Chapter 12

Because Sam's feet were hurting so much by lunchtime, he had told Bud that he didn't want to go out for lunch as they had planned. Being the ever-concerned husband that he was, Bud suggested that they go down to the cafeteria. Sam/Harriett told him that even that much of a walk would be too much.

Overhearing this part of the conversation as she passed through the bullpen, Mac told them, "I was just going to order in myself today because I'm rushed on the McKinley case. Why don't we order pizza and we could eat in my office?"

Sam sighed in relief and said, "Thank you, Ma'am! That would be heavenly!"

"I do have one condition to this offer, though…" Mac told them.

"What would that be, Ma'am?" Bud asked.

"That you both stop Ma'aming me while we are eating. It is Mac or Sarah…or no deal!"

"Oh, Ma'am, I don't think we can do that," replied Bud.

"For pizza and not leaving the office I can do that and a whole lot more!" Sam told her.

"Okay, great! Harriett and I will have lunch together and you are on your own, Bud!" Both women looked at him, waiting for him to back down.

Gunny, who had heard the entire conversation from his near by desk, advised Bud, "When women start ganging up on you, Lieutenant, you had better just go with the flow…especially when one of them's a Marine!"

Looking back and forth between the two women and Gunnery Sergeant Galindez, Bud said, "Thank you, Gunny, that sounds like very good advice. I'll try my best to call you Mac, Ma'am, at least while we're eating."

Laughter flowed around the bullpen at Bud's comment, and Mac suggested that since Harriett would be out soon on maternity leave, they just make an office party for her and order enough pizza for everyone. This suggestion was met with enthusiasm and soon Gunny was gathering money and taking pizza orders. Forty-five minutes later, two deliverymen showed up in the bullpen after having been cleared by the front gate with eight large pizzas with assorted toppings. Harriett's centrally located desk was cleared and soon everyone was diving in.

Drawn out of his office by the cheerful, non-work-related chatter, and the smell of the fragrant pizza, Admiral Chegwidden, stood unnoticed in his office doorway. He watched his people and saw the enjoyment they had in each other's company. Even though the rank separation was always there, he could see that it blurred a bit at times like these. AJ wished he could join in on these occasions, but he knew that being their Commanding Officer set him apart in their eyes. He was liked and respected by them, he knew that, but he wasn't a friend, and never would be.

Mac looked up as she was stuffing her mouth with another slice of "Meat Lover's" pizza and saw the Admiral standing there. 'He looks so alone and left out," she thought, just as she realized that no one had even thought to invite him to join them. 'God! No wonder he looks that way! We didn't even consider him!'

"Sir! Come and join us….we just decided on the spur of the moment to order pizza in."

At her words, Tiner leaped off of the edge of Harriett's desk and shouted, "Attention on deck!" Everyone snapped to…. Well, as best they could with pizza slices and pop cans filling their hands. This, of course, ruined the mood of enjoyment in the bullpen and re-enforced the gulf between the Admiral and the rest of the staff.

"As you were," he said. "I don't want to interfere with your party, Colonel, you folks go ahead have fun," and after saying that walked into the break room for the cup of coffee he had been intending to get.

Bud turned to Harriett and said, "You go ask him, sweetie. The Admiral has always responded better to you than anyone else."

"He said he didn't want to, Bud," Sam argued.

"He didn't mean it, Harriett. He really just wants someone to convince him that it's okay for him to join us. Please ask him," Mac begged.

Looking skeptical, Sam got to his feet and waddled into the break room. AJ saw her come in and clutched the coffee pot in his hand a bit tighter. "You aren't here to deny me my coffee again, are you, Lieutenant?" he asked.

To be continued…..