"Tested Hearts", chapter 17
Author: Chicmns
Category: Drama, angst
Disclaimer: All main characters belong to DPB, CBS, and Paramount. Other characters (see below) are used with the greatest respect and a solemn promise not to benefit in any way by their use, except in the cause of (hopefully) good fiction.
Rating: G
Author's Notes: Thanks to the following recent reviewers; 'jtbwriter' (I always look forward to your comments; they are always constructive!); 'Abigaile' (glad you liked the part with the sponge bath ... couldn't write hospital scenes without including a sponge bath, now, could I? LOL); and "Lyssa Grace' ... (I am so glad you enjoy my writing – I hope I can continue to meet your expectations!)
I hope I get this next part right ...
GW HOSPITAL CAFETERIA
"Thank you, all of you, for talking with me about what's happened. Especially you, Sarah ... I'd like to have what you've told me about your conversation with Mr. Johnson transcribed into a statement, if you don't mind. It will need to be a part of the official court record." Mac smiled at the other woman, and nodded.
"Not a problem, Ellen. Please feel free to drop it here or at JAG headquarters, and I will review, notarize, and sign it - then get it right back to you." Frank watched the two younger women talk; being in a family with so many strong-willed women (and he'd quickly learned to include his 'granddaughter' Mattie in that group) had taught him to stay quiet and watch when possible. He learned more that way.
Frank was glad this had been a civil talk; when this woman had first approached them, he wasn't sure if either his wife or Mac would keep their emotions in check as they discussed this ridiculous claim by Mattie's biological father. 'He must be getting desperate or something,' he thought to himself. That didn't bode well for the rest of the custody process; what had been a generally peaceful thing now looked like it would be contentious. Frank sighed, then tuned back into the conversation, and decided to actively join in at a pause in the discussion.
"Ms. Valera ..." he began, watching as she turned to face him, "I'm sure we've all noticed," glancing at Mac and Trish, "that you seem very comfortable with the intricacies of the legal system. I admit, when I hear my stepson and Sarah talk about the law, I get lost pretty quickly." Mac smiled at him, and patted his hand.
"That's OK, Frank – so does Harm, when I beat him in court!" Ellen smiled as the three people around her laughed. She was continually amazed at this 'extended' family; step-parents, stepsons, close friends who were indistinguishable from family, and other people who had, like Mattie, been 'adopted' into the fold with no apparent seams or breaks in the fabric of their collective lives.
She couldn't remember if she'd ever been around such an extraordinary group of people before.
"Stop trashing my son, Sarah ... or it's no more cookie recipes for you in my next care package!" Trish mockingly admonished her. Ellen watched Mac's eyes go wide at the prospect, and wondered what it meant. Mac saw her puzzled look and tried to explain.
"I love to bake when I can find the time, Ellen, but I don't have any decent recipes of my own for cookies and other treats. Trish has been sharing hers with me, but usually at the end of a stick. She likes to watch me jump for them every once in a while." Sarah said this last while grinning at the older woman, who was smiling back with a look of such motherly love that Ellen was reminded of her own mother. Trish glanced over at Ellen, then returned her fond look to Sarah before answering Mac's barb.
"Not true, Ellen. Sarah's just afraid that it will get out with her leatherneck Marine buddies that one of their Colonels actually bakes for relaxation, instead of invading countries single-handedly." They all laughed as Sarah shook her head and looked suitably embarrassed.
"Actually, sir," Ellen continued, trying to answer Frank's original statement, "I was a DC cop for a few years before I left the force to work at FCS. I had a rotation in the Juvy division while on the job, and never felt like I was helping any of the kids I came across. At FCS, I feel like I can do more good for them."
"You must see a lot of broken families." Mac told her.
"Yes ... but I have a chance to help them mend, too. It's not an easy job, believe me ... but when we can do some good, it makes it worthwhile."
"I feel the same way about my work at JAG," came a familiar voice from behind their table. Harm came up to them, a small grin on his face as he studied the new person at the table. Mac shook herself; she could usually sense when Harm was around; Mattie's hospitalization must be throwing off her radar. Turning to smile up at him, she asked, "Hey, Harm -- how's Mattie?"
"Starting to eat GW out of house and hospital – she's having some lunch right now. I was sent to retrieve her wayward family, who seem to prefer hospital coffee to her presence." Harm grinned at all of them.
"Oh, hush, son. We were just talking with Ms. Valera here. Ellen, this is my son, Harmon Rabb." Ellen stood and held out her hand to Harm, who shook it.
"Mr. Rabb."
"Ms. Valera."
Everyone at the table noticed that Ellen kept her interactions with Harm on a more formal level, despite having been on a first-name basis with everyone else at the table. Mac wondered if Harm being Mattie's legal guardian was the reason.
"Mattie's doing better, I take it then, sir?" she asked him.
"Yes, she is. I even had to warn her not to bribe the nurses to get her a Beltway Burger."
"That's my girl!" Mac said enthusiastically, giving Harm a teasing smile. Mac's love of Beltway Burgers was legendary, and she had apparently succeeded in turning Mattie on to her addiction. Harm shook his head.
"Mac, come on! You're making me the bad guy when I put salads in front of Mattie! All I see in her eyes anymore are little images of Beltway Burgers!" Everyone laughed, including Ellen ... who decided to answer him.
"Well, sir, they ARE excellent burgers. I would like to see Mattie for a bit, if you and the doctors don't mind. I need to interview her for my report."
"Well, the doctors want her to nap after she finishes eating, so now is probably the best time." Harm answered her, looking a little unsure. Ellen picked up on his concern right away.
"I promise not to keep her up long, then. I just have a few questions for her, and then I need to check in with her doctors."
"Their names are Masters and Gentry. Dr. Masters is her primary care physician – I'm not sure if he's on duty yet. He's also Chief of Pediatrics here. Mattie's in room 411."
"I'll leave him a message if I can't find him before I leave." She collected her purse, nodding to everyone at the table. "It was a pleasure to meet you all. I'll tell Mattie you'll be up in a bit." She turned to leave, then paused in her steps by Harm's quiet voice.
"I thought I would come back upstairs with you, Ms. Valera." Harm spoke. He had started following her as she headed towards the cafeteria doors.
She turned to him holding up her hand. "That's not necessary, Mr. Rabb. I need to conduct my interview in private – why don't you keep your folks and Miss MacKenzie company here while I see her? It shouldn't take more than a half-hour or so."
Harm looked like he wanted to find some way to come with her, so Mac got to her feet, walked over to him, and pulled his hand ... bringing him back to the chair Ellen had occupied previously. "We'll be up in 30 minutes, then." She emphasized the '30 minutes' part of her statement, and Ellen nodded.
"Great. I'll tell Mattie. See you all soon." She turned to leave the cafeteria, followed by Harm's worried eyes.
"It'll be OK, son," his mom told him. Harm sighed. Mac slowly rubbed his back as she sat next to him. He'd never felt so protective of Mattie as he did at that particular moment.
"I hope so, Mom."
ROOM 411
Mattie was just finishing up her soup, fish, and milk under the watchful eye of the nurse, who sat chatting with her ... when she heard a knock at the open door of her room.
"Hello, Mattie. How are you doing?" Ellen asked, as she slowly stepped into the room.
"Who are you?" Mattie asked her suspiciously. The nurse stood up and moved closer to Mattie, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Ellen.
"My name is Ellen Valera, with DC Family and Child Services." She pulled her ID from her purse, showing it to both Mattie and the nurse. "I'm here to talk to you about what happened, and about something your dad reported."
"Harm? What did he say? He didn't tell me anything about this!" Ellen raised her eyebrow; Mattie had so identified with her guardian that he immediately came to mind whenever she heard "dad" or "father." "Interesting, but not inconsistent with what I've learned so far.' she said to herself.
"No, Mattie – your biological father. Nurse, would you give us some time alone, please?" The nurse looked from Mattie to Ellen. Mattie spoke again, crossing her arms on her chest. "I think Harm or Mac would want to be here while we talk, Ms. Valera."
'Save me from kids with lawyers as parents,' Ellen wryly thought to herself as she smiled down at Mattie.
"I just left both of them and your grandparents in the cafeteria, Mattie. We've been there talking while you were having lunch. If you don't believe me, the nurse can check it out. I asked them to give me some time with you because my interviews have to be in private wherever possible; it's the rules. Listen, I'm not here to hurt you or your guardian. I just need to talk to you about everything that's happened since you came home sick from school, and then we need to chat about what your father said to us." She paused, and then looked over at the nurse ... who hadn't left. The nurse looked down at Mattie. "Will you be alright, honey?"
Mattie studied Ellen's face for a moment, and Ellen returned the intent look ... hoping to build some initial trust between them. Mattie nodded after a couple of moments; evidently satisfied at what she saw in Ellen's eyes. "I'll be fine. Thanks for bringing me lunch."
The nurse touched her shoulder, and then smiled. "You're welcome. I'll be down the hall if you need anything. -- just ring. And remember what Dr. Gentry said – she wants you to nap for a while after lunch."
"Okay. I promise – eyes shut after we're finished. Could you ask my folks to come back soon, and sit with me?"
"You got it, honey. I'll check on you later." Mattie smiled at her.
"kay."
The nurse turned and left, closing the door behind her after giving Ellen a last look.
Ellen sat down in the chair near Mattie's bed, and pulled out her notebook. "Wow, they are really looking after you here, huh?" Mattie nodded, absently rubbing the skin around the IV patch on her hand.
"Everyone's been really nice, and the docs have made me feel a lot better. But, most importantly, I got some solid food in me!" Ellen laughed at the precocious young woman with the long curly tresses of hair lying in bed, her upper body elevated.
"It's not a Beltway Burger, but it's better than nothing." Ellen told her.
"EXACTLY! Oh, what I wouldn't give for a Beltway right now ..." The dreamy look that had descended on Mattie's face made Ellen giggle.
"Maybe I can sneak one in for you, sometime before you're released, since you're going to be here for a few more days. I think it's in the Geneva Convention or something, for hospital prisoners." Mattie raised an eyebrow, and gave Ellen a blinding smile.
"I think you're my new best friend, Ms. Valera!"
"Call me Ellen, OK?"
"Sure. And now that you've sufficiently buttered me up, what's this all about?"
Ellen blinked, unable to keep the surprise off of her face. Mattie just gazed back at her with a look that was cat-like in its' intensity. She'd seen right through Ellen's strategy, all right. The file had mentioned Mattie's above-average intelligence – guess the file was right, Ellen thought ruefully to herself.
