Chapter 36: Phone Tag

Saturday, March 23, 2008

1530 San Diego time - 1830 Washington, DC time

Harriett Roberts hangs up the unanswered phone with mild concern. It's the third time she's called in two days. No one in San Diego has answered. She knows they're busy. Between work, taking care of Laura, preparing to adopt Laura, and the girl's recent trip to the Chrysler assembly plant to watch the crash test dummies do their thing; she knows her friends have been meeting themselves coming and going. In addition to caring for their niece, they're in the process of a serious home remodeling project, and only just six days ago, a dear friend, one who lives a lot closer to them than Harriett does, underwent an embryonic transplant. In the midst of everything they've got going on, Harriett can't recall if they were spending this weekend or next weekend with Keeter and Skates. However, she really needs to talk to them. Knowing that she isn't being ignored, they wouldn't do that to her, Harriett decides that it's time to get creative, but what to do? She gives it ½ hour's thought as she goes about her weekend chores. Just shy of three weeks ago they sent her flowers. The flowers and the affection that came with them were lovely; even if they did make her cry. She decides, it's time to return the favor. Although it's a different number, she picks up the phone and dials once more.

Uncertain whether she should the pissed off, or simply just tired, Mac leaves the prison. On her way out, part of her wishes the whole sordid affair was over with. Part of her wishes that she never had to see her sister again. Actually, if she never had to see her sister or her mother again that would be just fine with her. Part of her wishes she was anywhere but here… Maybe even on a bar stool somewhere… No wait. She definitely does not wish that! Yeah, she might be stressed; she might even be thirsty, but so what! She's got too many reasons not to wish for that. Too many good reasons. And for the first time in her life, the good reasons seem to outweigh the bad. It's good. It's a little frightening. Sometimes it's terrifying. But it's good; really good. She can be happy. Okay, so she's got a rotten uterus. She's tired of dealing with child welfare, and the unscheduled visits that pertain to her niece and upset the little girl greatly every time they occur. Six days ago, she had to implant yet another woman with her own personal hopes and dreams. But hey, life could be worse. Laura could still be living in a trailer with a neurotic, apathetic, mother who is more concerned with her own libido and the many less than desirable men she keeps around to satisfy it than she is with her own daughter's well-being. She and Harm didn't have to be married. They could still be not talking; with an ocean between their mailboxes. She remembers teasing him. She remembers telling him that he was going to have to stop saying that, lest people should begin to think that it was a euphemism for something kinky. She remembers him spitting coffee down the front of his uniform only minutes before he had to walk out the door. That was back before he left his post in London. That was more than six months ago. Life isn't perfect. But life is good. Why do both her mother and Casey work so hard to make themselves and everyone around them unhappy? Because that's all they know. Damn it! Casey knew that Mac wanted to talk to her. She knew that Mac was coming for visitation today. But yesterday, her sister picked a fight with a fellow inmate. Now's she's in solitary confinement, again. No one bothered to call and tell Mac this before she drove out to this godforsaken place. Of course, Mac hadn't bothered to call and check either. Next time, she will. Live and learn. She has other, far more enjoyable things she could be doing today. For one brief moment, Mac wonders if the younger woman is avoiding her. Did she get herself thrown in the hole just to avoid seeing me? She wouldn't put it past the woman, at the same time, maybe she's just being paranoid. Determined to ask Harm about it later, she decides to put her sister and her mother both out of her mind for the rest of this day. They might not know how to be happy, but regardless of all the things currently happening in her life, things that might, at another time, have kept her from being happy, Mac feels as though she's finally starting to figure it out.

She climbs into the driver's seat of her Jeep and leaves the prison behind. She'll have to try again soon. Minutes later, at a red light, she glances at her phone and sees evidence of a missed call from DC. She pushes a button on her steering wheel and when an automated female voice comes through her car stereo system with the simple question, "How may I help?" She smiles and requests, "Dial Harm."

She listens to the phone ringing on his end. It takes more than half a dozen rings for him to pick up which is unusual, but when he does, she can hear the voices of their friends in the background. Skates, Keeter, and Harm are in the midst of some lively discussion. When he pauses midsentence and directs his comments to her over the phone, she can hear the smile on his face. "Don't tell me left the prison already. Did they kick you out?"

Laughing, she fires back, "No, they did not kick me out, Squid!"

"Well, given drive time, that was an awfully short visit. Is there a problem?"

"Casey's back in solitary confinement." She says drolly.

"Again? That girl likes to fight more than a drunken biker."

"Shh… If Laura's anywhere nearby, don't let her hear you say that. It will just upset her."

"No. She's on the back porch at the moment, talking to Frank. He's back from Dallas, and happily getting an earful."

