Chapter 12
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“ Miss Carpenter a moment of your time please.”
“ What is it Willis? I am going to be late for the funeral can’t it wait?
“ No Ms. Carpenter. It’s about the results of the DNA test I started to tell you about before. I entered the results in the data base . This is what the computer printed out.” He handed her the paper . Nikki turned pale.
“ Are you sure about this?”
“ As sure as I can be. I will have Perkins re-check the information to be sure .”
“ Do you know what this means Willis? She is…”
“ The car is ready to take you to the cementary now Ms. Carpenter. Oh Sorry I didn’t know you were busy.”
“ Tell them I will be right down. We will continue this conversation later. Have Perkins re-check the results . I want to be sure before anyone is told.”
“ Got it I will take care of this before I leave today. The results will be on your desk before the end of the week. Oh and speaking of your desk, Congratulations on your promotion! I know Mr. Thornton would be happy that the board wanted you to to run this place.”
“ Thank you Willis.”
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The clouds were just clearing to let the sun shine through when all sorts of people were getting out of their cars.
“ Man if Pete were here to see this I think he would be uncomfortable. I mean I think he knew he was liked but not this much and by so many diferent people. Look there are State Dignataries , High Ranking Milatary Officals, Business Associates from both The Phoenix Foundation and DXS and not to mention all his family. Almost every one around here would consider Pete as a friend.”
“ Hey Dad is there anyone who isn’t here”
“ Just those who don’t know it yet. And there are the few who maybe didn’t like him.”
Peter Thornton’s funeral took longer than most burials normally would have. Everyone present wanted to tell about how he touched their lives. There were lots of funny memories, stories of how he gave some second chances and how Pete saved their lives or the lives of many.
MacGyver looked around and smiled. He knew , like him Pete would be amazed but not surprised at what was being said about him. He also knew that Pete would be surprised and amazed at the fact he was wearing a suit and tie. MacGyver wanted to be the las one to speak about his beloved friend and co-worker. Finally it was his turn.
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Not too far from where the service for Pete was being held, a dark haired woman stood.
“ Don’t worry Murdoc where ever you are, I will finish your mission. I will take your advice and tell no one. So that the nightmare will continue for any one related or friends with anyone named MacGyver.You were right about feelings. They are a hinderance to anyone in our line of work.”
Andria turned to walk away. Then she stopped in her tracks and smiled.
“ Good bye Dear old Dad.! Yes I knew before HIT sent me here that you were my father. See I can keep a secret. I will be back you can count on that.”
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MacGyver had to admit to himself he was alittle nervous about coming to the hospital. It wasn’t the fact he had come here so many times that the nurses and doctors would have known him by his first name if he had let them. He laughed when he thought about how not just Nikki ,but everyone at the Foundation wanted an answer to the question Just how AJ was related to him. He even heard rummers about a pool that had started when everyone first heard her name. MacGyver couldn’t remember if it was Pete or Nikki who told him that “ MacGyver” was her step-father’s name.
“ Hello MacGyver.” a nurse said in passing. Mac smiled. He remembered what Sam had told him when he came in with AJ , they thought it was him.They even told the orderlies to put “him” in his unsual room. Mac opened the door slowly. Sam was sitting next to the bed. Nikki was sitting on the side of the bed. Both moved when they heard the door open. MacGyver thought he was ready for anything until this moment.
MacGyver looked at the woman in the bed. Her face looked so familiar but Mac couldn’t place it right away. Could she be his daughter? No even though she was pretty she didn’t look the right age to be his . Oh well Mac guessed the only way to find out is to come right out and ask.
“ Hello”
“ Hello”
“ Come on Sam let’s go before they get any more personal then they have so far. I don’t know about you but I am thirsty.”
Nikki whispered to Mac as she passed by.
“ Hurry up and find out. It is killing me not knowing.”
Mac just chuckled and said “ Ok”
So much was going on in AJ’s mind as she watched MacGyver sat in the chair Sam had just recently vacated.
“ What do I say? I don’t know him. What will he think of me?Will he tell me what I want to know? Do I really want to know? Get a grip girl, you came all this way to find out. So talk.”
For a few minutes they just sat starring at each other for a while. Then MacGyver broke the silence first.
“ You really have people going crazy around the Phoenix Foundation . There is a rumor of a pool that was started.”
