Thursday June 23rd
Mac cursed loudly as she opened the oven. That night's dinner was not eatable. She reached for it and dumped the whole dish in the sink. When cheese has turned black, it's time to call for take-out.
She had been caught up in Mattie's room getting it ready for her to come home, then Harriet had called, and it wasn't until she had hung up that she realized that she had forgotten about the dish in the oven.
"Problems Marine?"
She turned toward the kitchen entrance and shrugged. "Looks like it's take-out tonight, honey."
He chuckled. "What were you trying to make anyway?" he wondered.
"Some dish I found online," she reached for the phone. "I'll just order a pizza."
"Yeah, that's fine," he agreed as he walked over and kissed her. "How was your day?"
"A lot better than that dinner will taste," she chuckled. "I've been busy, but Mattie's room is ready, Harriet says hi, and of course I've talked with Mattie. Twice," she smiled. "Guess what?"
"What?" he questioned.
"A nice lady with the FRG called me," she moved over to the counter and found the menu for the place she ordered pizza from on Sunday night when she was home alone.
"FRG huh?" he was amused.
"She was really nice. She thought since we just got married I would have tons of questions about Navy life," she chuckled.
"I think you'll manage fine in the Navy world," he teased.
"That's what I told her," she dialed the number for the pizza place. "Anyway, I told her… Hi, I want to order a pizza. Half veggie, half meat lover." She told their address and hung up. "I told her who I was and that it was nice of her to call. She suggested coming to a meeting and I said maybe I would once things calms down. You know, it couldn't hurt to get to know people. Other Navy wives. God, it's really happening isn't it? I'm turning into a housewife," she stared at him. "I'm talking about getting involved with the FRG, I'm burning dinner… I think I need to shoot or something."
He laughed softly. "Just don't come chasing after me with a gun."
She smirked. "Don't worry, I won't."
He took her hand. "Seriously though, maybe you should consider finding something to do? I mean, use that big, very complicated brain of yours on something other than burning dinner."
"I have a complicated brain?" she was amused.
"You do," he leaned in and kissed her. "That's one of the things I love the most about you."
She kissed him and let out a sigh. "Well, I'm thinking about that request from the University," she shrugged as she let him go. "I have two weeks to decide. I just want to make sure that Mattie settles okay before I decide to rush into anything."
"You won't start until the fall anyway, and I'm sure Mattie is settled by then. It'll be good for you to have something to do other than to think about Mattie, the house, me and baby making," he moved to leave the kitchen. "I'm going to go change."
"Harm?"
He turned. "Yeah?"
"Don't worry so much about me, okay? I'm happy here, with you," she smiled. "You didn't rob me of anything. It was my choice and I'm okay with it."
"I know that, but still," he hesitated. "You're just so smart and capable, you should share that with the world."
She offered a sweet smile. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
"No, I remember saying a lot of nice things on our wedding day," he flashed her a cocky smile. "And on our wedding night," he winked at her and turned to leave.
Sunday June 26th
Harm found Mac and Mattie on the couch watching TV when he came back down after a shower. He had been out for a run to try and loosen up his back. It had been tense and aching after spending most of the weekend up in the air, flying between London and D.C to get Mattie home. The girl had been happy to see her room, and excited to finally be out of the hospital.
Harm slumped down on the couch. "What are we watching?"
"Just flipping through channels really," Mac leaned onto him. "Is your back feeling better?"
"Yeah," he smiled and put his hand on her thigh, rubbing it softly. "I'm getting too old to spend that much time flying between locations."
"What?" Mac was amused. "You did not just complain about being up in the air?"
"I heard it too," Mattie teased.
"A fighter jet is so much more comfortable," he reasoned.
"Right," Mac chuckled.
"So, Mattie. What do you think about the house?" Harm wondered.
"I think it's great," she smiled. "I would be happy anywhere, just as long as it's not a hospital. I'm so over nurses and doctors. This is great, really."
"We kinda have to go back to the hospital tomorrow," Mac reminded her. "But just to meet your new doctor and physiotherapist. We'll get your schedule for your sessions with your physiotherapist."
"I can't wait," Mattie said with irony.
"It'll be fine," Harm reassured. "We should find the time to make plans for the summer. Mom wants to rent a house in the D.C area so that we can all spend time together. She thought that it would be a good location, so that we can see our friend's and grams, and you can see your father and your friend's. It'll give you something to look forward to."
"I think it's a very good idea," Mac agreed.
"Yeah, it sounds like fun," Mattie started to stand. "I'm going to check out my new computer. Thanks for that, and for my room. I wasn't expecting…" she hesitated. "Thanks for this. Everything."
"We're really happy that you're here, Mattie," Mac smiled. "Please let me know if there's something you need. We can go shopping sometime during the week."
"That sentence strikes fear in every man, you know," Harm teased.
"I could use some new clothes. Most of my clothes are too big. I'll say this for hospital food, it works well as a diet," Mattie joked.
