Chapter Sixty
She met up with Harm in the dining area where she found him waiting for her by the entrance.
"Why didn't you tell me it was you and Em up in the plane?"
"I didn't want to make you worry Mac, and besides I landed the washing machine, didn't I?"
"That is beside the point," she said yanking his arm and motioned for him to follow her. "Now you are a witness in this damn case, and I have some questions for you."
He raised an eyebrow up at her as they left the galley. He followed her to her state room, from behind he couldn't tell if she was angry or not. "Mac, are you really that mad?" he asked after a couple of minutes of silence.
She grabbed him and kissed him. "Okay, now I am cooling off a little. Harm, honestly I am glad I didn't find out until after the fact, but you still need to tell me these things especially since I am working this case and you are now a witness."
"I know honey." Her stomach started grumbling. "How about I get you something to eat?" He kissed her hand and the corner of her mouth. "God, I have missed you so much."
"Me too babe. How are the children?"
"Mattie wants to start dating," Mac stated nonchalantly as they had grabbed their food.
"She wants to what?" Harm stated louder causing them to get stares from other officers eating.
"You heard me, Mattie wants to start dating." Mac stated a little louder as they went up to their seats.
"Well she can't. She is only fifteen." Harm said arguing with her.
The CAG and Emily came walking up and Mac gestured for them to join them. "What can't Mattie do because she is only fifteen?" Emily asked.
"Harm won't let her date." Mac said while cutting up her chicken. "I think Mattie is showing the grace and maturity of a woman at least a 21 year old."
"That is the problem Mac, she is older than her age, and boys will seem so immature compared to her, and I know what immature boys do." Harm explained picking at his salad.
The CAG interjected his opinion, "Would you rather have Mattie sneak out?"
Mac looked up, "You know what I did when I was fifteen, and Mattie is a good kid Harm, we can trust her instincts."
"It's not her instincts I worry about! We already have a six month old, and I don't think I am ready to be a grandfather."
"Harm, you are over-reacting. She is a good kid, and the boy she wants to go out with is in her NJROTC class."
That statement alone made Harm turn up his eyebrow, "Do we know him?"
"Max, the summer camp counselor, transferred to her school, and now they are in NJROTC together. If it will make you feel better I will have Admiral Chegwidden come over just for the intimidation factor."
"Well, I guess it is okay for now."
"Good, because I was going to let her go anyway."
"I figured that, how is my other daughter? No one year old from daycare hitting on her yet?"
"She's good Flyboy. I have a DVD for you. Mattie made it one afternoon when she had a half day. We will watch it when you have time."
The CAG spoke up one again, "Colonel, how is the case going?"
"My gut is telling me that Ensign Kromer was duped into loading the virus on the plane, but I haven't quite been able to figure out how."
"That is because she is guilty," Deek said coming into the room.
"Commander Smalls, how many times do I have to remind you we are here on investigation and not to pass judgment?"
"Colonel, I don't know how you and your last partner operated, but when I do investigations we do things by the book and don't go on instinct."
Harm looked up, "I don't believe we have been formally introduced, Commander Rabb, the Colonel's last partner, pilot turned lawyer, back to pilot, now most of the time lawyer and part time pilot."
"So you are her famous partner I have heard so much about."
"I don't know about the famous part, but yea, she is my partner."
"She was your partner." Deek corrected him.
"No, I am her partner, in more ways than just being partners at JAG. I am also the father of her children and her soon to be husband." Harm stated simply, getting ready to lose his cool with him.
"You are the father of those kids," Deek said in shock.
"Yeah. Now if you excuse me, I have preflight in an hour and emails to type to our family. Mac, I will catch you in a few so you can give me the stuff from the kids?"
"Sure Hammer." Mac told him as he was getting up from the table. Deek sat down in his place. "Well, you sure made an impression on Commander Rabb."
"Well, what can I say, I am a guy you will never forget."
"I am sure that is not always a good thing. Now, if you want to talk about the case that is fine, but my gut says that Ensign Kromer didn't do it."
"All evidence points to her though."
"We haven't seen all the evidence." She countered back at him. "I have to call Admiral Jonas and get a timetable. I refuse to let a young girl's career slip through the cracks because of sloppy investigations, so if you don't mind, I am going to excuse myself."
As she was leaving Deek spoke up, "Colonel, why didn't you tell me your fiancé was onboard?"
