Chapter 21

Saturday
0119 Zulu
North of Union Station

“You’re serious, sir?” Bud asked, eyes widening as he set his fork down with a clatter. “Five years. Wow, I can’t believe the two of you actually went through with it.”

“BUD!”

“It’s all right, Harriet,” Harm chuckled. Reaching for his glass, he caught Mac’s soft smile and shot her a knowing look. “It was a pretty unique agreement, but since when have either of us done anything the traditional way? Pass the salt, please.”

Obliging, Mac handed him the shaker. She paused to take a sip of water. “Something the matter, Bud? You seem perplexed.”

“No, not at all, ma’am,” he replied, snapping his eyes up to meet hers. “What are you going to tell Admiral Chegwidden? I mean, aren’t you worried about how this will affect your careers?”

“We told the Admiral shortly after Mac’s pregnancy was confirmed,” Harm admitted. “He wasn’t exactly thrilled, but at least he didn’t go ballistic.”

“No, he just threatened to ship us off to Alaska,” Mac said dryly, shooting him a sideways glance.

“So that was what you were talking about!” Harriet exclaimed. Then she smiled sheepishly at Mac and Harm’s questioning stares. “You were chatting a little loudly about polar bears on your way through the bullpen, and the conversation seemed so strange that it stuck with me. It makes a LOT more sense now.”

Harm grinned. “He said he would see what he could do.”

“I believe his exact words were ‘give me time to figure out how to handle this mess,’” Mac coughed politely.

Shrugging, Harm speared a piece of lasagna with his fork. “Same difference.”

“He’s looking into it though, right? That’s something.”

“Bud, I wish I had your confidence,” Harm chuckled.

Harriet looked across the table at Mac. “How have you been feeling, ma’am?” she asked, deliberately changing the subject.

“Fine, I guess,” Mac answered truthfully. “A little morning sickness on occasion, but nothing major. The tea you gave me has really helped.”

“I’m glad. I used to keep peanut butter crackers in my desk drawer for whenever I started to get queasy. They always seemed to do the trick.”

“Aside from the Admiral, have you told anyone else yet, sir?” Bud asked.

“Just the two of you.” Shaking his head, Harm swallowed and looked at Mac.

“What about Mattie and Jennifer? Or your mother and stepfather?”

“We didn’t want everyone at JAG to know before we were ready. Remember when the Admiral punched out last year?” Harm said, one eyebrow cocked.

“Point taken, sir.”

“But what about your mother?” pressed Harriet. “I would have imagined her to be among the first people you’d tell, sir.”

“Well, normally she would be,” Harm paused to take a sip of water, “but she and Frank would probably hop the earliest flight out to Washington.”

“That might prove a little awkward with Mattie and Petty Officer Coates. That makes sense,” nodded Harriet. “When are you planning to tell them?”

Mac shot Harriet a sympathetic smile. “In a few weeks, once I’m past the first trimester,” she said. “Just in case.”

The table fell silent for a few minutes while they enjoyed the meal. Then Bud unexpectedly raised his glass.

“I’d like to propose a toast,” he said. His gaze traveled around the table to each of his three companions as they followed his lead. “To friends and family.”

The sounds of laughter and glasses clinking mingled, echoing warmly throughout the apartment.

“To friends and family.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Wednesday
1630 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Stepping off the elevator in the direction of the bullpen, Mac was heading into her office when she heard her name being called. She turned around to see Jennifer Coates weaving through the maze of desks.

“Colonel, the Admiral would like to see you ASAP.”

“Did he say what he wanted?”

“No, ma’am, he didn’t,” Jennifer apologized.

“Thank you, Petty Officer.”

Dropping the folder she’d been carrying onto her desk, Mac immediately headed for her CO’s office. Knocking on the open door she could see the Admiral sitting at his desk. Harm was already standing at attention before him.

“Come on in, Colonel,” Chegwidden directed. “Nice of you to join us. Close the hatch, please.”

Obeying, Mac pulled up at attention next to Harm. “Reporting as ordered, sir.”

“At ease.” Picking up two pieces of paper from the desk in front of him, the Admiral idly contemplated his senior attorneys before handing a page to each. He gave them a few minutes to read through the identical documents.

“Sir?”

“Those are letters from the SecNav,” Chegwidden explained gruffly, leaning forward onto his elbows. “As I recall, Mr. Sheffield owes both of you for keeping him out of a Dutch prison.”

“The war crimes tribunal, sir?” Mac and Harm glanced at one another before returning their attention to their CO. “I don’t think I understand.”

“Colonel, not only did you and Commander Rabb successfully defend the Secretary of the Navy, you helped the United States of America save face among the ‘civilized’ nations of the world in the process. Based on your meritorious conduct at the Hague, the SecNav and CNO have therefore granted special dispensation in the event that you two make any legal changes to your status. The letters you’re holding are from the SecNav’s office and will be added to your permanent files.”

“Wow, sir, I...” Uncharacteristically at a loss for words, Harm faltered as he and Mac returned the documents to Chegwidden. “Thank you, sir.”

Mac nodded in agreement. “We both appreciate your efforts, sir.”

“You’re welcome.” Removing his glasses and setting them down, the Admiral looked at Mac. “How have you been doing, Colonel? Everything all right, I hope?”

“Yes, sir, so far I seem to be breezing through,” she replied, relaxing slightly at A.J.’s suddenly warm smile.

“Glad to hear it. By the way, I couldn’t help but notice Mr. Roberts carrying your briefcase for you yesterday morning.” He squelched a laugh at the priceless sideways look Harm shot in Mac’s direction. “I’m assuming he knows?”

“He does, sir,” she admitted. “We told Lieutenant Roberts and Lieutenant Sims this past weekend. She figured it out, sir.”

This time the Admiral laughed openly. “I imagine she did. Have you informed anyone else that I should be aware of?”

“No, sir,” Harm answered respectfully.

“Well, keep me in the loop. Now if you don’t mind, I have some things to finish before my lunch meeting. Dismissed.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Heading for the door, Harm waited until they’d cleared the Admiral’s line of sight before flashing Mac a broad flyboy grin. She heaved a sigh of relief and grinned back. Their biggest professional obstacle had been cleared – neither would have to leave JAG anytime soon.



Chapter 22

Wednesday
1747 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

The hot and steamy days of Washington D.C. in August had finally given way to the cooler temperatures of September. Like others at JAG, Harriet and Mac had opted to take advantage of the fine weather by eating lunch outside on the patio in front of the building. Holding the door open for Harriet, Mac balanced her sandwich carton and drink before following the lieutenant over to an unoccupied table.

“Something wrong, ma’am?” Harriet asked as she watched her friend’s normally graceful figure slide awkwardly into a seat.

Glancing around as she leaned forward to open the plastic container, Mac’s voice took on a confidential tone.

“Not exactly. It’s just that my skirts have started getting uncomfortably tight,” she divulged quietly, struggling to find the right words. “It’s incredibly annoying to have anything across my waistline. I don’t know how to explain it. It feels like... like...”

“Ma’am, don’t worry. Believe it or not, I know exactly what you mean. Try rubber bands.”

“Rubber bands? I don’t follow.”

“They’re great for helping to relieve some of the sensitivity,” Harriet advised as Mac bit into her sandwich. “You’d be surprised how much breathing room you can get just by looping a rubber band through the buttonhole and around the button... Voila! Instant elastic waistband. And when I was pregnant I wore Bud’s pants whenever I could. That is, I did until I was ready to buy maternity clothes.”

At that, Mac laughed. “The Admiral might have a problem with me wearing Harm’s pants into work.”

“He and the Commander both,” Harriet agreed with a giggle. “I was actually referring to when you’re off-duty. Even if you wanted to wear his pants at the office, you couldn’t – wrong color, remember?”

“As if I could forget!”

Their laughter eventually tapering off, the women fell silent while they ate. After a bit, Mac let out a small chuckle. “Well, at least I’m finally getting used to waking up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. But I still feel tired all the time. Does it ever go away?”

Harriet nodded.

“Look at it this way – you’ll be prepared for those two A.M. feedings. Trust me, you’ll be grateful when the baby starts sleeping through the night.”

Mac smiled. “I’m sure I will.”

Taking a sip of her drink, Harriet continued. “The good news is that you’ll actually have more energy during the second trimester. Being tired during the first and third trimesters is Mother Nature’s way of keeping you healthy. The first few months it’s to help prevent miscarrying, and then later it’s to keep you from going into labor too soon. You’ll feel much better in the middle, though, so—”

“Excuse me, Colonel, Lieutenant,” a deep voice interrupted. “May I join you?”

While Harriet had been talking, Sturgis Turner had quietly approached the table. He looked between the two women, his expression indicating that he’d caught at least the tail end of their conversation. Mac was abruptly aware of just how close he was standing and her heart began to race nervously. Oh God, he heard, was all she could think.

“Of course, Commander,” Harriet invited, motioning to a vacant chair. “Tables out here seem to be in short supply today.”

“Thank you, Harriet.”

Harriet glanced fleetingly at Mac while Sturgis sat down. Immediately she began gathering up what remained of her meal, instinctively knowing that the Colonel would want to speak with Commander Turner alone.

