23
Despite his exasperation, Harm felt a warm glow of satisfaction as he stood back, hands on hips, and surveyed his handiwork, and looked over his shoulder to where Catherine nested on the couch. At breakfast that morning Catherine had realised that the morning sun through the side window of the living room shone directly and intensely on the books arranged on the bookshelf. Complaining that the strong light would eventually damage the books and fade the covers, she had insisted that the bookshelf be moved from the west wall to the north wall of the living room, where it would be out of the sun's direct rays.
Of course, Harm had been in the middle of drilling and plugging holes in the walls at the spots where Catherine had indicated she wanted to hang pictures – including the north wall, so that particular undertaking ground to a halt while Harm and Mattie stripped the bookshelf of its burden.
"How many damn' books have you got here?" Mattie grumbled as the stacks overflowed the coffee table and started to occupy the two armchairs.
Harm was too much in sympathy with Mattie's sentiments to gig her for her language, and Catherine decided that on the balance of things, a soft answer might turn away wrath, "Uh, about a thousand, I guess…" she admitted with an apologetic smile.
"At least!" grumbled Harm as he wedged the top of yet another pile under his chin.
With the shelves finally emptied, a red-faced and damply glowing Mattie turned to Harm and asked simply, "Tea?"
"Oh, yeah!" he agreed emphatically.
Mattie turned towards Catherine, her face emotionless, "Boss?"
"Yes please, Mattie," Catherine asked – almost humbly, as she fought to keep a straight face while Harm inserted a screwdriver head in the power drill and tightened the chuck key.
The drill made short work of detaching the bookshelf from the wall, and Harm removed the last screw just as Mattie carried the three mugs to the coffee table, where Catherine with the air of somebody who was being extremely helpful carefully eased the piles of books aside to make enough room for the tea.
Ten minutes passed in silence as they drank their tea, and although she presented a calm, even placid front, as she sipped her tea, Catherine was fighting a desperate battle against laughter every time she glanced at either Harm or Mattie's sulking faces.
The tea drunk, Catherine offered to rinse the cups while the other two moved the bookshelf and secured it to the wall, only to be glared at by Mattie and told by an exasperated Harm, "No… you stay right where you are…"
Catherine once again fought down her laughter and with downcast eyes said meekly, "Yes, Harm."
Harm thought he had caught a discordant note in her voice and glowered suspiciously at her before snorting in exasperation and turning to Mattie said, "OK, Squirt, if you're sure it isn't too heavy for you, one each end, and steady as we go."
Mattie nodded, "I can manage, Harm!"
"OK, take that end, Mats, and concentrate on keeping the shelves upright, and I'll just pivot my end around you, and then we can back it up against the wall."
"Got it, Harm!" Mattie affirmed.
The manoeuvre completed, Harm turned back to Mattie, "Right, can you just hold it while I mark and drill?"
Mattie nodded, confident she could hold the empty shelf unit in place while Harm quickly changed the screwdriver blade for the drill bit in the power drill, all the while keeping an eye on Mattie, ready to drop everything and take the weight of the shelves should the teenager start to struggle.
Five minutes and three screws later, Harm gave a firm tug on the unit, and happy that it was now securely fixed to the wall nodded to Mattie that it was OK to let go, and looked at his watch.
Ten minutes later, he finished tightening thelast of the screws that held the bookshelf in place, he unplugged the power drill and wound up the cable before putting it back in its box, "OK, Catherine. Mattie and I need to go and get cleaned up… You sit still and don't lift a finger," he admonished. We'll be about… half an hour?" he cocked his head at Mattie and received a confirmatory nod in return and the pair headed for the stairs and their respective bedrooms.
Harm stepped out of the shower, feeling relaxed as well as clean, his niggling frustrations washed away under the jet of water. Briskly drying himself, he wrapped a towel around his waist and crossed the bathroom to the door to the bedroom.
Stepping into the clean pair of boxers he'd left ready on the bed he turned towards the closet to select a shirt and slacks when Catherine, whose approach had been remarkably quiet for a woman in the late stages of her third trimester, spoke from the bedroom doorway.
