Sunday;
2105 Zulu;
Harm's Apartment;
North of Union Station
The deadbolt clicked open as the door to the loft swung inward. Entering the apartment, Mac shifted her notebook under one arm and began unfastening her jacket. Outside in the hallway, she could hear Harm's voice echoing.
"No surfing the internet until you've finished your history homework, Mathilda."
"Don't worry, sir. I'll make sure she gets it done." Jennifer's voice drowned out Mattie's teenage groan. Turning around, Mac watched as Harm quietly shut the door and smiled at her.
"Sounds like she knows which buttons to push, Dad."
"She's slick, that's for sure." Laughing softly, he hung up his jacket. "I don't remember being quite so devious at that age."
"No, you just snuck off to southeast Asia to go searching for your father. Without parental permission, I might add."
Sobering, Harm looked at Mac with hooded eyes. "You know, I never really understood what that must have been like for my mom. I probably never will- -"
"But raising Mattie has helped give you an element of common ground."
He nodded. "It's time to tell her, Mac."
"I know." Setting her note pad down onto the island countertop, she had no sooner let go than it toppled over the edge, sending a handful of MLS pages fluttering to the floor. With a muttered curse, Mac crouched down to gather up the papers as Harm hurried over to help. A few minutes later all documentation had been accounted for. Rising, Mac opened her mouth to say something when her vision fogged. She grasped blindly at the counter in an effort to hold herself upright.
"Whoa, Tiger," she heard Harm say. "You okay?" Vaguely, she could feel his hands gripping her arms, holding her steady. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, her gaze focused in on the handsome face before her. His eyes were intense with concern. "What happened? C'mon, Marine, talk to me."
"I... sorry, the room just went dark for a second. Haven't had much to eat since breakfast and must've stood up too fast... I'm a little woozy is all."
"Mac, why didn't you say something? Dammit, I should have realized in your condition.... " Her features had become shockingly pallid. Not wanting to alarm her, he struggled to keep his tone even. "What are you hungry for? Anything in particular?"
Still a bit lightheaded, she gave her head another delicate shake and took a deep breath as she thought about it. "Um, I don't know," she stumbled. "Something salty, maybe?"
"Okay, but you need to sit down first." She nodded weakly. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Harm was both relieved and dismayed at how easily Mac acquiesced. He gently steered her into the living room, where they sat next to one another on the sofa. Thinking about what kinds of foods she might like, his eyes flickered towards the refrigerator as he took a mental inventory of his kitchen. "Salty, huh? Well, let's see, I've got olives, chips and salsa, and I think Mattie and Jen might have some Doritos--"
"Got any guacamole?"
Seeing the way her face lit up at the thought, Harm was suddenly grateful he'd had the foresight to buy some avocados during his last trip to the supermarket. "I think that can be arranged," he grinned. He gave her a quick hug, then pressing his lips to her forehead, he rose. "One order of guacamole coming right up."
* * * * * * * * * *
Twenty minutes later, he carried a tray of fresh guacamole, low sodium tortilla chips, and a glass of milk out to where Mac had curled up on the couch. Setting it down on the coffee table, he reached over and tenderly laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Wake up, sleepyhead," he murmured. "Time to eat."
Moaning softly, Mac momentarily buried her face in the crook of her arm before forcing herself to sit up. "Thanks," she said quietly, scooping a big bite of dip onto a chip and carefully maneuvering it into her mouth. As she began to chew, her eyes widened and she looked at Harm in amazement. "Mmm! Thish ish exshellent!"
"You're almost as bad as Mattie." Still, he grinned and handed her a napkin. "Stop talking with your mouth full before I have to charge you with conduct unbecoming."
"Hmmph," she snorted derisively as she grabbed another chip.
Chuckling at the gusto with which she wolfed down the snack, Harm waited until she'd slowed down a little before daring to interrupt again. "Feeling better?"
"Much." Taking a long drink of milk, she drained half the glass before returning it to the tray. "Thanks for going to the trouble. That was delicious."
"You really thought so? I couldn't tell," he joked. "Do you see now why you need me around all the time?"
"Yeah, I do," she whispered, realizing that he was right. Harm impulsively enfolded her in a close hug. When he pulled back, she looked at him hesitantly. "About your mother..."
"I know." His voice grew somber. "We can't put it off any longer. She has to be told." Instantly filled with unbridled anxiety, Harm recognized that there were only two ways for him to deal with his nervousness: he could let it consume him, or he could confront his fears head on. Looking Mac squarely in the eye, he asked, "Are you ready to face the firing squad?"
"Let's go for it."