“You know what? I just remembered that the Admiral asked me to have a report ready for him by this afternoon. Enjoy your lunch, sir, ma’am.” Pushing back from the table with a smile she grabbed her things and scurried away before either of her companions could react.

Mac picked at the edges of her sandwich, unable to meet Sturgis’ questioning gaze. Finally gathering her courage, she asked, “Okay. How much of that did you hear?”

“Enough to know there’s something you haven’t told me.” He’d actually wondered what was going on with Mac for a few weeks, ever since she’d gotten sick at Beltway Burger on their return trip from Annapolis. She and Harm had seemingly gotten closer over the summer, and lately Harm had taken to hovering around her like a papa hen. Sturgis’ suspicions hadn’t been confirmed, however, until just now. Leaning back in the chair, he folded his arms across his chest and smiled at her. “Spill it, Mac.”

She looked around at the other personnel out on the patio before hesitantly turning her eyes to his. “Would you mind waiting until tomorrow? Harm’s not expected back from Pax River until sometime this evening. We wanted to tell you together in private, before we make the public announcement,” she said quietly.

“Mac, you’re stalling.”

Damn, am I that transparent? For a few moments she deliberated on what to say, internally debating whether to wait for Harm or to just go ahead and tell Sturgis now. Knowing that he could be trusted to keep the news of her pregnancy to himself, she reluctantly decided to tell him. Harm will understand, she thought as she cocked a teasing eyebrow at her colleague. “Okay. Since we both know you can keep a secret...” A sweet smile blossomed over her features. “I’m expecting.”

“And Harm’s gonna be a daddy,” Sturgis added softly, breaking into a grin. “When are you due?”

“End of March.”

“Mac, this is wonderful news! I assume this means you’ve finally told Harm how you feel?”

When she didn’t immediately answer, Sturgis stroked his chin thoughtfully. It was a gesture he usually kept reserved for the courtroom when facing an uncooperative witness. Mac fought the urge to squirm under his penetrating gaze.

Taking a deep breath, she admitted, “No, I haven’t. Not yet.” As briefly as possible, she gave Sturgis the truncated version of the deal she and Harm had made after A.J. Roberts’s birth.

Sturgis pondered her words. “Do you still love him?” he asked. “A lot has happened over the last two and a half years.”

“You certainly don’t pull any punches, do you,” Mac said wryly, reaching for her drink. “But to answer your question... Yes, I still love him.”

“Then what’s holding you back?”

“Sturgis—”

“Mac, at the risk of interfering, you should know that Harm cares for you very, very deeply. I think you need to tell him what’s in your heart. His reaction might surprise you.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but Sturgis held up his hand. “Now, I know that you and Harm are very much committed to each other. It’s pretty obvious to anyone who’s ever seen the two of you together. But, Mac, you’re having a CHILD together. Don’t you think it’s in the baby’s best interest for you to finally admit that commitment in public? Make it more official?”

“Why does everyone keep bringing up marriage?” Exasperation crept into Mac’s voice as she leaned forward. “First Harriet and Bud, then the Admiral, and now you—”

“I didn’t say anything about marriage, Mac,” Sturgis interrupted smoothly. “You did.”

“But, you just said—”

“No, I said that you and Harm might want to make that commitment public. Mac, it’s one thing to privately agree to raising a child together. But people are bound to start asking questions when you announce your pregnancy.”

“Meaning?”

“Look, both you and Harm are honorable, exemplary individuals. No one will doubt for an instant that you have anything but the best of intentions for this child. But up until this point you haven’t been in any kind of romantic relationship. The two of you having a baby together is going to catch a lot of people by surprise.” Sturgis sighed. “All I’m saying is that you need to consider what kind of image you want to present to the outside world.”

“Yeah, well, we’re still working on that,” Mac murmured.

Realizing from her shell-shocked expression that he probably wouldn’t be able to get further today, Sturgis immediately backed off. Besides, he fully expected to have a similar conversation with Harm when he got back to Washington.

“Feel up to talking about the Whittier case instead?” Sturgis asked, switching gears. “That was actually what I’d come over to discuss with you in the first place.”

“Absolutely.” Instantly, Mac transformed from unsure expectant mother into the no-holds-barred prosecuting attorney Sturgis knew so well. “I take it this means your client has agreed to accept our offer?” she smirked.



Chapter 23

Wednesday
0029 Zulu
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown, Washington D.C.

The keys jangled in the lock as Mac pushed open her front door. With a sigh, she dropped her briefcase in front of the armoire before moving into the bedroom to change out of her uniform. It had been a long day. On top of her normally heavy workload, she’d found the unexpected discussion with Sturgis mentally and emotionally exhausting.

A few minutes later she emerged from her bedroom wearing a large t-shirt and a pair of unzipped, unbuttoned old jeans. Heading for the kitchen, she made a beeline for the junk drawer, exclaiming triumphantly when she found what she wanted. She had just looped the rubber band through the buttonhole of her jeans and around the metal button when her cell phone rang out in the living room.

Catching a glimpse of Harm’s mobile number on the caller ID as she picked up the phone, Mac grinned. “Hey, stranger.”

“Mac,” the familiar voice carried over the line. “I tried you at home about twenty minutes ago but got the machine. Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine.” Looking down with a smile, she patted the rubber band at her waist, pleased by her own success. “I’ve only been home for about fifteen minutes. How was Pax River?”

“I’m just now hitting the road back to Washington.”

“Why so late?”

“My last interview didn’t wrap up until about nineteen hundred.” She heard him chuckle. “They had a problem tracking down the final witness.”

“Uh-oh. What happened?”

“He claims to have accidentally fallen into the trunk of a friend’s car while loading in some suitcases, and then somehow managed to lock himself in. It took the NAS MPs three hours to find him.”

“Sounds like a reliable witness,” Mac snickered.

“Fortunately, I doubt this one’s going to need to go to trial,” he commented. “Why they thought they needed a senior attorney for this is beyond me.”

At that, Mac laughed. “Harm, the Admiral was probably thinking more about your aviation experience than legal skills when he assigned you to investigate.”

“You always were an optimist. How’d your day go?

Mac plopped down onto the sofa, tucking her feet up underneath her. “I had an interesting discussion with Sturgis over lunch.”

“Really? What about?”

“Let’s just say that he overheard me talking with Harriet.”

The other end went silent for a few long seconds before Harm finally found his voice. “So Sturgis knows?”

“Sturgis knows.”

“How’d he take it?”

“Frankly, he didn’t seem all that surprised...” Mac trailed off as she heard the sound of a horn blaring on Harm’s end of the conversation.

“Sorry, some idiot cut in front of me. Could you repeat that, please?”

“Sturgis didn’t appear surprised when I told him. Harm, listen, I don’t want to keep you on your cell phone while you’re driving. We can talk more tomorrow, okay?”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “Have a good night.”

“See you in the morning. Drive safely.”

“I will. G’night, Marine.”

“G’night, sailor.”

Ending the call, Mac set the phone down on the coffee table. For a moment she remained seated on the couch, contemplating some of the things Sturgis had told her earlier that afternoon. ‘The two of you having a baby together is going to catch a lot of people by surprise... ...up until this point you haven’t been in any kind of romantic relationship... ...do you still love him?’ The words jumbled up in her mind. What on earth would she and Harm tell people? Sturgis was right when he said they’d have to put on some kind of united front, demonstrate their commitment publicly. But how?

Her concentration was broken when her stomach began to growl. “Sounds like someone wants food,” she remarked, glancing downward and laying a hand on her abdomen. Rising from the sofa, her soft laughter echoed as she padded into the kitchen to make some dinner.

* * * * * * * * * *

Thursday
1242 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Locking the ‘Vette, Harm picked up his briefcase and headed through the parking lot towards the building. As he neared the front door, he heard someone calling his name.

“Hey, buddy,” Sturgis smiled as he caught up with his old friend. “I understand from Mac that congratulations are in order.”

Grinning widely, Harm shifted his briefcase to his other arm and shook Sturgis’ extended hand. “Thanks. I wanted to tell you myself, but...” He trailed off, belatedly recognizing that they were standing in a highly public place. “Listen, can we continue this up in my office?”

Sturgis shook his head. “I’ve got a packed schedule starting at 0800. Up for a game of one-on-one after work instead?”

“You’re on. But I’m warning you now, you’d better be prepared to lose.”

“That’ll be the day,” Sturgis snorted as he pushed past Harm into the building.

Raising an eyebrow, Harm turned and disappeared through the doorway as well.

* * * * * * * * * *

0132 Zulu
McMurphy’s Tavern
Washington D.C.

The room was already filling with patrons when Sturgis and Harm walked through the door. Having changed into civilian attire after their game, the two men were enthusiastically arguing over who had actually won as they crossed the crowded floor over to the bar.

“C’mon, Sturgis,” Harm said pointedly as they slid onto neighboring stools. “I would have made that last shot if you hadn’t fouled me.”

“Fouled you? When was the last time you had your head examined? That was a legitimate block and you know it.” Gesturing, Sturgis caught the bartender’s attention. “Face it Harm, you make a better lawyer than you do a referee. You wouldn’t recognize a foul if it came up and smacked you in the face.”

“Tell that to my ribs. I’m going to have one hell of a bruise tomorrow,” he winced, rubbing his side tenderly as the bartender approached.

