Timing Is Everything
Chapter 4
Monday, February 3, 1997
0815 Local Time
JAG Headquarters
Washington Navy Yard, DC
When John got out of his 1995 Z-28 Camaro, he saw Mac pull into the JAG parking lot in her rental car.
Colonel O'Hara's trial was completed the previous Friday at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I, where O'Hara was also being held. Because it was in Washington, it attracted a lot of press attention. John sat first chair and helped guide Mac through the press' crush on her and O'Hara. Unfortunately O'Hara was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison at Leavenworth.
"Are we still on for going car shopping this weekend?" John asked with a smile.
"I sure am. The weekly payments for this rental are killing me. Before I left Hawaii, I sold my car. There was no way I could afford to ship it from there to DC," Mac said.
John asked, "After working out of our temporary office at 8th & I, how do you feel coming in on your first day reporting to work at your real positing. I hear they have an office ready for you."
Mac just smiled, "I'm looking forward to getting into a routine. By the way, thanks for helping me unpack a couple of weeks ago Friday. I couldn't have gotten everything away so soon without your help."
John said, "You're welcome".
They returned to DC from Arizona very late on Wednesday, January 8th. On Thursday, January 9th John debriefed Admiral Chegwidden and Mac set up temporary shop at 8th & I. On Friday he caught up with his own work that was left behind because of the mission.
Before he left work that evening, John called Mac at the barracks. When she picked the call up John asked, "Want me to come over to begin strategizing on your uncle's case? I can bring pizza."
O'Hara's trial was to begin the subsequent Monday at the Marine Barracks.
Mac readily agreed saying, "Make it a meat lovers' pizza and it's a deal."
Mac liked that he liked the meat lovers' pizza himself. After the strategizing and unpacking, they shared a long conversation. They talked about their lives and military careers trading funny stories that occurred in their lives in and out of the military in a "Can You Top This" type of verbal competition.
During the conversation Mac felt that since she told him out in the desert that she was an alcoholic she felt she needed to be tell him the whole story. At first she didn't want to, but she sucked up her courage and opened up about her life growing up in Yuma before she joined the Marines.
"I was ashamed of my life during that time. And I feel that if we're going to be working together, there should not be any reasons for distrust. So you need to know everything about me. Besides, you told me your whole story on the way to Red Rock so I owe you my story" Mac began.
John sat quietly and listened as she told him, about her abusive father, her alcoholism and that her mother had left her the night before her 15th birthday as she was away at a friend's house for a sleep over. She told him about when she moved out at 17 to get away from her father. How she only avoided marriage when Ragle was arrested and put in jail.
Sarah didn't tell John that she thought Ragle date raped her, taking advantage of her drunken state and having sex with her. She was somewhat ashamed at that and didn't want to show herself to John as damaged goods.
She ended her story when she told him about the accident that killed Eddie and her uncle's rescue of her.
John saw that she shed a few tears and he gently reached up to cup her cheek in his palm and wiped them away with his thumb. She thanked him with a watery smile.
After a long silent interlude, John asked, "What was your father like after your mother left? Did he physically abuse you or anything?"
"I don't know how he treated my mother but he never laid a hand on me. I tried to lock myself in my room to avoid getting in the middle of their arguments. I guess he knew, even drunk that you pick on someone your own size. He was one of those angry tired drunks. Whenever he was sober though, he was kind of nice. I just got tired of waiting for the shoe to drop every night so I started drinking myself to dull the impact," Sarah said.
"I'm sorry you had such a tough time growing up. But that just makes me more impressed with what you are today."
"You're impressed with me?" she smiled. "It's more like I should be impressed with you. I mean the injury you had was so severe. That you were able to walk after that was extraordinary.
"Yeah there's that. But my injury was an accident. What you went through was not. You've worked a lot harder than I have to get where you are."
"Maybe, but I think we've both worked hard. It makes me determined to ensure that I never want to see any child, mine or others go through what I did," Sarah said.
"You'll be a great influence to any one that you encounter. Have you ever thought of teaching or mentoring someone? Not that I think you're not a good attorney. Actually I don't know if you are or not, I've yet to see you sit first chair and try a case."
Mac threw a couch pillow at him good-naturedly. "Just wait till we oppose each other, you'll see how good I am."
"I can't wait. I know it would be interesting." John conceded.
