reality !
"hello honey boy." mackenzie said once she accepted the call.
johnny smiled, "heard you had the ring." mackenzie's smile wiped off immediately. "had. past tense."
"you have it." mackenzie knew why he called.
"maddie thought she put it in the sink." johnny admired the ring he held in his fingers, "she thought she threw the right ring away."
"how do you have it?" mackenzie almost yelled, "annie." she figured it out.
"before she talked to lauren she told hayden. hayden didn't know i overheard. so when she came over i switched the rings." johnny explained, "they don't know how much this means to me."
"we have to move on john. that ring is holding us back." kenzie told him, something they both knew but didn't want to admit.
"that's exactly why i'm at a lake." johnny looked at the ring sparkle in the sun.
mackenzie's eyes started to water, "goodbye honey boy."
"goodbye kenz." he dropped it, watching it fall in the middle of the lake. the deepest part. he heard her hang up.
—
7 years later
"oh my god vanessa, ellie really did that?" kenzie laughed as she got into her car. "hey i have to go v, i'll see you later. i have rounds in a couple hours." she hung up and closed the door, putting her bags in the passengers seat.
mackenzie was in her second year of residency. she graduated high school and college early and went to med school. she got home, opening the door to her condo and put her bags down on the white counter tops. she opened the fridge and pulled out some ingredients.
"hey babe, didn't know you were home." her fiancé said just as he got out of their room.
"hey john." nope, not johnny. john from the party. all those years ago. she pecked his lips, "where's elena?" she asked him.
"sleeping in her crib." john hugged kenzie from behind and wrapped his arms around her, "you'll be a great mom."
"we have 6 months until then." kenzie turned around and kissed him, "i need to make my muffins before work." she went to the pantry to grab some flour and sugar.
kenzie pulled out the kitchen aid and started making her muffins. "i have to get going for work babe." john said as he poured himself coffee, "nia the babysitter will be here before you leave."
mackenzie threw the dirty spoons into the sink, "okay." she leaned against the counter, "i hâte this town."
"once i'm done with this stupid job we can move." john told her, "toronto isn't that bad. and your residency isn't too bad right?"
"it's fine but," mackenzie sighed, "i just wanna go back home."
"we will, we have a year left." mackenzie pouted at john's reply, then kissed him before he left.