"Now, that's a sight I'd pay good money to see," she said, appreciatively and provocatively at the same time.
Harm turned to face her as she stepped through the doorway and closed the door behind her, snicking the privacy lock into place as she did so. Then, as she crossed the room, it seemed to Harm that she stalked towards him.
"Uh Catherine…" but his mouth was stopped as she closed the distance between the, reached up, took the back of his head in both hands and drew his face down to hers for her kiss, her tongue probing at the seam of his lips, which gave under the pressure as she deepened the kiss..
Breaking off for air, Harm kept his hands on her hips, where they had come to rest, seemingly of their own volition, at some stage of the kiss, and breathing deeply, he smiled and said somewhat shakily, "Wow… What was that for? Not that I'm complaining…"
Catherine smiled up at him, "I could say it was to make up for laughing at you and Mattie sulking over moving the bookcase… but the truth is it's because you love me, you make me happy and… I just plain old wanted to…"
"M'mm… I love you t…" Harm began, but once again his mouth was stopped by Catherine's, and then he felt her hand, tugging at the waistband of his boxers. Tearing his mouth from hers he groaned, "Oh, Catherine, we can't… the time… Mattie… Bud, Harriet…"
"Shut up, sailor!" she whispered against his lips, at the same time giving him a gentle shove so that the edge of the bed caught the back of his legs and losing his balance he fell backwards on the mattress.
Catherine plucked loose the buttons at the neckline and breast of her maternity dress, and giving a shrug allowed it to slide down her body and puddle at her feet.
Harm tried again to protest, but his body's reaction gave the lie to his words as Catherine knelt on the bed above him and leaning forward kissed him again.
xxiii-xxiii-xxiii-xxiii-xxiii
Mattie was already unhappy; as Harm had suggested? Asked? Ordered? She was wearing one of her new pairs of jeans, which still had that 'new clothes'; smell about them, and they felt stiff and uncomfortable, and worse they looked new! She had rebelled slightly in that her sweat shirt wasn't new, and she had refused point blank, mentally at any rate, to wear a button-down shirt underneath it. It was bad enough that Catherine had persuaded her – forced her more likely – into wearing a bra, an item of clothing that seemed more like a constructing instrument of torture than something that was supposed to make her feel more feminine.
But that was only one source of her irritation, she had been sitting – uncomfortably – she reminded herself on the couch in the living room, waiting for at least twenty minutes for Harm and Catherine to finish getting ready, and now glancing for the tenth time at her mom's watch, she realised that unless they were extremely lucky with the traffic, that they were going to be late! Not, considering Harm's reputation for tardiness, that she should be surprised, but it was still damn-well pissing her off!
Finally! Harm and Catherine came into the living room, both looking remarkably fresh and in clean clothes. Mattie glared at the two adult and sniffed audibly, "About time too!" she said caustically.
Harm took one look at the fulminating teenager on the couch and broke into an apologetic grin, "Sorry Mattie, but we started… uh… talking… about the baby and we kind of got carried away and lost track of the time…"
Mattie regarded him sceptically, "Yeah, right…"
Harm tried to bluff his way out of the morass and tried to keep a straight face, while Catherine had the grace to blush and look embarrassed.
Mattie picked up on Catherine's discomfort and raised a cynical eyebrow, "Just what were the two of you…" and as realisation dawned she shut her mouth with an audible click, and colour rising in her own cheeks, she hastily added, "So are we ready now?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Harm assured her, too relieved to have her drop the subject to raise any objections to her obvious assumptions, and too savvy to try and protest that those assumptions were wrong.
xxiii-xxiii-xiii-xxiii-xxiii
At his and Harriet's home on North Courthouse Street, Rosslyn, Bud Roberts studied his wife as Harriet bustled about the kitchen, putting the finishing touches to the salad while the kitchen was redolent with the aroma of freshly baked garlic bread and the vegetable lasagne in the oven, while the large pot of Bolognese sauce simmering on one of the burners made its own contribution to the atmosphere.