She smiled as she replied, "Thank you for that. Like I said, as I look back now, I think, my God why didn't someone notice, anyone-a teacher, a neighbor, anyone. Of course I blame myself some too."
"You're not serious. Why in God's name would you?"
"Because I knew it was wrong. I looked at my friends and knew they came from nice normal families where drinking and screaming and swearing didn't happen. I should have reported it; well actually I did try once. There was a student teacher that took a special interest in me. She tutored me one Fall in math and finally one day I was in tears and told her it was so bad at home that I couldn't study half the time, couldn't concentrate on something like fractions because of the turmoil. About a week later a Social Worker came but the stupid woman called first. So when she got there. . ," she stopped and laughed. "This is so ludicrous now it's actually funny. So by the time she arrived for her appointment, the house was cleaned up of the liquor bottles, the slip covers were washed, and get this, my mom bought a frozen apple pie and put it in the oven so the house smelled of that instead of. . .well you get the idea."
"So she didn't help?"
"The Social Worker, hell no, my mom and dad deserved an Emmy for that night. Not only did it not help, but Ms. Dix got in trouble for making a false report and had to leave our school."
"I'm sorry," John whispered.
"No I'm sorry," she returned, sniffling down a small sob. "I barely know you and no way should I bring this entire thing up."
"Well I bet you've never really talked to anyone about all that. My sister tells me I'm a good listener you know." He gave her hand a tender squeeze. "Any time you feel like talking about this or anything else, I want you to call me."
"Thanks for that. You really love your sister, don't you? Why does she live with you?" Mac asked.
"Yeah, she really is a peach. Her husband Pete is an environmental attorney. He can't leave his job in New York yet. He's too junior. I bought the house right after I was assigned to JAG Headquarters, like I told you. Ann Marie was only renting an apartment as she knows that she's only going to be living in DC until the Bartlett Administration is over so she put me up in her apartment until the house was livable. So after I could live in it, I returned the favor. She helps with the utility and food expenses and so forth and I like having her there. When Pete comes down for the weekends, they either go to a hotel for their privacy or in the case if I'm out of town on JAG business, they stay at home. A couple of times I came home early from some of those cases and I could hear them in their bedroom. I just turn around and go back out to a movie or dinner until it's late enough to determine that they are asleep."
"That's very nice. I wish I had a brother or sister that loved me that much." Sarah said wistfully.
They talked some more in fact for so long, they totally lost track of time that before they knew it, it was 0200.
"Thanks for listening" Mac said as John got up to leave.
"Anytime, you have my home number, just call. It doesn't matter what time."
Mac gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek as he left.
Mac closed the door with a smile. 'I think I could get to like this man' she thought happily.
That night she lay thinking of John as she fell asleep.
At JAG, Mac came out of her reverie as they entered the building. John fell in step with her. They took the elevator up to the 3rd floor. Just as they came through the double doors of the bullpen, Harm came out of his office. He stopped dead in his tracks and his mouth fell open when he got his first look at Mac.
John asked, "Hey buddy, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's the matter?"
Harm had recovered his composure and said, "I don't see a ghost, I see a twin."
Harm held out his hand to Mac. Mac grasped it as John introduced them "Major Sarah Mackenzie the man with his jaw on the ground is Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb."
Harm grinned sarcastically back at him.
Mac smiled, but she was still mystified by Harm's statement. "What do you mean a twin?" she asked.
Harm just said, "Come into my office & I'll show you." When they got to his office Harm picked up his wedding photo from his desk and handed it to Mac. John and Mac's jaws dropped just like Harm's did. "Who is this?" she asked.
"That's my wife Diane Rabb, formerly Schonke. She's in the Navy and works at the Pentagon in the J2 Military Intelligence section. You're almost her exact double. Her hair is longer but you two could pass for twins if not sisters."
Mac just stared in wonder at the picture of Diane. Seeing her face reflected in the photo touched a chord in her. She couldn't identify it, but it felt like a sense of something clicking into place.
She looked at Harm and said, "I want to meet her".
John and Harm just stared at her startled at her abruptness, wondering why she didn't ask, 'can I meet her?'
Harm was the first to recover. "Ah sure, I was going to invite John over for dinner tonight anyway. He's been bugging me to meet her himself. You're welcome to come. Let me call her."
Mac asked John, "Why haven't you met Diane yet?"