"Well, I want you to tell me everything you remember since coming home from school – what you felt, who you saw, what you did ... everything. I need to get a timeline, and I don't want to miss anything. The court will want this in the report, too, so they can see how this developed. Then, we'll talk about your biological father a bit before I leave you to nap. Okay?"
"Okay," Mattie replied, sighing. "Well, I hadn't been feeling well all day at school, and Andre – he's my best friend ..."
They talked for another 40 minutes before Ellen left Mattie, after she finished getting what she needed for her report ... but not before arranging the blankets over the girl, now asleep.
CAPITOL CITY BREWING COMPANY DC
Tom entered his favorite brewpub, looking around the place before moving to take a seat at the end of the long maple bar. He'd been convincing himself on the way over that just having a burger and a beer would be fine, but a voice inside his head kept asking if he'd be able to stop at just 'one' beer. He needed to see Mattie and face the Rabb family with a clear head, but he was also hungry. Hunger served as a good cover for having a drink, even if it wasn't his usual bourbon or scotch.
His palette of rationalizations had given him seemingly good reasons to enter a drinking establishment, ignoring all of the counseling he'd received at Good Hope. They told him that drinking was driven by compulsions, and he was in the grip what he thought was a perfectly justified compulsion – the desire to see his sick daughter, and to start making up for all the pain he'd brought into their lives.
The bartender coughed in front of him, an expectant look on his face. Tom shook himself from his thoughts, and ordered a steak burger with fries and a draft beer. The bartender nodded, turning away to place the order. Before he could take two steps toward the kitchen, Tom called him back.
"Could you bring the beer first, please?" he asked. The bartender studied his face for a moment, and recognized the signs of someone who probably shouldn't be in a bar. He moved closer to Tom, dropping his voice to a whisper.
"Are you sure? he spoke. Tom glared at him.
"Is it any of your business, whether I'm sure or not?" he threw back.
The bartender sighed, and slowly shook his head. "No," he answered. "It isn't."
"Good! A drinking man's best friend - a barkeep who can mind his own business!" he said sarcastically.
"Whatever." He turned quickly away, moving toward the draft beer glasses and handles.
Tom sniffed, his fingers tapping an impatient pattern on the bar.
GW HOSPITAL Room 411
Harm, Mac, and his parents stepped off of the elevator on the way back to Mattie's room, He caught sight of Ellen Valera down the hall ... speaking with Dr. Masters. His eyes met the doctor's, and he nodded in the direction of Mattie's room. The doctor nodded once without pausing in his discussion with the social worker. Harm watched them another moment, and then followed the others into the room. Once he passed the doorway, Mac held up a finger to her lips; Mattie was sleeping, curled up on her side in bed. Harm's folks stood at the foot of the bed watching their granddaughter as Harm moved silently to her side, followed by Mac who'd stepped over to the other side of the bed.
The IV line still attached to Mattie's hand had gotten tangled in the blankets, and Harm gently moved her arm in order to free it from the blanket. After finishing without waking her, he rearranged the blanket over his daughter, who'd apparently kicked them partially away as she changed positions in her sleep. Mattie then felt the blankets move around her and mumbled softly, her eyes remaining closed.
"Dad .... mom?" Her head moved a little on the pillows, and it seemed as if she was searching the area around her for something, or someone.
Harm smiled and leaned over Mattie to gently kiss her cheek. "Shhhhhh, shhhh ... we're all here, sweetheart. Go back to sleep. We love you so much."
Mac waited for Harm to straighten up, then leaned over Mattie from her side of the bed and pushed a few locks of her hair away from her sleeping face, before kissing her temple. "Sleep, baby," she whispered in Mattie's ear. "Love you more." She started, very slowly, to run her fingers through Mattie's hair. She knew that it always relaxed the teenager, reminding her of when her own mother had done it as she was growing up. Mac had unconsciously started doing it herself one night while at Mattie and Jen's during a 'girls night' of movies and junk food. She'd stopped when she felt Mattie suddenly tense as the young girl felt Mac's fingers in her hair; then Mattie just turned and looked up at her from her spot on the floor by the couch with a look of such love, it literally took Mac's breath away. She'd watched, breathless, as Mattie smiled at her ... then moved her head closer to Mac's hand. Mac had started caressing Mattie's hair again.
15 minutes later, Mac remembered, Mattie was fast asleep ... her head comfortably lying against Mac's sweats-covered leg. She smiled to herself, remembering how Mattie'd been so relaxed in sleep, that when Harm had stopped by later that night to tell her goodnight, he'd been able to pick Mattie up and carry her to her bed without her stirring at all. He'd joked later that they'd discovered a fail-proof way of sending their child off to bed without a fight. Mac had just laughed, thinking of it instead as a special form of the bond between Mattie and herself. Her mind immediately came back to the hospital room they were all in, her fingers still stroking Mattie's hair. They all watched as Mattie settled deeper into the pillows and blankets, a small smile on her lips.
GW HOSPITAL NURSES'S STATION, 4th FLOOR
Dr. Masters had just finished speaking with Ms. Valera, Mattie's FCS caseworker, when he noticed Harm Rabb slip quietly out of Mattie's room and walk towards him. Mr. Rabb had a relaxed look on his face, and Dr. Masters took that to indicate that Mattie was hopefully sleeping and continuing to do well in her recovery. Her vitals and blood tests were all coming back to health, and the doctor could see no impediments to recovery, as long as the fluid that stubbornly remained in her lungs left soon. The chest tap procedure was still an option that they might need, even as it became more and more of a remote possibility. He finished signing a patient form and waited as Mr. Rabb reached him.
Harm stopped next to the doctor, holding out his hand. "Doctor ... how are you?" The doctor grinned and shook hands.
"I'm well, thank you Mr. Rabb. And our girl?" Harm smiled at the possessive ways in which the hospital staff had increasingly come to refer to Mattie; he understood that reaction VERY well himself. "She's sleeping right now, and I think we've gained a reprieve from her wrath since she's had some solid food for lunch." The doctor laughed. "Well, the thing we're watching for now is any sign that she can't keep the food in her; I don't expect any problems in that area, but it's best to be on the lookout. Please let everyone know to notify us if you see any signs of that happening."
"We will, doctor."
"Good. Now, you're aware that Ellen Valera spoke with me earlier regarding Mattie?"
"Yes," Harm replied. "She came by this afternoon, and spent time with Mac and my folks in the cafeteria. I'd already given her my perspective on the events that brought us here, and she said she wanted to speak with Mattie's doctors before leaving. I hope she wasn't too direct?"
"Oh, no ... I've spoken with plenty of caseworkers from FCS, and we had a good talk about Mattie. Ms. Valera was interested in her symptoms and our diagnosis. She asked for copies of the results from all of Mattie's blood tests, which is a normal request ... for their file, I suppose. I don't think she means any harm, Mr. Rabb – if you'll excuse the pun." Harm laughed, and shook his head.
"Don't worry about it, doctor. I've heard worse at the Naval Academy, believe me. I'm not too concerned about Ms. Valera, actually. It's Mattie's biological father who is worrying me."
"You think he's going to cause trouble?" the doctor asked, concern in his voice.
"I'm not sure. But my instincts are blaring loudly over his complaint, and we pilots are trained to trust our instincts."
"As we doctors are, sir. Well, let me tell you in a nutshell, Mr. Rabb, that GW has no issues with anyone caring for Mattie; we've grown fond of your young lady, and we've seen nothing to support any claim against you or your family and friends. That's what I told Ms. Valera, and our statements to Family Court will reflect that belief."
Harm swallowed, unable to reply for a moment. These were all good people at GW, and he was thankful again that they'd brought Mattie here, where her care had been excellent. He reached out to shake Dr. Masters' hand again, nodding at him in thanks.
"I--we appreciate that, Dr. Masters. You all have been providing such excellent care for Mattie, and we're grateful for everything you've done for her." The young doctor smiled at the taller man.
"Our pleasure, sir. She'll be going home in another day or so, and I'll stop by before her dinnertime to examine her again. If she handles lunch OK, we'll give her some salad and a meat dish tonight for dinner – and we'll see how she does with that, while continuing to monitor her progress. Depending on how she does overnight, we might even be able to take her off of the antibiotics tomorrow."
"Great! I think I'll keep the news of the salad coming to myself, though ... she's not a fan of greens, unfortunately. As a vegetarian, I try to get her to eat as healthy as possible, but it's a struggle."
"Every parent goes through that, sir-vegans or no. My own daughter, who's a couple of years younger than Mattie, runs screaming from vegetables. Why don't you and I talk later about the diet we're going to send her home with? You can help us tailor it so that it isn't TOO disagreeable for her." They both laughed.
"That would be excellent, doctor. Thanks again. We'll see you around 1700 – um, sorry, 5:00, then?" Dr. Masters smiled, and nodded.
"Yes, sir. And – don't worry – we get plenty of military families through here, so we're all pretty comfortable with the 24-hour clock."
"Okay. We'll be with Mattie, and we'll see you later this evening."
"Sounds good, sir."
Harm left Dr. Masters at the nurse's station and turned back to walk towards Mattie's room down the long hallway, with a little spring in his step. He was going to get to take her home in another day or so, and he'd make sure they'd all get past whatever Tom Johnson was planning on throwing their way.
CAPITOL CITY BREWING COMPANY DC
The beer bottles in front of Tom were quickly cleared away by the bartender ... along with his plate of a half-eaten burger and barely touched fries. If he asked for another bottle, the bartender had already decided that he was going to refuse; this guy looked like the last guy on earth who should be drinking. He'd spent the past couple of hours just sitting there - alternating between staring off into space, and mournfully shaking his tear- streaked face. At least he wasn't bent on sharing all his problems with the other customers, the bartender thought to himself. All he'd mentioned over the past couple of hours was some broad's name: Mattie. Whoever this girl was, he hoped she'd get there soon, and take this guy away before the inevitable confrontation came when he'd ask for another beer that he wasn't going to get. Sure, he wasn't drop-dead drunk, and hadn't slid off of his stool once ... but he'd turned into one of those too-quiet drinkers that scared the bartender. The type that were too busy thinking dark thoughts to worry about stumbling around blind-drunk.