Bud had played his part during Harriet's preparations, he had not only kept A J from under his mother's feet, but had also bathed and changed Jimmy – twice – stocked the fridge with beers, bottled water and cans of soda, drawn the cork from the wines to allow to them to breathe and had set the table with the second best place settings – the ones Lydia Simms had bought them for a wedding present.
Now having brewed a pot of coffee, Bud sat at the kitchen table enjoying what he felt was a richly deserved cup of the best Arabica coffee as Harriet finished washing up and rinsing the last of the utensils she had used, before joining her husband. Taking her chair with a sigh of satisfied relief, Harriet picked up the mug Bud slid across to her and sniffed appreciatively, closing her eyes in satisfaction as she took her first sip.
Harriet looked far too happily complacent and Bud felt a growing sense of unease as he looked at her. Bud waited for her to put her mug down, and then asked "Harriett, sweetie, what's going on in that devious little mind of yours?"
Harriet opened her blue eyes to their widest and most innocent extent, "Why, Bud Roberts, whatever do you mean?"
Bid put down his own mug and cradled it between his hands, "Harriet… you haven't done anything dumb, have you? Like, maybe inviting somebody else to join us after lunch? You know what the Comm… what Harm said about anybody else from JAG being here… that he'd drive right by? Well, if he was prepared to do that. What's the betting that if somebody else from JAG turned up, he wouldn't just get up and leave?"
"Do you think he'd really do that?" asked Harriet, a crease appearing between her eyebrows as she frowned slightly.
"Yes I do. Please tell me that you haven't…?"
"No, I'm not expecting anyone else this afternoon, Bud. But it concerns me – no, it worries me that the Commander has cut all contacts with JAG, and for all we know with the navy. I just want to talk with him and find out why… and of course, I want to know all about this Catherine… Gale?" Bud nodded in confirmation as Harriet continued, "And what about this teenager he's thinking of adopting?"
Bud looked at her solemnly. "Harriett, you mustn't start interrogating him. You know how close-mouthed Harm can be about his feelings and his relationships…"
"But it's such turn around for him Bud… he and the Colonel… for years they've been hovering around each other…"
"Yeah, they have, Sweetie, but neither of them has taken a dive – well not with each other. You know as well as I do that the nearest either of them have come to making any sort of commitment was when the Colonel nearly married Commander Brumby…"
"Yeah, but the Colonel broke that off when Harm crashed into the ocean…"
"No, no she didn't, Harriet. It was Commander Brumby that called off the wedding, and then if you remember the Colonel went TAD. Sure the Commander went after her, but you'll remember that he was damn close-mouthed about what went on between them when he came back."
"Bud! Language!" Harriet protested with a meaningful look at the open door to the family room, where A J could be heard making 'zooming' noises as he played with his already large, and growing collection, of toy airplanes.
"Sorry." Bud apologised perfunctorily, "But think about it sweetie, you know I'm right."
Harriet nodded, but remained unconvinced, "But what if this Catherine is the rebound girl, it won't be fair on her…"
Bud looked troubled for an instant, but then his face lightened. "No… I don't think that's the case; we've seen how cautious the Commander is about making a commitment, there was Annie Pendry, Commander Parker – the psychologist, or was she a psychiatrist? And then Renee… H'mm... had you realised that as far as we know, the Commander hasn't dated anyone since Renee… it's almost as if he was waiting for the Colonel to stop dithering… And now she has, except she's chosen Mister Webb over the Commander. So, no, buying a house with Catherine Gale says to me that he is at last making a commitment."
Harriet took another sip of her coffee, nodding in acknowledgement of Bud's argument, and then asked curiously, "You've met her Bud, what she likes?"
Bud considered the question for a few moments before replying, "Well… she's an attorney for CIA, we met her on the Angelshark case; she's blonde – lighter than you, though, and her eyes are very pale blue, almost grey. She's very attractive, very smart and determined, but she gave me the impression when I saw her at the hospital that she's also very compassionate and very caring. You know… I sometimes thought I saw a spark of something between her and the Commander right as far back as the Angelshark, and I know she had something to do with letting the Commander in on what was happening last spring with Mister Webb and the Colonel."
