Page 1 Page 2 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21
Mac couldn’t wait to
see Harm. With a smile perfectly in place, a full heart and a lilt in her step,
she nodded in greeting to a few young fellow officers she passed on her way over
to the JAG headquarters garden. It was a glorious day, and Mac was caught up in
it. She stopped for a moment, lifting her head to take in the beautiful, blue
sky. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes against the brightness as she listened
to the melodic serenade of the birds nestled in the nearby tree while the
faintest hint of a warm breeze caressed her soft olive skin. The intensity of
her emotions at the moment caused her skin to tingle, instantly bringing back
memories of the previous night.
“Hey, Colonel, that is quite the smile you
have going on there. If I didn’t know better I might think you won the lottery.”
The sound of his voice resonated around her
making her smile grow if that were possible. She slowly opened her eyes and
there he was standing right in front of her. The first two buttons of his shirt
were open and he was lazily dangling his cover in his right hand. He appeared to
be completely relaxed as he was enjoying the peaceful surroundings of the garden
while waiting for her arrival. He watched her attentively taking in the view,
his signature flyboy grin in place as he waited for her reply.
“Yeah, something like that,” she replied
smirking as she walked towards him.
“I see. Care to share, Marine?” Harm asked,
grinning as they sat on a bench beneath an old oak tree, its large leaves
providing them shade.
Mac chuckled and handed him his vegetarian
sandwich and a bottle of water, then reached back into the bag to retrieve her
Chicken Caesar Salad sandwich and drink. “Well,” she shrugged coyly.
“I was just thinking about the very handsome, sexy sailor I laid my eyes
on this morning.”
“Oh… really?” Harm responded his flyboy
grin immediately turning cocky. He took a bite of his sandwich and washed it
down with a big gulp of water. “Just how handsome and sexy was he?” His voice
took on a husky tone as he pried unabashedly her for compliments.
Mac was very well aware that he was fishing
for compliments and decided to play along. She smiled sweetly and looked around
making sure that no one was close enough to overhear them. “Oh, he was very,
very handsome and extremely sexy. The pants he had on hugged him in all the
right places… and when he bent over the freezer looking for the chocolate ice
cream they curved perfectly over his taut butt. I almost lost it right there in
the supermarket aisle.” Mac let out
a loud sigh. “He looked so yummy and sooooo delicious, I just wanted to…,” Mac
decided to put the brakes on, figuring she had said enough. “Hey, talking about
delicious. How’s your sandwich?”
she asked successfully changing the subject.
Harm’s sandwich was halfway to his mouth
when her words registered, causing him to freeze.
He sat there open-mouthed, holding on tightly to his sandwich, turning
his questioning gaze to Mac. “Woah! Woah! Back up, Marine. Freezer? Chocolate
ice cream? Supermarket? Just who the heck are we talking about here?” he asked
totally perplexed while irritation dripped from his voice. “Who was that guy?”
Mac had all she could do to stay still. He
looked into her big, brown eyes that she was now batting at him and he knew he
had been had. “Guess I got ya, huh, Squid,” Mac answered with her
self-satisfying grin well in place. “Told you I would get you when you least
expected it.”
Harm chuckled. “Ha, ha, you’re so not
funny, Marine, but you know what they say about payback,” he threatened
playfully, pointing his finger at her.
“All is fair in love and war,” Mac shrugged
grinning. “Actually, I thought it was very funny.
The look on your face was absolutely priceless and so worth it.” She once
again took in the area around her before she scooted closer to him. She leaned
into his ear to whisper sexily, “honestly, Harm, this morning, when you bent
down to tie your shoes….” She pulled her head back a little so that they could
look into each other’s eyes. She then licked her lips seductively. “The way your
pants hugged your sexy six – it was almost like a second skin and left nothing
to my overactive imagination… it took everything I had in me not to throw you
back on the bed and have my wicked way with you.” Mac then put her palm on his
leg and slowly ran it up the inside of his thigh and squeezed gently.
Harm jumped from her brazen ministrations,
especially in public, nearly spilling his water bottle.
“Maaacccc,” Harm groaned, closing his eyes
for a second then removed her hand from his leg. “You keep that up and we both
will be in very serious trouble, Marine.”
“A little jumpy… aren’t we, Navy,” Mac
chided, pretending to reach for him again.
Harm immediately fended her off. “MAC! Just
because YOU’RE not in uniform…”
“Maybe you’re right,” Mac replied, trying
to be somewhat serious. “I’ll behave myself, promise.” She took a bite of her
sandwich and hummed as her taste buds exploded with the delicious flavor of the
best sandwich she’d ever experienced. “Mmmmm… this is so good. Want to try?” she
offered, holding the sandwich close to Harm’s mouth.
“That’s okay. I’ll pass,” he replied,
pushing the sandwich away. Just watching her derive pleasure from her sandwich
was enjoyment enough for him.
They sat in silence for a few minutes
enjoying their lunch and each other’s company as well as the beautiful
surroundings. It had become a little noisy as few more people with children had
congregated in the garden.
Suddenly they were both startled by a thud.
A little girl running through the garden watching the balloon she was carrying
bob up and down in the wind instead of where she was going bumped smack into
Harm’s knee. “Whoa,” Harm yelped, catching the little girl around the waist just
as her knees buckled, preventing her from falling to the ground.
Mac jumped up immediately to help, her
sandwich forgotten.
“Gracie…,” a terrified woman yelled,
running over to them. “Sweetheart, how many times does mommy have to tell you to
watch where you’re going? I am so sorry,” she apologized profusely for her
daughter’s mishap. “I hope she didn’t hurt you.”
“No damage done,” Harm stated while still
holding on to Gracie. “I’m just glad I was able to catch her before she fell.”
“Me too,” the young woman stated
thankfully. “I keep trying to emphasis that she has to watch where she’s going,
but she doesn’t seem to get it.”
“She’s still little and I’m sure she will
learn in time,” Mac offered. “She is really beautiful,” Mac stated as she ran
her hand lightly over Gracie’s blond head.
The young woman smiled at them warmly.
“Thank you both for being so understanding. Say you’re sorry, Gracie, for
disturbing these nice people.”
“Sawree,” Gracie smiled shyly, still
holding on to her Mickey Mouse balloon.
“That’s quite all right, Gracie. We’re just
glad you didn’t hurt yourself,” Harm answered.
With that the woman took Gracie by the
hand, said her goodbyes and was off to join the group she was there with. Gracie
turned back to look at Harm and Mac and waved. The sudden jerk of her arm caused
her balloon to waiver and bop her on the head, causing her to giggle.
Everyone laughed appreciatively.
Harm and Mac watched them walk away, both
deep in their own thoughts of brown haired girls and blue-eyed boys when Mac
decided to break the silence.
“So tell me, how’s the case going?”
Harm sighed deeply. “Don’t ask, okay? If
Singer’s still alive on Friday, she will be one lucky Lieutenant.”
“That bad, huh?”
Harm shrugged. “Could be worse, I guess.”
He chuckled before taking a big gulp of his water.
“You should have seen the look on her face when the Admiral told her she
would be co-counsel, sitting second chair. She wanted this case all for herself
and made it known in no uncertain terms. Obviously the Admiral had other plans.
Maybe I should amend my original statement and say that the Admiral will be the
lucky one if he is still alive on Friday,” Harm joked, making Mac laugh.
“Well, this case certainly would have been
her chance to get the attention she’s been wanting for years now. Winning a high
profile case like this would certainly be a feather in her cap and a huge boost
for her career at JAG,” Mac replied drily. “I don’t know… when it comes to
Singer… I always get this feeling… you know… like she’d stop at nothing, selling
her own grandmother if necessary,” she added for emphasis.
Harm’s head immediately shot up in surprise
at her last comment. “What makes you think that?” he asked, before remembering a
case Mac had once worked on.
She had been prosecuting a Navy SEAL
jumpmaster charged with causing the drowning death of one of his parachutists. A
file had mysteriously shown up in her car. The file contained privileged
information that as a prosecutor she was forbidden to see – none other than a
copy of the mishap report.
Against her better judgment, Mac had
glanced at the file and discovered evidence that supported her case. Singer had
been the one to point the finger at Mac and accused her of seeing the report. As
a result, the Admiral had removed her from the case and Mac had been granted a
few days off and she went to
Harm knew Singer was responsible for the
file ending up in Mac’s car, but without proof it meant nothing. He’d never told
Mac about it, but Singer knew that he knew it was her. He had given her a tongue
lashing along with fair warning never to do anything like it again. Singer had
admitted only to being ambitious and that she wanted to be the first female JAG.
Harm had to agree… she would sell her grandmother to get what she wanted.
“Harm… Harm? Hey, earth to Harm!” Mac’s
raised voice finally broke him out of his deep thoughts. He shrugged his
shoulders, giving her a rather boyish grin. “Where were you just now? I called
you several times,” Mac asked Harm.
“Sorry, Mac, but your comment had me
thinking. Maybe I should sleep with one eye open just to be on the safe side,”
he said jokingly, getting the laugh he wanted from Mac in response. “But let’s
get back to what’s important. How did it go with the Admiral?”
Mac smiled. “He promised to think about my
request and get back to me soon. My gut feeling tells me I’m coming back.”
“I sure hope so.”
“Harm, how sweet. You miss me.”
“Of course I miss you. Let’s face it. It’s
no secret that when you’re not around, the Admiral’s radar is honed directly to
my six. But if you’re around somehow I am able to fly under it,” he stated
matter-of-factly.
“Geez, thanks Harm. So now you’re telling
me that I’m your personal defense mechanism for blocking the Admiral’s radar?”
“Yup, you are definitely my secret weapon.”
Harm raised an eyebrow before continuing, “and I must admit you can be extremely
lethal and I’m not just talking about in the workplace and in the courtroom,” he
grinned, wagging his eyebrows before looking around to see how close people were
to them before kissing her lips sweetly.
“Mmmm, that was nice and I’m flattered,”
Mac replied, playfully holding her casted hand above her heart to express her
gratitude.
“You should be on all counts,” Harm said
chuckling. He took the last bite of
his sandwich and finished his water. “So, what are your plans for the rest of
your day?”
“Well, I have a five-thirty appointment at
the hospital.”
“For the x-ray, right?”
“Yeah. Dr. Jacobs wants to check how the
healing has progressed and maybe I will be able to start rehab soon.”
Harm heard the hint of doubt and fear in
Mac’s voice and reached over, giving her left hand a gentle squeeze before
rubbing his thumb over her knuckles caressingly. “I’m sure everything will be
okay, Mac.”
Mac smiled at him sweetly, turning her hand
in his to intertwine their fingers for a moment. “I know.” Then she reluctantly
let go of his hand, knowing that it wasn’t the right time or place for such
intimate gestures. “I just hope all goes well with my appointment at the bank
and insurance company.”
“What is taking them so long anyway?
Shouldn’t they be giving you at least a partial payment?”
Mac shrugged, tossing her head. “I guess it
has something to do with the whole investigative process. They know the
explosion wasn’t an accident…,” she sighed, “and without the official police
report, they don’t want to risk anything. I’m just hoping that by the time I get
there they will have the necessary documentation and will be willing to close
the case. At least I know I will be able to get my bank account back in order
thanks to Grams. I still can’t believe what she did for me.”
Harm gave her a warm, loving smile and
quickly assessed the area before whispering in her ear. “Like Grams said, that’s
what family is for. And you’re definitely a part of ours, Sarah.”
It had become customary for Mac to shiver
when Harm addressed her by her given name, and this time was no different. All
the other men she had ever had a relationship with called her Sarah. Mac was
inappropriate… too masculine for someone so beautiful and therefore unacceptable
to almost everyone but Harm. To Harm, she was and always would be Mac - and not
just in the Marine sense. He hated her boyfriends calling her Sarah, and he
often bristled when he heard them. Being called Mac by Harm, for her, was
special because he was one of the very few that did. But when he called her
Sarah… well, she would melt. It made her feel like a princess and very special
in his eyes and all the more loved in his heart.
Harm gave her a quick kiss on her earlobe
before he pulled back with a sigh. “I’m really sorry, but I better get back
inside before Singer gets carried away and decides to completely take over.”
“Okay,” Mac whispered sadly. She would have
liked to enjoy her time with him just a little while longer. “Duty calls, I
guess… Oh wait, there’s something I have for you,” she said, rummaging through
her pants pocket.
Harm watched her with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s not my birthday, is it?” he asked jokingly with a chuckle.
“No.” Mac laughed. “But I thought you
should have it,” she explained, placing a little item into his hand. “I know the
last one you had from me was for an emergency.”
Harm opened his hand revealing a key chain.
From it dangled a silver key along with a Marine Corp emblem charm. He gazed at
his hand before searching her eyes for answers.
Mac was overwhelmed by her feelings and
took a deep breath to compose herself. This wasn’t going as planned.
She hadn’t planned on making a big deal out of it, but in actuality, for
her and for them it was a big deal. “I… I don’t want this key to be for
emergencies, Harm. This key is for my home, my life, and most important it’s the
key to my heart… if you’ll have it,” she whispered, never breaking their gaze.
She could clearly see the emotional turmoil in his eyes.
“And this?” he asked, holding up the charm.
Mac crossed her legs and placed her hands
in her lap. “Well..,” she started feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden.
“I added the emblem charm to the keychain because it embodies who I am, and I
wanted to share that with you as well. The eagle’s wings exemplifies the way you
make my heart soar. The globe testifies that no matter where I am, I carry you
with me. The anchor represents your
strength and the way you manage to keep me grounded. And the Semper Fidelis
speaks for itself… I will be faithful to you always.”
Harm was totally overcome by her prolific
admission. He paused before speaking, putting his hand over his heart, clutching
the chain tightly. “Well then Mac, I should have been a Marine too because this
emblem symbolizes exactly how I feel about you.”
Mac laughed warmly. “I wouldn’t say that
too loud, Squid, or someone might think you were defecting.”
Harm shared in her laughter. “I mean it,
Mac, ditto to everything you said.”
Mac put her hand on his forearm, squeezing
it gently. She had finally come to terms with his feelings for her. “I know,
Harm, I know. I’m sorry. This certainly isn’t the proper place or the right time
to convey what is in my heart, but I just couldn’t wait any longer.”
Harm shook his head. “I couldn’t care less
about the right time or the right place, Mac. I just want to know one thing.”
“What?” Mac breathed out frowning. She
couldn’t imagine what else he needed to know.
He looked deep into her eyes. “Is anyone
standing behind me?”
Mac looked over his shoulder, checking out
the area around them. “No, there’s no one. Why?”
He reached out to grab her arms. “Because
I’m going to kiss you and I really don’t want to have an audience.”
“Oh.” Was all Mac uttered before Harm’s
lips came crushing down on hers. It wasn’t a heated full of passion kiss, but
rather a gentle, very tender, sweet, full of promise kiss, representing all the
feelings he had for her.
When the need for air forced them apart,
they looked deep into each other’s eyes. “Wow,” was all Mac could muster, making
Harm chuckle.
Harm ran his hand up her arm and settled it
on her shoulder. “Wow is right and it’s only the beginning, Mac,” Harm promised
her and he wasn’t only talking about the kiss. “And this…,” he said, opening his
hand and looking at the key chain that was nestled in his palm, “this I am going
to treasure and protect with all that I am.” Harm was struggling to keep his
emotions under control.
Mac was having the same problem, but
managed to smile at him sweetly. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself
into his arms, but knew it had to wait ‘till later. “You probably should go back
now, before Singer does more harm than good.”
Harm groaned loudly. “Yeah, it scares me to
death, Jarhead,” he replied as they made their way over to her car.
“Please don’t tell me you’re afraid of
Singer, Harm.”
“I’m not afraid of her per se… I’m
petrified of what she might do and the extreme trouble she can cause.”
Mac chuckled. “Sorry. She does have a knack
for over-reaching.”
They were now at Mac’s car and Harm opened
the door for her as she got in. She looked up at him smiling sweetly. “If anyone
can keep the Lieutenant in check, it’s definitely you, Sailor.”
Harm laughed loudly. “Thanks for the vote
of confidence, Mac. But I’m not quite sure if anyone can keep the devil in
check,” he uttered winking.
Now it was Mac’s turn to laugh and shake
her head. “You do make a good point, Sailor.”
Harm tapped on the roof of the car. “Drive
careful, Marine, and good luck with everything.”
“Thanks,” she replied and closed the door,
opening the window instead. “We’ll see each other later?”
Harm grinned. “Count on it.
Knowing I get to see you later is about the only thing that is going to
get me through the rest of this day,” he sighed.
“Okay, then bye for now,” Mac said, turning
on the ignition and making her way out of the parking lot.
