Chapter Eleven
Usual disclaimers – not mine, never will be, poor, broke, college student.
May 2, 2004
O740 EST
North of Union Station
Mattie was grateful to be able to sleep in until 0700. She trudge down the hall, and heard Harm singing to Mackenzie.
I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
When its cold outside, I've got the month of May
I guess, you'd say
What could make me feel this way . . .
"My girls," Harm sang out.
"Hey Dad, are you still going to drop me and Gina off at work before getting Mac? What time is Grandma and Granddad coming in?"
"Yes, I am still going to drop you to off, and your grandparents are coming in at 1200. Then if Mac feels up to it, then I will pick you up, drop Gina off, and we will all go out to eat at Vincenzos."
"Are we meeting with realtors tomorrow?"
"We will handle one thing at a time. I am planning on getting a listing, driving by those houses, and then seeing the ones we are interested in. Don't worry Mattie, I'm not going to leave you out."
"Since I didn't have time to make breakfast because of Miss Stinky over there, I am going to bite the bullet and get you Burger King."
"Yes! Getting a little sister is so worth this."
"Come one kiddo. Lets get going."
Harm was playing super dad all day. He dropped Mattie and Gina off and had to stop by a 24 hour supermarket to pick up some more baby food, and then was able to make it on time to Bethesda.
0900 EST
Bethesda
Naval Hospital
Harm pulled the SUV to the patient discharge area and got Mackenzie out of the carrier, and brought her in. Mac was sitting by the reception desk and filling out paperwork. A doctor was waiting with her. He saw Mac's face light up when Harm walked through the door.
"Hi, you must be her husband. I am Commander Wayne. I have some discharge instructions for you guys to listen to."
Mac didn't bother correcting him. "Commander Wayne, I am perfectly okay taking care of myself."
"Mac, you have had a concussion, a few broken ribs, and your wrists have had stitches in them. You are staying with me. Enough said."
"Harm, I can take care of myself," she said trying to make a point, she tired to get out of the wheelchair and got dizzy.
"Colonel, if you try something like that again, you are liable to fall, stay seated," Commander Wayne scolded. "Well, Commander it looks like you have your work cut out for you. Here is some antibiotic cream for the stitches on her wrists, bandages for her ribs and wrists, and pain killers for her back. The welts on her back should go down in the next day, they have already gone down some. She should be good to go. Colonel, try not to do any heavy lifting with those ribs and back. You maybe able to lift the baby, however I wouldn't until I felt almost 100%. Come back in three days to get the stitches removed. Please allow people to help you out. Have a nice day."
Just then the Admiral called Harm's cell phone.
"Admiral."
"Rabb, I know I gave you the day off, I need you in here for two hours tops. Don't bother changing into uniform if you are out already. Some logistical stuff with an airplane crash."
"Aye sir. As soon as I drop off Colonel Mackenzie, I will be there."
"See you in a few."
A volunteer followed Harm out to the car and helped get Mac situated.
"Mac, I am going to drop you off at my apartment and then run back to JAG for a couple of hours, I am needed for some paper work."
"Just go straight in. I can handle a couple of hours. I won't even do any work. I will just check my emails and return phone calls."
"Mac, that is work."
"Harm, I feel completely fine. If you drop me off, I will just do it from your place anyway."
"You win. To JAG we go."
"What about the baby?"
"She does fine there. I have a playpen set up for her in the office. She will conk out anyway in about 20."
0945
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
"Commander Rabb reporting as ordered sir."
"At ease Rabb. I must say, it is weird seeing you in your civvies."
"Feels weird being here in the office not in uniform. Colonel Mackenzie came in, against my better judgment."
"Thank you for letting me know. I will stop by her office and makes sure she doesn't over do it. I just need you to review this video tape and audio tape on this crash. I am sending Roberts and Berringer out to investigate. I know Roberts has done this type of thing before, but this is your forte. Point them in the right direction. I need you active on this case, but with the family developments being as fresh as they are right now, you will just be over the phone. If it is necessary to send you out will it be a problem?"
"Sir, I have the utmost confidence in Commander Roberts, but if I am needed, I will have my mother stay in DC a while longer."
"Good. Dismissed."
Harm executed an about face, and walked into the bull pen. He walked back into his office and picked up the carrier with Mackenzie and headed to the conference room to use the VCR.
About an hour later, Mac walked into the conference room and heard Harm talking.
"Did you know that Daddy left Jordan to fly those? Yeah, he did. You know, Aunt Mac thought I left her, but I didn't. I would never leave your Aunt Mac. Did you see what the pilot just did there?" He point to the screen. "He powered down instead of adding power. You add power just incase you miss the wire and have to go around again. He powered down and lost a lot of altitude causing a big boom. Daddy did that a long time ago. It hurt a lot, and I was in traction for three months, and had to learn to walk all over again."
