Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing…
A/N: Okay, longer than last time, but still kind of short. School is going well, just busy, but I promise to keep going on this puppy. It works as a much needed study break and tool for procrastination! Happy Reading
Chapter 15:
"Auntie Mac!"
"Mummy!"
The two voices bursting through her doorway, interrupted her watching Ellen, which was the most entertaining thing she had seen all morning. Feeling much stronger than the night before, Mac leaned over and pulled Nat onto the bed while little A.J. climbed up on his own, "Hi boys."
"Hi," they answered in unison and she gave them each a kiss.
"Where's your mom, A.J.?" she asked the older boy.
"Hallway," he answered checking out the hospital bed on which he sat. As if on cue, Harriet appeared in the doorway with a diaper bag on her shoulder with Jimmy in a carrier and Talia in a stroller. A.J. noticed his mother's entrance and waved to her, "Hi Mommy."
"Hi A.J.," she rolled her eyes and turned to Mac, "How are you this morning."
"Better but bored," she watched as Harriet put the diaper bag on the ground, plopped Jimmy's carrier on the chair next to her, and sat down while moving Talia from the stroller to her lap, "That was impressive."
"Thanks, but it was sheer luck. We're really on the brink of insanity, aren't we Talia?" she realized that Mac would probably want Talia, "Here, sorry."
"Hey Tali-babes," Mac kissed her and settled the girl into her arms, "Seriously, though, they're not being too much of a handful for you, are they?"
"No, it's just four small children all under that age of five."
"Well, when things are straightened out with me, I'm going to take your kids so you and Bud can have a romantic weekend alone."
"Thank you," shr smiled, "But Bud actually loves the fearsome-foursome thing. He actually hinted towards us expanding our duo."
"What did you say?" Mac's jaw dropped, excited by the prospect of gossip.
"We'll see."
"I would have hit him."
"That was my initial reaction," she laughed and looked down at little A.J. who was tugging on her sleeve, "Yes, A.J."
"Why would you and Auntie Mac want to hit daddy?" he asked innocently.
"We don't," Harriet answered quickly.
"But you just said–"
"Hey, A.J.," Mac broke in, "Did Nat tell you what this bed can do?"
"No," he slowly switched his gaze from his mother to her, "What?"
"It moves!" Nat shouted happily scrambling across the bed to sit next to Mac so his back was against the pillows too.
"Really?"
"Yes, really," Mac handed Talia over to Harriet who mouthed 'thank you' to her, "Come sit here like Nat."
"Okay," A.J. situated himself on the other side of Mac.
"Ready?" she pressed the button to lower the head of the bed, making both boys giggle. After two minutes of bed games neither boy was tired of what they considered to be amazing technology, "Okay, we're done."
"Aw, one more time?" little A.J. asked.
"You can do it once more before you go," Harriet gave Talia back to Mac and lifted A.J. from the bed, "But now why don't you and Nat play for a little bit."
"Okay," he began digging through the diaper bag to get his toys.
"Take what you want over there," Harriet pointed to the corner of the room that was hopefully out of earshot as she picked up Nat. She set Nat on the floor and smiled at them, "Play nice."
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Harriet Sims Roberts: Supermom," Mac announced when Harriet sat down back down.
"Cute," she smirked, taking Jimmy from his carrier and settling him in her arms.
"I try."
"Speaking of superheroes," she began, glancing over at the boys who were engrossed with their toy cars, "How's your personal hero?"
"My personal hero?" she broke her friends gaze and began straightening Talia's clothes.
"Her clothes are fine, look at me," she snapped her fingers impatiently, "You know exactly who I'm talking about: H-A-R-M."
"Oh, him," she met Harriet's eyes sheepishly.
"Yeah, him."
"He's a friend and helping me out."
"And I'm the Queen of England."
"I had no idea, your highness," Mac grinned getting a glare from Harriet, "He's just a friend. I haven't seen him in years and he's helping me out because he has a hero-complex."
"It's more than that, and you know it," she paused, "You two have this unspoken bond that's clearly unbreakable."
"Yeah, it's called friendship."
"Or soul mates? Or lo–"
"Don't say it," Mac interrupted sharply.
"Okay, I won't, but that doesn't mean I'm not right."
"First of all, you're wrong. Secondly, if I never hear that word again, it will be too soon."
"You say that now."
"I mean it."
"You'll be begging for that word when the right man comes along," she got no response from Mac and continued, "Or when you realize that the right man is standing right in front of you."
"Harriet."
"Don't rule it out. The heart works in mysterious ways."
"No it doesn't," A.J. rejoined their conversation, "Daddy says it just pumps in and out going Thump-thump-thump. That's not a secret."
"Um, you're right A.J." Harriet sighed as Mac gave her a smile that said 'I'm off the hook, ha!'
"So, A.J., why aren't you in preschool today?" she asked him, ignoring the look Harriet shot back that said 'For now.'
"I dunno," he shrugged his shoulders dramatically.
