Never Say Never
Chapter 12
Monday, August 13, 2001
2230 Hours
National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, MD
Harm walked into the room to stand at Mac's bedside. He bent to kiss her offered lips. He perched on the edge of the bed to look down at his daughter feeding at Mac's breast. The baby was wrapped in the usual blue & red striped blanket with a pink cap on her head.
"So, you wanted to surprise me with her name," Harm said.
"Yes, we're naming her Patricia Catherine after your mom and my maternal grandmother. We'll call her Tricia."
Harm looked across the bed to where his mom was sitting smiling with joy.
"That's wonderful. Now we'll have a name to give the President & Mrs. Bartlett when they come in."
"They're here? This late?" Mac exclaimed quietly.
Right at that, Tricia released the nipple indicating that she was full. Harm took her and lay her in the bassinet alongside the bed. Mac set about straightening her pajama top. Just as she buttoned the last button, there was a knock on the door. After checking that all her assets were covered, she called, "Come in."
President Bartlett and Dr. Bartlet came in quietly to stand with Harm. Trish got up from her chair to go around and properly greet them.
After he released her hand the president said, "Mrs. Burnett. You must be proud to finally be a Nana."
After Trish greeted Abby Bartlett with a quick hug and a cheek kiss, "Yes, I am Mr. President."
"What's this young lady's name?" Bartlett asked as he and Abby looked into the bassinet.
"Patricia Catherine Rabb. We're going to call her Tricia," Mac answered.
"Oh, what a beautiful name," Abby replied.
The Bartletts visited for a bit before Mac began to yawn.
At that Abby announced, "We've visited late enough. Sarah, bring her around to the White House so Harm can show her off."
"I'll do that, Dr. Bartlett."
At that point, the Bartletts said their goodbyes and left the room.
Mac turned to Harm and Trish, "And you two better get to the house to get some sleep. Tricia and I are fine as everything with the birth was normal and I haven't slept at all since giving birth and I'm tired."
"Yes Mom, we'll get going. We'll see you in the morning," Harm replied.
"Not too early, though," Mac added. She put her lips up for his kiss.
Trish embraced her with a "Thank you for giving me my first granddaughter."
"You're welcome, Trish," Mac said in an emotional whisper.
At that Harm and Trish walked out.
Saturday, August 18, 2001
1300 Local Time
Rabb Residence
Potomac Avenue
Potomac Heights, DC-NW
The 3,000-square-foot two-story 4 Bedroom-3 bath (one master bedroom ensuite) single-family house was built on the palisades facing south overlooking the Potomac River. The first floor was laid out in an accessible racetrack-through set of rooms. The living room was in the front to the right (east) of the front door. The dining room was through an arch from the living room adjacent to the full amenity-stocked kitchen in the rear. To the left (west) of the front door was a den/TV room that filled a quarter of the front of the house. Through the rear of the den was a passage to the kitchen, a full bathroom, and a washroom with a washer and dryer, and the door to the basement. There was a mud room off the washroom with the door leading to the backyard. The stairs to the second floor were in the space in front of the house between the living room and den. The second floor was laid out with the bedrooms around the stairwell. The master suite was at the top of the stairs with the second bathroom in the corner. The other three bedrooms were set along the back and west corners of the house.
A front porch under a portico offered a sitting space that looked out toward the south onto the Potomac River valley. The roof of the portico had solar panels that gave a secondary electrical power source for the house. In front of the house was a small lawn framed by a garden containing rose bushes and evergreen shrubs. The driveway went up the left side of the house to the garage that was set behind the house bordering the back of the property. The backyard had a deck and a spacious lawn.
Harm and Mac had bought the house halfway through her pregnancy. Harm used funds from the trust fund that Frank set up for him when he married Trish as a substantial down payment. This enabled them to negotiate a favorable monthly payment with their bank, the Naval Federal Credit Union.
Now Harm and Mac were pulling up to their home in Mac's crimson Grand Cherokee with Tricia buckled in her baby seat. After Harm helped Mac from the passenger seat, he turned to take Tricia from the backseat. While Harm held the baby carrier in one hand, Mac took hold of his other arm and leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked into the back door of the house. Mac walked through the kitchen and up the stairs with Harm right behind her. When they entered the bedroom, Mac sat down on the bed while Harm removed Tricia from the carrier and lay her in the bassinet that was on Mac's side of the bed.
Tricia had progressed very favorably. In the five days after her birth, she gained two pounds from her birth weight of 8-¾ pounds. Mac had recovered just as favorably in the same five days.
After Harm finished putting Tricia down, he turned to his wife and asked, "How're you doing honey?"
"I'm good. Those hemorrhoids I had popped while I was in the hospital so that pain is gone. Everything else feels fine, but I'm a little tired. I gonna take a nap while Tricia is asleep."
"Great. Mom is out shopping for dinner. Uncle Matt, Loren & Sergei, and Meghan & Tuna are coming to dinner and to see Tricia for the first time. I'll put the milk you expressed in the fridge. I'll have the baby monitor receiver with me, and I'll feed and change Tricia when she wakes. So, you relax."
"Yes dear," Mac replied she put her lips up for Harm's kiss and then snuggled down for her nap.
Harm went down to the first floor and started settling things around the house. After he finished putting the bottles with the expressed breast milk in the refrigerator, he heard a car pull into the driveway. He looked out to see Trish get out of her Pacifica minivan, walk to the back, open the hatch, and start unloading the groceries.
