Part 9: A Journey of Separate Hearts – The Call
February 8th 2003, Saturday
0200 Zulu (21:30 hrs EST)
Still Harm's apartment
North of Union station
Washington, D.C.
"Hi, Harm! Martha speaking. Sorry for calling so late. Did I interrupt you in any way?" asked Martha, knowing from somewhere – call it female intuition – that she had indeed interrupted him.
Harm smiled about Martha's concern and wondered how women knew men so well in some situations. He had never understood women completely and he was sure that he never would. If Martha knew how close, better, totally right she was…!
"No, Martha, it's all right. What can I do for you?"
"You should ask what I can do for 'you' and Sarah?" replied Martha grinningly.
"Um…Martha, I don't understand?" came Harm's confused answer.
"I'll explain soon. But first, do you know where Mac is? 'Cause I called her at her apartment, but she didn't answer. And what I have to tell you is for both of you. So if you know where she is, could you call her and ask her to come to you, so I can explain it to both of you?"
"Oh, that's kind of funny, Martha. In fact, she's here with me. So, I'll put you on the speakerphone, so we both can hear you. Ok?"
"Yeah sure, Harm. But may I ask you one question before?" answered Martha and after Harm's quick permission she continued. "Why is Sarah at your place?" Martha's grin grew even more, because she could imagine exactly 'why' Mac was at Harm's. She figured out that these nice and smart young persons were finally able to overcome some of the unsaid issues in their undefined friend-/relationship. This time she was less close and Martha would probable bite her tongue and her finger, which had dialed Harm's number, if she had known that she had just stopped this conversation by her call.
"Um…she…Mac and I had dinner tonight. We finished it a few minutes ago and were talking, when you called. So what is that that couldn't wait until tomorrow morning?" Harm tried to change the subject and Martha was nice enough to do him the favor.
"I'll tell you, but put me on the speakerphone first!"
Harm did as she asked, hitting the speaker button and hanging up the handset. He again sat down next to Mac; the suspense about what Martha wanted to tell both of them nearly killed him.
"Ok, Martha, Mac and I are sitting on the couch. Can you hear me?"
"I can hear you perfectly. Thank you. Hello, Sarah! How are you and how was the dinner?"
"Hello, Martha. I'm totally fine. And the dinner was wonderful. Harm knows how to feed me! What do you want to tell us?"
"That's wonderful to hear. So when was your last vacation?"
Mac and Harm changed a confused look before Mac began to answer Martha's question. "Um, Martha, I really don't know what you're up to, but my last days off were …um…I guess Christmas and New Year's Eve."
"You'll soon know it, Sarah. And yours, Harm?"
"The same here, I think."
"So I guess, it's time for some relaxation for both of you. I think you should start packing, 'cause you're leaving on Monday morning from Dulles International Airport for Europe!" Martha explained euphorically.
Silence – neither Mac nor Harm could say anything, they were too shocked to say anything.
"Harm, Sarah, did you hear me?" asked Martha nervously.
Then it came in a rush, Martha couldn't say when Harm was speaking or when Mac was.
"What?"
"Why now?"
"Martha, we don't understand that? What are you telling us here?"
"Did we miss something?"
"Stop stop, both of you! I'm an old lady. I need my time to answer all your questions. But first: Do you remember the date today?"
"Yeah, sure, Martha. It's Saturday, February the 8th. But what does today's date have to do with you saying we're going on a trip to Europe?" Harm's still confused voice answered her.
"Uh…I'm sure you forgot that today was something special." After a short pause, "Today was the drawing of the local journey lottery. I gave you a ticket for it. Do you remember? And guess who won the two-week trip to Europe? Yeah, you two! I've checked your number twice – you know I'm the owner of this lottery, so I have copies off all the tickets. And you won. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Wow, Martha, that's amazing. I've never won anything and I'd like to visit Europe and forget about work for a while. But we can't just leave, Martha. We have to ask our CO first and I doubt that he'll let us leave on such short notice," said Mac, slowly coming to her senses again.
"Oh, don't worry about AJ – I mean Admiral Chegwidden. He's someone whom you could call a friend of mine. We met years ago at a Shakespeare charity event, where young students from troubled families could learn something about Shakespeare and his dramas. They all could play a part or work as technician or something like that at the drama we wanted to stage. AJ was one of the adults who helped the children to understand the meaning behind Shakespeare's words. He discussed the scenes with them. So we've known each other for a long time and met again from time to time at those events. You told me that you work for the JAG Corp. And I know that AJ is the current JAG in Falls Church, so I called him right away, when it was official that you two had won the trip and asked him if it would be ok. He was surly surprised to hear from me that you 'saved' my life and he was happy to do me the favor especially after your last cases were closed this week. He said that you two deserved some leave time and he ordered – I quote: 'I don't want to see Colonel MacKenzie and Commander Rabb until Monday two weeks from now. And that's an order!' So I guess you know what to do. Oh, I forgot to say, that AJ sends his congratulations!"
