Chapter Sixty Four
1900 EST
King George, VA
Mac sat in the passenger seat while Mattie pulled up to their house. "So, how did I do, am I allowed to take the driver's test yet?"
"As soon as I can take off from work, I promise you that I will pick you up and take you to the DMV, but you will be taking the test in the Lexus."
"Thanks Mom."
"No problem Matts."
They walked indoors and headed up the stairs to change into something more comfortable. Mac looked at her bed and realized how big it was without Harm there. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a three quarter length white shirt and tossed on a pair of flip flops to meet their friends out in the pool area. It was still unseasonably warm for the beginning of October.
"Colonel, Mattie, do you want cheese on your hamburger?" Mikey asked not feeling comfortable using Mac's nickname.
"Yes Mikey." Mac answered for the both of them.
"Thanks Mom for making it seem like Dad was there."
"Honey, I would do anything for you kids."
"Mom, do you think after volleyball competition tomorrow that it would be alright if I saw Tom. He called and asked if I could come out to Blacksburg for a night."
"If you feel comfortable with it, then that is fine. He loves you too Mattie."
"Then why didn't he try to make it out tonight, even Dad was able to be there in some sort of way."
"I don't know honey, did you ask him to come out?"
"Yes. He even told me he would be."
"So that explains Jen's weird answer to your instructors."
"So it's okay if I go to Blacksburg tomorrow?"
"Sure hon, it has been a month since you have seen your dad."
"He isn't my dad anymore, he is just Tom."
Mac's heart went out to the teenager. "How about when you get back from Blacksburg I will take you on a horseback ride?"
"Great Mom."
" Sweetheart, now go mingle with your friends. It seems like half your unit is having a hard time warming up to two 2-star admirals over there." Mac smiled at her daughter. "I'm proud of you Baby."
"Thank you Colonel." Mattie fired off a mock salute to her mom. Mac waved her off and headed over to the pool where AJ was playing with Jimmy and Brennen in the shallow end.
"How are the water babies?" Mac said. She put her hand in the water and tested the temperature. Even though it was the beginning of October it was unseasonably warm and they had a heater installed in the pool which made it nice for the kids to go swimming.
"Aunt Mac, I am not a baby."
"No you aren't AJ, I'm sorry."
"Aunt Mac, why Mackie not swimming?" Brennen asked.
"Well, she is too little to swim without me or your Uncle Harm, and I don't feel like swimming right now. Don't go out to far Brennen."
"Yes Aunt Mac."
Brennen paddled out a little closer to AJ and they began playing war with their floats. Mac smiled at the scene and sent a glance at Mattoni's daughter who was watching the kids making sure she was fulfilling her job. Admiral Chegwidden came up behind her.
"Watching your cousin's child?"
"Yes. He is a good kid, and he hasn't seen his Mom in over six months now."
"Must be hard."
"He seems to be well adjusted, and Emily loves fighting against the men who stole her husband."
"Still, she must miss him a lot."
"AJ you just gave me a great idea. I'll need your help to implement it." She went inside and found their DVR locked up in the office and brought it out. AJ was still standing by the pool watching his name sake. "AJ, can you tape the kids sending a word out to the fighting men and women overseas?"
"That is a great idea Mac." He held steady the DVR and they started pulling the kids aside.
Two Days Later
Aboard the Patrick Henry
Harm and Emily woke up that Monday morning and got called to fly another recon mission near Iraq. They finished rather quickly and made their way back to the ship. The LSO greeted them the minute they left the cockpit.
"Commander Rabb, Commander Graves, your presence is being asked for in the projection room."
"Thank you sir."
They made their way to the room and the Captain was waiting for them. "Hey, your family sent a great email today, sit and watch." The room was full of officers, and they found two empty seats. "I know that we are getting weary, but, I thought we could all us a reminder of why we are all here today." The Captain gave a nod, and took his seat next to Harm and Emily.
There was a frantic 911 call heard over the taping of a newsreel of the attacks of 9/11.
"911, how can I help you?"
A terrified voice came from the other end, "A plane just hit the World Trade Center! Oh my God!" The newsreel continue playing showing the towers crumbling and the effect it had on the Pentagon. Emily gasped, remembering the loss of her husband in the towers. Harm squeezed her hand.
Admiral Chegwidden's and Admiral Jonas's faces appeared on the screen next. "Greetings to all on the Patrick Henry. I am the JAG, Admiral Jonas."
"I am the retired JAG, Admiral Chegwidden. We want to say that you guys are doing a bang up job. Keep up the good work. Oh, keep Rabb straight." Chegwidden said smiling into the camera.
The crew on the Henry laughed at that. Harm smiled at his old CO. Bud and Harriet were the next to appear. Bud started first, "I, of all people, know what the cost is for us to fight the war on terror. Two years ago, I lost my leg in Afghanistan. But with the help of my wife, I fought back to stay in the Navy. Our sacrifices are not over looked."
"Come home safely," Harriet added hugging her husband.
