Reunion

Eleven months later
Harm and Mac's house
"Sleep well, sweetie." Mac kissed the head of her little daughter before tucking her in under the blanket. For a moment she stood and contemplated. So much had happened over the last year she sometimes had trouble to realize it was all true. Getting a relation with Harm, being engaged, finding out she was pregnant. A rushed wedding, a new house, a new job at the legal division of JAG. There had hardly been time to breath.
Not that she complained. Oh no! She now had the life she always dreamt of but never believed she would have. From downstairs she heard the sound of cups and saucers being set up. Harm was busy preparing for a very special baby party. Mac smiled a secretive smile. When they had sent the cards to announce of the birth of little Lynn she had slipped an additional note in seven special envelopes. Over the last weeks she had received confirmation from five of the recipients. Turning around she counted, three plus three or four, three single women, two single men, the two of them, fourteen people at the max.
Next to her on the commode sat Mackenzie. Mac tapped the little cat on the head. She was still small for an adult cat but the sweetest pet you could ever wish for.
"Time to go downstairs, kitty."
With a 'mriaw' Mackenzie jumped to the floor and with her tail held high she ran in front of Mac to the door. Following her down the stairs Mac let her hand slide over the railing. Harm had done such a good job renovating. Although the house was their dream house, it had needed a lot of work. Very soon after finding out about her pregnancy, they had started looking for a home and after only a few weeks they had found this gem in Falls Church, close to where Harriet and Bud lived. Harm had worked his six off, starting with the main rooms like the living, kitchen, master bedroom and nursery and working his way up through the other rooms. Luckily Bud and Sturgis as well as several other co-workers, including the Admiral, had lent a hand. Now it was really a little palace.
The bell rang and Harm went to open the door.
"Jennifer," she heard his surprised yell. Descending the stairs she saw him hug the woman en rushed to greet her as well. Harm went back to the kitchen while Mac offered Jennifer a chair and then joined Harm.
"What did you plan, woman?" he demanded to know, wagging a mocking finger.
"You know, a little party," Mac answered sassily, kissing him on the cheek. She had only asked him to prepare for a gathering of about 15 people and not informed him about whom she had invited, wanting it to be a surprise.
The bell ran again and Mac went to open. On the porch stood Maeve and Lillian. Ushering them in she saw Harm eyes widen. Now every few minutes new arrivals showed up. Maeve and Lillian were followed by John and Mary Lookout Mountain and their daughter Cindy, Max the bartender en Mr and Mrs Hathaway with Titania. They excused their son Robin; he had a friend's birthday party to attend. The last to arrive was General Eliot and Harm almost came to attention when he showed the high-ranking officer, whom he recognized form their earlier meeting, in. The General indicated though he was in civilian now and didn't expect special treatment. By now Harm understood Mac had invited all the people who were owners of one of the kittens he had fostered almost a year ago.
With everyone seated and having tea and a pastry, Mac started to talk. "I invited you all because we, although very different, share something. We all have a cat, more specific a cat from the same litter. Taking care of that litter of cats marked the start of a whole new life for me and Harm and I wanted to celebrate, to honour so to say, that with a special meeting. Hence the invitation to you all."
"I was very pleased with it," Jennifer said. "And I am eager to know how all the kittens are doing. Thank you very much for inviting us all."
The others agreed wholeheartedly
"But first I want to congratulate Mac and Harm with their baby girl. I brought you a little something." She handed Mac a gift-wrapped package. This was the sign for the others to get their contributions out, too.
Ten minutes of unwrapping later, Mac and Harm found themselves surrounded by presents. There were a diaper cake, two little dresses, a stuffed toy and an embroidered towel. There was a bottle of Harm's favourite brand of whisky, which went accompanied with a wink from Max. Both Cindy and Titania had drawn cards and the General presented them with a generous gift certificate of a toyshop.
They both thanked their guests heartily.
Titania and Cindy seemed to hit off well together and had been whispering between the two of them. Mac raised a questioning brow.
"May we see the baby?" the girls asked pleadingly.
"You can," Mac promised "but not yet. She is sleeping now. After we've exchanged stories I'll bring her downstairs." She looked around. Everyone was focused on her once more.
"I think now is the time to tell about our cats. I suggest we do it in order of the kittens leaving our house," Mac suggested with a quick glance at the General who normally would be first. Eliot smiled. "All right," he boomed. "But I like a second round of tea first."
Harm hastened to comply with his wish and then Mac took the floor again.
"A year and a half ago Jennifer asked Harm to take care of her cat Mac while she was out of town. Mac, by the way is short for Most Annoying Cat." Mac described the exhaustion Harm had suffered from and the day he finally confessed to Harriet what had been so stressing. Especially the description of the Admiral's reaction evoked a roaring laughter.
"Then, about a year ago, Jennifer asked Harm again to take care of Mac while she herself took care of her very sick mother. But she didn't, and Harm didn't, know Mac was pregnant."
"I am so sorry," Jennifer apologized once more. "I felt terrible when I learned what I put Harm through. And I hated not seeing the kittens before they went to their new homes."
"Don't worry," Harm reassured her. "You didn't do it on purpose and we are all very happy your mum made a full recovery. "
Jennifer nodded. "She is doing great and she sends her best," she smiled. "And I'm still very grateful for you taking care of Mac."
"Before he knew Harm was the proud 'dad' of seven cute but lively kittens," Mac continued her story. "He decided to name them after their mother but also give them names matching their personality. That left him with Mac the Knife, McMurphy, Macavity, MacDonalds, McKinley, Lady Macbeth, and Mackenzie. As said, because Jennifer had to take care of her mum we had to find new homes for the six of them, for Harm had already decided he wanted to keep Mackenzie. That wasn't easy, but in the weeks thereafter each kitten found, or rather, picked her or his new owner."

