What was I thinking? Of course this is Chapter 4 but in fact it is not the Chapter called Wave Off. That's coming later. This one has the oh so cheery title of:

Chapter 4 - Diagnosis & Despair

Harm's initial assessment proved correct. This woman was his mother. She was dressed in a lavender coloured suit. Her brown hair was curled expertly around her face to give her a more youthful appearance. She was attractive, petite and well kept. He had the sense immediately that she was kind but careful.

"Harm," she said when she saw his eyes open. Mac stood and Trish embraced her. "I was very grateful when Admiral Chedwiggen told me you were here. " She released Mac, who stepped out of her way. She came to his bedside and looked down at him, grasping his hand and fluttering her hand across his forehead. "Darling. We came as quickly as we could."

He looked at Mac for reassurance. Mac cleared her voice. "Mrs. Burnett, he's lost some long term memory." Trish looked at her, comprehension taking a moment.

"Oh" Trish sunk into the chair Mac had vacated. She looked back at Harm. "I'm your mother. Your stepfather Frank is parking the car. He'll be up in a few minutes."

Mac didn't wait for Harm's reply. "I'll go see if the doctor's available so he can give you the latest. When you're ready Mrs. Burnett, I'll be in the hall."

"Thank you dear," Trish responded. Harm watched as Mac left the room. He was disconcerted by her departure. It was a comfort to have her close by.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. A little banged up." There was a moment's silence, and then Harm said, "You're my mother?"

"Yes. I live in California so it's taken a while to get here. The Admiral said that you'd crashed Sarah."

"Sarah was in the crash?" He looked toward the open door.

Trish followed his gaze. "Your grandfather's airplane. It was named for your grandmother, Sarah."

"Oh? I didn't know that. Will he be mad that I wrecked his plane?"

"No darling, he's been dead almost 15 years and Grandma Sarah's only concern will be whether or not you're well enough to come for Easter dinner." Trish smiled.

Harm grinned back. There was a place he fit in the world. There were people who loved him. People were saving a spot for him in their lives. He felt relief.

"Can you tell me about Sarah? " He asked.

"Your grandfather gave it to you after your dad died. It was a WWII Stearman."

"No" he said. "Not the plane. Sarah. The woman who was here."

"Oh of course." Trish murmured, "You work together. You're friends."

"Am I?" "Have we ever?" Harm stammered and stuttered. "Are the two of us involved" he finally managed. "Have we ever been in involved?"

Trish shook her head. "No I don't think so. What does she say?"

"There's something I'm not getting." He said. "Sarah told me I have a girlfriend, but when she talks about her I feel nothing. But from the first moment I saw her …" He let the words trail off. He put his hands over his eyes and just for a moment let go of all the confusing new information. He let go of JAG Ops, Renee, amnesia, and the man from his dream. All he was left with was a longing to see Sarah again. He yawned suddenly. "Sorry I can't seem to stay awake."

Trish reached out. "You should rest. I'll go have a word with the doctor and check in with you in a while."

Harm nodded his agreement. His eyes shuttered closed and he slept without dreaming.

Trish went to the nurses' station, where Mac and a young doctor were in conversation. Mac introduced her to the doctor. The doctor waived Mrs. Burnett into a small room behind the nurses' station. Mac headed down the hall.

When the doctor and Trish were settled, he opened the file.

"Your son was brought in Saturday afternoon. He'd sustained serious injuries in an airplane accident. The local sheriff collected his personal effects and contacted Colonel Mackenzie. She arrived Saturday evening. She provided us with a copy of a power of attorney and signed the consent forms we required. Harmon regained consciousness shortly after he arrived in the ER. He couldn't tell us his name or anything else about himself. We set his leg. He has a couple of fractured ribs and various other bumps and bruises."

The doctor paused here to check on Mrs. Burnett's level of attentiveness and comprehension. Family members were often ill equipped to take in all a doctor needed to say about their loved one. Trish nodded her understanding however, and the doctor continued.

"Colonel Mackenzie did advise that he has had other head injuries and that may mean that the amnesia he's currently experiencing is related to those incidents. Although the concussion he sustained in the crash appears to be relatively minor these things can have a cumulative affect." He paused again and tried to simplify the message.

"Brain injuries are a bit tricky. Sometimes patients who appear to be doing well can deteriorate. Sometimes a minor head injury can result in permanent or lasting disability. It may be a lack of concentration, trouble with his short-term memory or a change in behaviour. I can't really say much more. He requires more extensive testing than we can provide here. He'd be better served in a larger hospital where he could have access to neurological testing and perhaps an MRI."

He paused again. It was a lot to take in he knew. Usually it took family members a few hours to come back with questions. He closed the file. I'll be at the hospital until 6 pm unless the ER gets overloaded, then I'll be there. Have one of the nurses page me if you have questions. OK? Trish nodded. They shook hands.

Trish turned from the consultation room and paused in the doorway to Harm's room. She'd seen him ill, and injured before. Each time the prognosis had been veiled in troubling predictions. This time it was no better and no worse. Trish watched him sleep for a few minutes. The regular respirations were a consolation.

Two more chapters. Thanks for reading. Appreciate your feedback so far. - Dix