Harriet nodded again, "But you don't know anything about why and how they hooked up?"
Bud looked uncomfortable, "Sweetie, as far as I'm concerned and unless the Commander tells me of his own free will, then that is an area into which I'm not going to trespass. And neither is the state of the relationship between the Commander and the Colonel." He prevented Harriet's interruption with a raised finger, "I don't know what happened between them, but I once asked the Colonel if she missed him being at JAG, and all she said was 'At least it's quieter; nobody's firing off automatic weapons in the courtroom.' So, slightly less than sympathetic, wouldn't you say?"
Harriet, although troubled was compelled to nod her agreement as Bud concluded, "That is why I am not going to ask the Commander about the Colonel, and it is also why you mustn't ask either!"
Harriet was on the verge of arguing with her husband when she recognised the seldom seen but undeniable stubborn expression that meant that on this occasion there was no give, no leeway in his decision.
xxiii-xxiii-xiii-xxiii-xxiii
Harm eased the Lexus to a halt and nodded sideways, indicating the neat, white-painted house set back from the road with a curving driveway looping around an expanse of neatly-kept lawn.
"Well, we're here," he said cheerfully. Although from Mattie's expression it was plain that his comment was unnecessary and also that the young girl wished she was somewhere – anywhere – else. Biting back any comment that he might make, Harm dismounted from the Lexus and walking around to the passenger side helped Catherine to the ground, while Mattie climbed out of the middle seat and stood uncertainly while she waited for Catherine to re-arrange her smock so that it hung neatly, and then as Harm tucked Catherine's arm into the crook of his elbow, he extended his other hand to Mattie, and so with Catherine on his arm and the suddenly self-conscious teenager's hand firmly clasped in his, Harm led them up the porch steps and raised his hand to knock on the doorjamb when the door flew open and sturdy blond pre-schooler erupted from the house and with an impact that nearly knocked Harm off balance, and accompanied by a despairing cry of "A J!" emanating from the depths of the house, wrapped his arms around Harm's legs and grinned hugely up into his Godfather's face.
"Hey, easy, there, big feller!" Harm exclaimed with a grin as he hastily let go of both Catherine and Mattie, and scooped A J Roberts up into his arms.
"Uncle Harm! Uncle Harm!" the excited youngster almost screamed "You came!"
"I sure did!" Harm agreed, as he carefully lowered the child to the floor. A J Roberts had grown during Harm's absences, and had certainly increased in weight, and it was almost with a pang of regret that he had to shake his head and say sorrowfully, "No, sorry big guy, you're just too big for that now!" in response to the five year-old's demand to play 'Airplanes'".
"That's quite enough of that, young man!" Harriet Roberts interrupted her son's exuberance, and eying him severely, added "And we are going to have a little talk about you opening the door when your daddy or I aren't there!"
"But it was Uncle Harm, mommy!" the child protested.
"A J!"
"Yes, ma'am," the boy replied in a crestfallen tone as he stepped back into the house.
Harriet's face lost its disapproving look and blossomed into a huge smile of welcome, "It's good to see you, sir, especially after such a long absence!"
"It's good to see you too Harriet!" Harm replied and almost tentatively opened his arm. Harriet smiled mistily and stepped forward into his embrace, hugging him as fiercely as he wrapped his arms around her, as she buried her face in his shoulder while he whispered, "And I'm in your house, off duty, and not in uniform, so for about the ten millionth time, call me 'Harm', not sir!"
Harriet released her visitor and smilingly said, "Sir... Harm… I do try!"
"I know, Harriet, I know… but you'll just have to try harder! But I'm forgetting my manners, let me intro…"
"Not here, si… uh Harm!" Harriet bestowed a happy smile on all three of her visitors, "Come in all of you, and then Harm, you can introduce your… friends to Bud and me at the same time!"
Harriet stepped back and let Harm lead the way, saying "You know where the family room is!"
A smiling Harm shepherded Catherine and Mattie into the family room where Bud was waiting, an ecstatic grin on his face as he stepped forward, his hand held out on greeting, "Sir! It is good to see you again!" he unconsciously and perhaps even more enthusiastically echoed his wife's greeting.
