Part 7
"Mac," Mattie shouted across the whole schoolyard "Happy birthday!" she said and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're back. He's been driving me crazy." She came up to them almost short of breath.
"Mattie, I was only away for five days," Mac protested. She had been on the west coast for an investigation. So far the only times both she and Harm had been out of town on the same time, it had been just over one night and it was OK for Mattie to be alone for such short amounts of times. They trusted her and she had been shown trustworthy.
"But still... So are we going right away?" she asked Harm with a knowing smile.
"No, we're going to go home and change first," Harm explained to her. They had planned something for Mac's birthday and she was still unaware of it.
"Change to what?" Mac asked confused. She had gone directly form the airport to the office to report her findings to the admiral and hadn't been at home yet. She wasn't really tired despite having flown across the nation and she started to get some butterflies thinking about the surprise they had planned for her. It was maybe childish, but she liked the fact that she was actually going to get to celebrate her birthday, she hadn't been so sure of it.
"Something nice," Harm answered her.
"I'll help you pick something out," Mattie offered.
"This is so great. Thank you, both of you," Mac said as they were finishing up their dessert at the cozy and slightly romantic restaurant Harm had picked out to go to. "It's the best birthday in a really long time and I'm so glad I got to share it with you."
"It isn't over yet. You still haven't gotten your presents," Mattie protested.
"There are presents. I thought this was my present."
"There's more waiting at home," Harm said.
Since they were all ready with the dessert they decided to go home to the apartment where they were going to have the present-opening.
The ride over to the apartment went by fast. Mattie tried to make Mac guess what it was they were giving her, but Mac didn't want to. Instead she made Mattie tell her everything that had happened since she'd left. It was often hard to catch Mattie on the phone when she was away.
"Mr Wyatt says we will be able to go up for the yellow belt by the end of May, isn't that really cool?"
"Sure is," Mac told her "So you've been to both of the Ju-jutsu-classes this week."
"Yeah."
They had arrived at the apartment building and walked up the stairs to their floor. Harm showed the way into his apartment where they had hid the presents.
"Sit down over there, Mac, and we will be right back," Mattie motioned towards the couch.
Seconds later they returned from Harm's sleeping area, Mattie with a small green box and Harm with a rather big blue wrapped package.
"Open that one first," Mattie said and nodded towards Harm's package.
"OK," Mac said and Harm gave the package to her. She unwrapped it and found a soft green Cashmere sweater.
"It's beautiful, Harm," she moved her hands across the soft fabric "Thank you."
"Mattie told me you had been looking at it on your last shopping tour... I wanted you to have something you really wanted."
"I did," Mac smiled appreciatively at him.
"This is from me," Mattie said and gave Mac the small box she had been holding.
Mac unwrapped it to and she wasn't surprised when she found a jewelry box. Inside it was a silver chain with a charm in the shape of a dinosaur.
"I thought it kind of looked like that Ichosaurus, you have."
"Well kind of," Mac said and tried her best to see the resemblance, but failed. However it was really sweet and she liked it anyway. "Thank you, Mattie. I really like it." Mattie got a tight hug as thanks.
"I'm glad you do."
Mattie had to leave the apartment early to go to bed. Rick's family's had a house by the beach and the next day Mattie was going to go there with them for the day. Since the next day was a Saturday and both Mac and Harm were caught up with their work, they were completely free the next day.
"You want some coffee, Mac?" Harm asked hoping she was going to stay a little longer and not leave with Mattie.
"I'm always up for coffee," Mac smiled.
"I'll leave you two to it then," Mattie said and hugged Mac once again "I'm really glad that you're back."
"I'm glad to be back too, Mattie. Good night."
"Good night, Mattie," Harm said. He had just put on a pot of coffee for the two of them and gave Mattie a quick hug.
Mac sat down on the couch and Harm joined her there.
"So was the investigation OK?" he asked her casually.
"Yeah. It wasn't too tough."
"That's nice for a change. It's been rather calm around here as well. Rick was over for dinner."
"Did he talk any?"
