Chapter 3.
0900 ZULU
SARAH MACKENZIES APARTMENT.
Mac sat in her apartment waiting for Harm to come and pick her up, she wondered if Renee would invite herself along and silently prayed that she wouldn't. That woman could get on her last nerve without even trying and that was something she didn't need at that moment.
The phone rang, Mac walked over to it and picked it up.
"Hello?" she answered tiredly not having had much sleep the previous night.
"Hey it's Chloe. Just calling to see how you are." the youngster told her sweetly.
"Fine baby and you?" Mac asked the youngster, one who she absolutely adored and considered as her own little sister.
"I'm okay, I'm at home from school though, I fell of my horse and hit my head yesterday. They just wanna make sure I don't have concussion."
"So what ya doing?" Mac asked, sitting down next to her dog, who was obviously dreaming.
"Watching T.V. So hows things with that Brumby guy?" she asked slurping a drink as she talked down the other end of the phone.
"Fine sweetie." She lied something which Chloe immediately sensed.
"You don't sound like they're fine."
"Honey don't worry yourself, really everything's okay." Mac reassured.
Chloe sighed "So hows Harm? he has a nice butt you know." she added.
"Really I hadn't noticed." Mac stated giggling "And he's fine."
"You've worked with the guy for four years and you're telling me you haven't once looked at his butt? Sarah you're kidding right?" the youngster giggled.
Her doorbell rang. Saved by the bell Mac thought to herself.
"Hang on honey, someone's at the door." she said to the still giggling youngster.
Mac walked over to the door and looked through the peephole to see Harm standing there wearing tight fitting black jeans and a tight fitting white t-shirt which showed of his muscles. She felt her knees go weak like a school girls adn what felt like butterflies fluttered in her stomach.
"You ready ninja girl?" he shouted, his flyboy grin plastered on his face.
She smiled, opening the door.
"Yep, just speaking to Chloe."
"Shouldn't she be at school?" he said in a loud and theatrical way making sure the youngster heard.
Mac smiled at a comment Chloe made on the other end of the phone, looking sheepishly at Harm.
"She wants to say hi." she told him handing over the phone. "I'll just go go use the bathroom, get my jacket and then we're off." she added walking towards the bathroom.
"So sweetheart how are you?" Harm asked sitting down on the sofa, noticing Jingos mouth twitching as he slept.
"Okay. I hurt my head yesterday so I got the day off school...you know just in case I go loopy or something." she added taking another long slurp of her drink. "What about you, you okay?"
Harm smiled "Uh huh."
"So whatcha doing today?" Chloe asked innocently.
"Mac and I are helping out our boss by looking for wedding venues for a friend of his."
"Is it like a date?" Chloe asked getting excited.
"No, I'm kinda seeing somebody and Mac... well you know she's engaged."
"Yeah to that Brumby guy..." the youngster paused.
"Chloe you okay?" Harm asked.
"Yeah it's just...If I tell you something will you promise not to tell Sarah?"
"Sure honey what's up?" he answered getting a sinking feeling about Mac's relatonship with Mic.
"You know Brumby, or whatever his name is...well I don't think he's good for her...Sarah I mean."
"Why would you say that?"
The youngster stayed quiet.
"Sweetie, why don't you think he's good for her?" he asked concerned.
"It's just...She seems sad Harm like when she's speaking and stuff. I don't think she's happy and I don't think he's being particularly nice to her." she started to cry.
"Has she sid anything to you?"
"She says everythings okay but I know she's just trying to protect me" the youngster sobbed. "Promise me you'll look out for her, please. I only want her to be happy, I hate it when she's sad."
Chloe's grandmother obviously having heard the youngster getting upset could be heard on the other end of the phone.
"Chloe darling whatever's the matter?...ssshhh child it's alright." she then came on the other end of the line.
"Harm is it? Sarah's partner?"
"Yes ma'am. Is Chloe alright?"
"Fine just a little upset. Do you know whats the matter?"
"I think she's worried about Ma...Sarah."
"Is everything okay?"
"I really don't know."
Harm saw Mac leave the bathroom .
"Look I'd better go, get this one sorted out, she took quite a bump to the head yesterday. Tell Sarah Chloe says she loves her. Goodbye Mr Harm...and look after Sarah for us."
"I always will. Bye." he answered as the woman hung up the phone.
"Chloe gone?" Mac asked coming over to Harm.
"Yeah, she was a little tired. Says she loves you."
"I love her too." she answered seeing the faraway look in Harms eyes, knowing automatically that he was deep in thought about something. "So we gonna go see this guy or what?" she asked.
"Of course." he answered getting off the chair and taking her hand.
"You okay Harm?"
He looked at her deep in the eyes looking for some indication as to what was happening to her but she was giving nothing away.
"Harm?"
"Fine." he lied putting one hand against the small of her back, leading her out of the apartment. "Just fine."
1030 ZULU.
ROSELAKE HOTEL.
