From part 1…
After that, Mac set about 'baby-proofing' the rest of her apartment.
She had never really thought about it, because she always went to Bud and Harriet's house to take care of their children and there were never really any kids in her house…not until now, that is! While she was sorting out the kitchen, moving everything hazardous out of a child's reach, she kept checking on Calum in the living room, but the little boy stayed sitting where he was, behaving as good as gold. Mac was feeling quite proud of the remarkable job she had managed to do, despite her lack of experience with children, when her doorbell sounded. She hurried to answer it and first looked through the peep-hole, to discover it was Harm.
Part 2…
"So that's why he's not at home," she noted, silently.
"Hey Mac," Harm greeted her, "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas, Harm," she returned the sentiment with a smile, as she hugged her friend, co-worker and, maybe someday, something a little bit more, "What brings you here on Christmas morning?"
"Well," he told her, "I just remembered that you said that you didn't have any plans…"
"Well, I don't," Mac hesitated, "Not exactly…"
"I hear a 'but' coming…"
"It's not a 'but,' no…but…"
"See," Harm just shook his head, slightly embarrassed, "Look, if you're busy, that's fine…"
"I am busy, but you can stay," Mac protested, "I would like it if you stayed…I'm sure that my guest, Calum, would like it too."
"Oh!" Harm uttered, "You have company?"
"Yes, but not in the way you think. He's a bit of a surprise, one not in the least planned, either. Please, come in."
Harm finally relented and stepped inside, Mac taking his coat from him. Leading him into the living room, Mac introduced, "Harm, I'd like you to meet Calum…"
Harm looked at the little boy, eyes wide. After glancing at Mac, questioningly, he moved forward and crouched down to the child.
"Hey there, little one! What brings you to Aunty Mac on Christmas day?"
"Well, in answer to that question…I really don't know why he's here…"
"Who's his Mom?" Harm asked, "How long is he going to be with you?"
"I don't know…You might say I found an angel on my doorstep, this morning," Mac told him.
Harm's head shot round and he looked at her, disbelieving.
"He was just there, when I opened the door, this morning…"
"No way!" Harm looked at her incredulously, "You mean you just found him there, on his own?"
"Uh-huh," Mac nodded, "He was just sitting, leaned against the wall, fast asleep."
After that, Mac showed Harm the letter she had found in Calum's coat pocket.
"Wow, Mac," he commented, "This person seems to know a bit about you. Have you tried talking to your neighbours?"
"Nobody recognised him," Mac told him, "His Mom must have brought him by pretty early. I had found him by eight…Who knows, perhaps he was out there all night…I never heard him, though. But he is a quiet little thing…"
Just then, the little boy stood and made his way over to them.
"Mommy…" he told Mac, "…go pee-pee…"
"Huh!" Mac glanced at Harm, "That's the first time that he's called me that…"
Mac took Calum by the hand and quickly guided him to the bathroom. Harm tagged along as far as the door, asking, uncertainly, "Do you think that you can handle this by yourself…or do you want me to…umm, help out…"
"Uh, we should be okay, thanks," Mac told him.
Although it had been a while since little AJ was at this age, Calum's problem was addressed without bother and Mac carried the boy back through to the living room where Harm was waiting for them.
"Do you reckon that he's completely toilet trained?" Mac asked, "I mean, even though little AJ was at his age, every child is different and since he's someplace new…plus, AJ still had the occasional accident at night…"
"Maybe it would be wise to take a few precautions," Harm nodded, "So you need to go to a supermarket?"
"Hang on a minute," Mac replied, as she picked up the phone, "I've got a good idea.
She punched in 'speed-dial 2' for the Roberts' home.
After explaining the problem to Harriet, Mac picked up a pen and notepad and began noting down all of the suggestions that Harriet made for things Calum might need. After this, Harm, Mac and Calum headed out, looking for a big superstore, where they would find everything on the list they would need.
Three hours and a lot of money later, they had finally got to the checkout, paid for everything, including a booster seat for Calum, for in the car.
"Now this is where an SUV comes in handy," Harm commented, as everything was being stored in the trunk, "Lots of space for groceries and practical and safe when it comes to carting kids around."
"Uh-huh," Mac replied to him, sceptically, "Well, I still love my 'vette."
"Who wouldn't?" Harm conceded, "It's a 'vette. But for the next while, you're going to need something a bit more practical. Do you fancy trading cars for a while, until everything's…sorted out?"
"Oh-ho!" Mac laughed, loudly, "I knew that you were going to find a way to get your hands on my 'vette!"
Calum broke out into a broad grin when he saw Mac smile and reached out to her, from his place in the child-seat of the shopping cart Mac moved to make contact with him and reassure him, but carried on talking to Harm, at the same time.
Across the parking lot, a mature woman who had just parked her car paused momentarily and smiled at the scene. It reminded her of when she and her now deceased husband used to spend the weekends shopping with their first child. After the other two came along, it became too much of an ordeal, but she had fond memories of that early-day family routine, especially around the anniversary of her husband's passing.
"I hope they have just as many happy years as a family as we did," she quietly bid Harm and Mac then carried on her way.
"Hey," Harm meanwhile objected to Mac's accusation, "I'm just trying to do you a favour…but if you don't want it, just say so. You can't move a baby about in a corvette, in the middle of winter…"
"Toddler," Mac corrected him, "And yes, I know that a corvette isn't suitable…so thank you, Harm. I appreciate the offer and I will take you up on it."
"Good," Harm replied with a surprisingly mature attitude.
But he couldn't help but add, "I'm gonna be driving a 'vette again!" to which Mac laughed aloud.
When they got home, they were surprised to find the Roberts family on their doorstep.
