Part Five
"Wow Hammer." Skates leaned against the fantail railing. If it weren't for the look on his face, Skates would never believe his somewhat detached words. "I just wow. I don't know what to say."
"I don't either Skates." He replied sullenly. Out here watching the sunset, in the comfortable presence of his former RIO, the previous weeks were catching up to him. Half a world apart he felt his resolve starting crumbling. He'd fought so hard to remain strong for Mac and for Mattie and all their friends. And now that just maybe he could have a moment to himself, now that he didn't have to be strong for any of them, he couldn't let go. Here, he could cry a thousand tears into the ocean and yet they wouldn't come. He'd barely been able to hold the tears back waiting for word on Bud and now he couldn't let the tears out for the women he loved.
Skates watched the emotions flicker across Harm's face. He was so close to loosing it.
"We…" He cleared his voice and glanced at Skates. "I asked her to marry me. She accepted but we'd both been so busy lately. We never announced it."
"That's great Harm."
He sighed heavily.
She glanced at him even more concerned now that the closed off look was back in his eyes. They'd been through and survived so much. If he even thought about abandoning her when she needed him most Skates would be the first in line to rip him a new one.
"That is great right Harm?"
Harm must have heard the warning in her voice. "I love Mac more than ever and I'm not going anywhere." He reassured her before shifting back to the ocean.
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One Week Later Room 113 Bethesda Naval Hospital
"All set Colonel." Dee finished covering Mac with a blanket.
"Mac."
"All set Mac." Dee replied with a smile. "Do you need anything else right now?"
"No. I'm fine."
"Can I let the two ladies waiting outside in now?"
Mac frowned, she didn't remember seeing anyone outside as she was being transported back from her latest round of fittings and tests. "The Corporals?" Why would they be waiting outside? They'd seen the nurses getting her in and out of bed before.
Dee fought to keep the knowing smile off her face seeing all the thoughts flicker across her patient's face. "Not the Corporals Mac. I'll send them in."
The door squeaked open. "I'll be back in a while and therapy will stop by later." To the people outside the door, "We're all set in here, you can go in now."
Jen nodded to the nurse then glanced at Mattie. She'd had been frozen in place since they wheeled Mac past.
"Come on Matts." She motioned to the open door. It'd taken the better part of the week to convince Mattie to come to the hospital.
"I…" Mattie's voice broke. "I don't think I can."
"Sure you can." Mattie looked like she was going to flee. "Fine. Stay out here but you have to come in. Mac is going to be hurt by your not visiting." With that Jen entered the room.
Mac had just started to slip into sleep when a shadow blocked the light from the window. She didn't hear June's wheelchair and Molly wouldn't be back for awhile. Blearily she forced her eyes open. Jen smiled at her.
"I didn't mean to wake you."
Mac laughed at that. "I didn't mean to fall asleep." Talking with the ventilator was getting better, easier. Now Mac couldn't wait until she could be weaned off it.
Each day she visited, the Colonel was looking better. Today she was in the Marine Corps sweats she requested and the bed was inclined. All good signs Jen thought.
"Ahh. We brought you something." She held up the plastic sack in her hands.
"We?"
"Mattie's in the hallway."
"Why?" When Jen hesitated, Mac closed her eyes, silently steeling herself. "Never mind. Wha…" She trailed off when Mattie slowly came into the room. Within a second Mac realized Mattie would not make a good poker player. Reminding herself that Mattie was just a kid, a kid who had already suffered so much pain and loss in her young years, Mac tried not feel hurt by the look in Mattie's eyes.
Jen watched the silent exchange between Mac and Mattie. Maybe she should have warned Mac about Mattie's current mindset.
"Pull up a seat Mattie." Jen motioned beside her.
The nurse chose that moment to pop her head into the room. "Do you need anything Mac?"
"No. I'm good."
Now Mattie was having a hard time keeping her eyes from continuously shifting from her hands, to her neck and the bars screwed into her head.
"I'm getting better each day Mattie." She reassured her ward. Right now she had to ease Mattie's discomfort. She could deal with how uneasy this was making her later. Right now it was what her ward needed.
"You are?" Mattie sounded surprised. "I mean that's great." She glanced quickly at Jen who nodded at her.
"Watch." Mac instructed before concentrating. She felt the sweat break out on her forehead and blinked as it dripped into her eyes. She had to do this for Mattie's sake. Slowly she managed to raise her arm slightly from the bed before dropping it quickly. It wasn't much but it was improvement and she'd take any improvement she got.
"Way to go Ma'am!" Mac jerked her eyes to the doorway. June had seen the whole thing from the doorway and quickly wheeled herself towards them. She recognized the Petty Officer from earlier visits, but the young girl that this tiring display was for, June didn't remember seeing before.
She smiled at the girl. "Five days ago she couldn't do that."
"Mattie this is Corporal Juninski." Mac watched Juninski closely. The younger Marine seemed be in as good a mood as she was before she left for physical therapy. Despite being the most limited of the three, Mac felt it was her duty as an officer to look out for the well being of her roommates. Juninski's pleasant disposition and all around good natured antics made that all the easier.
"Corporal this is Commander Rabb's and my ward, Mattie."
Juninski's eyebrows practically rose to her hairline. "I don't remember Commander Rabb, Ma'am."
"He's deployed." Mattie supplied before Mac could respond.
June tried not to notice the shift in Mac's features. Well that would explain Mac's demonstration and reassuring words to the girl.
"Oh! He tried to call here but you were sleeping." Mattie informed her. "So he sent an email." Mattie held up an envelope.
"I'll get to it later." Mac glanced at the night stand beside the bed. "How'd therapy go Corporal?"
"Fine Ma'am." Mac quickly glanced back at June surprised at the short response. That was not normal for this bubbly Marine. "If you'll excuse me Ma'am, I'll go bug the nurses." With that June turned her chair around and left quickly.
Making a mental note Mac before turning her attention back to Mattie who seemed more relax than when she first entered the room. "June's a character, you'll get used to her quickly."
"She seems nice." Mattie responded.
"She is." Mac responded realizing how tired she was.
Jen started to get up when Mattie's watch bleeped loudly startling them all.
"Plans Mattie?" Mac forced herself out of the sleepiness.
"What? Oh, I have to go get ready for…" Mattie stopped and hesitated.
"For what Mattie?" Okay so she might not have been in the best condition to be a parent right then but with Harm away it was still her duty to look after Mattie. And Mattie was a teenager. A teenager who'd been displaying interest in the boys at her school before Mac's accident. "What do you have to get ready for?" She repeated.
"Ah…" Mattie looked to Jen for support. Jen just nodded at her reassuringly. "Today's the relay games and AJ needed someone… he asked me. Mac I'm sorry but I couldn't tell him no."
"Oh dammit!" Mac blurted out, how could she have forgotten about the games? Little AJ had been looking forward to them ever since she'd agreed at Thanksgiving to run them with him. She quickly opened her eyes again to the shocked look on both Coates and Mattie's faces.
"Darn. Oh darn." She shot a warning look at Mattie, realizing her verbal error and not wanting the teenager to follow in her foul mouthed display. Mattie looked like she wanted to crawl under a rock and hide. She looked like she wanted to cry. She probably wanted to do both.
"Go and have fun Mattie." Mac was loosing the battle with her eyelids. "Oh and Mattie?" She forced her eyes open again. "Win the thing for me okay?"
Mattie smiled at her before ducking out the doorway.
