Chapter Nine:

Harm watched from the porch as Mac left the farm. She didn't want to leave him, but with work no waiting, she knew that she had no choice. She heeded the words of the late Sarah Rabb and hoped that Harm would call her when things got to be too much.

Flashback to the night before

Harm was thrashing in his bed. Mac heard and went into his room. "Harm . . ." She put her hand out and touched him on the shoulder. He sprung out of bed.

"Stop!" He screeched. He reached around, and turned on the bedside lamp. "Mac, did I wake you?"

"No, I was getting a glass of water when I heard you thrashing around. Are you alright?"

"I will be."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Just a nightmare. I get them every so often."

Mac reached over and brushed the sweat off his forehead. "Here take a sip of my water."

"Thanks Mac." He said taking a gulp.

"Is there anything you need?"

"Just for you to be here right now. My dream was so real."

"Want to tell me about it?"

"I can't right now."

"Okay. Try to get some sleep."

"Mac, stay with me tonight."

He shifted over in the bed and she slid in next to him. He wrapped his arms around her. He held her close until she had to leave to go back to Washington.

End Flashback

Harm gave her a quick wave as she saluted him before she turned the bend. The moment he couldn't see her he felt the emptiness wash over him. 'When had she gotten to him?' He wondered to himself. He headed for the barn were he began doing the chores for the day.

Around 1000, Sergei came out and found Harm curled up on a blanket in the hay bales.

"Harm . . ." Sergei stirred his brother.

"Sergei! I must have fallen asleep. I didn't get much shut eye last night."

"No, you didn't. Go, get breakfast, I will finish up here."

"Thanks Man."

"No problem."

Harm made his way back to the house and grabbed a cup of coffee and made his way to his room and grabbed the key for Gram's storage room. He was waiting for the perfect moment to get into his grandmother's room. He walked slowly to the end of the closet and turned the antique brass key in the lock. Hearing it unlock he spied a staircase that he had never been up. Walking up the stair, he smelled the dust and staleness of the air.

Finding the window he opened the drapes and the light spilled in. Looking around he realized that most people would see antiques, but what he saw was a lifetime of memories surrounding him. He brushed his hand over the old Wurlizter jukebox, and to his surprise when he hit the power button, it turned on.

A slow big band song started to play and he closed his eyes. He could almost see him and his grandmother dancing on those long summer nights to the music. He sighed and walked over to her old roll-top desk. Opening the top he saw just piles and piles of letters. There was a pile that said Harm on the top, and then there was letter to Sergei.

He opened up the top letter that was addressed to him. He could tell that this letter was newly written, the envelope wasn't yellow with age like the other ones were. He settled down on the old feather bed in the room and started reading.

Dear Harm,

Oh, my lovely little boy! As I am writing this letter, I can almost see you flying Sarah high in the sky swopping and rolling, doing all of those moves that scare me half to death.

Death – my dear boy, you have seen so much of it in your time, and if there is anything I would want to shield you from, it would be the pain that comes along with that. If you are reading this letter, it means that I am gone, and you have made your way into the room that had always peaked your curiosity, even when you were a year old. Did I ever tell you that story?

Harm, when you were a just over a year old, you dad and mom brought you for your first visit out to Pennsylvania. I had escaped for a couple of minutes up here and low and behold you had started crawling your way up the stairs to me! Even then I knew that we would always be together, no matter what.

Baby Harm, you made my life more complete than I ever thought I could have it. You made me smile when I was down, you made me laugh with all of those little stories from preschool. I will never forget the first time you called me and said that you weren't going to kiss another woman as long as you live unless her name was Sarah Rabb! In case you don't remember, a little girl named Misty tried to kiss you before nap time! Your mother couldn't stop laughing, and your father could only say, "That's my boy!"

Let me tell you, I think that you should marry the woman you love. With that being said, there are some things you need to know about marriage:

1. Never go to bed mad.

2. Have as many children as good sees fit

3. Always kiss them before they leave the house, you never know when it is going to be your last kiss – morbid I know sweetie, but you and me both know that bad things happen and there is nothing we can do about it

4. Most importantly marry someone that you can't live life without – I know that his was the biggest mistake of my life. I hate to tell you this, but Harmon, I never loved Peter Rabb.

I love you,
Sarah Rabb

AN-More to come, but please reveiw - tons of ideas - lots of letters stuck in my head - I will write them ifI know that people are acutally reading, if not, I may do something productive like study (parish the thought!)