"'Morning," Jack stood in the doorpost to the kitchen. It was the day after Mac, Harm and Isabelle had returned from Belleville. Jack was there to see Isabelle.
Mac flinched and looked up on him. She hadn't heard him come in and she was a bit irritated that he had just walked in using his key. Isabelle who had been standing beside her looked up delighted and ran into his open arms.
"Dad, I missed you," she said happily as she was wrapped in his arms.
"I missed you too, honey."
"And we had so much fun and the lambs were so cute and there were new kittens too and then we went bathing and hiked into the woods …" Isabelle continued to babble, but Jack's concentration went away from her and onto Harm who had just walked into the room, his hair still wet from the shower.
"Daad, you're not listening!" Isabelle accused Jack.
"Sorry, honey," he said, but instead of continuing to listen to Isabelle he looked at Harm "You stayed here tonight?"
"Yeah and Harm's going to stay here until he gets his apartment back, isn't that so cool?" Isabelle exclaimed before Harm had a chance to say anything.
"Oh, really?" Jack said and looked at Mac who nodded in response.
"Can I talk to you outside?" Jack said to Mac and let go of Isabelle.
"Breakfast is ready, why don't you two get started?" Mac told Isabelle and Harm and followed Jack out to the hallway. When she exited the kitchen she closed the door, but it didn't keep as much sound out as they thought it did.
"He's moving in to our house and you don't even bother to tell me first," Jack said.
"It was sort of decided yesterday so I hadn't had the chance to tell you, but I was going to."
"You know, this house is still half mine, so don't you think that I get a say in who lives here or not. Or are you so caught up in playing house with Harm that you forgot that we're still married"
"No, I haven't forgotten, but I honestly didn't think you'd mind. Maybe I was foolish to think that you actually loved my daughter and would want what's best for her," Mac had tried really not to get agitated, but her control was really starting to slip.
"Don't bring Isabelle into this."
In the kitchen Harm and Isabelle were eating breakfast or rather pretending that they were eating. They weren't looking at each other, just pretending that they weren't hearing what Mac and Jack were saying.
"So then explain to me why you have a problem with this," Mac said.
"Well, don't you think it's a little weird that we've hardly been separated a week and already you're having another man move in here?"
"No, not considering …"
"I guess even if we hadn't already decided on the divorce, it would just have been a matter of time until you'd want one now that the man of your dreams is back."
Mac had to use all the restrain that she could muster not to slap him.
"Not that it's any of your business, but Harm's staying in the guestroom. That should be a room you're very familiar with."
"What do you mean it's none of my business? Of course it's my business. You're my wife!"
"I think it's time for you to go now. And next time you come, you knock and wait until one of us opens the door."
Jack just turned around and stalked out of the house. Mac took a few deep breaths before she returned into the kitchen. There Harm and Isabelle sat looking down on their plates and Mac realized that she and Jack hadn't been as quiet as she had thought. She sat down at the table and started spreading butter on a sandwich. Isabelle got up and brought her plate and glass over to the dishwasher, before disappearing to her room.
"Belle, I'm …" Mac said, but Isabelle kept walking. She got up and followed her daughter upstairs. In the meantime Harm started putting away the dishes.
Half an hour later Mac returned to the kitchen. Isabelle was still in her room, but she was doing better now after Mac had talked to her. At least Mac thought she was.
"Harm, I'm sorry about that. Jack and I have a way of pushing each other's buttons, but I should have been able to control myself better because of Isabelle and you."
"You don't need to apologize to me, Mac. I remember that we used to be like that as well."
"I guess we did."
"But I'm still thinking that maybe it's not such a great idea for me to move in here. Considering …"
"Oh Harm. Of course … I don't want …" Mac couldn't decide what to say "Whether you live here or not is of course up to you, but if you decide not to it shouldn't be because of what you heard Jack and me say. When he has calmed down he'll call and we'll talk it out. I just think Jack was a little bit shocked to see you here. He seems to be a bit scared that you're taking his place in our life."
"But I'm not trying to …" Harm protested.
"No, you're not. You are taking your place in our life," Mac said and smiled brightly at him.
"I'm glad I have one. In both of your lives," Harm smiled back at her just as brightly.
Mac was silent, but before Harm left the room to go and unpack his things, she stopped him.
"Harm, I think we had a wonderful time in Belleville. I really had a lot of fun spending time together with you," she paused "I mean I'm of course glad that you came along for Belle's sake and I'm so happy that you're here, but I didn't expect it to be like that with us. I didn't think it would be possible for us to be friends again, after everything that has happened."
"Mac, I … I love spending time with you. I always have," Harm confessed and the confession, though maybe not the words so much as the way in which it was expressed, left Mac speechless.
TBC