Harm’s eyes followed her car until it
disappeared around the corner and out of his sight. He quickly pulled out his
cell phone and dialed a number. He had been thinking and plotting for days. And
suddenly everything fell into place with the simple gift of the key. It was the
perfect time to get his plan in motion.
“Hello, Mr. Thompson. Commander Rabb here,” he said as soon as someone
picked up on the other end. “I was wondering whether or not today would be a
good time for you.”
Harm listened intently to the answer while
a huge grin implanted itself on his face. “In two hours? Okay, that sounds good.
Thanks, Mr. Thompson. I owe you one.” He was just about to dial his own number
when he remembered the call he got earlier from his grandmother. He pushed three
on his speed dial, and waited for Harriet to pick up. “Hey, Harriet, it’s Harm.
Could I talk with Grams for a second, please? Thanks.”
Harm could hear Harriet telling Grams that
he was on the phone.
(“Hi, Harm, what’s up, dear?”)
“Hey, Grams. You remember Mr. Thompson?”
(“Of course I do. I was with you. It really
is a wonderful idea… it could have definitely been one of mine,” Grams added
with a snicker.)
Harm chuckled. “Has to be the genes, Grams.
Anyway, today works for him. In fact he said two hours would be perfect. By any
chance can you get away from the little whirlwind for a while to handle
everything? I am in a bind here and can’t get away.”
(Grams laughed. “I don’t think I will be
able to sneak out, but I’m sure your godson would love to join in. So, yes,
definitely, I’m all yours. Just tell me what you need me to do.”)
Harm sighed in relief. “Thanks, Grams. You
are a real lifesaver and I owe you big time. I’m in my office and will leave
word at the guard shack that you will be coming to see me.”
Grams didn’t respond and Harm could hear
her talking with someone. “Grams?”
(“Yes, dear, I’m still here. I just spoke
with Harriet and she would love to help us. We will see you shortly.”)
“Okay, great. See you soon, Grams. Love ya.”
(“I love you, too. See you soon,” she said
before hanging up.)
Harm shut his cell phone smiling brightly.
With a skip in his step, he made his way back to his office, praying that the
rest of his day would progress quickly. He was anxious to see Mac’s reaction,
hoping that she would love what he had in store for her.
5:28 PM
The elevator finally reached the fourth
floor of the hospital and the doors opened slowly. Mac was relaxing against the
back wall, waiting until the people in front of her disembarked before she also
stepped out, making her way to the nearby nurse’s station located at the end of
the long hallway. She could hear her footsteps echoing in the corridor as her
heels bounced off the pristine floor with every step. She was almost at her
destination when she had all she could do to jump out of the way of several
doctors and nurses exiting from both the stairwell and break room, running for
the doors of the Intensive Care Unit. Mac eyed them cautiously until they
disappeared from her view. She couldn’t help but wonder what it was all about.
The all too familiar sounds and smells of
the hospital assaulted her as she continued walking down the corridor. They
brought back vivid, painful memories of how dependent she was on her other
senses when she was unable to see during her short stay there. She began to feel
a little ill at ease, especially concerning the outcome of this particular
appointment. It could be the catalyst to her military future or lack thereof.
“Oh, hello, Colonel,” one of the nurses at
the desk greeted her with a smile, bringing Mac out of her reverie. She turned
towards the voice and found herself in front of the nurses station.
”You look so much better than the last time I saw you.”
Mac was perplexed, but suppressed her
confusion. “Well, I’m glad you think so,” Mac replied chuckling as she stepped
forward. “I guess it’s probably a good thing I couldn’t see myself at the time.
I had to have looked awful,” she added jokingly.
It was obvious this particular nurse knew
her from her stay here after the explosion. Her name was
“Just a little? It certainly felt like a
lot more than a little. I honestly felt like I was run over by a truck and then
had it back up over me.”
They shared a good laugh before
Mac felt the little blush rise from her
neck and settle warmly on her cheeks. She smiled sweetly, never attempting to
hide it. “Yeah, he certainly is wonderful.” Mac sighed dreamily. “Without him
and his grandmother, I don’t know what I would have done. They really helped me
through all of this. And Harm, well he would definitely put Florence Nightingale
to shame.”
“I know what you mean,” Nurse Shelby
laughed. “That night you were brought in, he was completely beside himself. It
was very obvious to all of us here just how much the Commander cared for you. He
refused to leave the hospital. He wouldn’t even leave to freshen up. The best we
could get him to do was use the rest room. He just sat by your side watching
over you. We tried to force him to at least go to the cafeteria for something to
eat, and when that didn’t work, we resorted to bringing the food to him. But he
never ate much, just a few bites here and there.”
She proceeded to tell Mac how hard it was
keeping all the nurses on the floor in check. They were constantly peeking into
Mac’s room under the pretense of checking her vitals when all they really wanted
to do was get another look at Harm. “I swear they would leave your room
completely starry eyed and all but wiping the drool of their faces.”
Mac laughed whole-heartedly, not the least
bit surprised. “Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Harm has that affect on most
women.”
“I’ll tell ya, if I were a few years
younger myself… well… never mind.” She laughed, clearing her throat and looking
at the appointment book. “Back to business, you’re here to see Dr. Jacobs,
right?”
“Yeah, I have an appointment at
five-thirty.”
Nurse Shelby nodded. “Dr Jacobs asked me to
inform you that she had an emergency and it may take some time. She didn’t know
how long, so if you want, I can schedule another appointment for you.”
Mac shook her head. “No, if it’s okay, I
would like to wait. I am really concerned about how my arm is healing, and I
would like to find out today. If I promise to stay out of your way, would it be
okay if I waited a while?”
Nurse Shelby identified with Mac, knowing
how she felt. She patted Mac on the arm. “I know exactly how anxious you are. I
take it you’re right-handed?” Mac nodded affirmatively. “Me too, and when I
broke my arm a few years ago, I couldn’t wait to find out that everything was
going to be okay and that I’d be back at work soon… and it was my left arm.” She
laughed.
“Yeah, I have to admit I’m not very patient
with the ‘wait and see’ situations. I tend to get on peoples nerves,” Mac added
grinning.
“Don’t worry, dear. You’re not getting on
anyone’s nerves around here. Tell you what, why don’t you go to the cafeteria,
grab yourself something to eat and then enjoy it outdoors in the hospital park
out back. As soon as Dr. Jacobs is free, I’ll make sure someone comes out there
to get you.”
Mac sighed in relief. “That sounds like a
wonderful idea. Thanks for suggesting it. It’s such a lovely day and it would be
a shame to waste it sitting indoors.”
“Not a problem. Wish I could join you,
Colonel. Please enjoy some of that late afternoon sunshine for me.
My shift won’t be over ‘till it’s dark outside.”
Mac grinned and gave her a wink. “I’m going
to catch some extra sunrays just for you, promise.”
“That would be delightful, Colonel,” Nurse
Shelby replied with a smile. “I’ll see you later.”
“Count on it,” Mac said smiling before she
headed back towards the elevators.
*
Mac approached the park, coffee cup in
hand. She opted for coffee as she was too nervous to eat anything at the moment.
The park was packed with nurses and doctors enjoying their break in the late
afternoon sun. At a quick glance, Mac noticed that some were eating, others
reading, some even playing chess while others were in a nearby field tossing
around a baseball. There were even a few people lying on the grass with their
eyes closed, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.
There were many patients outdoors as well,
spending time with their visitors. The fact that they were patients was made
obvious by the dreaded hospital gowns and bathrobes they were stylishly attired
in. Mac laughed inwardly, remembering how much she hated wearing those
horrendous gowns. There was also a playground nearby where children were
climbing on the jungle gym while others played on the swings being pushed by
their doting parents. Squeals of “higher, higher” drifted over the entire area.
Mac loved to watch children play so she
decided to make her way towards the playground.
That’s when she noticed a little girl sitting in a wheelchair next to an
empty bench. She was sitting all by herself. Her eyes were glued to the children
playing in a sandbox off to the side. The longing and sadness in her eyes did
not go unnoticed by Mac. She eyed the park, wondering where the girl’s parents
were.
“Hi,” Mac said softly with a smile. “Would
it be okay if I sat down here and joined you for a while?” she said pointing to
the bench.
The little girl gave her a shy nod without
looking at her. Mac sensed that she was reserved and wondered what had happened
to her, as there were no visible injuries. “Thank you,” she replied with her
smile still in place, opting to sit on the part of the bench that was closest to
the little girl. “It certainly is beautiful out here, isn’t it?” Mac said,
attempting to start a conversation while taking in the entire area.
Her eyes drifted to a little pond set near
the playground. She immediately knew why. There were two ducks engaged in a
rather noisy fight. They were squawking and chasing each other around. Mac
pointed at them. “Look at those two. They act as though the pond isn’t big
enough for the both of them,” she concluded chuckling while shaking her head in
disbelief.
The little girl’s gaze followed to where
Mac had pointed, but she never responded verbally.
She once again nodded her head slightly before her eyes went back to the
happy, exuberant children and their parents.
They continued to sit in silence for a
while. Mac had tried several times to start a conversation by talking about the
weather, the playground, anything she could think of to engage her new little
friend - but to no avail. Mac knew she wasn’t deaf since she always responded
with a timid nod when Mac spoke. Her parents obviously weren’t around and Mac
wondered if she was waiting for them.
Mac turned to take another good look at the
little girl. She had a Mediterranean look about her with her olive skin,
shoulder length dark brown hair that curled around her face, and colossal eyes
in a brown so dark they almost looked black. She was beautiful and Mac figured
her to be around four or five years old. She was dressed in a grey and white
jogging suit with a white t-shirt underneath, adorned with
Mac was just about to tell her how pretty
she was when she noticed a lone tear slide down her cheek. She followed her gaze
to two little girls who were chasing each other with their dad running right
behind them, goading them on and laughing when he finally caught one and swung
her around in the air while the other raised her arms and bellowed “me too,
daddy… me too!”
Her sadness did not need to be verbalized,
it was evident in her dark, sad, lifeless eyes. Mac knew that look all too well.
She had lived it… the overwhelming sadness, the total loss, and the complete
despair. ‘What had happened to create such turmoil in one so young and
innocent?’ Mac wondered.
“Hey, honey,” Mac whispered, reaching over
to wipe the tear with her thumb. The little girl did not expect it and was
startled by Mac’s actions. She pulled back slightly as Mac smiled and wiped the
tear. “Sshhh, it’s okay, sweetheart,” she said soothingly. Mac was just about to
ask if she was okay when a voice from behind startled her.
“Here you are, Marine. I was about to
report you MIA,” Harm told her chuckling.
Mac looked up quickly, completely
surprised. “Hey, Harm. What are you doing here? Are you checking up on me?” she
joked.
Harm shrugged, giving her his typical
flyboy-grin. “You wound me, Marine,” he pouted, putting his hand over his heart.
“I needed some medical information for the case, and when I saw your car in the
parking lot I thought I would try to find you. I went upstairs and they told me
you were out here waiting for Dr. Jacobs. How come you’re still here? I thought
your appointment was at five-thirty?”
Mac shrugged. “Dr. Jacobs had an emergency.
I could have rescheduled, but I decided to wait. I really don’t want to have to
wait for another appointment. She is so busy that they are hard to come by.”
Harm was about to say something in reply
when he realized he was being watched intently. Mac’s new friend’s eyes were
glued to Harm and his uniform. He smiled sweetly at her, but she never reacted
to his gesture. She appeared to be
a million miles away.
Mac noticed the questioning look in Harm’s
eyes. “Harm, I would like to introduce you to my new friend. She’s keeping me
company while I wait for Dr. Jacobs.”
“Hello,” Harm stated, offering his hand in
an attempt of a handshake, but it was not immediately accepted. Only when Harm
started to withdraw his hand did she finally reach out and place her tiny hand
into Harm’s large one. “It’s very nice to meet you,” Harm greeted as he shook
her hand gently. He gave her another smile, which she eagerly responded to this
time.
Mac marveled and watched in fascination at
how Harm’s charm immediately put this sweet child at ease, and he didn’t even
have to try. Mac knew Harm had reached her in some way, even though she still
didn’t speak. The sadness in her eyes had lessened, if for just a moment, and
her demeanor shifted. Mac was always impressed with his ability to put people at
ease and make them feel comfortable.
Harm looked at Mac. “I’m sorry, but I have
to go now. There’s still something I need to do.”
Mac looked at him bewildered. “What?
Are you holding out on me, Sailor,” Mac chided.
Harm shrugged, sheepishly. “Of course not,
it’s… just things… you know… something to do with the case… investigating and
stuff,” he concluded afraid to look directly into her eyes for fear that she
would see straight through him.
“Uh huh… okay,” Mac replied, sensing that
Harm was holding something back from her.
She smiled. “I hope I’ll be done here soon
as well. Will I see you later tonight?”
“Of course you will, Marine. Don’t think
you can get rid of me that easily,” he told her jokingly.
Mac playfully stuck out her tongue, giving
his arm a little slap. “Have you heard from Granma? Will she be staying with AJ
tonight?” She snickered, shaking her head.
He nodded. “Yeah, I talked with her earlier
and AJ convinced Harriet he was well enough to have a pajama party tonight.”
Mac grinned. “Sounds like our godson. I’m
glad he bounced back so quickly. Poor little guy. He was so miserable.”
“Yeah, well, not anymore. Grams told me the
fever is gone and he’s feeling much better, but he still is a bit wheezy and
sounds like a steam engine at times. She said she kept teasing him, calling him
a choo choo train as she chased him around of course imitating the train,” Harm
told her chuckling.
Mac laughed as she imagined Grandma Sarah
chasing little AJ around the house making train noises while little AJ shrieked
happily. She envied not having experienced that playfulness as a child.
The little girl was having thoughts of her
own as she watched Harm and Mac, totally enthralled by their animated banter…
never taking her eyes of them. Neither one saw how she sat up straighter and
loosened up slightly when Harm mentioned the choo choo train.
“Sounds like she’s the perfect medicine for
him,” Mac concluded.
Harm laughed.
“Yup, that’s what Grams does best.
It’s sort of like that song… you know a spoon full of sugar helps the
medicine go down. Always worked for me... still does even now that I’m all
grown up,” he added wistfully.
Mac nodded smiling. She certainly
appreciated Grams special talents. Though she bit her tongue in an attempt to
not say anything further, she couldn’t resist. “All grown up? Come on Harm… I
don’t think you will ever be all grown up.” She laughed.
Harm cocked an eyebrow, pointing his finger
at her. “Watch it, Marine.”
They both shared a well-deserved laugh.
“So, shall I go to your apartment tonight
seeing as how you will be all alone?” Mac asked suggestively.
Harm ran his fingers through his hair as he
cleared his throat. “Ummm… actually I thought about coming over to your place.
There seems to be this fantasy that keeps running around my mind… and…”
Seeing him stammer all over himself
definitely peaked Mac’s curiosity. “Which is?”
Harm shrugged, glancing at the little girl
next to them. It appeared that once the conversation had turned from toys and
playfulness back to adult talk, she turned her gaze back to the children playing
on the swings. When Harm was satisfied that her attention was elsewhere, he bent
down to whisper into Mac’s ear. “Let’s just say it concerns you, me, and a
certain over-sized bath tub,” he told her as his lips brushed ever so lightly
across her earlobe.
Mac swallowed audibly. “Can’t wait,” she
croaked. “I just hope Dr. Jacobs won’t be too much longer.”
“Don’t worry. You have plenty of time. I
probably won’t be done ‘till close to midnight. If you’re asleep, shall I wake
you?” he asked as seductively as he could in such a public place.
Mac grinned. “Oh, yeah, Flyboy. Most
definitely.”
Harm kissed her sweetly. “Count on it then.
See you later, Jarhead,” he said, turning his attention back to the little girl
who was once again watching him fixedly. Harm tweaked her nose gently. “It was
great to meet you. Please take good care of my friend here. She has an uncanny
knack of getting herself in trouble when I’m not around,” he told her winking.
Mac could have sworn she saw the hint of a smile pass over her little face, but
it was gone so quickly she couldn’t be sure.
She was glad she had responded to Harm.
‘Maybe it’s a start,’ she thought.
With a last wave of his hand, Harm made his
way back to the parking lot as Mac watched until he disappeared from her view.
When she turned back to the little girl, she had been watching Harm walk away as
well. Mac was curious as to the fascination she seemed to have with him, but
then again, what girl wasn’t infatuated with her sailor? That thought - ‘her
sailor’ made her smile. Seemed like she was having that thought more and more
often. Mac was about to say something, when a nurse approached the playground
calling for the kids.
“Okay, troops, it’s time for dinner. Let’s
get inside before it gets cold,” she shouted above the noise, clapping her
hands.
“Pizza!” a few kids screamed, running to
the building as fast as their feet would carry them.
Their amused parents following close behind.
“I guess they should serve pizza more
often. Somehow I don’t think the offering of spinach soufflé or pea soup would
get them to move this fast.” Mac heard one of the moms says while the others
laughed.
