Change
This is a sequel to 36 Hours and is set nearly three years on from the original instalment...liberties [aka guesses] have been taken with ages and such.
Disclaimer: Not mine... well, except for the little ones.
----------------change--------------------
Though it was clearly apparent to all the adults that there was something wrong, Mac had shaken her head when they looked at her and they knew not to ask. Lily, on the other hand, didn't have that awareness. As Harm sat down at the end of the table on the porch, looking over the fields and trying to keep himself together, Lily stood near the door and watched him.
Turning, Lily padded back inside and tugged her mother's arm.
"Mom, daddy looks sad," she said with a pout, she didn't like to see her daddy sad.
"He is a little sad," Mac admitted, knowing everyone was listening. "But mostly he's very tired."
"Didn't he sleep well?" she asked, looking through the window at her father.
"It's more than just sleep, Lily," Mac said gently. "With you and me and everything else, daddy has had to do so much lately and it's all caught up with him."
"Can you fix it?" she asked, her big brown eyes filling with tears.
"I'm going to try when you are all out today," she said with a smile.
Pulling on her mother's arm once more, Lily asked, "Can I help?"
"I think so," Mac said, leaning down to kiss her daughter's head. "How about you go sit with him for a bit and tell him how much you love him?"
Lily ran off immediately.
From the kitchen, the adults watched as Lily neared her father and climbed up onto Harm's lap. While they couldn't hear her, they knew she'd told her father she loved him by the way he pulled her close and kissed her head.
"What's going on with that grandson of mine?" Sarah asked, wiping her hands on the dishcloth.
Mac turned and smiled at the three concerned faces directed her way. She wanted to try and gloss over it but knew they wouldn't buy it.
"Harm's alright," she started. "I think he's more exhausted than anything."
"I've seen Harm exhausted and not so emotional," Trish said, "So what are you not telling me?"
"It's a bit of everything," Mac admitted. "But maybe you should ask him."
"Fine," Trish said, heading towards the door before Mac reconsidered.
"No, wait," she called and then drew a deep breath. "Being here on the farm has brought up lots of emotions for Harm and he is tired. I mean, he has done everything for me and Lily in recent months, not to mention the twins... and then yesterday... well, I threw him for a loop by asking the doctor to do a hysterectomy..."
"What?" Trish and Sarah asked in unison.
"We can discuss the reasons later but, for now, you can appreciate what it did to Harm," Mac said, looking back out to her husband and daughter, smiling when she realised they were singing together.
"We can take the twins with us today, if that will help things?" Frank offered, knowing that Trish wouldn't object under the circumstances.
"Thanks," Mac said with an appreciative smile. "But I think they'll be a great distraction this morning and then I'm hoping they'll have a nice long nap this afternoon and Harm can just relax a little."
As orchestrated by Mac, the Charlesville tour got underway a little after nine, just after the twins woke. Wondering if she'd be able to get them to nap, considering the nearly fourteen hours they'd just slept, Mac got things underway. As she cleaned up after breakfast, she sent the duo out with Harm to collect the eggs, then to bring the laundry from the clothes line. Next, she kept Rose while Harm went for a long ride with Harry before swapping the twins and sending Rose off.
When they returned, Mac picked up the lunch basket she'd prepared and set off with Harm and the twins for a long walk and picnic lunch. Leaving the destination up to Harm, she couldn't help but smile when she realised he was leading them towards his special fishing place. On the way back, both Harry and Rose protested the endless walk and both requested to be carried in increasingly louder and emphatic ways.
Mac declined and encouraged Harm to do the same and so it was no surprise that the little duo were asleep before Harm could finish shutting the blinds.
"You exhausted them," Harm commented, coming from the bedroom as Mac came from the bathroom.
"Yes, and I did it very well," she replied with a smile.
"Any reason I should know of?" he asked as she stepped up to him and kissed him softly.
"You go into our room, strip off and put your robe on and meet me back here and I may tell you," she said, with a smirk.
Harm shook his head. "Why don't you tell me now?"
"Please," she added, turning him to face the door. "Just trust me, Harm," she said and knowing she wouldn't lead him astray, he obeyed.
Returning five minutes later, Harm met Mac coming out of the bathroom once more.
"I'm ready," he announced.
"Let me be the judge of that," Mac quipped, pulling his robe open a little and making sure he was indeed naked - he was. "Come with me..."
