Next Day
Dulles Airport
Washington D.C.
Harm held Aly in his arms as he waited for his mother and stepfather to disembark. They had called first thing that morning to announce they were on the first flight to D.C. Harm had only left Aly long enough to shower while she watched cartoons. Other than that, the little girl refused to let him out of her sight. Afterwards, he finally convinced her to have some breakfast as he consumed cup after cup of coffee.
It had been a long night. Aly woke several times with tears running down her face and calling out for her mother. Between his own thoughts and Aly's tears, he didn't get any sleep. Coffee was the only thing keeping him on his feet. Exhausted, blood shot eyes from crying, and a five o'clock shadow from not shaving, was the image he presented as he waited for his mother.
It didn't take long for his mother and Frank to disembark from first class. He could tell immediately from his mother's reaction, he looked as bad as he felt. With Aly still in his arms, he allowed his mother to pull him into a hug. Her presence brought some solace. At least now, he knew someone would be thinking clearly enough to make sure Aly got the care and comfort she needed. Unfortunately with his own grief, he didn't trust himself for that job. Basking in her embrace, he opened his eyes to see Frank standing right there, willing to offer any support. He knew he hadn't been fair to Frank over the years. Frank had stood by him though the nightmares of Vietnam, encouraged his mother to allow him to go to the Academy, and later funding his search for his father in Russia. Through it all, his quiet, mild mannered step father never asked for anything in return.
"Oh Harm. I'm so sorry." Trish couldn't believe how her normally squared away son looked so disheveled.
"I know. I'm so glad you could both come. I want you to meet someone. Aly, this is your grandmother." Harm stepped back to allow Aly to lift her head from his shoulder where she continued to hide her face.
"Oh sweetie. Look at you. You are so precious." Trish wanted to say more, but was afraid to upset the child at the airport.
"And Aly, this is your grandfather." Harm knew he may never call Frank his father, but it was the least he could do to have his children called him a grandfather.
Frank was overwhelmed with emotions. He knew Harm had a hard time acknowledging his place in the family, but he didn't expect such a declaration. "Thank you Harm. It's so nice to meet you Aly." He watched the small girl barely acknowledge his presence. "Why don't we get out of here and continue this elsewhere." With only hard times ahead, he knew privacy would be needed.
"That's a good idea. Let's grab the luggage and head back to the house. Maggie has a spare guest room for you to stay in." When they reached the baggage claim, Aly would not allow Harm to put her down to carry a suitcase. Frank quickly waved off his attempts to help and soon they were headed back to the house.
Once at home, Aly finally allowed her father to let her go. She had sat in the passenger seat on the way home, clutching to his hand the entire time. Trish and Frank dismissed his attempts to apologize. Trish recalled her own battles with Harm after Harm Sr. went down. The separation anxiety would decrease eventually, but in the meantime, there was no reason to push Aly.
After putting their things away, Trish insisted on cooking dinner for the family. Harm followed her into the kitchen to talk. Luckily, Alyssa was content to sit by her grandfather and watch her cartoons again.
"How are you doing?"
Harm wasn't sure how to answer that question. "Okay I guess. I'm worried about her. I'm worried about a lot of things."
"Have you made the arrangements?"
"Yeah, I called the funeral home this morning. Maggie had taken care of everything. There wasn't much left to do. The funeral will be tomorrow. She didn't want a wake. She didn't have any family left, just some friends. I talked to one of them this morning and she'll let everyone know the details."
"What about you? I thought your friends would have been here?" Trish had been shocked to find no one waiting at the house. She figured his friends from JAG would be around for support.
"Um, I haven't told anyone yet. I never got around to telling them about Aly. They know now, but well, things aren't the same as they were before I left. I'll be okay though. I should call the Roberts and let them know."
"Why don't you go do that? I'll finish dinner and call you when it's ready. Maybe after you speak to them, you could lay down for a little bit. Dinner will take another 45 minutes. Grab a quick nap. Frank and I will take care of Aly." His behavior worried her. His unkempt appearance was understandable, but out of character. What worried her even more was the thought he had no one to turn to for support. She didn't understand what had changed. She had been sure Sturgis and Mac would have been by his side. No, she didn't like what she saw at all.
"Hi Harriet. It's Harm."
"Commander, how are you doing? Has there been any change?" Harriet was thrilled to hear from him. They had tried to call the hospital earlier, but they weren't releasing any information.
"I'm okay. Maggie passed away last night. You were right though. She woke up briefly to say good-bye. I wanted to call and let you know. Also, I wanted to say thank you. I really appreciated you coming by yesterday."
"Oh Sir, I'm so sorry. Is there anything Bud and I can do for you? When will the service be?"
Harm smiled briefly. He could always count on Harriet and Bud for anything. "The service is tomorrow. It will be at the church on 8th and Mason tomorrow morning. Maggie was a member there and they have a small cemetery out back." Harm knew he could tell them not to come, but they would anyway as a show of support. He also knew he would need their support and guidance as he learned to become a full time parent to Aly.