"You too, Bud, you too!" Harm grinned as he pumped his friend's hand before standing back to snake his arm around as much of Catherine's waist as he could while looping his other arm around Mattie's shoulder and drawing her in for a hug, "And before I completely forget my manners… Bud, Harriet, I'd like you to meet my partner, Catherine Gale, and our guest, Mattie Grace… Catherine, Mattie, Bud and Harriet Roberts and," he looked around to see A J peering shyly from behind the arm of the couch, "Little A J Roberts…" he looked at Harriet, "Jimmy?"
"He's having a nap, thank God," Harriet said with a rueful smile, "You can all meet him later when he decides to inflict himself on us again!"
"Harriet!" Bud admonished her, "As if we didn't love him to bits!"
"Of course we do!" Harriet replied, "but please, sit down, all of you – Catherine, can I get you a foot-stool? Mine's still handy."
The foot stool produced, Harm sat next to Catherine, who quickly took up her favourite position, nestling against his side, her head at his shoulder. Smiling up at Harm Catherine said lightly, "You didn't have to introduce me to Bud, I remember him from the time of Angelshark investigation… and if I didn't," she added with a wicked grin at Bud, "how could I forget the minister who married us! And Harriet, I believe I owe you extra thanks as well… I understand that Bud borrowed your ring for the ceremony."
Both Bud and Harriet were reduced to red-faced embarrassed silence by Catherine's words and picking up on their confusion, she gave a soft chuckle and continued, "You know, you were lucky you got it back Harriet – it slipped on my finger easily enough, but it just didn't want to come off afterwards! It took a lot of liquid soap and persuasion to make it give up its hold!"
"Maybe it was trying to tell you something!" Harriett and Harm chorused, then looked at each other in surprise and burst out into laughter.
Catherine grinned, happy that the awkward moment was over, and nudging Harm gently in the ribs, reprimanded him gently, "One step at a time, sailor. The baby first!"
A J had slipped around the end of the couch and now stood looking gravely at Catherine. Seizing on the lull in the conversation and picking up on Catherine's mention of a baby, he asked, "Have you got a baby in your tummy? 'Cos you're fat, just like mommy was when Jimmy was in her tummy!"
A horrified Harriet gasped, "A J Roberts – go to your room!"
Catherine interrupted as A J's face started to crumple, "No… it's OK Harriet. Can I ask a special favour? Let A J stay?" She smiled at the youngster and taking his hand in hers, she said, "Yes, I do have a baby in my tummy, just like your mommy did, here, feel that, she's wriggling around trying to get comfortable…"
A J stood expressionless as he felt the baby kick and then snatched his hand away and retreated to a safe distance, bringing himself close to Mattie, who seeing his expression of distaste, stretched out a hand and gently ruffled his hair, "Hey, what's up big guy? Don't you like babies?"
"Uh-uh" A J shook his head.
"Oh, why?"
A J climbed onto the chair with Mattie, who was obliged to make a seat for him by setting him on her lap as he put his mouth to her ear and whispered, "Babies are dumb!"
Mattie looked at him seriously, "Why?" she asked.
"All they do is eat, make pooey and sleep and cry. They cry lots!" he added emphatically.
"Yeah, I guess they do at first," Mattie said understandingly, "But you know, you used to be a baby too…"
"No! I'm a big boy! And big boys aren't babies!"
"No, they're not," Mattie said with a smile, "But babies grow into big boys, and when Jimmy is a big boy you'll be able to play football with him, teach him to pitch a baseball, and teach him to do all sorts of things, and…. And share your toys with him… but until then you'll have to be his big brother and look out for him!"
A J looked dubious, "Share all my toys with him?" he asked.
Mattie nodded, "Even my special, favourite toys?" A J asked, his lower lip trembling.
"Well… maybe not your very special, favourite toys," Mattie assured him.
A J's face brightened, "'Kay… I can do that."
"Good man!" Mattie grinned. "What sort of special toys have you got, A J?"