Trailing Mac into the bathroom, Harm found she had filled the bath and lit two of his grandmother's emergency candles. Along with the drawn curtain, she placed two towels across the window to increase the darkness and accentuate the glow of the candles.
The bath had been filled with the twins' bubble bath mixture; being a long way from home Mac had to make do with what she could find.
"I want you to get in with your head at this end," she instructed as she undid the belt of his robe.
"Are you going to join me?" he asked and she shook her head.
"Just you," she replied, kissing his cheek.
Climbing in, Harm positioned himself as requested and Mac placed a rolled towel under his neck.
"Close your eyes," she whispered, kneeling on another towel at the end of the tub.
"Mac, you really don't have to do this," he protested, somewhat weakly. While he wasn't one for soaking in a tub and pampering, he was very interested in what his wife had planned.
Using a dollop of her lotion on her hands, Mac massaged it into Harm's face, taking her time in applying even and tender strokes. Working from his face, she moved to his neck and shoulders, taking the opportunity every now and then to reach around and kiss him gently. When that was done, she placed hot towel across his face before kissing his temple and disappearing for a while.
Sitting in the kitchen with coffee and an old magazine, Mac listened for any indication Harm was absconding from his bath without her permission. When she figured he'd soaked long enough, Mac returned to the bathroom and wasn't surprised to find he was asleep. Peeling the towel from his face, Mac placed a kiss on his forehead before caressing his cheek.
"Hey, sweetie," she cooed. "Wanna wake up for me?"
A mumbled mess was all she got in reply.
"Harm....Harm," she called softly, "Time to get out."
Reaching down to the other end, Mac pulled the plug before removing the towels for the light and extinguishing the candles. Grabbing a blue bath towel, she opened it up before moving back to Harm once more.
"Honey, Harm," she called patting his face.
"Sorry, Mac, must have fallen asleep," he muttered trying to find his feet.
"C'mon," she encouraged, holding his hand and helping him step out. Patting him down with the towel, Mac wrapped it around his waist before leading him to the bedroom. "Lay on your stomach," she instructed as she pulled down the covers.
"Mac..." he began to protest but she shook her head.
"Lay down!"
Deciding to go with the flow, Harm removed the towel and lay down as was instructed. Taking towel, Mac draped it over his butt before grabbing the lotion and straddling his middle. With an abundance of tender, loving care, Mac massaged the lotion into his back, paying careful attention to work out the knots he had around his left shoulder blade.
Each time Mac hit a particularly tender spot, Harm would wince and she was lean down and kiss the spot. When she realised he was wincing every third or fourth stroke, she figured he was doing it solely for the kisses. Leaning to the side, Mac instructed Harm to roll over and when he willingly obliged, she started the same treatment and got the same result.
"I think you're more interested in the kisses than the massage," Mac said as she hovered over him on all fours.
"I'd be stupid not to be," he replied, pushing up and claiming her lips.
It didn't take long for the massage to be forgotten and for as Mac to be as naked as Harm was. In the quiet, peacefulness of their room, husband and wife enjoyed a round of gentle lovemaking before Mac settled into Harm's arms. While what they had done was nice, Mac knew it wouldn't have given Harm the release he needed. In fact, she realised it had been a long while since Harm had truly let go. Yes, he had climaxed but there was a difference between that and truly letting go – something he had done freely up until the time her endometriosis had become an issue.
With her thoughts stirring her up, Mac rolled onto Harm and kissed him thoroughly once more.
"You may have to give me a few more minutes," he managed breathlessly. "Not as young as I used to be."
Pulling Harm with her, Mac rolled over, leaving him on top of her and locking her ankles around his legs lest he think twice about his new position.
"You've been amazing today," he said, leaning down and kissing her gently.
"You've been amazing since the day I met you," she said, linking her arms around his neck.
Harm grinned. "You know, I feel a million times better than I did this morning."
"I know how to make you feel better," she said, quirking an eyebrow and matching it with a smirk.
"Oh yeah, and how's that?" he questioned, knowing without a doubt it would involve remaining horizontal.
"Have sex with me," Mac said, tilting her head.
"Ah, I think we just did that," Harm reminded her.
"No, we just made love...and the last twenty or so times we've made love...Now, I think we should have sex," she said and she saw the confusion in her eyes. They never referred to their most intimate moments as sex; it was always equated to the love they shared.
"That's just..." he began to protest.
"You've been amazingly gentle and tender when it comes to sex recently and I love you forever for taking it easy with me, and still giving me what I needed, but when's the last time you got out of it what you needed?" she asked, keeping him in place when he went to move.