"Your mom and Frank are there already? I thought they were coming later?"

"Mom isn't here yet. She's still at the gallery. Frank decided not to wait for her. I think he missed Laura. She's hardly said a word to anyone else since he arrived. Even Keeter can't hold her attention."

Laughing, Mac narrowly avoids missing a turn because she's more focused on the conversation than on her driving. "I should get off the phone. I almost missed my turn."

"Well, don't do that, Jarhead!"

"Yeah, I know. I only called because Harriett called while I was in the prison. It's the second time she's tried to call me in less than 24 hours. I keep missing her. I know you're busy entertaining, but please give her and Bud a call, make sure they are okay. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Okay, I will. Bud tried to call me once too. Drive safe. Love you…"

She can clearly hear Keeter interrupting on his end and she knows what the man wants before Harm says, with a mix of brotherly affection and mild irritation, "Oh, hey, Mac…Keeter says bring barbecue sauce. He says I got the wrong kind."

Mac chuckles softly and says with mild acceptance. "You always do, but I love you anyway." Just to get a rise out of the other man, she says, "Tell Jack I'll think about it. She disconnects the call with every intention of honoring the request.

Later, when she arrives home, she steps into their kitchen and makes a show of delivering the requested bottle of barbecue sauce. When she sets it down the bar in front of Keeter, He jokes with his friend who is otherwise distracted by a recently delivered package. "Hey Brother, at least your wife knows good barbecue sauce!"

Offering a warm smile to Skates, before Mac kisses Harm's cheek in greeting; she's mildly curious when he doesn't respond at all to his friend's teasing barb. Noticing his lack of response even to her kiss, she inquires, "Hi Sailor. What you got there? Did you call Bud and Harriett?"

"Did call. No answer. Phone tag." Harm tells her without making eye contact, in a barely audible, not to mention, dazed whisper.

Squinting, she gazes first at the bizarre, undefinable look on her husband's face. Then she looks to Skates for some kind of explanation.

Skates shrugs; mystified. "That box just arrived. Two minutes before you walked in. He's been standing there, still as a stone, ever since he took the card out of the envelope."

Breaking the seal on the bottle of barbecue sauce, Keeter questions with enthusiasm, "What's in the box, buddy?"

Harm says nothing. He doesn't move, or even blink.

Placing a gentle hand on his bicep, Mac stares at him with concern for a long second before she carefully pushes a layer of tissue paper aside to see what is in the box. Carefully lifting it from his arms, she moves the box to the kitchen counter and momentarily stares at its contents; confused.

Aware that their friends' curiosity is rapidly becoming concern, she answers quietly. "They're roses." She steps back to Harm's side and carefully removes the card from his hand.

Keeter and Skates watch in stunned silence as Mac reads the card to herself and involuntarily stumbles backward. She reaches blindly for the counter behind her, misses it, and would've gone down if her own sudden movement weren't enough to jar Harm out of his momentary shock-induced paralysis. He grabs for her, catching her, stabilizing her, and pulling her close just in time. Mac unintentionally lets go of the card and numbly watches as it falls to the floor.

Before either of them can say or do anything, the front door opens and Harm's mother walks in with her usual warm greeting. "Hello darlings."

Finding their silence curious, she watches Keeter and Skates stare at her son and daughter-in-law. She watches Harm and Mac stare at each other. Vaguely aware that something important is happening, she questions, "Where's my granddaughter? Where's my husband?"

No one answers.

Crossing the room, she deposits her handbag on top of the bar, looks curiously at the white roses in the box, and then, without a word, she walks over and retrieves the small white card lying face down on the floor at Mac's feet.

Turning the card over in her hand, she reads silently. A sweet and peaceful smile slowly spreads across her face as, in a delayed reaction, a single tear slides down her son's cheek. His wife tenderly brushes it away before wrapping her arms around him and hiding her face from view in the curve of his neck.

Realizing that no one is about to tell him what the damn card says, Keeter sets his bottle of barbecue sauce down on the counter with a decisive thump, walks over and eagerly plucks the card from Trish's hand.

He reads. He looks at the motionless people in the room. He throws back his head and laughs boldly and freely. Trotting around the counter to Skates, he takes her face in his hands and kisses her hard on the mouth before he drops the card in her hands. He leaves her stunned by the unexpected show of affection as he heads for the back door, bellowing, "Laura! Frank! Get in here! Now! You're missing it!

Taking her turn with the mysterious card, Skates reads.

"Hi Mom. Hi Dad.

You really need to call Uncle Bud & Aunt Harriett. The doctor goofed. See you soon.

Love, Baby."