“Okay, Sam, it’s time for dinner,” the
nurse said approaching Mac and the little girl. “Hello, Ma’am.”
“Hi,” Mac answered, watching as the nurse
walked around the wheelchair to release the brakes. She had just started to push
the chair when Sam suddenly started to violently shake her head in disapproval.
She actually put her hands over the wheels in an attempt to stop the movement.
It was obvious that Sam was not interested
in going inside just yet, and Mac was a little startled at her belligerent
behavior. Wanting to keep peace, she took quick action, looking up at the nurse,
smiling. “If it’s okay, why don’t you let her stay a little while longer? I’ll
bring her in as soon as she’s ready,” Mac offered, opening her purse to take out
her military identification. She showed it to the nurse, letting her know that
she wasn’t some weirdo. “I promise not to keep her out here too much longer,”
Mac added softly.
The nurse nodded, once again securing the
brakes on the chair. “I’ll make sure they save at least one slice of pizza for
you, Sam, okay?” As soon as the nurse walked away, Mac heard Sam’s relieved
sigh.
“So, your name is Sam. It’s really nice to
meet you. My name is Sarah MacKenzie, but my friends call me Mac. Does Sam stand
for something?” she asked even though she knew she would not get an answer. She
felt as long as she kept talking and Sam kept listening, well… maybe something
would give. Although she couldn’t explain why, she felt a need to get closer.
She just didn’t know how. She hoped to find a common denominator, something that
Sam could identify with and possibly open her up.
Mac continued her one-sided conversation.
Telling Sam all about herself and how she came to be a Marine, about her work at
JAG, and about her friendship/relationship with Harm. The minute she mentioned
Harm’s name, she could see Sam’s eyes light up. That was it…Harm…he was their
common denominator. So Mac continued telling Sam all about Harm… his
playfulness… his crazy antics… his love of flying… his loyalty to his family and
friends… and his determination.
Mac had talked for nearly thirty minutes
when Dr. Jacobs approached them. “Hello, Colonel.
“Yeah,” Mac piped in. “She has. We or
better still, I have been talking up a storm.”
Dr. Jacobs gave her an understanding nod and Mac smiled in return.
Mac turned again to the little girl with a
raised eyebrow and a huge grin. “Samira, now that’s a very beautiful name, the
perfect name for an adorable little girl such as you,” Mac told her, running the
back of her hand against her soft cheek. Samira looked up at Mac with eyes so
heavy with sadness that Mac had all she could do not to pull her out of the
chair and into her arms.
Mac turned to address Dr. Jacobs again.
“The waiting really wasn’t a problem. The company was very nice and the weather
is perfect for sitting outdoors. What do you say Sam? You getting hungry?
I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time for some of that yummy
pizza now.”
Samira nodded in response, grinning just a
little. ‘Now we’re getting somewhere,’ Mac thought, getting up to release the
brakes on the wheelchair. “I certainly hope someone saved an extra slice for me
as well,” Mac said as her stomach grumbled loudly. The noise, along with Mac’s
comment, made Samira giggle. Mac reached down and tickled Sam’s tummy. “So you
think that’s funny, do you?” Mac laughed in relief, looking at Dr. Jacobs who
smiled in response.
“Somehow I doubt that, Colonel,” Dr. Jacobs
said as they began to make their way back to the hospital building. “If there
should be an extra slice left, Samira will have no problem polishing it off.”
“Too bad,” Mac responded. “I was so looking
forward to pizza,” she said looking down at Samira who was looking up wide-eyed
at her newly found friend. “Maybe next time,” Mac told Sam, ruffling her curly
brown hair.
And as they walked into the building, Mac made a promise to herself to ask Dr. Jacobs more about Samira, since it was obvious she knew her very well.
Mac’s
House
9:21
PM
Mac
pulled into the driveway of her home, parking her car in front of the garage.
She turned off the headlights and then the ignition with a deep sigh. She put
her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes for a second. It was
already dark outside and she had endured a rather long, tiring day. Mac was worn
out and totally spent. Her thoughts right now were all over the place, and
needed soothing. All she wanted to do was take a long, hot bubble bath before
crawling under the covers. She smiled, remembering Harm’s comment from earlier.
“Guess
the soak in the tub is going to have to wait just a little while longer,” she
said out loud, taking her purse from the passenger seat before exiting the car.
She opened her purse, searching for the house key. “Damn it, it has to be here
somewhere,” she muttered, making her way to the front door. She was still
rummaging through her bag when she reached the door. Her search was hindered by
the fact that the outside lights were not on.
“Ah...
eureka!” she muttered as she finally found the key at the bottom of her purse,
and made quick work of putting it into the lock. She paused, thinking, ‘I
really need to clean this bag out one of these days.’ She turned the key,
opening the door when her sixth sense kicked in and she realized something
wasn’t quite right.
She
froze for a second with fear creeping up her spine, thinking that someone was
and may still be in the house. She automatically reached into her bag for her
gun, but quickly realized it was locked up in the walk-in closet upstairs. “Damn,”
she cursed, biting on her lower lip. She didn’t have to contemplate her next
move because her Marine skills immediately kicked in.
Mac
slowly opened the door a little wider and peeked inside. The aroma of food
cooking immediately filled her nostrils, while the flickering candles caught her
eye and the sound of soft music infiltrated her ears. Mac frowned quizzically as
she crept her way to the kitchen.
“There
you are, Jarhead. I thought you were going to spend the entire evening out there
in front of the door,” Harm said, greeting her with a warm smile as he took
the pasta off the stove, dumping it into the colander to drain. “All I need is
two minutes more and dinner will be served.”
“Harm?”
she murmured. To say she was surprised to see him there would have been the
understatement of the year. She never even saw his car outside. That’s how out
of it she really was. “What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you until
later. You nearly scared me to death, Sailor. It’s a good thing for you that
my gun is upstairs and not in my purse,” she finally got out as her eyes
wandered over the scene in front of her.
On the counter sat a vase of the most
beautiful red roses Mac had ever seen. She didn’t count them, but figured
there had to be at least two dozen perfect blossoms. There
was a lit candelabra placed in the middle of the breakfast bar, while candles in
all shapes and sizes were placed around the kitchen and the still empty living
room. The candles were the only means of light in the darkened rooms, and their
glow cast muted shadows on the walls. Harm’s radio/CD player, the one he had
given her when she moved, was sitting on the kitchen windowsill, tuned to an
easy listening station and the music filling the room was soft and mellow.
Harm
immediately became apologetic. “I’m sorry, Mac. I didn’t mean to scare you.
I just wanted to surprise you and cook dinner,” Harm responded, as he walked
to the fridge to retrieve the dessert he had made, placing it on the counter.
She
couldn’t help but think how he loved commandeering a kitchen. ‘The military
and the law were not his only forte.’ Though she wouldn’t admit it to him,
he definitely could cook and was more than capable of putting together
scrumptious meals. ‘He can cook for me anytime… well maybe not anytime,’
she thought, smiling inwardly.
His
answer brought Mac out of her reverie, and she turned her eyes to his masculine
form, taking all of him in. She started at his face and slowly let them roam
over his entire body. He was bare-footed, wearing faded jeans that were worn in
all the right places and a lazily buttoned black shirt. He looked completely
relaxed and comfortable in her kitchen, in her home, in her life, and if she had
her say… it’s exactly where he would remain.
She
looked at him pointedly, furrowing her brow. “I thought you said you
couldn’t make it before midnight,” Mac quipped.
Harm
gave her a sheepish grin. “I know… I lied, and I must admit after seeing
your reaction, I’m very glad your gun is upstairs or else I probably
wouldn’t still be standing here in one piece.” He put both hands over his
heart. “Again, I apologize, Mac.”
The
corners of Mac’s mouth turned up in a half smile.
“Does
that little glimpse of a smile mean I’m no longer in trouble with the big bad
Marine?” he goaded.
Mac
laughed out loud, laying her purse on the nearby shelf and got rid of her shoes.
“Oh, no, you’re definitely in trouble. But
maybe if you’re really nice we can work something out,” she joked saucily.
“Umm…
hmmm, promises, promises,” Harm bantered back, walking over to take Mac in his
arms, giving her a long, loving kiss. “I missed you,” he breathed into her
ear, causing her to tingle everywhere.
Mac
snuggled as close as she could into his embrace, sighing. “I missed you, too,”
she said, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. “What smells so divinely
delicious in here?”
Harm
let out a belly laugh, letting go of Mac. “That’s my Marine. One minute
she’s lean, mean, and ready to kill, the next minute she’s soft and sexy,
wanting to cuddle, and then… the inner monster takes over… her growling
stomach… undermining everything else and all she can think about is feeding
it.”
Mac
gave him a grin before swatting him on his six as she sat down at the breakfast
bar. “Stop that. What can I say?
The way to my heart is definitely through my stomach and don’t ever forget
that, Sailor.”
“Don’t
I know it, and how could I possibly forget it? Good thing I’m prepared,”
Harm replied, getting the pasta and joining Mac at the bar. “How do you feel
about pasta puttanesca?”
“I
say bring it on, I’m starved.” She
took a slow deep breath and tried to relax while Harm served the food. “It
really smells delicious, Harm.” She suddenly became suspicious and narrowed
her eyebrows. “How did you know when I’d be home, anyway?
Your timing is unusually perfect.”
Harm’s
eyes widened at her comment and then shrugged nervously, looking like he had
just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “I asked
“You
are a sneaky squid,” she replied before snatching the pasta from the fork with
her mouth. “Mmmm… yummy,” she said with her eyes closed, savoring the
taste down to the last chew before swallowing. She opened her eyes, looking at
Harm seductively before reaching for the other fork, grabbing some pasta and
feeding him in return. “You know Harm, it’s amazing how something without
meat in it can taste sooooo good.”
Harm
laughed. “Mac, just because there isn’t dead animal in something doesn’t
make it bad.”
“I
don’t know about that… I’ve had your meatless meatloaf,” Mac chortled,
putting her finger in her mouth and making gagging sounds.
“Okay,
okay. I stand down,” Harm answered, putting his hands up in surrender. “Are
you ever going to forget that meal?”
“Never,”
Mac teased.
Their
candlelight dinner became quite romantic and cozy after the short conversation
about her meeting with the bank and insurance company. Mac conveyed how the
insurance company was still unwilling to settle, as they hadn’t received the
official police report. The rest of the time they dedicated to each other,
feeding and savoring, kissing and touching.
As
soon as the pasta was gone, Harm took the plates over to the sink to rinse them
out. “And how did it go at the
hospital?” he asked, starting the coffee maker then leaned against the counter,
his arms crossed over his chest. He had been waiting for her to mention what had
transpired with Dr. Jacobs, but when she wasn’t forthcoming, he thought it was
about time he asked.
Mac
shrugged. “Dr. Jacobs is not exactly happy with it yet. The fracture hasn’t
healed quite the way she thought it would by now. I have another appointment for
next week. I can’t start rehab until she is satisfied that the fracture is
properly healed.”
Harm
could hear the worry in her voice and knew that the news was upsetting to her.
He smiled warmly at her. “Don’t worry, Mac. I’m sure it’s not as bad as
you think. Dr. Jacobs just doesn’t want to risk anything. That’s her job.
She knows what she’s doing. Just
give it a little more time.”
“Yeah,
you’re right. It’s just I was really hoping to be able to start therapy so
that I could get my life back on track and do the things I’ve always been able
to do. This… being in limbo is so unsettling.” She took a deep breath,
running her hand over her eyes before lowering them to stair at the floor in an
attempt to hide how bad she really felt. She should have known that there
wasn’t anything she could hide from Harm.
Harm
walked over and lifted her chin with one hand while gently running his other
hand over her head, forcing her to look at him. “Hey, what’s wrong? What
else is on your mind that is making you… sad?” he asked concerned.
Mac
sighed deeply. “I can’t help thinking about Samira and what Dr. Jacobs told
me about her.”
Harm
looked at her confused. “Samira?” he questioned, sitting down on the bar
stool next to Mac again taking her hand and rubbing his thumb over the back of
it.
“Yeah,
the little girl in the wheelchair you met earlier at the hospital. Her name’s
Samira.”
Harm
made the connection and nodded in acknowledgement. “What did the doctor tell
you about her? She was really adorable, but seemed to be either extremely shy or
completely withdrawn.”
“I
know. I had the exact same feeling, but when I found out that Dr. Jacobs
actually knew her, I just had to ask about her. She told me that Samira, who
will actually be four in two weeks, lost her parents and grandparents in a car
accident. Remember last Christmas Eve, the way it rained before suddenly turning
cold and the roads quickly turned icy? There
was that terrible accident on the Beltway involving a speeding truck that
couldn’t stop and a car. The car ended up pinned under the truck’s tires.
“Yeah,
I remember. I saw a report about it in the news. It looked horrible.”
Mac
nodded her head. “Samira, Sam for short, was in that car and the only one who
survived. According to Dr. Jacobs
she’s still terribly traumatized by the ordeal of that night. She hasn’t
spoken to anybody, nor has she attempted to walk even though her legs, which
were both broken, have healed.”
“Is
Dr. Jacobs her attending physician?”
“No.
Actually, her husband is. He is a pediatrician at
“I
guess that would explain why she was so taken by my uniform.”
“So
you felt it too?” she questioned wide-eyed. “I guess you reminded her of her
dad.”
It
was Harm’s turn to sigh heavily. His heart went out to Sam. He didn’t have
to imagine how she felt… he knew. That feeling of loss and betrayal, and the
trauma of unanswered questions were always there - overshadowing every step in
his private life and his every accomplishment in the military. It has just been
recently, with the help of Mac, that he was able to attain closure. Only he
hadn’t lost both parents like Sam. His mom had still been there for him.
Mac
sensed his mood shift and knew that in talking about Samira, she had triggered
painful memories for Harm. “I’m
sorry, Harm.” She rubbed his thigh with her hand. “I didn’t mean to get so
caught up in this conversation. I don’t want to upset you. Maybe we should
talk about something else.”
Harm
had been pulled from his thoughts by what she was saying. “No, it’s okay,
Mac. I’m fine, really.” He put his hand over hers, squeezing gently. He knew
talking about Sam was important to Mac, and he had to admit that his curiosity
had been piqued.
“How
come she’s still in the hospital? Shouldn’t she be home by now?” Harm
asked, getting up to get two cups out of the cabinet and filling them with the
freshly brewed coffee.
Mac
had turned around to watch him pour the coffee. “Yeah, under normal
circumstances she would have been home by now. But she has no family, Harm.
There is no one. She is not showing any signs of improvement psychologically so
I guess the youth welfare department agreed to let Samira stay at
“That
poor little thing,” Harm said, getting their dessert before sitting down next
to her again. “No wonder she is so cut off and closed up tighter than a clam.”
“Yeah,”
Mac answered as she took in the glass bowl of dessert in Harm’s hand along
with a spoon.
“Open
your mouth, Mac.”
“What
about you? Don’t you want any dessert?” Mac asked confused.
“Oh,
don’t worry about me. My time will come. I don’t intend to cheat myself,”
Harm replied saucily, holding a spoon of crème brûlée up to her mouth.
“Come on, Sarah, open your mouth.”
At
the sound of her given name, Mac shivered uncontrollably like she had done so
many times over the past several days. Without saying a word, she opened her
mouth to accept his offering. Her taste buds exploded in pleasure at the taste
of the crème. She closed her eyes, savoring the taste as she slowly ran her
tongue over her lips in delight. “Mmmm, Harm, this is so delicious.”
Harm
sat there gaping. Hearing the passion in her voice and watching her tongue run
over her perfect lips, his pulse quickened and his groin tightened. Harm nearly
lost it. It took all he had to control himself and not lunge for her right then
and there. He swallowed hard and shifted his position on the stool as his jeans
were becoming rather tight. “I’m glad you like it,” he hissed raggedly
before offering her another spoonful.
This
time when Mac opened her mouth to accept the crème, the taste was so delectable,
she couldn’t suppress the moan that rumbled from deep within her… and Harm
finally snapped.
“Oh,
God, that’s it. I’m ready for my dessert, and I’m not talking about the crème
brûlée,” he groaned before his mouth came crashing down on hers. He used his
tongue to remove a dab of crème from the corner of her mouth and then let it
run along her bottom lip to the other side, asking for entrance. They both
whimpered as Mac parted her lips and he plunged inside. The sweetness of the crème
brûlée mixed with Mac’s unique taste was both intoxicating and arousing.
Their kiss broke when Harm needed
air. “Mmmm it is good,” he rasped.
“Mmmm,” Mac repeated while
reaching out for the crème brûlée, grabbing a glob with her index finger, as
a sweet smile adorned her face and mischief danced in her eyes.
