Chapter Twenty Five
"Mac, did I just hear you right?" Harm asked her, "You are Mackenzie's mother?"
The thunderheads started coming in. He heard the flash of thunder in the distance.
"Harm, I didn't know how to tell you. I wanted to tell you so many times over the past couple of days, especially when I realized what the reporters were saying about you and Jen. You can't imagine how angry I was when those reporters made you drop the carrier that day and the baby got bruised." She stopped and looked at Harm. She was having troubles reading his reaction. "Harm, tell me what you are thinking."
"I don't know what I'm thinking." The thunder started crashing. "Why didn't you come to me earlier? Do you not trust me? After all we have been through, you thought you couldn't trust me. If we can't trust each other how are we going to raise a baby together? Or do you even want to raise her together? How could you sit there for weeks and not tell me?" He wasn't angry, he just seemed defeated. He opened the back door of his house, and took off into a sprint.
"Harm!" she yelled. She watched his retreating form, and watched the lightening streak across the sky. She ran after him into the upcoming storm and let the rain pour down on her.
The rain was pelting his skin. He hated summer pop up storms. He hated weather like this, recalling crashing into the drink wasn't the fondest of memories. He reached the edge of his property.
She walked back inside and sank to the floor of the kitchen. They had just rebuilt a friendship, just started to find their way to each other. She found the tea kettle and started to make him some tea. She heard the call of the kettle, and just stared at it blankly with tears streaming down her face.
He walked into the kitchen and saw her drop a coffee mug on the ground. He was dripping wet and so was she. Harm walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry for running off."
"I'm sorry that you think I don't trust you. I trust you with my life, you have been there for me. I thought telling you the truth right away may have caused a derail in the trial. We rebuilt our friendship over the past year, and we are finally moving to a good place, and . . . " she trailed off.
"Power down marine. Look, its okay, I realize that there has been so much happening in your life right now. You are still recovering from Iraq and then you get told that you have a baby. Trust me, it hits you like a ton of bricks, but honey this isn't the end of the world. It is the beginning of a whole new one. Let's both of us get out of our wet clothes, and talk. I'll put some sweats in the nursery for you."
After fifteen minutes he came down the stairs saw her form in the kitchen standing over the simmering sauce. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Out of all the women in the world that could have been Mackenzie's mother, I am so grateful that it is you." He nipped at her ear lobe. His breathe was so warm on her neck. "There is a lot we have to work out, but I am sure we will be able to. If you want, you can move in with us. There is plenty of room."
"Harm, slow down, I don't think I am ready for all this yet. I want to be a big part of Mackenzie's life, but I don't think I can move in with you yet. Just give me time. I don't even know if I will be a good mom, it is not like I had a really great childhood." She started off, her stomach started growling.
Harm laughed a little, "I can handle with you not moving in yet, at least you didn't say never. You know lets go eat. The rolls are probably cold, but I still have the sauce on low heat. I know that I said you should move in with us, and I still believe it. We are heading somewhere good in this relationship, it is all a matter of time. Consider it though an open ended invitation, all you have to do is be ready, no pressure Marine. And as for you not thinking you are going to be a good mom, well I had doubts about me being a good dad. I had two great examples, even though I haven't really let Frank in on that secret. My dad was a playful father, and Frank was the strong silent type."
Mac reached up, touched his face and kissed him. The kiss lingered between the two for a little bit, and she took him by the hand and led him in for dinner. "You know Harm, we will be okay won't we?" She asked him in between courses.
"Mac, we will handle this situation. I mean, you were shot, held hostage, and stalked all within the first couple of years of us knowing each other. How hard could it be to raise a baby together?" She laughed at the thought.
"We fight all the time though."
"We did fight all the time, but lately, we have both been learning how to see things in other perspectives. It's not like kids come with instruction manuals. You know this by being with Chloe. I have a feeling Mac that it will come naturally to you."
They were finishing up their dinner when he heard the motion sensor in the house start beeping. He knew that Mattie and Mackenzie had just walked into the house. Harm reached over and held Mac's hand. "Well Sundance, are you ready to go tell the girls the news? I think we should all just sit them down and tell them."
"Harm, do you think that is wise until we come up with a plan ourselves?"
"I just don't think we should keep this from the family. Jen is like a daughter to me, Mattie is my daughter, and Mackenzie is ours. Talk about a blended family."
The breath got caught in Mac's throat. She heard Mattie call out for her father. Mattie bounded up the stairs first. Harm noticed the look in her eyes. "Marine, you look like you are a deer stuck in headlights."
"DAD!" This time it was Jen that was yelling along with Mattie.
"Let's go in and tell them. We may have no definite plan, but I think a Lt. Colonel and a Commander can deal with what a Petty officer, a teenager, and a baby who adore the ground we walk on."
Jen and Mattie chose that moment to barge through the door. Jen was carrying Mackenzie who gleefully smiled and reached for Mac. Jen handed Mackenzie over to Mac. Mac who was still feeling apprehensive about the truth was standing there with her little girl in her arms. She sank back down in to her chair cuddling the baby on to her lap. "Harm?!"
He smiled at her. "Kinda hits you all at once. The responsibility, the love, the fear."
"Dad, are you and Mac talking in code again? Is there something I need to know?"
"Lets all go sit inside and me and Mac will explain everything."
They led everyone inside. Harm watched Mackenzie and Mac for a brief second out of the corner of his eye. Mackenzie was snuggling up on Mac shoulder, a sure fire sign that it was time for her night bottle. He didn't know what to do or what to say anymore. He was confused. Mac just got out of her relationship with Webb, for which he was thankful for, but where were they headed?
They walked into the living room. Jen spoke up, "Sir, ma'am, I will go wait on the porch."
"Jen, you might as well stay. I am sure Mattie will tell you and Gina tonight anyway at the sleepover." Harm stated.
"Okay."
Mattie sat down on the couch. Mac and Mackenzie sat next to her. "Mattie, Jen, and Mackenzie," Mac smile as she addressed Mackenzie. "A match for Mackenzie's mother was found. It turns out that I am Mackenzie's biological mother."
Jen looked stunned for a minute, "Congratulations sir, ma'am. That's wonderful news."
"What do you mean its wonderful Jen?" Mattie cried. She looked at her dad and then at Mac. She then bolted for the stairs and the solitude of her room.
Harm looked at Mac who was upset by Mattie's outburst. "I'll go talk to her, we need a dad/daughter moment. As for Mackenzie, she needs her bottle. There should be one in the fridge ready to be warmed. 45 seconds on medium heat."
"Okay Harm, I'll be up in a couple for reinforcements." He gave both his girls a kiss on the head and wondered what was up with his eldest daughter upstairs.
