"Jen did I hear the...." Sturgis said as he came down the stairs.
"Hi Sturgis." Harm said leaning against the back of the couch.
"Hi Harm, Mac. Where did Jen go?"
"She left." Mac replied, Abi had gone to sleep on her shoulder. "I'm going to put her to bed, excuse me." Sturgis stepped out of her way.
"So babysitting isn't your forte?" Harm smiled.
"No." Sturgis smiled too.
"Want a beer?" Harm asked.
"Sure." Harm headed for the kitchen and pulled a couple out the fridge and handed one to Sturgis.
"So what happened?" Harm asked.
"Well I knocked the vase over and the water went everywhere and all over Mac's instructions and the ink blurred."
"Oh."
"Abi woke up just after you left and I couldn't get her to go back to sleep, I changed her diaper, it took three attempts to get one to stay on."
"They can be tricky." Harm agreed.
"So I figured she might be hungry, so I rang Jen to ask how to warm the bottle because I didn't want to burn her."
"Bottle warmer." Harm said without thinking.
"I know that now."
"Then I had to call her back to double check how to burp her so I didn't hurt her."
"As long as you're gentle she's usually pretty good about burping."
"I know that now too."
"So how did Jen end up here dancing around my living room?"
"She thought I sounded flustered and offered to come over. I told her she didn't have to, but she came anyway."
"She's used to being around Abi more than you are. It just takes a little practice at juggling. Remember how the first couple of days when I was on paternity leave was difficult and you weren't here to see how things were when you were out on the Truman. The place was a tip; luckily I'd tidied up slightly by the time you got back."
"Anyway back to the dancing, Jen was trying to get her back to sleep so I offered to make some coffee. Jen stubbed her toe, and I dropped coffee down my self when she yelped. Hence borrowing your clothes, hope you don't mind."
"No, I've got plenty."
"So Jen figure dancing around my tire her out while I went and changed."
"I see."
"So buddy I don't think me and babysitting are going to work out."
"I don't either. Well maybe not while she's still baby, we'll wait until she's three or four, they're great at that age."
"I may have got over the trauma by then." Harm chuckled. "So did you have a nice evening?"
"Mac spent the first part of the evening worrying that something was going to go wrong, it took me a while to convince her that it wouldn't and that I trusted you."
"That obviously worked out well."
"You knew when you needed to ask for help and you did." Harm pointed out. "After I got her to relax it was fine, we had fun, and we talked like old times. We danced, but we left earlier than I intended for obvious reasons. But it was good."
"Next time, ask someone else to baby-sit." Sturgis suggested.
"I will, I'm sure Harriet or Jen will help out or maybe the Admiral." Harm took a sip of his beer.
"The Admiral?"
"He's got a daughter, goddaughter, besides he's good with kids."
"I suppose."
"She's still in one piece so you did well Sturgis." Mac said as she walked into kitchen.
"Thanks, but I was just telling Harm I'm not available." Mac smiled.
"I kind of gathered that." Mac said.
"So I should go." Sturgis said. "I'll see you both on Monday."
"Monday, oh joy of joys, I get to see Lieutenant Travis try and pull a rabbit out his bag of tricks."
"You think his client is guilty?" Sturgis asked.
"I sat through the Article 32 I know he is, but what I think personally doesn't count I'm the judge and I'm impartial. It's up to Lieutenant Travis to convince the members that he's not; Bud pretty much has a slam dunk case."
"By the way are you okay for the deposition on Friday?" Sturgis asked. "Did you find a lawyer to sit in with you?"
"Sturgis, I am a lawyer." Mac pointed out.
"Mac, I'd rather you had someone impartial there." Sturgis said.
"The Admiral offered to sit in to look out for my interests, so relax. But depending on how Lieutenant Travis presents his case and how long the members are out, I may have to put it off."
"If you can help don't. I've got them to give me permission to skip over the Article 32 and go straight to Court Martial. This should be in court in two weeks."
"I know. I got a briefing memo from the CNO about it." Mac said. "You'll do fine."
"Thanks; I'm going I'll see myself out."
"Bye buddy." Harm said. "So..." Harm moved to kiss Mac.
"Brush your teeth first." Mac patted him on the chest. "You tasting of beer, isn't good for me."