The bartender had just finished taking care of a customer at the opposite end of the bar when he turned and noticed the quiet guy holding up a hand with a finger extended – he wanted another one. The bartender sighed, motioned to one of the waitresses that he needed the owner from the back office, and went slowly down the bar to come to a stop in front of Tom.
"Another one, please ..." Tom whispered.
"Sorry, sir – I don't think you need any more alcohol."
"What the hell do you mean? I'm not drunk, and I want service! You have to serve me as long as I'm not causing any trouble!" Tom's face was flushed, and he was staring at the bartender with a weird look in his eyes. The owner, who'd been summoned by the waitress, silently came out of the back and, catching the bartender's small nod towards Tom, then moved to stand in back of him.
"Sir, I can serve or not serve anyone I choose. I think you should leave, sir, before there is any trouble with the police."
Tom glared at the bartender, and then sensed someone standing behind him. He turned slowly to see the owner glaring at him, ready to do something in response to any move Tom would make. He couldn't understand it; he WASN'T drunk – it was just like that night with Mattie's mom—
He froze, suddenly remembering his reason for being out of the center today. He had to get to Mattie before his pass ran out. He had lost too much time here; by the time he reached the hospital to see his daughter, there wouldn't be much time left before he had to return to the center.
He struggled to his feet, his legs stiff from two hours in the same position. He glared again at both the bartender and the man who had taken a step away when Tom had gotten to his feet; then turned and headed for the door, mumbling all the way.
The bartender and owner exchanged looks before both returned to their tasks. They hoped that they hadn't turned someone out who was planning on hurting himself or somebody else. Well, they weren't going to be held responsible; they'd stopped serving the guy, and asked him to leave. What more could they do?
Washing a couple of glasses, his eyes drifted to the door the guy had just gone through ... and fervently hoped that that would be the end of it.
GW HOSPITAL ROOM 411
Harm's folks had decided to take a walk around the area of the hospital while Mattie slept, and since Harm himself was dozing in the chair next to her bed, Mac decided that it was a good opportunity to check in with JAG. She silently left the room and went downstairs to the entrance doors to use her cell phone. Pulling it out of her purse, she dialed the office.
"JAG HQ, Petty Officer Coates speaking."
"Jennifer! I should have known you couldn't resist going in today!"
"Hello, Colonel! Have you forgotten who we work for? How is she -- can I talk to her?" Mac chuckled.
"No, I haven't forgotten, and Mattie's doing fine, Jen. The fever is just about gone, and she's napping right now ... otherwise, I'd definitely put you on with her. She'd love to talk to you."
"Oh, that's great, ma'am! I'm so relieved! And I'll be by tonight after work – I have a bag for her with some clothes, and I thought she'd like having her own robe and slippers there, too."
"Great idea, Jen. Wow, I hadn't even thought about that ... what would we do without you?"
"Collect fewer grey hairs?" Both women laughed. Mac let a teasing tone enter her voice as she replied.
"Now, you know all of mine come from one source---"
"And how IS the Commander, ma'am?"
Mac giggled. Jen's wit was in full bloom, and it cheered Mac up as usual. It was very hard to feel depressed around the young petty officer. "He's snoozing in a chair by Mattie's bed, and his back's gonna pay him back for it after he wakes up. Otherwise, he's OK. He wants to take Mattie home soon like the rest of us."
"She'll be back home soon, ma'am. I'm going to order some fresh flowers for her bedroom as a surprise."
"Nice! Use my credit card for that, Jen – no need for you to pay for it."
"It's no big de—"
"That's an order, Petty Officer." She heard Jen sigh.
"All right, ma'am. Thanks. Would you like to speak to the Admiral?"
"Is he available?"
"He's on with the SECNAV now, but he should be getting off any minute."
"That's OK, Jen. Just pass the word that Mattie's better, would you? We can speak with him later."
"If you're sure, ma'am. I know he'd like a report from either you or the Commander."
"His conversations with the SECNAV tend to get longer the later in the day they speak, so ... just let him know things are OK here, and that I can be reached on my cell – be sure to mention Harm's sleeping ... I don't want to disturb him right now."
"Yes, ma'am. If Mattie wakes up before I get there ..."
"I'll tell her that her sister misses her, and is on her way."
"Wow, ma'am ... it's like you're psychic or something." Jen quipped.
"Oh, shut up, and drive safely tonight coming over here, all right?"
Jen smiled into the phone. Mac was almost as good as Harm at "nagging" her like they did with Mattie. And she wouldn't have it any other way. "Yes, ma'am. Can I bring you anything?"
"Picked up any good music lately?"
"Hmm ... I have Seal's latest disc. Want to try it out? I can bring you my portable CD player so you can listen without disturbing anybody."
"Is it that bad?" Mac laughed, and Jen joined in.
"No, ma'am. It's ... pretty spiritual, some of the songs. And there's one, called 'Love's Divine,' that makes me cry every time I hear it."
"Hmm. Pack it up, then. I'm staying here with Mattie tonight – this might be a chance to be 'hip' with her!"
"Rock on, ma'am!"
"Maybe. Only time and Mattie will tell. We'll see you later, Jen. Thanks."
"No problem, ma'am. Be there in a couple of hours."
"Bye."
"Bye, ma'am."
Mac closed the phone, and headed back to Mattie's room.
COOLIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Miss Barrows met up with Andre at her office, and they gathered their belongings before heading out to her car. They were walking through the teacher's lot when she asked him whether he'd decided on a gift for Mattie.
"Oh, yeah! See, I know something about her that I'm not sure even her family knows."
"What's that?" she replied, curious.
"She won't admit this, but she just loves 'Snoopy' stuff ... and I found a toy store near the hospital that carries stuffed 'Snoopy' dogs. Can we stop by there?"
Miss Barrows laughed and said, "Sure, Andre. That's a great gift, and based on something personal about the recipient. Good decision."
"Thanks, Miss Barrows. I just hope she isn't too embarrassed about it. She's kinda funny about letting other people know that about her – I don't get it, but what can you do. I just have a feeling she'll love it."
"You're a good friend, Andre. And, look at it this way – if things go wrong with the gift, you'll be right there in the hospital, so any wounds can be treated quickly." They reached her car, and after unlocking the doors, got in.
Andre looked over at her after snapping the seat belt on around him and throwing his backpack in the back seat. "You're kidding – right?"
Miss Barrows just smiled as she started the car and they left the school, following Andre's directions to the toy store.
GW HOSPITAL
ROOM 411
Mattie shifted in her bed, dreaming about her mother. They were walking home from Mattie's grade school, hand in hand, and Mattie was giggling from a joke her mom had told her. When she finally caught her breath, she asked her what Dad would think of the joke. She watched her mother's face close up, a shadow falling over her soft features. Mattie felt her mother's hand tighten in hers, and she could tell something she'd said bothered her. Anxious to get their good mood from a minute ago back, she smiled up at her mom, telling her that she was sorry for making her feel bad about Daddy.
Her mom stopped and knelt down next to her, looking Mattie in the eye. She told her, "Honey, it's not your fault. Mommy just has some things to talk to Daddy about, that's all. Everything will be OK, I promise."
"OK, mommy."
"Good girl. Now, what would Snoopy like for dinner?" Mattie grinned, taking her hand again as they continued towards home. No one else knew that Mattie's mom called her 'Snoopy' when they were alone together ... Mattie adored the 'Peanuts' character, and after her mom had found out, she called Mattie 'Snoopy' with special affection. It was a way for Mattie to feel close to her mom. She smiled again in the dream, and the smile reached across time to her older, future face, lying in a hospital bed a few years later. Mattie sighed, waking Harm from his light sleep ... causing him to get up from the chair and move to her side. He watched the big smile move across Mattie's face, and he wondered what she was dreaming about. The temp monitor showed 99.1, he saw, so he didn't think it was fever-induced.
He was still wondering about it when he heard Mac slip back into the room, moving to stand next to him ... following his gaze as he watched Mattie's face.
"What's she smiling about?" Mac whispered.
"I don't know," Harm replied. "She's been smiling in her sleep for a minute or so. I'm not sure what brought it on."
"A good dream, I hope – look at her eyelids. She's in REM sleep."
"Yeah. We'll have to ask her about it after she wakes up." He heard Mac yawn beside him, and pointed her towards the other bed in the room. Mac shook her head, silently telling him she was fine. He pointed again, and whispered, "I know you didn't sleep well last night, Mac. Please get some rest," he whispered.
"I'll sleep later when Mattie's gone to bed for the night – I'm staying here with her, remember?" she whispered back.
"Yeah, I remember, Mac. All right – you make sure you get six good hours tonight, or I'm telling Mom and Dr. Masters."
"Harm--!!" she whispered a little louder.
"Mac, come on! You're tired! Promise me!" She rolled her eyes. "Mac ...?"
"All right, all right, 'Mr. Bossy.' Now pipe down and let my daughter sleep."
Harm grinned at her, and drew her to him in a strong one-armed hug. "Thanks, Mac."
She looked up at him. "For what?"
"Everything."
"Don't mention it, flyboy."
"Whatever you say, Marine."
"Shut up." She smiled, and he felt it through their contact. After a moment, they went to stand by the window, their arms still around each other. They moved around the room ... and everywhere else they were together ... with a symphony of coordination built on years of friendship and love. Mattie being in the hospital seemed, in a way, to add a layer of connection between the two old friends. Caring for their 'adopted' daughter together reinforced what was already an amazingly strong bond.
Now, when either of them thought of the future, their musings were always anchored by thoughts of the other ... and of the girl sleeping in the bed behind them.
They were watching the late afternoon rays of the sun cast long shadows over the city when they heard a quiet knock at the door, and turned to see Miss Barrows from Mattie's school ... standing there with a young, handsome African American boy. Harm and Mac glanced at Mattie's sleeping form, and then moved to the doorway to meet the new folks in the hallway.
Miss Barrows spoke first, keeping her voice low so she wouldn't wake Mattie. "Hello, Mr. Rabb ... Miss MacKenzie. This is Andre Biggs, Mattie's friend."
"Hello, Miss Barrows. And you, Andre." Mac greeted them, shaking their hands.
"It's nice to meet you both," Andre said. Harm stuck out his hand to shake Andre's, and the young man returned it.
"Nice meeting you in person, Andre. Thanks for visiting us."
"No problem, sir. How is she doing?" he asked.
"She's doing fine, Andre. Her fever's pretty much gone, and the doctors are saying she might be able to go home in a day or so."