Placing their orders, it wasn’t until after the publican had left to get the two beers that Sturgis looked back over at Harm. “So, Mattie was okay with you ditching her to hang out with an old timer like me, huh?”

Harm nodded mutely.

Seeing an opportunity, Sturgis continued before his friend could say anything. “If I haven’t said so before, I admire the way you’ve been looking after her. I can’t even imagine what kind of a challenge this must have been for you. Becoming a parent overnight would be hard on anyone.”

“It hasn’t been easy,” Harm admitted, picking up the bottle the bartender placed in front of him. “I hope I’ve done the right thing, taking on a fifteen year-old girl with an adult-size load of emotional baggage.”

“Second thoughts?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I’m just beginning to realize how much I have yet to learn. Don’t get me wrong – I love being there for Mattie. I’m proud of her for who she is and what she’s accomplished. But to be frank, I can’t help but wonder what I missed not being there for her first fifteen years. Her first steps, teaching her to ride a bicycle, seeing her off on her first day of school...” He paused, taking a sip of beer. “I’d always figured that someday I would have children of my own. Acting as Mattie’s guardian has only strengthened my desire to guide and influence a child from birth.”

“Do you think having a baby now is going to make you a better parent?”

“No, I want those first fifteen years. And I want them with Mac.”

“Well, it looks like you’re going to get them.” Nursing his drink, Sturgis fell silent for a moment. “Harm, how do you and Mac plan on explaining this to the general public? You must have given some thought to how people will react.”

“Honestly? We were so worried about those close to us, like the Admiral and Mattie, that we haven’t really discussed how to handle everyone else.”

“Well, you ought to consider what you’re going to tell everyone. Mac’s pregnancy is going to catch people off guard. You two have worked together closely over the years, but if you don’t tread carefully folks may start to wonder just how close you actually were.”

“Excuse me?” Harm looked at his friend incredulously.

“Buddy, the last thing you want is to walk down the hall and hear some petty officer in the copy room whispering, ‘Yeah, I heard they got drunk one night and he knocked her up.’ You know how ruthless scuttlebutt can be,” Sturgis sighed. “My only advice is that you and Mac need to be prepared. Not everyone is going to look favorably on this, unfortunately.”

Harm nodded reluctantly and looked down at his watch. “As much as I hate to admit it, you’ve got a point. Look, it’s getting late and I promised Mac I’d stop by her place tonight.”

“Didn’t see her much today, huh?”

“Nope.” Sliding off the stool, Harm tossed a few bills onto the bar to cover the cost of the beer. “The Admiral had her busy with staff issues most of the day. We kept passing like ships in the night.”

“See you tomorrow, then.”

“Tomorrow.” Grinning farewell, Harm disappeared into the throng of people, leaving Sturgis alone with his thoughts.

He lifted the bottle to his lips. From what he could see, Mac and Harm were heading in the right direction but still needed someone to give each an occasional nudge along. Well, he mused to himself, the ball is in their court. I’ve done what I can, for now.

Chapter 24

0300 Zulu
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown, Washington D.C.

“Haley... Hallie... Hannah...”

Mac flipped the page as she burrowed deeper down into the sofa. Reading the next name on the list, she snorted in amusement. “Harmony? Ugh, there’s no way would I ever call you ‘Harmony.’ Besides, your daddy’s ego is big enough already. Wouldn’t want to encourage him, now would we?” she mused, rubbing a hand across her tummy.

On her way home from work that afternoon, she’d impulsively picked up the book of baby names while waiting in the grocery store checkout line. So far she’d found a number of the suggestions to be highly entertaining.

Grinning to herself, she read several more names out loud before the sound of a knock on the door echoed through the apartment. With a sigh, she set the book on the coffee table and flipped off the blanket she’d wrapped around her legs. Rising from her warm cocoon, she made her way across to the front door and gave a perfunctory glance through the peephole.

“Sorry I’m so late,” Harm apologized as she opened the door. “Sturgis and I stopped at McMurphy’s for a beer after the game.”

“No big deal. Truth be told, it throws me off when you’re actually on time.” Flashing him a saucy smile, Mac returned to her seat on the couch. Harm closed the door behind him and shrugged out of his jacket as he followed her into the living room.

“Easy on the insults, jarhead. Are those new slippers? I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before.” He motioned towards the large fuzzy panda bears she wore on her feet.

“Thanks,” she said dryly, drawing the blanket back around her. “They were Chloe’s, but I stole them because they’re warm. How did the game go? Did Sturgis kick your six again?”

“Maaacc...”

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’”

Harm fell back into a chair. “I lost by one lousy point,” he complained. “Sturgis tackled me just as I was going for the shot.”

“Tackled you?”

“Yeah, he thought he was playing NFL football instead of a friendly game of hoops.”

“Got his sports mixed up, huh?”

“You know Sturgis, always competitive.” Harm glanced away for a moment. Then blinking, his eyes once again met hers. “Actually, Mac, he brought up a good point that I think we may want to talk about.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, he’s right in that a lot of people might not understand why we’re having this baby,” Harm began. “I mean, we discussed how to tell the Admiral, Bud and Harriet, Mattie and Jennifer...”

“But we’ve never really talked about how we’re going to explain it to everyone else,” Mac finished for him.

“Mentioned it to you too, huh?”

“At lunch yesterday,” she nodded. “He said he knows that we’re both committed to each other, but that it’s not necessarily apparent to everyone. His suggestion was for us to make that commitment public.”

“What exactly did he mean by ‘public’?”

Sighing, Mac pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them close. “He didn’t spell it out, but his point was that people might have difficulty accepting this situation since you and I have never been romantically involved.”

“He really said that?” Harm’s expression turned pensive as he rubbed a finger across his lips. “When I spoke with him tonight, he was arguing about how we’d have to walk a fine line to avoid unpleasant rumors. He’s right, Mac. People will speculate unless we give them an explanation right from the get-go.”

“I know. We have to make it clear that we have good and honorable intentions towards this baby. Explain that this is a planned pregnancy and not the result of impropriety on either of our parts. You and I both garner a certain level of respect from the Navy and Marines. What we tell the general public will certainly have a direct bearing on our reputations and appearance of integrity. And it has to be something everyone will believe.” She smiled. “Somehow I doubt they’d buy the story of two successful military attorneys having a baby together as a result of a deal made on a handshake five years earlier.”

Harm chuckled. “Yeah, well, we don’t have to reveal all the sordid details.” He paused for a moment. “Harriet and Bud know the truth. What did you tell Sturgis?”

“The whole story,” she admitted. “A summarized version, certainly, but he knows the truth as well.”

“Okay. I think the deal itself shouldn’t be part of the general explanation. Need-to-know and close friends only. Agreed?”

“Absolutely,” Mac nodded. “Go on.”

“We should reinforce how close our friendship has been over the years.”

“That we’re both getting older,” Mac nodded.

“And how we would trust the other with our lives.”

“We already have. On a number of occasions,” she said in a quiet voice.

“Yes, we have.”

Memories of Russia, Afghanistan, and Paraguay flashed through each of their minds. An awkward silence filled the room, and Harm shook his head in frustration.

“This is going to be tough, isn’t it?” His eyes dropped to his hands, the stillness suddenly overwhelming. Pondering the situation, after a few minutes he sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees, at long last his eyes coming up to meet hers.

“All right,” he began slowly. “I’ve got an idea of how we could handle this, but hear me out before you shoot it down. Okay?”

Mac nodded for him to continue, burrowing further into the blanket.

“When we first agreed to go through with the deal back in May, do you remember the discussion we had about alternative living arrangements for after the baby was born?”

“As I recall, the plan was for you to sleep on my sofa until he or she was old enough for us to share joint custody.” She wondered where Harm was going with this.

“Well, my idea involves speeding up the timetable.” His voice was deceptively casual, belying the significance of what he was proposing. “I think we should move in together before we make the announcement. What do you say?”

Chapter 25

0329 Zulu
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown, Washington D.C.

Mac’s eyes were instantly ablaze. “WHAT?!”

“Take it easy, Marine.” Although he appeared calm on the surface, Harm found himself fighting down a wave of anxiety. “I’d appreciate your listening to what I have to say before passing judgment,” he said carefully. He hoped she would go for this.

Inhaling deeply, she forced herself to relax. He was right – the least she could do was hear his suggestion before snapping at him. “I’m sorry. Please, continue.”

“Thanks.” He glanced down at his hands. “Now, we both know that a lot of rumors will fly once word gets out we’re having a baby. You said it yourself: how many people are going to buy the story about a deal made between old friends? People’s imaginations will be going into overdrive, speculating how long we’ve been secretly dating, sleeping together, whatever. However,” he raised one finger with a smile, “even though we may not be able to stop the gossip mill from turning, I believe we can at least minimize the damage by putting on a unified front.”

“And moving in together now would accomplish that how, exactly?”

“Mac, when we go public, what do you think the reaction is going to be? I hate to say this, but people are most likely going to assume you got pregnant by accident. The fact that this was an intentional pregnancy won’t even cross their minds. We need to do something that will demonstrate our commitment to raising this child in friendship, something that will show everyone how much time and effort we’ve spent planning for this. If they see that we’ve taken steps to be in this together as friends, then we may just stop the scuttlebutt before it has a chance to start.”

