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Date Posted: 23:07:05 08/24/13 Sat
Author: fananicfan
Subject: Love And Support - Story 46 of the series

I needed a bridge piece between the last story and the next one, so this is what I came up with. Instead of a long single part that may not fit in a single post, I've opted to made it a Part A,Part B type of post. Hope it cures you of 'series withdraw'.



CHAPTER FORTY-SIX - Love and Support


PART A


THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009


GUEST BEDROOM
RABB HOME
LA JOLLA, CA
2250 LOCAL - FRIDAY 0150 EASTERN

HARM'S POV

I can't sleep...not when I'm hours away from being 'home'.

Home...

Funny, I'm lying in one of the beds that came in the first shipment of household goods in the house that Mac and I bought together, yet, no matter how familiar the place or the furnishings, it isn't home without her and the kids here...quieter, but not home.

I find myself chuckling, amused by my last thought.

We've got our travel plans all worked out so I should be enjoying the quiet while I can because, even with our scheduled stops along the way to make it more of a family vacation than a move, the last thing that a week on the road with six children will be is quiet.

The last two weeks have passed by painstakingly slowly. I think it was seeing Mac without really being there that made the waiting that much harder, not easier as I'd thought it would be.

It was the first Wednesday of May during my weekly call with Mattie when I mentioned to her that I really would like to fly out to see Mac for Mother's Day, but that it wasn't a practical option, so it wasn't going to happen. That's when Mattie informed me that there was a way for me to see the family without getting on a plane. She said that I should "Skype" with them.

I was aware that the technology to see and talk to someone was available, vid-phone comes to mind. However, I had no idea that it was no longer some hi-tech, expensive, government-type use only but that it had become something available to the average Joe.

Mattie was happy to poke fun at my lack of knowledge about current technology as she explained that Skype was a program on newer computers that, along with a webcam, allowed you to both speak and see the person at the other end of your 'call'.

The next day I got in touch with the most knowledgeable computer geek I know here, Jason Tiner.

After Tiner explained that my laptop didn't have a webcam - I knew that much - and was too old to be compatible with the Skype program, he offered to let me use his computer to contact my family for Mother's Day.

Next, I needed an East Coast connection, and if there was anyone who knew more about computers than Tiner and was in a position to help, it was my friend, Bud Roberts.

Now I had computer connections on both coasts and a plan to surprise Mac.

I'd call the Saturday before Mother's Day while Mac was at the Roberts' home for Abby's piano lesson, and I could talk to everyone, maybe even sit in on part of Abby's lesson.

Also in the know were Harriet and Mattie, who'd been easily convinced to lend a hand by making sure that not only were Abby and Mac there, but the rest of the children, too, so that I could see and talk to all of them.

Mac had teared up when she'd seen me on the screen, and I'd wanted nothing more than to wipe away her tears XX and hold her, but no one has found a way to do that over the Internet.

It was wonderful to hear and see my family, but after hanging up, I'd felt emptier and more alone than I had before I'd seen them.

So, I dealt with the feelings the only way I knew how, and that was to keep busy.

Since we had a lighter than normal workload at the office and minimal repairs were needed on the house, I had only limited success in my effort to keep my mind occupied elsewhere.

I probably made it worse by choosing to leave my parents' house and live here when the first shipment of household goods arrived ten days ago - a decision that wasn't easy after my mother finally sat down with me on Mother's Day and told me about her heart attack and surgery. It had apparently started to weigh more heavily on her mind as the days dwindled before my family was to arrive.

********FLASHBACK******

Mother's Day
Sunday, May 10, 2009

Kitchen
Burnett Home
La Jolla, CA
0730 Local

Harm's POV

Seeing Mac and the children via the web yesterday gave me a reprieve in missing them for only as long as they were visible on the monitor.

I opened the refrigerator and am staring blankly into it when, from behind me, I hear my mother ask, "Would you like for me to fix you something to eat?"

"No, thank you. I'm not very hungry," I reply as I spy a container of orange juice on the top self. "I just thought that I'd have some juice before I went on my run."

"Oh, you're on your way out?"

She sounds surprised, which seems odd since I do some form of exercise every morning.

Now that I think about it, her question was strange, too. Doesn't she remember that she, Frank and I are going to a Mother's Day Brunch at the Yacht Club later?

I place the orange juice container on the counter and then push the refrigerator door closed.

"I could go for a swim, but I'm already dressed for a run," I comment jokingly as I reach for the cabinet door where the glasses are kept.

Her facial expression doesn't change, and it concerns me. There's definitely something on her mind.

