Friday

After a short workday and seeing Rose and Whirlwind finish a showjumping course perfectly they put Whirlwind on the trailer and set the course to Beallsville. Rose was so pleased with her week and she had made great progress both with her showjumping and her dressage. Now Whirlwind was getting a week in Beallsville to relax in the paddock.

Since Bud and Harriet were back and Harm had finished his ongoing trial, they had decided to take a few days off and make it a long weekend. Harm would drive back to town on Monday night and work for a few days then drive back on Thursday. Mac and the kids would stay for the whole week.

After helping Rose unload Whirlwind and help take off his shipping boots she helped her husband carry in the luggage and groceries while Rose walked the pony. Harm decided to start the lawnmower while Mac put the groceries away. Matthew and Kelly were shooting hoops in front of the garage. Mac did a quick sweep of the house and opened windows to get some fresh air inside. Then she started on dinner. Their house away from home was where they could relax and unwind and breathe in the fresh country air.

"Did Whirlwind settle okay?" Mac asked as Rose entered the kitchen.

"He did," the girl confirmed.

"Good," Mac smiled and turned back to the food.

"I'll just take a shower then I can help with dinner," Rose said as she headed out of the kitchen.

Mac saw Harm from the kitchen window. He was bent over Gram's old lawnmower and she swore she could hear him curse despite the closed window. She had warned him that they needed a new one and every time he had postponed it.

Ten minutes later Harm appeared in the kitchen. "You are not allowed to say anything," he warned as he walked over to the sink and turned the water on.

Mac smiled. "Me? What could I possibly have to say?"

"I told you so," he suggested. "I'll bring a new lawnmower when I come back on Thursday. In the meantime, I called Peter and he'll drive over with his son and a lawnmower. The kid is trying to earn enough money to buy a car and I don't mind letting someone else do the mowing," he admitted.

"Sounds like you have it all figured out," Mac said as she put away the dough for it to rise.

"Can I help?" Harm wondered.

"Nope, it's pretty much just to stir the sauce," she reassured.

"In that case, you'll find me outside on the porch with my feet up high," he smiled brightly as he disappeared outside.

Later

Mac stepped outside on the back porch and found her seat beside her husband in the hammock. She had taken a call from Mattie and spent the better half of an hour trying to convince the young woman that they had everything under control for the upcoming wedding.

"How is our bride to be?" Harm wondered.

"Nervous," Mac smiled as she sipped her lemonade. "It's all under control though."

Harm nodded. "Good to know."

Mac studied her husband's thoughtful expression. "What's on your mind?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Thinking about Sarah… the plain," he clarified with a chuckle. "I haven't taken her up in a while. I guess I'm overdue."

"You need to feel the air beneath your wings again?" Mac asked teasingly.

"I know you don't get it," he reassured and sipped his lemonade.

"Oh, I get it," she patted his leg. "Maybe you can take advantage of a few days alone and go out to Beallsville."

"That was my thought," he smiled. "Keeter will be in town for a few days."

"What's up?" Mac questioned.

"Business I think," Harm shrugged. "I told him to come to stay at the house."

"You'll find time to fly and you get Keeter time, that must be perfect," she teased.

"Totally," Harm agreed with a chuckle as he leaned back. He sobered up and let out a sigh. "This is life."

"This?" she motioned around them.

"Fresh air, huge space, no traffic, a deer in the garden when you wake up in the morning," he moved his arm around her. "A beautiful woman to enjoy it all with."

"You're such a smooth talker," she leaned on to him. "This really is life."

"Ten more years and we'll let Claire take over the firm, we'll retire and spend the rest of our lives out here," he suggested.

"Ten years," she thought about it. "Yeah, sure, I'm in."

"The kids can leave the grandkids here when they need a break," Harm continued.

"Yeah, I can see you running around with them," she smiled at the thought. "You know there was a time when I had given up on having this life."

"Yeah, I know," he kissed the top of her head. "But it all turned out just the way it was supposed to."

"You're being very sweet tonight, honey," she smiled sweetly. "I like this side of you."

He leaned in and kissed her softly, then pulled her closer and rested his head on top of hers.

Sunday night

Mac put her book down and stood. She saw her husband and son still working on the fence. Whirlwind was looking at them curiously. He would soon get a bigger area to grass on. The air was cooling down but it was still warm enough to wear only a t-shirt. Mac loved summer.

Max walked up to her. "You want to go for a walk, huh?" she scratched his ear. "Come on."

They headed for the paddock. "Are you guys doing that all night?"

"We were just about to head inside," Harm said as he put away his tools. "I figure we'll get it finished in the morning."

"It's not that much left," Matthew said.

"Good job," Mac said as she looked around.

"Where's Rose?" Harm wondered.

"In the library. I'll just walk Max," Mac Said and walked away from them.

The house was quiet when she got back inside. The only sound came from the tv so she headed for the living room and found Matthew and Rose there.

"Hi, guys. What are you watching?" she asked.

"Just flipping channels," Matthew held up the remote. "We could watch a movie. We still have Grams DVD collection. We can fire up the DVD player and go old school?"