“Harm, I don’t know—”

“C’mon, Mac. How are people supposed to believe we’re committed if we’re living on opposite sides of town? Besides, you’re not the only one here who wants to give this child the love and attention it deserves. Living apart only makes it that much harder for me to be here for you and the baby. We’ve been spending practically every evening together anyway...”

The words lingered between them. Watching her carefully, Harm wondered what Mac was thinking. Her neutral expression didn’t reveal much.

“Okay, I see your logic,” she finally conceded. “But the original deal was only for you to stay here temporarily after the baby was born. If you were to move in now, that would mean an additional six months of the two of us living together in a one bedroom apartment. I can’t very well ask you to sleep on my couch the whole time.”

Her eyes widened, realizing too late what her words had unintentionally implied. “I mean, do you honestly think that would be good for your back?” she covered quickly.

Harm chuckled silently as he settled back into the chair. “I actually had something else in mind. When I got custody of Mattie, I’d contacted a real estate agent about two bedroom homes in the Falls Church area but nothing came up. Then Coates agreed to be Mattie’s roommate.”

“And finding a house dropped down on the list of priorities.”

“Quit finishing my sentences,” he grinned. “The realtor called this afternoon to see if I was still looking for a place.” Leaning forward again, a note of hopefulness crept into his voice. “What do you say, Marine? Are you up to going house hunting with me?”

Shifting underneath the blanket, she cocked an eyebrow at him. “When did you have in mind?”

“You mean you’ll do it?”

“Yeah, I’ll do it,” she nodded tentatively. “But we’d better start looking ASAP if we want to find a place before we make the big announcement. Our little secret will only stay hidden for another couple of weeks, I’m afraid.”

“Then why don’t we give her a call right now?” Thrilled, Harm grinned in Mac’s direction as he stood and reached for his jacket.

“Wait a minute,” she interrupted. “Don’t you think that two bedrooms might be a little tight, given the circumstances?”

Harm sighed with relief. For a split second he’d been unexpectedly afraid she had changed her mind. “What, you mean you don’t want to share?” he joked, eyeing her thoughtfully. Of course, I wouldn’t object if you did!

Mac glared at him pointedly.

“Alright then,” he chuckled, “if sharing is out of the question, how many bedrooms do you think we’ll need?” He picked up the jacket and pulled out his wallet.

She gave it some thought. “I’d say four at the very least. One each for me, you, Mattie and the baby.”

“Four?” Harm asked, eyes widening as he turned towards her. “Mac, do you know how much four bedroom houses go for in Falls Church? No offense, but a home that size is a little out of my price range.”

“Your price range? Between the two of us we should be able to afford a home big enough to fit all of us comfortably.”

“Mac, I don’t want you to feel like you need to offer.”

She stared at him incredulously. “Harm, whatever happened to putting on a united front, and to raising this child together in friendship? You should know me better than to think I would make you pay for all of this by yourself.” A soft smile graced her face as she added, “Besides, it is the twenty-first century. How about it, sailor? Want to go halves on a house?”

“Are you sure?” Stepping around the coffee table, Harm sat next to her on the sofa and gently gripped her hand.

“Go ahead and make the call,” she said with a reassuring squeeze.

Returning her smile, Harm retrieved the agent’s card from his wallet and picked up the phone. Mac watched as he dialed the number.

A few moments later, he straightened up. “Hello, Eileen? This is Harmon Rabb, returning your call...”

Overwhelmed by curiosity, Mac scooted closer to Harm so that her ear was right next to the receiver. It wasn’t perfect, but this way she had a better shot of hearing what the real estate agent had to say.

“Yes... ...I’d like to start looking at houses larger than what we’d originally discussed... ...Terrific... ...Yes, four bedrooms... ...Hmn, good question. Just a minute.”

Turning slightly, he placed his free hand over the mouthpiece. “How many baths do you think we’d need?” he whispered to Mac.

“At least two. Preferably three.”

Repeating the information into the phone, Harm was suddenly acutely aware of how near Mac’s mouth was to his. Distracted by the scent of her perfume, he struggled to concentrate on what the realtor was asking him.

“This weekend?” he asked, glancing at Mac for confirmation. She nodded. “Yes, this weekend will be fine... ...All right, we’ll see you Saturday. Thanks again, Eileen.” Turning off the handset, his attention turned involuntarily to the beautiful woman sitting beside him.

“She’ll email over a new list of houses first thing in the morning,” he said absently, his gaze fixing on Mac’s lips as one hand dropped lightly to her knee. Lowering his head, their lips brushed in the gentlest of kisses before Mac pulled away.

“What else did Eileen have to say?” she asked quietly.

Somewhat startled, Harm shook his head slightly in an effort to bring himself back to the present. “Uh, she suggested that we go over the list beforehand and let her know which properties we’d like to see. She’s going to meet us at her office at 0900 on Saturday morning.”

“Okay,” agreed Mac. “We really need to make a decision about Mattie and your mother.”

“I know.” He sighed and peeked at his watch. “Mac, it’s late and you should be in bed. You need your rest. We can work out the rest of the details tomorrow.”

As if on cue, she unsuccessfully tried to stifle a yawn. “All right, sailor, I’ll give you this round. But we will continue this discussion in the morning.” Standing, she padded over to the door while Harm grabbed his jacket.

“See you tomorrow, then?”

“Bright and early.” She smiled sleepily as the door swung open. “Drive safely.”

“I will. Goodnight, Mom.” Then, placing a soft kiss on her forehead, he disappeared into the hallway outside. Closing the door behind her, Mac laid her head for a moment against the paneled frame before flipping the deadbolt lock.

“Goodnight, Dad” she whispered into the empty room.



Chapter 26

Saturday
2143 Zulu
Prescott’s Home Style Eatery
Washington D.C.

After touring the last home on Eileen’s list, Harm and Mac stopped to compare notes and grab a bite to eat. Sitting at the large round table in the corner of the main dining room, they spent the rest of the afternoon methodically sorting the MLS printouts into two basic piles: one of homes that merited further discussion and one of those that didn’t. Picking up the last MLS sheet, Mac glanced at it before handing it to Harm.

“What about this one? It has possibilities.”

“Which one’s that?” he asked, eyes skimming down the page. Recognizing the house, he grimaced. “Mac, the place was filthy. If the owners don’t bother cleaning the house before it’s shown to prospective buyers, doesn’t that say something to you about their maintenance habits?” He tossed the page onto the discard pile.

“If they take the appliances with them, who cares if the stove hasn’t been cleaned in more than a decade? Besides, I liked the floor plan. And you said yourself that the structure appeared sound.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if something significant cropped up in the home inspection. Nothing we looked at really stood out to me. What a way to waste a perfectly good Saturday.” He scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration.

Sipping her water, Mac hesitated. “Are you sure this is really what you want?”

“What do you mean?”

“Harm, getting a house together is an awfully big step. I think we agree that having both of us under one roof would be in the baby’s best interest, but aren’t you worried about how this is going to affect other aspects of your life?”

“Such as?” he asked warily.

Mac cocked her head and set her glass back down. “Mattie, for one. Family Services may very well view our cohabitating as setting a bad example, having a negative influence. I highly doubt any social worker would understand two heterosexual adults – who have never dated each other, mind you – having a child and sharing a home. And speaking of dating, you’re an intelligent, attractive, single man who is fantastic in the… courtroom,” she said, catching the slip just in time. “What about your love life? You deserve better than—”

“Mac.” Interrupting, Harm leaned forward and reached across the table to grasp her hand gently in his. “I am not having second thoughts about the house. I appreciate your concern, but the truth is I’m not interested in getting involved with someone else. The three most important people in my life are you, Mattie, and this baby. Nothing anyone can say, including Family Services, will ever change that.”

She looked at him uncertainly. “Really?”

Giving her fingers a reassuring squeeze, he grinned and nodded. “So you think I’m attractive, huh?”

“I guess. In an arrogant, ‘flyboy’ sort of way,” Mac chuckled, relaxing some. “Give Eileen a call. We’ll need to schedule second showings if we want Mattie to see the homes that made it to the semi-finals.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Sunday
1526 Zulu
Mattie and Jennifer’s Apartment
North of Union Station

With an exaggerated sigh, Mattie looked at the flashcard Jennifer held in her outstretched hand. It was blank except for one bold word: TENER

“Tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen.”

“Good. Now can you use it in a sentence?” Shuffling the pile of cards, Jen smiled slyly.

Mattie flopped back onto the couch with a groan.

“Yo tengo mucho hambre. Come on, Jen, I’m starving. Can’t we do this after lunch?”

“No more food until you’re done with vocab. This would go faster if you didn’t keep stopping for snack breaks.” Just as Jennifer was about to show the teenager another card, a knock sounded on the front door and Harm poked his head into the room.

“Good morning,” he greeted. Pushing the door open, he leaned casually against the jamb. “Am I interrupting?”

“Estamos estudiando español,” Jennifer said with a stern look towards her roommate. “Ms. Grace has a Spanish test in the morning and we still have to go over her vocabulary list.”

“And she’s being a slave driver.” Sticking out her tongue, Mattie tossed a pillow in Jen’s direction.

“I see. Would you ladies care to join use for a late breakfast? I made pancakes.”