Harm answered for him, "He was on assignment when we got married and her job keeps her from visiting here during office hours. Also John is notorious for keeping his evenings and weekends to himself."
In his defense John said, "I had a house to renovate. It took up all my spare time."
Mac said coyly, "That wasn't true my first weekend in DC."
John had the good sense to be embarrassed.
Harm just looked at her and said, "You mean you got him out of his house?"
Before Mac could respond John said, "Well we had to work on Colonel O'Hara's case and Mac needed my help unpacking."
Mac rolled her eyes good-naturedly at him. She knew John just wanted to be with her, but she wasn't going to admit that to Harm. Besides, she still wanted to find out if John felt as strongly about her as she did about him.
Harm dialed Diane at her office in the Pentagon. As he was waiting for her to pick-up, Mac added, "Please don't tell her about our resemblance yet. I didn't mean to be abrupt. I feel that I need to meet and talk to her as if I need to know something but I don't know what. Seeing her picture, it reminded me of something my mother used to say. I think she can help me fill in a few gaps."
As she half listened to Harm's call, Mac quietly thought back to when she was growing up. She vaguely remembered hearing her mother saying more than one time, "I'm glad that there wasn't an extra baby in the house. I couldn't handle two of you and your father". Mac never understood what she had meant by that until now.
When Diane picked up, John and Mac only heard his side of the phone call as Harm asked, "Hey honey would you mind if John Marshall comes over for dinner tonight?
After her reply he added, "Can John bring a guest? That way he doesn't feel that we're ganging up on him."
"No it's not his sister."
Harm looked at John's exasperated face and smiled.
"Who is it? She's his new partner, Major Sarah Mackenzie"
"Ok I'll ask them. John, Sarah 1900?"
John nodded then turned to Mac who also nodded yes.
"1900 is good for them"
"Ok honey, I love you too."
Harm turned to Mac & John, "She can't wait to meet the two of you. Diane also said don't bring anything but yourselves. This will be a real interesting evening."
Smiling John & Mac left Harm's office. They went to their respective offices to put their stuff away. Mac liked her office. It was nestled in a corner of the bullpen. She couldn't wait to add her own personal touches to make it her own.
John stopped by and asked, "Want to get a cup of coffee? I'll show you the break room."
Mac agreed and stepped out of her office to join John. Before they got very far, they heard "Attention on Deck," then Admiral Chegwidden's voice saying, "As you were".
He spotted Mac & John and walked over to them. "Mackenzie, Marshall, welcome back. I read your reports of the trial. I'm sorry Major that the verdict wasn't in your uncle's favor."
Mac responded, "That's alright sir. It wasn't a total loss. Even though Uncle Matt was found guilty, he got his hearing and we got an apology from 'state' (Mac held her fingers up in quotes) for Mr. Webb's actions. I hear he is getting a lot of flak from his superiors there."
A.J. just chuckled. "I'd have liked to be a fly on that wall. I'll see you both at staff call at 0900."
"Aye, Aye sir" they said as the both came to attention.
0900 Local Time
JAG Headquarters,
Washington Navy Yard, DC
At the staff call, A.J. took the opportunity to formerly welcome Mac. She smiled at everyone's greetings.
After handing out the days new cases to the staff AJ turned back to Mac & John and saying to Mac, "I know you are looking forward to some routine cases Major. Before you do, I want you and Commander Marshall to make yourselves available to the JAG investigators from Norfolk."
John and Mac looked surprised wondering what they had done to merit a JAG/Man investigation, especially officers from another JAG Office.
Chegwidden continued, "It seems that the Secretary of the Navy is referring you two for the Legion of Merit for you actions in retrieving the Declaration of Independence. He read your reports and forwarded them to the President and he seems to agree. We need to dot the 'I's and cross the 'T's. That's where the people from Norfolk come in. They'll be able to render their findings objectively."
John could only sit in shock. He felt he did only what he needed to do. When he got over his surprise he asked, "Admiral, does my sister know about this
"No, the President and the SECNAV felt that she didn't need to know as she could unduly influence the investigation. Do you agree?"
"Yes Sir! Besides, she can't keep good news a secret. I mean she is the President's Press Secretary and can keep state secrets, secret, but if you tell her to keep a nice surprise a secret, you just sit back and make a betting pool as to how soon she'll let it slip."
