MONDAY – TWO DAYS AFTER THE WEDDING
"Alright, let's get the Lexus packed up for the trip home. There are seven of us, so someone's going to have to lie down across the back." Harm stated.
"Kate and I volunteer." Bax stated with a smile.
"Only one person has to do it, Bax." Harm replied.
"I insist." Bax returned.
"Fine, but you two have to promise to not doing anything that would violate public decency laws." Harm deadpanned.
"We so swear, now let's go." Bax and Kate climbed into the cargo area of the Lexus. Keeter, Gunny and Sturgis climbed in to the back seat and the newlyweds rode up front.
"Harm, remember, we have to stop by Grandma Rabb's farm and pick up that bottle of wine. It's the deal, we can't go back on it now." Sturgis reminded him.
"That's right, dear. You and your friends have a standing twenty-year promise and we know that you never break your promises." Mac teased lightly as she rested her hand on his thigh.
"I haven't yet." Harm shared a knowing look with his wife as the car pulled on to the roads and the group waved goodbye to Atlantic City.
1413 ZULU
SARAH RABB'S FARM
BEALSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA
Everyone piled out of the van to stretch their legs and talk to Mrs. Rabb while Harm went down to the cellar and removed the bottle of wine from it's safe place. They all went striding up to the screen door. All the Academy friends had been here before, they knew the farm well but Mac, Gunny and Kate had never been here, so meeting the infamous Sarah Rabb was somewhat daunting.
Harm knocked on the door and a husky yet graceful woman came to answer the knock. "Harmon! Get in here! And you brought all you friends! Jack Keeter, you rascal. Sturgis Turner, you sweet, innocent preacher's son! Ethan Baxter you playboy!" She welcomed all the young men with hug.
"Grams, this is Bax's girlfriend, Kate Pike; Gunnery Sergeant Victor Galindez, a friend of mine…" Harm stopped talking, walked over, stood behind Mac and put his hands on he shoulders. "Grams, this is Sarah Rabb." It was the first time Harm has used that phrasing since they'd been married and it had an almost overwhelming effect on Mac.
"You mean…" Grams eyes flashed right to the wedding bands.
"That's right." Harm smiled. Grams walked over, wrapped Mac in a big hug and lifted her off the floor.
"I always knew that you would be the one to tame that grandson of mine. Always knew it. First time he called me up about you, he said, Grams, she turned a gun on me, pulled me into a helicopter two hundred feet above the desert. I think I'm in love." Grams had a wise version of the Rabb smile that Mac noticed. Harm had wondered off to the cellar to get the bottle of wine.
"Welcome to the family, dear. If Harmon ever gives you any trouble you just call me or Trish and we'll whip him right into shape for you." Grams nodded happily.
"Or, she'll call one of us and we'll do it." Keeter added.
"Damn right!" Grams stated proudly. "Now, dear, I know that this might be a little too much to ask but Trish would really like grandchildren and she's just too dainty to ask."
"Don't worry about that Mrs. Rabb, the whole hotel heard their wedding night." Bax chimed in and Mac looked mortified at the announcement.
"Bax!" Mac screeched in protest.
"Now, now, dear there's nothing to be hiding. They had to throw cold water on Harmon's grandfather and I during our honeymoon." Grams reassured Mac who could only laugh. "Well this was certainly a surprise. Tell me dear, when did Harmon propose?"
"Saturday morning." Mac replied and Grams looked slightly taken aback.
"Never one to do things in halves, that boy. When did you two finally get together?" Grams was about to get another surprise.
"Friday night." Mac replied quickly.
"Making up for time that he lost with you. Well, I just have this feeling that you two are going to have a long and happy marriage. It's a feeling that I can feel right down into these old bones, deary." Grams took Mac's hand.
"Got the bottle!" Harm exclaimed as he bounded up the cellar stairs.
"Harmon, you didn't give your wife a proper engagement ring. I thought I learned you better then that." Grams took on a lecturing tone.
"Well, uh, see Grams, there wasn't exactly, uh, what I mean is…" Harm was stammering and very nervous.
"Ma'am is he like this in court?" Gunny whispered to Mac.
"Sometimes in front of Morris, but it's rare." Mac replied with a smile.
"Now Harmon, all you would have had to do is ask for this and I would have given it to you." Grams pulled the ring off her finger and handed it to her grandson. "So another few generations can know a Sarah Rabb." She smiled wisely. Harm walked over and slid the ring on to Mac's finger.
"I love you, sweetheart." He whispered quietly.
"I love you, too, hubby." She returned.
"I think watching this scene just gave me a toothache." Keeter stated sarcastically only to have Kate smack his arm. The group hung around for another hour before packing up to head out. Grams said her goodbyes to everyone individually but she held Kate Pike behind for a few seconds.
"Listen, dear, outside of my Harmon, Ethan is the only boy I ever really cared for like a grandson. Despite how close he is to Jack and Sturgis, Ethan was always more like a brother because the two of them clashed on things a lot but you could always tell that they would be there for each other without being asked. Be good to him." Grams words of kindness were accompanied by a firm shaking of Kate Pike's hand.