"Doctor Anthony was a bit concerned about your weight loss, but you're home now, and I'm sure some homecooked meals will get you back in shape in no time," Harm assured.
"If I don't burn dinner that is," Mac joked.
Harm chuckled. "There's that."
"I can help with dinner, and the house," Mattie pointed out. "I'm just so grateful to be here," she bent down and hugged Harm. "Thanks Dad."
Harm hugged her close. "We're happy too."
Mattie moved out of his embrace and hugged Mac. "Thank you."
"Any time," Mac smiled.
Mattie smiled. "I'm going to go to my room. I'm tired. Good night."
"Good night, Mattie," Mac and Harm watched her go, then Harm moved his arms around Mac and hugged her close. "Finally a family, huh?"
"Finally," Mac agreed.
Wednesday June 29th
Harm found his wife writing notes on a legal pad, files scattered around the kitchen table as he entered the kitchen that night. She looked up and smiled when she noticed his presence. They were in their fourth week as a married couple and so far he was the happiest man walking on planet earth. They were good together in every way.
"What are you doing?" he wondered as he bent down and kissed her softly, letting the kiss linger before he ended it and smiled. "Hi."
"Hi," she smiled sweetly.
He looked at the files on the table. "What's this?"
"Just helping you prepare for your meeting with Admiral Hayes and his staff concerning those environmental issues," she shrugged. "You can use it if you want to, or not. It just gave me something to do," she handed him a file.
He looked over her notes and marks, then focused on her. "This is great. I can definitely use this," he chuckled. "Are you really this bored, Mac? I mean, environmental law isn't exactly sexy."
She shrugged. "Nah, but it's important," she stood. "Dinner is almost ready," she opened the oven door. "Lasagna," she closed it.
"Sounds good," he continued to look over her notes. "By the way, Admiral Hayes and his wife wants us to join them for dinner tomorrow night. Is that okay?"
"I can be a good Navy wife for one night," she joked.
He lifted his focus from her file. "Good," he smiled sweetly. "Thank you for doing this. It saves me a lot of time, Mac. But, it worries me that you're this bored."
"Well, the house is in order, Mattie is pretty much self-going so I do have a lot of free time on my hand. I talked with the University today and I'm doing two days a week in the fall. I'll be teaching an international law class. It's usually very popular so they are expecting it to be packed," Mac opened the cabinet and reached for plates. "Just put all that in a pile," she motioned for all her stuff on the table.
"That's great," he started gathering the files and legal books. "It's great right?"
"Yeah," she put the plates on the table. "It's exciting. I have never taught a class before, but I have the whole summer to prepare. It is a subject I know a lot about, so it should be interesting to talk about it every week for four months."
"You'll be great," he smiled. "I'll just go change," he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
She grabbed his hand before he could get away. "Maybe we can go to bed early tonight? Since I'm done with my cycle, we could have some fun."
"Mac, if I ever say no to that I want you to take your gun and shoot me," he leaned in and kissed her deeply.
"I'll remember you said that," she teased.
He smiled as he moved to the doorway. "Is Mattie in her room?"
"Yes, she's been a little down today because she and Kevin decided to end it. I took her out for ice cream after her physio session," Mac smiled. "She's doing fine, just a little sad. Kevin was her first real boyfriend."
Harm hesitated. "I never asked, but did you get the impression that they were intimate?"
"They weren't," Mac reassured. "Mattie wasn't ready, then she crashed and ended up at the hospital and Kevin lost interest eventually. I think that's why they broke up. She's fine with it really, but it's strange for her, leaving all her friend's and starting all over in a new country."
"You guys have talked a lot," he was impressed.
"We're girls," Mac smiled. "It is what girls do."
"I'm not even going to comment on that," he chuckled and left the kitchen.
Harm changed out of his uniform, then knocked on Mattie's door.
"Come in!"
He opened the door and found Mattie in front of her computer. "Dinner is ready."
Mattie turned her focus on him. "Great, I'm starving. I hope Mac didn't mind that I didn't help today?"
"Nah, it's fine," Harm reassured. "How are you?"
"I'm okay, really," Mattie hesitated. "Tired from my session with Molly."
Harm nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you today."
"That's okay. Mac was there," Mattie stood. "She's really great, Harm."
"I agree," he smiled sweetly.
"It's nice to see you so happy, Dad," Mattie hugged him. "And I know you can't be there for every one of my sessions, and that's okay."
"You'd let me know if you needed me for something, right?" he let her go and looked at her.
"I will," she promised. "I really like Molly. I feel fine, you know. It's just the fatigue, my left hand being powerless and feeling weak. I hate that."
"I know you do, but your strength will come back with time. And just because your body feels weak, doesn't mean that you're weak. You're one of the strongest people I know," he smiled. "Come on, let's have dinner."
Mattie nodded and followed him. "It's nice to have someone. It's like a real family."
"We are a real family, Mattie," Harm reassured.
Mattie smiled. "I think we all needed a family."
Harm nodded. "You know Mattie, sometimes you say the smartest things."