"No, not really," Harm said. Mattie had been seeing Rick a lot over the last six weeks. Sometimes at his house and sometime at Mattie's and Mac's apartment. However Rick still wasn't talking to Harm and Mac much.
"Harm, I really meant that about the birthday. I really appreciate you doing this for me," she smiled again. Harm felt that Mac's constant smiling the whole evening was all the thank you he wanted.
"I know you would have wanted Webb to be here and celebrate with you."
"I would have wanted to celebrate with the people I care most about. That includes you and Mattie. I would have wanted to have you with me regardless of where Webb was."
They sat silent for a coupe of minutes.
"I think the coffee is ready," Mac noticed. Together they walked over to the counter and Mac started to take out some cups.
Soon they were sitting on the couch sipping coffee, once in a while they'd say a word or two, but most of the time they were just sitting there in companionable silence.
"I guess I need to go now," Mac said and yawned. She had already done so a couple of times.
"I guess so," Harm said.
They both got up on the same time, but neither one of them moved towards the door.
"You looked beautiful tonight, Mac," Harm said only a bit louder than a whisper. Harm put his hand on her cheek and slightly brushed his thumb over her skin.
"Thank you," Mac said as always not quite sure how to handle a compliment that sounded so sincere coming from Harm.
Slowly they moved closer together without really thinking about what was happening. For a second their lips met to then be separated again. The second time the lips stayed in contact longer. Harm ran his fingers up through her hair and then it was over. Mac backed away from him. Their eyes reflected the same fear. A fear that this would change the relationship they had had the last couple of months. It had been better than what they had ever shared with anyone before.
"Every girl deserves a birthday kiss," Harm tried to give the kiss less significance than it deserved.
"I guess so," Mac said and decided to follow his cue.
"Good night, Mac."
"Good night, Harm."
Mac backed the whole way to the door unable to take her eyes away from him. It was ridiculous maybe, but she simply couldn't turn around, though she was moving away from him with every step she took. She almost backed into the door and then she slipped out of the apartment.
TBC
"Mac," Mattie shouted across the whole schoolyard "Happy birthday!" she said and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're back. He's been driving me crazy." She came up to them almost short of breath.
"Mattie, I was only away for five days," Mac protested. She had been on the west coast for an investigation. So far the only times both she and Harm had been out of town on the same time, it had been just over one night and it was OK for Mattie to be alone for such short amounts of times. They trusted her and she had been shown trustworthy.
"But still... So are we going right away?" she asked Harm with a knowing smile.
"No, we're going to go home and change first," Harm explained to her. They had planned something for Mac's birthday and she was still unaware of it.
"Change to what?" Mac asked confused. She had gone directly form the airport to the office to report her findings to the admiral and hadn't been at home yet. She wasn't really tired despite having flown across the nation and she started to get some butterflies thinking about the surprise they had planned for her. It was maybe childish, but she liked the fact that she was actually going to get to celebrate her birthday, she hadn't been so sure of it.
"Something nice," Harm answered her.
"I'll help you pick something out," Mattie offered.
"This is so great. Thank you, both of you," Mac said as they were finishing up their dessert at the cozy and slightly romantic restaurant Harm had picked out to go to. "It's the best birthday in a really long time and I'm so glad I got to share it with you."
"It isn't over yet. You still haven't gotten your presents," Mattie protested.
"There are presents. I thought this was my present."
"There's more waiting at home," Harm said.
Since they were all ready with the dessert they decided to go home to the apartment where they were going to have the present-opening.
The ride over to the apartment went by fast. Mattie tried to make Mac guess what it was they were giving her, but Mac didn't want to. Instead she made Mattie tell her everything that had happened since she'd left. It was often hard to catch Mattie on the phone when she was away.
"Mr Wyatt says we will be able to go up for the yellow belt by the end of May, isn't that really cool?"
"Sure is," Mac told her "So you've been to both of the Ju-jutsu-classes this week."
"Yeah."
They had arrived at the apartment building and walked up the stairs to their floor. Harm showed the way into his apartment where they had hid the presents.
