13
Johnny Walker put his coffee cup down on the saucer shook his head, "I'm not much of one for church-going," he said in response to Julia's suggestion that they go to the mid-morning service at the Cathedral.
Julia's face fell, although she wasn't particularly noted for attending church, she had heard so much about the ceremony attendant on services at the Cathedral, what Archbishop Laud had termed, 'beauty in worship' that she would have liked to see it while she was in Salisbury on a Sunday and while she was with Johnny.
Johnny saw the look of disappointment on Julia's face and mentally gave himself a kick, "But if you want to go, then of course I'll go with you," he said heroically.
"But you'll be bored silly, won't you?" Julia challenged him.
"Bored? When I'm with you? Not a hope in hell!" Johnny enthused and was amply rewarded by the flush that suffused Julia's face.
She looked across the table at him, her eyes shining, and said "Thank you!""
"And after the service, we can grab a bite of lunch, and then have a walk round. They do a pretty good ploughman's at the Wig and Quill!" Johnny grinned.
"You're kidding, right?" Julia said dubiously, "What's the Wig and Quill?"
"It's a pub, on New Street, about five minutes' walk from the Cathedral."
"Right... and a ploughman's?"
"A ploughman's lunch, fresh, crusty bread, cheese, pickle and a half pint of beer to wash it down."
"OK sounds good, but only the one drink... remember we've both got to drive home this evening!"
"Yeah, but I wish we didn't," Johnny replied.
xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Bud Roberts had just finished changing Nikki when he heard the sound of his returning mini-van, and raising his head, he looked out through the nursery window in time to see it pull up in the drive. Although he had every faith in the Captain's driving ability, he still couldn't help breathing a faint sigh of relief at the apparent lack of damage to his vehicle. It wasn't that he was particularly attached to it, it was just that it was too damned essential to be in the repair shop for any length of time, particularly as it was now need not just for his own brood, but to transport Mattie and her wheel chair to and from physical therapy, but if things didn't work out the way she and the Captain – hell all of them – hoped, then eventually she would need transport to and from school.
But there were no such gloomy thoughts in the teenager's mind at the moment, the bright sound of her laughter could be heard clearly as Harm, leaning back against the weight of girl and chair, almost succeeded in preventing it running away with him as he tried to control its descent down the makeshift ramp from the side door of the van.
"Mattie! That was wicked of you!" an also smiling Jennifer Coates admonished her young friend, "You just about scared the Captain to death! You know you could have helped with the brakes!"
"I know!" an entirely unrepentant Mattie giggled, "but it was just so much darned fun!"
"Mattie Grace!" Harm began trying, but failing to stay stern, "You are going to pay for that!"
"Yeah?" Mattie looked at him slyly, "What you gonna do? Spank a poor little cripple girl?"
Both man and teenager ignored Jen's shocked, "Mattie!"
"I might just do that, young lady!" Harm said magisterially.
"Yeah, right..." Mattie drawled.
For a long moment they stared levelly at each other, until in answer to the twitching of Mattie's lips, Harm's face broke into a huge grin, "Go on, Squirt, get inside with you!"
Mattie her own grin as broad as Harm's flipped him an irreverent salute, and spun her wheel chair around, working up enough speed, or so she hoped to propel it up the shallow ramp that Bud had installed at one end of the porch.
Harm and Jen stood watching her progress. "You think she's going to make it?" he asked.
Jen shrugged, "Sometimes she does, sometimes she doesn't, It's about a fifty-fifty proposition."
Harm nodded, "It's difficult seeing her struggle so much, I just want to help her..."
Jen looked at him gravely, "I know... but she's got to learn to handle that thing and all other sorts of stuff by herself, just in case..."
Harm resisted the temptation to give Jen a hug as her throat started to clog, instead he said in a mock severe tone, "That's just about enough of that from, young lady! Positive thoughts only, remember PMA is as necessary to us as it is to Mattie, OK?"
Jen nodded, pulled a Kleenex from her purse and blew her nose, "OK!" she replied when she had completed her little ritual.
"Good girl," Harm smiled approvingly, "Now let's get these two and their gear unloaded!"
Two minutes later Harm and Jen, loaded down with bags containing wet swim-suits, damp towels and their associated paraphernalia and each with a sleepy Roberts on hip joined a triumphant Mattie on the porch.