"Mom, are you okay?" I ask, stepping closer to her and abandoning my attempt to get a glass of juice.

"No, I don't think I am."

She sounds confused. No, I think conflicted describes her tone better.

"What is it? Aren't you feeling well?" I ask, my concern obvious, and I hope that she doesn't figure out that Frank told me about her health issue.

"Yes. No....let me get your juice. I think it's time that I came clean with you."

"Came clean? What are you talking about, Mom?"

She doesn't respond to my query. She only moves over to the cabinet where I was standing moments ago, pulls down two glasses and then fills them with juice before returning the container to the shelf in the refrigerator.

She picks up the two glasses, appears to take a deep breath and then turns, motioning for me to sit at the kitchen table.

I do as was silently requested of me.

She places one glass of orange juice in front of me and the other one on the table across from me. However, she doesn't sit down, but remains standing.

She stares down at her glass of orange juice for a few moments before lifting her eyes to look at me before she begins to speak.

"Harm, I need to tell you something...something that I should have told you sooner, but please understand that, at the time, I thought it was for the best to keep it to myself. However, as the time for my grandchildren to arrive here draws near, I realize that you need to know."

At first, I thought that she was going to tell me about her heart attack and surgery, but I can't make a connection between that and her grandchildren, leaving me to wonder if my first thought was correct.

"If it concerns the children in any way, yes, you need to tell me," I say before realizing that my mother's demeanor has changed. Her shoulders are slumped and she's avoiding making eye contact with me.

"Mom..." I say, beginning my thought in a soft, hopefully reassuring tone, but the sight of tears beginning to pool in her eyes worries me, and I'm unable to finish my sentence.

Has she had a health setback that I don't know about? I wonder, my concern growing with every second that she remains silent.

"Frank," my mother says, anxiety evident in her voice as he steps into the room.

"Trish, what is it?" he asks, his love and concern for my mother apparent in his tone.

"I can't tell him. He's going to be angry with me."

"Oh, Trish," Frank says, taking her into his arms and pulling her to him.

"Today is the perfect day to tell me whatever it is that has you upset. It's Mother's Day. No one can be angry or upset with their mom on Mother's Day," I joke to lighten the mood that's taken over the room in the last few moments.

My mother turns in Frank's arms and offers me a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

"Your son has a point. If it isn't a law, it's at least a rule that you can't be angry or upset with your mother today," Frank chimes in. I'm sure in hopes of encouraging my mother to tell me.

She looks into Frank's eyes, seeking support from him in the silent way that two people in love have of communicating.

"I don't know if I can...." Her voice trails off.

"Why don't I get things started?" Frank says, releasing her but taking her hand once they're seated across the table from me.

"Harm, your mother and I have been talking about when the children arrive. We're sure that you and Mac would like to have some time alone after a week or two to get settled in, and you know that we love our grandchildren and wouldn't mind at all having them stay with us for a weekend, even a week normally, but..." Frank begins but stops to let my mother take over.

"...We don't know if I can handle the energy of five young children all at once right now."

Now I get the link between my children and her recent heart attack and surgery, and I'm once again certain that she's about to divulge her health information.

"Seeing them yesterday on the computer screen, I saw how active the little ones are, and I don't think that I should jump into babysitting right away, but that's not to say that Ty and Abby can't come over to visit. I just ..." Mom stops and heaves a big sigh.

My mother seems to be struggling with getting out her thoughts.

"Maybe if you told me why you keep saying things like "not right now" as if something isn't the same or as good as it will be, I might be able to understand what you're trying to tell me."

"Harm, you have to understand that I didn't want to worry you or put a damper on your vacation at your grandmother's, and you were going to be here soon, so I thought that it could wait until you were here and could see for yourself that I'm okay. Then, when you got here, I was doing better .... and there never seemed to be a right time to tell you, so I didn't say anything, but now I don't want my grandchildren to think that I don't love them because I'm not as active with them as I have been in the past."

"Mom..." I say impatiently, trying to encourage her to get to the point because that's the way that she'd expect me to react in this situation, and I'm trying to protect Frank by not letting on that I know about her health.

"While you were at the farm over Easter, I had a heart attack."

"You had a what?" I muster in a tone that doesn't say 'angry', but more 'you've got to be kidding me' that you didn't think that I needed to know that before now. You're my mother!

"There's more," she says sorrowfully. "While I was in the hospital, they ran some tests, and I had to have by-pass surgery."

I reach for her hand, take it in mine and squeeze it gently.