"Sit down over there, Mac, and we will be right back," Mattie motioned towards the couch.
Seconds later they returned from Harm's sleeping area, Mattie with a small green box and Harm with a rather big blue wrapped package.
"Open that one first," Mattie said and nodded towards Harm's package.
"OK," Mac said and Harm gave the package to her. She unwrapped it and found a soft green Cashmere sweater.
"It's beautiful, Harm," she moved her hands across the soft fabric "Thank you."
"Mattie told me you had been looking at it on your last shopping tour... I wanted you to have something you really wanted."
"I did," Mac smiled appreciatively at him.
"This is from me," Mattie said and gave Mac the small box she had been holding.
Mac unwrapped it to and she wasn't surprised when she found a jewelry box. Inside it was a silver chain with a charm in the shape of a dinosaur.
"I thought it kind of looked like that Ichosaurus, you have."
"Well kind of," Mac said and tried her best to see the resemblance, but failed. However it was really sweet and she liked it anyway. "Thank you, Mattie. I really like it." Mattie got a tight hug as thanks.
"I'm glad you do."
Mattie had to leave the apartment early to go to bed. Rick's family's had a house by the beach and the next day Mattie was going to go there with them for the day. Since the next day was a Saturday and both Mac and Harm were caught up with their work, they were completely free the next day.
"You want some coffee, Mac?" Harm asked hoping she was going to stay a little longer and not leave with Mattie.
"I'm always up for coffee," Mac smiled.
"I'll leave you two to it then," Mattie said and hugged Mac once again "I'm really glad that you're back."
"I'm glad to be back too, Mattie. Good night."
"Good night, Mattie," Harm said. He had just put on a pot of coffee for the two of them and gave Mattie a quick hug.
Mac sat down on the couch and Harm joined her there.
"So was the investigation OK?" he asked her casually.
"Yeah. It wasn't too tough."
"That's nice for a change. It's been rather calm around here as well. Rick was over for dinner."
"Did he talk any?"
"No, not really," Harm said. Mattie had been seeing Rick a lot over the last six weeks. Sometimes at his house and sometime at Mattie's and Mac's apartment. However Rick still wasn't talking to Harm and Mac much.
"Harm, I really meant that about the birthday. I really appreciate you doing this for me," she smiled again. Harm felt that Mac's constant smiling the whole evening was all the thank you he wanted.
"I know you would have wanted Webb to be here and celebrate with you."
"I would have wanted to celebrate with the people I care most about. That includes you and Mattie. I would have wanted to have you with me regardless of where Webb was."
They sat silent for a coupe of minutes.
"I think the coffee is ready," Mac noticed. Together they walked over to the counter and Mac started to take out some cups.
Soon they were sitting on the couch sipping coffee, once in a while they'd say a word or two, but most of the time they were just sitting there in companionable silence.
"I guess I need to go now," Mac said and yawned. She had already done so a couple of times.
"I guess so," Harm said.
They both got up on the same time, but neither one of them moved towards the door.
"You looked beautiful tonight, Mac," Harm said only a bit louder than a whisper. Harm put his hand on her cheek and slightly brushed his thumb over her skin.
"Thank you," Mac said as always not quite sure how to handle a compliment that sounded so sincere coming from Harm.
Slowly they moved closer together without really thinking about what was happening. For a second their lips met to then be separated again. The second time the lips stayed in contact longer. Harm ran his fingers up through her hair and then it was over. Mac backed away from him. Their eyes reflected the same fear. A fear that this would change the relationship they had had the last couple of months. It had been better than what they had ever shared with anyone before.
"Every girl deserves a birthday kiss," Harm tried to give the kiss less significance than it deserved.
"I guess so," Mac said and decided to follow his cue.
"Good night, Mac."
"Good night, Harm."
Mac backed the whole way to the door unable to take her eyes away from him. It was ridiculous maybe, but she simply couldn't turn around, though she was moving away from him with every step she took. She almost backed into the door and then she slipped out of the apartment.
TBC