Thanks again for all those who have reviewed :) I really appreciate it... and here's part 8 for you... hope you enjoy this one...
A Snowy Weekend – Part 8
Disclaimer - See part one for all important information
9:10 PM
Harm took one last look at the boys, who were both asleep in their beds by now. He clearly could hear their even breathing and sometimes even a sigh or a little snore. Then he switched off the ceiling light so that the room was only illumined by the dim light from a street lamp and the little nightlight near Jimmy's crib.
Slowly he closed the door and moved into the living room to join Mac on the couch. She was already seated cross-legged on it and worked on some more files. She hadn't bothered to turn on any lights, and it seemed like the lights coming from the fireplace, Christmas tree and candles around the room were enough for her to get done with the work.
Harm sat down on the couch and took a deep breath. Then he took off his nightcap to lay it on the coffee table.
"Tired?" Mac asked in worry and looked up from the folder she was holding in her hands. "I told you earlier that we could call it a night if you want. It really was a long day and maybe some sleep would be good right about now."
Harm shook his head and smiled at her. "Nah, it's not that. I'm not really tired actually," he told her and chuckled. "I'm afraid that I am too full of energy to get any sleep at all tonight."
Mac smiled, closed the folder and took another one out of the files box. "Don't worry, Harm. As soon as your head hits the pillow you'll be out like a light and you'll snore just like the two boys behind that door," she said and pointed at the door of her guestroom. Then she continued with a soft voice. "It really was a great day, wasn't it?"
Harm nodded his head and took one of Mac's hands in his to give her a light squeeze. "Yeah, I think we had a lot of fun," he gently told her before letting go of her hand again. "Thank you so much for coming up with this great idea."
"No, I have to thank you, Harm," Mac immediately countered. "It was your idea to go hunting for a tree with an axe. And you were right. We never should go with our children to a grocery store and buy a Christmas tree. It's not Christmasish at all," she told him with a chuckle. She really liked this word.
Then the smile quickly left her face and Harm knew that she caught her own Freudian slip just like he did. Earlier, in his apartment, he'd made one of his own as well and said 'our children' too. Back then he didn't know that she caught it, but now he was pretty sure that she'd heard him loud and clear.
"Hey," he softly said and took the folder out of Mac's hand and placed it on the coffee table before taking both of her hands into his to squeeze them.
"I'm sorry, Harm. I… I shouldn't have said that," she told him in a whisper.
"Why not? I've said it too, earlier in my apartment, and I know you heard me. You did, didn't you?"
Mac didn't respond vocally but nodded her head.
"Mac, this day has been magical and it's normal to feel the way we do. There's nothing wrong about that," Harm softly told her.
"No, there's not," Mac quietly answered and gave him a little smile. "It really was a beautiful day."
"And a very tiresome one, but beautiful nonetheless," Harm agreed and responded with a smile of his own before letting go of her hands.
"So you are tired," Mac concluded quickly and pointed her right forefinger at him, slightly touching his chest. "Liar, liar, pants on fire."
Harm chuckled. "Yeah, maybe a bit. These two boys have a lot of energy."
Mac couldn't hold back anymore and laughed, trying her best not to be too loud so she wouldn't wake the boys next door. "Harm, they are Bud's children. Of course they have a lot of energy."
Harm laughed too and nodded his head. "Good point, Counselor. Very good point."
"Yeah, and just wait till the twins are born. I'm sure we've seen nothing yet," Mac pointed out with a smirk.
"Maybe Harriet will have at least one girl this time."
"So?" Mac asked, curious about where he wanted to go with this statement.
Harm shrugged his shoulders. "Girls are…," he started to say but didn't seem to find the right word.
"Yes?" Mac waved her hand, showing her best friend that he may continue and that she was impatiently waiting for his answer.
"Calmer. They are calmer."
"Calmer?" Mac only repeated his word.
"Yeah, they are more… quiet."
"Quiet?"
"Why are you repeating my words?" Harm wanted to know and raised his eyebrow. It wasn't bugging him, but it somehow made him feel insecure.
"Bad habit," Mac immediately answered and then continued. "Don't worry about it. Now you were saying…?"
"I was saying that girls are…. They are girls, okay. They like to play with their dolls, doing their hair or having tea parties." Harm saw that Mac was only shaking her head. "No? You mean they're not?"
"Well, I'm sure there are many girls who like stuff like that, but I'm sorry to tell you this, Harm. Girls can be just like boys or are even worse," she told him as a matter of fact.
"They are?" Harm asked astonished. "Now that's hard to believe."
Mac looked flabbergasted at him, not believing what she was hearing. "Harm, I never liked to play with dolls, doing my hair or God forbid having tea parties."