Harm looked down at her and grinned, "Bravo Zulu, Squirt!"
"Oh..." Mattie went slightly pink under his approval and muttered a hasty disclaimer, "Oh, weren't nothing much!"
"Maybe not, but it's a damn good start.
xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
"Looks like you wore them out!" Harriet said about half an hour later as she came down stairs with a tray in her hands. "I just about managed to get them to drink their milk and eat a cookie and get them to brush their teeth before they fell into bed!"
"Don't look at me!" Harm raised his hands in mock surrender, "It was all Jen and Mattie's doing! I'm getting far too long in the tooth to sustain the energy level needed to tire those two – or three – out." He added the latter with a smile and a sidelong glance at Mattie, who was almost drowsing in her chair while she waited for her dinner.
"How did Mattie do?" Harriet asked quietly.
"She done good. Jen helped her in and out of her swim suit while I saw to the boys, and then all four promptly abandoned me, and spent the whole day in the water, except when they wanted ice cream or cotton candy or candy apples or..."
"Harm, you didn't!" Harriet gasped.
"Nope. You should know me better than that, Harriet." Harm grinned triumphantly, "I laid down the rules before we got there. They could have one ice-cream each, after they'd had lunch, no sodas, no cotton candy, no extra treats! And they were all very good about it, none of them asked for anything extra."
"I do know you better than that – under normal circumstances – but you have a habit of letting those two boys twist you around their little fingers! And what did they have for lunch?" Harriet asked as she started to set the table for the five adults, "and where's Bud got to?"
"We all had a salad sandwich for lunch, of one sort or another, and I got the boys fruit juice, which I diluted with a bottle of water! And Bud is in the bedroom with Jen," Harm added innocently.
Harriet froze for an instant, and then carefully placing the fork she was holding on the table she straightened and looked Harm in the eye, easily seeing and identifying the mischief there.
Harriet grinned, "Nope. Not going to work! If Bud is in the bedroom with Jen, it's because they're doing something on the computer. Probably working out the route between wherever she'll be landing to the base!"
"Damn! Busted!" Harm said mournfully. "Oh well, seeing as Bud is busy, do you want a hand with getting dinner out?"
Harriet eyed him up and down, "I do. And what's more Mister, you can consider yourself on KP duty this evening!"
"Oh... I'd figured that anyway!" Harm said cheerfully, "Now where are the plates?"
xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Harriet had been dead right in her guess at what Bud and Jen had been doing in the bedroom, which under normal circumstances was Bud's den cum study. When she appeared for dinner Jen had a sheaf of paper in her hand, which she laid aside as she helped position Mattie at the table, but once the food had been served and everyone had started eating, she couldn't help but turn to Harm, a trace of concern on her face.
"Commander Roberts helped me check out how to get from Lakenheath Air Base to Northolt, sir. It's about ninety miles!"
"That far?" Harm queried.
"Yes, sir! And it looks like I'd have to get clear across London to get to Northolt, too. We had a look at the public transit system, and it's going to take while, so I don't want to get marked up as UA." Jen forced a grin, "Again!""
"OK..." Harm thought furiously 'clear across London' rang a bell, "Well, I don't want you to get written up either! It'll be best if I have you picked up, the Yeoman who's been driving me – Julia Martinez, and I know you've spoken with her on the 'phone – has made a study of driving in England, so you'll be in capable hands."
"Oh.. I wasn't angling for that, sir!" A blushing Jen protested, "I was just a little... well, it looked a bit daunting... there were so many bus changes to make and... Well, thank you sir!"
"Nonsense – I can't have my office manager adrift somewhere in darkest London!"
"O... office manager, sir?" Jen faltered.
"Yes. I'll go into it further once you're on station, but to keep using you as a yeoman is waste of your training and talents. I don't have many attorneys at hand, and you will be far more useful to me, and to the office, as an experienced Legalman, and you're the only First Class, of any rate in the office, so you're the ranking enlisted in the office too. It will do you good to be in a supervisory position, and I know you'll make sure that everyone keeps their nose to the grindstone, too!"
"Office Manager, Jen! Wow! Way to go!" Mattie enthused.
"Yes, indeed!" Bud grinned.
"Yes, congratulations, Jennifer!" Harriet smiled.
