PART II
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For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21
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JANUARY 23 Tuesday
8:00 EST
MAC'S APT.
Mac woke early, feeling as if she was sixteen again. She had an energy in her she hadn't felt for a long time. An energy backed by excitement and . . . hope.
She smiled to herself as the sun cast it's warm beams across the room, landing on her face as if giving her a soft embrace.
She glanced at the clock. Eight o'clock. She had an hour and a half until she would go flying. Something inside of her was excited and she pushed all remnants of fear out of her mind. Nothing would happened. Harm had promised. And he never made a promise he didn't keep.
Jingo padded into the room a few minutes later, patiently waiting for his owner to snap out of her dream state and take him outside.
Mac heard his entrance and glanced over. "I'm getting up, I'm getting up."
Jingo placed his front paws on the bed and licked her face. "Why thank you! I had forgotten it was my birthday. And here I was hoping Harm would be the first one to wish me happy birthday." Mac laughed.
She snapped on the radio and, recognizing the catchy tune, began singing to a song as she got dressed.
Love doesn't come with a contract
You give me this, I give you that
It's scary business
When your heart and soul is on the line
Baby, why else would I be standing 'round
here so tongue-tied
Mac began dressing, not paying attention to the lyrics at first, but as she began brushing her teeth, the words caught her attention.
Baby come on in, the water's fine
I'll be right here, you take your time
Just let me hold you
And we'll both take that leap of faith
It's like I told you
There's no guarantee when you feel this way
If I knew what I was doing
I'd be doing it right now
I would be the best damn poet
Silver words out of my mouth
Well, my words might not be magic
But they cut straight to the truth
So if you need a lover and a friend
Baby, I'm in . . .
The final chorus drifted off and she flipped the radio off as she finished dressing, taking a couple of extra minutes to decide on the perfect outfit. She saw Jingo waiting by the door, staring at her inquisitively.
"What?" She exclaimed indignantly. "Can't a girl look nice for a day with . . . her friend?"
After a furious debate, she had decided on her favorite pair of jeans, which were fitting but not tight and a green sweater that complimented her figure. She put her make-up on with extra care and added a necklace to top it off. She slipped on her jacket and glancing at her watch she realized she would have to hurry. She still needed to take Jingo out and have enough time to beat Harm to the field. After all, a Marine can't be late.
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9:33 EST
AIRFIELD
"I was wondering where you were." Mac smiled as Harm approached her. The sun was bright and the normally frigid air was now merely refreshing.
Harm grinned. "Very funny. I'm only two minutes late. And happy birthday." He reached his arms out for a hug.
"Thank you." Mac accepted the hug, thinking that was the best present ever and had to force herself out of his strong arms. "And it was three minutes and fourteen seconds." Mac corrected, peering into a bag he was carrying. "My birthday present?"
Harm looked at her with his usually "how do you do it?" look, then shook his head. "That comes later. I assumed you hadn't eaten breakfast. Am I correct?"
Mac grinned. "You know me well. And you can't take a hungry marine flying."
Harm feigned an expression of shock. "Are you kidding me? Come on, we'll eat on the bench over there."
They were seated and had begun eating, Mac pleased he had picked her up an egg McMuffin and hash browns, her favorite breakfast items, when she asked, "So, where are you taking me today, flyboy?"
"Not the same course as last time." Harm glanced up and chuckled softly.
Mac rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure if we took the same one we'd cr . . . have a mechanical problem and have an emergency landing and run into a bunch of psycho poachers and I'd get shot, the wound would get infected, and I'd be stuck in a hospital for two days."
Harm winced. He still felt guilty about it.
Mac placed a hand on his arm. "Harm, I was kidding. And I want you to know I don't blame you for what happened. It wasn't your fault. And that's not going to happen again. Remember, you promised." She grinned. "And . . .
"I never make a promised I don't keep." He grinned at her.
Mac grinned back but looked away as those words brought back another moment. She was getting older but also closer to the five-year mark. Did he still remember? And was he still for it? Shaking her head out of those thoughts, she finished her drink and stood up. "I have to use the little marines room, but when I get back you better be ready to go."
Harm laughed. "Aye aye, Colonel."
Mac shot him a mock glare before heading off to the restrooms.
Harm had gone over the pre-flight, twice, and they were ready to go. Mac hesitated hopping into her seat for a second. She had thought she had killed all her butterflies, but a few remaining ones took that chance to break into a gymnastics act. She was a marine, and a tough one at that, but a moment like the one in the Appalachian Mountains was hard to completely forget in a moment like this.
Harm noticed her hesitation and worry creased his brow. Maybe this was a bad idea. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, so as not to startle her. "You ok?"
Mac turned around, pasting a smile on her face. "Yeah." She exclaimed, a little too enthusiastically.
"Mac, if you don't . . ."
"Harm, I want to go." Mac looked into his eyes earnestly. "I really appreciate you taking me flying in your plane today. Making my birthday special. I'm not going to let some minor mishap I hardly even remember ruin this day. Are you?"
Harm smiled softly. "No."
Mac took a deep breath and nodded. "Then, let's go." She smiled and began to get into the plane, ignoring how her hands shook slightly. No, this would not be a repeat of last time. What were the chances something bad could happen? Besides, he had promised.