Author's Note:
Here it is part ten I hope you enjoy it. This one is really just some detail that will reveal its purpose in the end. It also provides a change in pace and I felt like writing it. I sincerely hope that it will keep you entertained for a little bit it's not really long. (I also have a violin audition to practice for). I am also trying to start another story as you (if you read my bio). So it is taking up some time. I expect to have part eleven up by Thursday I don't want to keep you waiting for too long. Anyway I really need to shut my mouth so you can read this. Feedback is always appreciated and feel free to correct any thing wrong you find. Okay I am really going to shut up now. (Puts hand over mouth to emphasize.)
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The Royal Tahitian
Out in the Pacific Ocean
1800 Romeo
The Odyssey Restaurant
Harm and Mac sat at one of the tables for six along with another family.
"Good evening, I'm Harmon Rabb and this is my," Harm paused thinking carefully about his next words, "My wife Sarah. Do you mind if we join you?" He finished quickly. Mac looked at him surprised that he didn't tell the truth or be at least half way honest.
"Of course have a seat. This is my wife Teresa and I'm Jim Carson and these are our children David and Catherine." The man introduced them. Mac looked at the boy named David and realized that he was the boy from the pool earlier and the girl he was playing with was his sister. Harm noticed too, deciding to continue the conversation asked,
"So what do you do for a living Jim."
"I'm a captain in the Navy. I mostly spend my time pushing papers at the Pentagon and my wife is in administrative at the Pentagon. How about you?"
"I'm Navy as well sir, but Mac umm I mean Sarah is in the Marines. We work at JAG HQ in Falls Church." Harm said a little more formally than he normally would.
"Well I'll be damned, but hey lighten up, no sirs and all that we're all on vacation and not in uniform. Now you said your JAG. You too wouldn't happen to be the same people as Comm. Rabb and Col. Mackenzie that Chegwidden talks about all the time?"
"I'm afraid so Jim the very same. He doesn't really talk about us that much does he?" Mac asked.
"Oh all the time, why for instance when he was in that meeting a couple of weeks ago…" Teresa interjected but stopped when a waiter approached them. They went ahead and placed their orders and then Mac decided to change the subject.
"Teresa your children are darlings, how did you teach them to have such good manners?"
"Why thank you Sarah, but they aren't always this well behaved. When they meet new people they are a little shy."
"I'm not Mommy!" David boasted. He then said,
"Ma'am I saw you at the pool today." He said to Mac he added to Harm, "And you too sir. You can swim really fast and it was funny when you pushed those other people into the pool." David giggled and Catherine who was right next to Mac piped up,
"Well I didn't think it was funny but I thought when you guys hugged it was cute." Catherine blushed slightly and Teresa smiled.
"Ma'am I like your hair it's really pretty." Catherine said to Mac.
"Thank you I like yours too. How old are you?"
"Six and one half, and my brother is seven. How old are you?"
"Thirty six, but who's counting."
"Wow that's cool I wish I were thirty six. Did you know that I want to be in the Marines like my uncle and like you." Catherine said proudly.
"The Navy is way better!" David said.
"No Marines!"
"Navy!"
"Marines!"
"Nav…"
"Children behave!" Teresa scolded gently.
"Sorry about that they are very opinionated, but you see they are not always well behaved."
"Oh that's perfectly all right we are used to it." Mac said smiling.
"You have children?" Jim asked.
"No not yet anyway." Harm said taking Mac's hand underneath the table.
"Well I can understand why you might want to wait, life in the Navy's lane isn't a Sunday drive." Jim stated.
"Mommy I'm hungry! When are we going to eat?" Catherine whined. As if to answer her question a man arrived carrying their food on a tray. He set their plates in front of them and with a quick 'enjoy your meal' scurried off to serve other passengers. While David and Catherine ate their spaghetti Mac and Teresa continued to talk between bites. Mac found her a little high maintenance but rather pleasant to talk to until she asked,
"Sarah were is your ring?" Mac stopped and looked down at her bare left hand and it took her a minute to come up with a response.
"I left it at home. I didn't want it to get lost or stolen so it's in the lock box in DC." She said quickly. Teresa seemed to believe her and continued to eat her chicken.
When they had all finished almost an hour later the Carsons excused themselves due to Catherine falling asleep and David getting bored. Harm and Mac decided to take a walk. They stepped out into the peaceful night. The ocean breeze caused Mac to shiver slightly at first and then they walked up and down the main promenade several times. They passed people standing alone looking at the stars or people too busy focusing on each other that they didn't notice their surroundings. Mac longed to be one of the couples on the rail. In love and deeply so that nothing else seemed to matter.
"Harm let's stop for a minute and look at the stars, please."
"Sure Mac whatever you want." They stepped over to the rail looked across the horizon and out at the stars.
"Harm why did you say we were married?"
"Because too many people have either asked or assumed and that's the way the Roberts reserved the suite."
"Yes but do really think anyone believes it, I mean take tonight for instance the Carsons know who we are and know the Admiral and I can assure you that they will have heard we're not married. The point is we lied Harm, and to such nice people too. Do you know what Catherine told me this evening? She told me that we looked so happy to be married and that we acted just like her parents do. That broke my heart Harm especially coming from a six year old." Mac sighed and looked down through the semi darkness at her empty left hand. Harm took an arm and wrapped it around her shoulders and held her close.
"Hey Mac I'm sorry. I didn't know and the words just kind of came out, but I promise you that it won't happen again. Now will you forgive your very bad husband?"
"Harm you always know I do, but let's please not dig ourselves into a deeper hole and not have a ladder to climb out." Mac answered, hugging him. Then together they went inside and headed to Suite 19 to get some sleep and await what the dawn might bring.