Jen blushed even more and lowering her head paid close attention to her meal, while the twins just sat in their high chairs and gurgled between mouthfuls of pureed ground beef and vegetables.
xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Harm sat back in his seat, fastened his lap strap and wearily closed his eyes. God, he hated emotional airport farewells. Mattie had been bad enough, fighting to keep the tears from showing on her face or in her voice, but it had been Harriet who had surprised him, hugging him fiercely, her voice breaking as she'd said her goodbyes, mixed up with complaints that it wasn't fair, and she wished he didn't have to go.
The boys had been good though, Jimmy might not have fully understood when, why and for how long Harm was going away, but A J did, and he had stood square-on to face Harm and held out his hand, and only after Harm had gravely shaken it, had the little boy allowed his Godfather to pick him up and give him a squeeze.
Bud and Harriet had insisted on waiting with him until the boarding call was made, and the last Harm had seen of them was the little family group, including Jennifer Coates and Mattie in her wheel chair, clustered together to wave a final goodbye as he cleared security and disappeared into the departures lounge.
It was strange, reflecting back, his impending departure had even cast a bit of a pall over the July 4th Picnic. The whole Roberts family had seemed slightly subdued, although they had livened up during the squids and jarheads' softball game. Harm had been roped in as a hitter for the squids, and Jen showed that she had a mean pitching arm, even with a softball, and especially when she had pitched to Lieutenant Colonel McBurney, whom she had struck out twice in consecutive innings. Harm grinned at the memory of an earlier incident, before the game had started, he had been talking to Jen when a voice from behind him had said, "Ah Jennifer, I hoped you be here today!"
Jennifer had stiffened and fire had flashed in her eyes as she drew herself into a brace, "Sir! It would be better perhaps, if you addressed me by my rate and rating! It is not appropriate for you to address me by my name! And the Captain had not yet finished speaking with me!"
Harm had turned to see who had drawn such a reaction from her, to find McBurney flushing angrily at the very public rebuke he had just received from a subordinate and the chagrin that he felt in his breach of protocol by breaking in on a superior officer's conversation. He had not recognised Harm from the back, in short sleeved shirts and slacks with a ball-cap reversed on his head.
"Your pardon, Captain!" he had managed, "Legalman One. By your leave, sir?"
"Yes, carry on, Colonel." Harm had said gravely
Harm had waited until the discomfited marine was out of earshot before he'd said, "That was naughty of you Jen. For God's sake don't make a habit of it!"
Jen had faced him almost defiantly, "I can't help it, sir! I despise that man, and he pushes all my wrong buttons. He knows he's not supposed to address me by name, I've told him before, more than once, that if he wants to talk to me then he should use my rate and rating, but he just won't take the hint!"
"Like another officer we know?"
"Who do you mean... oh... Lieutenant Vukovic?"
"Yeah... the ever-so-popuar 'Vic' Speaking of whom," Harm looked around the gathering, "Where is he today?"
"Uh... he was PCS'd to San Diego, sir." Jen had said tersely.
"I thought Mac... Colonel MacKenzie said she didn't want him?"
"I don't think she had much choice in the matter, sir. Scuttlebutt has it that the General sent him there because he need seasoning, and that the Colonel was the right officer for the job now that Commander Turner had resigned."
Harm raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He had a bad feeling about the whole situation."H'mm... Be careful; you know what they say about scuttlebutt"
"Yes, sir, that it's usually right! And now, sir, after talking with Colonel McBurney, and talking about 'Vic'. I feel like washing my mouth out! I'm going to get another a drink! Can I get you another one, sir?" Jen had looked meaningfully at the bottle of mineral water in Harm's hand.
Harm watched her walk away. He was getting concerned about Jen's reaction to McBurney. It seemed that she just wouldn't or couldn't accept that the man had only been doing his duty as he had seen fit. He had shaken his head, no, out of that whole sorry mess the only one he felt any resentment for was that OCD case of a defence attorney that SecNav had insisted be appointed as his defence counsel. She really had seemed to have a severely limited set of courtroom skills. No, that wasn't quite true, she wasn't the only one whom he felt had let him down; he still felt a degree of hurt that Mac had actually asked him if he had killed Loren Singer!
He had been jerked out of his introspection by a familiar and sardonic voice in his ear, "She really doesn't like that man, does she?"
