1915 Zulu;
JAG Headquarters;
Falls Church, Virginia
Harriet was sitting at her desk a few weeks later, working on her monthly reports, when the sound of wheels rolling across the linoleum caught her attention. Glancing up, she saw a petty officer with an industrial dolly wheel several large file boxes across the bullpen to Colonel MacKenzie's office. The door to Mac's office was closed, and she had turned her chair so that she was facing out the window.
"Excuse me, Lieutenant," the young man said, approaching Harriet's desk. "Ma'am, I have the files Colonel MacKenzie requested from Records Retention, but it looks like she's on the phone. Where do you want the boxes?"
"Here by my desk is fine. I'll see that the Colonel gets them."
Signing for the delivery, Harriet turned back to her work as the courier efficiently stacked the boxes next to her chair.
* * * * * * * * * *
The door to Mac's office opened a short time later. Heading in the direction of the ladies' room, she only managed to take a few steps before Harriet called out to her.
"Excuse me, Colonel?"
"What is it, Harriet?"
"The records you requested came in while you were on the phone," Harriet explained, gesturing to the stack of boxes to her left.
"Oh, thanks." Mac crossed over to Harriet's desk and carefully eyed the packages. Using both hands, she shifted the top box slightly. Then, to Harriet's surprise, she immediately stepped back, pausing.
"Ma'am?"
"I'll get them out of your way in just a moment," Mac said evasively as she turned on her heel and walked out of the bullpen, leaving a confused Harriet staring in her wake. Several minutes passed before the Colonel returned to Ops, followed closely by Commander Rabb. Their paths diverged as they entered the bullpen, Mac veering towards her office while Harm continued on to Harriet's desk.
"Hey, Harriet," he smiled, hoisting a box into his arms and carrying it into Mac's office, where she directed him to set it on the floor in the corner. He then proceeded to relocate all of the remaining file boxes before grinning at Mac and returning to his own office.
Watching in fascination, Harriet wondered why Mac hadn't simply moved the boxes herself. After all, wasn't the Colonel always reminding everyone of her capability as a Marine? She certainly hadn't shied away from the boxes full of old files during the Imes fiasco late last year. Harriet reflected for another brief moment before returning to her reports with a slight shrug.
* * * * * * * * * *
2329 Zulu; Kinder-World Day Care; Falls Church, Virginia
Turning off the engine, Harriet unfastened her seatbelt and got out of the minivan. With the Admiral heading out of town later on in the week, she'd had to stay longer than usual today to finish up the monthly reporting. Fortunately, the daycare ran extended hours so picking up A.J. and Jimmy a little late wasn't a big deal.
As she locked the van and turned towards the building, Harriet saw a very pregnant young woman balancing her purse and a large bag on one arm while trying to maneuver a large, cumbersome stroller onto the sidewalk with the other. Sensing the woman's frustration, Harriet rushed forward.
"Here, let me help you with that," she gushed, gently taking hold of the stroller's handles. The young woman looked up at her gratefully.
"Thanks. My name's Sandy, by the way."
"Harriet. Nice to meet you."
Shifting the bag to her other shoulder, Sandy watched as Harriet easily pushed the stroller up over the curb. "Whoever designed that thing should have thought about extra storage space."
"It was probably a man. Most women know how much *stuff* you need to lug around with children," Harriet laughed. "When are you due?"
"A little over two weeks. And I can't wait."
"I've been through three pregnancies myself. The last month is the longest."
"Yes, it is," the young woman agreed. "You know, I can handle most of it. Morning sickness, irritability, water retention--."
Remembering, Harriet chimed in. "Going to the bathroom all the time, the cravings--"
"Red meat," Sandy interrupted.
"Red meat?"
Sandy's nose wrinkled in disgust. "Normally I'm a quasi-vegetarian. I'll eat seafood and poultry, but no red meat."
*Sounds like Commander Rabb.* "For me it was McDonald's french fries," chuckled Harriet.
"Plus I'm a caffeine addict, so having to give up coffee for decaf or tea was a major adjustment. I can't wait to hit Starbucks again! But, honestly, do you know what I'm looking forward to the most?" Sandy stopped and looked at Harriet, who shook her head. "Being able to pick up my three year old. It's amazing how much I miss the simple act of carrying my own son.. . ."
The woman continued to speak as she resumed walking, but Harriet's feet had suddenly planted themselves firmly on the sidewalk and refused to move.
"Oh, my God," she whispered aloud.
Immediately the pieces clicked into place. *It all makes sense! She didn't lift the boxes this afternoon, she's been drinking tea instead of coffee, she hasn't been eating red meat, which everyone knows she loves. . . heck, even Bud noticed that she's been using the bathroom more during court, and he never notices anything! Oh, my God, Colonel MacKenzie is PREGNANT!!!*
Harriet's grip on the stroller tightened, her mind racing. *But how can this be? The Colonel hasn't been dating anyone--* Suddenly, she remembered how the Colonel had gone straight to Commander Rabb for help with moving the file boxes.
