"Cadet Robyn Harmony Latham-Rabb" – Ch06– "Starting an interesting year"
AU: Harm, Bobbi and a shared life
A/N: "they aren't mine, I'm just playing with them - apart from any character created by myself". See Ch 01 for disclaimers.
Summary: this is a fictional story, in a fictional (slightly) Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. Comments and PMs and suggestions are most welcome; I shall update periodically. Mike
Canon: none
A/N: published 06-FEB-2022: This chapter is part of a much longer one, which was written and almost ready to go back ready in October – until "someone" gagged! I truly hope that my gagging guest reviewer has recovered and that you will enjoy this interim snapshot.
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Ch06– "Starting an interesting year"
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Thursday 7th January 1999, 19:56hrs EST
Congresswoman Latham's apartment, Watergate South
The Watergate Complex, 700 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037,
After their lovely relaxing break on the West Coast with Frank and Trish, it was time for Harm and Bobbi to return to DC. Bobbi was glad that she had swapped her summer dress and sandals for the woollen dress, thick hold-ups and long boots in the Executive Lounge at San Diego before they had boarded the eastbound flight. The drop in temperature as they stepped into the jetway at Dulles had been "invigorating" (to use Bobbi's reaction) but her driver Norman had quickly collected them and conveyed them back to the Watergate with the limo fully-warmed. No-one at the airport had noticed the Rabb family ring on Bobbi's finger, given how completely she was bundled up against the cold of Washington; but it was only a matter of time.
The tranquillity of La Jolla – along with regular peaceful walks with Harm and the lovely comfortable welcome of "Burnett Towers" – had enabled Bobbi's metabolism to settle, much to Harm's relief. He now had something else to beat himself up about – "look what you've done to this wonderful woman" - but by the time they were ready to fly back eastwards, Bobbi's morning sickness was a thing of the past. She had taken advantage of Trish's regular morning fresh-fruit salads and was steadily increasing her vitamin intake. There was no doubt that - just as in every other aspect of her professional life - Congresswoman Roberta Latham was determined that the pregnancy would be a resounding success. Trish had enjoyed a day spent shopping in the little boutiques in La Jolla with her future daughter-in-law and visiting a good range of the shops there. These included a maternity dress shop - for which Bobbi was nowhere yet near ready, but which would come into its own in April, in the fifth month of her pregnancy. Easter Sunday on April 4th would be a great target date for the next Latham-Rabb visit.
Robbi was also painfully aware that she would need to visit Detroit - over and above her regular Congressional duties. She needed to introduce her parents to her future husband.
During the time in California, Harm had made a discovery about this new woman in his life (similar to his USMC partner) – the almost mystical relationship between women and chocolate! He had already begun training himself to anticipate her needs. This was far more detailed than the occasional chocolate bar or Nutty-Butty packet which he would routinely slip into Mac's desk, ahead of those unexpected long evenings when case work interfered with nutrition and prevented a run to Beltway Burgers.
The subject of food cropped up again when Bobbi riffled through the messages which Clarice had laid out earlier in the day during her preparatory visit to Bobbi's apartment. Harm simply offered to start the cooking, using Bobbi's well-equipped kitchen.
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She sighed and her shoulders sagged slightly. Instantly, her fiancé was supporting her.
"Darn it Harm, I'm going to have to jump straight back in tomorrow." She turned apologetically to him and was instantly comforted when a hair of loving arms wrapped automatically around her, preparatory to a loving kiss arriving on the crown of her head. The aroma of cooking food began to intrude into her consciousness.
"It's no problem gorgeous. Look, although it isn't my call, but I wonder whether you will aim to work here in the complex (which I would recommend, O beautiful mother-to-be) or schlepp through the snow to the Hill?"
Bobbi had spoken with Clarice the day before and the Friday was already pencilled in for admin and catch-ups on her Congressional duties and the issues at hand. She was prepared to also surrender part of her Saturday but she was establishing an absolute rule – Sundays were hers (unless military operational imperatives intruded, of course).
Harm had volunteered to run through the laundry and shopping chores during Friday, culminating in him cooking in the complex to start the formal weekend in DC. This also ensured that his fiancée would merely need to step away from her desk, unbutton the smart suit jacket which she customarily wore whilst working at home, slide off her skirt and slip into one of his old USN aviator sweatshirts. The Watergate apartment was always warm enough. As in any relationship, the "balance of the wardrobes" had begun to shift – Harm was happy to acknowledge that his old sweats looked absolutely great with a nubile (if pregnant) female form inside.
She looked up at him and kissed the underside of his chin. Even though they had only been "goin' steady" for a few months, the couple had already established their little routines, secret signs and little touches of familiarity.
She knew that she was his and he was hers.
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Saturday 9th January 1999, 11:58hrs EST
Car Park near Dumbarton Oaks Museum, 1703 32nd St NW, Washington, DC 20007, United States
After Harm had decided to meet up with Mac for lunch on the Saturday, ahead of his return to JAG HQ, she had suggested meeting close by.
The Museum, close to her apartment in Georgetown, was not too far from the Watergate. She had, de-facto, accepted over Christmas that Harm was now seriously committed to "Lady Roberta" (as she had taken to describing Bobbi).
She was – of course – genuinely delighted for her JAG partner. Whilst she had hoped at some point in the past – in some way – to develop her relationship with Harm to a further level, she knew that such dreams were firmly placed in the past. Leaving aside her 1998 experiences on the male relationships front (she was sure that Harm had meant well with his comment "the men you pick") she now was certain that he was "spoken for".
Thinking back over the cases, she was sure that the ghost of Diane Schonke had intruded as well. In fairness, she had been pretty certain that – when they held that one and only long kiss on the dockside – Harm had been kissing Diane. Even if he was kissing Diane a final goodbye, Mac knew in her heart that he would forever be conflicted. She had changed her hairstyle, so as to differentiate herself from her "clone", but events at the end of 1998 had made it pretty clear that he was now taken.
But, she rationalised, it didn't mean that they could not still be friends. She folded into his arms as he stood one step below her and hugged her. Damn, Lady Roberta was a lucky woman!
"Happy New Year, Mac".
"Happy new year Flyboy – and congratulations; you skipped town before any of us knew."
Harm looked sheepish. Then his face cracked into a huge Harmon Rabb "all is right with the world" smile. "Yeah, damn' paparazzi – we'd have preferred to wait until week 14 when the risks are lower, but my Mom was in fine form when she surprised us at San Diego airport. She'd seen the news wire photo as well."
Chuckling, the two colleagues headed towards the nearby coffee shop to catch up on their news.
Mac was glad to have her partner back – even though she now had to accept his new priorities.
"By the way Harm, I reckon that you'll need to look out for Harriet when you return: she'll want all of the juicy gossip at the first opportunity."
Harm placed his hand over hers. "Well then, I guess I shall need my favourite Marine to provide covering fire on Monday morning!"
She turned her hand in his and squeezed.
"You got it, partner."
In parallel, the two long-standing JAG partners opened their menu cards and began to choose their lunch options.
Mac had already formed the view that Bobbi Latham was a good addition to her circle of friends – she would, henceforth, come as part of the "Harmon Rabb package deal". There was no viable alternative, in her pragmatic view.
"Suck it up, Marine", she thought to herself.
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End of "Cadet Robyn Harmony Latham-Rabb" Ch06– "Starting an interesting year"
Mike, United Kingdom, 06-02-2022