Harm had spun around to see his old CO grinning at him, even as he nodded in McBurney's direction, "No, sir..." he began, and then corrected himself, "I mean A J..." and he fell into astonished silence as he recognised the woman standing next to the former JAG and, he noticed, had his hand lightly clasped in hers.
"You remember Doctor Walden, don't you Harm? Sydney, you'll remember the Captain as Commander Rabb."
"Of course I do!" Doctor Sydney Walden extended a hand to Harm, "Congratulations on your promotion! Even A J says you deserved it!"
"Y... yes... th... thank... thank you, ma'am!" Harm had finally managed taking her offered hand.
"That's Sydney to you, Captain. I can't have you call A J by his name and then turn round and in the same breath and call me 'ma'am'!"
"No, ma'am!" Harm had agreed, feeling his ears grow warm as Sydney had chuckled at his reply.
"I'll leave you to get over your shock, Harm! Sydney and I need to deposit our contribution to the festivities and then we need to go make the rounds, go startle some other folk!" And the retired Admiral had actually inked at Harm as he placed a hand in the small of the doctor' back and led her in the direction of the already loaded trestle tables.
Harm had almost staggered back to the table where Bud and Harriet had paused in the settling of their brood.
"Was that..." Bud had gestured vaguely in the direction that A J had taken.
Harm had taken a pull from his water bottle and nodded, "Yup!"
"The sly old dog!" Bud had grinned.
"And he never said a word about it!" Harriet had pouted, "Men!"
But before either Harm or Bud could react to Harriet, Bud's eyes had opened wide, and under the pretence of taking a mouthful of juice from his plastic cup he muttered, just loud enough for Harm to hear, "JAG on deck!" as that officer headed towards their table.
Harm had been compelled by courtesy to pass the time of day with General Cresswell, and although the Marine didn't comment on Harm's unexpected presence, Harm couldn't help the feeling that he got that the General disapproved of his absence from his duty station, but memory of Harriet's comment diverted Harm's thoughts down another track, and he roused from his reveries just in time to hear the flight attendant finish her safety briefing. Harm gave a mental shrug, he flown so many air miles that he was perfectly familiar both with the aircraft type and with the in-flight safety briefing.
But... Harriet's comment about men... yeah... it had set him thinking about women. Two women in particular. The sight of A J reconciled with Sydney Walden had set him wondering about a reconciliation with Mac... but after thinking through that painful last encounter he had come to the regrettable conclusion that a reconciliation just wasn't on the cards. As far as he was aware, Sydney had never told A J that she was mistaken in her regard for him, and the she didn't love him. A J and Sydney had fallen out over her blind devotion to her son, refusing to admit that he had any faults. Knowing A J as he did, Harm was sure that he hadn't changed his opinion about the young man, so that argued that Sydney had. He just wished she had come to her senses a couple of years ago, it would have saved all that angst with Meredith, and with a happier A J at the helm, maybe JAG wouldn't have headed for hell quite so quickly, or maybe not at all!
So... strike Mac from his thoughts... and consider what Mattie had said about finding more love for someone when they came into his life... Yeah, that was definitely worth considering... but who?
And that thought led to a pair of smiling eyes and a cool, clipped, cultured British accent, and two days in her company, feeling the ground shake beneath his feet... He grinned at the thought, there weren't many women who had ever made the earth move for him, especially not while they were still vertical and dressed in combat fatigues!
Closing his eyes he leaned back against the head-rest, and closed his eyes.
Even though she was about to head for the galley to begin the never-ending task of serving refreshments to the passengers in Comfort Economy class, the pretty red-head flight attendant took a couple of seconds to look at the tall guy asleep in his seat. He was pretty darn good-looking she'd thought when he first boarded, but now with his eyes closed, his face relaxed and a soft smile on his lips... and then, as if he'd felt her looking at him, he opened his eyes and grinned up at her, "Are we there yet? he asked as his smile broadened.
"Uh... no, sir... I... uh... I was just passing on my way to the galley... sir!" she stammered and blushed furiously as she rushed on past him. Those eyes! And that smile! It ought to be made illegal, she thought indignantly. Her confusion wasn't helped by her friend Terri's question.
"Something wrong, Martie?"
"I don't want to talk about it!" The flustered red head declared.
xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Julia Martinez' faced split in a grin of welcome, "Good evening sir! Welcome home!" she said as she hurried forward to take Harm's sea-bag.