Little AJ popped on to the screen, "Hi Uncle Harm. Hi to everyone on the Patrick Henry. I am AJ Roberts, and I am five years old. Mom and Dad say that when I am big and strong I can join the military just like them. I want to fly jets one day like Uncle Harm." AJ was in his swimming trunks and waved to the camera and jumped back into the pool.
Brennen was up next and Mac was holding him on her lap. He could hear Mac whispering in his ear. The little boy with hazel eyes looked up and smiled into the camera. "Momma, Aunt Mac says that you are on a big boat!" He said with a huge smile on his face. "She is going to take me horsieback riding tomorrow. Her an Uncle Harm have horsies at the house! They also have a swimmin pool and lots of toys. But not a lot of boy toys. Mackenzie won't let me play with her Tomcat. I tried to share with her, but Unca Ser – Ser – Ser" he tapped on Mac's shoulder.
"Uncle Sergei." She supplied.
"Yeah him, he told me I could play with toys that aren't made for babies," he said with his tongue sticking out. "I miss you Momma. Aunt Mac says that that you are doin a impotent job. I love you Momma, I'm gonna eak a otdog now." He waved at the camera again.
Emily smiled. "He seems to be adjusting at your house well Hammer."
"Imagine he must have only been there for a couple of hours. Probably the horses and the swimming pool and the acre of toys that have accumulated are helping." Harm said smiling. "He looks like you."
"He has his dad's eyes."
Many other people started giving their well wishes and their thanks. Then on the screen the NJROTC groups fell into formation snapping off a quick salute to the crew of the Henry.
Lt. Commander Netters barked, "Cadet Johnson front and center."
Harm smiled, "Mattie." He watched Mattie march to the center of the screen and stand at attention. "You know Em, Mattie helped pull me back from the brink of a disaster. She is one of the best things that have happened to me."
"Cadet Johnson reporting as ordered sir."
"Give greeting to the crew."
"On behalf of the NJROTC unit, I would like to say, that I appreciate all your efforts. Thank you for everything. You are my heroes." Mattie got this mischievous smile on her face, and the unit fell out of formation. Max handed Mattie her practice rifle.
"Hi Dad. I miss you so much. Be safe, because if you don't I will kick your six. I love you." Mattie took her rifle spun it around her wrists and threw it in the air. She caught it with one hand and spun it again. "I'm working on trying to make it revolve more in the air, Mom says you can probably teach me a thing or two, so come home safe." Mattie was thinking about what to say her dad, but then she felt a cold splash of water against her head. "I'm going to get you!" She picked up her Super Soaker and AJ proceeded to catch the kids engaging in a water gun fight on screen. Harm watched as Mattie climbed on the roof of the pool house and began to take out her friends.
"Hammer, I would be scared to be your daughter's friend. Look at her, she hasn't missed yet!"
"She takes after Mac. When she broke her ankle over the summer she spent a lot of time teaching archery at the summer camp. It only took Mattie a day to learn how to hit the target, Mac taught her a trick or two."
The Captain smile, "Our military in the making!"
Mac came back on the screen. "I know it feels like you are a world away, and that probably is because you are. We all know that freedom is not free, and sometimes a dear price has to be paid. But sometimes, the price that we pay insures a safer future for all of us. Big," the screen pointed to AJ and Jett having a beer, "little," the camera took a shot of Brennen and Mackenzie in the play area, "and all different races. Mac walked over and picked up Mackenzie. "Mackie, how much do you love the Patrick Henry?"
Mackenzie opened up her arms as far as they would go and started giggling. "Mackie, say bye bye."
Mackenzie waved her hands at the screen. "Da!"
"Don't worry Harm, I am working on expanding her vocabulary." Harriet started singing softly. Then the whole crowd started singing it.
God Bless The U.S.A.
by Lee Greenwood
If
tomorrow all the things were gone,
I'd worked for all my
life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my
wife.
I'd
thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
'Cause the flag
still stands for freedom,
and they can't take that away.
And
I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm
free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right
to me.
And
I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
'Cause
there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
From
the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the
plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From
Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's
pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.
That
I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm
free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right
to me.
And
I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
'Cause
there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
And
I'm proud to be and American,
where at least I know I'm
free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right
to me.
And
I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
'Cause
there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
The Captain looked at the group. "Okay, I viewed this earlier today, and I thought that it would be a good way to remind all of you what we are doing out here. I think Commander Rabb's family and friends have reminded us all of it."
Harm sat stoically. He knew that he was missing out on everything, but he also remembered that it was for a reason. He pulled the picture that he held of his family out. Emily pulled out a picture of Brennen, he was just a baby. "He has gotten so big."
"We will see them soon Em. Just remember what we are doing is for the greater good." He said realizing how lucky he was.
The Captain gave them a glance. "Are you two hanging in there okay?"
"Yes sir." Emily answered.
"I know that Mac sent this two both you individually, but AJ sent this to me and thought that it may help boost morale."
"It was a good idea sir."
"I will see you two in awhile."
"Aye aye sir," Harm said. He made his way back to his room to catch a couple of hours of shut eye. He knew that he would have to go up in a couple of hours again.
