31
Harm was appalled at Mattie's behaviour towards Alison Cameron, and was torn between an urge to go after her and make her apologise to the doctor, and his need to be with Catherine, who had let go of Esther's hand and who was hunched over Beth, rocking back and forth as she wept silently, while Donnie and Chrissie had their arms around each other, their faces buried in each other's shoulder as they both gave and received comfort.
The need to look after Catherine won and swiftly crossing the room, he dropped to one knee next to Catherine's chair and gently looped both arms around her shoulders, gently offering his shoulder to her, and offering comfort to their daughter who seemed to sense the raw emotions in the room and had started to whimper.
Alison waited silently until the first storm of reaction to Esther's death eased and then gently suggested that they leave the nursing staff to prepare Esther for her journey to the mortuary, mentioning that if they felt the need, the hospital chapel was always open.
Donnie, Chrissie and Catherine looked at each other and when Donnie said in strained, tight voice, "Chapel?" the two women nodded their assent.
Harm nodded and said gravely, I'll be with you in a minute, and then waiting until they had passed out of earshot, he turned to Alison Cameron, "I'm so sorry about Mattie, he began. "She was way out of line…"
But was interrupted by Alison's grasp of his arm as she shook her head and said, "No, leave it Harm. She didn't mean that. She's hurt and lashing out, it's a normal step in the grieving process, and besides," Alison's lips twitched in a grave smile, "I've had a lot worse things than that said to me over the years. It comes with the territory."
"Are you really alright with that?" Harm asked incredulously.
"Alright? No… not really, but I do understand it, Harm." Alison hesitated before she continued, "Don't make a big deal out of this Harm, for Mattie's sake. She's upset and hurt, and she'll probably be ashamed of herself when she's calmer. The last thing she needs right now is you censuring her and laying a load of guilt on top of the load she's trying to cope with right now."
"And what of the load that Catherine's carrying?" Harm demanded, "Hasn't she got enough to cope with without worrying about a teenage tantrum?"
Alison nodded, "She has, and she will need you and all the support you can give her to help her get through this. Concentrate on helping Catherine… and on helping Mattie too. You may be mad at her right now, but she needs you as much as Catherine does!"
Harm nodded, recognising the truth in her words, "Yes, you're right of course, I… I'd best go find her… I don't know how long we'll be in the chapel…"
Alison shook her head, "No… go along with Catherine and her brother… I'll get security to look for her on CCTV, and then once we've got a fix on her, I'll get someone to tell you where she is…"
Harm nodded again, "Thanks, Alison and I am truly sorry that she spoke to you like that…"
"You have nothing to blame yourself for Harm, so no apology needed."
"But, I should have…"
"You can't take the blame for everything Harm, so stop beating yourself up. This was not your fault…" Alison held up an admonishing hand as she saw him about to speak, "No! Enough is enough. Go to the chapel, Harm; go, be with Catherine and your child!"
Harm sat beside Catherine, who was still cradling Beth in her arms, she had stopped sobbing, but every few minutes a stray tear would roll down her cheeks. Harm looped a gentle arm around her shoulders, and Catherine surrendered to his familiar embrace, letting her head droop against his shoulder. They stayed where they were for about twenty minutes, each taking a measure of comfort from the other's presence, before a nurse in scrubs entered the chapel and dropped to one knee by the side of their pew.
"Commander Rabb?" she queried, and when Harm nodded she continued, "We've located Miss Grace, she's on a bench just outside the main doors. We've asked her to come in, but she just sits there, she doesn't move and she won't answer."
Harm heaved a sigh, "Thank you, nurse," he said and turned his head towards Catherine.
"Come, on Harm we'd best get going," she said in a low voice… "There's so much to be done, so much to be decided… I need to sit down with Donnie and decide who's going to do what… what we're going to do about Mom's condo… all her stuff to be gone through… all her papers… and her…. her… f… f… funeral… Oh, Harm!" Catherine's voice nearly broke again as she wailed Harm's name, disturbing Beth who squirmed in her mother's arms and started to cry.
Diverted for the moment from her grief, Catherine reacted to her baby's needs and within a few moments had not only calmed down Beth, but had regained some measure of control over herself, and when she spoke next, it was with barely a quaver in her voice, "Donnie, Chrissie, we're heading on back to the house now. You are staying over with us?"
Donnie looked troubled, "I don't know that we should Cathy-Cat," he said, reverting to her childhood nickname, "With everything that's going on, and with the baby and all…"
"Don't even think of getting a room, Donnie, nor of driving back to Baltimore before you're rested up!" Harm cautioned him. "Of course you're staying over with us. Apart from anything else, you and Catherine have a got a whole mess of stuff to sort out between you!"
Chrissie and Donnie looked at each other a silent message passing between them, and then nodded, "OK, we'll stay," Donnie reluctantly agreed, "but only because we're too tired to argue with you!"
Harm stepped up to Donnie, and clapped him on the shoulder, "Good man!" he said softly, "I have feeling that Catherine needs you to be with us tonight!"
It was only when they'd left the chapel that Catherine realised she had left Beth's porta-crib in Esther's room, and her purse with it. Picking up the pace, she and Harm headed back to the room, only to be met half-way by Mattie, carrying both porta-crib and purse.
The teenager saw them approaching and stopped, nervously waiting for Harm to rip her a new one for running off the way she had. But Harm took in the cold, pinched look on Mattie's face, as well as her red-rimmed eyes and tear-streaked cheeks and felt what was left of his anger die away. He would speak to Mattie about her behaviour, but for the moment, he kept one arm around Catherine's waist and opened his other arm, saying simply, "Mats?"
Mattie still stood a few feet away, and hefted the porta-crib, "I… I went back to… to… Esth… to Esth… to the room, and you weren't there… I asked a nurse and she said that you'd gone to the chapel… and then I saw… these…"
"It's OK, Mats, we understand. We can sort all that out later, OK?"Catherine interrupted with a pleading glance at Harm, which went totally unseen as he agreed, "Yeah, but we need you here right now?" He opened his arm again and this time Mattie gave a gulping sob, dropped the porta-crib and threw herself against his chest her arms going around of much of Harm and Catherine as she could reach, while she buried her face against his sweatshirt, and sobbed, "I'm sorry, so sorry!"
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
A combination of fatigue and fraught emotions meant that by the time the two cars had made it back to Woodford Road, nobody was in a fit state to do anything other than collapse into bed. Everybody but one, that is. Elizabeth Rabb remained sublimely indifferent to the needs and wants of the big people surrounding her, all she knew was that she was wet, dirty, smelly, uncomfortable and hungry.
Harm and Catherine dealt with their daughter's demands by functioning as automatons, Catherine finally falling asleep with the freshly bathed, changed and powdered Beth at her breast, neither of them making so much as a whisper as Harm lifted his daughter out of Catherine's arms and placed her in her bassinet. As he did so he saw that the black of night was turning to the grey of dawn and with a muttered curse he checked his watch, nearly oh seven hundred hours.