"Jets!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, "Topcats, like Uncle Harm flies – but he flies big airplanes too!" he said in a confidential aside.
"Wow! You got jets?" Mattie asked in an impressed voice.
"Uh-huh. Do you like jets?" A J asked hopefully, his eyes fixed on Mattie's
"I sure do. Your Uncle Harm is already teaching me how to fly!"
"In a real jet?"
"No, not yet. I've got a lot of learning to do and a lot of growing up to do before I can fly a jet."
A J considered her gravely and then a huge grin split his face, "Mommy! Can I show Mat.."
"Mattie" she prompted him quietly.
"Can I show… Mattie… my airplanes?"
"Oh, A J, I'm sure Mattie doesn't want to see your airplanes. Girls don't like boys' toys."
"No, Mrs Roberts, it's OK, I really would like to see A J's airplanes if it's alright with you?"
"Mommy, pleeeease?"
Harriet surrendered, "Only if you're sure he won't be a bother to you Mattie."
"He won't, Mrs Roberts. I like him, and I do like airplanes too!" Mattie managed as A J tugged forcefully on her hands, "OK, big guy," she laughed, "I'm coming!"
The four adults watched with smiles on their faces as A J practically towed Mattie out of the family room and towards the stairs.
Harriet shook her head wonderingly, "What's the story, there, si… uh… Harm?"
"It's long and complicated Harriet…" Harm began and turning to Catherine from time to time for corroboration or to check a detail he gave Harriet and Bud a shortened version of Mattie's history, leaving out the details of her mom's death, and glossing over her father's disappearance, and ended with his hand in Catherine's as he said, "she's too bright, too lively and too independent to submit to the system… and, well, Catherine and I liked her at first sight and got on well with her, and then we found out her circumstances… so, we – Catherine and I – have applied to the courts for guardianship. And…" he faltered slightly, "that's one of the reasons I'm glad to be able to talk to you while she's not on the room. We've had to give the name of a referee to the Guardian Ad Litem, and I took the liberty of giving your names. You don't mind, do you?"
Bud instantly replied, "Of course not, Harm… if there's anything we can do to help, isn't that right Sweetie!"
Harriet looked less certain for few moments until she became aware that all eyes were upon her when she flashed a somewhat uncertain smile and hurriedly endorsed Bud's claim, "Of course!" she declared.
"Uh… there's more too, I'm afraid…" Harm added.
"Oh?" Bud asked as Harriet cocked her head inquiringly.
"Yeah… as well as vouching for us to the Guardian… would you be prepared to act as a character witness at the hearing?"
Bud and Harriett exchanged glances, "Sure!" Bud replied, while Harriet nodded in concurrence.
"She seems like a nice kid, smart too – and she's certainly won one heart since she's been here!" Harriett smiled, "She was so good with A J, it's hard to believe that she hasn't got any little brothers or sisters!"
"No, she's an only child," agreed Harm, "but I believe that she's got a couple of years baby-sitting experience under her belt!"
Harriet nodded, "And that brings us nicely to you, Catherine… if you don't mind me asking…"
"Harriett!" a horrified Bud interrupted as his loving wife, sparing him a quick exasperated glance, continued remorselessly, "When are you due?"
Bud, who had feared that Harriet had meant to inquire into the how, why, where and when of Harm and Catherine's relationship, breathed a silent sigh of relief, especially as Catherine showed no signs of taking offence and merely smiled contentedly as she smoothed a hand over her bump, "Just over four weeks," she replied placidly, "and I can't wait!"
"Oh… I know!" Harriett agreed emphatically, "It's so great when you get to hold your baby for the first time. It's an experience like nothing else!"
"So I've been told," smiled Catherine, "But I'm also looking forward to seeing my feet again, being able to wax my legs, being able to tie my own shoes – and to finally be able to have an occasional glass of wine!"
Harriet looked horrified, but then, as had so many before, realised that she'd been fooled by Catherine's dry sense of humour, and sitting back in her chair, she grinned, and complained, "You are bad!"