"You never asked, and I didn't tell. My private life remains private unless I know you, and quite frankly, I don't know you all that well. I will find you later and we will compare notes." She turned to leave the hall to find her fiancé.
She left the hall and found him in the corridor. "Mac, I don't like your new partner."
"Temporary partner, and I don't like him either. Now let's watch Mattie's movie she made for you and then I figured you could make one to send home to the kids."
"Good idea Mac." They made their way over to his room and pulled out his laptop. He popped the movie in and they heard Mattie's voice filling the room.
"Hi Dad. It's me and Mackenzie. Mom is sleeping right now, she would never admit this, but she is having a hard time without you. The other day she was trying to make brownies for the NJROTC bake sale, and they burned! She said it was because she couldn't cook, I think she was too preoccupied thinking of you." Mattie said. Harm paused the video.
"My Marine was making brownies!"
"Attempting to, and they didn't turn out all that bad, I did break a knife trying to cut them though." Harm started laughing and pulled her closer to him and hit play on the movie.
Mattie turned from the video and started playing with her. "Even Mackenzie feels that you aren't here. She misses you too. Mackenzie, say hi to Daddy." Mattie instructed her pointing to the camera." Mackenzie looked up and clapped. She saw her stuffed F-14 in the corner and started to reach for it, then out of nowhere she started to crawl towards it slowly. Mattie jumped up, "Mom, wake up, Mackenzie is crawling!" She yelled. Harm heard Mac running down the stairs.
Suddenly Mac appeared on the screen "Mackenzie!" she exclaimed as she saw her daughter contemplating her next move to get to her beloved stuff toy. She crawled a few more inches and reached her toy. She held it up triumphantly and started chewing on it. Mac ran over and picked her up and threw her in the air. Mackenzie just giggled in her Mom's arms. "You daddy is going to be so proud of you!" She looked over at Harm who was watching the movie.
"Her first crawl. I didn't even realize that Mattie had the DVR out." Mac mused.
"Mattie caught it all on tape. I miss my girls so much." Harm said.
"I know you do." Mac said giving him a comforting squeeze. The DVD continued to play and it should the girls laughing around the house and dancing.
The soft melody started filling the room and Harm got off his bunk and held his hand out to Mac. They started dancing together until the music on the computer died.
They stood their in the warmth of their embrace and smiled. All of the sudden, Mac started hearing her own voice again over the computer screen. She saw Mattie's face suddenly on the screen, "I heard them wake up and decided to catch this for you Dad, bet you didn't know that Mom could sing to."
In My Daughter's Eyes
Album: Martina (2003)
In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I wanna be
In my daughter's eyes
In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the
world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me gives me
strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes
And when she wraps her hand
around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about
It's hangin' on when your heart
has had enough
It's giving more when you feel like giving up
I've seen the light
It's in my daughter's eyes
In my daughter's eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy
she made me
For I'll be there
In my daughter's eyes
"Hey Marine, I didn't know you could sing." Harm stated.
"I can't . . . you are the singer. I found the DVD you left for me. Sing my song?"
"For you always." He gathered her in his arms and danced with her again singing the soft melody that he wrote for her. When he finished, he heard her humming softly. "You know, I think I will let you continue putting Mackie to bed."
"I think she is her daddy's little girl."
"Thank you for taking care of them while I am away."
"You don't have to thank me. I have been meaning to ask you, when is your first shore leave?"
"I don't know, but I will let you know. Why?"
"Well, I was thinking of bringing the kids out. I talked to Mattie's teachers and they all have said that it won't count against her just as long as she keeps up with the regular school work and writes a report about the country she visited."
"That's great. I hate to do this, but I have to go down for preflight instructions."
"I have to go investigate this case before Deek strings Ensign Kromer out to dry."
"I will see you in a couple of hours. I love you."
"Love you too." She watched him leave the stateroom and reminded herself to give Mattie a call.
AN - I am going MIA for the weekend, and wouldn't have posted this chapter if it was for a request from a loyal reader - Thank you to everyone who has reviewed keep it up, the more reviews I get for a story the more likely I am to post earlier - reason being is that I have so many open projects, I write or proofread in this case for the story thatpeople seem to enjoy more, so just bear with me - this storywill not be abandoned, in fact there is a sequel already being written, I'll be it slowly, but it has a flowmap of ideas and the first couple of chapters written. You guys rock - thanks for the reviews HARM and MAC forever.
