"Cadet Robyn Harmony Latham-Rabb" – Ch07– "Second Sight and family values"
AU: Harm, Bobbi and a shared life
A/N: "they aren't mine, I'm just playing with them - apart from any character created by myself". See Ch 01 for disclaimers.
Summary: this is a fictional story, in a fictional (slightly) Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. Comments and PMs and suggestions are most welcome; I shall update periodically. Mike
Canon: "People vs Mac" S04Ep09 first broadcast 17NOV1998; S04Ep12: "Dungaree Justice" first broadcast 12-JAN-1999: "Nobody's Child" S04Ep17 first broadcast 02MAR1999; "Second Sight" S04Ep20 first broadcast 27APR1999.
A/N: published 19-JUL-2022: This chapter is another part of a much longer one, which was written and almost ready to go back ready in October 2021– until "someone" gagged! I truly hope that my gagging guest reviewer has recovered and that you will enjoy this next interim snapshot of early 1999. I'm reflecting this month on Mac's thoughts on the changed status of Harmon Rabb jr and his place in her life – along with her place in his.
CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR
Ch07– "Second Sight and family values"
Sunday 10th January 1999, 09:22hrs EST
Sarah Mackenzie's apartment, Georgetown, Washington, DC 20007, United States
Mac returned from her Sunday morning run and, after luxuriating in her shower, settled on her sofa with a large mug of coffee. In truth, she was still thinking through her meeting with Harm the previous day.
In many respects, it had been just like old times. Although Harm was now committed to the relationship with Bobbi Latham (and Mac wished them both well), she hoped that he could still continue as her best friend. At least, her best friend until she actually found the right man!
She realised, with a jolt, that Harm had nearly-always been there for her after everything major which had happened in her life. However she had to recognise that now, the dynamic would be different. She had no doubt that Harm would make an excellent husband and a wonderful father.
Subconsciously, her hand dropped to the waist-band of her sweatpants then she stopped herself. Would she ever have wanted children? Could she ever conceive? She had spent her late teenage years in a semi-permanent alcoholic stupor, providing easy pickings for any hormonally-charged adolescent in the Yuma area. Yet, when her Uncle Matt had dragged her away, confined her in that mountain-top sanctuary and sobered her up whilst also talking sense into her, she had realised her amazing good fortune; no unwanted pregnancies and no STDs.
From that point onwards, apart from the Okinawa incident with John Farrow (which had blown up the previous November with the appearance and subsequent death of her original husband), she had been more selective and *way* more careful in choosing her men.
True, she could now accept that Dalton had hired her for her looks as well as her legal skills: maybe she had gone into that with her eyes slightly closed and her legs slightly open, but Dalton's murder by Coster had closed off any chance of a "what-if" continuation of that relationship.
She chuckled and hugged her knees closer to her chest, feeling that small twitch in her lower body when she thought back to the Dalton/Coster incident – and the man who had been good for her. Once more of course, Harm had been there to rescue her and she had realised the torment in his eyes when he had cut her loose and smelled the vodka which had been sloshed all over – and into – her.
Now, he was on a course to fatherhood with his fiancée. There was, however, no doubt that he was clear about remaining as friends. Mac was so glad that they had met up the previous day for lunch. She liked having her partner back.
Mac had already formed the view that Bobbi Latham was a good addition to her circle of friends – she would, henceforth, come as part of the "Harmon Rabb package deal". There was no viable alternative, in her pragmatic view. Once more, she repeated her mantra: Suck it up, Marine.
CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR
Thursday 28th January 1999, 20:23hrs EST
Congresswoman Latham's apartment, Watergate South
The Watergate Complex, 700 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037,
The packing was completed and Harm had moved the suitcases out toward the hallway, where Norman would collect the cases in the morning as part of Bobbi's journey to the Capitol.
The "dungaree Justice" case had annoyed Harm, once the identity of the rapist had been revealed. Bobbi had ranted at the "misogynistic dinosaur" mentality of the young man who had raped his incapacitated female fire-control colleague during a drunken run ashore. Fortunately it looked like "the Hawk" would recover from the assault and would be able to put the incident behind her.
The parting shot seemed apposite: "You woke up on the wrong side of the century, seaman".
But tomorrow evening would see a flight up to Detroit: finally, Harm was going to "meet the parents" – just as Bobbi approached the ten-week point in her pregnancy. A scan before the end of February would be confirming the gender of their developing child.
CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR
After meeting Hector and Mirabelle (with the inevitable jibes about "retiring to Detroit"), Harm had relaxed into the warmth of Bobbi's family home. She had combined a congressional surgery on the Saturday afternoon (as she put it: "my voters have the right to see their Congresswoman") but it was clear, by the time 6PM rolled around, that the expectant mother of his child was flagging.
