Fourth of July Surprise
Disclaimer: JAG and its characters are the property of Belisarius Productions, CBS and Paramount. No copyright infringement intended. Original characters, story ideas and story are the property of this author.
STORY TIMELINE: This scene takes place three years after the show's finale. I hope you enjoy it.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
JULY 4th, 2008
MANASSAS, VIRGINIA
I pull into the driveway and stare at the old colonial home for a moment before getting out of my car. I can't believe that this is the house that she fell in love with. She wanted this house the moment we pulled into the driveway to look at it the first time. "It looks just like the picture that the real estate agent emailed us. This is the house, Harm. This is our new home," she'd said that afternoon almost four months ago now.
I open the hatch of our SUV and pull out the bag of charcoal and lighter fluid before heading for the front door. We're having everyone over to the house today for a combination housewarming/Independence Day barbeque, and Mac is so jumpy about having guests over that she was near meltdown stage when she realized about an hour ago that she'd forgotten to purchase charcoal for the grill. "What was I thinking? I can't believe I forgot the charcoal? What did I think we were going to use to cook with?"
It took some convincing on my part that it was no problem because it wasn't like Christmas when no stores were open. I don't think she'll be completely calm until I walk in there with the charcoal, though. I don't know if it's the fact that she's in 'Harriet country' and she doesn't think that her party will go as well as hers do, or if it's some kind of post partum hormonal short in her system that has Mac so edgy today. Of course, I'd think that she'd be over that by now. The baby is nine months old.
I walk into the house, thinking that I'm going to be a hero when I arrive with the charcoal and lighter fluid, but, to my surprise, I come in to a crying wife and baby.
I put the charcoal down and take our son out of her arms. "What's the matter with my boy, huh?"
"He's getting another tooth and he's cranky. He doesn't want to eat, take a nap...he doesn't want to do anything." She sounds exasperated, yet another emotional side of her that I've seen today.
With my son calming and resting his head on my shoulder, I take my other arm and wrap it around Mac's waist. "And what's wrong with my wonderful wife?"
"What's wrong? You have to ask me what's wrong? Have you ever had your life turned upside down?"
Okay, I didn't see that coming. "I know that we've been moving on a pretty fast track since the move back to the states happened suddenly, but we've been in Virginia for almost six months now. We've been in this house for almost four of those. Why would you still feel like your life is upside down?"
"Because, since I married you, I haven't had time to get my bearings. We got married. I left the Corps and followed you to London. We got a wonderful doctor, and I was pregnant by our first anniversary." She pats our son's back, who's now sleeping soundly on my shoulder. "It seems like I've just had our son and I'll have time to catch my breath when you get the call that you've been appointed Judge Advocate General after General Cresswell had a heart attack. Now, just when I think the pieces of my life are coming together, something happens to jumble them all up again." Her tears have stopped, and she seems more like herself now as she calmly states. "Why don't you go put your son in his crib? You can help me until Harriet gets here to help me finish up. I don't know what I'd do without her."
I kiss Mac on the cheek, take our son and lay him down in his crib so that he can finish his nap.
I stop by our room to use the bathroom and wash up before helping out in the kitchen.
I'm standing in front of the toilet and, after unzipping my pants, I start to use the facility. I'm looking down in the general direction of the commode when I spot something in the trash can...a pregnancy test box.
I finish my business and zip my pants as I take off to the kitchen to see Mac.
Mac is humming and chopping vegetables like this is the best day of her life. I don't want to startle her while she has a knife in her hand, but I want to know if I saw what I thought I saw and if I did...if this is why I've seen the three faces of Mac this morning: angry, happy and crying.
She turns and looks at me. "I thought I heard you come in." She's smiling sweetly as she wipes her hands on a towel. "Get washed up so you can help."
I don't say a word. I don't move a muscle.
"Harm, you look pale. Are you feeling okay?"
"Mac, have you ever had your heart stop beating?" That's the only thing that I can get out before I have to take in a breath. I don't think I've taken in air since I saw the box in the trash.
"Harm, you're having a heart attack! You can't do that! You aren't leaving me with two young children, Harmon Rabb!" She's yelling as she moves across the kitchen to my side.
"Two?" I get out.
She bursts into tears. "I didn't want to tell you until after the party today. I wanted you to have a good time before I sprang the news on you, and now I've told you right in the middle of you having a heart attack. I..."
I pull her to me. "I'm not having a heart attack. I just saw the box from the test in the trash and I was just in shock. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm fine."
Her tears start to dry up, and then I feel her fists pound against my chest. "How dare you scare me like that? I thought I was going to lose you!"
She wasn't like this when she was pregnant with our son. I guess this one's going to be a girl. "Do you have any idea when I'm going to be a father again?" I ask calmly.
My tone seems to have calmed her. "It may be the romantic in me, but I think it happened two months ago during that thunderstorm. Do you remember? The lights went out and the baby went to sleep? You made a fire in the fireplace, and we listened to the rain outside and the crackle of the fire inside while we made love in front of the fireplace in the living room."
"I remember. It was another time you made my heart stop, as I recall," I say with a grin.
She smiles brightly. "I think my heart might have at least skipped a beat that night, too," she says before covering my lips with hers. Her lips don't stay against mine for long, though. She pulls back. "Since we didn't plan this baby, are you upset?"
"To have our son, it took a few months with the help of a doctor, so it comes as a surprise that we did this one all on our own, but I'm certainly not upset. Our love created another life. How could I be upset about that?"
"I love you," she whispers against my lips.
"And I love you," I reply before our lips come together.
Just then, the door bell interrupts our kiss. It's Harriet who's here to help get things ready before our guests arrive.
We'll keep the news of the baby to ourselves until Mac sees a doctor and we have her due date, but, as we watch the fireworks burst overhead, creating a spectacular show for our guests, we'll be all smiles as the thought of that night that our baby was created dances through our heads.
THE END