A brutally honest self-appraisal told him that he was in no fit state to work, and more than that, Catherine would need him by her side when she awoke. Not liking what he had to do next, he checked through his list of contacts on his cell 'phone and dialled the number for which he was reluctantly looking. He was soon answered by a bright voice on a recording, "Hi, you have reached Jen an' Lynne; we can't get to the 'phone right now. So you know what to do when you hear the bleep."
Harm waited until he heard the 'bleep', "Coates, this is Commander Rabb, if you're there, please…"
"Good morning, sir! This is Barker. Jen… uh… Coates is in the shower right now. Hold on and I'll get her for you!"
Harm waited a couple of minutes, and then heard the mumble of voices getting louder as they neared the 'phone and then, "Good morning, sir! Coates here!"
"Morning, Jennifer. Look, we've had a bit of a bad night, so I'm not coming in today. Please let the SecNav know, and that I'll call him this afternoon with a full explanation."
Jen, who had been well aware of Mattie's disappointment over the court ruling, asked quickly, "It's not Mattie, is it sir?"
Harm was too tired and drained to prevaricate further, "No, Jennifer, he said heavily, "It's not Mattie. Catherine's mother, Mrs Gale, died at just past oh five twenty hours this morning."
Harm heard Jen's quick gasp before she spoke, her voice grave, but somehow conveying her real sympathy, "Oh, sir. I am so sorry to hear that…"
"Thank you, Jennifer. You can tell the SecNav that if you would. But please don't mention it to anyone else just yet. And make me an appointment to see the SecNav at oh eight thirty hours tomorrow please."
"Aye, aye, sir! And sir?"
"Yes?"
"Please let Miss Gale and Mattie know that I am truly sorry for their loss."
"Yes. Thank you Jennifer, I will. Oh, Jennifer!" An afterthought struck Harm, "When you get into work, can you also place a call to Miss Gale's secretary at Langley and let her know that Miss Gale won't be in today either. Just tell her it's a family emergency, I'm sure she'll be able to put two and two together!"
Once again Jen responded with a crisp, "Aye, aye, sir!"
Harm put the 'phone down with a sigh, and rolled onto his back, his eyes slammed shut and he was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
The family slept through the morning, except Harm and Catherine who were awoken by Beth's demands for attention, so it was a still groggily tired Harm who in the early afternoon roused the other occupants of the house, and while he and Mattie concentrated on providing food and copious amounts of strong coffee, Catherine, Donnie and Chrissie hammered out who was to do what in respect of Esther's belongings, her condo and last, but not least, her funeral.
In the end it was decided that Donnie would take care of the funeral, Catherine would oversee the placing of Esther's condo on the market while they would all descend on the condo on Saturday morning and clear it of Esther's personal belongings. Mattie went white at the prospect, but nobody relished the thought of going through Esther's effects, "Rummaging through her life!" Mattie said in disgust. Harm eyed her anxiously, Mattie was, as he'd expected, taking Esther's death hard, very hard, and he worried about how long and how intensely the teenager would mourn. Freshly reddened eyes told anyone who cared to pay attention that Mattie had had at least one more tear-storm since returning from Kresge.
The following day saw Donnie and Chrissie head back to Baltimore, both had bosses who although sympathetic to their loss, still had businesses to run. Harm reluctantly headed back to the Pentagon, where he was met in the outer office by Jen, who greeted him with a quiet but pleasant, "Good morning, sir. How are you, Miss Gale and Mattie doing?"
"We'll make it, thank you Coates. Mattie's taking it hard, but she's young, and she adored Mrs Gale."
"Yes, sir. I know," Jen replied sombrely. "If there's anything I can do to help her… or any of you…?"
"Nothing at the moment, Jennifer. But thank you. I'll certainly keep your offer in mind. Now," his tone became brisker, "Did you get me a spot with the SecNav?"
"Yes, sir. He said for you to go straight to see him when you got in."
"He's in already?" Harm asked in mild surprise.
"Yes, sir, got in about twenty minutes ago."
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
Harm entered the SecNav's office and walked across the carpet to halt in front of the desk. Secretary Sheffield looked him up and down. To him, Rabb looked as if he was almost asleep on his feet, his eyes red-rimmed and his face drawn.
"Sit down, Commander," SecNav said, privately tacking on the thought 'before you fall down', but continuing, "Petty Officer Coates passed me your message, of course," Sheffield hesitated, "And I am sorry that your family has had such a loss, particularly so soon after your daughter's birth."
"Thank you, Mister Secretary," Harm replied.
"Normally I would, under these sort of circumstances, say that if there was anything I could do… but as you requested this interview, I take it there is something that you want?"
"Yes, Mister Secretary, I would like to take emergency leave until next week, when the funeral is done… I don't know exactly when that will be, but it was a natural death in hospital, so I don't anticipate an autopsy and its associated delay…"
"Of course! Take as much time as you need. This place won't fall apart without you." Sheffield paused again and sighed, "I seem to recall saying pretty much the same to you not so long ago."
Harm nodded, remembering all too well exactly what the SecNav had said to him, and how, in retrospect, that comment was now savagely ironic. "Thank you, Mister Secretary," Harm said getting to his feet. "I'll let my people know, and let Commander Bellingham know that she's the person you'll be going to if need be."
"You're leaving her in charge during your absence?" Sheffield wasn't querying Rabb's decision, but was seeking conformation in the light of Harm's elliptical comment.
"Yes, Mister Secretary. She has seniority."
"Very well, Commander!" Sheffield hesitated again and when he spoke Harm nearly fell through the floor, "I am truly sorry for your loss, Harm. Take all the time you need, but keep me in the loop, please. So, if I don't hear from you beforehand, I'll expect to see you back here on Monday week, OK?"
"Yes, Mister Secretary. Thank you."
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
The next few days were difficult for everyone except Beth who remained indifferent to what was going on around her. Catherine had also taken family leave and made an effort to appear as if everything was right with her world, but on more than one occasion Harm had entered a room to find her paused in whatever task she was doing to stare blindly into the middle distance.
Mattie, much to Catherine's and Harm's surprise had woken that morning at her usual time, and having swallowed a hasty breakfast grabbed her book-bag and made a dash to catch the school bus, explaining, "You don't need me underfoot all day when you have so much to do, so I'll get out of your hair!" Her only action betraying her feelings were the tight hugs she bestowed on both Harm and Catherine before she almost ran out of the door.
That first afternoon Harm and Catherine had gone over to Esther's condominium in McLean and had emptied her desk, bundling its contents, and taking it all back to Vienna. From then on it seemed to Harm that he saw very little of Catherine for the rest of the week. He took over most of the routine household chores while she, with the exception of feeding and looking after Beth, virtually barricaded herself into the den while she worked her way through the mass of paperwork, dealing with Esther's bank and savings accounts, her solicitor, pension funds and social services.
