Chapter 8.
2130 ZULU.
ROSELAKE HOTEL.
Harmon Rabb stood outside the hotel thinking. He had tried to talk to Mac but she had just run upstairs and he didn't know what to do. He loved that woman so much and wanted to comfort her, to tell her just how much he cared, but he was scared, scared like he had been on that ferry when she tried to tell him how she felt.
"Harmon Rabb Jr what are you doing outside on your own?" came a familiar voice from behind him.
"Mom what are you doing here?" Harm asked as his mother Trish Burnett came into view carrying a big package in her hands.
"I bring wedding cake." came the reply. "A.J called. What's wrong dear?" she asked noticing the sullen look on his face.
"Everything is such a mess mom." he told her sitting down on a plastic chair that had been left outside.
"Like what Harmon, talk to me."
"That guy who Mac was engaged too..."
"What darling?" she asked.
"He's been beating her."
"Well is she alright?"
"Not really. He tried to rape the girl who's wedding we organised, the police were called and they took him away tonight. She was so scared mom you should've seen her she's been on antibiotics, anti inflammatory drugs, she's been afraid to go home and I tried to help her...I didn't know how. Then tonight he went after Courteney, kept telling Mac we were lying when she found A.J trying to beat the crap out of the guy...that he'd done nothing, and for a moment I thought she believed him or was too scared not too. You should've seen her when she realised...he must've hurt her so badly"
"That poor woman."
"I offered to have her stay at mine a few weeks ago, that put Renees back up a bit and his too. For two days after that she was off sick and she could barely walk when she came back to work. Things had been getting so much better mom, we spent the day at a fair and we spoke properly for the first time since I came back to JAG while we were there." he said affectionately "And tonight in front of everyone she practically told me that she loved me, that with Mic she was only settling for second best because when we were on a ferry and she tried to tell me how she felt I pushed her away."
"Oh Harmon you didn't."
"She won't even talk to me mom! she said she loved me and she won't even talk to me." he said putting
his head in his hands.
"Do you love her?" Trish asked. "Harmon Rabb do you love her?"
"Yes, yes I love her, I always have done and I always will. Mom I love her so much it hurts and that scares me. There's no Renee anymore there's just Mac now, I just...God she means so much to me mom I've known that since I met her, I've known she's the woman I want to wake up with, to grow old with...to have your grandchildren with for gods sake."
"Then for gods sake do something about it. She's scared Harmon that's why she ran, because she opened herself up in front of everybody and that scares her. Why didn't you tell her how you felt on that ferry dear? why if you love her so much didn't you tell her then?"
"Because I was scared. I was scared that she felt the same about me as I did for her. She broke my heart too you know going to him."
"What did you expect when you pushed her away. Don't leave it too late Harmon because one day you could lose the one you love, the one who's your world and then you'll regret things and regrets are not the best things to carry inside Harm, they are no way the best." she told him, leaving him food for thought as she entered the hotel.
Everyone had changed back into regular clothes and were now sitting in the lounge watching Baz Luhrmans Romeo and Juliet which Will had hired for them all. Harriet was laying long ways on a sofa, her head resting on Buds chest, holding him close, A.J playing with the Admiral who was bouncing him on his knee, Sydney beside him with her head on his shoulder. Courteney and Jack were sitting similarly, Jack stroking Courteneys hair.
"You know I understand if you don't want to get married tommorow." Jack told Courteney quietly.
Everyone looked up waiting for her reply.
"You kidding sailor, that bastard may of knocked me down but he could never stop me marrying the guy I love."
"Looks like you're stuck with her Jack." Bud joked.
"Oh I can think of worse things." he replied kissing her forehead.
"Excuse me? where are the bride and groom?" came a voice from the door way.
"That would be us?" Jack asked lifting a hand to signify who the voice belonged to.
"Well I have your cake." the woman replied. "Hello I'm Trish Burnett, Harms mother."
"Hi." everyone chorused, Jack and Courteney getting up to shake Trish's hand, Will taking the cake to put in the kitchen.
"Mrs Burnett do you get on with Mac?" Harriet asked from where she was laying.
"Yes dear why?" Trish replied.
"Well she could probably do with you upstairs." Bud finished as Trish gave them a nod. "She's in room 113."