Just an hour and a half later Harm had called in a favour with the owner of the hotel, who still appeared eternally gratefull for Harms saving his brothers six. It was a beautiful place with wooden beaming and oak floors, old fashioned furniture adorning the rooms, long winding stircases adorned with fairylights and a view of a flower garden with a fountain standing in the middle and a swimming pool from the front of the hotel and the sea front at the back. The walls were covered with Ivy, arches with climbing roses both red and white. Mac loved the place, Harm was obviously pretty impressed and they were sure that two young lovers would find this a beautiful setting for their wedding, Mac would too if....she sighed there was no point worrying about this today, she knew she should be happy but there was always something preventing this but she was only just starting to open up as to what 'it' was.
"So do we have a deal?" Harm asked the owner snapping Mac out of her musings.
"Let me get this straight you want a marquee in the grounds for the reception, the wedding to be held in the flower garden and both the bridal party, and the grooms to stay here the night before the wedding? You also want the caterers to use our kitchen?"
"You owe me one Will. Remember after the trial you said anytime you need a favour all you have to do is ask...Now I'm asking."
"They a cute couple?" Will asked.
"The cutest." Mac added.
"And I would get paid for all this."
"Of course, just a little less than you normally would because this is after all a favour." Harm added putting on one of his most charming smiles, one which he used frequently when fighting arguments in court.
Will sighed "You do realise how big this favour is right? I mean after this we're even."
"Sure." Harm smiled.
"Then Mister Rabb you have a deal, though I would like to meet the prospective bride and groom first you know cos..."
"Sure Will, we'll be in touch." Harm answered.
"So what about you two, when's your big day?"
Harm and Mac blushed.
"Actually we're not a couple sir, I'm engaged to another man and Harms involved with someone also."
"Pity." the man sighed "When people look as good as you two do together they really should do something about it. I look forward to hearing from you." he finished before walking off.
Harm looked at his watch.
"Well we've finished that job quicker than I thought we would."
"We certainly did." she finished smiling at the last comment the guy had made before he had walked off. "So what do you wanna do now flyboy, its 11.30. I suppose we could head back home or go to work..."
Harm grabbed her hands in his, his touch making Mac go weak at the knees.
"I think I have an idea." he told her pulling her towards the car. "What do you say we do something, Just you and me, no Mic, no Renne, just us doing something together like we used to."
At first Mac looked a little uncomfortable, something Harm found disconcerting, but then a sweet smile appeared on her face. "You're on flyboy." she replied getting into the car. "So you gonna drive or what?"
(END OF PART THREE)
0900 ZULU
SARAH MACKENZIES APARTMENT.
Mac sat in her apartment waiting for Harm to come and pick her up, she wondered if Renee would invite herself along and silently prayed that she wouldn't. That woman could get on her last nerve without even trying and that was something she didn't need at that moment.
The phone rang, Mac walked over to it and picked it up.
"Hello?" she answered tiredly not having had much sleep the previous night.
"Hey it's Chloe. Just calling to see how you are." the youngster told her sweetly.
"Fine baby and you?" Mac asked the youngster, one who she absolutely adored and considered as her own little sister.
"I'm okay, I'm at home from school though, I fell of my horse and hit my head yesterday. They just wanna make sure I don't have concussion."
"So what ya doing?" Mac asked, sitting down next to her dog, who was obviously dreaming.
"Watching T.V. So hows things with that Brumby guy?" she asked slurping a drink as she talked down the other end of the phone.
"Fine sweetie." She lied something which Chloe immediately sensed.
"You don't sound like they're fine."
"Honey don't worry yourself, really everything's okay." Mac reassured.
Chloe sighed "So hows Harm? he has a nice butt you know." she added.
"Really I hadn't noticed." Mac stated giggling "And he's fine."
"You've worked with the guy for four years and you're telling me you haven't once looked at his butt? Sarah you're kidding right?" the youngster giggled.
Her doorbell rang. Saved by the bell Mac thought to herself.
"Hang on honey, someone's at the door." she said to the still giggling youngster.
Mac walked over to the door and looked through the peephole to see Harm standing there wearing tight fitting black jeans and a tight fitting white t-shirt which showed of his muscles. She felt her knees go weak like a school girls adn what felt like butterflies fluttered in her stomach.
"You ready ninja girl?" he shouted, his flyboy grin plastered on his face.
She smiled, opening the door.
"Yep, just speaking to Chloe."
"Shouldn't she be at school?" he said in a loud and theatrical way making sure the youngster heard.
Mac smiled at a comment Chloe made on the other end of the phone, looking sheepishly at Harm.
"She wants to say hi." she told him handing over the phone. "I'll just go go use the bathroom, get my jacket and then we're off." she added walking towards the bathroom.
"So sweetheart how are you?" Harm asked sitting down on the sofa, noticing Jingos mouth twitching as he slept.
"Okay. I hurt my head yesterday so I got the day off school...you know just in case I go loopy or something." she added taking another long slurp of her drink. "What about you, you okay?"