"I get what I need," he said, resting his weight on his forearms. "I get you...that's all I need."
"Remember the weekend the twins were conceived? That little B&B we stayed at before your deployment?" she questioned and Harm nodded. "Remember the second night – what you did? How you felt afterwards?" Harm nodded again; he remembered ... how could he forget?...he's been convinced ever since that's how they ended up with twins. "That's what I want for you...now..."
"The problem with that, Mac, is the pace is a lot faster and harder than what we've been doing," he said quietly.
"And?" she questioned. "I'm up for harder and faster."
"But..." he tried to protest but Mac shook her head.
Deciding on a different tactic, Mac moved her hands to his face. "Answer me honestly, do you want faster, harder sex?"
Not being able to lie to his wife, Harm nodded.
"Then let's go," she said and started proceedings.
Once again, Harm followed his wife's instructions and it wasn't long before his needs were being met in a more than satisfactory way. A couple of times, he slowed enough to check in with Mac and make sure she was still okay; she was, and so he kept going. Using their mouths to swallow the cries and moans of the other as their releases coincided, lest they wake the twins, Mac and Harm came down from their blissful high, Harm more satisfied than he had been in a long time.
Before he could speak, Mac pressed her finger to his lips and shook her head.
"Just sleep now," she said, shifting over before snuggling into him.
"Thank you," he whispered, knowing sleep would be imminent, thanks to her instructions, willingness and persistence.
Mac slept for thirty seven minutes and noting her husband still deep in slumber, she quietly slipped out of bed before showering and dressing once more. A quick peek into the opposite bedroom resulted in her seeing Harry stirring and she knew Rose wouldn't be asleep much longer either. They may not have been identical twins but they had so many identical habits it was spooky.
"Come on, little man," she whispered when Harry opened his eyes and saw her there. "You gonna come and sit with mommy for a minute?" Lifting the child from his bed, Mac sat with him in the rocking chair waiting for Rose. As she rocked, Harry nestled into her, his thumb finding his mouth rather than her breast, Mac took this a good thing.
Singing softly to her son, Mac looked up to find Rose standing in the crib looking at them. "Ah, my baby girl is awake too." Hitching Harry onto her hip, Mac moved to the crib and wrapped her other arm around Rose.
"Do we want to go have some ice cream?" she said quietly as she headed down the stairs, a child on each hip, glad Harm wasn't awake to comment. "Ice cream with topping and maybe some sprinkles if Grams has some? Hey? What do we say?"
Neither child showed much interest in the ice cream treat Mac was offering but she knew once they were fully awake things would be different; besides she really wanted ice cream and it wouldn't be fair just to get it for herself.
With fine manoeuvring, Mac was able to dish out three bowls of ice cream with the fixings, take them out to the porch, move the highchairs and settle the twins outside before sitting facing them and watching their happy smiles as they ate.
"You definitely have mommy's love for ice cream, don't you?" she asked both of them at once. Harm could take or leave it but Mac loved ice cream, especially when served by Harm in his famous sundaes...or served on Harm...
Harry 's face was covered in ice cream as Harm appeared at the back door, yawning and scratching his bare chest.
"You've got more on you than in you, Harry," Mac said as she went to wipe the child's face before realising Harm was watching. "Oh, I thought you'd be asleep for much longer."
"Missed you," he said, stretching.
Mac smiled and then pouted. When she'd needed sleep he'd stayed seven hours, she couldn't manage forty minutes. "Sorry!"
Harm smiled and shrugged, he knew it couldn't have been helped.
"Can I get you some ice cream?" she asked, finishing her clean up of Harry,
"No, thanks," he said, picking the boy up from his chair.
Five minutes later, the little family was on the sofa on the porch. Knowing everyone was still a little lacklustre in the summer heat; Mac sat at the end and had Harm lay on his back, his head resting on her lap. Harry lay on his father's chest while Rose ended up in Harm's arm, settled between his body and the back of the sofa.
It didn't take much for the twins to drift off once more and as he caressed their children, Mac massaged his head and very soon Harm was asleep once more. This time Mac didn't stop her ministrations. As her husband softly snored, she continued to run her fingers through his hair and massage his scalp. Every now and then, she leant down and kissed his head before continuing her task.
AN: There is declining interesting in this story with only an average of 8 reviews for each of the last three chapters and while there is much more written it doesn't really inspire me to continue to post it...this isn't a threat of any kind, just an observation.