Harm watched her move intently, not
sure whether to be scared or excited, but as soon as he saw her take her crème-filled
finger and slowly bring it towards her mouth, the latter definitely won out. She
extended her tongue and took a small swipe at the crème before putting her
finger in her mouth and sucked the rest of the crème without taking her eyes
off Harm. She then took her finger and returned it to the bowl for another
dollop and extended her finger towards Harm, who was completely aroused and had
no intention of hiding it.
“Told you so,” she panted.
“Now, it’s my turn,” she said, letting her finger run over his lips,
smearing it with the crème. Harm held his breath in anticipation as she leaned
forward to gently lick the crème off, and then kiss him senseless.
They smeared, licked, and kissed
until the glass bowl was empty and all the crème had been both worn and
ingested. That was when Harm recognized that ‘When You Lie Next To Me’ by
Kelley Coffey was playing on the radio. Whenever he heard this song, his
thoughts always went immediately to Mac. It was as if the lyrics were written
especially for them. Harm promptly stood up and held out his hand for Mac to
take. “I believe I owe you a dance. Come, dance with me,” he whispered.
Mac grasped his outstretched hand and
slowly stood up. They walked over to the living room, and Harm wrapped his arms
around her. She pulled him in tight as their bodies rubbed intimately and their
hips rocked as they swayed slowly to the music. “That song always makes me
think about you, about us. I love you, Mac,” Harm breathed into her ear. She
looked up at him with eyes full of unshed tears as he placed his lips on hers,
giving her a kiss filled with affection, love, and desire while they listened to
the words of the song.
As their bodies swayed seductively to
the music they began to convey their feelings to each other with their hungry
eyes, roaming hands, and tender lips. The words were no longer necessary. As the
last notes of the song were played, Harm had found a sensitive spot on the nape
of Mac’s neck and let his teeth graze her skin. Mac sighed, enjoying the
mixture of pleasure and pain. He proceeded to trail wet, sinuous kisses around
her neck until he reached the hollow of her throat, and from there licked his
way delectably up to her ear, and whispered coyly, “I have another surprise
for you.”
Mac looked at him questioningly as
Harm broke their embrace without letting go of her left hand. Slowly he led her
up the stairs to her bedroom. He opened the door, ushering Mac inside. She
gasped out loud when she saw the room aglow with lit candles and…
”Oh, Harm.”
Right under the skylight stood a
modern styled, Espresso colored king size bed with matching open concept head
and footboards adorned with three horizontal center slats and accented with
three vertical slats on either end. On one wall stood a large double dresser
with white knobs sporting a mirror that embellished the same motif depicted on
the head and footboards. On the opposite wall she recognized a tall five-drawer
chest to match, as well as a conventional two-drawer nightstand that stood on
her side of the bed. There was a
white, soft, fluffy shag-type area rug on the floor, outlined with a dark brown
border that she just knew her feet would sink into.
Mac
was rendered speechless and her eyes filled with tears. She turned to look over
at Harm who was smiling appreciatively at her. His hands were in his pockets as
he leaned against the doorframe with one foot crossed over the other. To her, he
never looked sexier. He shrugged. “I saw how you looked at it in the store the
other day, and decided it suited you and that you should have it. Besides, I’m
a little too old to be sleeping on a mattress that’s on the floor. Consider it
a housewarming gift from me to you. I hope you like it.”
Something
on the nightstand had attracted Mac’s attention. She walked over to it and
retrieved the pewter picture frame that contained a black and white photo of
them that was taken at his apartment. They were sitting on his couch facing each
other. Harm was playing his guitar and Mac was sitting with one leg under the
other one foot on the floor. Her
elbow was placed on the back of the couch and her cheek was resting against her
closed fist. The look they shared was filled with unconditional love and a need
only the other could sate.
“I don’t remember Grams taking
this picture, Harm. It’s so… so perfect.”
“Yeah, it is. I don’t remember it
being taken either. I guess we were too engrossed with each other at the time to
notice. I thought you might like to have it. Grams told me that she had only
seen the look we shared one other time. It was the look my parents shared on
their wedding day. And… no, it’s not too much,” Harm concluded. “I only
hope that you will accept this as just part of the complete package.”
Mac let the fingertips of her casted
hand gently run over the picture before looking back at him. “What, the
picture?”
Harm smiled and his eyes twinkled.
“No, silly, I’m talking about what this picture signifies.”
Mac was confused and looked at him
questioningly as her gaze returned to the picture.
Harm walked up and embraced her from behind. Mac leaned into his embrace,
her eyes still focused on the picture. Harm then took the picture from her and
returned it to its place on the nightstand. “Come here,” he said, taking her
hand and leading her over to the bed so that they could sit down.
Harm held her hand in both of his.
“Mac, we have let our careers control us and our other relationships interfere,
and we have constantly found reasons to run from us. But through thick and thin,
good and bad, we have always come back to each other. I think it’s time that
we stop running and accept that we can and will always be us. It is something I
want very much, Sarah.”
Mac was stunned. “Harm,
are you…?” she didn’t know how or if she should ask. She was completely
overwhelmed.
Harm sensed her dilemma and stepped
in. “Proposing? Yes… maybe… ah… let’s put it this way, it’s a
promise. I don’t want to miss out on this anymore. I don’t want to go to
sleep without you right there next to me and I don’t want to wake up without
having you snuggled up in my arms and being able to look into your eyes. I’m
not complete without you, Mac. I realize that there is a lot we need to figure
out first, but when we do, I want you and me to become permanently us so that
our two halves can become the whole. Ah…
ha … that is if you will have me,” he concluded shyly.
“If I’ll have you?” Mac
whispered. “Harm, I love you so
much it hurts to even think about being without you. Yes, I’ll have you. Yes,
I want you… oh yes… just you.” With that said Harm slowly leaned over and
kissed her lovingly. “I love you,” she said once more as they broke the kiss.
Harm took her face in his palms.
“Oh, Sarah. My sweet, beautiful Sarah,” he said huskily before moving his
head down to capture her lips in a hot, passionate, demanding yet sweet, loving
kiss. Mac’s arms encircled his neck and she ran her unhurt hand through his
thick, dark hair, trying to pull him even closer to her. Her ample breasts were
pressed so tightly to his chest, he could feel her nipples turn into hardened
peaks through their clothes, and she could feel his desire for her pressing
against her abdomen. The moment she felt his tongue run over her lips she moaned
and opened her mouth to welcome him. His tongue slipped into the warm cavern of
her mouth and their tongues dueled, seeking and probing for more, mimicking what
their bodies were begging for.
Harm removed his hand from her face
to tenderly run it down her back, coming to rest on her buttocks and pulling her
closer to where he wanted and needed her most. Mac swiveled her hips, grinding
herself against him provocatively and they both reveled at how their bodies fit
so perfectly together. Harm placed tiny kisses all over her face and throat as
he unbuttoned her blouse and pushed it over her shoulders and down her arms.
That was when, even in his aroused
state, he realized Mac was wearing a new cast. He pointed at it. “I liked the
other one better,” he uttered as Mac leaned back against the pillows and he
ran his tongue sweetly over her cleavage to her navel.
Mac shivered at the feel of his raspy
tongue on her body, biting her lower lip she continued to massage his head,
pushing him down to where she needed him most. “I… brought the old one…
ho… home with me. Ah… do… do you want me to get it?” she was barely able
to question jokingly as his tender ministrations were driving her wild.
“Ummm… not… now,” Harm
croaked back breathlessly.
Harm crawled his way back up her body,
placing wet kisses on her heated skin until he reached her lips. That was when
Mac used her Marine skills to turn him over so that she was now straddling his
lap. The need for air separated them and their breathing was shallow and erratic.
Mac started at his chin and slowly trailed kisses down his neck to his chest
when she quickly got rid of his shirt, pressing him into the mattress. They
looked deeply into each other’s eyes briefly before Mac smirked coyly and
continued her assault on his body. She was placing hot, wet kisses all over his
chest before circling each nipple with her tongue and sucking gently. She
proceeded with her offensive attack down and over his stomach to the waistband
of his jeans. Harm was enjoying what Mac was doing to him as was obvious by the
bulge in the front of his jeans. He reached down to run his hands over her
backside when he cursed inwardly for not removing her pants.
“Sarah,” he gasped as she
playfully let her hand run over his arousal, squeezing gently before getting off
his lap to remove his jeans taking his Calvin Klein trunks with them in the
process.
Harm missed her nearness and
immediately felt cold. He looked over to see her standing in front of him,
looking at his naked form, love and passion emanating from her dilated eyes. He
couldn’t wait another minute and reached for her arm, pulling her towards him.
He quickly turned, pinning her against the mattress and his hard body.
“My turn,” he said, crushing his lips to hers before she had a chance to
respond. He kissed her throat as he
put his arms around her back, lifting her slightly off the mattress to find the
clasp of her bra.
Harm turned his gaze back up to her
eyes and grinned when he realized that she was watching him through hazy
passion-filled eyes as she licked her lips. “I love you,” he tenderly told
her before unsnapping her bra and slowly running his hands over her shoulders,
taking the straps with him down her arms and off before throwing it to the floor.
He then ran kisses over her exposed breasts down her stomach until he reached
her naval. He let his tongue take over, placing it in her belly button and
nipping gently while he undid the buttons on her pants.
Mac thrashed against the mattress
when his hand found its way underneath the waistband of her pants and to her
sweet core. “Harm,” she begged. “Please.”
Harm got up from the bed, removing
her socks before peeling the pants and her panties from her body. He stopped for
a moment to drink in her beauty. Mac smiled, scooting up the bed a little.
Slowly she started to open her legs, giving him the come-hither look.
Harm came unglued and crawled up the bed and in between her outstretched
legs. He didn’t think it possible to get any harder, but he did. The moment
their naked bodies connected, and his throbbing manhood was pressed against her
wet, silky center, they moaned in unison against the unrestrained force urging
them forward.
They’d made love several times over
the past few days, but this still felt like the first time all over again. Harm
let his tongue follow up the line of the pulse on her neck before hungrily
descending on her luscious mouth, kissing her hard and needy. His fingers were
running through her hair, holding her head in place while his tongue slipped
brusquely into her warm mouth. The dueling and passionate exploring was
indescribable. When the kiss broke, Mac smiled up at him as he hovered above
her. Her hand ran down the upper part of his body before she ran it around and
down his back to his six, then she lustily pulled his hips towards her.
“I need you now, Harm.”
Harm nodded, looking at her through
hooded eyes as their bodies joined. Their bodies forced, challenged, and pressed
until everything around them blurred and became non-existent. The only thing
that mattered was their love and being together. They made love all night
‘till dawn, letting their bodies express their feelings before they finally
fell into a sated, exhausted sleep.
*
It was just around midnight when
Loren Singer and her new boyfriend Colin Meyers left the Italian restaurant, and
she had made the decision to return to his place. They were driving through an
alley when Loren realized where they were. She remembered reading the address on
a paper she had seen on Tiner’s desk that afternoon – it was Colonel
MacKenzie’s new address.
“Slow down, Colin,” she quickly
said, trying to figure out which house belonged to the Colonel.
“Why?” he groaned, taking his
foot off the gas pedal. The last thing he wanted to do right now was slow down.
After their playfully arousing banter at the restaurant, he craved her… wanted
her… and he was so hard and ready he was close to exploding.
“Stop!” she yelled. Colin
immediately slammed on the brakes bringing the car to a sudden stop. “There it
is,” Loren said, turning in her seat to take a better look. The alley was
dimly lit, but she could still make out the house – and more.
“There is what?” Colin asked,
annoyed that it was taking them even longer to get to his apartment.
“Well, well, well, look at that,”
Loren quipped smirking, not even listening to what Colin was asking. “It’s
Commander Rabb’s car parked right in front of the Colonel’s house, and all
the lights are off. Interesting… very interesting.”
“Loren, why is it so damn important
who the heck’s car is parked in front of that stupid house?”
Loren grinned, placing her hand onto
his chest as she let it run down to the very obvious bulge in his pants. She
moved her mouth to his ear, hungrily biting his earlobe before placing a kiss on
it. “It just is,” she said, quickly unzipping his pants so that she could
reach in and release his manhood. “I think you should get us to your apartment,
Colin,” she rasped into his ear before starting to stroke him earnestly.
“And I suggest you make it quick.” With that said she removed her hand
replacing it with her warm mouth.
“Oh damn, Loren,” Colin groaned, quickly stepping on the gas pedal forcefully, knowing that if he didn’t get home in a hurry, Loren would make him come before they got there. Torturing and tormenting always turned her on. He didn’t know why she was so taken by the car in front of the house nor did he care; however, he was grateful because it had certainly lit her fire.
It was still dark outside and the only brightness skirting around the room, filtering through the large windows, was coming from the moon. Harm stretched languidly as he woke. At first he wasn’t sure what had caused him to wake until he felt it again. Mac was twirling her fingers through his chest hair as she slept. ‘Maybe she thinks I’m Jingo,’ he mused, chuckling to himself at the absurdity of that thought. Slowly he opened his eyes to the pre-dawn darkness and smiled, knowing there was still plenty of time for what he wanted to do.
He was lying on his back, cocooned in warmth, and surrounded by his Marine. He gently placed his hand on top of hers to still its movement. He couldn’t help but notice how her skin had a luminescent sheen brought on by the way the light from the moon was reflecting off her naked body. She was draped over his chest, and had now moved her hand so that she was hugging him to her like a body pillow - her soft, feminine smoothness embracing his rougher, masculine coarseness. Their legs were entwined, calves around knees and feet around ankles.
Harm sighed appreciatively as he looked at her sleeping form. He moved his hand from where it was resting on her bare backside and ran it over her head, fingering her silky hair before letting it rest on her smooth back. She was making muted, contented mewing sounds. He hated to move, but he had another surprise planned for the woman whose bed he was sharing. Now all he had to do was figure out a way to disentangle himself without waking her, which would not be an easy task. He knew any slight movement would be enough to rouse her. She was a Marine after all. He smiled, thinking about how he wished he had a penny for every time she had reminded him of that since they’d met.
Harm sighed. He needed to get up now if he was going to have enough time to accomplish his mission, but how? He decided on a diversionary tactic and started to run the back of his hand ever so gently down her back and over her backside in a tickling, taunting manner. She flinched and then shifted in her sleep, but still not enough for him to move. So he tried again, this time a little more teasingly and it worked. She immediately sighed and stretched, rolling off him to turn around and onto her stomach.
Harm waited for a few seconds to make sure she was still asleep and when he was certain of it, he sat up gently and got out of bed. He reached for his trunks that had landed on the floor and put them on as he made his way downstairs to the kitchen to get his plan underway. He made quick work of finding everything he needed, making sure to do it as quietly as possible before making his way back up the stairs and straight into the bathroom. Harm was glad it only took the one trip to get everything upstairs. He didn’t want to take the chance of waking her by making too much noise before his plan was set into motion.
He set everything down on the bathroom counter and got to work. A short time later, he emerged from the bathroom with a smile on his face, stopping at the doorway to turn back for another quick look, just to make sure everything was the way he wanted it. “Perfect,” he said to himself. Now, all he needed was to get Mac.
For several minutes he continued to stand in the bathroom doorway, watching her and admiring her beauty as she slept. He couldn’t help but think how lucky he was to finally have her in his life the way he had always dreamed about. But his dreams and wildest fantasies could never compare to the magnitude of the reality. He quietly made his way back to the bed where they had recently expressed their love and sat down. He leaned over Mac’s sleeping form to gently brush away a strand of hair that had fallen over her eye, revealing the softness of her skin.
Mac was still lying on her stomach,
facing the windows while both her hands were placed comfortably under the pillow.
She woke the minute she felt the bed shift as it took on his weight, but
didn’t open her eyes. The sheet was covering her up to her midsection, only
her bent left leg was uncovered. He started by planting gentle kisses on her
neck and shoulder before working his way down her spine and towards her waist,
where he stopped to nuzzle her dimples with tiny wet kisses.
Harm was so wrapped up in his ministrations that he didn’t even realize she was awake. “Good morning, Sailor,” she murmured drowsily as she turned her head to look down at him. Then she turned onto her side. Mac removed her casted hand from under the pillow and slid it over his shoulder to the back of his head, massaging it gently with her fingertips. She immediately noted his cool skin. “Harm, you’re cold. How long have you been up?”
Harm moved up right next to her, propping his head up with his right hand. He smiled warmly. “Good morning to you, too, sunshine.”
“That’s some wake-up call you got there, Squid,” Mac quipped smiling, letting a yawn escape. “What time is it anyway,” she murmured, rubbing her tired eyes. “It’s still dark outside, and why are you up so early?”
Harm sat up immediately, completely stunned by her comment. “Wait a second. Are you telling me you don’t know what time it is?” he asked, rubbing his forehead while grinning from ear to ear, utterly pleased with himself and his performance.
