Hi, everyone! Sorry it took a little longer to post this ficlet. It's a continuation of the previous one, so I wanted to get it posted, but I've been really busy! Christmas is only two weeks away now, and I'm determined to finish this story by then. I hope you're all getting into the holiday spirit, and thanks for following this story during a busy time of year!

Gift

Trish found Mac in her guest room, sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands folded in her lap. She appeared to be staring out the window into the distance, but her expression was sad and her eyes were a bit watery.

"Hi," Trish said quietly, easing herself down on the bed beside her.

Mac quickly wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm—I'm sorry, Trish. I'm not usually like this. I'm a United States Marine, and here I am crying because my mother isn't going to make it to my wedding."

"I'm sorry, Mac," Trish said sympathetically. "I don't understand why any mother would want to miss their daughter's wedding."

"I haven't even seen her in years," Mac continued bitterly. "I don't know why I thought this time would be any different."

"You don't have to justify it, darling." Trish wrapped an arm around Mac's shoulders and felt her heave a defeated sigh. "Mac, I've been waiting for the right moment to give you something," she said gently. "I realize that it's not a replacement for your mother, but it's something that my mother gave to me when I got married, and I wanted you to have it now."

She slid a small, decorative, jewel-encrusted box into Mac's open palm, and with wide eyes and shaky hands, Mac lifted the lid to find an exquisite necklace sitting on a bed of blue velvet. She sucked in her breath as she recognized the naval emblem of an anchor, shield, and wings dangling from a gold chain.

"You're marrying a naval aviator," Trish explained, gazing at Mac fondly. "Just as I did. I've always been very proud to call Harm my son. And now I'm very proud to call you my daughter-in-law."

Mac didn't know what to say for a minute. She blinked uncertainly, almost as if she were trying to process the meaning of Trish's words. "I guess no one has ever called me a daughter before," she finally admitted. "I never really had a mother. Didn't have much of a father either. Harm's always been so lucky to have you."

"And he's worried about you," Trish said. "He just wants to make sure that everything about this wedding is perfect for you."

"Well, Harm always did want to be Superman," Mac muttered.

"He got that from his father," Trish assured her, and the two women shared a laugh that only a mother and daughter could understand.