Harm went out to help. After they got everything into the house and put it away, Trish asked, "Where are Sarah and the baby?"
Harm pointed to the baby monitor and replied, "They're napping upstairs. I'll get Tricia when she gets up so Mac can rest."
"Good idea sweetheart. If it's okay with you, I'm going up to the guest room so I can nap."
"Okay, Mom. Uncle Matt is coming for dinner. When he arrives, I'll start making dinner."
"Alright come and get us when he gets here."
Harm relaxed during the afternoon. He went upstairs two times when he heard Tricia making noise. He got a bottle from the refrigerator and went up and brought her into the nursery to feed. Mac and Harm were incredibly lucky that their daughter took to the bottle as well as the breast. After each feeding, he burped her, changed her diaper, and put her down to sleep in the bassinet. Mac slept peacefully through the afternoon.
Later on, at about four o'clock, Mac woke up to find that Tricia was not in her bassinet. She went into the ensuite bathroom to freshen up, change into casual clothes, and then went downstairs. She found Uncle Matt, Trish, Frank, and Harm in the living room looking at a sleeping Tricia in her baby carrier in its stroller.
As Mac came into the living room, Harm looked up and saw her. After she embraced Trish, Frank & Matt, Mac went over to sit on her husband's lap.
"Did you have a good nap, honey?"
"Yeah, I did. It was nice not having to be woken up by the nurses every hour. How's our girl doing?" Mac asked as she looked down at her daughter.
"Fine. The last time I heard her wake, I brought her down here after I fed and changed her. Uncle Matt had just come in and wanted to see her. Loren and Meghan with Tuna and Sergei are coming over for dinner to see her. I have a "real" meatloaf and potatoes on the stove."
Mac chuckled at his clarification that dinner would not include his meatless meatloaf. "That's fine. I'm hungry after a week of hospital food."
Right at that the doorbell chimed. Mac got off Harm's lap to let him get up to answer the door. He saw Loren and Meghan smiling at him through the door side windows. He opened the door to let them, as well as David Medwick and Sergei in. He put his fingers to his lips and then pointed into the living room to signal that Tricia was asleep there.
They got the message and quietly embraced him and shook his hands. Then the cousins trooped into the living room. There was much silent embracing and kissing as they all greeted each other.
They bent alongside Mac to look at Tricia in her career.
Meghan whispered, "Oh Sarah, she's so beautiful. How's she doing?"
"She is thriving. We're feeding her on demand like the pediatrician instructed. She's gained two pounds since she was born. This will be her first night home."
"Nice we have some baby gifts," Loren replied as she presented the gift bags with the gifts.
Mac opened one to see sets of green Marine camo and blue Navy camo onesies. The other bag had a couple of Marine and Navy-dressed teddy bears.
"Oh, these are adorable. Mac softly exclaimed.
At that, Tricia started whimpering for attention. Mac bent to pick her up saying, "I'll take her into the other room to feed her. While we ladies are in there, you men can set the table and get the dinner on."
"Yes dear," Harm said.
At that, they went their separate ways. While they were getting the food ready Harm and Matt were alone in the kitchen. Matt said, "Harm there's something to need to speak with you about."
"What's that Matt?"
"I think I'm being followed."
"What makes you think that?"
"I keep seeing the same car when I drive around between the veterans group office and home. Today, I saw the same car on my way here."
"Do you have a license plate number and the make of the car?"
"It's a black Ford Focus with a Virginia plate, the last three numbers are 573."
"Okay, I'll turn it over to my Secret Service detail to investigate. Still, I wonder who has a grudge against you."
"That's the big question, isn't it?"
"Well right now let's enjoy dinner with your new grandniece."
"You're right Harm," Matt said concluding their discussion and joining their family for dinner.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
0730 Local Time
White House Situation Room Coordinator Office
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
DC, NW
Harm arrived at his office at the usual time. He enjoyed his morning as Tricia and Mac got up with him as Tricia demanded her usual morning attention. While her mother dealt with her, her father got ready for work.
Harm sat down to discuss his day with his yeoman now CPO Carolyn Turner. She received her promotion the week before. President Bartlett indulged himself in giving her new stripes in a lunchtime ceremony.
"What's with all these reports from the FBI of Middle Eastern-looking guys taking flying lessons? I don't know what to tell the president about that." Harm asked her while reading a report stating that.
"I don't understand that either boss. It's a total mystery to me. I'll ask for more information from our liaison there."
Harm allowed her familiarity as they were working so closely. He replied, "Fine, that's what I'll put in today's daily briefing. Remember he'll get it in Florida today. He's visiting a grammar school to promote his education initiative."
"Got it, boss."
They did their work for a while. It was about 0850 when Harm heard someone cry out "OH MY GOD!"
Harm came out of his office to see the other members of his staff staring at the TVs mounted on the walls throughout the Situation Room. They all watched as fire and smoke engulfed the top floors of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
There were murmurs of:
"What was going on with that pilot?"
"That was no accident."
At about 0903 they all stared in horror as they saw another plane crash halfway down the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
"Alright, people let's work the phones. We need to get as much information for POTUS ASAP!" Harm commanded.
The staff did their job with one eye on the TV. They stopped at about 0945 as they saw a plane crash into the west side of the Pentagon.
As Harm's staff and the rest of the West Wing Staff worked, the POTUS Secret Service detail set to lock down the White House Compound. It was about 1005 hours when Harm's Secret Service agent Bob Campbell came down to announce, "We're evacuating people. We have reports that an airliner is heading to the White House. Ladies take off your heels and run!"