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Date Posted: 16:41:53 05/15/14 Thu
Author: Lace
Subject: Living out fate Chapter 5

Chapter 5


The characters aren't mine, mistakes are.



Mac and Harm's house
October 13th

Mac looked from Harm to Mattie and back at Harm as they ate dinner that night. Neither of them made any attempt to keep a conversation going. When Mac said something all she got was mumbles in reply.

“Okay, what's up?”

“I'm done. Good night,” Mattie said and stood. She left the kitchen quickly.

Mac gave Harm a look. “What happened today?”

“We had a small disagreement,” Harm mumbled.

“About?” Mac questioned.

“Her father. I think she should talk to him. She doesn't,” Harm said as he stood and took his plate to the dishwasher. “How was your day?”

Ignoring his question she said; “Harm, you can't force her.”

He continued to clean the table as he silently shrugged his shoulders.

“Let her figure this out for herself, Harm,” Mac advised him as she stood. “She's hurting.” She walked over to the refrigerator and found ice cream from the freezer, two bowls and spoons. She prepared ice cream in the bowls and put the box back into the freezer, then she walked past Harm and left the kitchen.

She knocked on Mattie's door and waited. “Come in.”

“Ice cream?” Mac asked as she opened the door and found Mattie in front of her computer.

“I really don't want to talk about my dad,” Mattie said.

“I know,” Mac said and put the ice cream down on Mattie's desk. “How was school?”

Mattie smiled. “It was boring.”

“As usual then,” Mac teased as she sat down.

“I did get an A on my English essay though,” Mattie said as she took a spoonful of ice cream.

“That's great. How about we go shopping this weekend to celebrate,” Mac suggested. “I need new shoes.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” Mattie said.

Half an hour later Mac walked into the kitchen with empty bowls. She found Harm by the kitchen table with an open file and his computer in front of him. She put away the bowls and walked over to him and put her arms around him. “What are you doing?”

“Just looking over some notes for tomorrow,” Harm said with a sweet smile. “I want to be prepared.”

“How about joining me for a walk instead?” Mac said and kissed his cheek.

“Give me ten minutes and I'll be all yours,” he promised.

Ten minutes later they were walking hand in hand down the path from their house and to the beach. They often took a walk after dinner, both of them enjoying having the beach so close. Mac had her moments when she missed D.C, after all she had lived there for nine years, but she was beginning to find her place in San Diego too. More than anything she was surprised that after nine years of dancing around a relationship Harm and her had fallen into a very quiet married life.

“This is nice,” Harm said quietly as he looked over the ocean. “How are you doing?”

“The same way I was yesterday or the day before. I'm fine, Harm,” she answered honestly.

He smirked. “You think I'm annoying, don't you?”

Mac laughed softly. “Not at all.”

“It's not for lack of trying that we haven't been able to conceive,” he teased and made her stop. He leaned in and kissed her deeply.

Mac smiled as the kiss ended. “If it doesn't happen for us this is still enough for me.”

Harm kissed her again. “I don't want you to give up, Mac.”

“I haven't,” she promised.

They started walking again. Harm's head wandered to the office, a habit he hadn't been able to shake even though he had tried. He had silently made a promise not to bring work home, but he had broken the promise often. He knew that Mac understood because she did the same thing too.

“What are you thinking?”

Harm shrugged. “Work,” he admitted.

“Trouble? She wanted to know.

“No, just a new client that I'm unsure about. A young rich guy with a long record of arrests. He has money, but with it comes a lot of trouble. The thing is that we're not in a position to choose who to take on, because we need the money, but I don't want to be taken for someone who'll defend anyone just to make a buck,” Harm explained.

“It's not an easy decision, but I'm sure you'll figure it out,” Mac said.

“That's your advice?” he said with a small laugh.

“I don't want to impose. It's something that you and A.J need to agree on,” Mac reasoned.

“Hopefully we'll get a good reputation and then we'll have more client's to choose from, and we can say no to the one's we don't want,” Harm said. “It'll take some time to build a good reputation, but we already have a good client list. Last week we landed a deal with a small computer firm. And then there's a few big clients, but we also try to take on pro bono cases. There's so many people out there who can't afford good lawyers, and some of them deserve better representation.”

Mac smiled. “That's my man, sticking up for the little people.”

Harm smiled back. “I can't help it, but hearing you call me your man puts a smile on my face.”

“Well then, my man, why don't we go back to the house and work on that baby,” Mac said with a sexy grin.