Standing up, he strode over to his desk and turned on the speakerphone, punching in the appropriate speed dial code. As the touchtone chimes resonated through the room, Harm returned to sit next to Mac. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly.
"Hello?" a male voice answered at the other end.
"Frank?"
"Harm, is that you? You sound like you're in a tunnel."
"Sorry, I've got you on speakerphone." Harm paused, trading a look with Mac. "Uh, is Mom around?"
"Sure, she's right here, son. Hold on." The line clicked as a second extension joined the call.
"Harm, darling, is that you?"
"Hey, Mom."
"Dear, it's so good to hear from you! How is everything? How's Mac?" Hearing the suggestiveness of his mother's tone, Harm couldn't help but grin at the woman beside him.
"She's fine, Mom," he chuckled, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "Actually, you might want to ask her that yourself since she's sitting right here."
"Hello, Mrs. Burnett, Mr. Burnett."
"Mac, what a pleasant surprise! But please, it's Trish and Frank. From what Harm has told us about you, you're practically part of the family," Trish admonished. Mac smiled shyly at Harm. *How little they know,* she thought to herself.
"So how are you these days, Harm?" asked Frank. "We weren't expecting to hear from you. Everything's all right, I hope."
"We have some news," Harm replied, increasing his grip on Mac's hand. "Mom, I think you may want to sit down for this."
"Are you sure, darling?" Trish asked, excitement creeping into her tone. Exchanging an uncertain look with Mac, Harm only hoped his mother would forgive him for what they were about to share. There was a pause before Trish came back on the line. "Okay, dear, I'm sitting. Now what was it you wanted to tell us?"
"Mom, Frank, it's probably not what you're thinking, but... Mac and I are having a baby."
Dead silence.
No one spoke for a few lengthy moments. Just as Harm and Mac were starting to worry, Frank asked, "Are you positive, son?"
"It's true, sir," Mac said with a smile. "I'm a little over three months along."
"You're going to be grandparents," Harm added.
"Then I guess this calls for congratulations," Frank said.
Trish finally found her voice. "Oh, praise the Lord! I was beginning to think you would *never* make me a grandmother. This is wonderful, Harm! But, Mac, if you're into your fourth month then that leaves us very little time for a proper wedding--"
"Uh, Mom," Harm interrupted. "About a wedding--"
"Have you already started thinking about where you want to get married? I'm assuming you're planning to have the ceremony there in Washington--"
"We're not getting married," Mac said simply.
The line went quiet.
"What? What do you mean, you're NOT getting married?"
Harm winced. "You heard correctly, Mom. We're having a baby together, but marriage isn't part of the plan."
"Mac... Sarah, dear, would you mind excusing us for a moment? I'd like to speak to my son in private."
"Sure." Giving Harm's hand one last squeeze, Mac stood. "I'm going to go see what Mattie and Jennifer are up to. Back in ten," she mouthed to Harm as she slipped out of the loft. Harm picked up the receiver.
"Okay, Mom, Mac's gone--"
"Harmon Rabb Junior, I thought I raised you better than this. You are NOT MARRYING the girl?!!! What in Heaven's name do you think you're doing?"
"Mom--"
"Don't you 'Mom' me, young man. I cannot *believe* what I'm hearing! You love each other but you're not getting married--"
"I can't speak for how Mac feels--"
"This is a terrible way to bring a baby into the world! Both parents are supposed to be together when a baby is born. If you and Mac aren't getting married--"
"We're getting a house together, Mom."
"How will your child ever--" She stopped suddenly as Harm's words penetrated her indignant tirade. "What do you mean, you're getting a house together?"
"Mac and I are looking at houses in the Falls Church area. We took Mattie out to see a number of homes earlier today, as a matter of fact."
"Did any of the houses you looked at include a guest room for the grandparents?" Trish asked, somewhat placated.
"Unfortunately, no. We hadn't considered needing a guest room," he admitted.
"Harmon, just how do you expect me to play the doting grandmother if I'm stuck staying in a hotel room half an hour away?"
Having remained silent throughout the conversation, Frank now chose to speak up. "Trish, it's a seller's market in the Washington D.C. area right now. If you need any assistance in getting a house with an extra bedroom, Harm, just let us know what you need and we'll gladly contribute. Consider it rent towards our visits, because I'm sure they'll be plentiful. Then again, it might just be easier for us to buy the place next door," he quipped.
Breathing easier, Harm laughed. "Thanks, Frank. We'd like to avoid troubling you if at all possible, but I will let Mac know that you offered."
"Now, speaking of visits," Trish said, changing the subject. "Why don't you go get Mac for me, darling? We need to discuss when I'm going to come out and help her plan how to decorate this new house of yours."
