Chapter Thirty Four

0900 EST

Harm's House

King George VA

The morning came too early for Harm. He looked at the woman that was tangled up with him. He pondered why they had slept tangled with each other, holding on to each other for dear life, in a bed that was as big as a lake. As she stirred in his arms, he held her even tighter, willing the sun to go down.

He knew right then he could hold her forever. If he untangled his arms and legs from her prone form, he would be missing her presence immensely, but alas he untangled himself from her and slipped on a shirt. "What are you doing getting out of bed?" she asked him still sprawling out in his bed, the soft yellow sheets a stark contrast to her olive tone skin.

"Well, its Friday, we have a vacation, don't you want to run with Mackenzie?" Just then her high pitch wails started. He smiled at Mac, and went to retrieve her from the nursery. Mackenzie was sitting in her crib crying as if the world was coming to an end. "Come on baby, daddy and mommy are enjoying our break." He picked her up and went down into the kitchen. He made a pot of coffee when he noticed that Admiral Chegwidden was asleep on the couch. He took six mugs and put them on the counter. The hot brown liquid started spilling out of the coffee maker, and as if on cue, Mattie, Jen, AJ, his parents, and Mac came down. Mac was wearing her jogging outfit.

"Thanks for the coffee hun." Mac said reaching over and kissing him on the cheek and grabbing the baby. "Has the little Marine been fed yet?"

"Fed, diapered, cleaned, and her jogging outfit is on the top of the dryer. Try not to jiggle her as much this time. I know how you like to dance with her in the middle of the park. I folded up the jugging stroller, it's in the Lexus. And she is not a marine, she is a princess who flies fighter jets."

"Oh you know me so well." Mac went by Mattie and kissed her on the forehead. "Do you feel well enough for the carnival today?"

"Yeah. I guess, I'm bummed though, Dad said he won't let me ride today."

"Well, at least it is only until you get an all clear from the doctor. I figured we could skip the father/daughter ride for the day," he said, watching her face fall, "But, we could do a father/daughter breakfast, maybe at Cracker Barrel if that is what you want."

"Dad, you are the best!" She hobbled her way up the stairs to get ready.

"Good morning sir. I hope we didn't wake you up last night."

"Sorry for crashing like that Harm. No Sir, I'm retired remember, and standing in your house in a pair of your pajamas."

"Mackenzie had spit up all over AJ's shirt, and she flung baby food all over his jeans. So I did a load of laundry," his mother explained. "He was so tired, I made up the couch for him seeing that he lives a good 45 minutes away."

"That's fine."

"Well, everyone knows where the showers are. The carnival is scheduled to start at 1300, fireworks are being set up behind the stable. The horses are going to be in the stable and they should be fine." Mac came back with Mackenzie dressed in her jogging outfit.

She handed Harm the baby for her second cup of coffee. "The rides should arrive at 1000. AJ, you are staying right?"

"Of course. I'll make sure things run as smoothly as a ship. Go attend to that bubbly teenager. Mac have a good run. The showers will be free by the time you guys get back. Go, it's an order," he said with a smirk.

Harm bounded up the stairs and tossed on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He ran down the stairs and found Mattie waiting for him. "New 'vette or old 'vette, your choice."

"Old 'vette. Top down."

He gave her a high five and helped his little girl down the porch steps in time to wave goodbye to Mac and Mackenzie.

The retired admiral and his parents watched the father/daughter pair pull out of the drive. "You guys did a good job raising him."

"Really?" Trish asked, "I always thought he was a royal pain in the six." She joked using a navy term that Harm Sr. would use with her.

AJ laughed. They walked inside to find Jen straightening up. "Come here my other granddaughter," Trish said to her.

Jen walked up to her. "Yes ma'am. Do you need something?"

"Don't ma'am me. You can call me gram. You know I think of you as a granddaughter to me. Yesterday with all of the fuss with Mattie, me, Frank, and Harm forgot to give you something."

"Gram, you don't have to do that for me."

"And you didn't have to help my son out for the past couple of months." She handed Jen a set of keys.

Jen just starred at them. "I can't accept this. I don't accept charity." Everyone knew her car needed more repairs then what she could make, not like her salary could afford it.

"Of course you can. Frank is the owner of several car dealerships."

Frank looked up, "Well, if you can't accept it, then how about I make a good deal."

"That seems reasonable, but I still don't think I could afford a," Jen looked down at the keys, "Jeep Liberty?! I know I won't be able to swing that."

"You have a dollar?"

"Sure," she handed him a dollar.

"Okay, it's been paid for." Frank winked at her. "Jen, we are your family. We love you regardless of blood too. If anything we understand it is that it isn't blood that makes you family."

AJ smiled at the scene. He knew that his former yeoman didn't swallow her pride easily. He gave Jen a fatherly smile.

"Jen, honey, the car will be arriving around noon." Trish said. "Why don't you get ready for the day, and the men will clean up the coffee. I'll start some French toast for those who want it."

Trish called the Roberts and Victor Galindez to invite them for brunch. They agreed.

The JAG family was going to a carnival today.

The Cracker Barrel Restaurant

0945

"Dad, do you think Grandma and Grandpa have told Jen yet about the car?"

"I think so Kiddo. Speaking of gifts," he pulled out an oblong box. "I saw this last night and thought of you."

She unwrapped the box and pulled out the bracelet that he had chosen for her last night. She pulled it out, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. On the bracelet he had picked out several charms – an anchor, a ship, a horse, and a biplane. "I figured we could add charms as we saw fit." He put the bracelet around her wrist.

Their food came out and she was so hungry she started shoveling the food in her mouth. "Did you not eat at all last night Mattie."

"No, last night I was so nauseous, I didn't even try."

"Eat up Kiddo, today is going to be a long day."

South Point Park

1000

Mac and Mackenzie whirled down the path. Mackenzie was squealing with delight and clapping her hands. She stopped at the swings like she always did and picked her up and pushed her in the swings.

She swung her and tickled her feet eliciting a beautiful laugh that came out of her mouth.

She saw the flyer announcing the carnival and fireworks for the Toys for Tots. She smiled at the good that the JAG crew was doing. She heard several parents in the park talking about the fourth of July carnival.

Mac picked Mackenzie up out of the swing and slid with her down the slide. She saw one of the parents walk up to her.

"Aren't you Colonel Mackenzie?"

"Do I know you?" She said switching Mackenzie to another hip.

"No, I saw you on TV during the trial. I just wanted to say that I admire your courage."

"Oh, thank you."

"Isn't that Commander Rabb's baby?"

"Yes, I am," Mac stopped her thought for a moment and then said, "I am helping the Commander out considering he is swamped with the carnival today." She was proud of her child, but didn't want the entire world knowing just yet.

"Do you know if the Commander is taken? I have been thinking about going to his house several times, but always stopped myself."

"I believe he has recently started seeing someone."

"Oh."

"Are you taking your kids to the carnival today?" Mac asked politely changing topics.

"I'm planning on it."

"Good, the money raised goes to an awesome cause." She walked away with Mackenzie in her arms.

She raised her up and jiggled her in the air singing her a silly song as they pranced and danced back to the stroller. She strapped her in the stroller and jogged back to the car.