A Snowy Weekend – Part 3

Disclaimer - See part one for all important information

Bellevue Forest Christmas Tree Farm

Choose-n-Cut

Bellevue Forest, VA

12:03 PM

"Wow," Little AJ said astonished as he and his godparents stood at the entry of the Christmas tree farm. However, his happiness had less to do with all the snow-covered trees in front of them and more with the wide-open barn a few feet away on their left side. In the barn stood one mother cow with a baby calf, some goats, pigs, and even two donkeys. "Cool," he continued excited.

"ool," Jimmy tried to copy his big brother's words between giggles and started to bounce in Harm's arms while clapping his hands in delight.

Harm looked taken aback at Mac.

"Don't ask, Harm. Harriet is just happy that Jimmy already knew how to say mama and dada before he learned this word from AJ," Mac explained and shook her head.

"Where did AJ learn it anyway?" Harm asked quietly.

"If you knew what's going on in a preschool these days." Mac chuckled and knelt down so she could be eye to eye with AJ. "Why don't we all try to find a Christmas tree first? And when we've found one Uncle Harm can put it on the car, while the three of us take a look at the animals over there," Mac suggested and pointed with her finger at the wide open barn.

"Yes," Little AJ yelled and threw himself into Mac's arms.

"Ye, ye, ye," Jimmy happily answered as well while copying once more his big brother's words.

"Alright, then let's go and find our Christmas tree. Come on," Harm said and held his free hand to AJ so he could slip his own into it. The other hand AJ slipped into Mac's, who was carrying the axe in her left hand, before they made their way into the little forest together. They could have used an offered hayride but thought a walk through the forest would be much more fun and Harm was sure that he could handle carrying the cut tree back to the car.

They spent the next half hour searching for the right tree for Mac's apartment. Most trees were either too short, too long, too thin or simply too full. Little AJ, who'd walked most of the time a few feet in front of Harm and Mac, was the one who finally found the perfect tree.

"What do you think, Mac?" Harm asked but knew the answer already.

"Perfect," Mac replied softly.

"Good job, buddy," Harm told Little AJ and squeezed his shoulder. "Okay, Mac, let's switch. You take Jimmy while I try to cut down the tree."

As soon as Harm had cut it down, they made their way back to the entranceway of the farm, where Harm let the tree be wrapped up before putting it on the car. "Why don't you guys go visit the animals already? I'll follow as soon as the tree is fastened on the car," Harm suggested as he paid for the tree.

"Sure, why not. We'll see you in a few minutes then. Come on, boys, let's go visit the animals," Mac announced before she walked together with Jimmy in her left arm and holding Little AJ by her right hand to the barn.

Harm was following them soon and together they enjoyed a few quiet moments in the barn. While Little AJ liked to pet every animal there was, Jimmy was a little bit scared of them. Every time one of the animals got near him, he buried his head in the crook of Mac's neck. AJ on the other hand couldn't get near enough and wanted to be picked up by Harm so he could be on one level with them.

"Harm, Jimmy and I will take a quick look at the cattle stall over there," Mac said and pointed to the backside of the stall. "We'll be right back."

"Alright, have fun you two," Harm called after her before turning his attention back to Little AJ, who started to giggle hilariously when the baby calf started to lick his outstretched hand.

"That's ticklish," Little AJ said between his giggles, but never pulled his hand away from the raw tongue of the baby calf.

Harm laughed and got down on his knees so he could reach through the fence and fondle the forehead of the calf. "I bet it is, AJ. She seems to like you."

"Yes." Little AJ pulled his hand away from the calf and looked at his uncle with wide-open pleading eyes. "Do you think Mommy and Daddy would allow me to have one as a pet? That would be soooo cool."

Harm chuckled and took his eyes from the calf just to look at his godson. "I think that won't be…," he started to negate his godson's question when he suddenly yelped out in surprise, at once jumping up and onto his feet.

Harm's hand immediately flew to his right cheek, which the baby calf had just licked with its raw tongue, while Little AJ couldn't hold back anymore and started to laugh out loud, holding his belly. "She just kissed you, Uncle Harm," AJ told his perplexed looking uncle in between his laughter. "She really, really likes you."