"Cool! I'm really glad – I've missed her. And, I brought her assignments with me." Harm saw the backpack the young man carried, along with a somewhat bulky store bag with the name of a toy store on the front.
"What's in the bag?" Mac asked.
"Andre wanted to get Mattie a 'get-well' gift – I hope it's alright." Miss Barrows answered.
"Mattie loves gifts of all types, so I'm sure it's OK. We appreciate you coming to cheer her up like this, Andre." Harm spoke.
"I hope she likes it, sir ... ma'am. Can I sit with her for a while?" Harm looked at Mac, who nodded. "Sure, Andre. You can spell us for a bit while we chat with Miss Barrows. We're going to head to the cafeteria – can we bring you anything?"
"That's OK, sir. I promise not to bother her ... I'll just keep an eye out till you get back."
"She should be waking up pretty soon, Andre. She's scheduled to be seen by her doctor in another hour or so. We'll be back in a bit – please tell her if she should wake up before we get back?" Mac asked him.
"Yes, ma'am. I will."
"Good. Thank you."
All three adults smiled at him as he turned to enter Mattie's room, quietly slipping his back from his shoulder and taking the chair Harm was in earlier. They watched the two kids for another moment, and then slowly started walking down the hallway.
"He's certainly a very polite young man." Mac said. Miss Barrows smiled.
"Yes. A very traditional grandmother, who taught him manners, has raised him. She's a lovely lady."
"Thanks for coming with him, Miss Barrows."
"Not a problem, Mr. Rabb. He's Mattie's best friend, and I thought it would help her feel better if he came by for a while. I'm so glad she's getting better."
"We are, too. There were some scary moments, especially before she regained consciousness ... but she has great doctors, and she's a fighter." Mac spoke, with a definite air of pride in her voice.
"Mattie's unique, that's for sure. She's caught up with schoolwork so well, and her teachers sing her praises – considering she missed so much time." Miss Barrows replied.
She paused in the hallway, and Harm and Mac stopped as well.
"You two have done a magnificent job with her. She's one of the most well- adjusted kids I've ever been around, given what her life has been like the past couple of years. I hope you get to keep her, Mr. Rabb."
Harm and Mac's eyes were both wet with tears, and Harm looked down at his feet for a moment to gather himself before answering the school counselor.
"We do, too, Miss Barrows. We do, too."
Andre slowly opened the bag containing the Snoopy stuffed dog he'd bought at the toy store for Mattie, and pulled it out. It had longer than normal legs, he'd noticed when he bought it, which made it easier to hold. The floppy ears, white furry coat, and beagle nose made it pretty cute. He hoped she would like it.
Moving carefully, he placed it gently next to her, its' head against her neck. She sighed, and moved a little closer to the animal that now had her arm around it, like a pillow. He smiled, watching her accept the presence of the stuffed dog, and turned to look out of the windows.
After another moment, he heard her move behind him, murmuring something, and he turned to watch her eyes sleepily open. She blinked a few times, and then noticed the white stuffed dog next to her. Her breath caught, and her eyes opened wider as she looked at the Snoopy dog. She smiled a slow, wide smile that seemed to glow on its' own in the darkening room, her arms wrapping around the dog in joy.
The look on her face was priceless, and something Andre would never forget.
She looked up, then, and saw him standing there. Raising her head from her pillow, she whispered "Andre?"
Grinning, he moved over to the bed. "Hi, 'Tilda." Andre was the only person who called her that. At first, she hadn't liked it very much. As time went on, and they became friends ... she discovered something about him. People he liked and were close to got 'nicknames' like hers.
When she'd figured that out, she decided that she liked it when her best friend called her "'Tilda." She watched him as he moved to sit next to her on her bed.
"Hey, Andre. How---when did you get here?"
"Just a while ago. Miss Barrows brought me. She's with your folks right now, somewhere. They said they'd be back soon. Want me to go find them?"
"No...that's OK. I'm fine. I was just ... surprised, that's all. Did you ..." she hesitated, trying to gather her thoughts. She caught sight of the toy store bag at his feet, and asked, "You brought me this, didn't you?"
"Yes. Don't you like it?" She sighed, a laugh bubbling to her lips as she caught the worried look on his face.
"He's so cool. Thank you very much, Andre. Where did you find it?" He grinned, glad that she loved his gift.
"This toy store Miss Barrows and I went to on the way here. I looked them up on the Internet."
"Of course you did." She smiled at him, and he returned it. Andre was, to her, a genius with computers. She was continually after him to teach her more about them, since she knew she'd need to know more about computers in the Navy.
"When you woke up and saw it, well ... I thought that you might not like it—"
"NO, I do – really! It's one of the best ..." she looked away from him, suddenly unable to speak.
"'Tilda? Are you sure you're OK?" She was worrying him.
"Yeah, I'm really OK, Andre. It's just ... so weird. I was dreaming about my mother, and ... she used to call me 'Snoopy', you know ... I told you this before ..."
"Yeah," he replied. "That's what made me think of it as a gift. When you told me about it, it sounded like a good memory for you."
"It was—um, it is."
"Well, this guy can just remind you once in a while, so you'll feel better and get out of here -- and you can help me with my Lit homework." Mattie burst out laughing.
"So, THAT'S why you're so nice to me, huh? Help with the 'H' word!" He grinned, shrugging with a playful look on his dark face.
"Um, 'Tilda ... I'm glad you like the gift."
"Thanks, Andre, for bringing him to me, and for being here. I was going to ask Jen to see if she could call you for me, and let you know where I was ..."
"It's OK. Miss Barrows told me everything. Did you really fall out of your bed at home?"
"Yep. Still don't remember it, either. It's so strange ... I remember you were teasing me about looking sick at school, then ... the next thing I remember is waking up here." He looked at his hands in his lap and shook his head.
"I wish I had taken you to Miss Barrows so she could check you out – I could have helped stop all this from happening."
She rested a hand on his arm. "No, you couldn't. I wouldn't have listened, anyway. I didn't even know how sick I really was. I thought I was just tired, remember? It wasn't your fault, Andre." He looked up to see her smiling at him. "Okay."
"So ..." she began again, "Did you bring me anything to eat?" He gaped at her in amazement.
"Mattie, haven't they been feeding you here?" She rolled her eyes at him.
"Andre, I just woke up yesterday, and they wouldn't even let me have solid food until lunch today. I'm still hungry!!"
"Well, it's getting close to dinnertime. I'm sure they'll give you a nice big meal – they might even burp you afterward if you behave!" She punched his arm, and he fake-grimaced, laughing with her.
"Idiot!"
"Baby!"
"Nerd!"
"Freak!"
"Ah ... the language skills of young people these days!" The voice, coming from the door, belonged to Dr. Masters, who entered Mattie's room with a nurse, Mac, Harm, Miss Barrows, Jen, and Harm's folks trailing behind.
"Shhh—"Mattie leaned over to Andre, whispering as if to keep the others from hearing – even though they were all definitely listening, and smiling. "we'll talk about escape plans later." He nodded solemnly at her, and then got up from the bed to let Dr. Masters move closer to Mattie, who was exchanging smiles with everyone.
"Hi, honey ... how are you feeling?" Trish asked her, as Dr. Masters listened to her chest and back with his stethoscope.
"I'm good, Grams. This is my friend Andre, from school. Andre, those are my grandparents, and that's my roommate, Jen."
"Pleased to meet you, young man." Frank told him. Jen smiled at him, and shook his hand, too.
"Likewise, sir – miss. How was your flight from California, Mr. Rabb?"
"Finally – someone in this room asks about our flight!!" Trish exclaimed, causing everyone to laugh. Mattie had to cut her own laugh short at a look from Dr. Masters, who was still listening to her lungs.
"It was fine, Andre. Just for asking, I'm going to send you some cookies." Trish said. Andre grinned at her.
"I'll have to see if they're as good as my grandma's – thanks!"
"Oh, this guy is GOOD!!" Harm spoke up, grinning as Jen chuckled next to him.
Mac was watching Dr. Masters, who was entering data on his PMC. "How's our girl doing, Dr?"
"I think we're going to be getting this room back pretty soon, Miss MacKenzie." He replied, smiling at her.
"Oh, call her 'Mac', doc – all the handsome doctors do." The evil grin on Mattie's face was priceless. Harm just covered his face with his hands, saying nothing.
"MATTIE!!!" Mac nearly shouted. "You are SO in trouble, young lady!"
"What? I was just giving him a compliment!" The doctor was blushing by this time, and the nurse was trying not to laugh. He looked at her, and gave her a mock-glare before speaking. "Nurse, please bring Mattie her dinner. She can use her mouth for something OTHER than teasing poor medical professionals."
"I'm not sure that will stop her, doctor." Andre added, making everyone laugh – except Mattie, who sat in bed, glowering at him.
"Traitor," she mumbled.
"Fine," he said, "If you feel THAT way about it, gimme my gift back." He moved to grab it from her, but she snatched it away.
"No way!! It's mine, and you're NOT getting it back!"
"All right – that's enough, you two." Miss Barrows spoke up. "Mattie should eat now, and Andre ... I'm sorry, but I promised your grandmother I'd have you home by 7. We need to leave soon." Mattie's face fell, and Andre didn't look much happier.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Can't he stay a little longer, Dad?" Mattie asked him in a plaintive voice. "He can have some of my dinner."
"We don't want to get him in trouble with his grandmother, honey. Andre, maybe you can come back when we take Mattie home. You can have dinner with all of us, if you like." Harm said, grinning at the two teenagers.
"Very cool!" Mattie said, smiling. Andre nodded, then picked up his backpack. "I'll see you in a day or so, th—"
"Take off, kid – I need to see my daughter."
Everyone suddenly stopped, turning to see where the voice was coming from. They all saw Tom Johnson standing in the doorway in rumpled clothes, with a gleam in his eye. Mac gasped, recognizing the signs of drunkenness ... then turned slowly and caught Dr. Masters' eye, mouthing "Security!" He nodded once, and pushed a couple of buttons on his PMC.
Tom stumbled a little as he entered Mattie's room, and said in a loud, unsteady voice, "Everyone please leave-I want to see my daughter!" Harm, Frank, and Andre all moved to block his path to Mattie, as Mac, Trish, and the nurse moved closer to her in protection.
Mattie couldn't see her biological father with all of the bodies between them, but she could feel his eyes on her. She started crying quietly, as running footsteps echoed from down the hallway.