"Hey Flyboy. I didn't know that." Her stomach started growling.
"Hey Mac, I didn't see you there. The ramp strike is something I like to relive. As soon as I explain my notes to the Admiral and to Bud, I will swing by Beltway Burgers and grab you something to eat. Can your stomach handle that?"
"Yeah."
"Give me five." All of the sudden, Mackenzie started reaching for Mac. Mac reached over.
"Mac, do you think you should?"
"Well, hand her to me and we will find out. I promise, if I think I can't I will hand her over. But I need to hold her, she is just so pure and innocent."
Harm handed the baby over just as Bud and the Admiral was heading into the room to see Harm.
"Sir, Bud, I just finished up my notes. I could be pilot error or mechanical error. I couldn't figure out much. I wrote down what he should have done, but didn't do."
"Thank you for coming in on your day off Rabb. Colonel, I don't want to see you back until the doctor clears you. If I need you that badly, I will send paperwork home with you." Admiral Jonas said with a smile.
"Commander, while I as waiting for you notes, I took the liberty of pulling some local real estate listings. It only took a couple of minutes." Bud said when the Admiral had left the room.
"Thanks Bud. The Admiral did inform you I would be in touch?"
"Yes."
"Good Bud. Have a good day. We will see you when you get back."
1200 EST
Dulles International Airport
Washington, D.C.
Harm, Mac, and Mackenzie waited by the luggage terminal to see Frank and Trish. They spotted the couple walking hand-in-hand down the terminal.
"Mom, Frank, over here."
"Son!" Trish walked up and hugged Harm.
"Sarah, we heard about your terrible ordeal. Are you alright to be running around like this?"
"I'm okay ma'am. I need to start getting back to normal."
"There hasn't been a ma'am since Harm's great-grandmother. Call me Trish. Harm, hand me my beautiful granddaughter. Mackenzie Nicole. You have Harm's eyes!"
"Frank, is she always this gushy?"
"Just wait till you see what she brought for the kids. You'd think she bought out toy store."
"Mom, you didn't."
"Harm, they are my grandchildren."
"Lets go back to the loft, and get Mac and Mackenzie settled down."
They drove back to the loft. Both Mac and Mackenzie both drifted off to sleep. Harm picked Mac up, and his mom took the baby. Harm settled Mac in his room and came back out to visit with his parents.
"Harm we have arranged for a car and driver for the week. Harm you really need to get a bigger place."
"Mom, I know. I am working on that. I just don't know if I can afford much with the prices be as high as they are."
"Harm, your mother and I are going to help you out with that. You never asked for anything. You never asked for a car when you were sixteen, we didn't even have to pay your college tuition."
"What about Russia Frank?"
"You did what you had to do for the closure you needed. I'm just glad you told us that time instead of running off. I told you once, I may not have a biological son, but you are the closest thing I have to one."
"Frank, I can't."
"Don't do it for you then, do it for Mattie and Mackenzie, and the future kids you may have."
"We are jumping the gun. We haven't even found a place yet." Harm pointed out.
Just then, Harm's home phone rang.
"Rabb."
"Commander, this is Lieutenant Blumenthal down at Bethesda."
"Hello."
"We have your test results. I put a rush on them because of the way you were treated by Lieutenant O'Donnel. The test has concluded with 99.5% accuracy that you are the biological parent of the child in question."
"Thank you Lieutenant." Mackenzie had waked up from her nap and wanted to be held by her daddy. "Guess what Mackenzie, you are definitely mine." He blew a raspberry on her tummy, and she started laughing.
"Oh Harm, I am so happy for you." Mac said as she was stepping out of the bedroom.
"Mac, what are you doing up?"
"Well, I want to take a shower, but all clothes are back at my place."
"Mac, why don't me and Frank take Mackenzie to your place, we will pick up what you will need for a few days, and you can start a shower." Trish offered.
"Don't go to trouble on my account."
"Oh, no problem. I'm sure the driver will know where to go if you give us the address."
Harm started packing the diaper bag just in case. He reached under his bed for diapers, put fresh clothes from the Baby's Galore bag in the diaper bag, reached in the cupboard where his wine glasses were replaced by baby bottles and Gerber baby food.
"Well Harm, it looks like you have it figured out."
"Don't knock it. I have had an entire three days to become an infant's dad. With Mattie, at least I had time to adjust. Okay Mackenzie," he said lifting her from Trish's arms, "Be good for Grandma and Granddad. If she cries, sing her some oldies."
"Harm, I know it has been a while, but I think I can figure it out."
"I know mom, its just, you know."
"I know Harm. First time dads' are the funniest." With that she took Mackenzie and Frank out the door.