Harm just pet the baby calf and winked at his godson. "I think I'm a bit too old for her," he only replied jokingly and Little AJ had to laugh even harder now.

"You're silly, Uncle Harm."

"I am, am I?" Harm just responded and joined Little AJ in his laughter.

In the meantime Mac and Jimmy were at the backside of the barn. The moment Jimmy saw the rabbits in one of the stalls, he started to squeal. Mac got down on her knees so he could see the animals better. Jimmy wasn't scared of them at all, since his big brother had one black and white rabbit called 'Peanut' as a pet at home.

"Pea," Jimmy babbled cheerfully.

"No, honey, that's not Peanut," Mac said softly before helping him to fondle the trusting rabbit.

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"Come on; let's find Uncle Harm and your big brother. Auntie Mac is getting hungry," Mac said after a while and got a prompt confirmation from her rumbling stomach.

"'kay. Bibi, pea," Jimmy babbled and waved at the rabbit.

"Harm, I think we should head back. I'm getting hungry and I'm sure you and the boys would like to eat something as well. And it won't be long before the little guy here's getting tired again and needs a good nap," Mac explained as she was back at Harm's side.

"Sounds good to me."

"Auntie Mac, guess what? The baby calf kissed Uncle Harm," Little AJ told her in excitement and with a bright smile on his face.

Mac looked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk at her partner. "Really? Found a new girlfriend, Harm?"

Harm just grinned. "Nah, the kiss was a bit too wet for my style. Why, are we jealous, Marine?" He asked jokingly with one of his flyboy-grins she loved so much.

"You bet," Mac immediately answered him, trying her best to sound serious while she had to fight her own laughter. "And if I weren't so hungry right now, I would have a talk with the Missy over there," she continued and pointed at the baby calf a few feet away from them. Then, without thinking twice, she got up on her tiptoes and quickly licked Harm's left cheek, surprising the hell out of him and especially out of herself.

Now she couldn't hold back anymore and together with Little AJ she laughed out loud and started to leave the barn and a dumbfound looking Harm behind. With a last glance at her friend she winked at him with a wave. "Come on, Harm, hungry marine here," she told him while her thoughts were on overdrive about what she'd just done, not believing she actually did it.

Harm shook his head in wonder and then started to laugh as well. 'This marine,' he thought before looking back at the baby calf. "Sorry, girl, but her technique was much better than yours," he told the animal before following Mac and the kids out of the barn.

"Do we still need to pick up something from the grocery store?" Harm wanted to know as soon as he joined them at the car.

"No, I already did all the shopping yesterday. It should be more than enough for us four," Mac explained as she got Jimmy into his child seat. Little AJ was already buckled up right next to him.

"Good, then let's get moving. It looks like Mother Holle has decided to take a little break as well, so hopefully we won't have much trouble getting back to DC," Harm said as he and Mac got into the SUV as well.

"She'd better come back soon, so there'll be more snow when we go sledding," AJ said sternly.

Harm and Mac laughed. "There's more than enough snow for going sledding, AJ," Harm said before starting the car. "Let's go home."

"Yeah, let's go home," Mac softly copied Harm's word with a smile on her face.

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Mac's Apartment

Georgetown, DC

1:59 PM

The ride to Mac's apartment took much longer than it normally would have due the weather condition and the arisen traffic. By now Mother Holle was fully back in her elements and it was snowing again, now even more than before.

Jimmy had started to get fussy soon after they'd left the farm and Little AJ thought it was best to start singing Christmas carols. However, it only made his brother cry even more. Therefore, Harm started to tell them a Christmas story and soon the little boy had stopped crying and got heavy eyes.

"Here we are," Mac said as they stood in front of her apartment door. "Are you okay with the tree, Harm?"

"Yeah, don't worry. The tree isn't heavy at all. And it for sure is a good workout for me," Harm explained and gave her his best flyboy-grin. As soon as Mac had unlocked the door, he walked into her apartment to put down the tree.