“Your famous buttermilk pancakes? I am so there!” Mattie said gleefully as she scrambled off the couch and headed for the door. Not only was this the perfect excuse to get out of studying, Harm was a great cook despite all his protests to the contrary. “Did you make waffles too?”

“Yes, I made waffles too,” he teased as they made the short trip down the hall to his loft. “I thought I’d give my girls an assortment of breakfast delights.”

Following Mattie past Harm into the apartment, Jennifer wasn’t surprised to see Colonel MacKenzie sitting at the island enthusiastically attacking a syrup-laden waffle. She and the Commander had certainly been spending a lot of time together lately out of the office, Coates thought. Ever since that first ‘date,’ which Mac had so adamantly insisted was not really a date, Jennifer had wondered if the two senior officers had begun seeing each other socially. Their professional relationship at JAG appeared unaffected, but living in the adjacent apartment Jennifer often saw them together outside of the office. All evidence seemed to suggest a deeper involvement than simply friendship.

“Hi guys. Come on in and help yourselves. There’s plenty to go around,” Mac smiled, gesturing to the open barstools.

“Wow Harm, this looks great! You must have been cooking up a storm,” Mattie complimented as she and Jennifer sat down and started filling their plates.

“Mac helped a little.” Grinning, he crossed over to the refrigerator and pulled out an unopened carton of orange juice. “There’s something we’ve been wanting to talk to you about.”

“Okay. You talk, we’ll eat.”

“Fair enough,” Harm smiled nervously. Setting two glasses down on the island before him, he opened the juice container. His eyes met Mac’s briefly before he turned back to his ward and her roommate. “You both know Mac and I have been friends for a long time. We’ve been through a lot together over the years, seen each other through both good times and bad.”

“Well duh,” Mattie snorted.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full. Anyway, despite all that’s happened in our lives since we first met, Mac and I have remained close. Even when we weren’t on speaking terms, we stayed good friends. I can’t explain it, and I don’t think Mac can either.” Seeing her confirming nod, he took a deep breath. “A few years ago, right before I returned to active flight status, the two of us made a pact.”

“What kind of a pact?”

Pouring juice into the glasses, Harm answered carefully. “At the time we both wondered if we would ever have the opportunity to have families of our own. We basically agreed to have a child together if neither of us was involved with someone else five years down the road.”

“You mean a backup plan?”

Harm glanced over at Mac, and nodded.

“Seriously? That is so cool!” Mattie’s eyes widened and a grin spread across her face. However, a moment later she shot him a quizzical look. “But didn’t you tell me you went back to flying in 1999? Harm, that was five years ago.”

“More than, actually,” he replied, passing her a glass.

“I don’t understand. You mean to tell us that you and Mac are planning to have a baby together? When?” Taking a swig of juice, Mattie glanced at an equally bewildered Jennifer.

“According to my doctor, I’m due March 29th,” Mac smiled.

Reflexively inhaling her orange juice, Mattie began coughing violently. The next few moments were reigned by chaos as Harm rushed to her side and began pounding on her back. In the meantime, Jennifer’s mind was in overdrive. Her suspicions about the Colonel and Commander’s dating status had been one thing, but a baby? She couldn’t help but grin.

Finally, as the spasms started to ease Mattie looked apologetically up at Harm. “Wow… I don’t know… what to say,” she coughed. Wiping her watering eyes with the back of one hand, her eyes darted from Harm over to Mac. “A baby? Really?”

Beaming, Mac nodded.

“Congratulations ma’am, sir,” Jennifer gushed. “I’m so happy for you!”

“Thanks, Jennifer. We’re pretty excited.” Relieved that Mattie had stopped sputtering, Harm took a step backward, his face again growing serious. “There’s one more thing you both need to know about.”

“You’re having twins?”

“The ultrasound only detected one heartbeat, so I think we’re safe for the moment,” Mac chuckled.

“Okay, I give up.”

Meeting Mattie and Jennifer’s questioning gazes, Harm dove right in. “Mac and I want to raise this child together, so we’ve started looking at houses. Jennifer, I know this puts you in a rather awkward position since I talked you into the current living arrangements in the first place. With your apartment on a month-to-month lease, you’re more than welcome to take the loft. That way you can have a real social life for a change.”

“Sir, I couldn’t impose on you.”

“It wouldn’t be an imposition. But if you’d rather look for something else then that’s fine too. Either way, you can live with us until you’ve worked something out.”

“Or we could just stay roomies,” Mattie piped up. “Then Harm and Mac would have two built-in babysitters, instead of one.”

“We don’t have to worry about it right now,” Harm grinned. “But in the meantime, you ladies had better finish your breakfasts. You’ll need all the energy you can get if we’re going to go house hunting today.”

Mattie obediently reached for her fork and stabbed a piece of pancake. “House hunting? When do we leave?”

Harm looked down at his watch, but Mac was faster.

“Forty-four minutes.”

“Sweet! No more Spanish!” the teenager hooted happily.

“Not so fast, young lady.” Flashing his ward a mischievous smile, Harm patted her on the shoulder. “There’ll be plenty of time for reviewing flashcards while we’re in the car.”

Chapter 27

Sunday
2105 Zulu
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station

The deadbolt clicked open as the door to the loft swung inward. Entering the apartment, Mac shifted her notebook under one arm and began unfastening her jacket. Outside in the hallway, she could hear Harm’s voice echoing.

“No surfing the internet until you’ve finished your history homework, Mathilda.”

“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll make sure she gets it done.” Jennifer’s voice didn’t quite drown out Mattie’s teenage groan.

Draping her jacket across one of the stools at the kitchen island, Mac turned around to see Harm walking through the doorway. She watched as he quietly shut the door and smiled at her.

“Sounds like she knows which buttons to push, Dad,” she commented dryly.

“She’s slick, that’s for sure.” He hung up his own jacket with a soft laugh. “I don’t remember being quite so devious at that age.”

“No, you were too busy sneaking off to southeastern Asia to go searching for your father. Without parental permission, I might add,” Mac pointed out.

“I guess it’s different when you’re on the other side of the generation gap.” Growing thoughtful, Harm looked back at her with hooded eyes. “I can’t imagine what that must have been like for my mother, dealing with a teenager who ignored one parent while trying to connect with the other.”

“Being a father to Mattie has helped give you and your mom an element of common ground.”

He nodded. “It’s time to tell her, Mac.”

“I know.”

Setting her note pad down onto the island countertop, Mac had no sooner let go than it toppled over the edge, sending a handful of MLS pages fluttering to the floor. With a muttered curse, she crouched down to gather up the papers before Harm could hurry over to help. A few moments later all documentation had been accounted for. Rising, Mac opened her mouth to say something when her vision fogged. She grasped blindly at the counter in an effort to hold herself upright.

“Whoa, tiger,” she heard Harm say. “You okay?”

Vaguely, she could feel his hands gripping her arms, holding her steady. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, her gaze focused in on the handsome face before her.

His eyes were intense with concern. “What happened? C’mon, Marine, talk to me.”

“I… sorry, the room just went dark for a second. Haven’t had much to eat since breakfast and must’ve stood up too fast… I’m a little woozy is all.”

“Why didn’t you say something? Dammit, Mac, I should have known better…. ” Her features had become shockingly pallid. Not wanting to alarm her, he struggled to keep his tone even. “What are you hungry for? Anything in particular?”

Still a bit lightheaded, she gave her head another delicate shake and took a deep breath. “Um, I don’t know,” she stumbled. “Something salty, maybe?”

“Okay, but you need to sit down first.”

Mac nodded weakly. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Harm was both relieved and dismayed at how easily she acquiesced. He gently steered her into the living room, where they sat next to one another on the sofa. Thinking about what kinds of foods she tended to like, his eyes flickered towards the refrigerator as he took a mental inventory of his kitchen.

“Salty, huh? Well, let’s see, I’ve got olives, chips and salsa, and I think Mattie and Jen might have some Doritos—”

“Got any guacamole?”

Seeing the way her face brightened at the thought, Harm was suddenly grateful he’d picked up some avocados during his last trip to the supermarket. “I think that can be arranged,” he grinned. He gave her a quick hug, then pressing his lips to her forehead, he rose. “One order of Harm’s homemade guacamole coming right up.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Twenty minutes later, he carried a tray of fresh guacamole, low sodium tortilla chips, and a glass of milk out to where Mac had curled up on the couch. Setting it down on the coffee table, he reached over and tenderly laid a hand on her shoulder.

“Wake up, sleepyhead,” he murmured. “Time to eat.”

Moaning softly, Mac momentarily buried her face in the crook of her arm before forcing herself to sit up.

“Thanks,” she said quietly, scooping a big bite of dip onto a chip and carefully maneuvering it into her mouth. As she began to chew, her eyes widened and she looked at Harm in amazement. “Mmm! Thish ish exshellent!”

“You’re almost as bad as Mattie.” Still, he grinned and handed her a napkin. “Stop talking with your mouth full before I have to charge you with conduct unbecoming.”

“Hmmph,” she snorted derisively as she grabbed another chip.

Chuckling at the gusto with which she wolfed down the snack, Harm waited until she’d slowed down a little before daring to interrupt again. “Feeling better?”

“Much.” Taking a long drink of milk, she drained half the glass before returning it to the tray. “Thanks for going to the trouble. That was delicious.”

