Anniversary Challenge #3 - - Never a Dull Moment
A/N: This story is written from Mattie's point of view. She is married and has one daughter. It is Harm and Mac's 20th wedding anniversary.
A/N: I don't own any of these characters, you know the drill.
It was a sunny April afternoon in north eastern Virginia. Mattie Rabb - Sullivan was putting the finishing touches on her adoptive parents tastefully decorated dining room. Everyone was here, all their oldest and dearest friends. People who had known Harm and Mac since long before she'd ever come into their lives. Even Admiral Chegwidden had been able to attend, even though he and his wife Marcella were well into their seventies. She stepped back clasping her hands together in satisfaction; after months of planning it was all going to be perfect. Harm and Mac's surprise 20th anniversary party was to begin in just minutes. Keeping the party a secret from the two people who knew her best was an accomplishment in itself. All they needed now were the guests of honor.
Mattie was closing the French doors of the dining room when her daughter excitedly tugged at her arm. "I think they're here, Mommy!" Mattie and her daughter, Grace hurried into the spacious living room with its wall of windows, just in time to see Harm and Mac pull into the drive. Their guests had been allowed to park one street over, at the Robert's residence, so that their surprise would be complete.
Anticipation turned to concern when they saw Mac step out of the vehicle and glare at Harm and slam the door of the car. She watched as Mac turned and walked away from Harm, tight lipped, her nose turned up slightly. Harm's eyes narrowed and he slammed his door as well, so hard that the car rocked on its frame.
She heard her 4 year old say, "Uh-Oh" then look up at her.
"It will be okay, honey." She squeezed her daughter's shoulders. "Wait here."
i"Oh no…not today"/i Mattie thought. Harm and Mac didn't fight often, but Mattie knew from experience that two people as different as they were, required what her grandmother would have called a 'knock-down-drag out-fight' to clear the air, every so often. iBut please, not today, everything is so perfect."/i
"Nice to know some things never change."Admiral Chegwidden had stepped up behind her, his corners of his mouth hitching up into a wry grin.
Mattie barely acknowledged him when she blurted out a quick 'excuse me'. She scrambled for the back door with her heart in her throat with the intention of trying to salvage the evening, before everyone saw what she just had.
What she didn't know was that Harm was coming in the front door and Mac was coming in at the back. She cringed at a thunderous slamming of the front door, just as she caught up with Mac slamming the back door. Just then, their guests broke into an enthusiastic, "Surprise!"
Mac and Mattie were face to face but before she had chance to say anything, Mac's eyes grew large, but only for a millisecond then she composed herself, smiling pleasantly as she stepped around her. The change was so immediate that Mattie was in awe of her self control. Mac glided in on the opposite side of the room from Harm, who held his onto his granddaughter with one hand and shook hands with his guest with the other. Grace broke away from Harm and found Mac. She lifted her granddaughter into her arms. As the party progressed, Mattie saw Harm trying to catch Mac's eye from time to time, and Mac stealing a glance at Harm when he wasn't looking. iWhat had she been worrying about? They were still as much in love as ever./i
As though her daughter had read her mind she asked Mac, loudly enough for almost everyone to hear. "Grandma? Will you love Grandpa forever?"
Mac hugged her "Of course I will."
"Why?" Grace didn't seem to want to be seen, and not heard.
Mac looked at Harm, who seemed to want to know the answer to that question as well, she answered. "I couldn't help myself."
Just then, Mattie's husband, Mark came to the rescue, scooping his daughter out of Mac's arms, carrying her out of sight and earshot.
Jack Keeter approached Harm and slapped him on the back, asking "Don't you miss the single life, Harm?"
"I miss flying, I sometimes miss the pace of my life before I retired from the Navy, but I don't miss single life." Harm caught Mac's eye with a look so intense that it almost made Mattie turn away. "I thought she'd never marry me and put me out of my misery."
Mac's expression was pleasant but unreadable when she met Harm in the middle of the room and slipped an arm around his waist. It struck Mattie then, how young they both looked suddenly, with their love for each other so apparent on their faces. Mattie saw Harm carefully drape an arm around her shoulders; as though he were asking her permission and then he whispered something in Mac's ear, which made her smile softly. She had dropped her head down shyly and she linked her arms around his waist then Mac looked into his eyes, kissing him softly. The kiss was quick but so many unspoken things seemed to pass between them. They folded each other into an embrace, making up, right there in front of everyone.
Mattie looked around the room, thinking this might be a little too much for their guests, but then she remembered that these were people who had known her adoptive parents for over half of their lives. This was no surprise to them. Sturgis and his wife of 18 years, Varese smiled and shook their heads, giving each other a knowing look. All their guests seemed to be looking at the couple as though this were the natural order of things, slammed doors forgotten. Mattie prayed that she and her husband would be this much in love, after 20 years. Her eyes searched the room full of guests for her husband, when he stepped up beside her.
Mark touched her arm and whispered, "I saw the worry in your eyes." He kissed her temple, touching her at the small of her back. "Everything is beautiful, you've done a great job." Mattie looked up at him, knowing her prayers had already been answered. Mark slipped an arm around her and nodded toward Harm and Mac, saying,
iYou know that it's never a dull moment with those two./i
FIN