2140 ZULU.
ROOM 113
ROSELAKE HOTEL
Sarah Mackenzie lay on the bed crying. She was crying with relief as Mic was now gone but she was crying with sadness also. She had made her feelings clear to everyone down stairs, had told them how she loved a certain Naval Aviator who was obviously restraining himself with much difficulty from ripping Mic Brumby to pieces but he hadn't even come to look for her, to come and comfort her, to come and kiss it better which she could of done with at that moment. She tried to be angry with him for it, she tried to hate him for it, but she couldn't, not one bit because she loved that man more than anything, more than Mic...more than any one thing, she could never hate him.
"Sarah darling it's Trish...Trish Burnett...are you in there?"
"Trish what are you doing here?" Mac said through tears answering the womans question.
"I was drafted in to get the wedding cake sorted. Oh darling come here." she said softly sitting down next to Mac and rocking her in her arms as a mother would their child when they were upset.
"Oh Trish everything...in such...a..mess." she said shakily through tears.
"Yes Harmon told he about Mic...I am so sorry, no woman should ever have to go through that." Trish said rubbing Macs back. "You know my son is standing outside beating himself up over this. He feels responsible in some way."
"Well then he's stupid, none of this is Harms fault, he was one of the people trying to get me away from Mic." Mac told Trish looking up at her face.
"He was also the one who pushed you into his arms wasn't he?" Trish stated making Mac look down. Trish took the womans face gently in her hands and lifted it up so she was looking into her eyes. "You know, my son thinks the world of you Sarah Mackenzie, he loves you more than he could ever say to you, to me or anyone. When he speaks about you his eyes light up, his face lights up...you're his angel. He's just scared Sarah...man get that way when they're in love...I know. Go to him Sarah, I have a feeling that if you do you're going to get the man you truly love tonight."
"How do you know I love Harm?"
"Sarah he told me you practically shouted it to everyone in the hotel down there, and I can see it in your eyes. Sweetheart you're both scared I know that but you already have something that couples strive so hard for years to get. Don't throw it away, nor your happiness because of fear, it's not worth it."
"I love him so much Trish." Mac told the older woman crying again.
"I know child, I know." she soothed kissing Mac on the forehead and rocking her until the tears could come no more.
(END OF PART EIGHT)
2130 ZULU.
ROSELAKE HOTEL.
Harmon Rabb stood outside the hotel thinking. He had tried to talk to Mac but she had just run upstairs and he didn't know what to do. He loved that woman so much and wanted to comfort her, to tell her just how much he cared, but he was scared, scared like he had been on that ferry when she tried to tell him how she felt.
"Harmon Rabb Jr what are you doing outside on your own?" came a familiar voice from behind him.
"Mom what are you doing here?" Harm asked as his mother Trish Burnett came into view carrying a big package in her hands.
"I bring wedding cake." came the reply. "A.J called. What's wrong dear?" she asked noticing the sullen look on his face.
"Everything is such a mess mom." he told her sitting down on a plastic chair that had been left outside.
"Like what Harmon, talk to me."
"That guy who Mac was engaged too..."
"What darling?" she asked.
"He's been beating her."
"Well is she alright?"
"Not really. He tried to rape the girl who's wedding we organised, the police were called and they took him away tonight. She was so scared mom you should've seen her she's been on antibiotics, anti inflammatory drugs, she's been afraid to go home and I tried to help her...I didn't know how. Then tonight he went after Courteney, kept telling Mac we were lying when she found A.J trying to beat the crap out of the guy...that he'd done nothing, and for a moment I thought she believed him or was too scared not too. You should've seen her when she realised...he must've hurt her so badly"
"That poor woman."
"I offered to have her stay at mine a few weeks ago, that put Renees back up a bit and his too. For two days after that she was off sick and she could barely walk when she came back to work. Things had been getting so much better mom, we spent the day at a fair and we spoke properly for the first time since I came back to JAG while we were there." he said affectionately "And tonight in front of everyone she practically told me that she loved me, that with Mic she was only settling for second best because when we were on a ferry and she tried to tell me how she felt I pushed her away."
"Oh Harmon you didn't."
"She won't even talk to me mom! she said she loved me and she won't even talk to me." he said putting
his head in his hands.
"Do you love her?" Trish asked. "Harmon Rabb do you love her?"