"Oh, hello, Sarah," an elderly woman suddenly called from behind. She stood at the doorway of her apartment, opposite Mac's. "I heard a child singing 'Let it snow' and some laughter. I thought my daughter, son-in-law and little Timmy were here already."

"Hello, Mrs. Ebenezer. Sorry, but it's only us. Little AJ was just performing his favorite Christmas carol for today. I hope we didn't wake you up?" Mac asked worried.

"Don't worry, my dear. He has a lovely voice," Mrs. Ebenezer responded gently.

"Thank you," Little AJ said a little embarrassed and giggled.

"Are you having the kids for the weekend, Sarah?" Mrs. Ebenezer asked when she saw the bags, which Mac was holding in her left hand, and the hardly awaken Jimmy on her right shoulder. "If so, maybe Little AJ would like to come over sometime over the weekend to play with my Timmy."

"Oh cool. Can I, Auntie Mac? Please?" Little AJ begged delighted. He already knew Mrs. Ebenezer's grandson from another sleepover at his aunt's apartment. The last time Mac even had some trouble getting him back into her apartment, since he was having so much fun playing with Timmy and his grandfather's railroad.

"I'm sure we can come up with something, AJ. Thank you, Mrs. Ebenezer," Mac said and smiled at the elderly woman.

"My pleasure, Sarah. I love having them around. Oh, this is my teakettle calling for attention. I'll see you soon. Bye for now," Mrs. Ebenezer said before she turned around and walked back into her apartment.

"Bye," Mac and AJ said at the same time before they walked into Mac's apartment as well.

"With whom were you talking?" Harm asked curiously when he walked out of Mac's kitchen, while Mac closed the apartment door behind her. He'd heard Mac talking with another woman in the hallway and didn't want to interrupt.

"That was my neighbor, Mrs. Ebenezer. She'd heard AJ singing and thought we were her daughter's family."

"Mrs. Ebenezer?" Harm asked with a raised eyebrow and laughed.

"Yes, Mrs. Ebenezer. But she's definitely not the female Scrooge," Mac explained with a chuckle. "Here, could you hold Jimmy for a minute?"

"Sure. Why don't I go and change Jimmy while you make some lunch for him and us?" Harm suggested and took the little boy out of Mac's arms.

"Thank you, Harm. That would be great," Mac said softly. She put down the boys' bags next to the door before taking off her coat. "You can go and change him on my bed. With him it is the safest way," Mac continued with a chuckle and walked into the kitchen.

Harriet had told them more than once how much of an adventure it is to change the little guy. Jimmy's a rather active boy and never able to lie still while getting changed.

"Okay, will do," Harm responded with a laugh of his own.

He knew exactly what Mac was talking about due to his own experiences. However, Harm wasn't only aware of how much Jimmy was moving around while getting changed. Oh no, he also got the world-famous shower from the little guy as well. Back then, when Harm had told Mac about it, she only responded with a 'See, that's a marine. He already has a good aim.' Harm had to laugh as he remembered their conversation in his office.

"Hey, AJ, when you're out of your coat could you bring Jimmy's bag into Aunt Mac's bedroom for me?" Harm asked his godson.

"Sure, Uncle Harm," Little AJ answered with a grin before he started to take off his pompom hat, gloves and finally his winter coat.

"Thank you, buddy," Harm responded and made his way to Mac's bedroom door. He took a deep breath before putting his hand on the doorknob. 'There's no need to be nervous, Rabb. It's not the first time you're seeing her bedroom,' Harm thought, trying to calm himself down. 'No, but the last time there wasn't much left of it. Thanks to Coster.' Harm shook his head, chuckled at his own nervousness and looked down at the little boy in his arm. "A man has to do what a man has to do, right? Come on, Jimmy. It's time to do our job," Harm told Jimmy and walked into Mac's bedroom, followed by his godson AJ, who was carrying his little bother's bag.

TBC…?

AN – Mother Holle is a fairytale figure by the Brothers Grimm. As a child I always thought that when it was snowing, she was shaking her bed so thoroughly that the feathers were flying. Back then I tried it myself a few times, but other than getting sore arms and a good shaken bed I had no such luck.