END OF CHAPTER 16
Author: Chicmns
Category: Drama, angst
Disclaimer: All main characters belong to DPB, CBS, and Paramount. Other characters (see below) are used with the greatest respect and a solemn promise not to benefit in any way by their use, except in the cause of (hopefully) good fiction.
Rating: G
Author's Notes: Thanks to the following recent reviewers; 'jtbwriter' (I always look forward to your comments; they are always constructive!); 'Abigaile' (glad you liked the part with the sponge bath ... couldn't write hospital scenes without including a sponge bath, now, could I? LOL); and "Lyssa Grace' ... (I am so glad you enjoy my writing – I hope I can continue to meet your expectations!)
I hope I get this next part right ...
GW HOSPITAL CAFETERIA
"Thank you, all of you, for talking with me about what's happened. Especially you, Sarah ... I'd like to have what you've told me about your conversation with Mr. Johnson transcribed into a statement, if you don't mind. It will need to be a part of the official court record." Mac smiled at the other woman, and nodded.
"Not a problem, Ellen. Please feel free to drop it here or at JAG headquarters, and I will review, notarize, and sign it - then get it right back to you." Frank watched the two younger women talk; being in a family with so many strong-willed women (and he'd quickly learned to include his 'granddaughter' Mattie in that group) had taught him to stay quiet and watch when possible. He learned more that way.
Frank was glad this had been a civil talk; when this woman had first approached them, he wasn't sure if either his wife or Mac would keep their emotions in check as they discussed this ridiculous claim by Mattie's biological father. 'He must be getting desperate or something,' he thought to himself. That didn't bode well for the rest of the custody process; what had been a generally peaceful thing now looked like it would be contentious. Frank sighed, then tuned back into the conversation, and decided to actively join in at a pause in the discussion.
"Ms. Valera ..." he began, watching as she turned to face him, "I'm sure we've all noticed," glancing at Mac and Trish, "that you seem very comfortable with the intricacies of the legal system. I admit, when I hear my stepson and Sarah talk about the law, I get lost pretty quickly." Mac smiled at him, and patted his hand.
"That's OK, Frank – so does Harm, when I beat him in court!" Ellen smiled as the three people around her laughed. She was continually amazed at this 'extended' family; step-parents, stepsons, close friends who were indistinguishable from family, and other people who had, like Mattie, been 'adopted' into the fold with no apparent seams or breaks in the fabric of their collective lives.
She couldn't remember if she'd ever been around such an extraordinary group of people before.
"Stop trashing my son, Sarah ... or it's no more cookie recipes for you in my next care package!" Trish mockingly admonished her. Ellen watched Mac's eyes go wide at the prospect, and wondered what it meant. Mac saw her puzzled look and tried to explain.
"I love to bake when I can find the time, Ellen, but I don't have any decent recipes of my own for cookies and other treats. Trish has been sharing hers with me, but usually at the end of a stick. She likes to watch me jump for them every once in a while." Sarah said this last while grinning at the older woman, who was smiling back with a look of such motherly love that Ellen was reminded of her own mother. Trish glanced over at Ellen, then returned her fond look to Sarah before answering Mac's barb.
"Not true, Ellen. Sarah's just afraid that it will get out with her leatherneck Marine buddies that one of their Colonels actually bakes for relaxation, instead of invading countries single-handedly." They all laughed as Sarah shook her head and looked suitably embarrassed.
"Actually, sir," Ellen continued, trying to answer Frank's original statement, "I was a DC cop for a few years before I left the force to work at FCS. I had a rotation in the Juvy division while on the job, and never felt like I was helping any of the kids I came across. At FCS, I feel like I can do more good for them."
"You must see a lot of broken families." Mac told her.
"Yes ... but I have a chance to help them mend, too. It's not an easy job, believe me ... but when we can do some good, it makes it worthwhile."
"I feel the same way about my work at JAG," came a familiar voice from behind their table. Harm came up to them, a small grin on his face as he studied the new person at the table. Mac shook herself; she could usually sense when Harm was around; Mattie's hospitalization must be throwing off her radar. Turning to smile up at him, she asked, "Hey, Harm -- how's Mattie?"
"Starting to eat GW out of house and hospital – she's having some lunch right now. I was sent to retrieve her wayward family, who seem to prefer hospital coffee to her presence." Harm grinned at all of them.
"Oh, hush, son. We were just talking with Ms. Valera here. Ellen, this is my son, Harmon Rabb." Ellen stood and held out her hand to Harm, who shook it.
"Mr. Rabb."
"Ms. Valera."
Everyone at the table noticed that Ellen kept her interactions with Harm on a more formal level, despite having been on a first-name basis with everyone else at the table. Mac wondered if Harm being Mattie's legal guardian was the reason.
"Mattie's doing better, I take it then, sir?" she asked him.
"Yes, she is. I even had to warn her not to bribe the nurses to get her a Beltway Burger."
"That's my girl!" Mac said enthusiastically, giving Harm a teasing smile. Mac's love of Beltway Burgers was legendary, and she had apparently succeeded in turning Mattie on to her addiction. Harm shook his head.
"Mac, come on! You're making me the bad guy when I put salads in front of Mattie! All I see in her eyes anymore are little images of Beltway Burgers!" Everyone laughed, including Ellen ... who decided to answer him.
"Well, sir, they ARE excellent burgers. I would like to see Mattie for a bit, if you and the doctors don't mind. I need to interview her for my report."
"Well, the doctors want her to nap after she finishes eating, so now is probably the best time." Harm answered her, looking a little unsure. Ellen picked up on his concern right away.
"I promise not to keep her up long, then. I just have a few questions for her, and then I need to check in with her doctors."
"Their names are Masters and Gentry. Dr. Masters is her primary care physician – I'm not sure if he's on duty yet. He's also Chief of Pediatrics here. Mattie's in room 411."
"I'll leave him a message if I can't find him before I leave." She collected her purse, nodding to everyone at the table. "It was a pleasure to meet you all. I'll tell Mattie you'll be up in a bit." She turned to leave, then paused in her steps by Harm's quiet voice.
"I thought I would come back upstairs with you, Ms. Valera." Harm spoke. He had started following her as she headed towards the cafeteria doors.
She turned to him holding up her hand. "That's not necessary, Mr. Rabb. I need to conduct my interview in private – why don't you keep your folks and Miss MacKenzie company here while I see her? It shouldn't take more than a half-hour or so."
Harm looked like he wanted to find some way to come with her, so Mac got to her feet, walked over to him, and pulled his hand ... bringing him back to the chair Ellen had occupied previously. "We'll be up in 30 minutes, then." She emphasized the '30 minutes' part of her statement, and Ellen nodded.
"Great. I'll tell Mattie. See you all soon." She turned to leave the cafeteria, followed by Harm's worried eyes.
"It'll be OK, son," his mom told him. Harm sighed. Mac slowly rubbed his back as she sat next to him. He'd never felt so protective of Mattie as he did at that particular moment.
"I hope so, Mom."
ROOM 411
Mattie was just finishing up her soup, fish, and milk under the watchful eye of the nurse, who sat chatting with her ... when she heard a knock at the open door of her room.
"Hello, Mattie. How are you doing?" Ellen asked, as she slowly stepped into the room.
"Who are you?" Mattie asked her suspiciously. The nurse stood up and moved closer to Mattie, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Ellen.
"My name is Ellen Valera, with DC Family and Child Services." She pulled her ID from her purse, showing it to both Mattie and the nurse. "I'm here to talk to you about what happened, and about something your dad reported."
"Harm? What did he say? He didn't tell me anything about this!" Ellen raised her eyebrow; Mattie had so identified with her guardian that he immediately came to mind whenever she heard "dad" or "father." "Interesting, but not inconsistent with what I've learned so far.' she said to herself.
"No, Mattie – your biological father. Nurse, would you give us some time alone, please?" The nurse looked from Mattie to Ellen. Mattie spoke again, crossing her arms on her chest. "I think Harm or Mac would want to be here while we talk, Ms. Valera."
'Save me from kids with lawyers as parents,' Ellen wryly thought to herself as she smiled down at Mattie.
"I just left both of them and your grandparents in the cafeteria, Mattie. We've been there talking while you were having lunch. If you don't believe me, the nurse can check it out. I asked them to give me some time with you because my interviews have to be in private wherever possible; it's the rules. Listen, I'm not here to hurt you or your guardian. I just need to talk to you about everything that's happened since you came home sick from school, and then we need to chat about what your father said to us." She paused, and then looked over at the nurse ... who hadn't left. The nurse looked down at Mattie. "Will you be alright, honey?"
Mattie studied Ellen's face for a moment, and Ellen returned the intent look ... hoping to build some initial trust between them. Mattie nodded after a couple of moments; evidently satisfied at what she saw in Ellen's eyes. "I'll be fine. Thanks for bringing me lunch."
The nurse touched her shoulder, and then smiled. "You're welcome. I'll be down the hall if you need anything. -- just ring. And remember what Dr. Gentry said – she wants you to nap for a while after lunch."
"Okay. I promise – eyes shut after we're finished. Could you ask my folks to come back soon, and sit with me?"
"You got it, honey. I'll check on you later." Mattie smiled at her.
"kay."
The nurse turned and left, closing the door behind her after giving Ellen a last look.
Ellen sat down in the chair near Mattie's bed, and pulled out her notebook. "Wow, they are really looking after you here, huh?" Mattie nodded, absently rubbing the skin around the IV patch on her hand.
"Everyone's been really nice, and the docs have made me feel a lot better. But, most importantly, I got some solid food in me!" Ellen laughed at the precocious young woman with the long curly tresses of hair lying in bed, her upper body elevated.
"It's not a Beltway Burger, but it's better than nothing." Ellen told her.
"EXACTLY! Oh, what I wouldn't give for a Beltway right now ..." The dreamy look that had descended on Mattie's face made Ellen giggle.
"Maybe I can sneak one in for you, sometime before you're released, since you're going to be here for a few more days. I think it's in the Geneva Convention or something, for hospital prisoners." Mattie raised an eyebrow, and gave Ellen a blinding smile.
"I think you're my new best friend, Ms. Valera!"
"Call me Ellen, OK?"
"Sure. And now that you've sufficiently buttered me up, what's this all about?"
Ellen blinked, unable to keep the surprise off of her face. Mattie just gazed back at her with a look that was cat-like in its' intensity. She'd seen right through Ellen's strategy, all right. The file had mentioned Mattie's above-average intelligence – guess the file was right, Ellen thought ruefully to herself.
