Chapter 2
They walked into Harriett's office and AJ quietly said, "Harriett will you please join us in my office?"
Knowing something was going on, but not suspecting what; Harriett followed the three of them into AJ's office. Asking her to take a seat on the couch, AJ sat next to her, turned partially to face her and took her hands in his. He said as gently as he could, "Harriett I'm afraid I have some bad news for you."
Looking up at him with tears already forming in her eyes after looking at Mac and Cresswell, she asked, "Something's happened to Buddy hasn't it?"
"Yes, there was a shooting in Mac's courtroom. When Bud's defendant turned the gun on Mac, Bud tackled him to the ground and was shot."
Jumping to her feet she exclaimed, "Then we should get to the hospital!"
Taking her hand again, AJ got to his feet and said softly, "I'm sorry Harriett, he didn't make it to the hospital."
Her wild glance flew from Mac to Cresswell and then to AJ as if for conformation. The sadness in Mac's eyes, the solemn look in Cresswell's, and the grief in AJ's eyes gave her the information she was looking for. "Oh God! Buddy!" she gasped, then started almost in slow motion to collapse.
AJ's quick reaction allowed him to stop her fall and gently lay her on the couch. Mac rushed to her side, kneeling next to the couch as she brushed the blonde hair from her friend's face.
Patting her on the cheek AJ tried to get her to come around. With a soft sigh Harriett's eyes opened and after one brief glance into AJ's eyes her face went blank. Helping her to sit up, AJ told her, "Mac has offered to pick up the children and bring them to the house. I'm going to take you home now, I'll be there when you tell them or if you'd like I could tell them for you." All he received in response from Harriett was the same blank stare.
"Admiral, maybe we should take her to the hospital? She seems to be in shock," suggested General Cresswell.
"No! No hospital! I want to go home and be with our…my children," cried Harriett coming to at the mention of a hospital.
"Then that's what we'll do," AJ told her helping her to her feet.
"Harriett I'll be going to get the children now," Mac told her and gave her a hug. As they embraced, she whispered into Harriett's ear, "I'm so very sorry, honey."
With a gasping sob, she nodded at Mac who then left the office. General Cresswell approached her and offered his hand, "If there is anything myself or my staff can do for you or your family Lieutenant Commander Roberts please let me know."
Again Harriett only nodded as she shook the General's hand. Keeping his arm around her waist AJ led Harriett out of the office and to his Escalade. Helping her in and making sure her seatbelt was fastened, he drove her to the home Bud would never return to.
Harriett was fine as they went through the front door, it wasn't until she saw the toy robot that she'd gotten Bud, a few years before for Christmas, sitting on the floor of the den that she broke down into uncontrollable sobs. Gasping she cried, "I yelled at him this morning to pick that up. Those were the last words I spoke to him!"
"My dear Harriett, there was no one in the world that knew how lucky and loved he was than Bud! He was very aware of the wonderful family and very special wife he had."
She sadly nodded trying to control herself and allowed him to guide her to the couch to sit down. "Is there anything I can get for you? Something to eat or drink?" he asked gently.
Shaking her head 'no' and picking up a family picture of the six of them that was sitting on the coffee table, she fiddled with it aimlessly.
"Harriett is there anyone other than Mike that you want contacted?"
"Oh…I hadn't thought about Mike! Oh God Sir, he'll be devastated! They were so close and even more so after the death of Big Bud last year. He'll have to come home from Italy for the…funeral," as the last word left her lips, she once again began to cry.
To be continued….