She turned towards Jennifer. "Tell us about Mac the mother," she requested.
"Mac is my cat for over three years now," Jennifer started. I got her as a kitten from the Humane Society. Maybe that's why I never gave it a moment's thought to have her neutered. I assumed that had already been done at the shelter. Since Mac is very much an indoor cat she never met any tomcat, or so I thought. I felt bad about the handful she had been to Harm the first time he cat-sat her but I didn't know anyone else to turn to and she seemed to have calmed down a bit. Little did I know it was because she was pregnant. Mac is an average cat, I think. Independent. She is not a lap cat but likes to lie beside you on the couch. She is gentle; if she doesn't like something, she rather walks away than using her claws. She doesn't like strangers too much; she wants to see which way the wind blows. She can be a picky eater but loves chicken hearts or liver. Mac, you asked us to bring a picture or two; here are mine."
She produced two pictures, one of Mac sitting in front of the window and one of her with the cat in her arms. Mac thanked her, put them in a little box which sat on the table in front of her and nodded at Lillian who was the next to tell her story.

"I'm Mac the Knife's mum," the woman started. "When I was in Washington for a case I spent the evening discussing it with Harm. The kittens were put to bed early."
"How?" Titania interrupted, earning a disapproving look from her father.
"Since seven kittens can cause a lot of damage to your interior. I built a cage in my bedroom," Harm told her. "During the night or when I wasn't home I locked them in. They had pillows, toys, litter boxes and a scratching pole so they were fine but they couldn't trash my apartment."
Her dad's frowning eyebrows told Titania she shouldn't interrupt again when an adult was speaking.
"When Harm put the kittens into their cage," Lillian continued "he missed one, Mac the Knife, who found a sleeping spot in my lap. After we finished working and Harm wanted to put him in the cage as well, Mac wouldn't let go of me. He even scratched Harm when Harm tried to catch him."
"The little rat," Harm muttered under his breath, looking at his right hand, which still bore the faint scars of that encounter.
"He definitely fell in love with me. I already thought about having a cat so I decided to keep him. That feisty kitten has grown into a feisty young tomcat now. He loves to be outside. He considers all gardens his territory and terrorizes the neighbour cats. But he loves to spend time with me as well. Every evening when I'm reading or watching TV he sits in my lap and when I'm working at my desk he sits next to me on his own high chair." She produced three pictures, one of her and Mac the Knife sitting at her desk, the cat on a barstool next to her, one in which Mac strolled the garden and one with her with Mac in her lap. Harm recognized the triumphant, almost smug grin on the cat's face.
"He is very much a one-person's cat. He loves me, he tolerates my roommate and my boyfriend but doesn't like strangers. When they try to pet him he will walk away or, when they corner him, hiss and show his claws. He is a good and keen hunter and brings me a present at least once a week." She shuddered demonstratively. "Ever woke up to find a dead mouse in your shoe?"
Everyone laughed.
"But I'm very happy to have him," Lillian ended her story, handing over the pictures to Mac.