"Yes, yes I love her, I always have done and I always will. Mom I love her so much it hurts and that scares me. There's no Renee anymore there's just Mac now, I just...God she means so much to me mom I've known that since I met her, I've known she's the woman I want to wake up with, to grow old with...to have your grandchildren with for gods sake."
"Then for gods sake do something about it. She's scared Harmon that's why she ran, because she opened herself up in front of everybody and that scares her. Why didn't you tell her how you felt on that ferry dear? why if you love her so much didn't you tell her then?"
"Because I was scared. I was scared that she felt the same about me as I did for her. She broke my heart too you know going to him."
"What did you expect when you pushed her away. Don't leave it too late Harmon because one day you could lose the one you love, the one who's your world and then you'll regret things and regrets are not the best things to carry inside Harm, they are no way the best." she told him, leaving him food for thought as she entered the hotel.
Everyone had changed back into regular clothes and were now sitting in the lounge watching Baz Luhrmans Romeo and Juliet which Will had hired for them all. Harriet was laying long ways on a sofa, her head resting on Buds chest, holding him close, A.J playing with the Admiral who was bouncing him on his knee, Sydney beside him with her head on his shoulder. Courteney and Jack were sitting similarly, Jack stroking Courteneys hair.
"You know I understand if you don't want to get married tommorow." Jack told Courteney quietly.
Everyone looked up waiting for her reply.
"You kidding sailor, that bastard may of knocked me down but he could never stop me marrying the guy I love."
"Looks like you're stuck with her Jack." Bud joked.
"Oh I can think of worse things." he replied kissing her forehead.
"Excuse me? where are the bride and groom?" came a voice from the door way.
"That would be us?" Jack asked lifting a hand to signify who the voice belonged to.
"Well I have your cake." the woman replied. "Hello I'm Trish Burnett, Harms mother."
"Hi." everyone chorused, Jack and Courteney getting up to shake Trish's hand, Will taking the cake to put in the kitchen.
"Mrs Burnett do you get on with Mac?" Harriet asked from where she was laying.
"Yes dear why?" Trish replied.
"Well she could probably do with you upstairs." Bud finished as Trish gave them a nod. "She's in room 113."
2140 ZULU.
ROOM 113
ROSELAKE HOTEL
Sarah Mackenzie lay on the bed crying. She was crying with relief as Mic was now gone but she was crying with sadness also. She had made her feelings clear to everyone down stairs, had told them how she loved a certain Naval Aviator who was obviously restraining himself with much difficulty from ripping Mic Brumby to pieces but he hadn't even come to look for her, to come and comfort her, to come and kiss it better which she could of done with at that moment. She tried to be angry with him for it, she tried to hate him for it, but she couldn't, not one bit because she loved that man more than anything, more than Mic...more than any one thing, she could never hate him.
"Sarah darling it's Trish...Trish Burnett...are you in there?"
"Trish what are you doing here?" Mac said through tears answering the womans question.
"I was drafted in to get the wedding cake sorted. Oh darling come here." she said softly sitting down next to Mac and rocking her in her arms as a mother would their child when they were upset.
"Oh Trish everything...in such...a..mess." she said shakily through tears.
"Yes Harmon told he about Mic...I am so sorry, no woman should ever have to go through that." Trish said rubbing Macs back. "You know my son is standing outside beating himself up over this. He feels responsible in some way."
"Well then he's stupid, none of this is Harms fault, he was one of the people trying to get me away from Mic." Mac told Trish looking up at her face.
"He was also the one who pushed you into his arms wasn't he?" Trish stated making Mac look down. Trish took the womans face gently in her hands and lifted it up so she was looking into her eyes. "You know, my son thinks the world of you Sarah Mackenzie, he loves you more than he could ever say to you, to me or anyone. When he speaks about you his eyes light up, his face lights up...you're his angel. He's just scared Sarah...man get that way when they're in love...I know. Go to him Sarah, I have a feeling that if you do you're going to get the man you truly love tonight."
"How do you know I love Harm?"
"Sarah he told me you practically shouted it to everyone in the hotel down there, and I can see it in your eyes. Sweetheart you're both scared I know that but you already have something that couples strive so hard for years to get. Don't throw it away, nor your happiness because of fear, it's not worth it."
"I love him so much Trish." Mac told the older woman crying again.
"I know child, I know." she soothed kissing Mac on the forehead and rocking her until the tears could come no more.
(END OF PART EIGHT)