“ Do you think it’s too late to for us get in on the action?
I have been getting funny looks while I have been here. I have heard a lot of “Aw it’s not him” or my favorite “How are you related to him?” Both MacGyver and AJ started to laugh.
“ But that isn’t the funnest part either. Some even think that I am your wife, hoping an Ex-wife.”
“ Well what do you say we trade family secrets. Then we can put everyones mind to rest.”
“ I will start since everyone knows you.”
AJ told told MacGyver about her mom and Step-father. That her mom told AJ the whole story about her real father when she felt AJ was old enough to understand.
“ You see mom was just starting working as a Park Ranger when she meet this stranger from Minnesota. She felt sorry for him because he looked so sad. When they started talking, she found out that they had a lot in common. Both of them had lost someone very close to them. They had helped each other get through a tough time.
This stranger would help my mom out now and then in the park. Then one night they were out camping and they started out talking about their loved ones Well one thing lead to another and……. They were both hurting and lonely. The next day they agreed not to talk about it. To pretend like it never happened. I guess they both felt guilty, like they betrayed the memories of their respective spouses.
My mom said that she didn’t know she was pregnant until just before she met Jonathan MacGyver.”
“ Wow but why come looking for me? It couldn’t be because of my name.”
“ No it wasn’t just because of your last name. You see Mom said that my real father would talk about his family especially his grandson “Bud”. His name was Harry Jackson . I believe that is your ….”
“ Grandfather’s name yes. He would call me “Bud” and wanted me to call him Harry.”
Just then MacGyver felt like a light bulb turned on over his head.
“ That is why your face looked so familiar to me. You do look so much like him . Much prettier but a lot like him.”
“ That is what my mom would say too. That and I am stubborn like him. She would always tell me that” You are as stubborn as a mule like your father”.”
AJ and MacGyver were laughing when Sam and Nikki returned.
“ So…..o……o? How long are you going to keep us in the dark?”
“ Come on Dad ,AJ someone spill the beans before we go crazy.” Pointing to Nikki as he said that. Nikki playfully hit him on the shoulder.
“ Sam and Nikki I would like you to meet my …….drum roll please, My Aunt A.J.. Yes I said My Aunt.”
“ Your what??????”
“ Yes Harry Jackson my dear old Grandpa is AJ’s father. Only he never knew.”
Sam was the first to move. He went over and carefully gave AJ a hug. “ Welcome to the family Great-Aunt AJ.”
“ Gee thanks.”
“ Ok now that we have that mstery solved, please tell us, ok me, what does A.J. stand for?”
AJ laughed along with the others. It was a few seconds before she stopped long enough to say anything at all.
“ As I said before only if I got he job and I really had too.”
“ Yes you definitely have a job at the Phoenix Foundation. Not the one you had applied for , but one more suited to your talents. So come on spill!!!”
Ok Ok take it easy there boss. My mother thought that she would never have a child. So when she found out that she was pregnant with me!!!!! Well let’s just say I was her miracle. She wanted me to remember my father. I was given the Name “ Angel Baby Jackson . Thankfully my step-father understood why my mom wanted to name me that. He also understood what I would go through life with a name like that. So he convinced my mom to drop the “Baby” and keep Jackson as my middle name when he adopted me.”
“ So that is what you meant when you said “ Oh not another one”. I asked her if she was an Angel when she saved me from the she bear.”
“ Auntie AJ ! Sorry couldn’t resist. How did you know where to find me. I mean this isn’t Minnesota.”
“ Well my dear nephew this is the 20th century and there is this thing call technology. My Dad told me of his family and how he drifted apart from them. Anyway he said that he traced the family name to the 7th century, to the MacIver Clan. He wanted to know where his mother came up with his middle name. You wouldn’t guess what it was in a million years!”
MacGyver covered his face when he said “ Let me guess , it wouldn’t happen to be Angus would it?”
“ How did you know? Wait a minute isn’t your first name ….? “
“ Yes it is Angel Baby.”
“ That enough teasing me, your aunt ,Angus .”
“ Oh this is going to fun don’t you think Nikki ? I mean we can tease them both.”
“ Oh sure you can. That is if you want to be called Sean Angus Malloy.”
The room was filled with laughter. And for the moment all else was forgotten by the MacGyver family.