"You or Frank should've called me," I scold, glancing at Frank with a scowl, again to cover up the fact that he’d already told me about her health scare, though I think he does deserve a little scolding for not calling me when it happened.

"Don't be angry with him. I made him promise that he wouldn't call because it would ruin your visit to the farm."

"How are you now?" I ask.

"Much better... I still get tired easily, but I'm not sure if it's from everything that my body's been through the last few months or the stress of running the gallery right now."

**********END FLASHBACK**********

I was able to put her concerns about her grandchildren to rest. I explained to her that, though I miss my wife immensely, I miss my children, too, and that Mac and I had no plans for a getaway any time soon.

I was also able to ease her mind by telling her that Mac and I would speak to the older children and simply tell them that grandma hasn't been feeling well, and that they can spend the night with her and grandpa when she's feeling better.

When I asked what was more stressful than usual about running her gallery, she simply said that there were some problems that she needed to address and was looking forward to having Mattie there, someone whom she could trust to assist her with sorting out some things.

I asked Frank about the situation at the gallery later on that day, and all he added was that there was a painting missing and that, while sales seemed to be steady, it didn't match up with the funds that were in the bank, but that he was sure that there had been too much on Sharon Lassiter's shoulders - she's Mom's manager at the gallery - and that he was sure that they'd find that simple mistakes had been made while she'd had the complete responsibility of running the gallery in Mom's long absence.

The news that there was any trouble, no matter how big or small, made me feel guilty because I know that part of the reason why she was away from her business for so long is because she was in Virginia taking care of me and my family after my injury and the early arrival of her namesake.

Our conversation ended that morning after I pointed out to her that I wasn't happy that she hadn't told me when it happened or at the very least upon my arrival here, but that I did understand her motivation for handling the situation the way she had.

She looked at me with eyes glistening with unshed tears and asked, "Are we still going to brunch?"

The question felt more serious, like she was really asking if I was still claiming her as my mother.

I smiled at her.

"Yes, after I finish my run, I'll be back to shower and change," I answered, and her demeanor immediately became more relaxed.

I stood, so she stood, assuming that the discussion was over.

However, I had one more thing to say.

I reached out and took her into an embrace.

Hugging her gently, I spoke softly, saying, "That doesn't mean that you get out of promising me that you'll never keep something like this from me again."

Her reply came in the form of her nodding her head against my chest.

"Since that's settled, I need to get going or we'll be late to brunch," I said before kissing the top of my mother's head and releasing her.

FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2009

LIVING ROOM
RABB RENTAL HOME
MANASSAS, VA
0820 LOCAL - 0620 PACIFIC

MAC'S POV

I've got the babies settled into the play area, and Sami is watching a cartoon, so I have a moment to enjoy the rest of the Starbucks latte that I bought at the drive-thru on my way home from dropping off the children at school.

It's my last week of car pooling, and I'm looking forward to it being over.

When it was our week to drive and Harm was still here, he took Ty, Abby and the Roberts children to school on his way to work. However, being in charge of the car pool with him not here, I have to load my five children in the car and then pick up the Roberts children. It's the equivalent of a major troop movement!

In my delight over the end of car pool hassles, there's also sadness. We're moving away from my dear friends and their family.

The corners of my mouth start to turn up in a smile as I think about the way Harriet teases me that we won't be gone long. She's sure that Harm will be the Navy's next Judge Advocate General and that we'll be moving back to the area before I know it.

I've been on a roller coaster of emotions since Mother's Day.

Before the mixed emotional reaction to the end of school, I've complained this morning about the traffic, the weather, how long it took them to hand me my coffee...everything, and it's Harm's fault because I haven't been able to get more than three hours of sleep a night since he called me on Mother's Day.

It was a sweet gesture for him to arrange the call, but it was his presence on the monitor that led to my sleepless nights.

It wasn't as if I didn't know that I missed him, it was just that, until I saw him, I didn't realize how much I missed him.

It's easy not to get caught up in my thoughts of him during the day because I'm busy with our five children, but at night while they're sleeping - especially these last two weeks since I saw him - it's been hard for my mind not to drift to thoughts of him while I lie in bed at night when the house is quiet.

Though in some ways it was painful for me to see Harm on that screen, I don't regret him calling in the least, not only because it was a thoughtful 'gift' for both me and his mother - so that she was able to see her grandchildren - but also because his call came at about the half way point in the final stretch of time before we're reunited as a family, and it appears to have been exactly what the children needed in order to make it 'til today.

The change in the children’s mood was immediate when they saw Harm.