“Okay, okay. You can wipe that smug grin off your face now. Boy, are you ever the cocky one. Just because I don’t know the time doesn’t…”
“I’m not being cocky, Mac,” Harm cut her off with the wave of his hand. “I’m just happy that I did something to finally throw that internal clock of yours off. Must mean I did something right.” That said, he gave her another smug and yet mischievous looking grin.
Mac groaned as she turned onto her back. “I can’t believe I am going to admit this out loud but oh yeah, you did everything more than right. In fact, it was absolutely wonderful,” she purred, raising her hands above her head as she stretched her lithe body enticingly.
“I’m glad, because it was wonderful for me, too,” Harm responded, bending down to kiss her passionately.
She opened her mouth and took him in. Their tongues dueled and clashed while their hands roamed and rubbed until they needed air. It was then that Mac caught up with her inner clock. “Harm,” she yelped. “It’s not even five.”
“I know,” he said smiling and stood up, quickly scooping her into his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Haaarrrrmmmm, what are you doing?” she screeched. “Where are you taking me?”
“It’s another surprise that I didn’t quite get to last night.”
“Uh-huh. Does this have something to do with a tub and lots of bubbles?” Mac asked, giggling as Harm made his way towards the bathroom.
“You’ll see, but first you need to close your eyes,” he instructed sweetly.
“What? Why?” Mac questioned confused.
“Maaaccccc.”
“Okay, okay. My eyes are closed… happy now?”
“Yes, thank you,” he responded and kissed her cheek. “Almost there.”
“Good, and you better not think about dropping me, Sailor,” she told him, trying to sound stern but failed as she couldn’t choke back a giggle.
“I wouldn’t dare, Marine.” He stepped into the bathroom. “Okay, you can open your eyes now.”
Mac did as she was instructed. “Oh, Harm. This is so incredible,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder as she looked around the room.
Harm smiled sheepishly. “Well, I had planned on doing this last night, but we never got to it because someone had other things on her mind. So… I thought it would be nice to do it now.”
“Now wait a second, Navy. Are you saying I seduced you? You know, honey, maybe no one ever told you this before, but it takes two to tango.”
“Hmmm… don’t I know it, and believe me I’m not complaining. We can tango anytime you want, sweetheart!” Harm responded, waggling his eyebrows as Mac laughed.
Her eyes once again roamed around the room. The sensual ambiance was evident in every corner. The large tub was filled with fragrant bubbles and the vase of flowers that had graced the kitchen counter last night was now sitting on the vanity, filling the room with a sweet smell. A bowl of mixed fruit was placed on a little end table right next to the tub, and candles were aglow everywhere. The combination of the different scents filling the room reached her nostrils, stimulating her senses like an aphrodisiac. “Harm,” she breathed out. “This… this is so… so beautiful. Thank you.” She placed her unhurt hand on his right cheek while she kissed the other approvingly.
“No thanks necessary. You deserve this and so much more and I only hope you allow me the opportunity to pamper you more often.”
“I certainly think that can be arranged, Sailor,” Mac chided as Harm lowered her gently into the oversized tub, the water covering her up to her waist. He had been careful not to overfill the tub, wanting to avoid having to mop up the mess an overflowing tub would create.
“I hope it’s still warm.”
“Ummm… yeah, it’s perfect. You gonna join me, Squid?” Mac asked, watching him intently, making sure to keep her casted arm out of the water. “You deserve this just as much as I do.”
“Well, that was the plan, Jarhead,” Harm joked back as he removed his trunks and stepped into the tub facing Mac. He sat with his legs opened, knees up while his back was resting against the tub. Mac sat there smiling at him and he reached for her, pulling her between his legs. She instantly put her legs over his so that she could straddle his lap, their contact intimate in all the right places.
“Hungry?” he asked and reached to
grab a large piece of melon from the bowl, raising it to her mouth. Mac
immediately opened her mouth to accept the fruit before pressing her lips to his
so they could share and savor its sweet juices. “Hmmm, good,” Harm confessed,
licking his lips.
This time it was Mac who reached out to snag a grape from the bowl. She popped it into Harm’s mouth and this time it was him who fused his mouth to hers. “Hmmm, the grapes are really good too,” Mac commented with a cunning grin, “but I think these strawberries are much more fun,” she teased, snatching a large, ripe berry from the bowl.
Harm pulled back slightly to look at her. Her devilish grin had him wondering what she was up to. He didn’t have to wait long as Mac slowly raised it to her mouth and took a bite, letting the juice run down her hand. “Ah… delicious,” she whispered before taking the rest and seductively rubbing it over his chest before bending her head and lustfully licking it all off. “Very delicious… and so much better than strawberries with whipped crème ever could be.”
Harm had all he could do to sit still. “Oh, God, Mac,” was all he could get out in his overly aroused state. He would not let her get the upper hand as he in turn reached for a strawberry. First he teasingly squeezed a drop of juice on to her neck, lowering his lips to kiss it off. Then he squeezed the berry over her chest dispelling the rest of the juice, watching and waiting until it ran enticingly down her breasts and over her nipples before lowering his head to lick and suck it off. Mac groaned loudly as her body responded to what his tongue was doing to her.
“Haarrrmmm,” she moaned into his
hair before pulling his head up so she could kiss him.
She ran her tongue across his bottom lip and he opened his mouth,
granting her access. Their tongues
dueled playfully before they broke apart.
Everything they were feeling was expressed in their loving gazes. Words were not spoken, nor were they necessary. Their pent up emotions were finally being set free. Their hands conveyed what their hearts felt. Mac reached between them to stroke him while Harm massaged her breasts tenderly. They continued kissing, seeking, and touching heatedly, totally unaware that the water was beginning to cool around them.
Desire was building between them, igniting a fiery passion that could only be doused in one way. Harm looked into Mac’s eyes seeking her approval, which he got before positioning her perfectly on top of him where they joined not only in body but in heart, mind, and soul. They clung to each other, neither wanting to break the spell that had been cast around them. Harm finally moved his head back enough to take a handful of the now cold water and wipe Mac’s sweaty brow. “Hmmm… that feels nice.”
“Yeah, but the water’s cold and I think it’s time to get out before you catch a chill.”
“Yeah… you’re right, it is cold. But this was so wonderful and I hope we get to do it again sometime,” she responded wistfully.
“Oh, don’t fret. This tub will get plenty of use, promise,” he chortled with a grin.
“And you love to keep your promises,” Mac replied and started to stand up just to be stopped by Harm.
“Wait.”
He stepped out of the tub carefully, grabbing two towels off the rack. One of them he placed around his waist before holding the other one open in front of him. “Okay, Mac.”
She got out of the tub shivering and he quickly wrapped her in the fluffy blanket before encircling her in his strong arms. She burrowed her head into his neck, putting her arms around his waist, absorbing his warmth. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”
“Umm… it would be nice, but duty calls. I need to get to work or the Admiral will have my head on a silver platter with an overripe cherry on top.”
“I know,” Mac sighed, releasing him, “and we can’t have that.” They walked over to the double sink, his arm still around her shoulder, not wanting to break their contact just yet. They looked at each other through the mirror, their faces radiating in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Mac grabbed the toothbrush she bought for him a few days ago and placed some toothpaste on it before handing it to Harm. Then she grabbed her own, repeating the procedure. They brushed their teeth simultaneously, still looking at each other in the mirror.
Mac sensed that there was something on Harm’s mind. “What?” she asked. “What’s that little smile of yours about?”
Harm shrugged with the little smile still perfectly in place. “This is how I want it to be, Mac… each and every day.”
Mac smirked. “You mean waking me up and placing me in a tub of bubbles and making passionate love with me? I’m all for it.”
Harm grinned back, shaking his head. “Well… that too of course. But what I’m really talking about is going to sleep with you in my arms and waking up with you still being there,” he replied and stepped behind her, putting his arms around her waist. He pulled her to him, planting sweet tiny kisses on her neck.
Mac moved her head to give him better access. “Mmmm… you better watch it, Sailor, or you’ll never get…,” she started to say, but was interrupted by her ringing cell phone. With a sigh she closed her eyes for a moment and damned whoever was on the other side of the phone-line. “Lucky you, Navy, saved by the bell! I guess the silver platter and overripe cherry will have to wait a little bit longer.” She laughed. “Why don’t you get dressed, Harm. I’ll grab the phone and get the coffee going.”
“Easy on the brew, please. I have enough hair on my chest,” he joked into her ear as he kissed her cheek and swatted her backside before she walked away to retrieve the phone.
Mac quickly walked over to her nightstand, picking up the phone. “Hello…. Good morning, Admiral….Yes, I can meet with you later this morning…. No, it won’t be a problem…. Okay, Sir, I will see you then…. Thank you for calling…. Goodbye.”
With a smile and a good feeling about the call, Mac hung up the phone and quickly walked over to her walk-in wardrobe. She removed the towel and donned her fluffy robe before heading down to the kitchen to start the coffee. She also opted to throw some bread in the toaster, leaving Harm in the bathroom finishing his morning routine.
He joined her in the kitchen a short time later completely dressed in his uniform just as Mac was pouring the coffee. “Who was on the phone?” Harm asked as he buttoned the last button of his uniform.
“That was the Admiral. He wants to see me in the office later this morning. I hope it’s good news.”
“I’m sure it is. Don’t worry,” Harm responded, rubbing her back as he reached for the cup she was holding out to him. “Thank you.” He took a big gulp of it and placed a kiss onto her neck.
“You’re right. After the wonderful morning I just had, I don’t think anything can get me down right now,” she said, looking directly into Harm’s loving eyes.
Harm smiled warmly. “So, are we on for dinner tonight? It’s Grams last night in town. I thought maybe we could all go out to dinner.”
“Dinner it is, but not out… the MacKenzie casa it is. I’ll cook and then maybe the both of you can spend the night. This way she won’t have to rush off, and we can spend more time together. I can take her to the airport tomorrow morning.”
“You… you’re going to cook?” Harm asked perplexed, failing to stifle a snicker, and immediately received a playful slap on his chest from Mac in response.
“Yes, I’m going to cook. I CAN cook, you know. I just don’t like cooking for myself only.”
“I can’t wait, and I like your idea about us spending the night here, but… where is she going to sleep?”
“Don’t worry about it. Everything is taken care of. Trust me.”
“Oh, I do, Marine… with my life.”
“Good.” Mac smiled up at him, planting a sweet kiss on his lips. “Now you better go. Remember….”
“Yeah, yeah, I know… the silver platter and the overripe cherry.” He took a quick gulp of coffee and a bite of the toast Mac was holding out to him.
Mac laughed as she envisioned Harm, all six foot four gorgeous inches of him splayed on a silver platter with a cherry perched atop his nose. She gave him a kiss, enjoying the taste of strawberry jelly on his lips. Then shook her head attempting to rid her mind of the rather silly vision.
”Okay, I gotta run,” he replied with a sigh and reached to grab his cover
and briefcase from the counter as he headed for the door. Mac was following
close behind, cinching her robe a little tighter as he was opening the front
door.
“I’ll see you later then… at the office?”
“Count on it, Sailor,” she promised as she lifted her mouth to his in a passionate yet sweet kiss.
They were so wrapped up in each other that they never saw the lone figure, perching behind a thick bush across the alley with an object focused directly on them. “Perfect,” he murmured. “Just perfect…. A very nice outfit, Colonel.”
Two quick clicks followed his statement. “Very nice outfit indeed,” he uttered with a smirk. His work was done and he made quick work of leaving the crime scene.
JAG Headquarters
11:55 AM
“Sir,
this just arrived with the mail, and Commander Mattoni wanted to make sure I
gave you a copy,” Bud said as he walked over to his mentor who was standing by
the fax machine in the middle of the busy bullpen.
Harm
turned around and nonchalantly took the paper from Bud. “What’s...?” he
started to ask but was distracted by a movement near the entrance to the
bullpen. A smile immediately graced his face and his eyes lit up as the paper he
was holding was all but forgotten.
“It’s
the forensics report about the Vice Admiral’s car, Sir,” Bud replied,
realizing that Harm wasn’t really listening. He was totally distracted.
“Sir?” he tried again but to no avail. “SIR!” he tried again only much
louder this time. Several people turned to look at Bud when they heard his
raised voice, wondering what was going on.
“Hmmm,”
Harm responded without removing his gaze from the entryway.
Bud
frowned at Harms obvious pre-occupation and the fact that he wasn’t even
attempting to listen to him. Bud was curious at what had gotten the
Commander’s attention and turned, smiling immediately. “Hey, Colonel!” he
bellowed when he saw Mac with his wife near the coffee machine. “Has everyone
gone deaf all of a sudden,” he murmured to himself when Mac did not respond.
He
looked from the Commander to the Colonel and then back again, realizing that
they only had eyes for each other and were totally unaware of their
surroundings. He creased his eyebrows as his mouth gaped open. ‘Hummpphh…
this is strange. What’s going on here,’ he wondered to himself as he looked
at his wife hoping for answers.
Harriet
caught the questioning look in her husband’s eyes and shrugged in response.
All she knew was that the look Harm and Mac were sharing spoke volumes. She
gathered by Bud’s look that he was having the same problem with the Commander
that she was having with the Colonel. Despite the fact that she had tried twice
to start a conversation with Mac, all she managed to get was a hurried ‘hello
Harriet’. The Commander and the Colonel were oblivious to everyone but each
other, and Harriet got the impression that there was definitely a lot more going
on there than just friendship.
‘Could
they have finally gotten it right?’ Harriet wondered to herself. She always
felt that if any two people in the world belonged together - it was definitely
the Commander and the Colonel. To her it was kismet, but watching them over the
years had made her dizzy. It was like being on a roller coaster ride that never
ended. Of course, everyone at JAG headquarters was involved one way or another,
seeing as how they all occupied the same space. Their moods had a way of
infiltrating the entire office. When all went well, it was a hearts and flowers
type of day, but there were days that should have had a warning sign posted on
the door - something akin to ‘enter at your own risk, combat boots and helmets
required’.
Harriet’s
thoughts immediately went to that morning in their kitchen. Little AJ had walked
in on them as their morning greeting got a little bit out of control. ‘Hmmm,
maybe it was more than a childlike innocent wish on AJ’s part when he told
them that his Unca Harm and Auntie Mac were making kissy face just like Bud and
I had done with our heated kisses.’ She remembered how they raised their
eyebrows, pondered the thought slightly and finally shook their heads thinking
‘nah.’
“Good
morning, Colonel,” Bud greeted Mac as he walked over to where she and Harriet
stood. “How are you doing today?”
Bud’s
words actually reached Mac and she broke the gaze shared between her and Harm
who had fallen into step behind Bud as they walked through the bullpen. “I’m
fine, thanks Bud,” she answered as she once again looked over at Harm.
“Hi,
Mac,” Harm greeted her softly, getting a sweet smile in response. Harm quickly
turned his back to them. “Achoo.” He reached in his pocket for his
handkerchief to wipe his runny nose.
“Hey.
Bless you,” Mac offered, taking a good look at him and immediately started to
worry. She wished they were someplace else so that she could lean over and touch
his forehead to see if he was warm. This wasn’t the first sneeze she had heard
coming from him. She thought he appeared a little pale and dark circles were
forming around his eyes. She wouldn’t be surprised if he was coming down with
a nasty cold, if not even the flu. ‘And he was so concerned about getting me
out of the tub this morning because the water was cold. He hadn’t wanted me
being the one to get sick. How ironic,’ Mac thought.
“Thanks,
Mac,” Harm answered. His thoughts also went back to that morning, thinking
that they probably should have gotten out of that cold water a little sooner,
but what they’d shared in that tub was so worth being a little sick over.
‘Yup,
there is definitely something going on between those two,’ Harriet thought
grinning as she continued to watch the couple. “So, Colonel, when will you be
coming back?” Harriet asked, breaking the spell.
Mac
turned her attention back to Harriet. “I’m not sure, that’s what I’m
here for… I think. The Admiral
called this morning, wanting to meet with me and I’m hoping he will let me
return now.”
“That
would certainly be great, Colonel,” Bud chimed in happily, looking up at his
mentor.
“Wouldn’t
it, Commander?” he concluded.
Harm
smiled. “Yeah, it would be great. I really miss my very own, very effective I
might add, secret weapon, which I like to think of as my personal Admiral
decoy.”
“Huh?
… Your secret weapon? … Decoy, Sir?” Bud asked completely baffled.
“His
personal defense mechanism for blocking the Admiral’s radar, Bud,” Mac
jumped in dryly, answering for Harm.
“Oh,”
Bud responded still confused. He scratched the back of his head as his wide-eyed
gaze went quickly from Harm to Mac, while Harm said nothing, choosing to smile
at his partner instead, knowing that they had just shared a private moment and
completely duped Bud in the process.