"Well, I want you to tell me everything you remember since coming home from school – what you felt, who you saw, what you did ... everything. I need to get a timeline, and I don't want to miss anything. The court will want this in the report, too, so they can see how this developed. Then, we'll talk about your biological father a bit before I leave you to nap. Okay?"
"Okay," Mattie replied, sighing. "Well, I hadn't been feeling well all day at school, and Andre – he's my best friend ..."
They talked for another 40 minutes before Ellen left Mattie, after she finished getting what she needed for her report ... but not before arranging the blankets over the girl, now asleep.
CAPITOL CITY BREWING COMPANY DC
Tom entered his favorite brewpub, looking around the place before moving to take a seat at the end of the long maple bar. He'd been convincing himself on the way over that just having a burger and a beer would be fine, but a voice inside his head kept asking if he'd be able to stop at just 'one' beer. He needed to see Mattie and face the Rabb family with a clear head, but he was also hungry. Hunger served as a good cover for having a drink, even if it wasn't his usual bourbon or scotch.
His palette of rationalizations had given him seemingly good reasons to enter a drinking establishment, ignoring all of the counseling he'd received at Good Hope. They told him that drinking was driven by compulsions, and he was in the grip what he thought was a perfectly justified compulsion – the desire to see his sick daughter, and to start making up for all the pain he'd brought into their lives.
The bartender coughed in front of him, an expectant look on his face. Tom shook himself from his thoughts, and ordered a steak burger with fries and a draft beer. The bartender nodded, turning away to place the order. Before he could take two steps toward the kitchen, Tom called him back.
"Could you bring the beer first, please?" he asked. The bartender studied his face for a moment, and recognized the signs of someone who probably shouldn't be in a bar. He moved closer to Tom, dropping his voice to a whisper.
"Are you sure? he spoke. Tom glared at him.
"Is it any of your business, whether I'm sure or not?" he threw back.
The bartender sighed, and slowly shook his head. "No," he answered. "It isn't."
"Good! A drinking man's best friend - a barkeep who can mind his own business!" he said sarcastically.
"Whatever." He turned quickly away, moving toward the draft beer glasses and handles.
Tom sniffed, his fingers tapping an impatient pattern on the bar.
GW HOSPITAL Room 411
Harm, Mac, and his parents stepped off of the elevator on the way back to Mattie's room, He caught sight of Ellen Valera down the hall ... speaking with Dr. Masters. His eyes met the doctor's, and he nodded in the direction of Mattie's room. The doctor nodded once without pausing in his discussion with the social worker. Harm watched them another moment, and then followed the others into the room. Once he passed the doorway, Mac held up a finger to her lips; Mattie was sleeping, curled up on her side in bed. Harm's folks stood at the foot of the bed watching their granddaughter as Harm moved silently to her side, followed by Mac who'd stepped over to the other side of the bed.
The IV line still attached to Mattie's hand had gotten tangled in the blankets, and Harm gently moved her arm in order to free it from the blanket. After finishing without waking her, he rearranged the blanket over his daughter, who'd apparently kicked them partially away as she changed positions in her sleep. Mattie then felt the blankets move around her and mumbled softly, her eyes remaining closed.
"Dad .... mom?" Her head moved a little on the pillows, and it seemed as if she was searching the area around her for something, or someone.
Harm smiled and leaned over Mattie to gently kiss her cheek. "Shhhhhh, shhhh ... we're all here, sweetheart. Go back to sleep. We love you so much."
Mac waited for Harm to straighten up, then leaned over Mattie from her side of the bed and pushed a few locks of her hair away from her sleeping face, before kissing her temple. "Sleep, baby," she whispered in Mattie's ear. "Love you more." She started, very slowly, to run her fingers through Mattie's hair. She knew that it always relaxed the teenager, reminding her of when her own mother had done it as she was growing up. Mac had unconsciously started doing it herself one night while at Mattie and Jen's during a 'girls night' of movies and junk food. She'd stopped when she felt Mattie suddenly tense as the young girl felt Mac's fingers in her hair; then Mattie just turned and looked up at her from her spot on the floor by the couch with a look of such love, it literally took Mac's breath away. She'd watched, breathless, as Mattie smiled at her ... then moved her head closer to Mac's hand. Mac had started caressing Mattie's hair again.
15 minutes later, Mac remembered, Mattie was fast asleep ... her head comfortably lying against Mac's sweats-covered leg. She smiled to herself, remembering how Mattie'd been so relaxed in sleep, that when Harm had stopped by later that night to tell her goodnight, he'd been able to pick Mattie up and carry her to her bed without her stirring at all. He'd joked later that they'd discovered a fail-proof way of sending their child off to bed without a fight. Mac had just laughed, thinking of it instead as a special form of the bond between Mattie and herself. Her mind immediately came back to the hospital room they were all in, her fingers still stroking Mattie's hair. They all watched as Mattie settled deeper into the pillows and blankets, a small smile on her lips.
GW HOSPITAL NURSES'S STATION, 4th FLOOR
Dr. Masters had just finished speaking with Ms. Valera, Mattie's FCS caseworker, when he noticed Harm Rabb slip quietly out of Mattie's room and walk towards him. Mr. Rabb had a relaxed look on his face, and Dr. Masters took that to indicate that Mattie was hopefully sleeping and continuing to do well in her recovery. Her vitals and blood tests were all coming back to health, and the doctor could see no impediments to recovery, as long as the fluid that stubbornly remained in her lungs left soon. The chest tap procedure was still an option that they might need, even as it became more and more of a remote possibility. He finished signing a patient form and waited as Mr. Rabb reached him.
Harm stopped next to the doctor, holding out his hand. "Doctor ... how are you?" The doctor grinned and shook hands.
"I'm well, thank you Mr. Rabb. And our girl?" Harm smiled at the possessive ways in which the hospital staff had increasingly come to refer to Mattie; he understood that reaction VERY well himself. "She's sleeping right now, and I think we've gained a reprieve from her wrath since she's had some solid food for lunch." The doctor laughed. "Well, the thing we're watching for now is any sign that she can't keep the food in her; I don't expect any problems in that area, but it's best to be on the lookout. Please let everyone know to notify us if you see any signs of that happening."
"We will, doctor."
"Good. Now, you're aware that Ellen Valera spoke with me earlier regarding Mattie?"
"Yes," Harm replied. "She came by this afternoon, and spent time with Mac and my folks in the cafeteria. I'd already given her my perspective on the events that brought us here, and she said she wanted to speak with Mattie's doctors before leaving. I hope she wasn't too direct?"
"Oh, no ... I've spoken with plenty of caseworkers from FCS, and we had a good talk about Mattie. Ms. Valera was interested in her symptoms and our diagnosis. She asked for copies of the results from all of Mattie's blood tests, which is a normal request ... for their file, I suppose. I don't think she means any harm, Mr. Rabb – if you'll excuse the pun." Harm laughed, and shook his head.
"Don't worry about it, doctor. I've heard worse at the Naval Academy, believe me. I'm not too concerned about Ms. Valera, actually. It's Mattie's biological father who is worrying me."
"You think he's going to cause trouble?" the doctor asked, concern in his voice.
"I'm not sure. But my instincts are blaring loudly over his complaint, and we pilots are trained to trust our instincts."
"As we doctors are, sir. Well, let me tell you in a nutshell, Mr. Rabb, that GW has no issues with anyone caring for Mattie; we've grown fond of your young lady, and we've seen nothing to support any claim against you or your family and friends. That's what I told Ms. Valera, and our statements to Family Court will reflect that belief."
Harm swallowed, unable to reply for a moment. These were all good people at GW, and he was thankful again that they'd brought Mattie here, where her care had been excellent. He reached out to shake Dr. Masters' hand again, nodding at him in thanks.
"I--we appreciate that, Dr. Masters. You all have been providing such excellent care for Mattie, and we're grateful for everything you've done for her." The young doctor smiled at the taller man.
"Our pleasure, sir. She'll be going home in another day or so, and I'll stop by before her dinnertime to examine her again. If she handles lunch OK, we'll give her some salad and a meat dish tonight for dinner – and we'll see how she does with that, while continuing to monitor her progress. Depending on how she does overnight, we might even be able to take her off of the antibiotics tomorrow."
"Great! I think I'll keep the news of the salad coming to myself, though ... she's not a fan of greens, unfortunately. As a vegetarian, I try to get her to eat as healthy as possible, but it's a struggle."
"Every parent goes through that, sir-vegans or no. My own daughter, who's a couple of years younger than Mattie, runs screaming from vegetables. Why don't you and I talk later about the diet we're going to send her home with? You can help us tailor it so that it isn't TOO disagreeable for her." They both laughed.
"That would be excellent, doctor. Thanks again. We'll see you around 1700 – um, sorry, 5:00, then?" Dr. Masters smiled, and nodded.
"Yes, sir. And – don't worry – we get plenty of military families through here, so we're all pretty comfortable with the 24-hour clock."
"Okay. We'll be with Mattie, and we'll see you later this evening."
"Sounds good, sir."
Harm left Dr. Masters at the nurse's station and turned back to walk towards Mattie's room down the long hallway, with a little spring in his step. He was going to get to take her home in another day or so, and he'd make sure they'd all get past whatever Tom Johnson was planning on throwing their way.
CAPITOL CITY BREWING COMPANY DC
The beer bottles in front of Tom were quickly cleared away by the bartender ... along with his plate of a half-eaten burger and barely touched fries. If he asked for another bottle, the bartender had already decided that he was going to refuse; this guy looked like the last guy on earth who should be drinking. He'd spent the past couple of hours just sitting there - alternating between staring off into space, and mournfully shaking his tear- streaked face. At least he wasn't bent on sharing all his problems with the other customers, the bartender thought to himself. All he'd mentioned over the past couple of hours was some broad's name: Mattie. Whoever this girl was, he hoped she'd get there soon, and take this guy away before the inevitable confrontation came when he'd ask for another beer that he wasn't going to get. Sure, he wasn't drop-dead drunk, and hadn't slid off of his stool once ... but he'd turned into one of those too-quiet drinkers that scared the bartender. The type that were too busy thinking dark thoughts to worry about stumbling around blind-drunk.
