"We're going to be late." Mac muttered as they came out of a store.
"Late for what Mac? I thought we were shoe shopping that usually doesn't have a schedule."
"I promised a friend we'd help them with something." Mac replied.
"Anyone I know?" Harriet asked.
"Yes. Anything you are about to see or hear is classified. You can't tell anyone even Bud."
"Okay." Harriet said slightly confused.
"I'll even make it an order, if it will make you feel better."
"Yes ma'am." Harriet smiled. "So who are we meeting?"
"Wait and see."
~
"Sorry we're late." Mac said as they entered the jewellers. "There was a queue in the shop we were in."
"That's okay ma'am, thank you for doing this. You too Lieutenant." Tiner said.
"Would someone care to explain why we're here?" Harriet asked.
"You didn't tell her ma'am?" Tiner asked.
"I only made her promise not to reveal any information she discovers today." Mac replied. "I thought you should tell her yourself."
"I'm planning on proposing to Jen and I need help picking a ring."
"Oh my god. I'm so happy for you." Harriet flung herself at him and hugged him.
"Er... Thank you ma'am." Tiner said unsure what to do.
"Harriet, let the Petty Officer go." Mac said coming to his aid.
"Sorry Jason." Harriet stepped back.
"That's okay ma'am."
"So have you decided where you're going to ask, or even when?" Harriet asked excitedly.
"Harriet, let him have a chance to breathe first before facing the firing squad. First of all he needs to buy a ring. Did you find out what size?"
"I use a piece of string like you told me to." He pulled a piece of string with a loop in it out of his pocket.
"Good." Mac took it and walked up to the counter.
"May I help you?" The sales clerk asked.
"Yes. Could you tell me what size ring I would need for someone with a finger the size of this loop?"
"Of course madam." He took the piece of string and ran it over the ring sizer. "An N."
"Thank you. We're going to take a look around; we'll let you know if we need anymore assistance."
"Yes madam."
"An N." Mac said to Jason handing him the piece of string back. "So first question would be how much can you afford to spend?"
"I have some saved up ma'am. But with law school, it does tend to eat into what I make."
"They probably will be willing to arrange a payment plan, if you find something you absolutely have to have. If not I'll loan it to you and you can pay me back what you can afford each month."
"Ma'am, is that even ethical?" Tiner asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. But a small loan between friends shouldn't cause a problem. Besides if she says yes, you'll be married to my daughter's godmother which will make you by extension family. Right Harriet?"
"Right."
"One other thing, you should mention this to the Admiral. Jen may report directly to me, and in turn Admiral Morris before Admiral Chegwidden, she is by extension under his command, but not directly like you are."
"He won't have a problem with it will he?" Tiner asked concerned.
"Call him and ask him." Mac suggested. She pulled out her cell and dialled the number of the Admiral's house.
"Chegwidden." AJ answered.
"Admiral, it's Colonel Mackenzie."
"Hello Mac. What can I do for you?" AJ asked.
"Petty Officer Tiner would like to run something by you." Mac replied.
"If Tiner wants to talk to me can't it wait until Monday and why are you calling?" AJ was slightly confused.
"Not really to the first and as for the second I'm going to help him if you are okay with what he wants to ask you. I'll let you talk to him." Mac handed over the cell phone. "Harriet and I will look around."
"Admiral..." Mac and Harriet went to look at some of the rings in the display cases while Tiner was on the phone. "Here you go ma'am. Thank you for loaning it to me." Tiner said handing the cell phone back to Mac.
"So what did he say?" Harriet asked.
"He said it was about time, since Jen reports to the Colonel it's not a problem. He also said it was a good idea that I had some female input while I'm buying the ring."
"See I told you it wasn't a problem." Mac said with a smile.
"One piece of advice." Harriet said. "As much as women on TV seem to love those big diamond solitaire rings, they're not practical."
"They snag on panty hoses which is a problem, you need something simple, classic and that she can wear all the time that won't interfere with her doing her job or if you have kids running round after them." Mac added.
"Simple, classic and practical." Tiner repeated.
"Why don't you take a look and see what you like, we'll give you pointers if and when you need them." Mac said encouragingly.
