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Riley was sitting on the couch as nervous as she has ever been. She watched Mac as he started to bring in boxes of the Christmas decorations in the house as Artemis followed Mac as he made his way to and from the garage. She had no idea how Mac would react to the news of her being pregnant. But she had the perfect plan to do so or at least she thought so. For the past week Riley has been teaching Artemis to bring them ornaments from the box so they can put it on the tree. One of the ornaments in the box will have Baby MacGyver 2022 written on it with a sonogram on the inside. Artemis will bring that particular ornament to Mac to hang on the tree. That’s if things go according to plan.
Riley has the special ornament in her hand, she’s just waiting for the perfect opportunity to place it in the box labeled ornaments without Mac noticing. “One more box and then we can start decorating.” Mac smiled as Riley watched him place the box labeled lights down before making his way back into the garage.
Riley quickly got up from the couch with the ornament in hand so she could place it in the ornament box before Mac returned with the last box. She opened the box placing the ornament on top of all the other ornaments before closing it back up. She made it back to her place on the couch just in the Nick of time as if she wasn’t up to anything as Mac came inside with the last box with Artemis prancing behind him. Riley snuggled into the blanket as she felt cold air fill the room.
She watched as Mac set the last box down before making his way into the kitchen for something. She wasn’t sure what he needed from the kitchen. But a few moments later he returned with two cups of hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate syrup drizzled on top. Riley gave him a small smile as she took the cup from him.
“Are you cold?”
“A little bit, but I’m okay.” Riley responded as she didn’t want to make her being cold a big deal.
“After we’re done decorating we can go sit by the fire pit on the deck with more hot chocolate.”
“Sounds perfect. Shall we get started?”
“Wait, lights or ornaments first?”
“Lights.” Riley said as she felt sick to stomach as Mac said ornaments.
“Lights it is.” Mac smiled as Riley felt him kiss her cheek before pulling her from the couch. As Riley felt him pull her up from the couch she couldn’t help but notice that he intertwined their fingers together.
As Mac started to get the lights out of the box, Riley grabbed her phone and put on Christmas music. The first song that started to play was Jingle Bells. She set her phone down on the coffee table before making her way over to the tree where Mac had started to untangle the first strand of lights.
“Would you like some help with that?” Riley asked as she could see that he was having a hard time untangling the lights.
“I mean you don’t have to, but help would be nice.”
Riley didn’t respond as she started to help a flustered Mac untangle the lights. Instead of untangling one strand of lights and putting it on the tree. They agreed that it would be best to untangle all of the lights and then work on putting them on the tree. After about 30 minutes Riley and Mac accomplished untangling all of the lights. In the time it took her to help Mac untangle the lights she had completely forgot about her big news for Mac.
“While you start putting the lights on the tree I’m going to go the bathroom. I’ll be right back.” Riley hurried out of the room before Mac could say something.
She felt a sense of relief as she closed the door behind her as she let out the deep breath she had been holding in. It just a matter of time Mac would be finding out he was going to be a dad. To say that worried her would be an understatement. She had no idea how he’d react to the news. Riley gave herself a few minutes to lose it before pulling herself together. As much as she wanted to blame the pregnancy hormones she couldn’t.
Riley splashed some cold water on her face in attempt to make it look like she hadn’t been crying. ‘It’ll all be okay,’ she thought to herself as she exited the bathroom making her way back to Mac and Artemis.
Riley watched as Mac began putting the ornaments on the tree as Artemis was carrying them over to the man who had picked his way into her heart with nothing but a paperclip. She saw the one she placed in the box was still where she left it.
She walked towards the direction of where Mac was standing as Artemis was bringing him one ornament at a time. “Sorry. I took so long.”
“Is everything okay?” Mac asked as Riley watched him take an ornament from Artemis as his eyes never left hers.
“Yeah.” Riley responded hoping he wouldn’t be able to see that she had been crying just moments earlier.
Mac didn’t question it as she watched him place the ornament on the tree. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Artemis pick up the ornament she had placed in the box a few hours earlier. Riley felt like she couldn’t breathe. She had no idea how he would react to the news. She had hoped he’d be just as excited and happy as she was about there being a mini MacGyver entering their lives.
Riley’s heart broke as she heard the sound of the ornament shattering to pieces. Artemis had let go of the ornament before Mac could grab it. It was in that moment that everything was ruined. She didn’t even notice that Mac was now standing in front of her asking her why she was crying. Riley being this emotional over an ornament was so not like her.
“Riles.. what’s wrong?” Mac asked as she felt him wiped away her tears. She hadn’t even realized that she was crying. “Talk to me.” Riley felt Mac rub small circles on the back of her hand.
“I I I- I just wanted it to be special when I told you.” Riley sniffled as she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“Tell me what?”
Riley can hear the confusion in his voice as she walked over to where the broken ornament and Artemis stood. She picked up the broken pieces and then gave Artemis a pat on the head who in fact looked like he felt bad for not doing what he and Riley had been practicing for the past week. “It’s okay.” Riley whispered to Artemis as she gave him a kiss on his nose before making her way back to Mac who still had no idea what was going on.