The bartender had just finished taking care of a customer at the opposite end of the bar when he turned and noticed the quiet guy holding up a hand with a finger extended – he wanted another one. The bartender sighed, motioned to one of the waitresses that he needed the owner from the back office, and went slowly down the bar to come to a stop in front of Tom.
"Another one, please ..." Tom whispered.
"Sorry, sir – I don't think you need any more alcohol."
"What the hell do you mean? I'm not drunk, and I want service! You have to serve me as long as I'm not causing any trouble!" Tom's face was flushed, and he was staring at the bartender with a weird look in his eyes. The owner, who'd been summoned by the waitress, silently came out of the back and, catching the bartender's small nod towards Tom, then moved to stand in back of him.
"Sir, I can serve or not serve anyone I choose. I think you should leave, sir, before there is any trouble with the police."
Tom glared at the bartender, and then sensed someone standing behind him. He turned slowly to see the owner glaring at him, ready to do something in response to any move Tom would make. He couldn't understand it; he WASN'T drunk – it was just like that night with Mattie's mom—
He froze, suddenly remembering his reason for being out of the center today. He had to get to Mattie before his pass ran out. He had lost too much time here; by the time he reached the hospital to see his daughter, there wouldn't be much time left before he had to return to the center.
He struggled to his feet, his legs stiff from two hours in the same position. He glared again at both the bartender and the man who had taken a step away when Tom had gotten to his feet; then turned and headed for the door, mumbling all the way.
The bartender and owner exchanged looks before both returned to their tasks. They hoped that they hadn't turned someone out who was planning on hurting himself or somebody else. Well, they weren't going to be held responsible; they'd stopped serving the guy, and asked him to leave. What more could they do?
Washing a couple of glasses, his eyes drifted to the door the guy had just gone through ... and fervently hoped that that would be the end of it.
GW HOSPITAL ROOM 411
Harm's folks had decided to take a walk around the area of the hospital while Mattie slept, and since Harm himself was dozing in the chair next to her bed, Mac decided that it was a good opportunity to check in with JAG. She silently left the room and went downstairs to the entrance doors to use her cell phone. Pulling it out of her purse, she dialed the office.
"JAG HQ, Petty Officer Coates speaking."
"Jennifer! I should have known you couldn't resist going in today!"
"Hello, Colonel! Have you forgotten who we work for? How is she -- can I talk to her?" Mac chuckled.
"No, I haven't forgotten, and Mattie's doing fine, Jen. The fever is just about gone, and she's napping right now ... otherwise, I'd definitely put you on with her. She'd love to talk to you."
"Oh, that's great, ma'am! I'm so relieved! And I'll be by tonight after work – I have a bag for her with some clothes, and I thought she'd like having her own robe and slippers there, too."
"Great idea, Jen. Wow, I hadn't even thought about that ... what would we do without you?"
"Collect fewer grey hairs?" Both women laughed. Mac let a teasing tone enter her voice as she replied.
"Now, you know all of mine come from one source---"
"And how IS the Commander, ma'am?"
Mac giggled. Jen's wit was in full bloom, and it cheered Mac up as usual. It was very hard to feel depressed around the young petty officer. "He's snoozing in a chair by Mattie's bed, and his back's gonna pay him back for it after he wakes up. Otherwise, he's OK. He wants to take Mattie home soon like the rest of us."
"She'll be back home soon, ma'am. I'm going to order some fresh flowers for her bedroom as a surprise."
"Nice! Use my credit card for that, Jen – no need for you to pay for it."
"It's no big de—"
"That's an order, Petty Officer." She heard Jen sigh.
"All right, ma'am. Thanks. Would you like to speak to the Admiral?"
"Is he available?"
"He's on with the SECNAV now, but he should be getting off any minute."
"That's OK, Jen. Just pass the word that Mattie's better, would you? We can speak with him later."
"If you're sure, ma'am. I know he'd like a report from either you or the Commander."
"His conversations with the SECNAV tend to get longer the later in the day they speak, so ... just let him know things are OK here, and that I can be reached on my cell – be sure to mention Harm's sleeping ... I don't want to disturb him right now."
"Yes, ma'am. If Mattie wakes up before I get there ..."
"I'll tell her that her sister misses her, and is on her way."
"Wow, ma'am ... it's like you're psychic or something." Jen quipped.
"Oh, shut up, and drive safely tonight coming over here, all right?"
Jen smiled into the phone. Mac was almost as good as Harm at "nagging" her like they did with Mattie. And she wouldn't have it any other way. "Yes, ma'am. Can I bring you anything?"
"Picked up any good music lately?"
"Hmm ... I have Seal's latest disc. Want to try it out? I can bring you my portable CD player so you can listen without disturbing anybody."
"Is it that bad?" Mac laughed, and Jen joined in.
"No, ma'am. It's ... pretty spiritual, some of the songs. And there's one, called 'Love's Divine,' that makes me cry every time I hear it."
"Hmm. Pack it up, then. I'm staying here with Mattie tonight – this might be a chance to be 'hip' with her!"
"Rock on, ma'am!"
"Maybe. Only time and Mattie will tell. We'll see you later, Jen. Thanks."
"No problem, ma'am. Be there in a couple of hours."
"Bye."
"Bye, ma'am."
Mac closed the phone, and headed back to Mattie's room.
COOLIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Miss Barrows met up with Andre at her office, and they gathered their belongings before heading out to her car. They were walking through the teacher's lot when she asked him whether he'd decided on a gift for Mattie.
"Oh, yeah! See, I know something about her that I'm not sure even her family knows."
"What's that?" she replied, curious.
"She won't admit this, but she just loves 'Snoopy' stuff ... and I found a toy store near the hospital that carries stuffed 'Snoopy' dogs. Can we stop by there?"
Miss Barrows laughed and said, "Sure, Andre. That's a great gift, and based on something personal about the recipient. Good decision."
"Thanks, Miss Barrows. I just hope she isn't too embarrassed about it. She's kinda funny about letting other people know that about her – I don't get it, but what can you do. I just have a feeling she'll love it."
"You're a good friend, Andre. And, look at it this way – if things go wrong with the gift, you'll be right there in the hospital, so any wounds can be treated quickly." They reached her car, and after unlocking the doors, got in.
Andre looked over at her after snapping the seat belt on around him and throwing his backpack in the back seat. "You're kidding – right?"
Miss Barrows just smiled as she started the car and they left the school, following Andre's directions to the toy store.
GW HOSPITAL
ROOM 411
Mattie shifted in her bed, dreaming about her mother. They were walking home from Mattie's grade school, hand in hand, and Mattie was giggling from a joke her mom had told her. When she finally caught her breath, she asked her what Dad would think of the joke. She watched her mother's face close up, a shadow falling over her soft features. Mattie felt her mother's hand tighten in hers, and she could tell something she'd said bothered her. Anxious to get their good mood from a minute ago back, she smiled up at her mom, telling her that she was sorry for making her feel bad about Daddy.
Her mom stopped and knelt down next to her, looking Mattie in the eye. She told her, "Honey, it's not your fault. Mommy just has some things to talk to Daddy about, that's all. Everything will be OK, I promise."
"OK, mommy."
"Good girl. Now, what would Snoopy like for dinner?" Mattie grinned, taking her hand again as they continued towards home. No one else knew that Mattie's mom called her 'Snoopy' when they were alone together ... Mattie adored the 'Peanuts' character, and after her mom had found out, she called Mattie 'Snoopy' with special affection. It was a way for Mattie to feel close to her mom. She smiled again in the dream, and the smile reached across time to her older, future face, lying in a hospital bed a few years later. Mattie sighed, waking Harm from his light sleep ... causing him to get up from the chair and move to her side. He watched the big smile move across Mattie's face, and he wondered what she was dreaming about. The temp monitor showed 99.1, he saw, so he didn't think it was fever-induced.
He was still wondering about it when he heard Mac slip back into the room, moving to stand next to him ... following his gaze as he watched Mattie's face.
"What's she smiling about?" Mac whispered.
"I don't know," Harm replied. "She's been smiling in her sleep for a minute or so. I'm not sure what brought it on."
"A good dream, I hope – look at her eyelids. She's in REM sleep."
"Yeah. We'll have to ask her about it after she wakes up." He heard Mac yawn beside him, and pointed her towards the other bed in the room. Mac shook her head, silently telling him she was fine. He pointed again, and whispered, "I know you didn't sleep well last night, Mac. Please get some rest," he whispered.
"I'll sleep later when Mattie's gone to bed for the night – I'm staying here with her, remember?" she whispered back.
"Yeah, I remember, Mac. All right – you make sure you get six good hours tonight, or I'm telling Mom and Dr. Masters."
"Harm--!!" she whispered a little louder.
"Mac, come on! You're tired! Promise me!" She rolled her eyes. "Mac ...?"
"All right, all right, 'Mr. Bossy.' Now pipe down and let my daughter sleep."
Harm grinned at her, and drew her to him in a strong one-armed hug. "Thanks, Mac."
She looked up at him. "For what?"
"Everything."
"Don't mention it, flyboy."
"Whatever you say, Marine."
"Shut up." She smiled, and he felt it through their contact. After a moment, they went to stand by the window, their arms still around each other. They moved around the room ... and everywhere else they were together ... with a symphony of coordination built on years of friendship and love. Mattie being in the hospital seemed, in a way, to add a layer of connection between the two old friends. Caring for their 'adopted' daughter together reinforced what was already an amazingly strong bond.
Now, when either of them thought of the future, their musings were always anchored by thoughts of the other ... and of the girl sleeping in the bed behind them.
They were watching the late afternoon rays of the sun cast long shadows over the city when they heard a quiet knock at the door, and turned to see Miss Barrows from Mattie's school ... standing there with a young, handsome African American boy. Harm and Mac glanced at Mattie's sleeping form, and then moved to the doorway to meet the new folks in the hallway.
Miss Barrows spoke first, keeping her voice low so she wouldn't wake Mattie. "Hello, Mr. Rabb ... Miss MacKenzie. This is Andre Biggs, Mattie's friend."
"Hello, Miss Barrows. And you, Andre." Mac greeted them, shaking their hands.
"It's nice to meet you both," Andre said. Harm stuck out his hand to shake Andre's, and the young man returned it.
"Nice meeting you in person, Andre. Thanks for visiting us."
"No problem, sir. How is she doing?" he asked.
"She's doing fine, Andre. Her fever's pretty much gone, and the doctors are saying she might be able to go home in a day or so."
