“Mackenzie,” Kevin exclaimed as he opened to door to his newly purchased apartment. “I haven’t seen you in so long.”
Mackenzie returned Kevin’s hug. “I know what you mean,” she said gratefully. Quickly, Kevin led Mackenzie and Nick into the foyer and shut the door behind them. After hanging up their coats, the trio walked into the dining room where everyone else was already seated waiting for dinner.
“Late again Nicky?” AJ asked mockingly as he pointed to the clock on the wall. AJ’s date tapped him lightly on the shoulder as a form of punishment for his comment. He continued: “What? Did Mackenzie have to dress you again?”
Nick shot AJ a sarcastic glance while pulling out the chair beside his for Mackenzie to sit down. “Thanks Nick,” she whispered, sarcastically smiling at AJ for his comment, as she thought of all the things that Nick did absent-mindedly for her, like pulling her chair out.
“So Mac,” AJ continued snapping Mackenzie out of her somewhat drifted off persona. “What’s his excuse today.” Howie and his girlfriend, Rachel leaned in to hear whereas Brian and his fiancee Leigh Anne were busy with their own conversation.
“Oh, same old same old,” Mackenzie said. “I left late.”
“See!” Nick defended. “I’m not always the reason.”
This outburst from Nick caused Brian to look up from his conversation with Leigh Anne. “Who are you trying to kid?” Brian asked.
Nick’s face turned red as he slumped back in his chair. Mackenzie thoughtfully folded her hand in Nick’s.
Once everyone was off in their own conversations, Nick thought that it would be a good time to ask Mackenzie one of the questions he had been wanting to ask for a while now. “Hey Mac, can I ask you a question?”
“You already did.” Mackenzie said as she traced her finger around the pattern at the edge of the dinner plate. “Go ahead,” she laughed.
“Well,” Nick began. “I…uh…I”
“Crap!” Mackenzie thought. “He knows. He knows about the cancer. I can’t tell him now…I can’t ruin Kevin’s dinner. Please Nick don’t ask now…not yet…”
“Well, I was kinda wondering if maybe you…eh…would…” Nick was stumbling over words. “If you would like to…if you would like to shoot some hoops after dinner.”
“I’d love to,” Mackenzie replied relieved. However, despite this moment of relief, Mackenzie couldn’t help but wonder if Nick meant to ask her something else. After all, it had taken him nearly thirty seconds just to ask if she would like shoot hoops.
Meanwhile, Nick was mentally kicking himself. “I should have asked,” he said to himself. “I really should have.”
“Why?” Mackenzie asked to herself as she unlocked the main door to her small apartment. “Why didn’t I just tell Nick then and there. It would have made it a hell of a lot easier. Or when I was dropping him off. What the hell is wrong with me?” She dropped her purse on the small table next to her bed and began to remember the conversation that she had had with Nick while they, accompanied by AJ and his date, Jasmine, had played a game of two on two at the courts:
“This isn’t fair,” Mackenzie had protested laughing as Nick continued to carry her over his shoulders while AJ sank a shot. “That one doesn’t count.”
“Oh yeah it does,” AJ said as he stuck his tongue out at Mackenzie. “You’re just jealous of our basketball skills.”
“What basketball skills,” Mackenzie laughed as her beautiful lavender dress swayed in the breeze.
“Just remember whose shoulders you are on right now,” Nick had warned. “I might “accidentally” drop you.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Jasmine had interrupted. “She’s my teammate and we’re still gonna kick both of your butts even if you two do cheat.”
“That’s right,” Mackenzie taunted as she pulled a face a Nick who had just finished setting her down on the court. All of the sudden, Mackenzie whispered, “Ouch,” with pain. The medication was suddenly wearing off and the aches and pains in her arms and legs were viciously coming back.
“You all right Mac?” Nick looked shocked. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you okay? Please say that you’re okay. What’s going on?”
Mackenzie had pulled herself together. “Nothing sweetie. These shoes just hurt, that's all.”
“Why didn’t I just tell him?” Mackenzie said as she continued to patronize herself.
Chapter Four
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