Now it was Max' turn.
"McMurphy came in my life on a normal pub evening. Suddenly I saw something black and white hanging on the Guinness tap, trying to pry a few drops out of it. It turned out Harm and Bud Roberts had decided to sit and work in one of the booths and McMurphy had hitched a ride in Harm's briefcase. As the kitten seemed to like a drink, I first offered him a dollop of advocaat, the Dutch version of eggnog," he explained seeing the quizzed faces, "and later a job as a mouser in my cellar. He readily agreed. Like Mac the Knife he is a good hunter and he earns his food and drinks."
It was clear Titania had a question but she kept her mouth shut. Harm laughed.
"McMurphy's Tavern is the bar we frequent," he explained. "When McMurphy the cat was still a kitten he once knocked over my beer and drank the spills. He was so drunk he wasn't able to clean himself and I had to bath him several times before the smell had gone. Next to his kibble he gets a dollop of eggnog every weekend and one extra for every five mice he catches. In short, he is a little alcoholic."
"Yes, he is," Max confirmed. "I have to keep him downstairs in the cellar or in my apartment at evenings otherwise he would be fed so many drinks he would be drunk all the time and not doing his job."
He walked over to his jacket and pulled an envelope out of the inner pocket which he handed over to Mac. Out came a photo of McMurphy sitting in front of a large beer barrel with a dead mouse at his feet. Next to that there was a picture of Max standing behind the tap, the cat sitting proudly next to him. The third one showed an eagle spread cat, sleeping it off.

"I was at JAG headquarters on a Saturday morning," General Eliot started. "We had an important meeting and we needed a crucial document. A document that was in the hands of Commander Rabb. He was late. Which was not unusual, his CO told me. When he finally arrived he claimed it was a cat that had caused the delay. Macavity. You all know the song from the musical Cats." The general burst out in song.
"Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw -
For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there!
Macavity is a cat who always steals and hides things. When I learned he had not only nicked the envelope but also several other items, including one of my friend Admiral Chegwidden's insignia I decided that little felon warranted a firm eye and a strong hand. So I demanded he would be under my personal supervision from then on. He is now in my hunting lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains keeping the mouse population in check. Like his siblings he is a good mouser. Since he has such a large terrain to patrol and so many duties he doesn't have much time to get himself into trouble. Besides that, we know his secret stashing places and check them regularly."
The pictures showed Macavity sitting on a large desk loaded with piles of papers while his owner was writing, Macavity strolling through the garden and Macavity slipping away with a teaspoon in his mouth.

Maeve Campbell had been thinking how much to reveal, especially when there were children in the room. She decided on the short version.
"My story isn't a funny one," she started. "I was in a bad place, being the victim of a vicious attack and in that same period I also lost my cat. I don't want to elaborate now. Mac was the prosecutor in my trial and she thought I needed some TLC. And what better TLC than to cuddle one or two kittens. She invited me over to Harm's home and I met Mac the mother cat, McDonalds, Macavity who hadn't left yet, MacKinley, Lady Macbeth and Mackenzie. We had dinner and MacDonalds and I got along very well. After the trial I asked Harm and Mac to allow me to take him with me as companion. I was very happy when they agreed. There is something very soothing and relaxing in petting a cat and I needed that."
When she had finished there was silence. Even the straightforward Titania realized this was not a good time to ask further. Harm lightened the mood by telling how McDonalds had gotten his name.
"And that name still suits him," Maeve confirmed. "He loves his food. Like Mac the Knife has his own chair next to his mum's desk, MacDonald has one in the kitchen. When I prepare dinner he likes to sit next to me and beg for scraps. I can't leave anything edible unattended though. He is a little thief."
She produced photos of a plump MacDonald sitting and watching her cut vegetables, the two of them sharing an ice cone and MacDonald looking up, one paw in his empty bowl, his mouth slightly open in what was clearly a begging or commanding meow.
Mac grinned and placed them with the others in the box.

Cindy was next.
"I always wanted a pet, "she told. "First a horse and a dog and a cat. But we live in a city house with only a small backyard and the landlord doesn't allow dogs. Last year I had a bad accident and was in hospital for weeks and they told me I would be in a wheelchair for a long time. I was very sad but my mum and dad said they had a big surprise for me. And when I came home McKinley was there! Dad told me he rescued her a few days earlier from a ledge and that she was looking for a new home and someone to love her. I do love her!" she beamed.
"It's true," John Lookout Mountain confirmed. "I'm a fire-fighter and we rescue cats from high places all the time. McKinley lives up to her name. She loves to sit on high places and look down on the world. A bookshelf, the kitchen cabinets, the top of the stairs, your shoulder, anything will do. She is a nice addition to the Lookout Mountain family."
The pictures showed Cindy with McKinley on her shoulder, the cat at the top at the stairs and sitting on the headboard of Cindy's bed, looking down on her sleeping mistress.