Everyone chuckled at his familial declaration.
AJ smiled and said, "Good, make your selves available to them. I want to wrap this up quickly".
"Aye, aye, sir," John & Mac chorused.
When the meeting broke up, Mac and John accepted congratulating handshakes from the other officers as they walked out of the room. When they were alone in the room she gave him a tight hug and whispered in his ear, "You deserve it".
John just smiled and hugged her back, "So do you".
1900 Local Time
Rabb residence,
Alexandria, VA
John picked Mac up on his way to the Rabbs. Earlier that day he sat in his office and endured a full two hours being interviewed by investigators as he recounted the story of his actions at Red Rock Mesa and the reasons he took the actions he did. They gave him a hard time about leaving Mac alone in the desert while he climbed the mesa. John held his temper in check as he surmised that Mac was safe as long as her uncle was still in charge of the 'defenders'. They did not say if they agreed or not. They just wrote his response down. They also asked him why he broke off from Webb to retrieve the Declaration on his own.
John explained, "Webb's ego got in the way of accomplishing the mission. He had his own agenda besides getting the Declaration back. I believed that he deliberately allowed the Declaration to be stolen in the first place. If it was me, I would've loaded the Declaration onto a Federal Marshals jet, under heavy guard, and gotten it out to California as soon as possible. Webb used it as bait to apprehend the 'defenders' and I felt that he could not be trusted".
John took the process in stride. He was glad that it would be over in one day.
As he drove to Alexandria, he occasionally glanced over at Mac. He saw that she was apprehensive about meeting Diane. She was worried about how Diane would react to being surprised.
When they arrived at the Rabbs, he saw that she shouldn't have worried in the first place. Harm did not tell Diane about her similarity to Mac, but after being introduced to her, Diane's expression immediately shifted from one of apprehension mixed with curiosity to one of absolute joy. She immediately embraced Mac warmly. She also gave John the same kind of hug.
"Thanks for helping Harm out when he was in Bethesda. The advice you gave him meant a lot and kicked his ass."
John was embarrassed again. "I didn't do anything but tell him what options he had. I was in the same boat, as you recall." He said the last part looking at Harm.
As they walked into the apartment Diane took hold of Mac's hand and led her to the living room sofa saying, "When Harm said your name was Sarah Mackenzie, I felt like a bolt of lightning went through me. You see my parents adopted me, as they couldn't have children themselves. My mom, Ellen Schonke, was a nurse at the Yuma County General Hospital, where I was born. Growing up I didn't know that I was the second fraternal twin born and that the mother kept the older twin and given me up for adoption. So I didn't know I had a sister out there until after my mother and father passed away two years ago. Mom had pancreatic cancer and Dad died of a heart attack about 4 months after Mom died."
Mac interrupted, "I'm so sorry to hear that."
"That's alright, at least they got to meet Harm" Diane replied as she looked lovingly at her husband.
"Anyway when I read about the 'Declaration' retrieval in the paper, I hoped against hope that you and Uncle Matt were related to me. But your pictures weren't in the paper and there are so many other Mackenzie families, I didn't want to get my hopes up. But as soon as I saw you Mac, I knew instantly that you were the sister I was hoping to find."
Mac smiled at that.
Diane continued, "Mom and dad left documents in a safe deposit box that they only wanted me to see upon their death. The documents included this letter from my mother to me that she wrote when she found out she was going to die. I couldn't wait to meet you so I could see you for the first time and I could show it to you."
Diane held the letter out to Mac for her to read:
Dearest Diane;
As you are reading this, it means that your father and I have gone to heaven.
As you know, your father and I adopted you. You also know you were born in the Yuma County General Hospital.
What you did not know is that you have a sister out there. When you two were born, your biological father was a Marine in Vietnam. Also your birth mother never told her husband that she was pregnant with twins. She knew she could not properly take care of two babies alone. So your birth mother decided to put your father's and my name on your birth certificate and assign parental rights to us.
She confided in me when she was in the hospital that he wasn't the steadiest individual, getting drunk a lot, being insubordinate to his higher ranking officers. She felt that he would welcome at least one baby into the family, but not two.
We moved away from Yuma and brought you home to Baltimore and raised you as our own. We didn't keep track of your birth parents. When you were away at the Naval Academy we were on the road to our vacation in California when we stopped at the Marine Air Station in Yuma. We found out that your birth father was discharged from the Marines and they did not leave a forwarding address with the base registry.