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
To be continued...
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
The deadbolt clicked open as the door to the loft swung inward. Entering the apartment, Mac shifted her notebook under one arm and began unfastening her jacket. Outside in the hallway, she could hear Harm's voice echoing.
"No surfing the internet until you've finished your history homework, Mathilda."
"Don't worry, sir. I'll make sure she gets it done." Jennifer's voice drowned out Mattie's teenage groan. Turning around, Mac watched as Harm quietly shut the door and smiled at her.
"Sounds like she knows which buttons to push, Dad."
"She's slick, that's for sure." Laughing softly, he hung up his jacket. "I don't remember being quite so devious at that age."
"No, you just snuck off to southeast Asia to go searching for your father. Without parental permission, I might add."
Sobering, Harm looked at Mac with hooded eyes. "You know, I never really understood what that must have been like for my mom. I probably never will- -"
"But raising Mattie has helped give you an element of common ground."
He nodded. "It's time to tell her, Mac."
"I know." Setting her note pad down onto the island countertop, she had no sooner let go than it toppled over the edge, sending a handful of MLS pages fluttering to the floor. With a muttered curse, Mac crouched down to gather up the papers as Harm hurried over to help. A few minutes later all documentation had been accounted for. Rising, Mac opened her mouth to say something when her vision fogged. She grasped blindly at the counter in an effort to hold herself upright.
"Whoa, Tiger," she heard Harm say. "You okay?" Vaguely, she could feel his hands gripping her arms, holding her steady. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, her gaze focused in on the handsome face before her. His eyes were intense with concern. "What happened? C'mon, Marine, talk to me."
"I... sorry, the room just went dark for a second. Haven't had much to eat since breakfast and must've stood up too fast... I'm a little woozy is all."
"Mac, why didn't you say something? Dammit, I should have realized in your condition.... " Her features had become shockingly pallid. Not wanting to alarm her, he struggled to keep his tone even. "What are you hungry for? Anything in particular?"
Still a bit lightheaded, she gave her head another delicate shake and took a deep breath as she thought about it. "Um, I don't know," she stumbled. "Something salty, maybe?"
"Okay, but you need to sit down first." She nodded weakly. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Harm was both relieved and dismayed at how easily Mac acquiesced. He gently steered her into the living room, where they sat next to one another on the sofa. Thinking about what kinds of foods she might like, his eyes flickered towards the refrigerator as he took a mental inventory of his kitchen. "Salty, huh? Well, let's see, I've got olives, chips and salsa, and I think Mattie and Jen might have some Doritos--"
"Got any guacamole?"
Seeing the way her face lit up at the thought, Harm was suddenly grateful he'd had the foresight to buy some avocados during his last trip to the supermarket. "I think that can be arranged," he grinned. He gave her a quick hug, then pressing his lips to her forehead, he rose. "One order of guacamole coming right up."
* * * * * * * * * *
Twenty minutes later, he carried a tray of fresh guacamole, low sodium tortilla chips, and a glass of milk out to where Mac had curled up on the couch. Setting it down on the coffee table, he reached over and tenderly laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Wake up, sleepyhead," he murmured. "Time to eat."
Moaning softly, Mac momentarily buried her face in the crook of her arm before forcing herself to sit up. "Thanks," she said quietly, scooping a big bite of dip onto a chip and carefully maneuvering it into her mouth. As she began to chew, her eyes widened and she looked at Harm in amazement. "Mmm! Thish ish exshellent!"
"You're almost as bad as Mattie." Still, he grinned and handed her a napkin. "Stop talking with your mouth full before I have to charge you with conduct unbecoming."
"Hmmph," she snorted derisively as she grabbed another chip.
Chuckling at the gusto with which she wolfed down the snack, Harm waited until she'd slowed down a little before daring to interrupt again. "Feeling better?"
"Much." Taking a long drink of milk, she drained half the glass before returning it to the tray. "Thanks for going to the trouble. That was delicious."
"You really thought so? I couldn't tell," he joked. "Do you see now why you need me around all the time?"
"Yeah, I do," she whispered, realizing that he was right. Harm impulsively enfolded her in a close hug. When he pulled back, she looked at him hesitantly. "About your mother..."
"I know." His voice grew somber. "We can't put it off any longer. She has to be told." Instantly filled with unbridled anxiety, Harm recognized that there were only two ways for him to deal with his nervousness: he could let it consume him, or he could confront his fears head on. Looking Mac squarely in the eye, he asked, "Are you ready to face the firing squad?"
"Let's go for it."
Standing up, he strode over to his desk and turned on the speakerphone, punching in the appropriate speed dial code. As the touchtone chimes resonated through the room, Harm returned to sit next to Mac. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly.