Riley didn’t say a word as she handed him the broken pieces of the ornament. Mac stood there for a moment unsure of why Riley was so upset over an ornament. If it was something significant he’d find a way to get her a new one. Mac being Mac walked over to the coffee table with the broken pieces of the ornament. Before he’d go out and try to find a new one he was going to do his best to MacGyver it back together.
Riley watched Mac has he MacGyvered the ornament back together. She felt Artemis place his nose on her hand as her sight never left Mac. For just a moment she was unable to read Mac’s facial expression. “Riles? I’m going to be a dad?” Mac asked as Riley could hear excitement but uncertainty in his voice.
“Yes.” Riley responded nervously as she found herself fidgeting with the oversized sweater she was wearing as she couldn’t bring herself to look at Mac.
Riley felt him lift her chin so now she had no choice but to look at him as he wiped away her tears. “Why are you crying?”
“I just wanted everything to be perfect.”
“But it is perfect. Our family is going to be complete. Me, you, Artemis and Baby MacGyver.” Mac smiled as Riley felt him place his hands over her belly.
“You want this baby?”
“Of course I do. There’s nothing I want more than to start a family with the woman I love more than anything in the world.” Mac grinned as Riley felt his lips touch hers.
Riley pulled away for a split second as she reached for the sonogram that was in her back pocket. She pulled it out as she could show Mac the missing piece of the ornament. “I had put this inside of the ornament.” Riley explained as she shows him the sonogram.
“Oh Riles. You’re going to be the best mom ever. But why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I guess I was scared and then I realized that I needed to just tell you, but every time I tried to tell you I couldn’t find the right words. So I came up with this plan where I taught Artemis how to pick up the ornaments and hand them to you as we decorated the tree. But as you can see that didn’t go according to plan.”
“Does anything ever going the way we plan?” Mac questioned as Riley knew he was right.
“Rarely. I mean it took us five plus years to finally get together.”
“Don’t remind me. But all that matters now is that we’re exactly where we’re meant to be. Can I see this?” Mac asked as Riley knew he was referring to the sonogram she still had in her hands.
Riley just hands him the sonogram as he looks at it for a few moments before taking her hand bringing her back over to couch. She watched Mac as he placed the sonogram back into the ornament. It wasn’t perfect but it would do for now.
“It’s not perfect Riles. I’ll get another made but this will have to do for now.” Riley noticed Mac make his way back over to the tree with the ornament in hand.
“What are you doing? You cannot put that on the tree, Angus.”
“Why not?”
“It’s broken. I should have known better than to get a glass ornament, but plastic is so tacky. ” Riley said as she thought it was obvious as to why he couldn’t put it on the tree.
“But as you like to say I MacGyvered it. It’ll be fine until I get it replaced.”
“Absolutely not. Take it off the tree or else.”
“Damn Riles, the baby isn’t here yet and you’re already going all Mama Bear on me.”
“If you put it on the tree you’re sleeping on the couch.”
“Fine. I won’t put it on the tree. Now I think it’s time for more hot chocolate next to the fire pit and a blanket. What do you think?”
“I couldn’t think of a better way to end this chaotic day.” Riley smiled as she felt Mac wrap his arm around her with Artemis right behind them.
Riley grabbed the blanket as she watched the man she loved most in this world light the fire pit before making his way inside for two cups of hot chocolate. Artemis was snuggled up next to Riley the cold air hit the both of them. It didn’t take long for Mac to return with two cups of hot chocolate and an extra blanket.
Riley grabbed one of the cups from Mac and before he could even give her a warning of how hot it was she had found out herself. “I was just about to tell you it was hot. You only have yourself to blame.”
“I know I know.” Riley said as she rolled her eyes at him, making sure he saw her do it.
“I saw that, Ms. Davis.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Riley felt Mac pull her into his arms. He was her safe haven as she was his. Riley was relieved that Mac was completely on board with the whole having a baby otherwise she’d be all alone. “Have I told you how incredible you are?”
“No. But go on.”
“Riles. You are the most amazing woman I have ever known in my life. I’m so incredibly lucky to call you mine. You’re going to to be best mom to our daughter. I fall more and more in love with you every single day. There isn’t a thing that I don’t love about you. In my head it has always been you.” Mac smiled as Riley felt him kiss her temple.
“You definitely have a way with words, Mac. I love you more than I ever thought was possible. You’re going to be the best dad ever. Either one of us will make that same mistakes our parents made. Wait, what makes you think we’re having a girl?”
“It’s just a feeling. Call it intuition!” Mac smiled as Riley felt him place his hands on her belly again. This time all she felt was butterflies.
Riley and Mac spent the rest of their evening in each other’s arms as they sat next to the fire pit drinking hot chocolate. At some point Artemis weaseled his way in between them breaking their embrace. Riley didn’t seem to mind as Artemis would always be her first baby. She knew that Artemis would be the best big brother to their child. She made a mental note for the future to be careful with glass ornaments. Even though it didn’t go as planned Riley wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.