Ty became energetic and chatted happily with his dad and grandpa.

Abigail got a mile-wide grin as Harm and his parents 'sat in' on a portion of her piano lesson, and she gushed when her daddy complimented her by saying, "You've always played beautifully, but I think you've gotten even better while I've been here."

Sami, in disbelief that Harm could really see her through the computer, got into the background of her older siblings until he scolded her, telling her, "Samantha, I see you jumping around and making faces. You were told that you'd have a turn, but if you don't start behaving yourself, I'll make sure that you're the last one I speak with. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Daddy," Sami replied, her voice sounding sweeter than honey.

Harm may have been showing his love for all of his children by seeing that they all had equal time, but I saw the twinkle in his eyes as he scolded her. Sami definitely has that big man wrapped around her little finger....though she does have competition from Patty for being the best scene stealer.

I was standing near the computer listening to Harm's voice - I find that his voice soothes my soul, or maybe it's my heart. Whichever, I find that it comforts me.

He was speaking with Sami, and I was enjoying the sound of his voice when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement that caused me to look in time to see Patty crawling.

I watched with amazement as the baby, who I'd been so worried about being developmentally delayed, crawled like a pro towards her daddy's voice and, upon arriving at the chair that Sami was currently occupying, pulled herself up and gurgled something that sounded like da-da, at least to me.

Yes, it was a wonderful Mother's Day for me, but today will top that. Not only will I be able to hear Harm's voice, but I'll be able to touch him. Better yet, he'll be able to wrap his arms around me.

"Momma, how much longer now?" Sami asks, pulling me out of my reverie.

Having my thoughts interrupted, I have no idea what she's talking about and ask, "How much longer until what?"

"Til it's time to go get Daddy," Sami says in her 'don't be silly' tone.

Yes, if I’d thought a moment before posing my question, I’d have known. She just caught me off guard.

I could tell Sami the number of hours and minutes, even seconds before we need to leave the house, but at the age of four, the concept of time is simple - right now or a long time from now.

"We still have a long time, but it's getting closer because, before we left for school, Daddy hadn't left California yet, but now, Daddy has started his trip and is on a plane heading our way."

Sami looks disappointed.

"Why don't we go to your room and see if we can find you a special outfit to wear when we go to pick up Daddy?" I suggest with a smile, hoping that not only will she agree, but that the task will take up enough time that it will be time for lunch preparation, nap time, and then, after dropping off the Roberts children at their home after school, along with my babies - knowing that it would be easier to maneuver in the air terminal if I have only the three older children, Harriet offered to watch Matthew and Patty for a few hours - it will finally be time for us to head to the airport to pick up Harm.

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Replies:

[> So glad to see the next story. Thank you so much. Can't wait for Part B. -- Debbi, 03:00:30 08/25/13 Sun [1]


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[> loved it! I have missed this family! -- Nettie, 06:47:07 08/25/13 Sun [1]


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[> Thank you thank you for an update on this amazing story. I will patiently wait for an update. The reunion. -- Beth, 09:47:32 08/25/13 Sun [1]


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[> yipee so glad to see this Rabb saga again so looking forward to more -- Bev uk, 10:47:21 08/25/13 Sun [1]


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[> Very exciting to embark on another chapter of the 'Rabb Saga', awaiting part B! -- JoyZ, 11:28:34 08/25/13 Sun [1]


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[> So excited for this next installment and for this family reunion. After the kiddies are in bed can you give us some "adult time". Looking forward to mroe. Thank-you -- Shazam, 14:19:08 08/25/13 Sun [1]


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[> So glad you're back with more of this wonderful Rabb family, fananicfan. -- Cookie, 13:13:39 08/26/13 Mon [1]


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[> I am SO glad to see this family back!!! I have missed them SO much!! Thank you. am looking forward to the next part. -- Kim (harmsgirl), 20:34:47 08/26/13 Mon [1]


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[> So very lovely. Love your Rabb family! -- Dee, 15:41:55 08/28/13 Wed [1]


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[> Thank you, thank you, thank you to dear fananicfan for this wonderful story and Part 46, wow. You and this wonderful Rabb family series have been missed. Great beginning and the best part of being sick for a week is that I get to read Part B of 46 right now, LOL. -- Can Sheshe, 16:05:33 08/31/13 Sat [1]


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[> fananicfan, how happy I am to see this next segment -- Was in hospital again. But what a way to cheer me up now that I'm home -- yours is still my favorite Rabb family. Looking forward to the next part. -- carramor, 17:28:38 09/03/13 Tue [1]


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