“You really thought so? I couldn’t tell,” he joked. “See why you need me around all the time?”

“Yeah. I do,” she whispered, realizing that he was right. Harm impulsively enfolded her in a close hug. When he pulled back, she looked at him hesitantly. “About your mother…”

“I know. We can’t put it off any longer. She’s got a right to know she’s going to be a grandmother.” Instantly filled with unbridled anxiety, Harm recognized that there were only two ways for him to deal with his nervousness: he could let it consume him, or he could confront his fears head on. Looking Mac squarely in the eye, he asked, “Ready to face the firing squad?”

“Let’s do it.”

Standing up, he strode over to his desk and turned on the speakerphone, punching the appropriate code into the speed dial. As the touchtone chimes resonated through the room, Harm returned to sit next to Mac. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

“Hello?” a male voice answered at the other end.

“Frank?”

“Harm, is that you? You sound like you’re in a tunnel.”

“Sorry, I’ve got you on speakerphone.” Harm paused, trading a look with Mac. “Uh, is Mom around?”

“Sure, she’s right here, son. Hold on.” The line clicked as a second extension joined the call.

“Harm, darling, is that you?”

“Hey, Mom.”

“Dear, it’s so good to hear from you! How is everything? How’s Mac?”

Hearing the suggestiveness of his mother’s tone, Harm couldn’t help but grin at the woman beside him.

“She’s fine, Mom,” he chuckled, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “You might want to ask her that yourself since she’s sitting right here.”

“Hello, Mrs. Burnett, Mr. Burnett,” she said loudly enough for them to hear.

“Mac, what a pleasant surprise! But please, it’s Trish and Frank. From what Harm has told us about you, you’re practically part of the family,” Trish admonished.

Mac smiled shyly at Harm. How little they know, she thought to herself.

“So how are you these days, Harm?” asked Frank. “We weren’t expecting to hear from you. Everything’s all right, I hope.”

“We have some news,” Harm replied, increasing his grip on Mac’s hand. “Mom, I think you may want to sit down for this.”

“Sit down? All right, darling, if you insist.” Excitement crept into Trish’s tone.

Exchanging an uncertain look with Mac, Harm only hoped his mother would forgive him for what they were about to share. There was a pause before his mother came back on the line.

“Okay, dear, I’m sitting. Now what was it you wanted to tell us?”

“Mom, Frank, it’s probably not what you’re thinking, but… Mac and I are having a baby.”

No one spoke for a few lengthy moments. Just as Harm and Mac were starting to worry, Frank asked, “Are you positive, son?”

“It’s true, sir,” Mac said, exchanging a warm smile with Harm. “I’m a little over three months along.”

“You’re going to be grandparents,” Harm added.

“Then I guess this calls for congratulations,” Frank said.

Trish finally found her voice. “I can’t believe it! I was beginning to think you would never make me a grandmother. This is wonderful, Harm! But, Mac, if you’re already past your third month then that leaves us very little time for a proper wedding.”

“Uh, Mom,” Harm interrupted. “About a wedding—”

“Have you already started thinking about where you want to get married? I assume you’re planning to have the ceremony there in Washington,” Trish continued.

“We’re not getting married,” Mac said simply.

The line went quiet.

“What? What do you mean, you’re not getting married?”

Harm winced. “You heard correctly, Mom. We’re having a baby together, but marriage isn’t part of the plan.”

“Mac… Sarah, dear, would you mind excusing us for a moment?” Trish asked slowly. “I’d like to speak to my son in private.”

“Sure.” Giving Harm’s hand one last squeeze, Mac stood. “I’m going to go see what Mattie and Jennifer are up to. Back in ten,” she mouthed to Harm as she slipped out of the loft. Harm picked up the receiver.

“Okay, Mom. Mac’s gone—”

“Harmon Rabb Junior, I thought I’d raised you better than this! You’re NOT MARRYING the girl?!!!What in Heaven’s name do you think you’re doing?”

“Mom—”

“Don’t you ‘Mom’ me, young man. I cannot believe what I’m hearing! You love each other but you’re not getting married?”

“I can’t speak for how Mac feels—”

“This is a terrible way to bring a baby into the world. Both parents are supposed to be together when a baby is born. If you and Mac aren’t getting married—”

“We’re getting a house together, Mom.”

“How will my grandchild ever—”

She stopped suddenly as Harm’s words penetrated her indignant tirade. “You’re getting a house together?”

“Mac and I are looking at houses in the Falls Church area. We took Mattie out to see a number of homes earlier today, as a matter of fact.”

“Did any of these houses include a guest room for the grandparents?” Trish asked, somewhat placated.

“No,” he admitted. “We hadn’t considered needing a guest room.”

“Harmon, just how do you expect me to play the doting grandmother if I’m stuck staying in a hotel room half an hour away?”

Having remained silent throughout the conversation, Frank now chose to speak up. “Trish, it’s a seller’s market in the D.C. area right now. If you need any assistance in getting a house with an extra bedroom, Harm, just let us know what you need and we’ll gladly contribute. I’m sure we’ll be spending a lot more time out on the east coast from now on, so you can consider it rent towards our visits. Of course, then again, it might just be easier for us to buy the place next door,” he quipped.

Breathing easier, Harm laughed. “Thanks, Frank. We’d like to avoid troubling you if at all possible, but I will let Mac know that you offered.”

“Now, speaking of visits,” Trish said, changing the subject. “Why don’t you go get Mac for me, darling? We need to discuss when I’m going to come out and meet the mother of my grandchild.”



Chapter 28

Monday
1457 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

“Lieutenant Sims, if you would do the honors.”

Beaming, Harriet carefully divested her husband of his jacket before helping him don one with the stripes befitting his new rank of Lieutenant Commander. Then, running one hand down his arm, she leaned forward onto her toes and gave him an appropriately chaste kiss on the cheek.

“Congratulations, Commander,” A.J. smiled, extending his hand as the sound of applause flooded the room.

The timing had come as a surprise to everyone, but the promotion itself was not. Over the last two years, since losing his leg to the Afghani landmine, Bud had risen above remarkable odds to regain his independence and return to his former duties. If anyone was worthy of advancement as an officer of the United States Navy, it was Bud, and the JAG crew now converged in the conference room to offer him their best wishes.

“Well done, Bud.” Harm clapped his friend warmly on the back. “You deserve it.”

“Thank you, sir! I can’t believe this is happening!” Feeling like a grinning fool, Bud turned to accept Mac’s friendly hug.

Watching his staff crowd around the man of the hour, Admiral Chegwidden reflected back on how much Bud had grown over the years. The bumbling, awkward young junior lieutenant had matured into a confident, competent attorney and dedicated husband and father. He’s become one hell of an officer, A.J. mused.

Eventually, however, the time came to put an end to the morning’s merriment. Clearing his throat, the Admiral announced, “There will be a wet down for Commander Roberts this evening at McMurphy’s starting at 1930 hours. In the meantime we’ve got work to do. Let’s get back to business, people.”

Conveying their regards, the rest of the JAG staff slowly began filtering out of the conference room in the direction of the bullpen. Soon, the only people left besides Bud and Harriet were Commander Rabb, Colonel MacKenzie and Admiral Chegwidden. Following her husband into the hallway outside, Harriet caught the Admiral’s lowered voice.

“Colonel, Commander, if I might have a word with you?”

“Certainly, sir,” Harm replied.

Harriet turned to close the door behind her so that the three other officers would have some privacy. Just as it was about to click shut, the Admiral said, “So when are the two of you planning to make your own announcement?”

Her curiosity piqued, she paused, holding the door slightly ajar.

“We’d discussed telling people this afternoon, but we don’t want to steal Bud’s thunder, sir.” Colonel MacKenzie’s words filtered clearly through to where Harriet stood. “It can’t be put off much longer though.”

“We’ve already begun telling our family, including Mattie and Petty Officer Coates,” added the Commander.

“And honestly, sir, if we don’t say something soon everyone will be able to figure it out for themselves,” the Colonel chuckled.

I wonder if they know they’re practically finishing each other’s sentences, Harriet grinned absently. Absorbing what she’d just heard, an idea suddenly popped into her head. The wheels turning, she looked around and realized that Bud was nowhere in sight. He’d probably be in his office by now. Quietly latching the door, she quickly scurried off in pursuit.

“There’s one other thing, sir,” Harm said, glancing at Mac. “The Colonel and I started looking at houses over the weekend.”

The Admiral’s reaction was impossible to judge – the older man had one of the best poker faces Harm had ever encountered. “I see. Anything else I should be made aware of?”

“No, sir.”

He nodded. “Then I’ll expect to be hearing something within the week. Dismissed.”

* * * * * * * * * *

2210 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

The sound of leaves rustling filled the air as the autumn breeze whipped through the trees overhead. A cold front had settled into the Washington area and the foliage had started to turn color, sure signs that the warm summer weather was finally coming to an end. Pulling her jacket more tightly around her, Mac opened the door to her car and flashed Harm an easy smile.

“Thanks,” she said as she took her briefcase from him. “A girl could get used to this curbside service.”

“Anything I can do to help. You’re carrying something more important than case files, in case you forgot.”

“Har har,” she groaned, rolling her eyes at his impishness. “Very funny, squid. See you at McMurphy’s?”