"OH, MY GOD!" Her eyes grew big as saucers.
"Harriet? Is something wrong?"
Blinking rapidly, she focused in on Sandy's concerned expression. "No, everything's fine." Harriet couldn't help the amazed grin that threatened to split her face. "It's wonderful, actually."
Reassured that there was nothing to be worried about, Sandy returned the smile and the two women disappeared into the building.
* * * * * * * * * *
1230 Zulu; JAG Headquarters; Falls Church, Virginia
The next morning, Mac strode into the break room and headed straight for the coffee maker. Gratitude flowed through her as she spotted the freshly brewed pot sitting on the warmer. Over the last few weeks, she'd been finding it more and more difficult to get up in the mornings. It had gotten to the point where she had finally broken down and purchased a simple alarm clock to keep next to her bed -- her internal alarm still functioned fine, but she didn't want to run the risk of oversleeping. This morning alone she'd hit the snooze button for nearly forty-five minutes. Out of habit, one hand reached for the carafe while the other grabbed for a nearby cup.
"Um, didn't you give up coffee, ma'am?"
From behind her, Harriet's soft reminder resonated throughout the room. Mac froze, realizing she'd been about to pour herself a cup, operating on autopilot alone. Her hand dropped to the counter and she turned around.
"I've noticed you've been drinking a lot more tea lately," Harriet continued breezily as she stepped forward, holding up a small plastic grocery bag and ignoring Mac's instantly wary expression. "I brought this for you."
"Thanks, Harriet." Mac reached for the bag cautiously. "What is it?" she asked, peering inside.
"A sampler of different decaffeinated teas. I think it has chamomile, ginger peach, peppermint, plus a few others. There are some pretty good varieties. The chamomile and peppermint are good for calming an upset stomach."
"Oh, thanks."
Harriet subdued a giggle at the 'deer-in-headlights' look that briefly flashed across Mac's face. *Good thing I didn't get the soda crackers, too,* she thought with a mental smirk. "You're welcome."
"What are you doing here so early?" Turning back to the coffee maker, Mac reached for a Styrofoam cup and filled it from the hot water spigot.
"I had a few things to take care of," Harriet replied ambiguously. Actually, she had come in early to give the Colonel the tea before the rest of the crew arrived for work. *But I'm not about to admit that to the Colonel!*
"Me too. Thanks for the tea, Harriet."
Laughing to herself, Harriet watched as Mac left the room, cup and tea in hand.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
To be continued. . .
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Harriet was sitting at her desk a few weeks later, working on her monthly reports, when the sound of wheels rolling across the linoleum caught her attention. Glancing up, she saw a petty officer with an industrial dolly wheel several large file boxes across the bullpen to Colonel MacKenzie's office. The door to Mac's office was closed, and she had turned her chair so that she was facing out the window.
"Excuse me, Lieutenant," the young man said, approaching Harriet's desk. "Ma'am, I have the files Colonel MacKenzie requested from Records Retention, but it looks like she's on the phone. Where do you want the boxes?"
"Here by my desk is fine. I'll see that the Colonel gets them."
Signing for the delivery, Harriet turned back to her work as the courier efficiently stacked the boxes next to her chair.
* * * * * * * * * *
The door to Mac's office opened a short time later. Heading in the direction of the ladies' room, she only managed to take a few steps before Harriet called out to her.
"Excuse me, Colonel?"
"What is it, Harriet?"
"The records you requested came in while you were on the phone," Harriet explained, gesturing to the stack of boxes to her left.
"Oh, thanks." Mac crossed over to Harriet's desk and carefully eyed the packages. Using both hands, she shifted the top box slightly. Then, to Harriet's surprise, she immediately stepped back, pausing.
"Ma'am?"
"I'll get them out of your way in just a moment," Mac said evasively as she turned on her heel and walked out of the bullpen, leaving a confused Harriet staring in her wake. Several minutes passed before the Colonel returned to Ops, followed closely by Commander Rabb. Their paths diverged as they entered the bullpen, Mac veering towards her office while Harm continued on to Harriet's desk.
"Hey, Harriet," he smiled, hoisting a box into his arms and carrying it into Mac's office, where she directed him to set it on the floor in the corner. He then proceeded to relocate all of the remaining file boxes before grinning at Mac and returning to his own office.
Watching in fascination, Harriet wondered why Mac hadn't simply moved the boxes herself. After all, wasn't the Colonel always reminding everyone of her capability as a Marine? She certainly hadn't shied away from the boxes full of old files during the Imes fiasco late last year. Harriet reflected for another brief moment before returning to her reports with a slight shrug.
* * * * * * * * * *
2329 Zulu; Kinder-World Day Care; Falls Church, Virginia
Turning off the engine, Harriet unfastened her seatbelt and got out of the minivan. With the Admiral heading out of town later on in the week, she'd had to stay longer than usual today to finish up the monthly reporting. Fortunately, the daycare ran extended hours so picking up A.J. and Jimmy a little late wasn't a big deal.