On the surface Mattie appeared to have taken Esther's loss with equanimity, but on her return from school she would retreat to her room, and for two days declined to come to dinner, saying that she wasn't hungry. The discovery that all she'd had for breakfast was a mug of coffee, and apparently hadn't taken a lunch with her brought worried frowns to both Harm and Catherine's faces. It had taken Jen Coates to break through the teenager's armour. Jen had arrived on Friday evening, to collect Mattie for a scheduled sleepover at the Georgetown apartment, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened that week, and in a calculated act that at first sight seemed cruel had chosen 'Driving Miss Daisy' as the evening's film entertainment.
The effect had been spectacularly cathartic, if tiring. Mattie had spent practically the whole night curled up on the couch crying in Jen's arms, leaving them both tired, but with some measure of peace restored to Mattie's soul, as the teenager had finally allowed herself to mourn openly. Jen had dropped Mattie off at the McLean condo, as arranged, and the teenager was able to bear her part in the packing of Esther's belongings with a seemingly good grace, although she, like Catherine and Chrissie become more silent and grave as the day wore on.
As the evening fell the five of them stood in the middle of the lounge, the last box had been loaded into the cars and all that remained were the items of furniture that were too big or would just add unnecessary clutter. Some items were destined for storage until such time as Donnie and Chrissie found a home, the rest would wait until the following week when a company specialising in house clearance would take the rest and sell it at auction on behalf of the family.
Esther's will was simplicity itself. There was only one side bequest, a five-figure sum to be used as the basis for a college fund in the name of Matilda Grace. Everything else, once expenses had been paid, including the proceeds from the sale of the condominium was to be divided equally between Donnie and Catherine.
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
While Catherine had been ploughing through Esther's correspondence, Donnie too had been had been busy, organising Esther's funeral which was to take place on Monday at eleven hundred hours at the Baptist cemetery on North Glebe Road, Arlington.
The working weekend and the Monday funeral meant that Donnie and Chrissie had stayed the weekend at Vienna and with the best will in the world two women, even well-disposed to each but who were almost total strangers, found it difficult being under the same roof, and Catherine confided her relief on Monday morning as they dressed, "I think I'm going to love Chrissie," she'd said with a wry grin as she slipped into her dress and turned her back to Harm, "Zip me up, please, but I'm going to be so glad when they've gone back to Baltimore!"
"A serpent in paradise, Catherine?" Harm asked as he fastened the little hook and eye at the neckline of Catherine's long-sleeved black dress, and as was customary each time he performed that service for her, planted a soft kiss on the nape of her neck.
"No… I wouldn't go that far…" Catherine said thoughtfully, "It's dumb, I know… but she's got different ways of doing things… for instance, she washes up things in a different order than I do… and she drapes the dish-towel over the front of the sink, instead of putting it on the towel rack… Like I said, dumb things, that shouldn't amount to a hill of beans… and it's probably some dumb female ascendancy thing, but it's my home, and seeing another woman making herself at home is just wrong on so many levels!"
Harm paused one foot on the edge of the bedroom chair as he tied his shoe-laces, "But… we told them to make themselves at home!" he exclaimed.
"Ohhh! I know we did!" Catherine fumed, "And that's what makes it so impossible! I can't complain when I told her to go ahead and treat this house as if it were her own… but it's difficult not to turn around and say… Oh, we do 'X' like 'Y' here!" She caught the perplexed look in Harm's eye and shrugged, giving an embarrassed half-laugh, "I said it was dumb!"
Harm shook his head in bafflement, "Yeah, you did," he said, earning himself a mega-watt glare from his fiancée.
Recognising his faux-pas, Harm made an effort to regain the ground he had just lost, "Let me have a look at you…."
Catherine stood still for a few moments, relishing his look of appreciation, swiftly followed by his "Damn! You look so good…" and a full blown smile.
Yes, she was still mad at Harm for agreeing with her, but the love and admiration in his eyes allayed, as it always did, her flash of ill-temper. "Damn you, Harmon Rabb!" she said without rancour, as she walked towards him, "One day that smile of yours is not going to get you out of trouble!"
"Oh, it's worse than that, sweetheart," he grinned, "It's actually gotten me into more trouble than it ever got me out of!"
"Why don't I have any trouble believing that?" she said softly through her smile, as she reached up and gently kissed him.
"I don't know…" he sighed mournfully, looking again for all the world like a whipped puppy.
"Oh no, sailor! I ain't falling for that look! Come on, let's see if the rest of 'em are nearly ready!"
The rest of the party were ready and waiting for Harm and Catherine in the lounge. Donnie, as was Harm, was dressed in a freshly cleaned and pressed dark suit, while both Chrissie and Mattie wore black dresses and dark panty-hose, Mattie for once not making a fuss, apart from an initial protest, about wearing a dress once Catherine had said, "To show respect for Esther." The dress in question was severely cut of funereal black with a high neckline, long sleeve and a knee length skirt, escaping Mattie's criticism of it being 'too girly', and on this occasion it was embellished with a small, oval silver brooch with a black stone at its centre, which Catherine said was jet, and had been chosen by her for Mattie from the contents of Esther's jewel box.
The service was a simple one, the only other attendees being Harriet and Bud Roberts and Alison Cameron, her presence however, was unwelcome to at least one member of the party.
"What's she doing here?" Mattie hissed to Catherine as soon as she identified the doctor, who in her mind had allowed Esther to die without lifting a finger to save her. Harm's attempts to explain the reality of Esther's final days had fallen on deaf teenage ears, and Mattie's attitude towards Alison was made perfectly clear to all when she not only refused to greet her when she came forward to offer her condolences to the family, but also when Mattie turned her back on Alison and walked away, leaving an angered and embarrassed Harm glaring after her. He was once again torn between the need to remain civil and retain a suitable degree of decorum and the strong desire to grab hold of Mattie and find a secluded spot so that he could give her the spanking that her brattish behaviour deserved.
As she did so, she almost literally walked into the arms of Jennifer Coates, who had abandoned her uniform for the day and like the other women present wore a simple black dress of sober design.
Jen put out a hand to steady her young friend as Mattie stumbled, "Hey, Mats, what's up?"
Mattie dashed the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, "It's that damned doctor!" she said between gritted teeth. "She just stood back and let Esther die, and now she's here oozing false sympathy all over Harm!"
Jen winced, she had absorbed enough of her psychology course to realise that there were several factors affecting Mattie's behaviour. Firstly there was genuine grief at Esther's death accompanied by a deep sense of loss, secondly there was honest resentment at what Mattie saw as Alison Cameron's failure in her duty, but there was also insecurity inspired jealousy that might well have roots in Mattie's uncertain circumstances. With Tom Johnson's parental rights terminated, all Mattie had in the wold was Harm, Catherine and Beth. Now the court had refused their petition to adopt her, and could if it so decided rescind their guardianship, a situation that wouldn't change until Harm and Catherine were married and could re-petition the court, but they weren't married yet, and the slight friendship that had sprung up between Harm and Alison Cameron was seen, perhaps subconsciously, by the teenager as a threat to Ham and Catherine's relationship.