1846 ZULU
THE BELTWAY
WASHINGTON, DC
Sturgis' phone rang as they pulled on to the Beltway and entered the greater Washington area. "Turner, here……yes, Lieutenant……we'll be there in a second……are you sure he wants to meet us there?... if you say so, Lieutenant. Good bye."
"Who was that, Sturgis?" Harm asked, checking the rear-view mirror.
"Bud, he says that the Admiral wants to meet us at McMurphy's. Something big about the SECNAV, with government offices closed today he figured McMurphy's was the best place to meet." Sturgis played up the truth a little so they would go.
"Alright, hey Bax, Kate, Keeter, you guys don't mind coming along do you?" Mac inquired.
"No, I mean we all report to the same SECNAV, right?" Kate returned. Harm pulled the car off on to the off-ramp that would take all of them to McMurphy's. After a few minutes, Harm pulled the Lexus into the familiar alley next to the tavern and everyone got out of the car, making sure that Harm and Mac went into the tavern first.
"Surprise!" Came the shout from the crowd gathered inside McMurphy's. Harm and Mac looked around to see everyone who had gathered. There was Bud, Harriet, Bobbi, the Admiral, the Mattonis, Chaplain Turner, Admiral Tom Boone, Carolyn Imes, Chloe and Harm's parents had apparently flown in. Mac and Harm couldn't help but smile at the crowd that had gathered in the tavern under a banner that read "ABOUT DAMN TIME!"
There were greetings and jubilations shared over the event that had caused this massive congregation.
"I always thought that I'd perform the ceremony." Chaplain Turner joked.
"I had this feeling she'd be the one you'd marry, you're dad would be damn happy." Tom Boone commented. Harriet had Mac wrapped in a hug which threatened never to end. Bud, the Admiral, Alan Mattoni and Jason Tiner led Harm and his Academy crew over to the bar for a drink. The place started to settle and form up like an actual wedding reception after a few minutes.
"I'd like everyone's attention please!" Harm announced as he tapped a fork against the wine glass in his hand. Everyone turned their gaze to Harm. "Seventeen years ago, four misguided kids in their fourth year at Annapolis entered into a pact that they would save a bottle of 130 year old wine for the wedding reception when the first one of them got married. The deal was that the best man would toast the happy couple with a glass of wine from that bottle. Well, those four young men, myself included are all here tonight and rather then choose between them, I'll let them all make their toasts. For to ask of me to choose the best among them, would be to demand the impossible. I'll hand it over to Commander Jack Keeter."
"Thanks, Harm." Jack stood up. "I was never good with words. But I never had to be, maybe that was the problem. I will say that no words can fully describe how happy I am to see my buddy Harm finally get married to the girl of his dreams. The guy deserves to be happy, and no one makes him happier than his Sarah. To Harm and Mac!" Keeter announced.
"To Harm and Mac!" The guests replied and raised their glasses. The next toast fell to Sturgis Turner. "I don't know how I'm going to follow Jack's toast, I think that was the most eloquent I've ever seen him. I will say that in the months that I've been at JAG, I've never seen two people go through the emotional extreme with each other the way that these two do. It's a rare thing to bring out those kind of deep emotions in another person and if we're truly lucky, as these two appear to be. We may perhaps find the same kind of heaven that they have found in each other. Anchors Aweigh!"
"Anchors Aweigh!" The crowd replied.
"Last one's to you, Bax." Harm stated looking over at a rarely nervous, but very nervous Ethan Baxter.
"To be quite honest, I never expected to be the one giving this toast. In all the years I've known Harm or Jack or Sturgis I can say that no three men have ever felt more like brothers. The storms we have weathered together have defined the men we are at present and to see one of our ranks so blissfully happy with the woman he loves, it's a life-affirming thing just to witness it. We do bring out the best in each other and trust me, you've seen us at our most eloquent tonight." Bax stopped to wipe a tear from his eye. "Harm, I wish you all the peace and prosperity that will be necessary to raise a family; I wish you all the love and joy, that your life may always know happiness. I wish you all the friends that you may have, that you may know support should you ever falter. Yeats said "think where mans glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends"; Harm, Mac to all of us here tonight, you are such friends. Fair winds and following seas!" Bax raised the glass to acknowledge the final toast.
"Fair winds and following seas!" Was chanted and everyone drank.
"I don't know who replaced my buddies with these three poets but I can promise we'll upend the guilty party sometime in the nearest future." Harm joked and laughs waved through the crowd.
"Wait a minute, Commander, we have some gifts to give you two for wedding presents." The Admiral halted as he stood in front of Harm's table. He let out a whistle and Clayton Webb came bustling through the door.
"Rabb, because I owe you well into the next century, I pulled some strings." Webb pushed the door open and a familiar face came walking in.
"Nice to see you came to your senses, brother!" Sergei shouted with a smile and Harm's face lit up. "I would like some nephews to spoil!" Sergei's comment got laughs from everyone in the crowd.