Mac
returned his smile and turned her attention to Harriet. “How’s AJ doing
today?”
Harriet
laughed. “Oh, he’s doing much better, Ma’am, thank you. I think Grams
coming over and spending time with him was the best medicine in the world. She
is so caring and loving. They had a PJ party yesterday and the fact that he had
the flu was pretty much forgotten.”
“I
don’t doubt it. She does have a way with people… doesn’t matter if there
big or small, young or old that’s for sure. I imagine she is going to have to
work some mighty special magic today or else she will never be able to leave
without causing a major tantrum.”
“You’re
telling me,” Harriet replied chuckling. “When she told him yesterday that
she would be leaving today; he told her in no uncertain terms to take him with
her.”
“Oh,
oh,” Mac said smiling until her eyes caught movement in her office. That’s
when the smile faded quickly. “What is she
doing in my office?” she asked bristling. As if right on cue, the object of
Mac’s ire looked up and in their direction before smirking and returning her
gaze to the papers in front of her.
Harriet
looked in the direction of the Colonel’s office, knowing exactly who was
occupying it, before looking back to Mac. She shrugged before responding. “Oh,
her. She asked the Admiral for permission to use your office, seeing as you
weren’t here so she could work on the case without any disturbances.”
“Is
that so,” Mac responded totally unhappy, and Harm definitely felt it.
He
stepped closer to her, whispering into her ear, “Don’t worry, Marine. She
will be out of there before you know it.” He squeezed her arm affectionately
before turning to look into her office.
Mac
nodded but couldn’t take her eyes off of Loren Singer who was smugly occupying
her space.
Harriet
and Bud continued to watch the interaction between Harm and Mac and once again
shared a meaningful yet quizzical look. Bud was about to make a comment, when
someone else’s voice behind them was heard.
“Good
morning, Colonel,” the Admiral said, walking up to his staff. “I’m glad
you could make it.”
“Hello,
Admiral,” Mac greeted her commanding officer, wondering if he had heard any of
their conversation.
“Why
don’t we go into my office,” he said and then looked at Harriet.
“Lieutenant, if you have a minute or two I would like you to join us.”
“Of
course, Sir,” Harriet said and followed the Admiral into his office.
Mac
was about to follow the Admiral when Harm’s hand on her arm stopped her. She
looked up into his smiling but watery blue green eyes. The fact that he wasn’t
feeling well was becoming quite evident. “Good luck, Marine.”
“Thanks,
Sailor,” she said winking and followed Harriet and the Admiral into his
office.
*
Bud
and Harm’s gaze stayed focused on Mac until she disappeared into the office
and the Admiral’s door was closed. “Do you think she’ll be back soon?”
Bud asked, looking up at his mentor who sneezed before he could even reply.
“Bless you, Sir. Are you sure you’re okay?
You really look awful, Sir.”
“Why
thank you, Lieutenant,” Harm answered chuckling, patting Bud on the back, his
voice already become a bit hoarse.
Bud
immediately turned red and his jaw dropped once his brain caught up to his
mouth. “Ah…Com…Commander,”
he stammered. “I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean any disrespect, Sir.”
“Don’t
worry, Bud. It’s okay. I’m
just fine. And as far as the Colonel is concerned, yeah, I think she’ll be
back real soon,” he concluded, glancing back at Mac’s office that was still
occupied by Singer. “Much sooner than someone might like.”
“That
would be great, Sir. It’s not the same around here without her. Well, if
you’ll excuse me, I better get back to Commander Mattoni. With these new
results from the forensics, the case certainly is getting more volatile.”
“What
are you talking about, Bud?” Harm asked perplexed.
Bud
pointed to the piece of paper Harm still was holding in his hand. “The report
I gave you, Sir. The forensics found
evidence of drugs in the Vice Admiral’s car. It looks like he’s buried even
deeper now.” With that said, Bud walked away towards Mattoni’s office,
leaving a flabbergasted Harm behind who was rubbing his hand over his now
feverish brow.
Harm
looked down and read the paper quickly. “Damn it,” he cursed under his
breath, quickly making his way to his office to make an important phone call.
The Vice Admiral owed him an explanation, and he intended to get it. ‘It
better be good… damn good,’ he thought, ‘or heads are going to roll.’
*
Singer
had just been reviewing one of the eyewitness accounts when her cell phone rang.
She quickly reached for her purse to retrieve the phone. “Hello,” she said
with anticipation, eager to hear what the caller had to say. “You got it?”
she asked, grinning like the cat that swallowed the canary. “Excellent. I owe
you one, baby,” she purred into the phone. The caller had obviously expressed
pleasure in her statement. “Count on it, honey. I’m going to do things to
you…well, let’s just say you’ll never forget. See you tonight, baby.”
She
ended the call, her smirk still in place. This was getting better and better.
Everything certainly seemed to be falling into place.
*
“Please,
both of you sit,” Admiral Chegwidden offered, pointing to his visitor chairs
before rounding his desk to sit on his leather chair. “Colonel, I thought
about your request and I would like to take advantage of your offer. I know
you’re okay with it, but I’m more concerned with your doctor’s consent. I
would like you to come in for a few hours a day beginning tomorrow. I’m aware
of the fact that you will need to undergo rehab soon, so you can plan your work
day however is best for you.”
Mac’s
smile couldn’t get any bigger. “Thank you, Sir. I’ve already talked to Dr.
Jacobs about it, and she said it wouldn’t be a problem.” Mac opened her
purse, retrieving a permission slip from the doctor and gave it to the Admiral
for her file.
He
nodded, reading it quickly. “Good. Looks like everything is in order here, and
as I’ve already told you, with this new case, we can certainly use all the
help we can get. You’re expertise will certainly be welcomed. The SECNAV is
breathing down my neck to get this investigation wrapped up quickly seeing as
how the Vice Admiral is at the promotion list this year. I would like you to
help out with the defense. I have already spoken to the Commander this morning,
and he is more than receptive to having your help. I don’t think doing
research and preparing the case for trial would be too taxing for you right
now.”
“Definitely
not, Sir, I’m all for it.”
“Good,
good,” the Admiral expressed again before he turned his attention to Harriet
who was listening carefully. “Lieutenant, seeing that the Colonel still
doesn’t have full use of her arm, I would like you to be her right arm, and
help her out whenever it’s necessary.” He laughed at his own joke. “No pun
intended, Colonel.”
Mac
laughed as well. “It’s okay, Sir, no offense taken.”
Harriet
was thrilled. “Of course, Sir, it would be my pleasure to assist the Colonel
any way I can.” Her emotions were quite evident as she smiled at Mac warmly.
“It’s great to have you back, Ma’am.”
“Thanks,
Harriet.”
“Very
well, then. Welcome back on board, Colonel. You’ve been truly missed.”
“Thanks,
Sir. I’m glad to be back. And thank you for allowing me to feel useful
again.”
After
vocalizing their goodbyes, Harriet and Mac left the Admiral’s office. Mac went
in search of Harm, even though he knew the news already, she just wanted to see
him.
*
Riding
high with her smile still perfectly in place, Mac turned the corner and bumped
right into Singer who had just left her office.
“Colonel,
I’m surprised to see you here,” Lieutenant Singer said, quickly adding,
“pleasantly surprised, of course.”
“Hmmm…
of course, Lieutenant. Then I guess you’ll be even more excited to hear that
you will be seeing me again every day from now on. The Admiral has just informed
me that I will also be working on the Williams case.”
“Oh, so you will be helping Mattoni and Roberts, Ma’am? That’s great because I’m sure they can use all the help they can get, although I personally don’t think they have a chance at getting a conviction no matter what,” Singer concluded arrogantly, feeling completely self-confident.
That smug, overly-confident look on Loren’s face irked Mac to no end, but she ventured on, knowing she was about to wipe it of with her next statement. “Oh, no,” Mac stated emphatically, “I won’t be working for the prosecution, Lieutenant. The Admiral has asked me to work on defending.” Mac had started to walk away, grinning from ear to ear when she turned to face Singer again and in the sweetest voice she could muster, added, “and please, don’t forget to clean up my office before you leave for the day. Goodbye, Lieutenant, see you tomorrow.” Mac walked off, feeling quite pleased with herself without waiting for Loren’s response.
Mac looked into Harm’s deserted office and decided their talk would have to wait until later as it was time to go to her other appointment. She spotted Harriet on her way out and her exit was made with a wink and a smile for Harriet who was smiling just as brightly. Mac left the bullpen with a definite bounce in her step.
The stinging eyes of a very angry Singer penetrated Mac’s back until she was out of her sight.
“Just you wait, Colonel,” Singer murmured to herself. “Enjoy your victory for now because we will just see who has the last laugh.” She turned adamantly and walked back into the Colonel’s office, slamming the door so hard behind her, the walls shook. She sat back in Mac’s chair and let her gaze wander out into the bullpen.
Harriet caught Singer’s reaction, as well as the ‘what are you looking at’-look that was plastered all over her face. She bit her lip in order to keep from laughing out loud. “Score one for the Colonel,” Harriet chided, giggling as she made her way to her desk.
*
Mac’s
House
7:07
PM
Harm
parked his car on the road outside of Mac’s house. He sighed deeply and turned
off the ignition before putting his head back against the headrest. He closed
his eyes for a few seconds to reflect on what had taken place. It just
wouldn’t stop gnawing at him.
A
part of him was still frustrated as hell about his meeting with Vice Admiral
Williams. It had been a total waste of time as none of his questions had been
answered. Harm had him read the forensics report, but his only response was a
slight snort when he handed the report back to Harm. “I need to know what this
is all about, Sir,” Harm had pushed vehemently but to no avail. “I have no
comment, as there’s nothing else I have to tell you, Commander,” the Vice
Admiral responded matter-of-factly before calling for the guard to take him back
to his cell. Before Williams was led away, Harm promised him that he would be
back the next day, and that he intended to get all the answers required to build
a strong defense. The Vice Admiral never responded. He merely continued to walk
away to the tiny confined space behind the bars, accommodations he needed to get
used to because they were about to become his permanent home.
Harm
rubbed his hands over his face, letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he
was holding before placing his hands on the steering wheel and leaning his head
against the back of them.
“You
okay?” Grams asked Harm after watching him for a while. She could see that he
was deep in thought and that whatever he was thinking about was troubling him.
It was evident by the worry line she had seen etched across his forehead.
His grandmother’s voice brought him out of his reverie. He turned his head to look at her, giving her a warm, heartfelt smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. No need to worry, Grams.”
She knew he was appeasing her so that she wouldn’t do just that… worry. But she didn’t want to push for now. She knew he needed more time to sort through whatever it was. “Well then… let’s get the hell out of this car,” she answered, smiling brightly. “I’m hungry.” With that said, she opened the door and got out of the car.
Harm laughed, flipping his keys as he emerged from the car. “Oh boy… if you don’t sound like a certain Marine we know and l... ah… let’s get going, shall we,” he quickly caught himself.
Grams looked over to Harm smirking. “We girls know how to appreciate and savor good food. Not that you would know anything about good food. With that rabbit food you’re so fond of eating.”
“Ha, ha. You know Grams, just because I don’t like to eat dead animal all the time, doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate good food.” Harm circled to the back, opening the trunk of his SUV to retrieve his overnight bag and Grams suitcase. “And… about the good food… well, we’ll have to see about that. Mac’s cooking,” he told her chuckling before he closed the trunk with a thud.
“Sshhh, behave yourself, Harmon!” Grams said sternly, slapping him playfully on his arm. She looked up, catching his surprised look. “Hey, what’s wrong, dear?”
“I didn’t know she was inviting other guests tonight,” Harm answered, frowning just a little as he looked at the car parked in Mac’s driveway.
“It’s not the Roberts’ car,” Grams concluded as she looked at the Black Metallic car parked in front of Mac’s garage. “Do you know whose car that is?”
“No. I have no idea,” Harm replied, taking a closer look. All he knew was that it was a 2001 Voyager XL with a DC license plate. The back windows were tinted so he couldn’t establish anything by looking inside them. When he got to the drivers side, he was able to discern Ash leather seats. The dashboard was visible and he could see that there were only a few hundred miles on the odometer. But nothing in the car gave him a clue as to who owned it or who the guests inside might be. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough,” he murmured as he followed Grams to the front door, which Mac had already opened and was currently standing there, giving Grams a warm hug.
“Hey, Grams,” Mac welcomed Sarah Rabb warmly before breaking their embrace, inviting her in. “Come on in. Dinner should be ready shortly. I hope you’re hungry.”
“I am and it smells delicious, Sarah,” Grams said as she stepped into the house.
“Thanks. I hope you like grilled chicken with baked potatoes, garlic bread, and spicy veggies.”
“Sounds wonderful, dear.”
“Hey, Marine,” Harm greeted Mac with a smile before bending down to place a soft kiss onto her lips. He then proceeded to follow his grandmother into the house. “You’re right, Grams. It does smell delicious.”
Mac slapped his arm gently. “Don’t sound so surprised, Navy. Like I already said, I can cook. I could probably even manage a meatless meatloaf for you, if that’s what you really wanted.”
“Really, we’ll just have to see about that. Meatless meatloaf is not to be tinkered with. It is an immeasurable work of art.”
“Oh, brother, come on, Harm. How difficult can something that tastes so horrible be for heaven’s sake?” Mac teased.
Harm simply nodded his head in acquiescence, shaking his index finger at her. “I think I’ll just try the chicken, thank you very much,” Harm bantered back as he looked around the living room. “So, where are your other guests?” he asked, putting his bag and the suitcase down near the door.
Grams had gone into the kitchen and placed her purse on the counter. She was enjoying the teasing going on between Harm and Mac. ‘If these two aren’t totally perfect for each other,’ she mused, ‘I don’t know who is.’
Mac reached over and closed the door. Harm’s question surprised her. “What other guests? You and Grams are the only people I invited.”
Harm turned around and gave her a puzzled look. “Then whose car is that out in your driveway?”
Mac smirked before walking into her kitchen to get them something cold to drink. “It’s mine,” she stated proudly as she opened the fridge and grabbed the sparkling cider out of it.
“Huh?” Harm could have sworn she just said that the car was hers. “Come again.”
Mac chuckled at Harm’s reaction. She thought this would most likely be his reaction, but the look on his face was absolutely priceless. “I said that it is my car,” she repeated before closing the fridge with her hip and a thud.
“Hallelujah, Lord!” Grams screeched, raising her arms upward in victory.
Mac winked while Harm totally ignored his grandmother. “What happened to your ‘vette?”
Mac shrugged, handing him and Grams a
glass of cider. “I sold it,” she answered dryly. She was enjoying this
immensely. Mac had to admit if only to herself that when she first thought about
selling her beloved ‘vette, it wasn’t easy for her to see how advantageous
it would be - even when she started to add up the pros and cons. Even after she
had made the appointment to make the deal final, she still wasn’t one hundred
percent convinced it was what she wanted to do. But as soon as she’d handed
over the keys and title to the vette and the new keys and paperwork were placed
into her hands, something clicked and she became confident in her decision and
right then and there she knew it was the right one. The
Voyager had definitely exceeded the price limit she’d set for herself, but the
moment she saw it, something clicked and she knew it was the right thing to do
regardless of the cost.
“Okay, let me repeat myself, Marine. Come again. I swear you just said you sold your pride and joy… aka… your ‘vette.”
Mac nodded. “Yes, Flyboy, that’s exactly what I said,” she replied as Harm quickly turned around to sneeze. “Bless you. Are you sure you’re okay, Harm? You’ve been sneezing since this morning.” She reached her hand toward him in an attempt to feel his forehead when he caught it in mid motion, and kissed her palm before letting it go.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Don’t worry, Mac. It’s just a little cold.”
She looked at him incredulously. “If you say so,” she answered, not believing him for a minute.
“I do. So… do tell. Why did you sell your ‘vette? I mean, you loved that car. I remember the time you got a good offer from someone interested in buying it and you said no way, no how… it wasn’t for sale period… end of story. So what gives now?”
Mac wasn’t really sure that she wanted to have this conversation right now, but she really didn’t have much of a choice because she knew Harm well enough to know he wouldn’t give up until he got an answer. She shrugged as she tended to the chicken. “Things change I guess. Marcello, you know the guy who owns the Italian restaurant down the street.” Harm gave her a knowing nod and Mac continued. “Anyway, he’s made several offers over the past few months. Something about it being previously owned by his wife and he would love to be able to give it back to her for their upcoming anniversary. He also went on to say that their son was conceived in it, which I proceeded to tell him was way too much information,” Mac added chuckling as she crinkled her face. “I can’t for the life of me figure out how that was even possible given his particular height and weight for crying out loud.”
“Oh, come now, even I can think of a few ways to….”
