Chapter 37

Mac and Kenneth had meant to discuss Marc's punishment before they went to bed that night, but neither of them had expected the response the 'baby announcement' would make and they couldn't stop marveling about it. The first of the telegrams had arrived between the time they went off the air and got called to eat, and they had just kept pouring in. Mac complained that this was worse than when she'd been shot and Kenneth just laughed. She gave him a mild glare, knowing that she would be the one that had to answer them.

Mac was still thumbing through the new stack she'd been handed right before they sat down. She paused when she saw Harm's name. She'd had no word from him after he'd attended her wedding, and she hadn't really expected to ever hear from him again after the cold shoulder he'd given her that day. But here was a rather long message to be in a telegram and she pulled it out of the stack to read it:

Mac, thought you said that couldn't happen, or was that just a line for me? Mattie went and got herself pregnant too. Trying to decide if between adoption or abortion for her. She thinks she is in LOVE! She wants to marry him and keep it, but she's only 17. Harm

With a sigh Mac read it again and realized Harm hadn't changed at all and probably never would. She put his telegram on the bottom of the pile and focused on her family and all that they had to be thankful for.

Since the kids were out of school that weekend, Mac and Kenneth let them sleep in on Friday. That meant the two of them were alone for breakfast, or alone as they could be with their agents hovering nearby. However, the presence of the MIB didn't stop them from talking about Marc's punishment for his stunt of the day before. Since Harriett had called last night to say they had watched the show and offered the boys the use of the Roberts' tree house as soon as the weather would allow it, the best solution his parents could come up with was that Matt would be allowed to go over and play three times before Marc would be able to do so. The anticipation and delay of this punishment would only add to the magnitude of it.

As expected, when they told him what they had come up with, Marc was very upset. He protested, cried, shouted and which got him sent to his room until dinner, at which time he came out clearly having decided never to speak to them again or at least for the foreseeable future. He continued to pout and sigh dramatically all through the rest of the weekend.

Sturgis and Kat told William of their engagement Friday evening at dinner and his son could tell he was both thrilled for them and honored to be asked to perform the ceremony.

Kat had called her parents to see if they could drop by for a casual lunch on Saturday and they made their announcement again. Her mother was actually reduced to tears when Kat asked her to help plan the June wedding. She kicked into high gear without a moments warning and declared that at their annual Christmas party would be the perfect time for the public announcement. The couple agreed and Edward found a quite moment to thank Sturgis for going along with all of this. He had correctly assumed his daughter wouldn't have done it without his encouragement.

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas passed quickly for everyone. Trying to fit special shopping into already full schedules was a challenge to all, but somehow it all managed to get done.

To be continued…..