"Good evening, Martinez!" Harm returned and then as he saw her grasping hand, he frowned, "Stand down Yeoman Two! I've told you before I'm big enough and ugly enough carry my own bags!"
"Yes, sir," Martinez nearly pouted, but remembered herself in time, "But it's against all protocol!"
"So is my allowing you to bully me!" Harm grinned. And then another thought struck him, "Did you just say 'welcome home'?" he demanded
"I guess I did,sir," Julia admitted after a moment or two for thought, and wheeling to fall into step with him, "And it is, I guess, sir. Well, at least as much of a home as we're going to have until we go back to the States!"
"I guess," Harm admitted, and in a strange way, Martinez was almost right. He actually did feel more at home here, or at least less unsettled than he'd felt on the outward journey. "Now, where did you park?"
"I got lucky, sir, Level One, just across from the doors here!"
No more than three minutes later, his sea-bag stowed in the trunk, Harm settled himself in the front passenger seat and buckled his seat-belt. He nodded approvingly as Julia negotiated the complex one way system out of the airport, but kept quiet until they were on the open road.
Only then did he ask, "How was your weekend, Yeoman Two?"
"Just great sir! Really living the life!"
Harm looked across at her, sailors usually loaded answers like that with sarcasm, but all he could detect was enthusiasm.
"Go on," he encouraged her.
"Yes, sir. After I dropped you off at the airport, I went back through to Woolwich to see Corporal Morrison..."
"How is she?" Harm interrupted.
"She says she fine, sir, but she seemed to be in some pain, despite the meds they've got her on. One of the Marines' officers or Staff NCOs visit with her every two to three days, so she's not being left put of the loop. She's made friends – well sort of – with the other women in the ward, she was swapping war stories with one of the British Army women who'd been injured in Iraqistan. Corporal Morrison's leg is still packed in ice, but she told me she was due for surgery on Monday, that's the Monday just past, sir, the fourth!"
"No holiday in hospital, hey?"
"No sir. I tried calling her yesterday, but I couldn't get through to her and all the nurse would tell me is that she's 'resting after surgery' and that she's 'comfortable, whatever the hell that means!" Julia grumbled.
"Well apart from visiting the sick," Harm was having a hard time to bite back on his amusement at his Yeoman's level of disgruntlement, "How was the rest of the holiday?"
"Oh... that really was great, sir! On Saturday, I went down to Salisbury, to see Johnny... uh... Bombardier Walker, sir. We stayed in a cute little hotel, dinner on Saturday night, and then on Sunday we went to church in the Cathedral – it was really impressive, and the music! The organ was fantastic and the choir... man, some of our churches back home could learn from the British!"
"So... you had a good time?"
"You bet!" Julia grinned enthusiastically.
"Good... I see you're still in one piece, how did the softball game go."
"It went OK sir, we beat the Jarheads, but it was close. Lieutenant Tierney is one hell of a catcher, but we could do with a pitcher who knows how to pitch!"
"That's good to hear. Glad to see we're maintaining naval superiority..." Harm paused to let Julia chuckle before he continued, "JAG HQ Squids beat the jarheads, at Rock Creek Park, by five runs to two, helped considerably by some pretty fierce pitching. So you'll be glad to know that the pitcher, Legalman One Coates arrives here Wednesday evening at RAF Lakenheath!"
"Lakenheath..." Julia frowned, "That's up past Cambridge isn't it sir? Must be a hundred miles from base!"
"Just about, or so I understand," Harm agreed.
"Um... with the Captain's say so, I could maybe go pick her up sir... I mean if she's never been to England before, and she'll have all her bags and..."
"Stand down, Yeoman Two!" Harm chuckled, "Well they do say one volunteer is better than ten pressed men – or women in this case. I was going to detail you for the job anyway, but I was also going to leave that until we were back in the office!"
"Saved you a job then haven't I sir?" Julia risked the quip.
"I guess you have!" Harm replied, uneasily wondering if perhaps he wasn't making a mistake in having Julia Martinez and Jennifer Coates in the same office, particularly as he envisaged their roles complementing each other, and perhaps even overlapping slightly.
Julia sensed that his mood had deepened and concentrated on her driving. The ten-mile drive was soon over and Harm smiled his thanks as Julia drew the motor-pool sedan to a smooth halt outside his front door, "Thanks Yeoman Two. Zero seven hundred tomorrow, right?"