"Spring break," Harriet answered for him and then reached into her bag, "I brought you something."
"What?"
"Clothes!" she pulled out a brown skirt and pink top, "For your discharge."
"Thank you," she smiled gratefully, Harriet had brought a bag of necessities the previous night, but fresh clothes to leave with were a plus.
"Do you like them?" A.J. asked, "Me and Nat picked them out."
"Nat and I," Harriet corrected.
"And me," A.J. added completely missed the grammar lesson, "Mommy only helped a little."
"We went over to your place to get some things for the kids," Harriet explained with an exasperated sigh over her son, "I hope you don't mind."
"Of course not, Thank you."
"You're welcome. Where do you want them?"
"Could you put them on the shelf in the closet?"
"I'll do it!" A.J. offered reaching for the clothes.
"Thank you," Harriet handed them to him.
"Here you go Nat," he passed the shirt to the little boy, "You help too."
"Aw, he's teaching him manners," Mac smiled.
"For now," Harriet smirked back, "Give it a month and Nat will know all of A.J.'s tricks."
"Thanks for giving me something to look forward to," she snorted.
"I'm just being honest," she looked down at Jimmy, "Although I can honestly say that I'm dreading the day that you start following your big brother."
"We're done!" A.J. announced and Nat nodded his head emphatically in confirmation.
"Thank you," Mac shifted Talia on her lap, who was happily playing with the ends of her hair.
"Good job," Harriet added, "Now why you guys go back to your toys."
"Can I bring Jimmy?" A.J. reached out for his brother, "I want to teach him our game."
"Sure," Harriet carefully passed Jimmy over, "Be careful."
"I know," A.J. expertly balanced his brother, who latched onto him and was clearly used to being transported this way.
"Aw, A.J. wants to teach him things," Mac teased, "That's sweet."
"Does Nat like frogs?" Harriet shot back, "Because A.J. knows the best place to find them and I'm sure he'd be happy to show Nat."
"Okay," she threw her hands up to surrender, "I'm sorry."
"That's right," she leaned back in her chair and they both laughed, "Don't mess with the master."
"God, Harriet, I've missed you so much," her smile became serious, "I'm sorry about not staying in touch."
"It was out of your control," she squeezed her hand, Harm had explained some of the details to her and Bud, "We get that and we don't blame you. We're just glad to have you back."
"You make it sound so simple," she said softly.
"After Bud got back, I learned to focus on the positive. Don't get mired down in the details of what got you there, just celebrate the moments you have."
"Have I told you I missed you," Mac wiped her eyes.
"Only once or twice," Harriet smiled with tears in her eyes as well.
"You know I never used to be this emotional," she sighed.
"It's the kids," she dabbed her eyes with a tissue, "They mess with your hormones."
"So this is your fault, Tali-babe," Mac looked down at her daughter who was serenely watching the conversation between the two women.
"But it's worth it," Harriet watched A.J. play with Jimmy and Nat.
"More than worth it."
JamieAKAaclassyone – The admiral will definitely pay Mac a visit in the next chapter to discuss the Mic situation. As we all know, he's always been more than just a CO to his staff, so he will definitely want to be involved in the resolution of the issue.
JanLaw – Thanks for the info and I've definitely taken that stuff into consideration, and hopefully I'll cover a lot of it in the next few chapters. Based on the Hague Convention On The Civil Aspects Of International Child Abduction the custody would be handled in the Aussie courts because that's where their primary residence has been. I think you're right in that the divorce could be handled in either court but I may have it be Aussie because that's where Mac drew up the initial papers that she left for Mic. I also know that they need a international lawyer to handle this, but Mac has had no job and basically spent a lot of her time researching her situation via the internet, so that combined with the JAG legal skills should work. Okay, that was really long, but I needed to sort this out and you helped…so thanks!
TV Angel 711 – Let's go team! Hehehe!
Knight of Caeli – Yeah, Mac has issues, but she isn't the typical battered woman. She hasn't fallen completely into the idea that Mic is blameless in hitting her, she gets that that is wrong, but those darn unresolved issues keep her from realize the hold Mic has on her.
Cbw – I love escapism…really I do…so that really works out for y'all doesn't it?
Nix707 – I realize that you may have already resolved this issue, but do you think you have a pop-up blocker on that's preventing the review box from opening? I had a similar problem when I got my new computer, so maybe?
Pain – But talking is easier to write…and it has to get done before action.
Mxfan214 – Thanks!
Macandharmlover – Yup excellent point…I actually need to work that in somewhere in the next chapters.
KittyX – Thanks for your support.
Litomzlani - Ooo! I've got you out of control…excellent…
Radiorox – Yes, Margerinized…Harm will take a knife, spread him on some toast, and eat him for breakfast…hehehe!
Prinnie – Thanks for the complements…you make me feel loved!
KittyDoggyLover – Thank you for the complements, you are really too sweet…although I'm sure my mom would freak out if I told her "Hey Mom, I'm not pre-law anymore, I'm going to try and make it as a struggling writer." That'd be fun!