By now Titania was bouncing with excitement.
"Our cat MacDuff died and Duncan was sick, so dad and I brought him to the vet. And there was Harm…" A warning cough and two knitted eyebrows made her back off.
"Sorry, Sir." she apologized. "There was Commander Rabb. He had two kittens with him, Lady Macbeth and Mackenzie. I liked Lady Macbeth a lot but daddy didn't want me to have her. Duncan had swallowed a marble and he needed surgery and after two days he came home. I was still very sad because Dad had Duncan and Robin had Malcolm and MacDuff was mum's cat and I didn't have a cat of my own. But then two weeks later dad told he had a surprise for me. We went to the Commander's house and then I got Lady Macbeth after all." Since this was told in one long breath she now was all but gasping for air.
"And she is very much Tania's cat," her father agreed. "You know the saying 'dogs have owners, cats have staff'? That was written with Lady Macbeth in mind. Tania may be her lady in waiting, the rest of the family, including the other cats are nothing more than her humble servants. One meow and someone is there to fill her bowl, open a door, pet her, whatever my lady wants."
From out of his pocket he pulled an envelope with his contribution to the growing pile of pictures. And indeed, even on a photo the disdain was clearly visible. Lady Macbeth sat like a little statue in the middle of the table, her tail wrapped neatly around her feet. A second picture showed her while being fed a table scrap, the two other cats lurking in the back ground and a third one on which she slept stretched out on the head pillow next to her little mistress.

Harm poured fresh drinks and the conversation turned towards other things than cats. Suddenly Mac felt a little tug on her sleeve. When she looked down it was Cindy.
"Why is Mackenzie named after you?" she wanted to know.
Mac smiled. "You have to ask Harm," she said with a teasing wink at her husband who blushed.
"Well, Mackenzie was the cutest so I named her after the woman I love," he simply stated. "And why is she special? Titania now wanted to know.
"She is our little peacemaker," Mac took over. "When Harm and I argue she feels when a simple disagreement is turning nasty and she will be in our faces right away. She meows loudly and walks in front of our feet so we have to stop fighting and pay attention to her."
"Why do you fight?"
"Tania!" Now Mr. Hathaway had enough of the impertinence of his daughter. With a grim expression on his face he beckoned her over and drew her aside to give her a talking to. Moments later a very repentant Titania, fighting her tears, came to apologize. Mac felt sorry for her but knew better than to contradict the father. In stead she said "Why don't you and Cindy come with me to get Lynn?"
In the blink of an eye both glum faces turned into a smiles.
"You have to be quiet," Mac told them leading them to the nursery. Little Lynn was just waking up from her afternoon nap. Carefully she scooped her up and showed her to the girls. Tania stroked the little cheek with her forefinger.
"She is so small."
"Once you were as little as she is," Mac smiled, laying Lynn down on the commode to change her diaper. Tania looked as if she couldn't believe it.
"May we hold her?" Cindy asked longingly.
Mac hesitated. "You can while I make her a bottle," she decided. "Downstairs, when you sit on the couch and there is someone to supervise you."
Both girls all but ran down the stairs to sit on the couch, flanked by their mums. Following them in a more temperate way Mac placed Lynn on Cindy's lap, feeling more comfortable by having the quiet girl holding her precious baby than the excited Tania. Both Mary and Mrs Hathaway nodded reassuring they would keep a close eye on them. When she came back with the lukewarm bottle, the girls were allowed to feed the baby under the watchful eyes of their mothers. After that little miss Rabb made a round of honour through the room. Slowly the party came to an end and everyone started to get ready for leaving.
"What are you going to do with the pictures?" Jennifer wanted to know.
"I don't have many pictures of my youth," Mac told. "We moved a lot so many were lost in the process. Therefore I like to document and I want Lynn to have lots of photos as well. To us the time with the kittens was an important one and I want a momentum."
"I think we all enjoyed listening to the stories," Maeve said. "I know you are probably busy but when we all e-mail you the pics and our stories, maybe you can make a booklet for all of us?" Approving nods were her reward.
"I can help you if you need," Jennifer offered.
"Right," Mac decided. "I will do that. But you have to mail me within, let's say, two weeks." There were promises all around.
One by one or family by family the guests left. Waving them out Harm stood behind Mac and pulled her to his chest. He sighed. A wife and a child he loved, a house, a pet, what else could he wish for? And all thanks to a Most Annoying Cat.

The end