1541 San Diego Time

Frank Burnett closes the lid on his stepson's barbecue pit, steps across the porch, and picks up the little girl with the startled wide brown eyes; patting her back in what he hopes is a soothing gesture. He has to step back as he attempts to open the door in response to Keeter's loud bellowing call because the man on the other side of the door is also trying to open it.

"What's all the fuss about? You scared Laura."

With a sudden look of contrition, Keeter winks at the girl. "Sorry runt. Didn't mean to."

Lifting her from Frank's arms, he hugs her for a split second before hauling her up over his shoulder. He carries the giggling girl into the house as if she were a large sack of potatoes.

Still giggling, Laura protests half-heartedly and struggles to turn herself around so she can see what's going on. "What are you yelling about anyway, Keeter?"

Knowing he won't drop her, she pushes against him, wiggling about and squirming until she is sitting in the crock of his arm with both of her own arms around his neck. Once comfortable, Laura stares at the people in the room. Aunt Mac and Uncle Harm are hugging each other. There's nothing weird about that. They do that all the time, but the room feels funny anyway. Skates is smiling and her eyes are big; like something just surprised her. Grandma Trish is putting pretty white roses in a brown glass vase. Laura smiles with uncertainty at Grandpa Frank who looks a bit confused himself. She stares at the roses, and then looking to Keeter, she silently points at her uncle and bobs her chin in his direction.

Understanding the unspoken message, Keeter moves across the room to stand nearer his friend so that the girl can reach out and poke her uncle gently on the shoulder. When Harm turns his head her way without bothering to break his embrace with her aunt, and he looks more than a bit misty eyed, Laura stares hard at the roses again.

"What did you do wrong?" She demands to know.

Mac chuckles softly at the confusion that seeps into her husband's eyes. Without lifting her head from his shoulder, she reaches out and runs her fingers through the little girl's hair affectionately.

"Why you think Harm did something wrong, Laura?"

Squinting, and thoroughly confused, as much by the sweetness in her aunt's voice as the fact that she won't stop hugging Uncle Harm, Laura points at the flowers. "The only time we ever got flowers at Mom's house was when one of her stupid boyfriends did something really bad. But I'm confused. You don't look like you're mad at him."

"That's because I'm not, baby. Flowers don't always mean somebody was bad. He did something really good! The doctor messed up the test results. Harriett is pregnant. She is going to have a baby!"

Laura looks around the room again before returning her attention to her aunt and uncle and raising a skeptical eyebrow. When she asks, "Are you sure this time?" Keeter throws back his head and laughs boisterously.

Mystified, Keeter says more to himself than to anyone else. "Only in this house…"

Laura scowls and passes a look of mild concern between Keeter and her aunt and uncle.

Mac gently thumps the heel of her palm against the shoulder Laura isn't leaning against. "Hush Jack! Don't confuse her."

Still scowling, Laura shrugs comically. "What?" She demands adorably. "It's too late, I'm already confused. Somebody help, before I get a headache." She blows a puff of air out; lifting her own bangs off her forehead.

Still laughing, Keeter mentally edits his own words before he patiently explains, "In any other house, if your best friend is having your husband's baby… It's not a good thing! And it takes more than roses to fix that… a lot more!"

Bobbing her chin, Laura accepts this new piece of information with certainty. Eyeing her aunt and uncle again, she repeats, "Are you sure this time?" She shakes her head emphatically. "I'm not getting excited. Not until Miss Harriett tells me herself."

Smiling at the girl, Skates gets up from her barstool and moves to stand next to Keeter.

As he drapes his free arm around the brunette's shoulders, she explains. "Harriett sent your aunt and uncle the flowers; they came with a note". She reads the card again for Laura and Frank's benefit.

"Hi Mom. Hi Dad.

You really need to call Uncle Bud & Aunt Harriett. The doctor goofed. See you soon.

Love, Baby."

Deciding maybe it's okay to smile; just a little bit, Laura whispers with excitement, "Gimme that! Le'me see!"

Still smiling, Skates hands over the card. Laura takes it as Keeter begins to jiggle her about in his arms.

"Stop it, Keeter!" She giggles with mild exasperation, before whispering in a more serious tone. "I'm trying to reeeeeeead."

Chuckling at the girl's consternation, Trish finishes up with the flowers and moves to embrace both Mac and her son at the same time. Standing on tiptoe, she kisses each of them on the head, squeezes them tightly in a warm hug, and then she moves on to her husband's waiting embrace.

Laura stares at the card for several long seconds. For half a beat she looks as if she's holding something magical in the palm of her hand and then she changes her mind again, squints, purses her lips, and announces with determination. "I am not getting excited; not until I talk to Miss Harriett! 'Cause when you guys told me she wasn't going to have a baby… That was no fun!"