Harm smiled "Uh huh."
"So whatcha doing today?" Chloe asked innocently.
"Mac and I are helping out our boss by looking for wedding venues for a friend of his."
"Is it like a date?" Chloe asked getting excited.
"No, I'm kinda seeing somebody and Mac... well you know she's engaged."
"Yeah to that Brumby guy..." the youngster paused.
"Chloe you okay?" Harm asked.
"Yeah it's just...If I tell you something will you promise not to tell Sarah?"
"Sure honey what's up?" he answered getting a sinking feeling about Mac's relatonship with Mic.
"You know Brumby, or whatever his name is...well I don't think he's good for her...Sarah I mean."
"Why would you say that?"
The youngster stayed quiet.
"Sweetie, why don't you think he's good for her?" he asked concerned.
"It's just...She seems sad Harm like when she's speaking and stuff. I don't think she's happy and I don't think he's being particularly nice to her." she started to cry.
"Has she sid anything to you?"
"She says everythings okay but I know she's just trying to protect me" the youngster sobbed. "Promise me you'll look out for her, please. I only want her to be happy, I hate it when she's sad."
Chloe's grandmother obviously having heard the youngster getting upset could be heard on the other end of the phone.
"Chloe darling whatever's the matter?...ssshhh child it's alright." she then came on the other end of the line.
"Harm is it? Sarah's partner?"
"Yes ma'am. Is Chloe alright?"
"Fine just a little upset. Do you know whats the matter?"
"I think she's worried about Ma...Sarah."
"Is everything okay?"
"I really don't know."
Harm saw Mac leave the bathroom .
"Look I'd better go, get this one sorted out, she took quite a bump to the head yesterday. Tell Sarah Chloe says she loves her. Goodbye Mr Harm...and look after Sarah for us."
"I always will. Bye." he answered as the woman hung up the phone.
"Chloe gone?" Mac asked coming over to Harm.
"Yeah, she was a little tired. Says she loves you."
"I love her too." she answered seeing the faraway look in Harms eyes, knowing automatically that he was deep in thought about something. "So we gonna go see this guy or what?" she asked.
"Of course." he answered getting off the chair and taking her hand.
"You okay Harm?"
He looked at her deep in the eyes looking for some indication as to what was happening to her but she was giving nothing away.
"Harm?"
"Fine." he lied putting one hand against the small of her back, leading her out of the apartment. "Just fine."
1030 ZULU.
ROSELAKE HOTEL.
Just an hour and a half later Harm had called in a favour with the owner of the hotel, who still appeared eternally gratefull for Harms saving his brothers six. It was a beautiful place with wooden beaming and oak floors, old fashioned furniture adorning the rooms, long winding stircases adorned with fairylights and a view of a flower garden with a fountain standing in the middle and a swimming pool from the front of the hotel and the sea front at the back. The walls were covered with Ivy, arches with climbing roses both red and white. Mac loved the place, Harm was obviously pretty impressed and they were sure that two young lovers would find this a beautiful setting for their wedding, Mac would too if....she sighed there was no point worrying about this today, she knew she should be happy but there was always something preventing this but she was only just starting to open up as to what 'it' was.
"So do we have a deal?" Harm asked the owner snapping Mac out of her musings.
"Let me get this straight you want a marquee in the grounds for the reception, the wedding to be held in the flower garden and both the bridal party, and the grooms to stay here the night before the wedding? You also want the caterers to use our kitchen?"
"You owe me one Will. Remember after the trial you said anytime you need a favour all you have to do is ask...Now I'm asking."
"They a cute couple?" Will asked.
"The cutest." Mac added.
"And I would get paid for all this."
"Of course, just a little less than you normally would because this is after all a favour." Harm added putting on one of his most charming smiles, one which he used frequently when fighting arguments in court.
Will sighed "You do realise how big this favour is right? I mean after this we're even."
"Sure." Harm smiled.
"Then Mister Rabb you have a deal, though I would like to meet the prospective bride and groom first you know cos..."
"Sure Will, we'll be in touch." Harm answered.
"So what about you two, when's your big day?"
Harm and Mac blushed.
"Actually we're not a couple sir, I'm engaged to another man and Harms involved with someone also."
"Pity." the man sighed "When people look as good as you two do together they really should do something about it. I look forward to hearing from you." he finished before walking off.
Harm looked at his watch.
"Well we've finished that job quicker than I thought we would."
"We certainly did." she finished smiling at the last comment the guy had made before he had walked off. "So what do you wanna do now flyboy, its 11.30. I suppose we could head back home or go to work..."
Harm grabbed her hands in his, his touch making Mac go weak at the knees.
"I think I have an idea." he told her pulling her towards the car. "What do you say we do something, Just you and me, no Mic, no Renne, just us doing something together like we used to."
At first Mac looked a little uncomfortable, something Harm found disconcerting, but then a sweet smile appeared on her face. "You're on flyboy." she replied getting into the car. "So you gonna drive or what?"
(END OF PART THREE)