Chapter 20

"No," AJ gently agreed.

"He'll never be in there again…" Mac trailed off.

"No. Mac, if you don't want to go in there, I'm sure people will understand. They all know you loved him."

"He was my best friend. I'm going to miss him so much."

"Do you want me to take you home? I can always come back."

"Oh no, how would that look? Everyone else here loved him too," she said looking up at AJ.

"Mac I know that Jen admitted to loving Harm and you might not want to say anything in front of her, but the rest of us could tell there was more than friendship between you and Harm."

"AJ, I don't know what you're talking about. Harm was my best friend, that's it, that's all. There might have been a time, long ago, when he and I could have been involved, but there's always been someone else in my heart and Harm knew that."

"I didn't know, I'm sorry Mac," AJ offered, giving her a gentle hug.

"Thank you," she whispered as she leaned into him for just a moment, allowing herself that oh-so brief pleasure of being in his arms. She wondered what he would do if she admitted that it was him that was in her heart. "We should get in there before they start wondering what's keeping us."

"All right, if you're ready," he said, pushing the door open and guiding her inside with his hand at the small of her back.

They entered the apartment to find a touching scene. Mattie was crying in the arms of Harm's mother, whose eyes were suspiciously bright as well. The others seemed to have started working already. Frank and Sturgis were boxing up clothes and books respectively; Harriett was busy in the kitchen. She was emptying the fridge and cupboards of food while Bud was boxing up pots and pans.

Mac and AJ walked over to greet Mattie. She looked up at their approach and gave them both a hug. "I just can't believe this!" she cried.

"I know sweetie," Mac said hugging the teen fiercely. "But we are all here for you."

"And Jen? She loved him you know…"

"Her too," AJ assured Mattie.

"Do you think anyone else wants Harm's guitar? We had so many good nights with him playing it for me, that I'd like to take lessons…" Mattie looked at everyone hopefully.

No one quite seemed to know what to say to her and then Trish took a deep breath, and crossed the room to where the guitar stood on its stand. She lovingly picked it up and carried it back across the room. Placing it in Mattie's hands, Trish said, "I'm sure he would want you to have it."

"Thank you!" Mattie whispered clutching the instrument to her as if it were a child.

Trish put her arm around Mattie and said, "You're welcome dear. I know he'd want it to go to someone who would love it like he did. I'd like all of you to choose something just as Mattie has."

"I have so many memories of Harm that I really don't need any thing to help me remember," Mac told her.

"I understand dear, but I can't take all of this back with us so if there was something that you'd like?"

Mac looked around and finally said, "Well, his couch is so much better than mine, do you have plans for it?"

"No, I was going to donate the furniture, so please take it if you will use it."

"Thank you Trish."

"May I have some of his shirts?" Jen asked softly, and before Trish could answer, Mattie chimed in, "Oh me too please!"

With and indulgent smile that had a hint of sadness in it, Trish agreed that Jen and Mattie could pick out what they wanted.

Harriett asked if she could have a set of wine glasses that she found in a cupboard, and Bud wanted to know if he could have Harm's computer. He had been teaching the children to use one and this way they could have one of their own. Trish agreed to both requests and Bud offered to put any personal files or pictures stored on the computer onto CD's for her. She thanked him for that and said it was something she hadn't thought of.

Mac noticed something as Jen and Mattie were going through Harm's shirts and pulled Trish aside to mention it to her.

To be continued…..