Telling Our Friends
By the Purple Goddess
A continuance of my stories "Critical Condition: Ending Addition" and "The Talk".
**I own nothing and make nothing**
Mac's Office 0900, Monday Morning A Month after "The Talk"
The rain was coming down harder now than when I'd headed for my office an hour ago. The usual noises were continuing around me: Harriet typing something on her computer, The Admiral's hollering and Tiner's chair moving across the floor as he snapped up to help him, Sturgis laughing at something Bud was saying, and Harm's distinct footfalls hitting the waxed parquet flooring as he made his way to my office. I closed my eyes and counted 3 -2 -1.
"Hello Marine." Harm's voice filled my office.
My eyes fluttered open, "Come in and close the door." His smile held all that he could not say to my obvious need to be alone with him.
"Yes, Ma'am."
The door shut behind him and he made his way around my desk to sit on the edge and take my hand in his. He twirled the ring he had slipped on my finger a month earlier. "You've only worn this away from work and out with me. Are you sure you're ready to wear it here? You know the moment Harriet sees it we're had."
I smiled at his dramatic assessment of our situation. But, I knew he was right. "I carried my coat into the office today over this arm just so I could hide it from her."
He smiled and then turned serious. "We'd better tell the Admiral first or he'll have our sixes."
I was facing a moment I was looking forward to and dreading at the same time. "What if we have to be separated, Harm? I can't preside over my fiancée or Husband."
"We'll deal with it, Mac. I'd rather have you in my heart than in the next office."
I slid my chair out from under my desk and stood up next to him. With Harm still sitting on my desk we were nearly the same height. "I love you, flyboy." I whispered.
"Same here, Sarah." I still love to hear him say my name.
We made our way to the Admiral's office and found Tiner back at his desk.
"Is he in, Tiner?"
"Yes, Ma'am. And, yes, it's a good day." Tiner answered my unasked question with a smile.
He announced us, and the Admiral told us to come in. We sat down in the same chairs we'd sat in for years. Why should this be different than any other time? I found myself playing with my ring as we waited for the Admiral to sit in his chair. As he sat he glanced down at my fidgeting.
"That's a beautiful ring, Colonel." I smiled and suddenly found my shoes very interesting.
He looked over at Harm. "Since there's a smile on your face Commander, can I assume you put that ring there?"
Harm sat forward on the edge of his chair, "Uh, Yes sir. Colonel MacKenzie, Mac, Um, Sarah has agreed to be my wife."
The Admiral smiled and leaned back in his chair, "Well, it's about damn time!" He stood up and came around his massive desk. He grabbed Harm and shook his hand and gave him a hug at the same time. I've never understood how men can do that.
When he finished with Harm he gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Well, now we'd better figure out what to do with your military careers and your jobs here at JAG."
"Um, yes Sir, we thought," Harm spoke up but the Admiral silenced him with a look and a wave of his hand.
"Now Commander, I had to deal with this when we had another wedding in this office, remember?" We both nodded our heads like our Daddy was talking and he was going to take care of everything: nothing to worry about. I really did feel like that, too.
"So, I'll make a few phone calls and we'll work this out, okay?"
We both stood and gave our "Aye, Aye, Sirs"
We exited his office feeling quite a bit lighter than when we'd gone in.
"Who's next?" Harm was whispering to me at the coffee machine.
"Harriet for me, you?"
"I think I'll get Sturgis and Bud together and let them know." Bud was in our office today since he was going stir crazy at home trying to recover.
*****
In my office Harriet's squeal of joy could be heard throughout JAG so soon everyone knew. I think I heard Harriet already planning the showers. I smiled across the office at Harm shaking all the men's hands. Sturgis smiled at me and I knew he was happy for us. Ever since I'd slipped up in front of him he's been our biggest fan. With everyone in the office buzzing around congratulating Harm and me, we barely got any work done the rest of the morning..