As soon as they had returned to her family home, she had kicked off her courts and settled on the settee, gently parking her legs across Harm's legs with a pleading expression.
In anticipation (and as he continued to learn about the ways of this wonderful woman), Harm had taken to always carrying a small bottle of massage oil in his luggage. Without further prompting, he rolled down her thigh-high stockings and set to work teasing out the kinks in her feet. Within 20 minutes, Congresswoman Roberta Latham was putty in his hands.
"Mission accomplished, I think" he smiled across the room to Hector.
Hector's deep bass tones responded (reminiscent, Harm thought, of Sturgis Turner's father): "Well, young Harm, I can see that you love and care for my daughter. Now then, when should we be planning the wedding?"
Half-asleep, Bobbi rolled sideways on the settee so that she could address her father. "Dad, we both want our child born in wedlock, but leave it with us to set a timeline – OK?"
Suitably satisfied, Hector nodded and stood up to offer coffee to the two lovebirds on the settee.
Harm leaned down and whispered "nice reply" in Bobbi's ears; she smiled, then replied: "You know, he does have a point. There are some mutterings in the Capitol about an 'unwed mother' doing the rounds."
Harm was outraged, but she placed a calming hand on his forearm. "Now Harm, it's just politics. We shall marry in our own good time but I think it would be good for us to start looking at dates. OK?"
"Sure darling." Harm relaxed, then he sat bolt upright at her next statement: "Besides, I think it would be rather nice to have Mac involved, don't you?"
Thinking for a short while, Bobbi smiled and nodded.
CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR
February saw Harm and Mac thrown together in vigilante custody when Lt Rivers got himself mixed up in a cack-handed FBI operation to lift a rebel called Warren Toobin.
Within a week of returning from that adventure, they were thrown together on a submarine with a psychotic CPO. Eventually, Mac and Harm overcame Hodge, but it was a close-run resolution to the case. Later, the JAG gang gathered at Benzingers to celebrate Harriet's promotion to Lieutenant.
But it was the case of Annie and Dar-Lin Lewis which finally gave Harm the impetus to set a wedding date. Even though the surviving twin (Dar-Lin) would swiftly be adopted by Alan and Jackie Mattoni, Harm knew that he wanted to get his marriage completed well in advance of the arrival of his first child. Children represented the future: his future and his family's future.
Naturally, Bobbi agreed wholeheartedly with her fiancé. At her stage of pregnancy, she really didn't want the wedding photographs to require major surgery with Photoshop!
Easter 1999 would see the wedding of Harmon Rabb jr to Roberta Latham.
CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR
Saturday 27th March 1999, 10:55hrs EST
St Mark's Episcopal Church, 301 A St SE, Washington, DC , United States DC 20003
The sun shone, the bride was blooming and the honour guard performed flawlessly in welcoming the new Mrs Harmon Rabb into the Navy.
Bobbie's choice of bridesmaid had been easier – sadly – because her long-planned school-friend bridesmaid (they had promised in Junior High to lead at each other's weddings) had finally succumbed to leukaemia at the end of February. Bobbi still wanted someone who was very important to her family to be her chief bridesmaid.
Then her thoughts turned to Harm – his friends would become part of her official family when they married. For this reason, Bobbi had approached Mac – in the spirit of "best friends and the women who know Harm best" - to stand up for her at the marriage.
Mac had thought – for all of five seconds – before hugging Bobbi and saying a very enthusiastic "yes".
Jack Keeter had emerged from wherever he was posted, along with a selection of USN colleagues including Sturgis Turner. Sturgis found himself deep in conversation with one of Bobbi's cousins – a singer who was making waves on one of the MoTown labels. This meeting would eventually take Sturgis on a completely new path, a few years later.
The honeymoon took place in La Jolla as Bobbi began her inevitable count-down to early August. By now, she knew that she was carrying the hoped-for girl-child.
CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR
Tuesday 27th April 1999, 10:55hrs PST
Hospice of the Sacred Heart; California
Less than a month later, Harm was unable to accompany Mac when she made the heart-rending journey across to California for her father's final days. On her return, Bobbi and Harm made a point of inviting her round for dinner the day after she returned.
The next morning, as she arrived into JAG HQ, Mac found a lovely bouquet of flowers on her desk. Harriet was smiling – having obviously read the enclosed card, which Mac now read:
"With sorrow for your loss, all our thoughts and love.
From Bobbi; Harm and the Bump"
Despite her anguish, Mac actually smiled, before strolling around to Harm's office, where she surprised a few of her colleagues by flinging her arms wide and hugging her partner!
CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR-CRHLR
End of "Cadet Robyn Harmony Latham-Rabb" Ch07– "Second Sight and family values"
Mike, United Kingdom, 19-07-2022