"Cool! I'm really glad – I've missed her. And, I brought her assignments with me." Harm saw the backpack the young man carried, along with a somewhat bulky store bag with the name of a toy store on the front.
"What's in the bag?" Mac asked.
"Andre wanted to get Mattie a 'get-well' gift – I hope it's alright." Miss Barrows answered.
"Mattie loves gifts of all types, so I'm sure it's OK. We appreciate you coming to cheer her up like this, Andre." Harm spoke.
"I hope she likes it, sir ... ma'am. Can I sit with her for a while?" Harm looked at Mac, who nodded. "Sure, Andre. You can spell us for a bit while we chat with Miss Barrows. We're going to head to the cafeteria – can we bring you anything?"
"That's OK, sir. I promise not to bother her ... I'll just keep an eye out till you get back."
"She should be waking up pretty soon, Andre. She's scheduled to be seen by her doctor in another hour or so. We'll be back in a bit – please tell her if she should wake up before we get back?" Mac asked him.
"Yes, ma'am. I will."
"Good. Thank you."
All three adults smiled at him as he turned to enter Mattie's room, quietly slipping his back from his shoulder and taking the chair Harm was in earlier. They watched the two kids for another moment, and then slowly started walking down the hallway.
"He's certainly a very polite young man." Mac said. Miss Barrows smiled.
"Yes. A very traditional grandmother, who taught him manners, has raised him. She's a lovely lady."
"Thanks for coming with him, Miss Barrows."
"Not a problem, Mr. Rabb. He's Mattie's best friend, and I thought it would help her feel better if he came by for a while. I'm so glad she's getting better."
"We are, too. There were some scary moments, especially before she regained consciousness ... but she has great doctors, and she's a fighter." Mac spoke, with a definite air of pride in her voice.
"Mattie's unique, that's for sure. She's caught up with schoolwork so well, and her teachers sing her praises – considering she missed so much time." Miss Barrows replied.
She paused in the hallway, and Harm and Mac stopped as well.
"You two have done a magnificent job with her. She's one of the most well- adjusted kids I've ever been around, given what her life has been like the past couple of years. I hope you get to keep her, Mr. Rabb."
Harm and Mac's eyes were both wet with tears, and Harm looked down at his feet for a moment to gather himself before answering the school counselor.
"We do, too, Miss Barrows. We do, too."
Andre slowly opened the bag containing the Snoopy stuffed dog he'd bought at the toy store for Mattie, and pulled it out. It had longer than normal legs, he'd noticed when he bought it, which made it easier to hold. The floppy ears, white furry coat, and beagle nose made it pretty cute. He hoped she would like it.
Moving carefully, he placed it gently next to her, its' head against her neck. She sighed, and moved a little closer to the animal that now had her arm around it, like a pillow. He smiled, watching her accept the presence of the stuffed dog, and turned to look out of the windows.
After another moment, he heard her move behind him, murmuring something, and he turned to watch her eyes sleepily open. She blinked a few times, and then noticed the white stuffed dog next to her. Her breath caught, and her eyes opened wider as she looked at the Snoopy dog. She smiled a slow, wide smile that seemed to glow on its' own in the darkening room, her arms wrapping around the dog in joy.
The look on her face was priceless, and something Andre would never forget.
She looked up, then, and saw him standing there. Raising her head from her pillow, she whispered "Andre?"
Grinning, he moved over to the bed. "Hi, 'Tilda." Andre was the only person who called her that. At first, she hadn't liked it very much. As time went on, and they became friends ... she discovered something about him. People he liked and were close to got 'nicknames' like hers.
When she'd figured that out, she decided that she liked it when her best friend called her "'Tilda." She watched him as he moved to sit next to her on her bed.
"Hey, Andre. How---when did you get here?"
"Just a while ago. Miss Barrows brought me. She's with your folks right now, somewhere. They said they'd be back soon. Want me to go find them?"
"No...that's OK. I'm fine. I was just ... surprised, that's all. Did you ..." she hesitated, trying to gather her thoughts. She caught sight of the toy store bag at his feet, and asked, "You brought me this, didn't you?"
"Yes. Don't you like it?" She sighed, a laugh bubbling to her lips as she caught the worried look on his face.
"He's so cool. Thank you very much, Andre. Where did you find it?" He grinned, glad that she loved his gift.
"This toy store Miss Barrows and I went to on the way here. I looked them up on the Internet."
"Of course you did." She smiled at him, and he returned it. Andre was, to her, a genius with computers. She was continually after him to teach her more about them, since she knew she'd need to know more about computers in the Navy.
"When you woke up and saw it, well ... I thought that you might not like it—"
"NO, I do – really! It's one of the best ..." she looked away from him, suddenly unable to speak.
"'Tilda? Are you sure you're OK?" She was worrying him.
"Yeah, I'm really OK, Andre. It's just ... so weird. I was dreaming about my mother, and ... she used to call me 'Snoopy', you know ... I told you this before ..."
"Yeah," he replied. "That's what made me think of it as a gift. When you told me about it, it sounded like a good memory for you."
"It was—um, it is."
"Well, this guy can just remind you once in a while, so you'll feel better and get out of here -- and you can help me with my Lit homework." Mattie burst out laughing.
"So, THAT'S why you're so nice to me, huh? Help with the 'H' word!" He grinned, shrugging with a playful look on his dark face.
"Um, 'Tilda ... I'm glad you like the gift."
"Thanks, Andre, for bringing him to me, and for being here. I was going to ask Jen to see if she could call you for me, and let you know where I was ..."
"It's OK. Miss Barrows told me everything. Did you really fall out of your bed at home?"
"Yep. Still don't remember it, either. It's so strange ... I remember you were teasing me about looking sick at school, then ... the next thing I remember is waking up here." He looked at his hands in his lap and shook his head.
"I wish I had taken you to Miss Barrows so she could check you out – I could have helped stop all this from happening."
She rested a hand on his arm. "No, you couldn't. I wouldn't have listened, anyway. I didn't even know how sick I really was. I thought I was just tired, remember? It wasn't your fault, Andre." He looked up to see her smiling at him. "Okay."
"So ..." she began again, "Did you bring me anything to eat?" He gaped at her in amazement.
"Mattie, haven't they been feeding you here?" She rolled her eyes at him.
"Andre, I just woke up yesterday, and they wouldn't even let me have solid food until lunch today. I'm still hungry!!"
"Well, it's getting close to dinnertime. I'm sure they'll give you a nice big meal – they might even burp you afterward if you behave!" She punched his arm, and he fake-grimaced, laughing with her.
"Idiot!"
"Baby!"
"Nerd!"
"Freak!"
"Ah ... the language skills of young people these days!" The voice, coming from the door, belonged to Dr. Masters, who entered Mattie's room with a nurse, Mac, Harm, Miss Barrows, Jen, and Harm's folks trailing behind.
"Shhh—"Mattie leaned over to Andre, whispering as if to keep the others from hearing – even though they were all definitely listening, and smiling. "we'll talk about escape plans later." He nodded solemnly at her, and then got up from the bed to let Dr. Masters move closer to Mattie, who was exchanging smiles with everyone.
"Hi, honey ... how are you feeling?" Trish asked her, as Dr. Masters listened to her chest and back with his stethoscope.
"I'm good, Grams. This is my friend Andre, from school. Andre, those are my grandparents, and that's my roommate, Jen."
"Pleased to meet you, young man." Frank told him. Jen smiled at him, and shook his hand, too.
"Likewise, sir – miss. How was your flight from California, Mr. Rabb?"
"Finally – someone in this room asks about our flight!!" Trish exclaimed, causing everyone to laugh. Mattie had to cut her own laugh short at a look from Dr. Masters, who was still listening to her lungs.
"It was fine, Andre. Just for asking, I'm going to send you some cookies." Trish said. Andre grinned at her.
"I'll have to see if they're as good as my grandma's – thanks!"
"Oh, this guy is GOOD!!" Harm spoke up, grinning as Jen chuckled next to him.
Mac was watching Dr. Masters, who was entering data on his PMC. "How's our girl doing, Dr?"
"I think we're going to be getting this room back pretty soon, Miss MacKenzie." He replied, smiling at her.
"Oh, call her 'Mac', doc – all the handsome doctors do." The evil grin on Mattie's face was priceless. Harm just covered his face with his hands, saying nothing.
"MATTIE!!!" Mac nearly shouted. "You are SO in trouble, young lady!"
"What? I was just giving him a compliment!" The doctor was blushing by this time, and the nurse was trying not to laugh. He looked at her, and gave her a mock-glare before speaking. "Nurse, please bring Mattie her dinner. She can use her mouth for something OTHER than teasing poor medical professionals."
"I'm not sure that will stop her, doctor." Andre added, making everyone laugh – except Mattie, who sat in bed, glowering at him.
"Traitor," she mumbled.
"Fine," he said, "If you feel THAT way about it, gimme my gift back." He moved to grab it from her, but she snatched it away.
"No way!! It's mine, and you're NOT getting it back!"
"All right – that's enough, you two." Miss Barrows spoke up. "Mattie should eat now, and Andre ... I'm sorry, but I promised your grandmother I'd have you home by 7. We need to leave soon." Mattie's face fell, and Andre didn't look much happier.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Can't he stay a little longer, Dad?" Mattie asked him in a plaintive voice. "He can have some of my dinner."
"We don't want to get him in trouble with his grandmother, honey. Andre, maybe you can come back when we take Mattie home. You can have dinner with all of us, if you like." Harm said, grinning at the two teenagers.
"Very cool!" Mattie said, smiling. Andre nodded, then picked up his backpack. "I'll see you in a day or so, th—"
"Take off, kid – I need to see my daughter."
Everyone suddenly stopped, turning to see where the voice was coming from. They all saw Tom Johnson standing in the doorway in rumpled clothes, with a gleam in his eye. Mac gasped, recognizing the signs of drunkenness ... then turned slowly and caught Dr. Masters' eye, mouthing "Security!" He nodded once, and pushed a couple of buttons on his PMC.
Tom stumbled a little as he entered Mattie's room, and said in a loud, unsteady voice, "Everyone please leave-I want to see my daughter!" Harm, Frank, and Andre all moved to block his path to Mattie, as Mac, Trish, and the nurse moved closer to her in protection.
Mattie couldn't see her biological father with all of the bodies between them, but she could feel his eyes on her. She started crying quietly, as running footsteps echoed from down the hallway.
END OF CHAPTER 16