"Zero seven hundred, aye, sir! Good night sir!"
Harm waited until the young woman was back in the car before he let himself into the house. After the bustle and liveliness of the last three days at the Roberts house, this place felt alien, cold, sterile, unloved and unlived in. And it was neither, he realised. He'd done his best to make it comfortable, but it was too... squared away... and definitely lacked those little touches that made a house a home...
Shaking his head, he dropped his sea-bag inside the front door and hung the freshly cleaned summer whites on the coat rack in the hall, and then headed for the kitchen. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee might help the atmosphere, and as soon as he'd made a couple of necessary 'phone calls, the right sort of music would help as he prepped his fresh uniform for the morning.
Settling down on the couch, he picked up the phone and dialled the number, after what seemed an interminable wait he heard the pick up at the other end. "Hi Harriet? It's Harm. Just to let you know that I made it across the pond without even getting my feet wet..."
xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
"Good morning, sir!" Julia stood behind her desk and greeted him brightly on Thursday morning as he walked into her office.
"Good morning Yeoman Two. Everything go all right last night?" He asked as he paused his hand on his office door.
"Just fine sir!" Julia answered.
"So... where's Legalman One Coates? I don't see her around?"
"Oh, she's down in Military Admin, processing in sir. Seaman Aldridge is with her, and he'll bring her back up when she's done!"
"Any idea when that's likely to be?"
"Can't help you there sir, their wheels grind exceedingly slowly..."
"But exceedingly small, huh?"
Julia shook her head sadly, "Not even that redeeming feature, sir, just exceedingly slow!"
Harm grinned but shook his head reprovingly, "Easy, Yeoman Two," he cautioned Julia. After all he couldn't allow his subordinates to criticise the organisation – well, not too much anyway. But he then became aware that there was an air of expectancy about his Yeoman and asked, "Was there something else?"
"Yes, sir. I... uh... was hoping you'd approve this, sir" she held out a sheet of paper towards Harm.
Harm read the request for one day of annual leave and raised his eyebrows.
Julia saw and misinterpreted the expression on his face, and in the hope of forestalling a veto, she rushed on "I know it's maybe not the most convenient timing, with Legalman One Coates moving in, sir. But it is only one day, and I'm quite happy to work late to bring Legalman One Coates fully up to speed before I take the day, sir. That is if she doesn't mind working late too, and..."
Harm couldn't resist the chuckle that was building up in his chest, "Stand down, Yeoman Two! Relax and breathe before you collapse!" Now come on in to my office!"
He led the now blushing Julia into his inner sanctum, "Take a seat," he instructed her, and propped his butt against the front edge of his desk. "I'm sure you've got good reason for asking for a day's leave, and I'm sure you've got it on the books. The timing is fine; if you and Legalman One Coates can't sort out your handover and her reading in process in two weeks, then the two of you are in the wrong post. And you're not! No, I was only surprised that you only wanted one day! What's the story?"
Julia looked down at her hands that were nervously twisting in her lap, "It's Johnny, sir... uh...Bombardier Walker, Captain Shephard's driver..."
"Yeah, I know who Johnny is, Harm said gently.
"Well he was a hero in Iraq, sir. And they're giving him a medal, the Military Cross, sir. And they're going to have a big formation down in Tidworth for a formal presentation, on the Saturday morning, and I've kinda promised him that I'd be there. So if I could have the Friday off, it would make travel easier and I'd be sure of not being late... sir."
"The Military Cross, huh? That's pretty high up on the scale of things! Congratulations Bombardier Walker!" Harm said
"Yes, sir, I looked it up and as far as I can figure it out it's about the same rate as our Silver Star, or maybe even the Distinguished Service Medal!"
"OK! Way to go!" Harm smiled and then added, "But I'll have to think about this..." Harm stared at the young woman in front of him for what seemed like to her hours, but was no more than five seconds. "OK, I've thought about it! You can take a personal day that Friday, and you won't need this!" he crumpled the application up into a ball and tossed it casually in the direction of the waste basket. Julia followed its trajectory and gave a little gasp of surprise as it landed clean in its intended target.
No-on could have been more surprised than Harm at the success of his shot, but he grinned at Julia, "See, even I can learn from the Royal Artillery!"