September 2018

The knocking on the door made them freeze mid-act. They both let out groans.

"Mom! Dad! Are you awake?"

Mac slid off her husband. The music started pounding across the hallway as Mac found her robe.

"Mac…"

She turned to her husband, knowing what he was going to say. "I know," she mumbled and opened the door. "Good morning."

"Mom, the girls are occupying the bathroom again and I really need to pee," Matthew was frustrated.

"We have a toilet downstairs," Harm mumbled as he drew the pillow above his head. "And turn off that damn music" he yelled.

Mac rubbed her forehead and counted to ten slowly. "Go pee, honey." She walked past Matthew and across the hallway, pounding on Kelly's door. "Kelly!"

The door opened. "What?"

"Too loud," Mac walked inside and turned the volume down. "And this room is a mess. You were supposed to clean up this weekend."

"I'll do it now," Kelly mumbled and started picking up clothes.

"Get ready for school, you can clean your room later," Mac headed back to the master bedroom and found Max on their bed with Harm.

"Did Rose let him outside?" Mac wondered.

"Yeah," Harm rubbed Max's head. "I'll run with him tonight. I need it."

"So…" Mac sat down on their bed and reached for him.

"Don't start," he kissed her cheek and reached for his boxers on the floor, slipping them on before getting out of bed.

"It'll get better," Mac tried as she caressed Max's ear.

Harm only offered an amused look as he slipped into the bathroom. Matthew walked out. "I want my own bathroom, with no girls allowed," he complained.

"You've shared a bathroom with girls all your life," Mac pointed out.

"Yeah, but Kelly, she's there all the time," Matthew slumped down on his parent's bed. "It takes forever to get that hair straight, and really? Is it important? It's just hair."

"It's a girl thing," Mac smiled. "You're not supposed to understand. I'll talk to Kelly. Again," she promised.

Matthew nodded and stood. "I miss Claire."

Mac let out a sigh. "Me too," she watched him walk out the door. "Well, Max, it's time to get ready for the day."

Max jumped off the bed and ran after Matthew.

Harm was in the shower when she walked into the bathroom. She leaned on the counter and studied him cautiously. She was the one who had wanted to open their home to another child. Harm hadn't been opposed to it but he'd warned her that it might not be easy.

"Busy day?" he asked.

"Yeah, Professor Holms and I are meeting with the students, preparing for court," she hesitated. "I'll go with Rose to the stable."

"Good, because Matthew and I have basketball," he turned the water off and reached for the towel. "Your plan to have a lighter schedule isn't exactly going as planned."

"I know," she turned and reached for her toothbrush.

"I'm just saying…"

"Harm…" she warned as she put toothpaste on the toothbrush.

"This Professor Holms dragging you into this trial…."

"Harm," she started brushing her teeth.

He finished drying and walked over to her. "Kelly is pushing it a bit lately."

Mac finished brushing and put the toothbrush away before focusing on him. "I know, and I'll talk to her. She's trying to fit in at school, struggling with math…"

"She has a tutor," he reminded her.

"It'll get better," she tried a careful smile. "You missed your run this morning, that always makes you grumpy."

"I was about to get my exercise in another form, but that didn't work out, did it?" he reached for his toothbrush.

"I can help you with that right now," she tugged on his towel.

He chuckled and leaned in and kissed her. "I don't have time."

She nodded and turned towards the shower, dropping her robe on the floor.

"Not helping," he said and wiggled his brows as he turned to walk out of the bathroom. He heard her laughing softly as he put his toothbrush in his mouth, heading for their walk-in closet on the hunt for some clean underwear.

Later

Mac's internal clock told her that it was time to leave and pick up Rose. She started gathering her things just as Professor Eric Holms walked into the room. She noticed one student, Judith Blake, look up from her computer and offered a sweet smile in the professor's direction. The man had a way of making women swoon over him. He was tall, athletic and turned women's heads wherever he went. Even pushing sixty he had something about him.

"Are you leaving, Sarah?" he looked disappointed.

"Yeah, I have to take Rose to the stable," Mac reached for her briefcase. They were working a case and used four students to do research for them. It was a good way for final year law students to gain some insight into the real world of lawyers. Since Mac wasn't just a law professor but also a practicing lawyer Professor Holms had asked her if some of his students could work with her on a case. She had agreed to it thinking that it would be of help, realizing that it also would require her to spend time teaching them as they went along, making it more of a hassle than a help. They were green and impatient, taking shortcuts and having her explain why they had to go back and look again. Some of them were really talented though and she found that she enjoyed the time she got to spend with them.

"I never thanked you properly for this, maybe I could take you to dinner?" Holms offered.

"That's not necessary," Mac reassured. "And I have no idea when I'd find the time."

"There's always time for a great meal," Holms offered a charming smile.

"I have a law practice, I teach here, and then there's a hormonal teenager, two kids who thankfully aren't teenagers yet, a dog and a grumpy husband at home," she smiled. "Great meals aren't at the top of my list of things to prioritize."

Holms chuckled. "That's why I never did the marriage and kids thing."

"It has more good moments than bad," Mac offered a polite smile. "I'll see you on Thursday and we can go over the last preparations before the trial starts on Monday. Good work everyone."

