Chapter 18: 24 weeks
A/N: I know they didn't actually start dating after Mac's surgery last May, but for the sake of this story, we'll say they did. Remember, we're also keeping with the premise that it's against regulations for them to be together.
Harm laid awake in bed for a long while. He'd awakened at 4:00 a.m. and just couldn't get back to sleep. Usually, he'd sleep late on Saturday mornings and then get up and go for a long run, but this was no ordinary Saturday morning.
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"Hey, you look great" he said to Mac as she opened her apartment door and let him in. He had a key of his own, but he loved the first glimpse he got of her every time she opened the door, so he never used his key.
"Thanks, so do you, babe" she said as he leaned down to kiss her. She was wearing one of the outfits he'd helped her pick out when they'd gone shopping a few weeks earlier. It was a light purple maternity top with a pair of black maternity Capri pants that had pinstripes in the same shade of purple as the top. On her feet were low-heel black sandals. He had on Khaki slacks, a sapphire blue button-down shirt, and brown loafers. To say they were a very well-dressed couple that day would've been an understatement.
"Ready to go?" he asked her.
"Yep, all set, just let me grab a bottle of water" she replied.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked her as they left the parking lot.
"Oh, yeah" she replied, "I'm really looking forward to meeting your mom and Frank!"
"I know you are" he said, "I just want you to be prepared for my mom to say anything, and I do mean anything! Nothing is off-limits with her, I just want you to be ready is all."
"Harm, I'm a lawyer, I deal with all kinds of people and all kinds of situations. I think I can handle my boyfriend's mother" said Mac with a little laugh.
Harm laughed back, "I'm sure you can, I just don't want you to be caught off-guard."
"Understood, babe, understood." replied Mac as she put her hand on his knee.
"I know she'll want to take you shopping for baby things" said Harm, "and there's no use in trying to talk her out of it. She made it very clear when I told her you were pregnant that she was going to spoil this baby rotten, and there wasn't anything we could do about it."
"I think it'll be fun to shop with her" said Mac. "Besides, the more she buys, the less we have to buy - try to look at the bright side!"
"Oh, I hear you" replied Harm, "but she's been waiting a very long time to get to shop like this, and I can tell you she's going to go crazy with it."
"That kind of crazy I can live with!" said Mac with a smile.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the airport.
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"Do you see them?" Mac asked Harm as they stood at baggage claim, waiting for Trish and Frank.
"Nope, but if I know my mom, she'll see us long before we see her" answered Harm as he continued scanning the crowd.
"Harmon!!!!!!!"
"See, what did I tell you?" Harm said as he turned to Mac and smiled, then took her hand and walked towards his jubilant mother and her husband.
"Mom, it's great to see you" said Harm as he gave her a hug. "Frank, great to see you, too" as he hugged his step-father.
"I don't even have to ask who this lovely lady is" said Trish as she looked at Mac.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Burnett" said Mac, holding out her hand.
"Oh, forget the handshake, it's Trish, and you get a hug!" Mac had no problem with that, in fact it made her feel really good to know that in a matter of seconds, Harm's mother had sized her up and decided she was worth a hug.
"My turn" said Frank as he stepped over and hugged Mac. "Great to finally meet you, Sarah."
"Likewise" said Mac. "and please, feel free to call me Mac. Harm's told me so much about you, it's wonderful to finally meet you both."
"Mom, why don't Frank and I go get your bags and you and Mac can sit down on the benches and wait?" suggested Harm.
"That'd be great, Harm, thank you" replied Trish.
No sooner had Harm and Frank walked off to get the bags than Trish started in with her questions.
"So tell me, Mac, how long have you and my son been together?"
Mac laughed a bit. "Well, we've officially been dating for about a year, but in reality we've been together for over 8 years, we were both just too stubborn to admit it."
"I assume the fact that you worked together had something to do with that" said Trish. "Aren't there rules against you two being together?"
"Yes, there are, but that wasn't as much of the issue keeping us apart as you'd think" said Mac.
"What did your CO say when you told him you were pregnant?" asked Trish.
"He freaked, as we knew he would" said Mac, "but ultimately he found a way to work things out to where neither of us were in trouble".
"Oh, really?" said Trish, intrigued. "What was that?"
"He did the same thing with us that Admiral Chegwidden had done with Bud and Harriet when they got married" answered Mac. "He had me officially assigned to a different chain of command, but I'm listed as being on permanent loan to JAG HQ."
"I see" said Trish, "I'm so glad your CO was able to keep you both out of hot water. I know this could have gotten quite ugly."