Jen heaved an inward sigh, this was not the ideal place or time, but she had seen the expression on Harm's face, the only time she had seen him look that blazingly mad was at Petty Officer Moritz when the attorney had found out that his client had lied to him.
Jen cast a quick look at her watch; by her reckoning they still had ten minutes before the service was to start, "Walk with me for a few minutes, please, Mats?" she suggested, and Mattie nothing loath to escape from the immediate vicinity of Alison Cameron nodded in agreement.
Jen led Mattie on a slow stroll through the church grounds towards the cemetery itself, "It's so peaceful here, so beautiful," she breathed.
"I guess," Mattie grudgingly admitted as she reluctantly looked around.
"Yeah, and it's so peaceful too. I think it's so important at times like this, that there is peace, no-one needs a funeral disrupted, it's disrespectful to the one who's gone, and emotions re running so high on every side that things are said and done that people wouldn't say or do under other circumstances, and maybe even things that they don't really mean. I get what you mean about doctors, though, I really do. I hated them all for years, going right back to when my Mom died. My Dad and me were waiting in those dumb uncomfortable chairs, waiting for Mom to come out of surgery. And then the doctor came out, he just looked at dad and said, 'She's gone,' just like that. Like 'She's gone – next' as if he was talking about someone taking out the trash, and then he just turned and walked away. I'd never hated anyone as much as I hated him right there. And then when Bud – Lieutenant Roberts, I mean – was hurt in Afghanistan, and the Commander, Colonel MacKenzie and me, we were all waiting while the surgeons worked on him, and then that Surgeon Commander came out, and I just knew that she was going to tell us that Bud was dead, that he was 'gone', but then someone called her back into the OR, and she came back out a few minutes later, with a huge smile on her face, and she told us that he was going to make it. Mattie, at that moment, Commander or no Commander, I could have jumped up and kissed her death! But the important thing is, when she came out of the OR the first time, it looked as if she was about ready to start crying, and then when she came out the second time the smile on her face said that she wasn't like the other doctor; that she cared, she really cared, and OK, I haven't seen much of this Doctor Cameron, but it might be that she cares too, and that Mrs Gale was just too ill to be saved. Give her a chance Mats. It's going to be hard enough for the Commander and Miss Gale to get through all this, but it's going to be even harder if their daughter hates their friend!"
"But I'm not their daughter!" Mattie almost wailed in protest.
"Well, maybe not as the law is concerned," Jen conceded, "But in every other way, I reckon the Commander sees you as just that!"
"You think?" Mattie asked with a note of hope in her voice.
"Damn straight!" Jen affirmed, her use of one of Mattie's favourite expressions bringing a smile to the teenager's face.
"That's better!" Jen said approvingly, "Come on Mats, let's head back, it's almost time for the service, and I think you need to make an apology to the Doctor."
"Really?" Mattie asked doubtfully.
"Yeah, really. Look you don't have to become her buddy all of a sudden, but how about just giving her a chance to show that she's not the wicked witch of the west?"
"Oh... I know she's not that!" Mattie blurted out, only just smothering a giggle.
"How come?" Jen asked curiously.
"That's Colonel MacKenzie!" Mattie declared dogmatically.
Jen stayed silent, although she would probably never get over her strong disapproval of Mac's treatment of Harm, she nevertheless still retained a degree of loyalty to her former commanding officer.
Harm had been silently fuming and sneaking glances at his watch as he waited for Mattie's return, hoping that she hadn't fled the scene, but believing that she wouldn't let Esther down in such a fashion, and took a long breath of relief as he saw her re-enter the church in company with Jennifer Coates. What Coates was doing here was a mystery, but that could wait for later. The two young women hesitated in the church doorway as their eyes adjusted to the dimmer light of the interior, and then Jen touched Mattie's arm and nodded towards the group that consisted of Bud, Harriet and Alison. From where he stood Harm could see the sudden lift of Mattie's chin and the squaring of her shoulders as she marched towards the other group. With a sinking feeling Harm stood, whispering to Catherine as she quietly played with Beth, "I'll be back in a minute, Sweetheart," and he headed off on a course designed to intercept Mattie before she reached the others. Time and distance were against him however and he reached Mattie just as she spoke, "Doctor Cameron?"
Alison turned towards Mattie, eyeing her cautiously, she had after all heard Mattie's hissed question, "Yes, Mattie?"
Mattie gulped; this was proving harder than she'd thought. "Doctor, I said a couple of pretty nasty things to and about you, the other night and again here today. It seemed to me that you didn't care that Esther Gale died, and I was mad at you for that. I don't know if I can ever forgive or forget that you let her die. But maybe there wasn't anything you could have done for her, and maybe as a friend of mine just said, you did and you do care, and I'm willing to give you the benefit of that doubt. I don't think we'll ever be friends, but maybe we can get along together, so I want to say sorry to you for saying the things I did…" Mattie floundered to a stop, not quite knowing how to make a graceful retreat from the position she had gotten herself into.
Alison Cameron recognised the girl's dilemma and held out a hand, "Mattie, thank you for that, but there was no real need for an apology. I know you were hurting, and when people are hurt, they lash out; it's normal. And for what it's worth, I do care about Esther Gale, she was a marvellous, wonderful lady, of whom I grew to be very fond, and like you, and the rest of her family and friends I will miss her. And that's why I've come here today, to say my goodbyes to her, in the company of her family and friends. So yes, if we can't be friends, at least let us not be enemies, OK?"
Mattie took the offered hand and gave it a brief squeeze, nodding her head as she replied, "Thank you Doctor, I think we can do that."
Harm was near enough to hear what was said, and he nodded in approval of both Mattie and Alison's words. He knew that although a cease-fire had been proposed and accepted, there was still a ways to go before there was peace between the two, but today he'd take anything he could get.
And now it was time for the service, and gently taking Mattie by the elbow, he steered her back towards Catherine and Beth, the two of them taking their seats just as the minister stepped into the pulpit and began the service.
The service by design was brief and was themed on giving thanks for Esther Gale's life and the certainty that she was now enjoying the after-life promised by the Saviour. At the minister's invitation, Donnie stood and read a short eulogy, counting the events of his mother's life and enumerating the blessings she had received and bestowed upon others.
The minister concluded the service with a few short prayers and then to the strains of "She Walked In Fields of Gold" the small congregation walked slowly to the graveside some hundred yards away in a peaceful corner of the cemetery, where Esther's casket stood, waiting to be lowered into the ground, and surrounded by floral tributes, one of which in particular caught his eye, stooping over the bouquet of lilies, he caught a familiar kitchen scent and realised that twined about the lily stems were strands of Rosemary, and unbidden a line from Hamlet sprang to his mind, 'Rosemary, that's for remembrance', and wondering who could have sent such a tribute he opened the card that was attached by a ribbon to the flowers, "To Harmon, Catherine, Elizabeth and Matilda, with my deepest sympathy for your loss. RIP Esther Gale." and it was signed in a familiar hand, "Sarah MacKenzie".