“Let me run home to change and I’ll come pick you up,” he said. “We can make it a date.”

“Can I count on you to be on time for once?” she questioned skeptically, a taunting grin creeping over her features.

“I’ll be on your doorstep at 1900 sharp, so you’d better be ready.” Winking at her playfully, he had taken a step backward and spun on his heel towards his own ‘Vette when he heard someone calling his name.

“Commander! Colonel, wait up!” Limping slightly, Bud Roberts trotted across the parking lot. When he’d narrowed the distance to only a few yards, he slowed to a walk, face flushed. “You’re both coming tonight, aren’t you, sir? Ma’am?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Harm assured him.

Mac agreed. “Don’t worry, Bud, we’ll be there.”

“Terrific!” His expression turning somewhat sheepish, he lowered his voice. “You’ll have to forgive the intrusion, but Harriet couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with the Admiral this morning. She told me how you’re waiting until after my wetdown to tell everyone about the baby.”

Harm nodded. “This is your day, Bud. We can wait to make our announcement.”

Squaring his shoulders, the younger man looked first at Mac, then at Harm. “Ma’am, sir, I would be honored if you would share your news at the party tonight.”

“We appreciate the offer, Bud. But I think I can safely speak for the Colonel when I say that neither of us wants to undermine your time in the spotlight,” Harm repeated. Bud had worked too long and too hard for this promotion. He deserved the recognition.

“With all due respect, sir,” Bud argued, “you and the Colonel are family. Yes, I’m thrilled to have finally made Lieutenant Commander, but the two of you are having a BABY. There’s no comparison. I can’t think of a better gift than announcing a new life,” he insisted.

Mac’s face softened. “We’ll give it some thought, okay?”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Knowing that he’d done his best, Bud grinned as he glanced over to where his wife stood patiently by their minivan. “I’d better hurry up, Harriet’s waiting. We’ll see you there!” Leaving them standing beside Mac’s Corvette, Bud walked quickly to the other side of the parking lot.

“Well? What did they say?”

Chuckling at Harriet’s obvious impatience, Bud waited until they’d both climbed into the van before answering. “They said they’d think about it.”

“You didn’t try to convince them?”

“Harriet, I can’t convince them to do something they’re not ready for,” Bud said. He turned the key in the ignition and shifted into reverse. Checking his mirrors as he prepared to back out, he saw Harm helping Mac into her car. “I’ll support their decision, whatever it turns out to be.” With that, he took his foot off the brake and backed out of the parking space.

Adjusting her seatbelt more comfortably across her shoulder, Harriet relaxed her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. She never ceased to be amazed at her husband’s generous and compassionate nature. You’re a good man, Bud Roberts, she reflected quietly, smiling softly to herself.



Chapter 29

Monday
0122 Zulu
McMurphy’s
Washington D.C.

The party was already underway by the time Harm and Mac arrived. Almost immediately upon entering the bar, they found themselves surrounded by the blended sounds of conversation and traditional pub music. Monday was ‘Irish Night’ at McMurphy’s, and although the tunes played were from a CD instead of a live band, the beer and whiskey flowed as freely as they might in any pub in Dublin.

Spotting Bud at the far end of the bar waiting patiently for his drink, Harm wordlessly took Mac’s coat and began guiding her through the crowd, his hand lingering gently at the small of her back. Bud’s eyes lit up as he recognized his friends.

“Ma’am! Sir! I’m so glad you were able to make it!”

“Sorry we’re late, Bud. What did we miss?” Leaning against the oaken bar, Harm ignored Mac’s accusatory glare.

“Well, sir, it turns out that Petty Officer Coates can throw a mean game of darts. She hustled Lieutenant Inman, who suggested they play 301. It was over in less than thirty minutes.”

“She didn’t!” Harm stared at him, incredulous. “Inman is a barracuda. She’ll eat Jennifer for breakfast!”

“Not likely, Commander. After it was over, Admiral Chegwidden very discreetly offered to buy Coates a beer.” Chuckling heartily, Bud dropped a tip onto the bar and picked up his drink.

Harm snorted. “Knowing Coates, she’ll talk him into buying her two.”

“What’ll you have, Colonel?” the bartender interrupted.

Stepping between Harm and Bud, Mac leaned closer to the bar. “Give me the usual, Gene.”

“Tonic with lime? No problem. Commander?”

Thinking about the establishment’s Monday night theme, Harm paused. “Half-pint of Guinness.” Nodding, Gene turned to grab two glasses from the rack.

“Only half? Don’t tell me you can’t handle a full pint, sailor.” Mac’s eyebrow arched with a silent challenge.

Opening his mouth to reply, Harm bit back a smart retort when, out of nowhere, Harriet came sailing up.

“Colonel, Commander! There you are. I was starting to get worried! Have you ordered anything to drink yet?”

“Just now, as a matter of fact.”

“Terrific! So, is tonight going to be the big night?” Harriet’s eyes sparkled excitedly as she moved closer, her voice falling to a loud whisper. “You know, ma’am, that rubberband isn’t going to hold forever.”

“Rubberband? What rubberband?” Harm looked at Mac curiously.

Ignoring him, Mac turned to Harriet. “Believe me, I’m well aware of the limitations. But like we told Bud earlier, the last thing we want is to—”

“Really, ma’am, nothing would make me happier than for you and the Commander to share your news with everyone tonight. At least give it some thought,” Bud persisted. “It’s your choice, but the offer still stands.” He smiled lovingly at his wife. “Shall we?”

Nodding, Harriet put her arm in his and they disappeared off towards the others.

Staring after them contemplatively, it wasn’t until Mac tapped Harm on the shoulder that he saw the small glass of dark brown brew sitting on the counter. Amused by the decidedly Irish depiction of a shamrock that had been drawn in the creamy head, he reached for his wallet.

“Don’t worry about it,” Mac told him, delicately sipping her tonic water. “It’s on me.”

“You sure?” At Mac’s nod, he smiled. “Thanks. I’ll get the next round, okay?”

“It’s a deal. C’mon, squid. Let’s go mingle.” Mac pushed away from the bar towards the back of the room, Harm following closely behind.

Out of habit, she took note of everyone from JAG as she made her way through the crowd. Harriet and Bud had seated themselves in the center of activity, where they were now talking animatedly with one of the bullpen personnel. Sturgis and his girlfriend, Varese Chestnut, were engaged in conversation at a neighboring table, as was Admiral Chegwidden. It was nice for a change to see everyone enjoying themselves. Continuing to observe as she moved toward Bud and Harriet, Mac stifled a laugh when in the far corner, near the restrooms, she saw Coates beating several of the junior staff attorneys at darts. The infamous Lieutenant Inman was nowhere around.

“Mind if we join you?” she asked, stopping short of the table where Bud and Harriet were sitting.

“Sure, Colonel,” Harriet welcomed, gesturing for Mac to pull up a chair. Doing so, Mac belatedly realized that Harm had disappeared. She glanced around to see him chatting with Sturgis and the Admiral a few feet away.

“I was just telling Petty Officer Janus about what happened at Bud’s bachelor party,” Harriet explained as Mac took a seat. The lieutenant’s eyes glittered as she unsuccessfully tried to stifle a grin at the memory.

“Lieutenant Sims tells me you bailed everyone out of jail, Colonel?” the young man asked.

Mac smiled at him wryly. “Not everyone – just Bud, Harm, and Admiral Chegwidden.”

Janus stared at her in shocked disbelief, then turned to Harriet as if seeking confirmation.

“It’s true,” she giggled. “You see, the guys had taken Bud to a strip club…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Fifteen minutes later Mac’s sides were aching from laughter, and she was glad she’d worn a comfortable dress. Finished relating the story of Bud’s stag party debacle, Harriet had launched into the now-legendary account of how her husband had managed to get himself stuck in the elevator immediately prior to little A.J.’s birth.

Listening to her friend reminisce, the memory of standing with Harm on the porch outside of JAG spontaneously flashed through Mac’s mind. Five years from this moment, if neither of us is in a relationship…

Snapping back to the present, she took a quick survey of the area to find Harm. Almost immediately she spotted him sitting a few tables over with the Admiral. From the expressions on their faces she guessed they were exchanging Bud stories as well.

Admiral Chegwidden had just shared his recollection of his namesake’s birth when Harm felt Mac silently observing him. Lifting his eyes to meet hers, his laughter died and the world around them ceased to exist. In the span of a heartbeat, gazing at each other across the crowded room, the two friends held an unspoken conversation. Mac gave a small, consenting nod.

Turning back to his commanding officer, Harm interrupted quietly, “Excuse me a moment, Admiral.” Pushing his chair away from the table, he stood and cleared his throat. “Excuse me, everyone, but if I could have your attention,” he said in a loud voice.

He waited patiently for the conversation around him to settle before proceeding. “First of all, I’d like once again to offer my congratulations to Bud. He is an excellent example for all of us of what a good man, father, and husband should be. I have no doubt that he will continue to raise the bar of excellence in his new rank of Lieutenant Commander.”

The audience broke out into low cheers and applause. Grinning, Harm raised his hands and motioned for quiet.

“Now, with our hosts’ permission, I have some other news that I’d like to share.”

Inhaling sharply, Harriet gave a low squeal of excitement. “He’s going to do it, isn’t he?” she whispered furtively.

