Course of Love Part 2/9
Disclaimer - See part one for all important information
BACK TO PRESENT
"So you two kiss, talk the next day, and start dating. Right?"
The couple laughed at Chloe's comment. "Would have been nice if it was that easy," Mac said for them.
"No, it took a little while longer and a trip to get us closer to dating." Harm placed his arm around the back of Mac's chair.
"Did you two go away for a weekend?" Chloe asked, knowing this was something Harm and Mac did about every three months to get some time away from work and the kids.
"It was Memorial weekend. Sergei and I were going to visit Grandma Sarah. He asked his girlfriend Evelyn to join us and they in turn told me to ask Mac to come along. I believe the reason they gave me was so I wouldn't feel like a third wheel. So I asked her and she said sure."
"Of course I was told Grandma Sarah and Sergei would give me blackmail on him. And I never miss the chance to embarrass him," Mac added on with a smile on her face.
Harm looked at Mac for a brief second, then at Chloe. "She said yes and we left Friday after work. We got to the house around eleven. Sergei and Evelyn were asleep in the backseat, while Mac was keeping me awake from the passenger seat."
FLASHBACK
Friday May 23, 2003
(Memorial day weekend)
11:03 PM
Harm pulled the SUV into the driveway of the farm. "Grandma's excited to meet you."
"Do you think she'll like me?" Mac asked, finding herself nervous for some reason.
"If she likes you half as much as I do you'll be better than fine," Harm said as Mac gave him an odd look.
Mac was about to respond as Sergei and Evelyn woke up. "Are we there yet, brother?" Sergei asked.
"Just pulled into the driveway."
"When were you going to wake us, Harm?" Evelyn asked, picking on Harm.
Harm thought for a second. "I was thinking sometime next week."
"Funny, Harm," Evelyn chuckled.
"Do I need to separate you two?" Sergei interjected.
Evelyn wrapped her arms around Sergei's neck. "As long as you're with me, I don't care." She and Sergei shared a long kiss.
Harm and Mac glanced at each other and smiled shyly. As they approached the house Harm slowed the car down and reached with his right arm into the back seat to gently swat at the couple to break them apart. "All right, all right, you two, knock it off."
"Envious, brother?" Sergei asked with a smile as he and Evelyn separated.
"Not at all," Harm lied. He turned off the engine after putting the car into park. "We're here."
The four got out of the car just as Sarah Rabb walked out of the front door. "Thought you got lost."
"You know Harm is never on time." Sergei walked up and kissed his grandmother on the cheek.
"Hello Sergei, how are you?" Sarah asked, giving her youngest grandson a hug.
"Good, Grandmother." He motioned for Evelyn to join him on the porch. "You remember Evelyn?"
"Of course, how are you?" Sarah smiled as she hugged the younger woman.
"I'm good, Sarah." Evelyn smiled back, feeling special to the older woman.
Harm walked up to his grandmother. "What were you just going to forget about me?"
"You, the grandson that jumped off of the hay loft when he was eight because his mother and I told him not to. Harmon, I couldn't forget you if I tried." Sarah smiled as Harm kissed her cheek and gave her a hug.
"I love you too, Grandma," Harm said with a smile. Sarah just smiled at him before she looked at Mac who was shyly standing back from the group. Harm noticed his grandmother's attention and motioned for Mac to join them. Slowly Mac smiled and walked onto the porch. "Grandma, I would like you to meet Sarah MacKenzie. Mac this is my grandmother," Harm introduced Mac politely to Sarah.
Sarah smiled a mile wide. "So I finally get to meet you. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about you, Sarah."
"It's nice to meet you, ma'am," Mac said holding her hand out to Sarah.
Sarah reached for Mac's hand and pulled her into a hug. "We hug in this family, Sarah. And you can call me Sarah or Grandma." Mac just smiled at Sarah's words. Sarah grabbed Evelyn's hand and kept Mac's in hers. She turned to her grandsons. "Us ladies are going to go inside, so you gentlemen can unload the car."
"Yes Ma'am," Harm and Sergei said as they walked back to the car to get the bags.
Saturday May 24, 2003
8:02 AM
"It is so beautiful out here," Mac said as she sat down at the kitchen table drinking her coffee.
"I'm glad you like it Sarah," Sarah smiled as she took a sip of her coffee, "I'm also glad you like the coffee strong."
"It's the only way to drink coffee."
Sarah laughed. "Harm would have to disagree with you on that."
"Harm disagrees with me on just about everything."
"He may but I hear a lot of what he isn't saying to you."
"He doesn't say a lot on certain things, but there are some topics he can and has talked for hours on."
"He's like his father that way." Sarah sipped her coffee. "Harmon would sit at this table for hours talking about the Navy and flying, but the second I would ask him about a girl from school he would be as quiet as a church mouse. His son does the same thing according to his mother. Have you met Trish?"
"Twice, but I think that Harm is trying to avoid any future meetings," Mac said.
"Why?" Sarah asked.
Mac grinned. "Blackmail."
Sarah smiled like any good loving grandmother would. "Well, I've got bathtub photos and stories that would make him want to crawl under a rock." Both of the women started laughing at that comment.
"Please, tell me you didn't tell her about the time I broke my arm by jumping onto the bunk bed," Harm said as he walked into the room to the sound of laughter.
"You broke your arm while trying to jump onto a bunk bed?" Mac said, not believing him.
"Oh, man," Harm groaned.
Sarah laughed. "No, I was thinking about telling Sarah the story of the night you kissed Becky Miller and spent the night in jail."
Mac started laughing. "I want to hear that one."
"Shouldn't you wait until Sergei and Evelyn get up so you don't have to repeat the story," Harm said, hoping by that time, Mac and his grandmother would have forgotten about the story.
"Are they still in bed?" Sarah asked.
"They are normal people and sleep in on the weekends." Harm took a sip of his coffee. "Oh, who made this?"
"I did. Don't you like it?" Sarah said, looking at her grandson with mock anger.
"Almost as bad as Mac's." Harm sat down next to Mac, just in time to have her playfully slap his arm. "Abuse."
Mac smiled. "Not when you deserve it, and I happen to like the coffee."
"That's because you and my grandmother are weird. Both of you are out of bed on a Saturday before ten and take your coffee stronger than the catapult on the Henry," Harm said to the two women who were just smiling.
"I think he likes it but won't admit it," Mac said to Sarah in all seriousness.
Sarah laughed as she watched her grandson and Mac banter with each other. "So what are you kids going to do today?"
"I really didn't plan anything," Harm said.
"Good, Emma Clark called yesterday and said the church is having the Spring Social tonight. And since you and Sergei are here with your girlfriends, she wants us to attend," Sarah explained, "It starts at seven and usually stops around midnight."
"I'm sure Sergei and Evelyn will love to go," Harm said.
"And what about you two?" Sarah asked, looking at the two people in front of her.
"Sounds like fun," Mac said.
Harm looked at her and smiled, then turned his attention to his grandmother. "Yeah, it does. But Grandma, you know Mac and I aren't involved."
Sarah just smiled and stood up from the table. She placed her coffee cup in the sink and started to leave the room. Before she left the room she looked at Harm and Mac and said, "You two are more involved than you know."
PRESENT DAY
"So Grandma Sarah got you two together," Chloe said as she found herself getting into the story.
"She got the ball rolling," Harm said, "Because that night after the Social I did something I didn't think I would do."
End of Part 2