Chuckling softly as he wipes moisture away from his own eyes as well as his wife's, Harm declares, "You're right, Laura. That was no fun! Let's go call her. Right now!" He plucks the girl from Keeter's arms and goes in search of, a tablet, a phone, anything that will allow him to place one of the most important calls of his life.

Choosing to allow anyone who wants it, easy access, he props Mac's tablet in the center of the bar and waits for one ringing device to be answered by another as his family crowds around.

Obviously, in her kitchen, and probably preparing dinner for her hungry bunch, the perky blond answers his call on the second ring without a formal greeting. "I figured you'd be calling. Guess you got the flowers…"

"We did." He assures; flashing his grin.

Standing at his shoulder with her arms around him, Mac queries at the same time, "How are you, Harriett."

Happy laughter bubbles out of her as she realizes how many different people she can see on screen; all of them scrunched up together, cheerful and eager for news. "I'm shocked… That's how I am! Almost beyond words. I don't feel pregnant. Being eight weeks in, I should. I've always known it in the past by the time I reached this point. But I don't. I still wouldn't know if I hadn't stood up too fast a few days ago. Jenny was about to pull an opened 5-pound sack of corn meal off the counter. My blood pressure bottomed out, and my knees turned to jelly. I would have gone down like a lightweight with a glass jaw if Bud hadn't been there to stop her and catch me. It's never happened quite like that before. But then again, I've said it myself… Every pregnancy is different. Off to the doctor we went. No other signs or signals; not overt or subtle. I don't feel like I have the flu. I'm not nervous or nauseous… yet. I'm not swollen, bloated, achy, cranky… or any of the other things I've been in the past. It's kind of weird. They ran tests… And they assure me; I am definitely pregnant. I think I annoyed the heck out of them; but I don't care. I made them run the same test half a dozen times, and do a physical exam, just to be sure. I didn't want to give you guys the wrong news again. The stork is definitely on its way… and right now everything looks good. No signs of trouble. I talked to my doctor today. He wants to schedule the first ultrasound. I told him I had to talk to you two first. I'm guessing you want to be here; if at all possible."

She isn't surprised much when, not two, but three different people; Harm, Mac, and Trish, all answer in perfect unison. "Yes!"

Harriet laughs. "The more the merrier; I guess." She pauses when she glances at the sweet smile on a little girl's face. "Laura, sweetie, what's wrong? I thought you'd be squealing with delight by now."

"I'm happy." The girl announces matter-of-factly. "But I am not squealing… or doing a happy dance… until somebody shows me a baby. You said that the doctor said you weren't gonna have a baby. The flower card said he goofed. If he couldn't tell for sure maybe you need a new doctor because, Miss Harriett, that was messed up! And it wasn't no fun either."

As he appears on screen, hugging his wife from behind, Bud Roberts laughs joyfully. "Hello Laura, you're right. That was messed up, and no fun either. However, sometimes that happens. Doctors run tests all the time. Most of the time the tests turn out the way they should. Sometimes, even though they do everything right, you get a false positive or, in our case, a false negative. I guess maybe your cousin just wasn't ready to announce his or her impending arrival yet."

Accepting this new bit of information with a thoughtful frown, Laura says, "Hi Mr. Bud. Will it be a boy or a girl?"

Chuckling quietly, he assures, "Definitely one or the other. We don't know which yet. It's way too early to tell. We'll all just have to wait and see."

When movement somewhere out of frame catches her attention, Harriett holds up a finger, signaling that they should wait a moment and then she yells at one of her children. "Jimmy Roberts! You get down from there immediately; if not sooner young man!"

As his wife disappears from view, Bud says, "Have to go for now." His eyes shine with equal parts exasperation and mirth. "The animals are trying to escape the zoo! We'll call back after they're down for the night and pinpoint a date that works for all of us for the ultrasound."

The last sound they all hear before the call is disconnected is young Jimmy's loud objection "Aww Mom!"

Shaking her head, Mac picks up her tablet and moves it to a safe corner of the bar. When she turns around again, she raises an eyebrow in response to the stricken and slightly comical look on Harm's face. "What? What is it Harm?" Touching his arm, she follows his gaze straight to Skates; who also looks mildly uncomfortable. "What?" She says again; her gaze volleying back and forth between the two as if she were watching a tennis match.

"It's just…" Elizabeth Hawkes clears her throat. "Well… I went for a transplant because Harriett's doctor told you she wasn't pregnant. If my transplant takes…" She leaves the rest hanging in the air unsaid.

Mac's dark eyes go wide with what might best be called delightful dread. She opens her mouth to speak, but before she can so much as sigh, laughter explodes from somewhere deep inside Jack Keeter's chest.