As she locked the van and turned towards the building, Harriet saw a very pregnant young woman balancing her purse and a large bag on one arm while trying to maneuver a large, cumbersome stroller onto the sidewalk with the other. Sensing the woman's frustration, Harriet rushed forward.
"Here, let me help you with that," she gushed, gently taking hold of the stroller's handles. The young woman looked up at her gratefully.
"Thanks. My name's Sandy, by the way."
"Harriet. Nice to meet you."
Shifting the bag to her other shoulder, Sandy watched as Harriet easily pushed the stroller up over the curb. "Whoever designed that thing should have thought about extra storage space."
"It was probably a man. Most women know how much *stuff* you need to lug around with children," Harriet laughed. "When are you due?"
"A little over two weeks. And I can't wait."
"I've been through three pregnancies myself. The last month is the longest."
"Yes, it is," the young woman agreed. "You know, I can handle most of it. Morning sickness, irritability, water retention--."
Remembering, Harriet chimed in. "Going to the bathroom all the time, the cravings--"
"Red meat," Sandy interrupted.
"Red meat?"
Sandy's nose wrinkled in disgust. "Normally I'm a quasi-vegetarian. I'll eat seafood and poultry, but no red meat."
*Sounds like Commander Rabb.* "For me it was McDonald's french fries," chuckled Harriet.
"Plus I'm a caffeine addict, so having to give up coffee for decaf or tea was a major adjustment. I can't wait to hit Starbucks again! But, honestly, do you know what I'm looking forward to the most?" Sandy stopped and looked at Harriet, who shook her head. "Being able to pick up my three year old. It's amazing how much I miss the simple act of carrying my own son.. . ."
The woman continued to speak as she resumed walking, but Harriet's feet had suddenly planted themselves firmly on the sidewalk and refused to move.
"Oh, my God," she whispered aloud.
Immediately the pieces clicked into place. *It all makes sense! She didn't lift the boxes this afternoon, she's been drinking tea instead of coffee, she hasn't been eating red meat, which everyone knows she loves. . . heck, even Bud noticed that she's been using the bathroom more during court, and he never notices anything! Oh, my God, Colonel MacKenzie is PREGNANT!!!*
Harriet's grip on the stroller tightened, her mind racing. *But how can this be? The Colonel hasn't been dating anyone--* Suddenly, she remembered how the Colonel had gone straight to Commander Rabb for help with moving the file boxes.
"OH, MY GOD!" Her eyes grew big as saucers.
"Harriet? Is something wrong?"
Blinking rapidly, she focused in on Sandy's concerned expression. "No, everything's fine." Harriet couldn't help the amazed grin that threatened to split her face. "It's wonderful, actually."
Reassured that there was nothing to be worried about, Sandy returned the smile and the two women disappeared into the building.
* * * * * * * * * *
1230 Zulu; JAG Headquarters; Falls Church, Virginia
The next morning, Mac strode into the break room and headed straight for the coffee maker. Gratitude flowed through her as she spotted the freshly brewed pot sitting on the warmer. Over the last few weeks, she'd been finding it more and more difficult to get up in the mornings. It had gotten to the point where she had finally broken down and purchased a simple alarm clock to keep next to her bed -- her internal alarm still functioned fine, but she didn't want to run the risk of oversleeping. This morning alone she'd hit the snooze button for nearly forty-five minutes. Out of habit, one hand reached for the carafe while the other grabbed for a nearby cup.
"Um, didn't you give up coffee, ma'am?"
From behind her, Harriet's soft reminder resonated throughout the room. Mac froze, realizing she'd been about to pour herself a cup, operating on autopilot alone. Her hand dropped to the counter and she turned around.
"I've noticed you've been drinking a lot more tea lately," Harriet continued breezily as she stepped forward, holding up a small plastic grocery bag and ignoring Mac's instantly wary expression. "I brought this for you."
"Thanks, Harriet." Mac reached for the bag cautiously. "What is it?" she asked, peering inside.
"A sampler of different decaffeinated teas. I think it has chamomile, ginger peach, peppermint, plus a few others. There are some pretty good varieties. The chamomile and peppermint are good for calming an upset stomach."
"Oh, thanks."
Harriet subdued a giggle at the 'deer-in-headlights' look that briefly flashed across Mac's face. *Good thing I didn't get the soda crackers, too,* she thought with a mental smirk. "You're welcome."
"What are you doing here so early?" Turning back to the coffee maker, Mac reached for a Styrofoam cup and filled it from the hot water spigot.
"I had a few things to take care of," Harriet replied ambiguously. Actually, she had come in early to give the Colonel the tea before the rest of the crew arrived for work. *But I'm not about to admit that to the Colonel!*
"Me too. Thanks for the tea, Harriet."
Laughing to herself, Harriet watched as Mac left the room, cup and tea in hand.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
To be continued. . .
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---