Biting back a sudden spurt of tears, Harm stood upright as the minister read out the Twenty Third Psalm with its message of faith and hope, before continuing with the well-worn, "Man that is born of woman hath but a short time and is full of woe…" and then finally ending the service with a quiet, "We have done here today what we came to do, go now all of you, with the blessing of God."
Harm and his family stood silently while the few guests filed past the casket, each of them touching it lightly in passing and heading back towards the church parking lot before they adjourned to the private room in a local tavern where Donnie had arranged for refreshments to be served.
Harm, Catherine, Donnie and Chrissie circulated amongst the guests ensuring that everybody's plate was full and that a suitable drink was in everyone's glass. Harm took the opportunity to approach Jen where she stood talking to Harriet Roberts, who smiled at Harm and tactfully, although her ears were burning with curiosity, withdrew from hearing distance.
"Jennifer, we weren't expecting to see you here today," Harm said, "but you are very welcome, particularly seeing as it seems we owe you for correcting Mattie's behaviour." He paused and eyed her shrewdly, "How did you do it and what did you say to her?"
"Do you recall, sir, that not so long ago I said that there might be times when Mattie really needed to tell em things that she couldn't say to you or Miss gale? Well, today was one of those times! As for what I said to her… well, sir, I can't really tell you that without disclosing what she said to me. And If I was to tell you that, then I'd be blowing our doctor/patient confidentiality!" Jen told him with a smile that was broad enough to reveal her dimple.
Harm chuckled and raised an eyebrow, "Doctor/patient confidentiality, really Jennifer? I don't think that kite will fly!"
"Maybe not today, sir, but some day, as soon as I'm qualified!"
"Taking it all the way to a doctorate, Jennifer?"
"Damn straight!" Jen affirmed for the second time that day.
The buffet meal didn't last too long. Bud and Harriet had left A J and Jimmy with a neighbour's teenaged daughter to baby-sit them and they were anxious to return home, and their departure seemed to be a signal for Alison Cameron to come up to Harm and Catherine and make her farewells; she was scheduled for the late shift at Kresge and needed to get a couple of hours rest before embarking on what could be an exhausting evening.
Jennifer too, once she realised that the others were leaving, made her excuses to Harm and Catherine, and with a quick hug for Mattie also left, promising to pick Mattie up on Friday evening, if they didn't manage to speak with each other before then.
Barely had Harm and Mattie seen Jen safely into her old Ford when on returning to the private room they became aware of a more than just strained atmosphere. Chrissie was sitting white faced and anxious as an angry Catherine faced down a defiant Donnie. It was immediately apparent that Ham had somehow missed the tension that had obviously been simmering between brother and sister and had only waited for their guests to depart before exploding into an open, furious argument.
"Damn it, Catherine! You could at least show some respect and have the decency to postpone it!"
"I am showing respect Donnie! I'm keeping the promise I made to our mother while she was dying, which is more than can be said for you!"
"We are keeping our promise, Catherine! We promised Mom that we'd get married in June, and we are getting married in June! But we're going to leave it a twelve month and get married next June! At least we are showing Mom some respect, by not celebrating the same year she died!"
"That's pure sophistry Donnie, just bullshit! You may think you're abiding by the words of the promise you made, but you sure as hell aren't abiding by the spirit of it! You know full well that when you promised Mom you'd get married in June she thought that you meant this year! Well, I'm telling you Donald Gale, that when we promised her we'd get married in April, we knew and she knew that we meant this April! We promised her that Donald Gale, and on this side of the family, we don't make promises we don't intend to keep!"
"Fine, OK!" Donald yelled back, "But neither Chrissie nor I will attend your wedding if you hold it in April this year!"
"Donnie," Harm interrupted quietly, "You don't really mean that you'd miss your only sister's wedding?"
"No! I don't mean that!" Donnie snapped, "Because if you get married in April, then I will no longer have a sister!"
Mattie and Catherine both gasped and stood speechless, as Harm said, "Donnie that's just your temper talking; you don't mean that!"
"The hell I don't!" Donnie yelled in a choked voice, and then he drew a deep breath, "Come on Chrissie we're out of here!" and spun on his heel barging through the door.
Chrissie stood, still pale faced, "I… I'm… sorry he's acting like this… I'm sure he'll be OK once he's calmed down. But… I… I think he's right you know… I think that maybe you ought to consider postponing until next year." She made a brave attempt at a smile, "Maybe we could have a double wedding, and then we could all laugh at this…" she finished in an almost pleading tone.
Harm looked at Catherine who had drawn herself to her full height, her own face white with the exception of two crimson temper flares at her cheeks, "No I don't think so, Chrissie. I meant what I said. We keep our promises on this side of the family!" she almost spat out.
Chrissie just looked at the three of them helplessly and then turned to the door, looking back over her shoulder once saying, "Please?"
Catherine, although sorry for Chrissie being caught in the middle of the fight between brother and sister, just shook her head and said quietly, "You'd best go, Chrissie."
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
The aftermath of the fight between Donnie and Catherine, coming as it did at their mother's funeral, was bitter and remained unresolved. Catherine and Harm had both repeatedly tried to call Donnie, but his first question to them was always the same, "Are you still going ahead with the April wedding?" And each time they had answered that they were, he had hung up. Calls to Chrissie were only a little more fruitful, but she, as was only natural and despite her misgivings, sided with Donnie, and although she remained polite she refused to discuss her and Donnie's position, and so over the next several weeks the attempts at calls became fewer with longer intervals between them.
In the meantime, Catherine was as busy as any working Mom but with the added stress of preparing for her own wedding. Fortunately Beth now only woke once, or less frequently twice, during the night and half the time could be rocked back to sleep with little difficulty, relieving some of the stress and fatigue on both Harm and Catherine.
Harm returned to work after the funeral, almost happy to do so and relieved that apart from the unresolved conflict with Donnie, all was comparatively smooth sailing at home. Mattie was doing well at school, and seemed to be getting over the impact of Esther's death, although both Harm and Catherine noted separately that she was a little clingier than she had been before, confirming their suspicions about her behaviour as they discussed the day's events. A practice that grew into a habit at the end of each day in the shared comfort of their bed.
The guest list for the wedding was remarkably short. Frank and Tricia of course would come out from California the week before and would help out with the last minute details and take some of the load from Harm and Catherine's shoulders. Bud and Harriet's invitation was happily received, Bud responding to it with a "Are you sure you don't need me to conduct the ceremony?"
Harm and Bud were in McMurphy's at the time, and the threat from Harm of emptying what was left of his beer over Bud's head brought a hasty retraction and a smiling acceptance of Harm's correcting him, "Not this time, Bud. I need you to be my groomsman!"
Jennifer Coates at first demurred, when Harm ambushed her at lunch with an invitation for herself plus one, saying, "I don't think I ought to, sir."