At 6pm I put my pen down and rubbed my temples with my fingers. It had been a great day. Our friends were all very happy for us and of course we were very happy. Harm had left an hour ago with Sturgis for the gym and we're going to meet at my apartment soon for dinner. I looked up to see Tiner turning off his computer and telling the Admiral 'goodnight'. At that moment it occurred to me that one more thing needed to happen to make this day complete. I shut off my own computer and light and headed for the Admiral's office. I knocked lightly at his open door. He looked up from a mountain of case files and smiled at me.
"Come on in, Colonel. What's on your mind?"
I sat down in the chair I had left just a few hours earlier.
"Sir, you know that I think very highly of you as my boss, but what you don't know is how I feel about you personally." I think his eyebrows hit the ceiling with that statement.
"Continue," he said slowly.
"Sir, you know that as a girl growing up I really didn't have any great male role models except my Uncle. But, since I've come into the Marines, and especially since I've been here under your command, I've had a few men I've really looked up to. I've been here for seven years sir and in that time I couldn't have asked for a better leader, a better role model and a better friend."
I let my words sink in as he eyed me warily.
"Sir, what I'm trying to say is that I didn't look up to my father, and I've always looked up to you. I couldn't think of a better man to walk me down the aisle than the man I look up to like I'd look up to my father if he'd been anything like you, a."
Tears had welled up in my eyes as I tried to deliver a speech I thought I had been prepared to say. My words had gotten a little mixed up, but they must have gotten across because the Admiral was looking at me through equally shimmering eyes. He cleared his throat and came around his desk to sit on the edge.
"I'd be honored to walk you down the aisle, Mac."
I let out the breath I didn't know I had been holding. I came up out of my chair and hugged him. "Thank you, Sir."
"Now get out of here and go home to Harm. He's probably wondering where you are by now."
"Yes, Sir."
I grabbed my coat and briefcase on the way out, making sure my coat was draped over my right arm so I could show off my beautiful ring to anyone who might ask. I stepped out of the elevator on the ground level, passing by security and out through the double doors and into the evening. Harm would soon be waiting for me and I found myself wanting to rush home. I looked up to the sky to see that the rain had lifted sometime during the day and now a nearly perfect sunset graced my drive home to the man I loved. * *
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END
By the Purple Goddess
A continuance of my stories "Critical Condition: Ending Addition" and "The Talk".
**I own nothing and make nothing**
Mac's Office 0900, Monday Morning A Month after "The Talk"
The rain was coming down harder now than when I'd headed for my office an hour ago. The usual noises were continuing around me: Harriet typing something on her computer, The Admiral's hollering and Tiner's chair moving across the floor as he snapped up to help him, Sturgis laughing at something Bud was saying, and Harm's distinct footfalls hitting the waxed parquet flooring as he made his way to my office. I closed my eyes and counted 3 -2 -1.
"Hello Marine." Harm's voice filled my office.
My eyes fluttered open, "Come in and close the door." His smile held all that he could not say to my obvious need to be alone with him.
"Yes, Ma'am."
The door shut behind him and he made his way around my desk to sit on the edge and take my hand in his. He twirled the ring he had slipped on my finger a month earlier. "You've only worn this away from work and out with me. Are you sure you're ready to wear it here? You know the moment Harriet sees it we're had."
I smiled at his dramatic assessment of our situation. But, I knew he was right. "I carried my coat into the office today over this arm just so I could hide it from her."
He smiled and then turned serious. "We'd better tell the Admiral first or he'll have our sixes."
I was facing a moment I was looking forward to and dreading at the same time. "What if we have to be separated, Harm? I can't preside over my fiancée or Husband."
"We'll deal with it, Mac. I'd rather have you in my heart than in the next office."
I slid my chair out from under my desk and stood up next to him. With Harm still sitting on my desk we were nearly the same height. "I love you, flyboy." I whispered.
"Same here, Sarah." I still love to hear him say my name.
We made our way to the Admiral's office and found Tiner back at his desk.
"Is he in, Tiner?"
"Yes, Ma'am. And, yes, it's a good day." Tiner answered my unasked question with a smile.
He announced us, and the Admiral told us to come in. We sat down in the same chairs we'd sat in for years. Why should this be different than any other time? I found myself playing with my ring as we waited for the Admiral to sit in his chair. As he sat he glanced down at my fidgeting.