TBC
"Hi Sturgis." Harm said leaning against the back of the couch.
"Hi Harm, Mac. Where did Jen go?"
"She left." Mac replied, Abi had gone to sleep on her shoulder. "I'm going to put her to bed, excuse me." Sturgis stepped out of her way.
"So babysitting isn't your forte?" Harm smiled.
"No." Sturgis smiled too.
"Want a beer?" Harm asked.
"Sure." Harm headed for the kitchen and pulled a couple out the fridge and handed one to Sturgis.
"So what happened?" Harm asked.
"Well I knocked the vase over and the water went everywhere and all over Mac's instructions and the ink blurred."
"Oh."
"Abi woke up just after you left and I couldn't get her to go back to sleep, I changed her diaper, it took three attempts to get one to stay on."
"They can be tricky." Harm agreed.
"So I figured she might be hungry, so I rang Jen to ask how to warm the bottle because I didn't want to burn her."
"Bottle warmer." Harm said without thinking.
"I know that now."
"Then I had to call her back to double check how to burp her so I didn't hurt her."
"As long as you're gentle she's usually pretty good about burping."
"I know that now too."
"So how did Jen end up here dancing around my living room?"
"She thought I sounded flustered and offered to come over. I told her she didn't have to, but she came anyway."
"She's used to being around Abi more than you are. It just takes a little practice at juggling. Remember how the first couple of days when I was on paternity leave was difficult and you weren't here to see how things were when you were out on the Truman. The place was a tip; luckily I'd tidied up slightly by the time you got back."
"Anyway back to the dancing, Jen was trying to get her back to sleep so I offered to make some coffee. Jen stubbed her toe, and I dropped coffee down my self when she yelped. Hence borrowing your clothes, hope you don't mind."
"No, I've got plenty."
"So Jen figure dancing around my tire her out while I went and changed."
"I see."
"So buddy I don't think me and babysitting are going to work out."
"I don't either. Well maybe not while she's still baby, we'll wait until she's three or four, they're great at that age."
"I may have got over the trauma by then." Harm chuckled. "So did you have a nice evening?"
"Mac spent the first part of the evening worrying that something was going to go wrong, it took me a while to convince her that it wouldn't and that I trusted you."
"That obviously worked out well."
"You knew when you needed to ask for help and you did." Harm pointed out. "After I got her to relax it was fine, we had fun, and we talked like old times. We danced, but we left earlier than I intended for obvious reasons. But it was good."
"Next time, ask someone else to baby-sit." Sturgis suggested.
"I will, I'm sure Harriet or Jen will help out or maybe the Admiral." Harm took a sip of his beer.
"The Admiral?"
"He's got a daughter, goddaughter, besides he's good with kids."
"I suppose."
"She's still in one piece so you did well Sturgis." Mac said as she walked into kitchen.
"Thanks, but I was just telling Harm I'm not available." Mac smiled.
"I kind of gathered that." Mac said.
"So I should go." Sturgis said. "I'll see you both on Monday."
"Monday, oh joy of joys, I get to see Lieutenant Travis try and pull a rabbit out his bag of tricks."
"You think his client is guilty?" Sturgis asked.
"I sat through the Article 32 I know he is, but what I think personally doesn't count I'm the judge and I'm impartial. It's up to Lieutenant Travis to convince the members that he's not; Bud pretty much has a slam dunk case."
"By the way are you okay for the deposition on Friday?" Sturgis asked. "Did you find a lawyer to sit in with you?"
"Sturgis, I am a lawyer." Mac pointed out.
"Mac, I'd rather you had someone impartial there." Sturgis said.
"The Admiral offered to sit in to look out for my interests, so relax. But depending on how Lieutenant Travis presents his case and how long the members are out, I may have to put it off."
"If you can help don't. I've got them to give me permission to skip over the Article 32 and go straight to Court Martial. This should be in court in two weeks."
"I know. I got a briefing memo from the CNO about it." Mac said. "You'll do fine."
"Thanks; I'm going I'll see myself out."
"Bye buddy." Harm said. "So..." Harm moved to kiss Mac.
"Brush your teeth first." Mac patted him on the chest. "You tasting of beer, isn't good for me."
TBC