"Why ever not, Jennifer?" Harm was taken by surprise, Jen had become a frequent weekend visitor to the house on Woodford road, although she never stayed for longer than it took to bundle Mattie out of the house and into her car for sleepovers or visits to the Mall.
"Well, because you're an officer, and I'm enlisted," Jen pointed out patiently.
Harm blinked, "Jennifer, you're more than just enlisted, you're a friend. And I want my friend to celebrate my wedding with me. And it's more than that Jennifer; you've become a friend of the family. I'm pretty sure that if I didn't invite you, Catherine will. And I know Mattie would like her friend to be there to giggle with. Jennifer, I am more than happy that the friendship between the two of you is so close. Mattie has made good friends at school," Harm's mind flitted for the moment to the consideration of Susan Smithfield, a volleyball team-mate and who shared a military link with Mattie, her family were all Marines, and her elder brother Joe was the fourth generation of the family to join the Corps and was about to deploy to Iraq.
"But you're a different case Jennifer," he insisted, and to his mind Jennifer was different, "You're a good influence on her. You're old enough to be a steadying influence on Mattie but you're still young enough not to appear to belong too much of an older generation. In some ways Mattie has come to look on you as an older sister. Harm grinned at Jen's dumbstruck expression and carried on, "And do you have any idea just how much it bugs Catherine when Mattie ignores her advice, and then goes and does just what you suggest, particularly when your advice and Catherine's is practically identical?"
Jen's sense of the absurd was tickled by the praise Harm had just heaped on her, and with a gurgle of half choked laughter, she said, "Flattery will get you almost anything, sir! Including my presence at your wedding! Thank you, sir!"
"Good girl!" Harm said approvingly, "Where would I be without my friend and my Yeoman to back me up! Just remember, when we get to the church, it's combat spread and watch my six!"
"Aye, aye, sir! To hell and back!" Jen responded, thinking 'If you only knew just how many times I've done just that!'
Harm blinked at Jen's use of the RIO's customary response, but then grinned as he reflected that he's been the one to introduce pilot-speak, so it was entirely his fault that she'd responded in kind.
With Donnie's refusal to attend the wedding, Catherine was left in a bit of bind, she now had no male relatives to support her, and discussing this lack with Mae who was to be her matron of honour was taken by surprise when the secretary diffidently suggested, "What about Allen Blaisdell, over at the air wing?"
"Blaisdell, why him?"
"Well… he did try and stop Commander Rabb from getting fired, and he's kind enough and nice enough in sorta of grumpy grandpa way… and I think he's always had a bit of a thing for you too."
Catherine blushed slightly, "That's quite a flattering thought, but it's pure nonsense, Mae! But it's not a bad idea; I'll run it past Harm first, though!"
Harm blinked when Catherine approached him with the idea. "You don't need my permission, Sweetheart, but for what it's worth, I think it's a good plan!"
April 2nd from having been way off in the distant future suddenly hurtled down on them like a tropical storm with ever increasing speed. Frank and Tricia arrived as planned the previous weekend, Tricia at once taking over the running of the household, the planning of the wedding and the chasing up of last minute details, while Frank tried to rein in her wildest flights. Mattie, after a few fruitless protests, retreated in the face of overwhelming strength to the sanctuary of her bedroom, while Harm and Catherine contented themselves with looking after Beth and sat back and relaxed, laughing as Tricia set about re-arranging everything to her satisfaction.
The Saturday morning came and Tricia roused everybody out of bed at what Harm considered to be an unreasonably early hour of the morning. He knew what he was wearing, his Summer Dress Whites, the appropriate uniform for an early afternoon wedding, and he knew he could be showered shaved and dressed in less than half an hour. Bud too would be wearing Dress Whites, while Harm had stressed to Harriet and Jennifer that while the choice was up to them, he'd rather see them in civvies than in uniform today.
He hadn't of course, reckoned on the length of time that the ladies of the house would take to get ready, although he did have some inkling of how long it was going to take to tame Mattie's riot of curls into something approaching a suitable style for the day.
He was disappointed neither in the appearance of his bride nor of his ward. Catherine wore a tea-length dress in her favourite soft dove-grey, which brought out the hint of that colour in her eyes. She had refused to wear white at her wedding, quipping that "With Beth in her porta crib, right up front, it would be kind of hypocritical to wear white!" Her hair was simply dressed in its customary neck-length fall and she wore a simple wreath of bluebell flowers on her head.
Mattie's hair had once again been pummelled into a braid, this time by Jen who had gathered it up into a French Braid similar to the one in which she customarily wore her hair for work, before dashing out to her car, saying she needed to RV with her 'plus one'.
"Any idea who her plus one is, Squirt?" Harm queried Mattie as he admired her appearance. Mattie shrugged as she pirouetted on command to show herself before Harm.
"Nope, all she said was that he was a secret from her past!"
Harm smiled and murmured "Intriguing," before he went pale as an image of 'Tiny' the only man he knew from Jen's past flashed through his memory.
He was jerked out of his waking nightmare by an impatient "Well?" from Mattie. Harm shook his head to clear his mind's eye and regarded her gravely. Mattie was in her best looks today, with just enough colour in her cheeks to betray her liveliness and she had taken very little persuasion to wear the green dress Harm had bought her for Christmas, with the single strand of pearls that Catherine had bought her on the same occasion.
He smiled at her, "Mattie you're beautiful… You do realise that very soon I'm going to have to start wearing my sidearm?"
Mattie wrinkled her brow at the apparent non-sequitur, "Why?" she demanded.
"Oh to drive off the hordes of boys who realise just how beautiful you are!"
Mattie's colour increased slightly, but she said with a light laugh, "You're forgetting Harm, I'm not going to be allowed to date until I'm thirty at least!"
"Exactly! That's why I'll be wearing my sidearm, to keep 'em all away from you!"
Mattie crossed the room towards him, stopped in front of him and said, "Decrease altitude!"
Harm obediently bent his neck, putting his face in range of Mattie's lips which were pressed softly against his cheek, with a whispered, "Sometimes you say the dumbest things, but I love you anyway!"
"You just remember, Squirt, it's a two-way street! Forever and always!" he added holding out his hand with his pinky extended.
Mattie blinked to dispel the sudden moisture in her eyes, "A pinky promise?" she challenged.
"You bet, Squirt!" he said enthusiastically as Mattie hooked her pinky around his.
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
Harm looked around the familiar church with satisfaction, as he and Bud stood at the doors. The guests had assembled on time and Harm saw with a sigh of relief that Jen's plus one was a slim young man in Dress Whites. "Who's that with Jennifer, do you know?" he asked Bud.
Bud looked into the Church but stood at the doors all he could see was the back of the young man's head, "Nope, can't make him out, but he seems vaguely familiar, why?"
"Oh, Jen wouldn't say who her plus one was, just that he was from her past, and I had a horrible thought that he might be one of the bikers she used to run with!"
"Well I think I can safely say he doesn't look like a biker, sir!" Bud said encouragingly, and then as he looked at his watch, "We'd best go to General Quarters, sir!"