"Is there anything you need or that I can do for you Sir?" It was so sad. Aly was the same age as AJ. She couldn't imagine facing a future raising AJ alone.
"No thank you. My mom and Frank flew in this morning. They'll be staying with us at the house for a while. Although, I'm sure I'll be asking you for some parenting advice sooner or later. And Harriet, drop the sir."
"Of course Sir. Oh, sorry Harm. Are you sure you don't need anything? I could fix you dinner and bring it over."
"Thanks Harriet, but my mother had already started dinner. I appreciate the offer."
"Okay, we'll see you tomorrow then. If there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to call. You've always been there for Bud and me. We'd like to be able to return the favor." Harm had been there for everything for them. He helped them find each other, buy a house, and recently helped them through the anguish of Bud loosing his leg.
Later that night, Harm lay in bed unable to sleep. It had been an active night. Aly began to open up to her grandparents and even agreed to go back to her regular routine of a bath before bed. Surprisingly, she made no objections at sleeping in her own bed. She had quickly climbed under the covers once the family agreed to tuck her in. However, Harm was certain he would see her climbing in his bed before the night was through. He had spoken briefly with Frank about his financial situation. He assured him that the house didn't have a mortgage. It had been handed down through Maggie's family for four or five generations. Maggie had made sure to be up to date on all her bills. His only concern was the hospital bills. He knew how quickly those built up. However, her health insurance should have covered most of it. Harm spoke to Frank about using the money left in the estate for a trust for Aly. Maggie had already provided a college fund in her will. Eventually, exhaustion took over and Harm passed into a fitful sleep.
It was a nice spring day with the sun shinning and the birds singing. It would have been the perfect day to take Sarah up for a long flight. Instead of flying, he was dressed up in a suit and trying to console Alyssa. A few of Maggie's friends had shown up at the grave site for the funeral. Maria was there as well. However, Aly refused to leave Harm's side.
When he woke up earlier that morning, he wasn't surprised to fine out he had company. He was shocked that he didn't feel Aly sneak into his bed during the night. She had managed to crawl under the covers and curl up next to him. As soon as he moved, she woke and refused to leave his side. It took forever to convince her to let him shower while Trish made her breakfast. Now, she clung to his leg as the minister spoke of her mother.
He had been shocked to see most of the JAG staff arrive before the service. He expected Bud, Harriet, and possibly Jennifer Coates. The shock set in when he saw who was behind them. The Admiral, Mac, and Sturgis had all shown up. It was slightly uncomfortable to see them all in uniform while he was dressed in a dark suit. He had forgone his uniform, unwilling to allow proper decorum to prevent him from consoling his daughter and grieving properly for such a wonderful woman.
As the minister said his last prayer, he lifted Aly into his arms. "Oh baby." As he attempted to dry her tears, he could feel his own falling. "It will be okay. Mommy's in heaven now. We're going to be okay."
"Harm, why don't you let me have her. Take a minute to say good-bye yourself." Trish reached for her granddaughter. It amazed her how quickly Alyssa had accepted her and Frank. She pulled out a tissue and spoke softly she moved away from the grave. She knew Harm needed a few minutes to compose himself. It stunned her how deeply he was affected by a woman he only met a short time ago. She had asked him about it the previous night. The answer was not a surprise. "She gave me the most precious thing in the world," was his reply. With a quick look, she asked Frank to remain by Harm's side.
"Ma'am. I'm Petty Officer Jennifer Coates. I work with the Commander. How is he doing?" Jen had walked over to Mrs. Burnett. She had seen the grief and knew the Commander needed a moment. Bud and Harriet had followed her.
"He'll be alright. It will just take some time. Harm's spoken of you before. It's a pleasure to meet you." Trish turned slightly to address the Robert's. "You must be Bud and Harriet. Harm's always talking about you. I feel like I know you all. Thank you for being there for him the other night."
"It was our pleasure ma'am," Bud replied.
Harriet watched Alyssa turn her head slightly to hear the conversation. "He's been there for us so much in the past. It's an honor to return the favor." Her facial expression softened more before turning her attention to Aly. "Hi Aly."
"I've convinced Harm to have some people back at the house for lunch. I know he would love to have you all there," Trish said.
"As long as we're not imposing ma'am. Is the Commander going to be moving into the house?" Harriet asked.
Trish stared at Aly for a moment and stroked her hair. "I don't know Harriet. I don't think Harm has had anytime to think yet. I do know he can use his friends right now."
Bud nodded his head in agreement. "Always ma'am. We'll do whatever we can to help. We'll follow you back to the house."
Frank watched as the man he always considered his son tried to reign in his emotions. "Harm, it's time to leave."
"Why don't you and Mom go ahead, I'll catch up in a little while."
Frank was troubled watching Harm. For all the tramatic events he watched Harm go through, this one seemed to unnerve him the most. "Aly needs to go home Harm."
