand.

The trowel pierced the dirt with as much strength and determination as a seven year old had; the loosened dirt being scooped out of the way and set aside; the pile beside him getting bigger and bigger.
Satisfied that the hole was deep enough; Mac set the trowel aside and picked up a small plastic wrapped bundle. He had covered the watch; hoping the plastic and rubber bands would keep it protected.
MacGyver placed the watch in the bottom of the metal box and closed the lid; turning the key and hearing it click.
He turned and opened up a large plastic drop cloth and set the metal box in the middle of it. The sides were put over it, then the top and bottom. Mac felt something rolling down his face and he wiped his fingers across his cheeks, surprised to see droplets on his fingertips.
His chest felt heavy and he rubbed it briefly before picking up a small bundle of rope and began entwining it around the bundle; tying it as tightly as he could.
Mac picked up the box, the plastic feeling cool against his fingers as he bent over and placed it in the hole. Rising to his knees and using both hands; he began pushing the dirt cover it. He thought of the funeral, the sight of the dirt enveloping the square made him think of the pair of caskets; how they too would be covered with dirt.
Something snapped inside MacGyver’s chest as the last of the dirt filled the hole; he smoothed it out with his hands. The tears came hard and fast. He drew in a hitching breath, tipping forward until his forehead touched the freshly dug ground. The sobs wracked him, causing his little frame to shake with the force of them. He flopped onto his side; raising his knees to his chest as he curled himself into a ball, trying to somehow control the flood gate that his heart and mind finally opened.
“Mac…”
A familiar voice called out his name and touched the back of his head, stroking his hair. He felt a pair of arms slide around him; holding him tightly. Something warm pressed against his back; forcing him to open his eyes. To his surprise he wasn’t in the sunny field; he was surrounded by darkness; the air slightly damp and chilly. He looked down at his hands, seeing they were no longer small and where he was came back to him.
“Gill?”
“I’m here.”
He glanced over his shoulder, seeing that the pair of comforting arms around him belonged to her. Mac gently took a hold of her wrists and opened her arms, rolling over he buried his face in the crook of her neck.
Gillian smiled as she rubbed his back and shoulders. “I understand now why you didn’t remember about the watch. It was a pretty traumatic thing you went through and your mind buried it deep to protect you.”
Mac pulled back from the hug and raised himself up, looking down at her.
“I wanted to tell you earlier but I just couldn’t. I went for a walk after we got home and I came all the way out here.”
She stared into his face, seeing his eyes were dry yet they seemed much clearer.
“I can’t believe you walked all the way out here on your own.”
“I had a lot of on my mind; come on let’s go back to the house.”
Mac stood up and brushed off his clothes; he stuck out his hand and pulled Gillian to her feet.
The couple walked halfway to the Explorer when MacGyver suddenly stopped. He turned towards his wife and put his hands on her shoulders.
“You let me be on my own when I needed to sort things out, and that time really helped me.”
Gillian smiled raising her hand to stroke his cheek. “I didn’t want to make you tell me, I knew you would when you were ready to.”
MacGyver nodded and dropped his head, his lips sliding over hers. The kiss was an emotional one, a delicate tango of love and passion that made Gillian’s heart start to race; her fingers slid into his hair as she returned it. His wife’s mouth suddenly taking his made Mac whimper; his knees turned to gelatin. Finally it ended and the couple once more embraced; their pounding hearts beating strongly against one another.

Mac watched from the driver’s seat as a group of men in blue coveralls filed in and out of the house. They were loading the boxes from the attic into a snow white van with MINNESOTA MOVING CO. stamped on the side of it. The two weeks were now up and it was time to go back to LA. Mac’s heart felt heavy as he once more had to leave a piece of his childhood behind.
The passenger side door opened and Gillian got into the Explorer, slamming the door.
“Hey… I just got off the phone with Mrs. Wagner. She’s excited about the bed and breakfast idea even though there isn’t a whole lot of rooms; she gave her assurances that the house and land would be properly cared for.” She reached out and touched her husband’s arm.
“Which is what we really want, right?”
MacGyver glanced at her, nodding. “Yeah, I’m glad she’s happy about it.”
Gillian creased her brow. “You’re the one that doesn’t seem happy. Mrs. Wagner said the master bedroom would be kept for us.” He didn’t say anything and she leaned back a little and studied him.
“It’s hard to leave this place, isn’t it?”
He turned towards her and nodded; licking his lips. “Yeah it is…I didn’t think it would be but it feels like I’m leaving something behind.”
“And you are, part of your heart and soul is here.” Gillian reached out and touched his hands. “But a lot of good memories too that will always be here whenever we come back and we will.”
“We will?”
Gillian smiled. “Of course, our baby is going to know all about this place and learn to love it just like we do.” She reached behind her back and pulled out a long black velvet box. “That reminds me, I got this for you.”
Her husband saw it and a puzzled look moved across his face. “What is it?”
“Something you’re going to need now.”
Mac took the rectangle shaped box and opened it, his eyes widened when he saw the gold chain. “A chain?”
“For your pocket watch.” Gillian picked it up and stretched it out to show him. “It’s a 12 inch rope chain made of 14 K gold; this end hooks to your watch.” She handed it to him. “That way whenever you have to wear a vest and a suit you can use it.”
He looked over the chain and leaned across Gillian’s lap, pressing the button on the glove box. A small blue velvet bag was in there, he pulled it open taking out the watch. Mac opened the clasped end and slipped it on the loop of the watch.
“What do you think?” Gillian watched him, the watch and chain matching each other nicely.
MacGyver let the watch dangle from the chain; he scooped the watch in his hand and pressed the button, the front of it popping open. He closed it and returned the chain and watch back to the velvet bag; pulling the strings to close it.
He turned and faced her; holding his arms out to her.
Gillian slid into them; resting her head on his shoulder.
“I love it, thank you.” Mac held her tightly; closing his eyes.
“You’ve come full circle now.”
“I have?”
She nodded as she pulled back from the embrace.
“You were here as a baby and grew up; now it belongs to you and soon we’re going to have a little baby of our own to share this place with. Your grandparents brought James here, your parents brought you here and we’ll bring our baby here.”
Mac thought about his wife’s words and the truth in them brought a smile to his face.
A knock on the driver’s side window startled them both; Mac turned around to see a burly man with red hair and rolled it down.
“We’re finished here Mr. MacGyver, anything else?”
He turned around and looked at his wife. “We got everything in the carriage house right?”
Gillian nodded. “Right we moved them to the living room.”
“We got those too.” The mover broke in, his hands on his hips. “So if that’s everything, we’ll be on our way.”
“Okay, let me lock the house up.”
Mac opened the door and climbed out of the Explorer, pulling his keys from his pocket. He climbed up the steps and opened the screen door; gripping the handle of the wooden door and pulling it tight; making sure it closed. He stuck the key in the lock and turned it, hearing a click.
Testing to make sure the door locked, Mac stepped back; closing the screen door. He turned around and went down the steps; climbing back into the Explorer.
MacGyver backed the vehicle up, turning the wheel to the right. He hit the brake and took one last look at the house.
“Ready to go?” Gillian asked as she put her hand on his arm; giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” Mac gave his wife a smile, one that told her he was ready for a lot of things; he pulled his sunglasses out and slipped them on.

The Explorer dropped into gear and slowly pulled away from the house.