"That's a beautiful ring, Colonel." I smiled and suddenly found my shoes very interesting.
He looked over at Harm. "Since there's a smile on your face Commander, can I assume you put that ring there?"
Harm sat forward on the edge of his chair, "Uh, Yes sir. Colonel MacKenzie, Mac, Um, Sarah has agreed to be my wife."
The Admiral smiled and leaned back in his chair, "Well, it's about damn time!" He stood up and came around his massive desk. He grabbed Harm and shook his hand and gave him a hug at the same time. I've never understood how men can do that.
When he finished with Harm he gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Well, now we'd better figure out what to do with your military careers and your jobs here at JAG."
"Um, yes Sir, we thought," Harm spoke up but the Admiral silenced him with a look and a wave of his hand.
"Now Commander, I had to deal with this when we had another wedding in this office, remember?" We both nodded our heads like our Daddy was talking and he was going to take care of everything: nothing to worry about. I really did feel like that, too.
"So, I'll make a few phone calls and we'll work this out, okay?"
We both stood and gave our "Aye, Aye, Sirs"
We exited his office feeling quite a bit lighter than when we'd gone in.
"Who's next?" Harm was whispering to me at the coffee machine.
"Harriet for me, you?"
"I think I'll get Sturgis and Bud together and let them know." Bud was in our office today since he was going stir crazy at home trying to recover.
*****
In my office Harriet's squeal of joy could be heard throughout JAG so soon everyone knew. I think I heard Harriet already planning the showers. I smiled across the office at Harm shaking all the men's hands. Sturgis smiled at me and I knew he was happy for us. Ever since I'd slipped up in front of him he's been our biggest fan. With everyone in the office buzzing around congratulating Harm and me, we barely got any work done the rest of the morning..
At 6pm I put my pen down and rubbed my temples with my fingers. It had been a great day. Our friends were all very happy for us and of course we were very happy. Harm had left an hour ago with Sturgis for the gym and we're going to meet at my apartment soon for dinner. I looked up to see Tiner turning off his computer and telling the Admiral 'goodnight'. At that moment it occurred to me that one more thing needed to happen to make this day complete. I shut off my own computer and light and headed for the Admiral's office. I knocked lightly at his open door. He looked up from a mountain of case files and smiled at me.
"Come on in, Colonel. What's on your mind?"
I sat down in the chair I had left just a few hours earlier.
"Sir, you know that I think very highly of you as my boss, but what you don't know is how I feel about you personally." I think his eyebrows hit the ceiling with that statement.
"Continue," he said slowly.
"Sir, you know that as a girl growing up I really didn't have any great male role models except my Uncle. But, since I've come into the Marines, and especially since I've been here under your command, I've had a few men I've really looked up to. I've been here for seven years sir and in that time I couldn't have asked for a better leader, a better role model and a better friend."
I let my words sink in as he eyed me warily.
"Sir, what I'm trying to say is that I didn't look up to my father, and I've always looked up to you. I couldn't think of a better man to walk me down the aisle than the man I look up to like I'd look up to my father if he'd been anything like you, a."
Tears had welled up in my eyes as I tried to deliver a speech I thought I had been prepared to say. My words had gotten a little mixed up, but they must have gotten across because the Admiral was looking at me through equally shimmering eyes. He cleared his throat and came around his desk to sit on the edge.
"I'd be honored to walk you down the aisle, Mac."
I let out the breath I didn't know I had been holding. I came up out of my chair and hugged him. "Thank you, Sir."
"Now get out of here and go home to Harm. He's probably wondering where you are by now."
"Yes, Sir."
I grabbed my coat and briefcase on the way out, making sure my coat was draped over my right arm so I could show off my beautiful ring to anyone who might ask. I stepped out of the elevator on the ground level, passing by security and out through the double doors and into the evening. Harm would soon be waiting for me and I found myself wanting to rush home. I looked up to the sky to see that the rain had lifted sometime during the day and now a nearly perfect sunset graced my drive home to the man I loved. * *
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END