A/N: I don't own them, etc etc. This story begins with a married Mac and Harm, and their children Katie and Jack, but it's really a story about how Mac and Harm got together at a Christmas party. I like to think of the main events in this story as taking place sometime in an AU Season 7 – AU because Mattie is already a part of Harm's life. As always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated!
Katie scrambled onto a kitchen stool as she watched her father assemble ingredients for the family dinner.
"Daddy, can I help you?" she asked.
"Sure, pumpkin," her dad replied. "You can fetch me a head of lettuce from the refrigerator."
Katie jumped off the stool and ran to do Harm's bidding.
"I want to help too," Jack piped up from his seat at the kitchen table.
"Are you done with your homework?" Harm queried.
"Almost."
"You can help me just as soon as you finish, okay squirt?"
"Okay, Dad," Jack replied, quickly returning his focus to his book.
Harm smiled to himself at his children's eagerness to help out in the kitchen. He knew it wouldn't be this way forever, and often reminded himself to just enjoy Jack and Katie's "helpful stage" while it lasted.
Returning to Harm's side with the lettuce carefully cradled in her little arms, Katie stretched up on her tiptoes to present it to him.
"Thank you very much, Katie," he said.
"Daddy, why did you call it a 'head' of lettuce?" she asked.
"Because that's just what it's called,' Harm shrugged.
"But why?" Katie repeated, her forehead furrowed in confusion.
"I guess maybe because it looks kind of like a head."
"Gross," Katie replied, crinkling her nose as she watched her father start to take the 'head' apart to wash the lettuce leaves.
"It's just a figure of speech," Harm said, and he knew exactly what Katie would ask next.
"What's a sfig, I mean, a figus a speech?"
Harm paused, trying to think of a way to simplify his answer. "Well, a figure of speech is a special way of talking about something or someone. Like, you can use a word to describe something, because it reminds you of something else. So, if I call you my daughter and Jack my son, that's called a 'literal' way of talking about you. But if I say that you're my 'little rainbows', that's a figure of speech."
Katie giggled. "Because we're not really rainbows, right?"
"Yeah," Harm replied, "you're not rainbows 'literally', but you definitely remind me and your mom of rainbows in many ways."
"How?" Jack asked, looking up from his homework.
"Well, how about this? You two tell me some things about rainbows, and then I'll tell you why you and your sister remind me of rainbows."
"They have lots of different colors," Jack said.
"That's right," Harm replied. "Lots of different colors. Let's sing the song about all the colors in a rainbow."
As they sang, Mac entered the kitchen. Dressed in blue yoga pants and a white tank top that rode up to reveal the rounded curve of her belly, she looked fresh and youthful. Her brown hair, thick and lustrous, spilled in disarray over her shoulders. Harm thought to himself that she was more beautiful than ever before.
Katie ran up to her. "Mommy! Did you and the baby in your belly have a good nap?"
"Yes, princess, we did. What are you all doing?"
"Well, Daddy is cooking, and we're talking about rainbows."
"From what I just heard, you're singing about rainbows."
Harm caught Mac's eye and smiled ruefully. "I hope we didn't wake you up."
Mac smiled, taking in the sight set before her. There were her children – Katie with her golden ponytail and big blue eyes, Jack with his tousled brown hair and dark, shrewd eyes. Then there was her husband, relaxed and handsome. "Well, I can think of worse things to wake up to than the sound of my own little choir of angels," she said to Harm.
"That's a figure of speech, Mom," Jack said.
"What is?" Mac replied, puzzled.
"Calling us angels. Because in the litrel way, Dad is a man, I'm a boy, and Katie is a girl. We're not really angels."
"Wow, that's very good, Jack. Did you learn that at school?"
"No, Dad just taught us."
"Well,' Mac said, "you and your Dad are absolutely right – that wasa figure of speech. But you are all my angels in lots of ways."
"How?" This time it was Katie who asked, tugging on her mother's pants.
"Wait, Katie," Jack complained, "we were still talking about the rainbows."
"Oh sorry – well, you said that rainbows have lots of colors," Katie reminded herself, then looked confused as she studied her arms and legs, "but I don't have lots of colors like pink and green and yellow." She glanced at her brother and frowned. "And neither do you. So we can't be rainbows."
Harm laughed, and Mac looked bemused. For her benefit, Harm said, "I'm explaining to them why they remind us of rainbows… they're telling me things about rainbows, and then I'm telling them why each of those things reminds us of them."
Mac chuckled, then sat at the table, seating Katie beside her. "Maybe I can help. Katie, when we talk about you and your brother and the colors of a rainbow, we're really thinking about how those colors make us feel. How do you feel when you see a pretty picture with lots of colors?"
"Happy,' Katie said.
"Yes, and that's how you and Jack make us feel. Happy and bright and colorful."