"You didn't?"
"No, that's boring."
"Boring?"
"Yeah, boring. Harm, I have to let you know that I was a tomboy through and through. I liked to climb trees. The higher they were, the more fun it was to conquer them. Or to get dirty. That was a blast. The muckier I got the better I felt. I loved to jump into mud holes, they couldn't be deep enough for me," Mac told him with enthusiasm.
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really. Also, the only doll I ever had, I got from my Aunt Agnes. The first thing I did was to cut her hair. I thought she looked much better with a short haircut, rather than having this boring long, blonde hair. All in all I played about five minutes with the doll before she ended up in the closet. She was never seen again."
Mac waited for Harm to say something, but he only smiled at her. "What?" Mac asked.
"Thank you, Mac," was the only thing Harm said in response.
"Thanks for what?" She wanted to know, not understanding what she'd done to have him thanking her.
"For sharing this all with me," he softly told her, took one of her hands in his own and squeezed it. "It means a lot to me."
"You're…," Mac started to answer and then it suddenly dawned to her. "…welcome," she continued slowly before getting one of the cushions from the couch to smack him across the face. "You!"
Harm chuckled and barely could hold back his laughter. "What?" He asked, and finally had to laugh out loud, trying to do it as quiet as possible. He just couldn't hold it back anymore. "What did I do?" He asked, trying to sound innocent.
"Oh, you. Don't act like you have no clue what I'm talking about, Mr. Innocent," Mac said while jumping on Harm, trying to tickle him. His laughter was infecting and soon she had to laugh with him. "You really had me this time, didn't you?" she asked and finally found his ticklish spot right above his hips. By now she was more or less lying on top of him.
"Big time, Marine. Big time," he quickly answered, sounding slightly out of breath. However, it didn't take him long and he was able to fend Mac's tickle attack. In one quick motion he moved so that he was the one having the upper hand now.
Both stopped laughing and smiled at each other. Thankfully, there was no sound coming from the baby monitor, so that their playful banter hadn't woken the boys up.
Harm took a deep breath and held one of his hands to Mac, helping her sit up again. "I'm sorry that I played you out, Mac, but I'm really glad you shared all this with me," he softly told her and tucked one loose wisp of hair behind her ear.
It wasn't often that Mac opened up about her past, especially about her childhood, and he was glad that she'd shared this little something with him. He hadn't planned to play the silly-billy about the girl-topic, but it was such a fun thing to do that he couldn't stop himself. Neither was it his plan to get away from his proposition to ask Mac about the crib in the guestroom. But it wasn't the right time to ask her about it. At least not at the moment.
"I'll get you for this," Mac promised and slightly slapped his arm. "One day when you least expect it."
"Bring it on, Marine. I can't wait," Harm told her with a smirk and then stifled a yawn. "But, you know Mattie good enough to know that she never was a 'playing with dolls and having tea-parties'-girl either. It's not my fault that you believed me," he pointed out. "I have to admit though, your face while I said it was priceless."
Mac only stuck her tongue out at him. Then she looked at the folder he'd put on the coffee table earlier. "Do you still feel like working on some of these files?" she asked Harm, seeing that he was stifling yet another yawn. She was getting tired herself, but wanted to let Harm decide if they should continue to work or call it a night.
"Nah, I can't see straight anymore. I think we should call it a night. We've done enough for today."
"Okay, sounds good to me," Mac gently said and then pointed at the bedroom door. "Do you want to take the bed? This couch doesn't really give you much room and I would fit into it much better than you."
"No, it's not a problem, Mac. I have plenty of space here. Just give me a pillow, a blanket and I'm fine."
"You sure?" She asked and got up from the couch.
"Very," Harm confirmed and stood up as well. "Just give me five minutes to use your bathroom and I'm out of your way."
"You're not in my way, Harm," Mac tenderly told him and suddenly found her carpet very interesting.
Harm smiled at her and gave her a quick hug. "I'm glad to hear that," he gently told her. Then he kissed her forehead before making his way to the bathroom.
A short while later Harm came back into the living room, where Mac already had prepared his bed for the night. The flickering of the fireplace was by now the only light source in the room. Harm was still wearing the pants of his Christmas pajamas, but he took off the shirt in favor of one of his undershirts.
"Thanks, Mac," Harm said and made his way to the couch.
Mac turned around and came face to face with him and his smile. "You're welcome," she replied before rising up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Good night, Harm. Sweet dreams," she said and walked to the bedroom.
"Good night, Mac, and don't let the bed bugs bite you."
They exchanged a last smile before she entered the bedroom and closed the door.
TBC… of course...