"Yes ma'am."
TBC
"Late for what Mac? I thought we were shoe shopping that usually doesn't have a schedule."
"I promised a friend we'd help them with something." Mac replied.
"Anyone I know?" Harriet asked.
"Yes. Anything you are about to see or hear is classified. You can't tell anyone even Bud."
"Okay." Harriet said slightly confused.
"I'll even make it an order, if it will make you feel better."
"Yes ma'am." Harriet smiled. "So who are we meeting?"
"Wait and see."
~
"Sorry we're late." Mac said as they entered the jewellers. "There was a queue in the shop we were in."
"That's okay ma'am, thank you for doing this. You too Lieutenant." Tiner said.
"Would someone care to explain why we're here?" Harriet asked.
"You didn't tell her ma'am?" Tiner asked.
"I only made her promise not to reveal any information she discovers today." Mac replied. "I thought you should tell her yourself."
"I'm planning on proposing to Jen and I need help picking a ring."
"Oh my god. I'm so happy for you." Harriet flung herself at him and hugged him.
"Er... Thank you ma'am." Tiner said unsure what to do.
"Harriet, let the Petty Officer go." Mac said coming to his aid.
"Sorry Jason." Harriet stepped back.
"That's okay ma'am."
"So have you decided where you're going to ask, or even when?" Harriet asked excitedly.
"Harriet, let him have a chance to breathe first before facing the firing squad. First of all he needs to buy a ring. Did you find out what size?"
"I use a piece of string like you told me to." He pulled a piece of string with a loop in it out of his pocket.
"Good." Mac took it and walked up to the counter.
"May I help you?" The sales clerk asked.
"Yes. Could you tell me what size ring I would need for someone with a finger the size of this loop?"
"Of course madam." He took the piece of string and ran it over the ring sizer. "An N."
"Thank you. We're going to take a look around; we'll let you know if we need anymore assistance."
"Yes madam."
"An N." Mac said to Jason handing him the piece of string back. "So first question would be how much can you afford to spend?"
"I have some saved up ma'am. But with law school, it does tend to eat into what I make."
"They probably will be willing to arrange a payment plan, if you find something you absolutely have to have. If not I'll loan it to you and you can pay me back what you can afford each month."
"Ma'am, is that even ethical?" Tiner asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. But a small loan between friends shouldn't cause a problem. Besides if she says yes, you'll be married to my daughter's godmother which will make you by extension family. Right Harriet?"
"Right."
"One other thing, you should mention this to the Admiral. Jen may report directly to me, and in turn Admiral Morris before Admiral Chegwidden, she is by extension under his command, but not directly like you are."
"He won't have a problem with it will he?" Tiner asked concerned.
"Call him and ask him." Mac suggested. She pulled out her cell and dialled the number of the Admiral's house.
"Chegwidden." AJ answered.
"Admiral, it's Colonel Mackenzie."
"Hello Mac. What can I do for you?" AJ asked.
"Petty Officer Tiner would like to run something by you." Mac replied.
"If Tiner wants to talk to me can't it wait until Monday and why are you calling?" AJ was slightly confused.
"Not really to the first and as for the second I'm going to help him if you are okay with what he wants to ask you. I'll let you talk to him." Mac handed over the cell phone. "Harriet and I will look around."
"Admiral..." Mac and Harriet went to look at some of the rings in the display cases while Tiner was on the phone. "Here you go ma'am. Thank you for loaning it to me." Tiner said handing the cell phone back to Mac.
"So what did he say?" Harriet asked.
"He said it was about time, since Jen reports to the Colonel it's not a problem. He also said it was a good idea that I had some female input while I'm buying the ring."
"See I told you it wasn't a problem." Mac said with a smile.
"One piece of advice." Harriet said. "As much as women on TV seem to love those big diamond solitaire rings, they're not practical."
"They snag on panty hoses which is a problem, you need something simple, classic and that she can wear all the time that won't interfere with her doing her job or if you have kids running round after them." Mac added.
"Simple, classic and practical." Tiner repeated.
"Why don't you take a look and see what you like, we'll give you pointers if and when you need them." Mac said encouragingly.
"Yes ma'am."
TBC