"Oh, hi guys!" Mac chirped, "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas, Ma'am!" Bud replied, "Let me help you guys with some of those bags…"
"Merry Christmas, Mac, Harm," Harriet moved to hug first Mac, then Harm then looked at the little boy with them, "I guess this must be Calum?"
"That's right," Mac told her then told the little boy, "sweetie, this is Aunty Harriet and Uncle Bud…"
"He's a cute little fella," Bud remarked then turned to his oldest son, "AJ, this is Calum, come and say hello."
The young boy dutifully came over and did so, without it coming into his head why his Godmother would suddenly have acquired a child. They seemed to get on well, despite the fact that Calum was so quiet, little AJ was quite happy to talk away to him without the little boy saying anything back.
Once they were inside, Harriet followed Mac into the kitchen and they unpacked all of the shopping.
"So, where are Jimmy and the twins?" Mac asked her.
"They're with my parents and Mikey," Harriet revealed, "I just couldn't pull Jimmy away from his Christmas presents. Bud and I thought that, apart from the little visit from your Godson, you might have some questions regarding Calum that we could help you with."
"Do I ever!" Mac exclaimed, "Taking care of a little boy is so different from taking care of a little girl. I mean, I probably don't have to tell you that, you've got three of them."
"Yes, indeed," Harriet agreed.
"But if Calum was a girl, I could at least draw on the memories of being a little girl."
Harriet and Mac continued to chat as they walked through to the living room, to where Harm and Bud had retreated with the children, a few minutes before. Now, little AJ was sitting on his father's knee, while Calum was sitting on Harm's.
"Daddy," Calum suddenly spoke up "… go pee-pee…"
"Mac," Harm called, "I think we're going to have to explain something to him…"
"I know, but first things first," Mac took the boy from Harm's knee.
"Mommy…" Calum announced again, threading his arms around Mac's neck and cuddling in.
"Where did that come from?" Harriet asked as she followed Mac first into the kitchen to grab one of the bags, then into the bathroom.
"I have no idea," Mac told her, "He just came up with it this morning. And he's never called Harm 'Daddy' before now."
Mac pulled a little footstool out of the bag and kicked a little wicker linen basket that she had been using as a substitute out of the way. She lifted Calum up onto the footstool and helped him down with his jeans and underpants.
"Mac, if I can just make a suggestion?" Harriet interjected, "you two might have fewer problems if you just try this…"
In the living room, Harm and Bud were having a quiet discussion.
"So he was just sitting there when the Colonel went to leave, this morning?"
"That's right, Bud," Harm nodded, "Right opposite her door, fast asleep…"
"Uncle Harm?" his Godchild suddenly spoke up, from where he was sitting on the carpet, "Is Calum Aunty Mac's little boy?"
"No, son," Bud told him, "Aunty Mac is just looking after him."
"Then is he your boy, Uncle Harm?"
"No, I'm just helping Aunty Mac out today, AJ," Harm told the boy.
"Then why did he call her Mommy and call you Daddy?"
"He was just getting mixed up, that's all. He's still very little."
"So Aunty Mac isn't going to keep him?"
"No, son," Bud told him, "Calum's going to go back to his Mom."
After a pause, where little AJ went back to his toy cars, Harm added, quietly, only for
Bud's hearing, "If we can find his Mom…otherwise, I think he might go into a care home."
"Oh, Sir, that's terrible," Bud frowned, "It just doesn't bear thinking about…"
Bud halted what he was saying as Mac and Harriet came back through with Calum.
"What doesn't bear thinking about?" Mac asked Bud, curiously.
For a second, Bud got the whole 'deer in headlights' look, so Harm quickly jumped in.
"That these case reviews will last any longer than they already have…"
Mac just gave him a funny look.
Why was Harm talking about case reviews on Christmas day?
"Can you put the work aside for one day, Harm? I don't know you, flyboy! It's just not healthy to live your work in your home-time, ya know?"
Harm and Bud were glad when she left it at that and went to set Calum down on the floor beside AJ again.
"Hey!" Harm exclaimed, looking at Calum, "Are those pull-ups, buddy? Those look cool!"
The little boy looked down towards his pull-ups then looked at Harm giving him a cheeky grin. Then he toddled over to where Harm was and fastened his arms around his leg. Because his jeans were too big for him, the waistband of his pull-up pants was clearly visible.
Harm lifted the boy back onto his knee.
"Wow!" Harm continued, "Look at that! They've got a rocket and little stars and planets on them. They never sold anything like this when I was little, just the plain old terry-cloth ones."
"They've got an amazing amount available for children, these days," Harriet informed him.
"They sure have…" Mac agreed, taking a seat on the couch beside Harm. Calum noticed her as well and twisted around, reaching out for her.
"Mommy…" he pleaded, his little hands performing a little 'give-me' gesture.
Mac sighed, "He's really getting stuck on this Mommy idea…Aunty Mac, sweetie. You call me 'Aunty Mac'."
Calum just looked at her, blankly.
"Aunty Mac," she repeated, gently, putting a hand to her chest, "I'm Aunty Mac."
"Mom…mee?" Calum uttered, unsurely.
"No, Aunty Mac…"
Mac turned to gesture to Harm.
"Uncle Harm…"
Then to Bud and Harriet.
"Uncle Bud, Aunty Harriet…"
Then again to herself.
"Aunty Mac…"
Little Calum at first seemed confused, then started to get upset. His little mouth pouted, his little lower lip began to quiver and his eyes got teary. Mac drew in a breath, sensing impending disaster. Calum drew in a shuddering breath and emitted a timorous, "Mommy?"
"Yeah," Mac gave in, pulling him into a warm, comforting hug, "yeah, that's right…"
"Well," she conceded, looking over Calum at everyone else's pitying looks, "That went well…"