"You make me feel old when you say it like that," Mac said in a teasing tone. "I'm sure there are a few movies we haven't seen. Why don't you two find one and I'll go find Dad."

"Will do," Matthew said and stood.

Mac found her husband in the kitchen on his phone. "Sounds great. I'll see you in the morning then. Bye." He hung up and turned to her.

"Keeter?" she assumed as she opened the fridge.

"No the mistress," he joked.

Mac offered an amused look.

"Yes, it was Keeter," he confirmed and walked over. "Are we watching a movie?" he motioned for the soda she'd brought out.

Mac reached for the popcorn on the counter. "We are," she smiled and headed for the microwave. "One or two of these?"

"Definitely two," he opened a cabinet and reached inside. "I swore I bought some more nuts… there they are."

"You and your nuts," Mac shook her head with amusement.

"You always steal your part," he reminded her.

Mac laughed softly.

A little while later they were enjoying a movie. After that, they played Monopoly until it was way past everyone's bedtime. The next day Harm left the farm, leaving Mac and the kids alone for a few days.

Monday night

Harm grabbed two beers out of the fridge and closed the door. He opened the bottles before heading back to the living room. He handed one of the beers to Jack before he sat down.

"So you're home alone, huh," Keeter said as he sipped his beer.

"Well, Claire is around. But basically, yes, I'm alone for a few days," Harm agreed. "I have to work but we can meet up after and take Sarah for a spin?" he suggested.

"Yeah, I should be done with business around 1700," Keeter said with a nod.

"Sounds great. We'll grab dinner after," Harm said as he leaned back on the couch. "Anything new on your end?" he wondered.

Jack hesitated. "Nah, it's pretty much the same."

Harm detected a slight hesitation. "Everything okay?"

"Cathy works a lot. It's this new project she's working on. She's interviewing serial rapists," Jack explained. "It's to figure out what drives them. What makes them do what they do. She's been traveling around with this Professor…"

"You hate him?" Harm assumed.

"He's slimy," Jack said after a quiet moment. "They spend an awful lot of time together."

"You trust Cathy, right?" Harm questioned.

"I guess," Jack hesitated. "I trust her, I do, but I also know how easy it is to get drawn into a situation. I slipped up."

Harm nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

"Mac wanted to castrate me," Jack said and sipped his beer again.

"Well, yeah," Harm had to agree with that.

"But you guys helped me through it and Cathy and me, we've been great," he smiled hesitantly. "She's very preoccupied with this study. And with this Professor."

"I'm sure it's just a period. I assume a study like that is a lot of work. I can't even imagine sitting across from men like that, asking them questions about what they've done. Getting into all the ugly details," he sipped his beer thoughtfully. "I don't know how Cathy does it every day. Go to work knowing that she'll face someone who's been abused, raped."

"Helping victims' is what drives her," Jack pointed out.

"I can understand that," Harm said.

"So, any advice?" Jack wondered.

Harm thought about it. "Talk to Cathy. Tell her about your worries."

"Just like that?" Jack questioned.

"Just like that," Harm said.

Wednesday night

Harm lay down on the bed and called his wife. He'd just dropped Jack off at the airport. They had been having a great few days together.

"Hi there."

He smiled. "Hi. What are you doing?" he wondered.

"I just slipped into bed."

"What are you wearing?"

"Will this be one of those conversations?" she laughed softly.

He chuckled. "We'll save that for tomorrow, huh?"

"I can't wait. Did Jack get off okay?" she wondered.

"Yeah. Did you talk to Cathy?"

"I did. She admitted that she's been busy. She doesn't have a thing for this Professor she's working with. It's just professional. She'll talk to Jack when he gets back home."

"That's what Jack said too. That he'd talk to her."

"Communication can go a long way."

He could hear rattling with papers on her end. "What are you doing?"

"Just putting away some stuff. I've been looking over some papers."

"Not entirely on vacation huh?"

"Not completely, no," she admitted. "Home office."

"Or is it home office away from the home office?" he teased.

"Yeah. It's nice here. I'm feeling very relaxed. I've been without a car since you left but it's no stress. I actually wondered about shutting off the phone too. Go completely off the grid for a while."

"Have you gotten too much fresh air?" he wondered with amusement.

"How can anyone get too much fresh air?"

"Maybe it's a good thing that I'll be there tomorrow. So you don't do anything crazy, like move into the woods or something."

"I could live out in the woods for a while, I think. Just me and nature."

"Wouldn't you miss your hunky husband?" he wondered.

"Eventually, I would."

"When you realize you didn't have anyone to put your cold feet on at night you'd come running back to bed with me."

"Probably."

"I miss you."

He could hear her sigh. "I miss you too."

"Thanks for talking to Cathy."

"No problem. I think Cathy and Jack will be fine."

He yawned. "I think so too."

"You're tired."

"Exhausted from all the fun I've been having flying."

"It's been good for you to have some buddy time."

"I guess, but it'll be even better for me to see you again."

"Keep talking like that and you'll get lucky tomorrow."

"That's what I'm trying to achieve."

She laughed softly. "I love you."

"I love you more. Bye."

"Bye."