"Hello?" a male voice answered at the other end.
"Frank?"
"Harm, is that you? You sound like you're in a tunnel."
"Sorry, I've got you on speakerphone." Harm paused, trading a look with Mac. "Uh, is Mom around?"
"Sure, she's right here, son. Hold on." The line clicked as a second extension joined the call.
"Harm, darling, is that you?"
"Hey, Mom."
"Dear, it's so good to hear from you! How is everything? How's Mac?" Hearing the suggestiveness of his mother's tone, Harm couldn't help but grin at the woman beside him.
"She's fine, Mom," he chuckled, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "Actually, you might want to ask her that yourself since she's sitting right here."
"Hello, Mrs. Burnett, Mr. Burnett."
"Mac, what a pleasant surprise! But please, it's Trish and Frank. From what Harm has told us about you, you're practically part of the family," Trish admonished. Mac smiled shyly at Harm. *How little they know,* she thought to herself.
"So how are you these days, Harm?" asked Frank. "We weren't expecting to hear from you. Everything's all right, I hope."
"We have some news," Harm replied, increasing his grip on Mac's hand. "Mom, I think you may want to sit down for this."
"Are you sure, darling?" Trish asked, excitement creeping into her tone. Exchanging an uncertain look with Mac, Harm only hoped his mother would forgive him for what they were about to share. There was a pause before Trish came back on the line. "Okay, dear, I'm sitting. Now what was it you wanted to tell us?"
"Mom, Frank, it's probably not what you're thinking, but... Mac and I are having a baby."
Dead silence.
No one spoke for a few lengthy moments. Just as Harm and Mac were starting to worry, Frank asked, "Are you positive, son?"
"It's true, sir," Mac said with a smile. "I'm a little over three months along."
"You're going to be grandparents," Harm added.
"Then I guess this calls for congratulations," Frank said.
Trish finally found her voice. "Oh, praise the Lord! I was beginning to think you would *never* make me a grandmother. This is wonderful, Harm! But, Mac, if you're into your fourth month then that leaves us very little time for a proper wedding--"
"Uh, Mom," Harm interrupted. "About a wedding--"
"Have you already started thinking about where you want to get married? I'm assuming you're planning to have the ceremony there in Washington--"
"We're not getting married," Mac said simply.
The line went quiet.
"What? What do you mean, you're NOT getting married?"
Harm winced. "You heard correctly, Mom. We're having a baby together, but marriage isn't part of the plan."
"Mac... Sarah, dear, would you mind excusing us for a moment? I'd like to speak to my son in private."
"Sure." Giving Harm's hand one last squeeze, Mac stood. "I'm going to go see what Mattie and Jennifer are up to. Back in ten," she mouthed to Harm as she slipped out of the loft. Harm picked up the receiver.
"Okay, Mom, Mac's gone--"
"Harmon Rabb Junior, I thought I raised you better than this. You are NOT MARRYING the girl?!!! What in Heaven's name do you think you're doing?"
"Mom--"
"Don't you 'Mom' me, young man. I cannot *believe* what I'm hearing! You love each other but you're not getting married--"
"I can't speak for how Mac feels--"
"This is a terrible way to bring a baby into the world! Both parents are supposed to be together when a baby is born. If you and Mac aren't getting married--"
"We're getting a house together, Mom."
"How will your child ever--" She stopped suddenly as Harm's words penetrated her indignant tirade. "What do you mean, you're getting a house together?"
"Mac and I are looking at houses in the Falls Church area. We took Mattie out to see a number of homes earlier today, as a matter of fact."
"Did any of the houses you looked at include a guest room for the grandparents?" Trish asked, somewhat placated.
"Unfortunately, no. We hadn't considered needing a guest room," he admitted.
"Harmon, just how do you expect me to play the doting grandmother if I'm stuck staying in a hotel room half an hour away?"
Having remained silent throughout the conversation, Frank now chose to speak up. "Trish, it's a seller's market in the Washington D.C. area right now. If you need any assistance in getting a house with an extra bedroom, Harm, just let us know what you need and we'll gladly contribute. Consider it rent towards our visits, because I'm sure they'll be plentiful. Then again, it might just be easier for us to buy the place next door," he quipped.
Breathing easier, Harm laughed. "Thanks, Frank. We'd like to avoid troubling you if at all possible, but I will let Mac know that you offered."
"Now, speaking of visits," Trish said, changing the subject. "Why don't you go get Mac for me, darling? We need to discuss when I'm going to come out and help her plan how to decorate this new house of yours."
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
To be continued...
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---