Harm and Bud chuckled at the by-play, and then Bud brought to remember his duties as a host, blanched slightly and asked, "And talking of glasses of wine, can I get everyone a drink? We've got wine to go with lunch, but there's tea or coffee, or we got beer, water, soda and iced tea in the 'fridge…" he looked inquiringly at Catherine.
"An iced tea would be good, thank you," she smiled.
"Harm?"
Harm looked at Catherine, "Would you mind?"
"No, you go ahead… I'll drive us home."
"Thanks, sweetheart! A beer for me please Bud."
Bud nodded and turned to look at Harriet, "Iced tea for me too, please, Bud."
As Bud rose to go into the kitchen Harm followed him. As they entered the kitchen Bud looked at his former mentor and with a backward jerk of his head asked, "Do you think that's wise – leaving the two of them alone like that?"
"Have a little pity on Harriet, Bud. She's being eaten alive by curiosity, give her a chance to ask the questions that she won't while you or I are in the room!"
Bud grinned, "She's not A J, Harm!"
Harm stopped, "Bud… what does that mean?" he asked a puzzled expression settling on his face.
"Only that you're not her Godfather, so you shouldn't spoil her like that!" Bud grinned.
Harm grinned in return, "I'll try to remember that!" he promised.
Left alone with her target in the family room, Harriet began tentatively enough, "So… how did you and Harm get involved? Oh, I know you faced off at the Angelshark hearing, and of course about the fake wedding… but…"
"Oh, we didn't get involved, as you put it, then; in fact we barely saw each other, except in passing for months…"
"Yes, I know you work for 'the State Department' and dating a co-worker can be difficult…"
"But you and Bud managed it." Catherine said trying to deflect what she felt sure was coming.
"Oh, Bud and I weren't working together when we started dating, and we very nearly didn't get our act together at all, it was only due to a plan that Harm and the Colonel cooked up between them… Is there something wrong?" she asked as a shadow passed over Catherine's face.
"No, no… there's nothing wrong," Catherine assured her, "but do you mind me speaking plainly?"
"I hope not."
"Well… It's Harm and Mac… like you, when I first met them, I was immediately aware of a very strong undercurrent between them, a mutual attraction that I felt they were both fighting to deny. They had a… a… Oh, I don't know, an inner spark each. But when Harm and I met up again, just after he left the Company, his spark had gone. I don't know what happened between him and Mac – naturally, he won't tell me – but he seemed so… defeated, like he'd given up on everything. Then we started to… date, I suppose is the word, and he started flying for Mattie, and it seemed that he was getting his old spark back. I know that the admiral offered to re-instate him, but Harm turned him down. He said he couldn't serve under him again, and I do know, that even with the old admiral gone from JAG, he refused to return there while Mac was still in her billet."
Harriet's eyes brimmed with unshed tears that she hastily blotted with a Kleenex, "Oh, that is so sad, considering what might have been… Oh! I'm sorry! That is so unfair of me to say that to you, but from what I've seen today, Harm's spark is back in full measure, and that must be down to you!"
"Well, me, Mattie or Elizabeth!" Catherine protested with a chuckle, "I'm not sure which one of us he loves the most!"
"Catherine!" Harriett didn't know whether to be shocked or amused, and then another thought struck, "Who's Elizabeth?"
Catherine grinned as she once again stroked her swollen stomach, "This young lady in here; this is our daughter, Elizabeth Patricia, for my Grandmother, and for Harm's Mom."
"So… Elizabeth is the product of the honeymoon after the wedding that never was?" Harriet asked her face alive with curiosity.
"No… not really. Nothing about this whole situation is explained that easily!" Catherine chuckled.
"So…?" Harriet pressed on.
Catherine's face still held her smile as she said gently but firmly, "I shall have to ask your pardon now, Harriet, but I think, for the moment that I shan't say anymore." Hoping that her smile robbed her words of offence, she continued, "You see, I don't know you very well, and a girl's got to have some secrets after all; maybe a little way down the road, I'll be able to share more fully. I hope you understand?"