Again Mac and Harm were shocked, but then Harm spoke, "Martha, you're quite a woman. I don't know a woman who can handle the admiral as well as you – oh, of course, besides Meredith."
"Martha, I still can't believe it. This is really true, isn't it?"
"Of course, it is, darling. So meet me Monday at eight in the morning at my house. There I'll give you all the information and the tickets you need and then you'll drive directly to the airport, because your flight will start at 11 am. There'll be some extra surprises for you on the trip, but you'll know soon enough. So, go on and pack your bags – ok, you still can do it tomorrow. But don't forget your camera, because I want to know everything you did on your vacation and of course I want pictures! I wish you a nice evening and we'll meet the day after tomorrow."
"Thank you again, Martha. We'll see you on Monday! Good bye!"
"Bye, Martha. I'm so looking forward to this trip and I think Ham is, too."
With that the conversation ended. Harm and Mac looked at each other still surprised before they finally smiled.
"I can't believe it, Mac. We are really going to Europe, not for an investigation or something like that, but for a vacation. That's so…uh…unbelievable!"
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I've never won anything, but with this ticket, I had a strange feeling something was different. It was as if I knew that the chances of winning something were better than with other lotteries. In fact, I dreamed about visiting all these foreign countries."
"Uhm, Mac, were you daydreaming about Europe and the trip when I interrupted you in your office the day before our dinner with Martha? If so, I have to apologize for my behavior. I didn't mean to hurt you, I was only teasing you, but I guess it wasn't funny. So I'm sorry if I was a complete jerk that day."
"Yeah, I was dreaming about that and yes, you definitely were a complete jerk. But I guess I wasn't any better than you were because I said things I didn't mean. In that moment I was hurt that you couldn't understand why winning this trip would mean so much to me. It did and it still does, because I wasn't one of those lucky persons who have much luck in their lives – at least for the last couple of years. So my dreams were everything I had and it hurt that you made jokes about that. But to be honest, I'm happier than many other people, because I found a new family in JAG. I have many friends who support and respect me. I have a job I can be proud of and most importantly, after last Tuesday evening and after today, I guess I have my best friend back who means the world to me and without him my life wouldn't be the same as with him. Nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to this trip and I definitely will enjoy the time in Europe with you at my side. It would be boring without you, because then I wouldn't have someone to tease during the trip. So I accept your apology!"
"Thank you. I'm glad that we're back on the same page again. And I'm looking forward to it, too, although I still can't believe it, either. I'm excited and I can't wait to know which places we'll visit."
The rest of the evening, their only topic was the coming journey to Europe: what places they'd always wanted to visit, what things they would need and how unbelievable it still was that they, of all people, had won the lottery.
Like a rush, the following hour and a half went by too quickly and they didn't go on with the conversation they'd started before Martha called. Finally Mac stood up and walked to the door, grabbing her winter coat. Harm followed her and this time she didn't forget to put on her coat because Harm helped her in it. She turned and faced him.
"Harm, it was a wonderful evening and I don't want to leave. But it's already 2300 and I really need to go now. You know I need to get some sleep! But I can't wait until it's Monday and our journey will finally begin."
"Thank you for coming and spending the evening with me. How about we share a cab to Martha's house and then to the airport? I don't want to leave my car at the airport for two weeks, so I'm going to take a cab to Martha's. I know Martha's place isn't far away from yours but I'd think it would be easier for you not to carry all your luggage to her house. What do you think?"
"Yeah, that would be great. Be at my place at 0750 – so we'll have enough time to arrive at her house."
"It's a deal, marine!" He laughed.
She gave him a short hug and opened the door.
Mac was about to leave when she suddenly turned again and said, "We didn't really finish our conversation. I mean, the talk about us, you know? You started but we didn't finish it."
Harm knew that, and on one hand, he was a little bit glad that they didn't, so he'd have the chance to get his thoughts in order. On the other hand, he wished they had really finished this conversation so he wouldn't have all these doubts about them and their status and future. But he was sure they would soon continue the talk.
"I know, Mac, we didn't finish it. But I'm sure we'll have plenty of time during our vacation to take up where we left off."
"Promise me! When you promise that we are going to have this talk again and soon, then I'm sure that we will definitely do it. Because you always keep your promises." Mac explained to Harm.
"Sure, Mac! I promise that we will have this conversation and finish it!"
"That's all I need. Thank you, Harm. See you on Monday! Good night!"
"Good night, Mac. Drive carefully!"
She smiled at him one last time before the door closed behind her.