“Grrrrraaaaammmmmmmmms!” Harm shouted wide-eyed and bright red.
Grams smiled devilishly. “I wasn’t born in this old body you know, Harmon. I was young once, and….”
“Okay, okay… I get it.” Harm stopped her with his hands held out in front of him. “I don’t need all the details,” he continued, fending off the embarrassment that had caused even his ears to turn red at having this conversation with his grandmother. Even though he did have to admit that he knew exactly what Mac meant, seeing as how he always felt like a pretzel getting into one.
Both Grams and Mac laughed hysterically at Harm’s reaction. After he had calmed down,
Mac continued to stare at Harm with a glint in her eye and a smirk on her face.
Harm caught the look on her face. “What?”
Mac shook her head. “Nothing. No need to repeat myself. I’ve already said it before and I know, you know, exactly what I’m talking about because it’s written all over your face, Squid.” She laughed.
“Well then I guess I don’t have to bother answering because you know exactly what I am going to say, Jarhead,” he replied. “But it is my grandmother.” Mac heard him utter under his breath. She smiled, loving the part of him that still acted like a little boy.
Grams immediately walked over to her grandson and tugged on his catawampus ear. “I’m sorry, dear,” she said chuckling. “I didn’t realize you would feel this uncomfortable.”
Harm put his hand over hers. “It’s okay, Grams. Can we just forget about it?”
Grams winked at Mac as she walked away. Mac in turn kissed Harm on the cheek before letting her mouth wander up to his ear. “Did I ever tell you that you look so damn sexy when you blush?” She gently licked his ear and walked away without waiting for his answer.
Harm was intoxicated by the scent of her perfume, and had all but stopped breathing when her breath fanned his flushed skin, but he outright shuddered the minute her tongue touched his ear. Harm thought it best to keep any further comments to himself and just shook his head, letting her have the upper hand for now.
He grabbed her around the waist with one hand to stop her from getting away, bending down to her ear, and whispered haughtily, “we will just see who makes who blush later.”
She looked up at him sweetly. “Bring it on, Squid.”
“You have to admit, it sure sounds like the car holds lots of memories for them,” Grams threw in. “And it’s so romantic,” she added smiling while Harm groaned.
Mac couldn’t help herself and continued to play along. “Yeah, it certainly is romantic, isn’t it?” she replied dreamily as she started to put the food onto the breakfast bar. “They probably had to sell it because they needed the money to get the restaurant up and running. I remember the day he approached me after I had parked it on the street in front of the restaurant. He walked around my car, looking it over carefully, and told me his wife had owned it once. I was skeptical of course, and asked how he knew it was that particular one. He smiled knowingly and showed me a little knick under the bumper that had been made when they had driven over a rather large curb. From then on every time he saw me, he increased his offer.”
“So, what made you finally accept his last offer?” Harm asked as the three of them sat at the breakfast bar to eat dinner. A small part of him still couldn’t believe she actually did it.
“Like I already said, things have changed,” Mac explained quietly. “I first started to think about selling when I found this house. The fact that all my money was gone was a pretty good reason. Don’t get me wrong, I knew that the insurance would come through sooner or later so I wouldn’t be in a financial bind for long, but I still needed to think about my future. I would still like to eventually buy this place, and it costs much more to keep a ‘vette than it does a van. I can definitely save some money to apply towards my ultimate goal. I mean really, it’s only a car. For the short term, the money has gone towards buying furniture and in the long term, it will be going towards calling this house mine,” Mac concluded by softly rubbing her hands together signifying end of story.
Grams piped in immediately. “I think you made the right decision, Sarah. Let’s face it, that car out there IS a car,” she said, winking as she remembered the comment she had made in the park a few days ago. Mac laughed as that particular conversation instantly came to her mind as well. Grams took a bite of the chicken and hummed. “This is delicious, honey. You will have to give me the recipe before I go back home.”
“Thanks, Grams. I’m glad you like it that much.”
Harm looked at this grandmother with a raised eyebrow before taking his first bite of the grilled chicken. “Wow,” he said. “I’m impressed, Marine. This really is good.”
Mac rolled her eyes. “Don’t sound so surprised, Navy. I told you…,” she looked lovingly into Harm’s blue-green eyes.
“Yeah, I know,” he interrupted looking back. “You can cook,” he finished for her. He had to admit it. She could. “Guess I will have to make you cook more often, or even better,” he continued, moving forward to kiss her cheek gently. “We can cook together. I’m sure we can have a lot of fun.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Mac answered chuckling.
“Now… getting back to your
‘vette. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but exactly how much did you get
for it? I mean, you did say that you even used the money you made to get some
furniture, and if I’m not mistaken the car outside appears to be new.”
Mac smirked before taking a bite of the spicy veggies. “Boy, that brain of yours never stops does it, Squid? Let’s just say I made more than enough to do what I needed to do,” she replied, swallowing the veggies. “And maybe even a little more. I already ordered what I want for my living room.”
“Wow, is that guy crazy or what?”
“No, Harmon, that guy is in love. Plain and simple,” Grams corrected her grandson and winked at Mac. “I love your new car, Sarah. It has plenty of room and one can sit in it without feeling as though your rear end is sitting on the pavement. I wish you good luck with it.”
Mac laughed and as odd as it seemed, she knew Harm’s grandmother was right. She had a real car now. ‘Wow,’ she thought happily. ‘To finally admit it really wasn’t so bad.’
Harm shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know, Mac. Somehow I never pictured you in a van. I mean, it’s a ‘mommy’-car,” he inadvertently blurted out. His head immediately shot up to glance at Mac. He gulped audibly when he saw her expression. It wasn’t that she thought he was insulting her choice of transportation. No, he knew she too was thinking about the day AJ was born and their ‘baby deal.’ Grams had been listening keenly to every word, but pretended to be preoccupied with serving herself more veggies.
Seeing that Grams wasn’t watching, Harm leaned over and whispered, “Do I hear your biological clock ticking, Marine?”
Mac smiled coyly in response, and before she could say anything Grams broke the emotional moment. “She’s just thinking ahead, Harm. Sarah will be a great mother one day. Don’t you think so, Harmon?” she asked softly, giving Mac a sweet smile.
Mac knew it wasn’t the right time to go there and that Grams had no idea that she’d just opened a can of worms. Therefore, she decided to jump in quickly and changed the conversation. “The car will work out perfectly. I mean, it will be so much easier to get Jingo to the vet and to transport his economy sized dog food. Now I can even pick up Little AJ more often.”
She realized then that they had all finished eating and quickly rose to clear away the dishes from the bar. “Everyone ready for dessert? I made a great Citrus Mousse.”
“You even made dessert? Geez, Marine, you’ve been holding out on me all these years, I wonder why?”
Mac winked at him grinning. “Well, every girl needs her little secrets after all,” she quipped as she got their dessert out of the fridge. “And besides, why should I have cooked when you always offered to. I’m no fool.” They all appreciated the comment and laughed light-heartedly.
Mac served the dessert to everyone’s delight. Harm and Mac kept exchanging glances while they delicately ate the Citrus Mousse, both their thoughts going back to the previous night and the delectable dessert they had shared in oh so many wonderful ways.
“Thanks, Mac. That was really a great dinner,” Harm told her cheerfully once they were done.
“Yes, dear, it was wonderful. Thank you for having me,” Grams added.
“Don’t mention it, Grams. You are always welcome here. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I love having you here. I love having you both here,” Mac said, smiling warmly at them before starting to load the dishwasher.
“Hold on, Mac, let me give you a hand,” Harm jumped in.
Grams was about to offer as well when she was stopped in her tracks before she was even able to move off the stool. “Grams, if you don’t mind, do you think you could let Jingo out back for me. It’s been a while since he’s been out,” Mac asked.
“Of course, if that’s what you prefer I do.”
“Yes, please. That would be great. Thanks. Harm and I can finish this up.”
Grams nodded smiling. “Jingo!” she bellowed. “What do you say? You and me take a little walk out to the back yard, okay, boy? This way you can take care of your business and I can walk off some of this food.”
Jingo didn’t have to be asked twice. He barked his approval eagerly, wagged his tail and ran for the door.
“Good boy,” Grams responded as they made their way out back. Harm and Mac quietly worked together to clean up the kitchen and get everything squared away for the night.
*
Grams was sleeping comfortably on the new bed Mac had bought and placed in the spare bedroom downstairs. Jingo had stayed with her for a while until he decided it was time to move to one of his usual spots upstairs, outside Mac’s door.
Inside Mac’s room, she and Harm were getting ready for bed. “Thanks, Mac.”
“For what?”
“For cooking dinner, for thinking about Grams and getting the new bedroom set delivered in time for her to sleep on tonight, for just about everything and anything,” he concluded with his infamous flyboy grin.
“No thanks necessary, Harm. It was my pleasure, really. I meant it you know. Grams is always welcome here no matter what. I really do love her.”
“I know,” Harm responded sheepishly. “She loves you, too.”
Mac crawled onto the bed and under the covers, lifting them for Harm to join her, which he did enthusiastically. They kissed sweetly as their hands roamed tenderly. They were both content to just enjoy the feeling of being in each other’s arms.
It was Harm who broke the silence after kissing her forehead, not quite sure how to start this particular conversation or even if he should, but decided to go for it. “Mac, about the baby deal. Do you… ah… um… I mean… would you… ah like to maybe move up the time table? I mean, I know we said five years, but I’m not in a relationship and you’re not in a relationship. No… wait… we are in a relationship. Well, at least I think we are, with each other that is. So, what do you think?”
Mac ran her hand affectionately through his chest hair, curling it lightly. “You know, Harm, for someone who is so articulate in the courtroom, you can certainly be tongue-tied sometimes.” She laughed.
“Are you making fun of me, Mac? I’m trying to be serious here,” he said, sounding a little offended.
“I’m sorry, Harm. I’m not making fun of you. I think your awkwardness is very endearing… sweet actually.”
“Well then… are you going to give me an answer?” he asked hopefully.
Mac lifted enough so that she could look into his eyes. She placed her left hand onto his chest and pillowed her head on top of it. She let the fingertips of her casted hand run over his brow, down his cheek, and over his bottom lip. “Yes, Harm. I love you and I think moving up the time table is a very good idea. Neither one of us is getting any younger after all.”
“And, do you think we’re ready for this?” Harm wanted to know as he let his fingers run through her short hair before he softly caressed her neck.
Mac moved up a little to place a short but sweet kiss on his lips. “Well, this is all… our relationship… is still new for us and something we’re working on, but yeah, in the near future, I think I’m… we’re ready for this. But I think I would like to have a little more time with just you and me first. Plus, think of all the practicing we can do in the meantime,” she leered.
Harm laughed. “I would like that… very much, Sarah,” Harm whispered before he kissed her with all the love he felt for her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She then lowered her mouth to his and kissed him with all she had. She ran her tongue across his lip and he opened his mouth so that she could delve in and enjoy the feel of his tongue clashing with her own. Mac hooked her leg around his and started to turn around, taking Harm with her in the process so that he lay above her.
The passion between them was building, but Harm had to put the brakes on. He hadn’t finished saying what he wanted to say. He gently pried his lips from hers. He was breathless, and they were both panting with need. “Hang on a minute, Mac,” he gasped trying to put some space between them.
“Harm?” she asked out of breath, wondering if something was wrong.
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
“Now?” she asked with a playful pout, but saw that there was something on his mind.
“Yes, now… there is no time like the
present as the saying goes,” he replied smirking.
“Well, if you must.”
Harm looked longingly down at her, but said nothing. He raised his hand and started to let his thumb run over her cheekbone, over her cheek to the curve of her bottom lip. “Sarah,” he just said and pulled her bottom lip down to let his thumb run over the soft, moistness he found inside. “There is so much more I have to tell you. So much I want….” He sighed in frustration. “I just wish I knew…”
“What?”
Mac whispered, watching as he tried to sort out his words and seeing his
frustration. Suddenly it dawned on
her. What he’d just said made her heart beat wildly. She remembered.
“Wait, stop. Don’t say another word,” she said quickly.
Harm froze and gave her a bewildered look, not quite sure what to make of it all.
She quickly disentangled herself from Harm and got out of the bed and went to her briefcase that was beside the dresser.
“Mac?”
Harm called after her, frowning as his eyes followed her every step.
“Come on, where is it?” Mac murmured to herself as she opened her briefcase. She had remembered the letter he had started a long time ago. “Ah ha, there it is,” she concluded in triumph as she retrieved the unfinished letter. She went back to the bed and sat down, handing the letter to Harm. “Maybe you can finish this,” she told him softly and quickly added, “I hope you’re not mad, but I found it in your desk when I was looking for the keys to your car. It had my name on it so I read it. I would really like for you to finish it… that is if you don’t mind. I’d really like to know what you were going to say.”
Harm was looking for answers so he looked down at the letter while Mac was still talking. He shook his head and smiled. “I had forgotten all about this, Mac. Is that what you really want me to do… finish this?”
She looked at him sincerely. “Yes, please.”
He looked at her lovingly before shaking his head and laughing. “You know, I can’t refuse you anything, don’t you?”
“Yeah… I guess I do, and I love you for it. Thanks, Harm.”
She leaned down and kissed him sweetly, before crawling back under the covers where Harm immediately took her back into his loving arms. She eagerly laid her head on his chest right above his heart. Its steady rhythmic beat gently and quickly lulled her to sleep.
Sleep however did not come so easily for Harm. He lay there enjoying the feel of having Mac in his arms, but most of all he was thinking about the unfinished letter she had given him. A letter he had started in what now seemed like a life-time ago.
*
May 23, 2001
6:40 AM
Mac was snoozing quite comfortably in her wonderful new bed. She unfolded her long, toned legs and stretched, reaching over in the process, expecting to find Harm to snuggle with, but was greeted by an empty cold space instead. ‘Guess he’s already out for a run,’ she thought, remembering him telling her yesterday about his plan. That’s when she felt it again. She had assumed it was Harm feeling frisky and trying to get her attention by planting soft, wet kisses on her face to wake her up, but he wasn’t there.
Without bothering to open her eyes, she raised her hand, attempting to fend off what was now annoying her. “What the…,” Mac murmured and then it dawned on her still sleep fogged brain. “Jingo stop… go ‘way,” she pleaded sleepily. “Not ready to… hmmm... get up yet. Be a good boy and go lie down. Just for a little while, okay?”
Mac sighed in frustration. “Come on, Jingo, enough already. Stop!” Mac said a little more forcefully, but to no avail. The licking continued and this time Mac could have sworn she heard little purring sounds, much too little. “Jingo?” she questioned, sensing that something wasn’t quite right, as he definitely wasn’t the delicate type. A few seconds had passed when she heard it loud and clear.
“Meow.”
Mac quickly opened her eyes and was startled to find herself staring into tiny ocean blue ones. “Wow! Jingo, you’ve certainly changed,” Mac uttered to the little kitten that was happily nuzzled against Mac’s chest, licking its paw and purring contently.
Harm had just exited the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist while rubbing a hand towel over his wet hair. He had overheard Mac’s comment and was smiling. “Ah, I see you’ve met Jingo’s new friend,” he responded jovially.
“New friend?” she asked as she looked over at where Harm stood.
“Yeah,” Harm responded as he walked over to sit down on the bed next to Mac, giving her quite the view of his bare chest and sexy legs. He picked up the little bundle of fur and placed it on his lap, petting it gently. “Jingo found Rocket while we were jogging in the park this morning and they became friends immediately. He followed us everywhere.”
“Rocket?” Mac asked amusingly.
Harm laughed. “The name sort of fit I guess. You should see this little guy run. He’s rocket fast.”
Mac sat up and took the kitten from Harm, lifting it up in front of her to take a closer look. She shook her head and laughed out loud. “Harm, it’s a she not a he.”
“Oh, then I guess we are going to have to come up with a new name, huh.”
“Excuse me, is it just me, or am I missing something here. Are we about to adopt this little creature?” Mac asked, getting the sweetest little “meow” in response.
“I guess you just got your answer, Mac.” Harm chuckled, rubbing his hand over the kitten’s head. “Plus Jingo adores her.”
“But doesn’t she already belong to someone?”
“I don’t think so, Mac. You should have seen him…”
“You mean her,” Mac was quick to correct.
“Yeah, her. She looked like a stray. She was filthy dirty and just wandering around aimlessly.”
That was when Mac brought the kitten up to her face and burrowed her nose into the soft fur. “Vanilla... you bathed her in my shampoo?”
Harm flashed her his best ‘don’t be mad at me’-smile just as the kitten meowed and started to lick Mac’s face. “Okay, okay, I give up. You convinced me,” Mac responded, putting her back down on the bed.