Reaching an arm around his wife, Bud grinned as though he were the cat who’d just eaten the proverbial canary.

Mac didn’t say anything, but the edges of her lips curled upward in a small smile.

Completely bewildered by the entire exchange, Petty Officer Janus turned his attention back to Commander Rabb.

“For almost a year now I’ve had the privilege of serving as guardian to a young lady, Miss Mattie Grace,” Harm began. “The experience has only served to remind me of how much I’ve always wanted to have children of my own. And as you all know, I’m not getting any younger,” he added with a self-deprecating grin. More chuckles erupted from the crowd.

Seeing Mac’s reassuring nod, he continued.

“You’re all aware that Colonel MacKenzie and I have been friends for many years now. Few people are willing to make the sacrifices and take the risks that the Colonel has for me in the name of friendship.” Lifting his glass in Mac’s direction, he smiled.

“We both believe that strong friendship is an excellent foundation for raising children.” He turned back to face the crowd. “In the spirit of such friendship, and the fact that she’s not getting any younger either, Mac and I have decided to raise a family together. With that said, we are delighted to announce that we’re expecting a little MacKenzie-Rabb sometime late this coming March.”

The room erupted in a chorus of gasps. Stunned by the implications of Commander Rabb’s announcement, the crowd began to buzz noisily with restless excitement. The tension in the air increased for a few minutes until Harriet finally rose to her feet and lifted her drink.

“To the newest JAG family addition!” she said with a determined smile.

Bud, Sturgis, Admiral Chegwidden, and Petty Officer Coates likewise stood, joining Harriet’s toast. “Hear, hear!”

When it became obvious that the Judge Advocate General himself supported his two attorneys, several additional voices were heard raised in tribute. As the initial shock began to subside, Harm and Mac’s co-workers one-by-one began to approach and offer their congratulations. Shaking someone’s hand, Harm snuck a peek in Mac’s direction. To his great pride and pleasure, her entire being seemed to grow radiant under all the attention. Throughout the years they’d known one another, he couldn’t recall ever having seen her happier. His face split into a huge grin as he suddenly realized he had never been more satisfied in his entire life.



Chapter 30

Four Weeks Later
2150 Zulu
Reagan National Airport
Washington D.C.

In the month since Harm and Mac had revealed their impending parenthood, they had found themselves at the center of a whirlwind of good luck over which they seemingly had no control. Those who hadn’t been present at McMurphy’s the night of the announcement learned about the pregnancy on Monday morning when Mac entered the office wearing a maternity uniform. The expected rumors surfaced almost immediately, but quieted down quickly as people realized that nothing about the attorneys’ working relationship had changed. Instrumental to the demise of the gossip mill’s buzz were Lieutenant Sims and Petty Officer Coates, who vocally lamented that even pregnancy couldn’t force Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie to move beyond the boundaries of friendship.

Their good fortune had continued when Mac stumbled across the perfect house a few days after Bud’s wet down. Taking an impulsive detour through a residential neighborhood on her way home from work one afternoon, she’d seen a red “For Sale By Owner” sign on the front lawn and known intuitively that she’d found their new home. After a perfunctory tour, Mac and Harm placed an offer with the request that they be allowed early access to the property to begin repairs. To their delight, the sellers readily agreed and accepted the offer.

Less than a week now remained before the scheduled closing as Mac, accompanied by Harriet Sims, entered the baggage claim area at Washington’s Reagan National Airport. As the automatic doors slid silently closed behind them, Mac paused for a moment before purposefully striding over to the arrival monitors. Her eyes scanned down the list of flights.

“Claim number three,” she said to Harriet, who turned to glance up at the sign behind them.

“This way, ma’am.”

Falling into step beside one another, they were silent for a few moments as they made their way down the row of conveyors. Finally, Harriet asked, “Did Commander Rabb say when they’d be back?”

“I spoke with him this afternoon, but all he said was that the investigation took longer than expected and that he and Sturgis were planning to catch the first COD out in the morning.”

Stopping in front of the appropriate baggage claim, Harriet looked around. “The plane landed twenty minutes ago. It shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“Twenty-two minutes and nineteen seconds,” Mac corrected absently.

Oblivious to the throng of people milling about the large room, her gaze fixed on the escalators along the far wall. Her mind glazed over as niggling seeds of self-doubt began to rise within. Despite the handful of warm conversations she’d had with Harm’s mother in the preceding month, Mac had always been left with the distressing feeling that Trish’s happiness at becoming a grandmother was tainted by disappointment. Now faced with Trish’s impending arrival, Mac was suddenly scared that the older woman would see through her outward confidence to the scared and insecure little girl underneath. Staring at the steel treads as they continued their tireless cycle downward, the old fears tried to push through the cracks of her heart.

Harriet stood by quietly as Mac’s eyes took on the dulled look of introspection. The Colonel was lost in her own little world, struggling against inner demons that Harriet couldn’t begin to fathom. She watched as Mac shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, unconsciously rubbing a hand across her growing waistline. A wave of empathy only a mother can know washed through Harriet at the sight.

“Are you all right, ma’am?”

Pulled out of her reverie, Mac’s hand stilled as she turned her head and looked at Harriet. “I’m fine. Just preoccupied is all.” Smiling in an attempt to reassure her friend, the warmth couldn’t quite chase the shadows from her eyes. She shifted her weight again.

“They’ll probably be a few more minutes. Mind if we sit down while we wait?” Harriet asked.

Instantly realizing just how much her legs were starting to ache, Mac gave a grateful smile. Spotting a bench situated against the pane of windows a few feet away, the two women made their way over and sat down.

A few moments passed before Harriet broke the silence.

“Legs feeling any better?” she asked, full of sympathy.

Mac opened her mouth to reiterate that she was fine, but smiled dryly as she recognized the look of understanding in Harriet’s eyes. “Did you find standing a challenge when you were pregnant?”

“All three times. Some things even the military can’t train you for.”

“You can say that again.” Chuckling, Mac’s gaze drifted briefly back to the escalators, her expression growing serious. “Thanks for coming with me, Harriet.”

“My pleasure.” Noticing the way that Mac lightly bit her lip, Harriet pressed forward. “Colonel… Mac… You seem troubled. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not really, but thanks for offering,” Mac told her ruefully.

“Try me.”

She hesitated. “Truthfully? I’m a little nervous about meeting Harm’s mother.” The words came out barely above a whisper, but at least she’d said it. The rest flowed more easily. “I’m afraid that I’ll be a disappointment to her. That I won’t meet her expectations.”

“Oh, ma’am,” Harriet said, voice brimming with emotion as she reached out to take Mac’s hand in a reassuring grasp. “From what I’ve heard, Mrs. Burnett likes you. And I’m sure she’s thrilled about becoming a grandmother. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Tell me that when you’re the one pregnant with her grandchild but not married to her son,” Mac muttered, a slight blush rising on her cheeks.

“With all due respect ma’am,” stated Harriet firmly, “she’s going to see what the rest of us do. You and the Commander are more committed to each other than most married couples. You have been for years.”

Mac didn’t know whether she was surprised more by the conviction of her friend’s tone or the words themselves. Any response she might have made, however, was pre-empted an instant later by a bell ringing nearby.

Over Mac’s shoulder, Harriet could see the flashing orange indicator light atop the nearby baggage claim. Simultaneously the two women turned their attention to the escalators, where they now saw clusters of people riding down from the concourses above.

“I wonder if those are passengers from her flight.” As soon as Mac spoke, she recognized the figure of an elegantly dressed woman stepping off of the moving staircase. It was a likeness she’d seen captured in Harm’s family photo albums. Instantly, the anxiety Mac had experienced earlier reasserted itself. Pushing it ruthlessly aside, she stood. “I guess this is it.”

Searching the area for her son’s distinctive profile, Patricia Burnett didn’t realize she was being approached until the expectant Marine was an arm’s length away. Mac knew the instant Harm’s mother made the association.

“Mac.” There was no trace of doubt in Trish’s tone.

“Harm was unavoidably delayed by a carrier investigation.” The apology felt lame under the circumstances. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Mac added, awkwardly extending a hand.

Despite her unruffled demeanor, Trish was just as unsure of what to do. She hesitated briefly, but then gave a dismissive wave and pulled Mac into a warm hug. “It’s wonderful to at last be able to congratulate you properly!”

Relieved, the younger woman pulled back with an elated smile, one hand remaining on Trish’s arm. “This is Harriet Sims,” she introduced as Harriet stepped up to join them.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Burnett.”

Politely shaking Harriet’s hand, Trish smiled before turning to Mac. Her implicit question hovered in the air between them.

“He’s expected back sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

Chuckling, Trish’s eyes danced. “This is Harm, my dear. Things rarely work out as expected when he’s involved.”

“No argument here,” grinned Mac, pushing her uneasiness aside. “Why don’t we get your bags? We can stop for a bite to eat on our way back into town. Or would you prefer to stop at the hotel first and freshen up?”

“There’s a fabulous little café near the hotel. A decent cup of tea sounds lovely.”

“Tea it is, then.”

Motioning for Trish to lead the way, Mac exchanged a glad look with Harriet before the three women disappeared together into the crowd swarming around the baggage claim.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

TBC…

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---