Harriet fought to keep the disappointment out of her face and voice as she replied, "Of course I understand! I can't help feeling just a little bit anxious, though; you see Harm has been such a good friend to Bud and me for such a long time, that I almost feel as if he's one of the family, and I just want to make sure he's OK, and doesn't get hurt again. Oh dear, that sounds so disloyal to Mac, and I don't mean to be! She is A J's Godmother, and if Harm and Mac aren't talking it's going to make life just a little bit awkward at times!"
Catherine shook her head indulgently, "Harm speaks very highly of your organisational abilities, you know, Harriet, and I'm sure you'll be able to sort things out!"
Harriet smiled weakly in acknowledgement as Bud and Harm re-entered the room, having judged that Harriet had had more than enough time to pump Catherine for information, or in Bud's words, "It's time to rescue Catherine from interrogation!"
The drinks distributed and Bud and Harm having settled themselves back into their seats, Harriet took a sip of her drink and looked at Harm, "Catherine was just telling me that you don't want to go back to JAG?" she said brightly.
Bud nearly choked on a mouthful of beer and spluttered incoherently in protest at his wife's bluntness, but was waved into silence by Harm, who returned Harriet's gaze and replied evenly, "That's true. After the admiral told me to go wrestle alligators, on top of everything that happened since Loren Singer's death, I just couldn't serve under him again. I felt he had sold me out – and worse, he had abandoned Mac – and I'd always be looking over my shoulder, wondering when he was going to cut me loose again. And…" he looked slightly uncomfortable, "after the mess that Mac and I made of our friendship in Paraguay – and we were both to blame for that – I just don't see us being able to work together for a good while. It's like I told her the other day, the wounds we dealt each other this time are too raw and too deep to heal quickly, and it's best that we give ourselves time to develop scar tissue. So for the moment, the less contact we have the better, and maybe a bit further down the road we can get back to a place where we can share a coffee or a joke without wanting to hurt the other again."
Harriet leaned forward, her eyes again suspiciously moist, as she laid a sympathetic hand on Harm's knee, "I hope so, Harm, I really hope so. Despite your ups and downs, you and Mac have always been such good friends, it would be so wrong to lose that… for both of you!"
Bud hastened to intervene before the scene became too emotional, "OK, Harm. It's time to come clean! I've been piecing together the evidence. One: When you phoned the other day, you didn't insist on us not calling you 'sir'. Two: You are buying a house. That argues that you have a steady income – one that's considerably more than you could earn crop-dusting. Three: You knew about my promotion almost before I had time to sew the half-ring on my sleeve. All these suggest that you're back in uniform!"
Harm looped his arm around Catherine's shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze, "Nicely summed up, counsellor," he grinned. "Yes, I'm back in uniform, the SecNav reinstated me a couple of weeks ago and I'm working directly for him at the Pentagon, as his chief military legal advisor for Maritime Law, International law and Military Law!"
Bud's grin was so wide that the ends threatened to meet at the back of his head, and he enthused, "Well done sir! Congratulations!" while Harriet's shriek of pleasure threatened to roust out every pigeon in DC and all the states surrounding the capital.
So loud was her yell that the thudding of feet was heard on the stairs and Mattie, slightly red-faced and breathless from the weight of A J on her hip appeared at the door, her face creased in concern, "What's wrong?" she half-gasped.
"Nothing, nothing at all, Squirt," Harm reassured her.
"Mattie," Bud interrupted, "Put him down! He's far too heavy for you! Harm's right, there's no need for concern; it's just Harriet's way of calling us all to the table!"
"Oh, Lord, yes!" His red-faced wife agreed, "Come along everyone!"
A J stood four-square, his lower lip pursed in a pout, "Mattie sit next to me!" he demanded.
Bud raised an eyebrow, "'Mattie sit next to me' what?" he asked.
A J looked down and shuffled his feet in embarrassment before looking up at his father, "Please?" he asked.
The four adults exchanged glances and to Mattie's confusion burst into laughter, "What?" she demanded suspiciously.
"Nothing, Kiddo," a still-smiling Harm replied, "It's just that it looks like you've just gained you first beau!"
"Yeah, right!" a now furiously blushing Mattie scoffed, as she fought to keep her lips from twitching in a smile!