"Well said, Mac," Harm said, as he emptied a packet of pasta into a pot of boiling water. "So, what else do you know about rainbows, Jack and Katie?"
"Well, they come out after it rains," Katie said.
Harm smiled. "Well, you know the rain is really good for us, right?"
"Yes," Katie replied, "it helps the flowers grow."
"And the vegetables too," Jack chimed in.
"Yes," Harm continued, "without the rain, we wouldn't have enough food or water, and neither would the animals. So rain is great. We love the rain. But sometimes, when it rains a whole lot, you know how you start to wish the sun would come out?"
"Yep," Jack said, "because when it's raining, we can't go out and play. Like today." It was a cold, wet Saturday evening. It had been raining cats and dogs all day, and going out to play was out of the question.
"Exactly," Harm responded, "and then you know how after a while, the rain stops and the sun comes out, and it's warm, and there's a rainbow, and you feel really happy?"
Jack and Katie nodded their agreement.
"Well, that's how your mom and I feel whenever we see you. When we've been apart for school, or work, and then we get together again, it really feels like the sun has come out. You make us really happy."
The kids looked longingly out the kitchen window, wishing for sunshine and rainbows.
Harm asked, "Okay, how about another fact about rainbows?"
"They're up in the sky," was Katie's response.
Harm grimaced and turned towards Mac. "Okay, you've got that one."
Mac rolled her eyes and playfully punched him in the arm. "Gee, thanks. Well, Katie, it's like this… all our best gifts come from up above. Like the things we just talked about – rainbows, rain, sunshine. Then there's the moon, the stars… and you two."
Jack looked perplexed. "Uh, I'm pretty sure we came from Russia, Mom."
"Well, yes you did – in the literal sense. But your dad and I also believe that you and sister were gifts from above."
Jack still looked doubtful. "I guess that's another figure of speech, right?"
"Uh huh. Any more facts about rainbows you'd like us to talk about?"
"Well, a rainbow is kinda shaped like part of a circle," Jack said.
Mac and Harm looked at each other, stymied and amused. "Uh, yeah… I think that one's only true when you're talking about the literal rainbows," Harm finally said.
Jack nodded and shrugged, evidently bored with the subject of figures of speech. He put down his pencil. "Can I come and help you now, Dad? I'll finish my homework after dinner, I promise."
"Okay, but I'm going to hold you to that promise. Come over here – I'll show you how to mix up some herbs for the salsa."
Watching Harm and Jack pluck fresh herbs from the box on the windowsill, Katie was instantly jealous. "I want to help too," she complained.
Harm helped her wash her hands, and then showed her how to shred the lettuce with her hands.
Harm turned to Mac. "Want a task too, Mac?" he asked.
"No thanks," Mac denied, "I'm perfectly happy to just sit here and watch you all. What's for dinner?"
"Yeah, what are we cooking, Daddy?" Katie asked from her stool.
"We are making one of my favorite recipes," Harm said, watching Jack run water over the herbs. "In fact, I bet you didn't know this, but it's named after your mom."
"Really?" Jack and Katie looked surprised, and intrigued.
"Yes, it's called 'mac à la salsa'."
Jack looked at his mother. "Wow, Mom, I didn't know you had food named after you."
Mac shrugged. "Trust me, Jack, I didn't know that either." She looked at Harm quizzically. "Maybe your father can enlighten us all." Sensing that Jack was about to ask, she quickly said, "To 'enlighten' means to tell someone about something."
Harm looked up from the cutting board where he was slicing scallions and smiled. "You've been eating this for years, Mac. My standard cheesy macaroni in tomato sauce. You just didn't know it was named after you."
"I'm honored," Mac replied, "but when – and why – did you name it after me?"
"It's always reminded me of you," Harm grinned.
"Like a figus of peach," Katie said helpfully, making her parents chuckle.
"Why does it remind you of Mom?' Jack asked Harm. "Because her name is Mac, and 'mac' is also short for macaroni?"
"Well, that's part of it, because 'mac à la salsa' literally means 'mac in sauce'," Harm acknowledged. Then looking straight into Mac's eyes, he continued, "but then it also reminds me of one very special night, just a few days to Christmas, with a different kind of salsa, and your mom in a very special red dress."
Mac blushed, looking away, suddenly shy. "Okay Harm, I'm pretty sure the kids don't want to know about that night."
"Yes we do," Jack denied quickly, looking indignant.
"Yes, please," Katie added.
"Please," the children chorused, long and loud.
"Sounds like you've been outvoted," Harm said to Mac, who threw up her hands in mock surrender. "Okay kids, if you want to hear this story, please wash your hands and sit down at the table."
As the kids hurried to do his bidding, Harm smiled and whispered to Mac, "Don't worry; I'll give them the PG version."