"I pulled the next set of strings." Admiral Boone announced as he pushed the door open even wider and Skates, Tuna and Boomer came walking in.
"Jesus, Hammer, you couldn't even give us the luxury of an invite!" Boomer proclaimed to another round of laughs.
"The next gift is courtesy of Trish and Frank Burnett." The Admiral announced. Harm's mom and step-dad walked forward with an 8x10 picture and handed it to Harm and Mac.
"It's a picture of a house?" Mac looked puzzled.
"Not just any house. Your house. We bought it for you this afternoon. It's out in Falls Church." Frank said proudly.
"Frank…….I don't know what to say. I mean, I……" Harm was surprised to no end.
"Honey, the words are 'thank you'." Mac said.
"Thanks……dad." Harm shook Frank's hand and noticed the tear in the older man's eyes.
"Since the Roberts threw this party, the final gift is mine. Commander Rabb, as you are aware, the Uniform Code of Military Justice prohibits any married couple from serving in the same chain of command. As a result, I've spent the better part of the last fifty hours coming up with transfer options for you. I think I finally found three that were more than suitable." The Admiral started.
"Alright, sir. Let's hear them." Harm gripped Mac's hand in his own.
"The first is the option of being the new base XO out at Pax River. It would keep you in the States, you could keep up your flight hours and it would have regular hours so whenever you do decide to plague DC with a litter of Rabbs, you'll be able to keep a regular eye on them." The Admiral smiled wisely.
"The second option is mine." Bobbi Latham stepped forward. "Congress needs a military liaison. We need someone who knows both the combat aspect and the legal aspect. When Congress isn't in session, you'd be on loan back at JAG."
"The last option is mine." Bax stood up. "I haven't been being completely honest with you, Hammer. I told you I was going to Surface Warfare School, I already went. They're about to give me a command because one of the Captain's in the fleet is being flagged and anchored to a desk at the Pentagon."
"He's our new boss." Tuna simplified.
"You're the new skipper on the Henry?" Harm questioned.
"That's right. I talked around and pulled strings. I told the SECNAV that if I was going to be in any position to do my job, I needed a CAG with whom I had a working synchronicity. I managed to convince him that if you were willing, he would overlook the flight hours issue and I could sign you on as the CAG. It would take you away from the Missus but it would give you your Captain's eagles." Bax finished and Harm looked around.
"This is a lot to digest. I mean, they're all great offers and I thank all three of you for the effort you put into making them available. My place is at JAG and if that means I can only be there when Congress isn't in session or I'm not needed on the Hill, then so be it. Senator Latham, I'm glad to be aboard." Harm reached forward and shook Bobbi's hand.
"Glad to have you on the team, Harm." Bobbi replied.
"Alright, people. We rented the place out, we might as well make use of it!" Gunny announced from a far corner. The Roberts had thought of everything. Harriet even rented a karaoke machine which of course bred a few memorable moments for the evening. The funniest being Bobbi Latham singing Dusty Springfield's Son of a Preacher Man to Sturgis while Chaplain Turner laughed his ass off. Sergei played darts with Gunny most of the night and Gunny told him of the benefits of flying combat Helos for the Marines.
The Admiral stood at the bar with Frank, Chaplain Turner, Clayton Webb, Bud and Tom Boone talking about God knows what. Mac, Trish, Harriet, Kate, Carolyn, Bobbi, Jackie Mattoni, Chloe and Skates were having their own little Girl's Night in a corner booth. Keeter was holding aviation court with Tiner, Tuna and Boomer. That left Harm to talk with Sturgis and Bax.
"You know, when we agreed to a reunion weekend, I didn't think that we had anything of this scale in mind." Harm joked as the three men leaned on the bar.
"Would you prefer to go back to 1600 Friday afternoon?" Sturgis asked. Harm looked over at the corner booth at Mac who was rapt in conversation and he smiled.
"Not for anything in the world." Harm replied.
"Harm, we never did anything halfway, you know that." Bax joked, as he raised his beer to his lips.
"Yeah, I know." Harm replied.
"You know, let's toast to all those who wanted to be here but couldn't." Sturgis started.
"Alright." Harm agreed.
"To Peter Rabb." Bax raised his glass.
"To Luke Pendry." Sturgis added.
"To Diane Schonke." Harm chimed in.
"To Gym." Sturgis added with his own solemnity.
"To my dad." Harm finished and the three men finished their beers. The party raged on for hours but it slowly began to disperse around 2200. Everyone had left McMurphy's by 2310 and Harm and Mac were the last to leave. Everyone who had come with them in the Lexus found their own rides home and places to stay so that Harm and Mac could have their first night in their apartment all to themselves.
"Tired, Mrs. Rabb?" Harm inquired as they drove off toward her apartment.
"Very, Mr. Rabb. I'm going to need at least three hours sleep before you can ravish me." Mac laid and hand on his thigh.
"I can wait three hours. After all, we've got eternity to enjoy."
EPILOGUE TO FOLLOW…………