Harm nodded and the two of them walked down the aisle to the altar, Harm unable to resist a sideways glance at a hugely grinning Jennifer Coates 'plus one' whom he recognised with relief as the recently appointed Lieutenant Junior Grade Jason Tiner. Harm shot an accusing glare at Jen who replied silently but distinctly through her grin with "Gotcha!"
Harm smiled back and then faced front, whispering out of the corner of his mouth, "Did you see who it is, Bud?"
"Who whom is, sir?" a bewildered Bud asked.
"Jennifer's date! It's Jason Tiner!" Harm hissed.
Bud couldn't help looking back over his shoulder as he walked and tipped over his own feet, only saved from a fall by Harm's hand shooting out to grasp him by the elbow until he had regained his footing. "Eyes front!" Harm growled as he let go of his groomsman's arm.
Harm and Bud halted in front of the altar waiting for Catherine to make her entrance. They were not kept waiting long before the strains of the processional rose from the organ lot and as one the guest stood and turned to watch the bridal party make their stately way down the aisle. Mae and Mattie preceded the bride, Mae in a dress as near to matching Mattie's as she had been able to find, her hair and skin also being of a tone that and colour that could wear such a strong green hue.
Allen Blaisdell escorted Catherine to the foot of the altar steps, and the party waited as Chaplain Turner spoke, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and in the face of this congregation to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony…"
Tricia Rabb Burnett heaved a silent sigh of relief as she sat with her granddaughter in her arms, although she had only spoken to Esther Gale on a few occasions, she had felt the impact of her loss on Catherine and Harm and yes, Mattie too, and had worried that the wedding would fall apart under the stress and strain of grief and the aftermath of the fight with Catherine's brother. But everything that should happen was happening, and everyone that should be here was here. Catherine and Harm's responses were crisp and audible. Bud didn't lose or fumble the rings, and Tricia couldn't help a few tears escaping her eyes as she heard Harm say," I take thee, Catherine Mary Gale as my lawful wedded wife… and finishing with the vow "As long as we both shall live!"
Catherine's responses and vows were just as clear and audible, and the ceremony was nearly completed with Harm's "With this ring, I thee wed…" the exchange of rings competed, Chaplain Turner smiled and in his reach deep voice said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife together! Commander Rabb, you may now kiss your bride!"
Harm's firm and loud response of "Aye, aye, sir!" drew a burst of cheering and laughter from the crowd and a deep chested chuckle from the Chaplain, both of which were totally ignored by Harm and Catherine as they stood lip-locked in front of their friends and in front of the altar.
They were interrupted by the Chaplain who with a grin on his face chivvied them, "Go on you two, get out of here. Your public is waiting!"
Harm and Catherine almost ran down the aisle only to stop on the doorstep of the church as they were besieged by their friends. Neither of them could remember the number of kisses, slaps on the back and hearty handshake they endure, but Harm later reckoned he scored higher in the kisses stakes as the female guests outnumbered the males, he had even received, he claimed truthfully, congratulatory kisses from Beth O'Neill and Gina.
"Ah but so did I!" Catherine countered with a wicked smile, "And I wonder which of us received the warmer kisses from that particular pair!"
Harm threw his head back and laughed, "Touché!" he acknowledged her win.
The party at Bud and Harriet's house went on well into the small hours, Harm taking the opportunity to tell Jennifer Coates how she'd scared him with the identity of her mystery plus one, but the only effect that had on Jen was to make her laugh outright when he described his vision of her turning up with Tiny as her date.
"God, no!" she half sobbed as she wiped her streaming eyes, "No… It was just that I thought if I was going to fraternise by going to an officer's wedding, then I might as well go the whole hog, so I gave Jason… I mean Lieutenant Tiner a call at the Navy yard, and here we are…"
Harm frowned slightly, "Jennifer, are you involved with young Tiner…? If so, it's no laughing matter…"
Jen smiled gently, "No, we're not involved, sir. We like each other well enough, and we dated a couple of times while we still both enlisted, but there's no spark there sir, we're just friends when we're in the same zip code. Otherwise it's an occasional e-mail, not even a 'phone call."
Harm looked searchingly into Jen's face but saw no sign of deceit or guile, and his face relaxed, "Well, have a good time this evening Jennifer, and thank you for coming to our special day."
Jennifer nodded and moved away through the room, heading for the corner where Harriet sat, with the intention of inveigling the blonde into letting her peep in on the two babies presently sleeping in crib and porta-crib respectively in the upstairs nursery.
The following morning the household woke late, if hangover free, and much of the day was lost in Frank and Tricia's departure. But leave they finally did, Frank's Chrysler rental disappearing in the general direction of Dulles airport and their first-class flight back to San Diego.
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
There was to be no immediate honeymoon for the bridal couple, instead Monday morning at oh eight thirty hours saw them, Beth and Mattie once more on the road to Charlottesville heading once more for the Family Relations Court.
Seated once more at the now all too familiar table in the same courtroom, they waited impatiently for the bailiff to call the court to order as Judge Smith once again presided over her courtroom.
For once she abandoned formality and smiled pleasantly at Harm and his family, "Commander and Mrs Rabb, I presume?" she asked.
"Yes your honour!"
Judge Smith nodded, "I see you've come to renew your petition for full adoption of Matilda Grace Johnson, a minor child?" She raised her hand to stop Mattie's objection. "I know you prefer to go by your mother's name, Matilda, but for just this once we have to abide by the strict letter of the law, alright?"
Mattie subsided into her seat, a glower of discontent on her face, but she did manage a rather grudging, "Yes, your honour."
Madeleine Smith nodded her appreciation of the teenager's acknowledgement of her ruling and then continued, "The last time this petition was presented to the court, I had only one reservation, and that was Commander Rabb's and Miss Gale's unmarried state. That reservation has been rendered null and void by your recent marriage, and the reports from Miss Le Moyne, if anything, are written in more glowing terms than previously. There remains only one more question. Matilda, if I grant this petition how would you wish to be known? Remember whatever gets entered on the adoption papers becomes your new legal name."
Matilda stood and raised her head to look Judge Smith straight in the eye, "Your honour, I've given this a lot of thought, and if the petition is granted I want my legal name to become Mattie Esther Grace Rabb!"
The judge smiled, more perhaps at Mattie's vehemence and the pleased but surprised gasps from both Catherine and Harm than because she realised the significance of the girl's choice of name. "How does that sit with you, Commander and Mrs Rabb?"
Both Catherine and Harm stood, "That makes me both proud and humble," Harm admitted. "And deeply touched, your honour," Catherine added.
Judge Smith nodded, there was no counterfeiting the look of joy and pride that husband and wife wore on their faces. "So be it! The petition is granted, from this moment forth, the minor child Mattie Esther Grace Rabb is the legally adopted daughter of Harmon David Rabb and Catherine Mary Rabb!"