She got four students thanking her and then she said her goodbyes and left. She ran into Alicia Montes in the hallway.

"I'll walk you out," Alicia said. "How's it going with Holms and his students?"

"It's a learning experience for them, I think," Mac hesitated. "So, Holms, I never really got an impression of him."

"Yeah, he was at UCLA the last two years, then he requested to come back here," Alicia hesitated. "Rumor has it that he was involved with a student and he was asked to leave."

Mac suspected that having relations with students had happened more than once. "Not the first I assume?"

"It's been suspected," Alicia admitted. "He's a brilliant Professor though. His classes are always filled."

"He seems to know the law very well," Mac agreed.

"I was going to ask you to dinner, but you seem to be in a hurry," Alicia looked questioningly at her friend.

"Yeah, taking Rose to the stable," Mac let out a sigh. "It's busy these days."

"Everything okay?"Alicia sensed that something wasn't quite right.

Mac hesitated. "It's a challenge. Kelly is a lot to handle, especially after starting school. I get the feeling that Harm is regretting the decision to take her in."

"I met Harm on Friday, he was rushing through the store. He seemed tired," Alicia pointed out.

"It seems like we're both rushing through the day, trying to get a handle on things," Mac admitted.

"You need a night out," Alicia followed Mac outside. "Friday night?"

Mac hesitated as they walked to the parking lot. "Can I get back to you?"

"Absolutely," Alicia smiled. "Call me."

"I will," Mac promised.

Later

Harm watched the team warm up. Matthew had been disappointed when he had chosen Nick to lead the warm-up.

"Is Matthew okay?"

He turned his focus on his so-coach. Jill, one of the mom's had volunteered to help out this season. "Yeah, he's disappointed that he didn't get to lead the warm-up. Next time."

Jill hesitated. "Harm, maybe Matthew is sensing that you're trying a little too hard not to play favorites. He was on the bench a lot the last match. He is our best player."

"I know, but everyone gets a chance to shine," Harm reasoned.

"Just make sure you don't punish him for being your son," Jill warned. "He might lose his spirit."

Harm thought about it. "I guess I'm a little hard on him."

Jill smiled. "You're a good father."

"These days I feel like I play catch up when it comes to the kids," Harm chuckled. "Everyone is so busy, it feels like we don't spend time together as a family."

Jill nodded. "I know the feeling."

"Let's round them up," Harm blew his whistle.

Harm and Matthew had dinner ready when Mac and Rose came home. Harm had a talk with Matthew about what he and Jill had talked about and they had cleared the air and agreed how the coach/player relationship would work for the both of them. Matthew seemed happier. Harm sometimes forgot that his boy was growing up and was starting to have his own opinions about what worked best for him. Matthew had decided to drop all other activities and focus on basketball and hockey. Harm didn't disagree with him since it meant fewer activities to drive him to.

"Hi there," Harm greeted his wife.

"Hey," she walked over and kissed him.

"You smell like a horse," he kissed her again. "Go clean up and dinner is on the table when you get back."

"Great," she smiled. "How was basketball?"

"It was cool," Matthew shrugged as he continued with his homework.

"Is Kelly home?" Mac wondered.

"Follow the sound of music," Harm suggested.

During dinner Harm suggested a weekend in Beallsville.

"It would be nice to spend some time together," Mac agreed.

"I was invited to a party," Kelly said and threw a glance at her buzzing phone that lay on the counter since it wasn't allowed by the table. "Everyone is going."

"But not you," Harm said.

"But, Mom said I could go if it was a party with adult supervision," Kelly reminded him.

"Give me the name and the address and I'll check it out," Mac promised. "But if we decide on Beallsville, we're all going."

"Fine," Kelly gave up. She had learned early on that arguing wouldn't get her anywhere.

"Did Max get his run, Dad?" Rose wondered.

"Yeah, a few miles," Harm reassured.

"I can walk him in the morning," Kelly suggested. "And I cleaned my room," she added.

"Thank you," Mac said and smiled. The kids could be frustrating, but they were good at the bottom. "I can take Max in the morning. I need a run. You need the time in the morning to straighten that hair," she teased.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just shave your hair off?" Matthew suggested.

They all laughed. "I hate my curls," Kelly complained. "And can't have shorter hair because then it's just all fluffy. It's easier for you because you're a boy."

"Military style work's just fine, right Dad?" Matthew ran his hand through his short hair.

"Right, buddy," Harm chuckled.

Mac helped Harm clean the kitchen after dinner. She nudged his side and pointed to the living room where Kelly, Rose, and Matthew were playing cards and laughing.

Harm let out a sigh and put his hand on the small of her back. "Yeah, I know, they're great," he chuckled. "Just not in the mornings."

"I think it's going pretty well considering," Mac moved her arms around his neck.

"I know," he leaned in and kissed her. "I didn't mean to be grumpy this morning."

"I promise things will calm down in a few weeks when the trial is over," Mac rubbed her nose to his. "My schedule will be lighter then."

"I'm proud of what you're doing," he kissed her softly.

"Thanks," she hugged him close. "We're good, right?"

"Definitely," he kissed the top of her hair.