Harm turned them around. “Come on honey, time to go home.”

Mac laughed as they hurried back to the house.


The next morning
Harm and Mac's house

Mac snuggled closer to her husband as the alarm went off the next morning. She used to be a morning person, no mater how late she'd go to sleep she was up early and ready to start the day. Ever since she had married Harm and he had joined her in San Diego she hated mornings because it meant that she had to leave the bed and his warm embrace.

Harm stretched and got out of bed after kissing his wife. “I'm sorry, but I have an early appointment.”

Mac was disappointed, but she got out of bed too. “Please tell me that you don't have to work this weekend?”

Harm gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry to disappoint you honey, but we have budget meeting on Saturday. But it's only for a few hours.”

Mac smiled. “That's not a problem, because Mattie and I have plans.”

“Shopping I assume,” Harm said as he walked into their bathroom.

Mac smiled as she prepared her uniform and lay it out on the bed. Soon Harm came out and walked past her and opened his closet. “Let's meet for lunch?”

“Okay,” Mac said as she headed for the bathroom.

A little while later Harm kissed Mac goodbye and left the house. Mac heard Mattie's door open and close and soon the young girl joined her in the kitchen.

“Did Harm leave early?”

“He had an early meeting. I'll drive you to physiotherapy,” Mac said as she sipped her coffee. “Do you want breakfast?”

“I'll grab a banana, I'll eat after Claire has tortured me,” Mattie said.

Mac chuckled. “She's good for you.”

Mattie nodded and looked at Mac. “Mac, do you think my Dad will stay sober this time?”

Mac hesitated. “I don't know. But I think he will try very hard for you.”

Mattie nodded again and studied the floor. “I don't want to move back with him.”

“You don't have to do that, Mattie. And I don't think your Dad will ask you to either. I think your Dad knows how much he's hurt you and he understands that you can't forgive him yet,” Mac said honestly.

“I don't know if I ever will,” Mattie admitted.

“Mattie, I'm not going to defend your Dad's actions, I've been there and I've done things that I regret. But when I was drinking it was to get away from something painful. It was an escape from the pain of my mother leaving and my father being awful, and I think that your Dad has it the same way. He has so much to deal with that he don't see any other way than to drink to get away from the pain. And when you had your accident and he thought that he was losing you it must have brought up the loss of your mother, and probably the reasons he had for drinking in the first place and it became too much to bare for him. It's not an excuse, but it's understandable,” Mac said.

“You never mentioned your family before,” Mattie said quietly. “Did you forgive your Mom and Dad.”

“On one level I did, but on an other I can never get my childhood back. They ruined a part of me that no one can ever give me back, and because of that I did so many dumb things. I am who I am despite of them, not because of them, and that hurts,” Mac admitted.

“I'm sorry,” Mattie said sadly.

Mac offered a sweet smile. “Thanks. But I'm fine. I have a great life.”

Mattie smiled back. “Well, I do to. I just hope Harm isn't too angry with me.”

“He's not angry. He wants you to be happy, and to be able to move on. He's the reason why I went to see my Dad before he died, and he made me go because he knew that I needed it. That I needed to forgive in order to let go of my anger,” Mac reached for Mattie's hand. “Harm is the best thing that ever happened to me. And to you.”

Mattie nodded. “We're pretty lucky.”

“Absolutely,” Mac agreed.

“Thanks Mac,” Mattie said and hugged her. “ You're amazing.”

Mac hugged Mattie back. “So are you.”

A little while later they left the house, Mac even more certain that she could be happy even though she never got to experience having a baby, and Mattie one step closer to call her Dad.
¨

To be continued

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Replies:

[> Have to say that experience is the best teacher. Keep 'em coming -- want to see where we're going....... -- carramor, 19:51:02 05/15/14 Thu [1]


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[> Wonderfully emotionally written chapter. Loved all the conversation. Can't wait for more. -- Beth, 23:14:43 05/15/14 Thu [1]


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[> Hope springs eternal, always there, lovely story, Lace. Till next time? -- JoyZ, 09:15:02 05/16/14 Fri [1]


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[> A lovely chapter Lace look forward to more -- Bev uk, 14:11:10 05/16/14 Fri [1]


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[> Fun to find another very good Lace fanfic. Thank you!! -- Loti, 17:33:06 05/16/14 Fri [1]


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[> Please post soon, eager to see where this story is leading -- Ros, 02:30:50 05/17/14 Sat [1]


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