"Of course, take her with you."
"Harm," Frank turned and forced Harm's eyes off the coffin. "Harm, Aly needs to go home and so do you. She needs you. There is no way she'll let us leave with you still here. I can't imagine how hard this is, but you need to hold this together a little longer today." Finally seeing some recognition in Harm's eyes, Frank breathed a sigh of relief. "Come on. Everyone is waiting on us."
Harm reached into his jacket and pulled out his sun glasses. "It's stupid. Before I ever met Maggie, Maria told me she was going to die. This whole time, we've been preparing for it. I don't know why it's hit me so hard now. I'll be raising Aly alone."
"Harm, you'll never be alone. Let's go see my granddaughter."
The entire JAG staff had returned to the house after the service. After making sure that Alyssa was comfortable in front of the television watching her cartoons, Harm disappeared into the backyard again. Trish was concerned about how quiet he was being. Unfortunately, by the time she made her way outside, someone was already there.
Harm stood on the back porch. The large yard was scattered with Aly's toys. Weeds were starting to overtake the gardens. Luckily, the landscaper kept the lawns mowed. Maggie had always taken care of the flower gardens or so she said. With her failing health, the gardens had become neglected. He would have to fix that soon. With the summer almost begun, Aly would probably want to be outside playing. A gentle hand on his should startled him.
"Harm, how are you?" Mac wasn't sure how to approach him after the scene in the Admiral's office last week.
"I'm okay. Thank you for coming."
The politeness to his tone concerned her greatly. She couldn't understand why he hid something so important from the staff at JAG. "Aly seems like a wonderful little girl. I'm surprised how cheerful she seems."
"What are you talking about? How cheerful can she be when she just lost her mother?" Harm couldn't understand what Mac was saying.
"I just mean she seems to be taking it well. She's in their playing with Jen Coates."
Harm didn't need to hear anymore. Rushing into the house, he wanted to see how someone got his daughter to smile when he hadn't been able to. As he entered the living room, he noitced Petty Officer Coates sitting in the corner of the room, away from the few mourners who had returned to the house. She was on the floor with Aly on one side and little AJ on the other, surrounded by a few of Aly's toys and books. The kids seemed hypnotized as Jen read from a story book. Slowly, he walked over and sat down next to Aly.
"Daddy, Jen's reading a story to me and AJ. She does funny voices too."
"Sir, I hope you don't mind. AJ came over to keep us company. We'll clean everything up." Jen wasn't sure how to interpret the Commander's reaction. She hoped bringing the toys out was okay. It broke her heart to see Aly sitting so quietly while the adults wandered around the room. Every so often, someone would sit by her and pat her leg in sympathy. By the time each person left, Aly's eyes would be sad again. Jen thought the toys would provide a quiet distraction. She had lost her mother at a young age too. Nothing anyone said or did would take away the pain, but at least she could cheer up the adorable little girl. After a while, AJ had wondered over, bored with watching his parents talk with Uncle AJ, Aunt Mac, and people he didn't know. Getting bored with the toys eventually, Aly requested a story. Jen thought it was a wonderful way to keep the children quiet and amused. Unfortunately, the kids encouraged her to use different voices for the characters. Soon all three were laughing and having fun. It wasn't the most appropriate place to be carrying on, but it was so wonderful to see Aly happy.
"It's okay Jen. In fact, thank you. I haven't been able to get her to smile for two days." Harm picked Aly up and placed her on his lap. "Please keep reading. After the story, I'll make these two munchkins something to eat."
Trish saw the four of them laughing and playing. She stopped for a moment to enjoy the sound. Seeing Harm and Aly so care free, she snuck upstairs and grabbed a camera. A few moments later, the image was preserved forever. She couldn't express her gratitude to the Petty Officer for making them smile.
A week had passed since the funeral. Unfortunately Frank had to return to California for business while Trish stayed to help out. Harm had decided to move into the master bedroom, with Aly's approval. Together, they had packed away some of Maggie's things. The clothes went to goodwill mostly. Her jewelry was packed away for when Aly got older. Trish insisted on making small changes in each room to add a little of Harm's taste and style to the home. All of Harm's furniture from the apartment had been merged into the house or placed in the attic. Luckily, the house had a full attic and basement with plenty of room for storage.
As Trish moved through each room, she found a locked door in the house. "Harm, do you have keys to this door?"
"What door?"
"This one. What's in here that you need to keep it locked up?"
Harm was flabbergasted. "I never noticed this door. I guess Maggie never got around to showing me everything. It's an old house, she only used half the rooms. At it is, I'm probably going to need to keep the cleaning lady she had." Harm knew the house was too big, but it was going into trust for Aly. As long as he head the money, they would remain in the house and continue its upkeep. "Let me check the desk in the study. There might be some keys there."
As he searched the draws, Harm finally found the keys. "I found them Mom. One of these should work." After a few attempts, he finally found the right key. Dust swirled into the hallway as the light streamed through the door. "What in the world?"