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
With court cases and weddings safely behind them, Harm breathed a sigh of relief, it took a couple of weeks to get the navy to acknowledge that he now had a wife and two daughters, all of whom would be covered by his navy medical benefits, but at last even that hurdle was crossed, and an interview with Mattie's Dragon Lady who was threatening to fail her in English for the year unless and until she made up the missed semester was resolved when Harm produced all the documents, letters and business plans she had written while she was running Grace Aviation as well as the twenty page letter she had written to the court explaining just why she should become Harm and Catherine's ward. The Dragon Lady grudgingly agreed that Mattie's written work more than satisfied the course requirements and the threatened 'F' became a 'B'. Mattie protested, but Harm quickly hustled her out of the room before the teacher changed her mind.
"What's the rush, Harm?" she demanded still wanting to go back and face down the teacher who it seemed had taken an instant dislike to her.
"We're getting out of here," Harm told her, "Because that woman terrifies me!"
His answer was enough to make Mattie laugh and abandon her desire for confrontation.
xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi-xxxi
But, Harm reflected as he returned from lunch some three weeks after his wedding, that seemed to have been the last bump in the road they'd hit. Work had settled into a steady routine too. Lydia Bellingham and Mike Sheddan had more than fulfilled his expectations of them, the disruption caused throughout the JAG Corps by the implementation of the reassignments of officers in tranches one and two had wound down. The new JAG, Vice Admiral Amanda Tucker, was installed at the Washington Navy Yard and the much reduced office at Falls Church was beginning to function as the first of a new style of Regional Legal Offices, a combination of Trial Services and Legal Services. Harm thought that at last things were settling down.
That comfortable belief was badly shaken when on entering the outer office he was immediately hailed by Jen, "Sir! Thank God you're back! The SecNav's been shouting for you! He wants you in his office ten minutes ago!"
Harm blinked; there had been absolutely nothing on his radar that warned him of a crisis that demanded his immediate attendance on the SecNav, but merely raising an eyebrow, said calmly, "Well, I'd better get along there… what are you needed too?"
"Yes sir, SecNav said I needed to be present too!"
"What's going on, Jennifer?"
"I don't know sir!" she protested, but she was unable to look him in the eye as she did so.
Harm eyed her thoughtfully, "H'mm, why don't I believe that?"
"I don't know, sir!" Jen gave him her widest eyed, most innocent look.
"Nope, not going to work Jennifer!" he said as he opened the door to Penny Mayberry's office.
"Go right on in Commander," she told him, "The Secretary's waiting for you."
Harm knocked sharply on the doorframe and entered on the Secretary's invitation. The secretary was definitely waiting for him, but so were Lydia Bellingham, Mike Sheddan as well as Catherine, Mattie and Beth.
Before he could say anything, Jen said, "By your leave, sir!" and brushed past him to take post just behind the Secretary's right shoulder.
Once again before he could speak, the Secretary of the Navy stood and rapped out, "Attention to Orders!"
Naval discipline took hold as all the military personnel present braced to attention, and for a long moment there was a silence broken only by a soft whimper from Beth, whose nap had been disturbed by the sharpness of Secretary Sheffield's command. But the SecNav hadn't finished, "Commander Rabb, it is my pleasure to inform you that the O-6 Selection Board sat two weeks ago and nominated officers for promotion to the rank of Captain. Your name was on that list. Sheffield held out his hand for the slim blue folder that Jen placed in it, "By Order of the Secretary of the Navy, Commander Harmon David Rabb Junior, United States Navy Judge Advocate Generals' Corps, is promoted to the rank and dignity of Captain, United States Navy, with rank and seniority effective from August 15th 2004. Signed Edward Sheffield, Secretary of the Navy! Raise your right hand Captain Rabb and repeat after me…"
Harm duly renewed his oath of service hardly hearing his own voice as he did so, but not stumbling once over the form of the oath.
The oath complete, Sheffield turned to Catherine, "Mrs Rabb, Miss Rabb, if you please?"
Catherine stepped forward to help Harm's suddenly nerveless fingers cope with the buttons on his Dress Blue Jacket, while Mattie held a previously concealed jacket, but this one with the four sleeve rings and shoulder boards of a JAG Captain.
A still disbelieving Harm now stood resplendent in his new jacket as the SecNav coughed and said, "I understand it is customary for the wife of the officer receiving his promotion to give him a congratulatory kiss," he shot an anxious glance at Catherine, "On the cheek, and lasting for no more than ten seconds!" he added.
Catherine smiled and reached up to plant a chaste kiss on Harm's cheek and stepped back still wearing her smile as she whispered, "Congratulations, darling."
Mattie now stepped forward with a challenging look at the SecNav, "Well, I didn't come here just to be a spectator," she said, and then to Harm. "Decrease altitude!"
Harm looked at his chief and shrugged helplessly as Lydia and Mike tried unsuccessfully to restrain their amusement. Edward Sheffield shrugged helplessly too; he too had a teenage daughter.
Mattie's kiss was just as warm and as brief as Catherine's and her "I'm so proud of you Harm!" brought an embarrassed grin to his face.
"Thank you all! Captain and Mrs Rabb, please stay behind, the rest of you may return to your duties!" Edward Sheffield had reverted to the SecNav, "Petty Officer, perhaps you could find Miss Rabb a soda!"
A chorus of "Aye, aye, sir!" filled the office as all but Harm and Catherine left and then Mattie's clear voice could be heard, "I'd rather you made that a coffee, Jen!"
Edward Sheffield smiled, "A young woman of decided spirit there Captain! Has she decided what she wants to do with her life yet?"
"Not yet, Mister Secretary."
Sheffield nodded. "Good she still has plenty of time. Well, if she ever decides she wants to enter any of the service academies, I shall be happy to provide a reference for her!"
Harm blinked, "That's very generous of you Mister Secretary!"
"It's the least I can do, Captain. Mrs Rabb, I've asked you to stay with your husband, because what I am about to tell him will also affect you and your family, and I have a feeling that the Captain may need you in a few minutes. I don't like breaking my word Captain Rabb, but unfortunately, sometimes the exigencies of the service force that unhappy occurrence on us! When I asked you to resume active duty status, I promised you that this billet would be yours for three years. Unfortunately I cannot any longer keep that promise. Your promotion to Captain had made that impossible, especially as you were promoted with a particular billet in mind. Captain Rabb, I am sorry for the short notice, but with effect from August 15th you will be the Force Judge Advocate General for the US Navy in Europe, based out of London." He looked at Catherine, "This is an accompanied billet, if you should wish it, with O-6 suitable base housing provided at RAF Station Northolt, near London."
Harm didn't even look at Catherine, "Yes, Mister Secretary, we do wish it!"
"Very well, Captain, congratulations! Your seniority dates from August 15th, but due to your need to be aware of this posting in order to make arrangement to move your family and settle your affairs this side of the pond, frocking is authorised."
Harm sat still, trying to get a handle on all that had happened in the last ten minutes, until the SecNav provided him with a mental nudge, "You might want to make a start, Captain, you've got a lot to do and only four months in which to do it!"