I don't have any more information to give you about your sister except that your birth parents' names were Joseph & Deanne Mackenzie and your sister's name is Sarah Catherine.
I hope you find your sister. When you do find her, please welcome her into your family and love her as we loved you.
All my love
Mama.
As Mac read the letter she was shedding tears. When she had finished reading she was a total wreck. Diane immediately went and took her into a very tight embrace.
Diane was crying herself as she said, "I know honey. Just let it out."
After Mac calmed down Diane said, "When I read of you I didn't even tell Harm that you may be my sister and he never knew about mom's letter. I knew that you would be assigned to JAG Headquarters so I waited until Colonel O'Hara's trial was over. If Harm hadn't already said that you were coming to dinner, I would have gone to JAG to meet you."
Sarah smiled at that as she calmed down enough to tell Diane what their mother used to say growing up.
Diane just nodded, "I know that Deanne thought she was doing the best for us. I gather she was not a strong woman. How are she and your father doing?"
Mac tensed up saying, "She left my father and me when I was 15. I haven't seen her since. And I'm estranged from my father. I lost track of where he is at the moment."
Then Mac went onto tell Diane the same story she told John. That set off another round of tears from Diane.
During the telling Sarah's emotions ranged from anger to sadness.
"I'm so sorry that you had to go through that," Diane said with love.
Mac replied, "I hope you don't think I'm angry at or jealous of you of how you grew up. It seems from this letter that your adoptive parents loved you very much, while mine made my life a living hell."
"Oh no sweetie, I'm just so happy to have found you. You seem to have come out of that very well. I mean, look at yourself Mac, you're a Marine and a lawyer for God's sake.
Mac could only smile saying to Diane. "Since we're now officially sisters would you please do me a favor?"
Diane nodded.
"Call me Sarah please. Now that I'm part of a family I don't want to go by Mac anymore. Mac is the name I use to appear friendly, but keep people at a distance to protect myself from them. I can be Mac the rest of the time, to other people, but when it's just us, I want you to call me Sarah."
Diane nodded and gave Sarah another hug.
Sarah turned to John & Harm. "You Harm are not allowed to ever call me Mac, we're in-laws now. That goes for you to John."
Harm just smiled at said, "Ok Sarah".
Sarah and Diane just giggled at him.
John for his part just felt a little out of place. While he was happy for Mac or Sarah now, he was a little startled that she would include him in her name calling rules. Sarah saw his consternation. She got up from Diane and pulled John into the kitchen.
"John, you may be an outsider here, but I feel that I have come to know you as a decent guy. I would like to get to know you more, if you're willing."
John could only smile and cup her cheek, "If that's what you want, that's ok with me. Besides I really want to get to know you too. But let's just be careful around the office." Then John leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"What was that for?" Sarah asked, half knowing the answer.
"I've wanted to do that since I met you but I was afraid to do it until now. I didn't know if you would slap me or report me for 'conduct unbecoming'," John said.
"Well I have been waiting for you to do that," Sarah told him, kissing his cheek back.
Diane and Harm were looking on the exchange surreptitiously. They both smiled and silently agreed to keep the exchange their secret. He and Diane were glad that John had found someone he could love.
When Sarah and John walked back to the living room, Diane spoke up, "Now that we've gotten the family reunion out of the way, let's eat. Sarah, since you don't drink what can I get you?"
Sarah answered, "Any soda or juice you have will be fine"
Diane nodded and then added, "For the future let me know what you like and I'll make sure my husband stocks up for you."
Harm just rolled his eyes, turning to John, "I hope you're taking notes. You'll need them to figure out how to keep the Mackenzie sisters happy."
Diane and Sarah could only laugh. Diane didn't mind being called a Mackenzie and Sarah was just thrilled to have a sister.
Diane turned to John, "By the way, do you like steak or do you eat rabbit food like my husband?"
John smiled and said; "I love a good steak, medium well."
Sarah piped up, "Make mine medium well too. Leave it a little pink inside."
Diane had to smile. "You really are my sister. I really enjoy a good steak." Turning to Harm she said, "Sorry, honey, I guess you're out numbered in this family."
Sarah, John and Diane just laughed. Harm just shook his head in exasperation as everyone settled in for what was turning out to be a very pleasant evening.