The little kitten started to circle around, looking for a place to sit, when she caught sight of Jingo walking over to the fireplace and sit down. She jumped of the bed, landing in a plop right on her belly. She let out a yelp, righted herself, and trampled over to Jingo. She stretched out her paws and sat herself down, curling into a little ball. Her head was tucked into her tummy and her paws covered her tiny little face. The kitten was plastered up against Jingo’s chest and ready for a little nap. Jingo watched her get settled before sniffing her gently and licking her tiny head. He was satisfied that she was all right and lay back down to sleep with his new companion.
Harm and Mac looked at the kitten nestled comfortably against Jingo. A pure white ball of kitten fluff contrasted against the shades of brown dog fur. “Snowball!” they both yelled, and just like that, the new addition to the Mackenzie household was officially named.
They couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, at least we still think alike,” Harm responded.
“Yeah,” Mac beamed back. “And we’re on the same page this time too.”
Harm opened his mouth to speak, but never got the chance. “Achoooooooo.”
“Bless you. Harm, you really are sick, aren’t you? You know, it is okay not to feel well… to be sick. You don’t have to be the macho, brave guy all the time.”
“I’m not being brave or macho. It’s just a little co… co… chooooo… cold.” He sneezed again before walking over to the nightstand to retrieve a tissue for his runny nose.
“Yeah, and I’m Tinkerbelle,” Mac responded playfully. “Well at least put some clothes on before you catch pneumonia.”
“What? You don’t like my current mode of dress or should I say undress?”
“Oh, I like it very much, but you do need to get dressed, Flyboy. Really, Harm, all joking aside. You don’t look well. Maybe you should stay home today.”
“Yeah, right… the Admiral will have my butt in a sling. Plus, I have to keep a tight rein on Singer. God only knows what kind of trouble she’d get herself into,” he joked.
“Have to admit you have a point there. Left to her own devices she could create a real mess,” Mac responded as she got up and walked into the bathroom. Harm watched her parade in front of him and enjoyed the sight of her retreating form.
She was clad in her hi-cut Royal Blue silk bikini underwear and a white tank top that covered her ample breasts, but stopped well before her naval. He had to admit he’d like nothing better than take the day off and spend it convalescing in bed with his Ninja Girl tucked in right beside him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts before producing a rather loud sneeze. He blew his nose and headed for the closet in search of his uniform.
A distant “bless you” was heard. This time it came from Grams downstairs.
A short moment later, Mac came out of the bathroom wearing her marine sweats and Harm’s ‘Go Navy’ t-shirt and went downstairs to start breakfast while Harm continued to get himself ready for the day.
*
Mac entered the kitchen to find Grams already there making coffee. “Good morning, dear. I hope you slept well,” Grams said with a wink.
“Yes, thank you. I slept like a baby,” Mac replied as she kissed Grams on the cheek.
“I heard my grandson sneezing up a storm already this morning. Is he fit to go to work?”
“He seems to thinks so,” Mac said cryptically. “You know Harm. Won’t admit he’s sick. Well, I guess he can always come home if he gets too bad.”
“I suppose so, but he really should stay put,” Grams concluded just as Harm was heard coming down the stairs with Jingo in tow.
He entered the kitchen under two sets of watchful eyes. Harm caught their glaring stares. “I’m fine, ladies, so you can stop fretting over me,” Harm stated firmly and right on cue, he proved himself wrong. “Achooooooo.”
“Bless you,” both ladies said as Mac and Grams exchanged a glance that had ‘duh’ written all over it while they continued making breakfast. Harm took a seat on a stool and drank the coffee Grams had poured for him while taking a quick look at the morning paper.
A commanding bark shattered the silence that had descended on the room. Mac ran quickly to find Jingo back at the top of the stairs, staring down at Snowball who was obviously shaking all over. Jingo continued to bark until Mac made her way up to him.
“What’s the matter, boy?” she asked, patting Jingo on the head and hearing a shaky “meow” in response. “Oh, you poor, little thing. Are you trying to get downstairs to be with the rest of us?”
Another “meow” and a rub against her leg answered her question. Mac laughed as she picked up Snowball and proceeded back down the stairs with a happier Jingo following close behind.
Grams and Harm had approached the stairs, wondering what was going on. “We’re going to have to remember that she is still too small to manage the stairs on her own,” she told them when she reached the bottom. “You are so precious,” Mac said, burying her face in the tiny bundle of fur. A nose lick was her only response.
Snowball was put down and she quickly scampered off to join Jingo who had made himself comfortable in the living room.
Harm chuckled loudly.
“What are you laughing at, Squid?”
“You, Jarhead.”
“Why?” Mac wanted to know and opened a cabinet to get a saucer out of it. Then she got some milk out of the fridge to fill the saucer with it. ‘For now it has to do. Have to remember to get some kitten food this afternoon,’ she thought and made herself a note for later.
“Because, for someone who wasn’t exactly crazy about adopting that kitten, it certainly hasn’t taken you long to become attached.”
“So sue me,” Mac scoffed as they all laughed and gathered around the breakfast bar to eat.
After a breakfast of scrambled eggs
and toast, Harm said a sad farewell to Grams, making her promise to come back
soon to which she told him that he and Mac needed to join her for a nice quiet
vacation in
Mac walked Harm to the door where he sweetly kissed her and told her he would first go to meet the Vice Admiral but that he would see her later at the office. “You know, I probably shouldn’t be kissing you. I don’t want you to catch my cold.”
“Not on your life. I’ll take my chances,” she replied and to substantiate her statement, she gave him another proper kiss on his lips.
Harm smiled at her lovingly and ran his thumb over her cheek before walking away. “Miss you.”
“Miss you, too. Bye.” Mac watched him until he was out of sight and then wandered back into the house where Grams was already busy cleaning up the breakfast mess. “Grams, please go sit down, I can manage the rest.”
“Nonsense, dear, I’m fine, really. Why don’t you go get dressed while I finish up here?”
“Are you sure? I feel bad, leaving you with the cleanup.”
“Don’t be silly. Go on, scoot with you now.”
“Aye, aye, Ma’am!” Mac acquiesced and went up to get ready for the day. She entered her bedroom and was on her way to her closet to retrieve her uniform when something propped against the pillow on the bed caught her eye. It was Harm’s letter. She sat on the bed Indian style and took the piece of paper, unfolded it, and began to read.
*
‘Dear
Sarah,
There's
so much I have to tell you. So much I want you to know.
I’m sitting here watching you sleep and I have never felt such happiness in my entire life.
When
I started this letter we were friends, best friends and I knew then that I
wanted so much more, but I knew more would change the whole dynamic of our
relationship. I couldn’t stand the thought of not having you in my life on
some level should things between us go wrong. I knew that as long as you were my
partner and my best friend, I wasn’t risking anything. I just accepted our
relationship for what it was. Then you become involved with other people and me
being me, contracted the ‘Rabb foot in mouth’- syndrome and froze. I
didn’t know how to tell you or if you would even want to hear it. Hell, I
couldn’t even write it… seeing as how this letter sat unfinished.
I
will do my best to finish it now.
Let
me start by saying I know what it has taken for you to overcome your past, and
to get to where you are today. I am so proud of you and of all you have
accomplished, Mac. I know how difficult opening up is for you. You built a façade
around you that I made myself believe was impenetrable. But the reality of it
is, that in your own special way you tried so many times to let me in, but I
failed you each and every time. I pushed you away.
I conveniently had every excuse in the book. I was involved,
pre-occupied, not ready. I was just fooling myself. I hurt you in the process,
and I will never forgive myself for having caused you more pain by having you
think I was rejecting you. I wasn’t rejecting you. I was petrified of letting
go. Of letting down the walls I too had built around myself to shield me from
hurt and pain. I thought it was working, but you slowly and methodically chipped
away at the stone that surrounded my heart and tore the veil that protected my
soul. You made me love and want you like I never wanted anything else in my
entire life.
I
should have told you that day in the office when I was leaving JAG to go back to
flight status and you offered to water my plants. There were so many things I
wanted to say to you too that day, and believe me you weren’t the only one
crying. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you then. Let me just say, as much as I
loved being in the air, I quickly realized that I loved being on the ground with
you more.
I
should have told you on that bridge in
I
should have told you when we were in
I
should have told you when I rescued you from that nut case Costner. When I found
out that someone was stalking you, I was frantic. I had to protect you because I
knew I couldn’t lose you. When I went to your apartment that night to get you
for the Admiral’s party, you were so upset over what you had said to me, but
you were right in some of those things you said. I should have told you that
then and kissed you senseless. But I didn’t.
My
biggest mistake of all was that night on the Admiral’s porch. The fact that
you were marrying someone else was devastating to me. I should have told you
right then and there that I loved you. I should have told you that I couldn’t
live without you, that I needed you in my life. Hell, when it comes to you, my
foot is always stuck in my mouth and I duck and dodge. Instead
of saying that you would always have someone who loved you, I should have said
it was me. I’m the one who loves you. Even after kissing you the way I always
dreamed of doing, I couldn’t say the words, and I sent you right back to that
arrogant Aussie. I am thankful everyday for having a second chance to get it
right, and I vow not to mess it up this time.
And
just for the record… I wasn’t kissing Diane on that dock in
Those
were just a few of the many ‘hallmark moments’ that showcased my stupidity
and missed opportunities. I can finally stand up and admit why. I was afraid,
afraid of letting you in, of giving up my career, of surrendering my heart and
of losing my soul. What I didn’t realize is that no matter how I rationalized
and tried to convince myself otherwise, it was already too late. I had already
let you in… so deep it hurt sometimes. My heart already belonged to you, and
could never be given to anyone else. You had already become the other part of
me... the better part of me.
That
was then.
Now…
now I can easily say I love you, Mac. I want to spend the rest of our days on
this earth together minus one. I want to meet my maker before you because I
couldn’t bear living in a world without you. Whatever path our lives take, I
want us to take the journey together. We will have our ups and downs, our good
days and bad days, but together our love can sustain us and conquer whatever
life has to throw at us.
I
want to look into the eyes of our son who has your looks and my brains and hold
our little girl that has my looks and your brain. I want to watch them grow and
flourish under our loving care and guidance.
I
want to lie down beside you every night, hold you in my arms, make love with
you, kiss you and say goodnight and wake up every morning with you still there,
kiss you and say good morning, beautiful.
I
want us to talk. Really talk and tell each other how we feel about any and
everything whether it is important or not. I want to agree to disagree, but
never go to sleep angry with each other.
I
love you and I want you, but mostly I need you. Because you see, Sarah
Mackenzie, you complete me. You are my whole world, my whole life and I am
nothing without you.
You
will always be my endless love,
Harm’
Mac didn’t know when she started to cry, but the tears were still rolling down her cheeks. She folded the letter and hugged it to her chest. His words could not have touched her more deeply. She continued to sit there deep in thought about her wonderful Sailor, the one that she loved more than life itself. Then she once again looked down at the piece of paper in her hand and choked out a watery giggle as her eyes finally caught his added postscript at the end of the letter.
‘And
now, my dearest Sarah, it’s time for the most important part of this letter…
I guess you already wondered about the pen right next to this piece of paper.
Well, I thought if I’m going to write a love letter, then I should try to do
it right. This may be a little old fashioned but…here it goes:
Will
you, my dear Sarah MacKenzie, be my girlfriend and make me the happiest man
alive? Please check the appropriate box.’
Mac giggled once again as she bit on
her bottom lip as she read her choices to herself. “Yes. No. Maybe,” she
repeated her choices out loud and the last choice brought out a belly-laugh from
her. “You’re funny, Harm,” she murmured and wiped off a single tear that
ran down her cheek.
“Sarah is everything okay up there?” Grams called out.
Mac hadn’t realized how long she had been sitting there. ‘Boy does he have a knack for throwing off my clock,’ Mac thought smiling and quickly to took the pen from the pillow to check the box that would decide her future.
“Yeah, Grams everything is fine. I’ll be down in a few minutes,” Mac responded as she touched the letter to her lips and put it down on Harm’s pillow. “I guess my Sailor can be eloquent when he puts his mind to it,” she said happily into the silent room. She definitely intended to read the letter again and again and again until the paper had faded and the ink was all but invisible. By then it wouldn’t matter because the words would be committed to memory and indelibly engraved in her heart.
Quickly Mac proceeded to put her uniform on so that she could get Grams to the airport for her flight back home.
*
9:00 AM
Harm was waiting for Vice Admiral Williams to be brought into the visitor’s room. When the door opened, he got up from his chair and nodded towards the guard.
“Commander,” was all Vice Admiral Williams said as he walked into the room and sat down on a chair opposite Harm.
“Sir,” Harm answered before he too sat down. Without preamble, he delved into the matter at hand to get to what he needed to know. Harm pushed the piece of paper with the forensics report over to the Vice Admiral, carefully waiting for any kind of reaction. “I need answers, Sir. If you want me to be your defender, then you have to give me something I can work with.”
Without bothering to read it, Vice Admiral Williams pushed the piece of paper back to Harm and finally looked him straight in the eye. “It’s over, Commander. Tomorrow, I’m going to plead guilty,” he told him matter-of-factly; his voice displaying absolutely no emotion.
“What?” Harm couldn’t believe his ears. “Sir, I don’t understand.”
“I said I’m going to plead guilty, Commander. Because that’s what I am and it’s time to face the consequences for my actions.”
Harm had to admit that he thought he was prepared for anything, anything but that. Harm scrutinized the look in William’s eyes, trying to find his answer there. And then he swore he saw it. It was there for a flash of a second, but Harm saw it clearly. The Vice Admiral was lying, obviously trying to hide the truth. Harm got up from his chair and moved towards him. He bent down so that they were practically nose to nose. “With all due respect, Sir, you’re lying,” Harm told him sternly, waiting for another reaction, but this time he got none. So he pushed some more. “Who are you trying to protect?” Harm asked, hoping that he’d figured out exactly what the Admiral was up to.
He didn’t have to wait long for a reaction. It came immediately. The Vice Admiral angrily jumped up from the chair causing it to fall backwards to the floor with a resounding thud. Harm had been in his face and had to step back quickly to avoid a head butt. Having heard the commotion, the guards barged in and immediately subdued the irate Vice Admiral.
Williams took a deep breath, attempting to get his emotions under control again. “I’m not protecting anyone, Commander!” Williams said in a calmer voice once he stopped struggling with the guards. “Just do as I said, Commander, or I’ll have to demand a new lawyer.” With that said, the interview was over and his nod told the guards that he was ready to return to his cell, leaving a confused Harm behind.
“Something’s wrong here,” Harm said into the otherwise silent room as he put his papers together. “Totally wrong, and I’m going to find out what you’re holding back, Sir.”
He then left the room, already planning a little detour before driving back to headquarters. He needed answers, and answers he would get. “Achoooooo.”
*
Meanwhile at JAG Headquarters
Lieutenant Singer was standing at the fax machine, while Bud and Harriet were standing by her desk looking over a case file when a special bulletin was broadcasted over ZNN.
“Sshhh, quiet!” Singer bellowed when she recognized a familiar scene on the screen. “Someone turn up the volume!”
It was quiet as a mouse in the
bullpen while everyone was paying close attention to the broadcast referencing
the recently, devastating explosion in
“It already was confirmed a while ago, that one of the explosions in Georgetown wasn’t an accident. It now appears that the investigation has produced some positive results.” the reporter said. “A reliable source confirmed that an Australian Naval officer would be testifying against the mafia family accused of setting the explosion.”
Harriet and Bud picked the precise moment that Loren looked over at them to share a very skeptical glance at each other. “Bud, what’s going on?” Harriet whispered into her husband’s ear.
“I don’t know, sweetie,” he answered just as quietly and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“The nature of the connection between the Australian Naval Officer and the mafia family is still unknown at this point,” the reporter further stated. “However, rumors say that the officer obviously lived in the building. What has not yet been determined is whether or not he was the intended target or if he actually played a role in plotting the explosion.”
“Oh my God,” Harriet whispered as the volume was muted and the news-channel switched to another storyline. She covered her mouth, hoping no one had heard her gasp. She prayed that she was the only one who was putting two and two together about what she had just heard.
Unfortunately, someone else had come to the same conclusion. Loren Singer turned on her heels, heading towards Mac’s office as fast as her legs would take her to make a very important, very informative phone call.
“Damn,” she cursed when only the mailbox picked up. “Baby, it’s me,” she said after the beep. “Meet me at eleven here in the JAG garden. I’ll be waiting. I have some very important information for you. Something that will give you the recognition you’ve been longing for. Oh, and I so can’t wait to see what you have for me, Baby. I’m still mad at you for not showing it to me yesterday, so it better be good,” she purred into the phone before she broke the connection.
That was when the evil grin she had been suppressing finally broke over her face.
With a rush of euphoria she looked around the office, smirking. “Like I said,” she practically sang, “we’ll see who has the last laugh, Colonel.” She then turned back to her computer and began to type vigorously. “Now it’s time to take action,” she said.