"Oh, it surely could have" said Mac, "but Harm and I were prepared for that when we first decided to try and have a baby together, and we agreed if it came down to it, one of us would resign our commission." They'd never decided which one would do it, and thankfully it never became necessary.
"So, 8 years, huh?" said Trish. "It must be a thing with Rabb men to have that effect on the women they love. Harm, Sr. and I were a lot like you two. We knew we belonged together long before we actually did anything about it."
"Well, this was as much my fault as his" said Mac. "We both became real good at keeping ourselves away from ourselves, thinking in the back of our minds that there'd always be time later for us to come to our senses."
"I guess your surgery and diagnosis served to change all that, huh?" asked Trish in a kind, loving voice.
"It changed everything" said Mac, putting her hand on her tummy. "I'd been hit with a bombshell, and your son was there to help me deal with the pain in every way possible. I couldn't have asked for anything more, he was amazing."
"I'm not at all surprised to hear that" said Trish. "He's a carbon copy of his father in every way, and that's something I'm so very proud of."
"After my surgery, we knew we needed to wake up and quit dancing around the fact that we belonged together" said Mac. "So that's what we did, and it wasn't easy, but here we are."
Trish reached over and took Mac's hand. "I'm so glad you and Harmon are finally together. I know he's loved you for so long now, and it does this mother's heart good to see him so happy."
"Thank you, Trish" said Mac, trying to keep from choking up. "Oh, here come the guys."
"Are we ready, ladies?" Frank asked as he and Harm approached Trish and Mac after retrieving the luggage.
"We're ready" said Trish. "Which lot are you parked in, Harm?"
"Out those doors and to the right" he answered.
The four made their way to the vehicle and started for home.
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"I'm going to go take a little nap" said Mac when they got everything unloaded at Harm's apartment.
"Sure, no problem" said Harm. "I'd ask you if you want me to wake you for dinner, but I know better." He was right - Mac never missed dinner, and never needed anyone to wake her up either.
"You're such a clown, Harm" said Mac with a yawn. "I'll be back out in an hour."
"Ok, rest well, babe" said Harm. He headed into the kitchen to start a fresh pot of coffee, and his mom followed him.
"I just adore her, Harmon" said Trish. "She's such a sweetheart."
"Yeah, she is" agreed Harm. "I'm a very lucky guy to have messed around for over 8 years and still ended up with her."
"Never forget that" said Trish.
"Don't worry, mom" replied Harm, "I'm reminded of it every time I look at her." He stared off into space.
"The baby?" asked Trish.
Harm nodded. "If I hadn't gotten my act together and stopped the ridiculous games I'd been playing, not only Mac but with myself, this baby wouldn't exist."
"True" said Trish, "but don't dwell too much on that. You did end up with Mac, the baby does exist, and you two are going to make fantastic parents."
"Thanks, mom" said Harm, giving her a hug. "Hey, did you remember to bring…?"
"Of course I did, Harmon!" exclaimed Trish. "Let me go get it."
She quickly returned and handed Harm a small velvet box. He held it in his hand for a few moments before opening it.
"It's beautiful, mom" he said as he stared at the engagement ring inside. It was a half carat, heart-shaped diamond solitaire set in 14 karat gold.
"Do you think she'll like it?" asked Trish.
"I know she will" said Harm, "she'll love it."
"I'll never forget the first time I saw that ring" said Trish, thinking back to the night Harm, Sr. proposed to her. "Your father told me he'd spent a month choosing the perfect ring, and I think he did an amazing job."
"Me too, mom" said Harm. "It's just what I would have chosen."
"Carbon copy…." said Trish, who was now crying just a little.
"I still miss him a lot, mom" said Harm. "I hate that my child will never know what an amazing grandfather he or she had."
"Make no mistake, Harm" said Trish, "your dad is looking down on you from Heaven above, and he's so tremendously proud of you. I know he's so happy that you and Mac found one another, and that you're having this baby." Harm looked out the window, hoping his mother wouldn't see the tears in his eyes.
"Do you know yet how you're going to ask her?" asked Trish, knowing her son was trying to hide his tears and knowing a change of subject was needed.
"I've got a couple of ideas" said Harm, "but I haven't settled on which one to go with yet."
"Oh, what are your ideas?!" she asked him.
"No, mom, I'm not telling anyone" said Harm. "This is something I need to formulate completely on my own."
"I understand" said Trish, "but if you need my help with anything at all, just say the word."
"I will mom" Harm said. "Thanks for the ring. It means a lot to me and I know it'll mean a lot to Mac."
"You're very welcome, sweetie" said Trish. "Can you tell me this though, will it be soon?"
"Yeah, it'll be soon" answered Harm.
He just wasn't sure how soon.