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Date Posted: 04:23:14 10/20/13 Sun
Author: Nettie
Subject: Don't Tell!

Disclaimer: All the usual
AN: The sequel to Don't Ask!

The response should have been “Thank you so much for the invitation, it is very kind of you. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make it as I am tied up with this conference.” Instead, “Thank you so much,” was all Mac got out before Trish excitedly spewed out all the details and Mac felt she had no other choice but to attend rather than disappoint Harm’s mother.

“Damn, Harm,” she muttered to herself as she pulled up her rental car in front of a rather grand looking house with ocean frontage. “Why did you even tell her I was in town?”

After the infamous ‘Kellydate’ as Harm had coined it, there were now regular phone calls from coast to coast between mother and son. It was during such a call two nights previous that Harm had mentioned Mac would be at Camp Pendleton for a few days for a series of administrative meetings. Trish had instantly suggested she invite Mac for a home cooked dinner and he had given his mom Mac’s cell number before he’d even considered her thoughts to such an invitation.

Knowing she couldn’t stay in the car all night and not wanting to keep her hosts waiting, Mac climbed out of the car and headed to the door. Pausing before she pressed the doorbell, Mac realised she should have picked up some sort of gift – flowers sprung to mind.
‘Oh, well, too late now,’ she thought to herself as she heard the door opening.

It was an excited flurry of greetings which met Mac and when Trish excused herself to put the final touches to dinner, Frank apologised on his wife’s behalf.
“She means no harm, Sarah,” he said, guiding her into the dining room. “She is just so excited to meet you.”
“I’m excited to meet her too...and you,” Mac said with a smile before the chatter turned to everyday things.

It wasn’t long before Trish came into the room carrying a large tray with their meals. “Roast beef and all the trimmings, Sarah,” she said as she placed the plate in front of her. “Harm mentioned you like your meat, so I’m hoping it’s to your liking.”
“I’m sure it will be lovely,” she said with a genuine smile. “It smells absolutely divine.”
“Won’t be a moment,” Trish said before she disappeared through the door once more. True to her word she reappeared almost instantly carrying the gravy boat before offering it to Mac. “And there’s a range of condiments on the table. Please help yourself, dear.”

If the smell was divine, the taste was heavenly. Mac couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten anything as nice and she found it hard to keep up with the conversation and not drool over the meal in front of her. Understandably, most of the conversation was about Harm and Mac thoroughly enjoyed hearing some happy and cute stories about the man she loved. All too often their discussions of his early years had been dominated by the loss of his father and this was a pleasant change.

Just as Trish was about to serve dessert, chocolate decadence cake with whipped cream and ice-cream, as Mac had been informed, the doorbell rang. Trish continued on to the kitchen, while Frank went to the door and before long he reappeared in the dining room with a new guest for dessert.
“Sarah, this is Kelly Upton, a colleague of Trish’s,” Frank said as he gestured for Kelly to take a seat. “Kelly, this is Sarah MacKenzie, our son’s partner. Now, I won’t be a moment, I’ll just let Trish know we will need another serve of dessert.”

There was small talk between the two guests and Kelly soon realised that Mac had no idea who he was. This either meant Harm hadn’t told her about their dinner date or that she knew but didn’t make the connection. Quickly, he discounted the latter. After all, she was an intelligent, educated woman and how many males by the name of Kelly would work with Harm’s mother.

Meanwhile, Frank had made his way into the kitchen and informed his wife of the newcomer.
“And you’ve left them alone?!” she all but shrieked.

Like Mac, Frank was also in the dark about Trish’s meddling and was a little stunned when she grabbed the three plates she had already prepared and threw a rushed “Get your own” at him before she raced from the room.

Taking a deep breath, Trish tried to breeze into the dining room. “Kelly, dear, what an unexpected pleasure,” she said, glancing between the two to see whether anything had been divulged. “What brings you here?” she asked as casually as she could, placing a dessert in front of him.
“This,” he said, producing a letter from his shirt pocket. “It arrived at the gallery after you left and I knew you were waiting for it.”
“Thank you,” she replied, taking the proffered envelope. “I appreciate it.”
“And I appreciate being rewarded with cake!” he said emphatically before grabbing a spoon and digging in.

The conversation was light and casual and so, when Frank left to organise coffee, Trish decided it was safe for her to clear the table. Kelly, on the other hand, decided it was time for a little fun.
“So, Mac,” he said, surprising her as she had only been referred to as Sarah during the evening. “How is the delicious Harmon Rabb?”
“Ah, good, thank you,” she said slowly, trying to process his words.
“Has he gotten a chance to go hiking lately?” he asked before taking another bite of his cake.
“No,” Mac replied. “He’s been very busy the past few weeks.”
“Shame,” he said with a shrug. “Outdoors, fresh air, exercise would do the man well.”
“I wasn’t aware that you knew Harm personally,” Mac said, trying to search her brain for any memory of Harm mentioning the man in front of her.
“Oh, yes, we dated once,” he answered with a wave of his hand and Mac nearly choked on her water.
“Um, sorry, I must have misheard you,” she said, using the napkin to dab her mouth.
“No,” he said shaking his head. “We have both had the ‘pleasure’ of Harmon’s company.” Mac definitely didn’t like the suggestive intonation used with the word ‘pleasure’.

Keeping an unaffected exterior, Mac’s mind and heart began racing. Looking at Kelly’s body language this wasn’t something he was making up. This only left her with the unnerving thought that her partner, her boyfriend, the love of her life had dated Kelly...had dated a man. A man!
“Aha,” was her response. “He is great company,” Mac added, trying to sound as normal as usual.
“Oh, that he is, Mac,” Kelly continued and Mac realised that that’s how Kelly knew her nickname, Harm must have mentioned her on one of their dates. Shame he hadn’t extended her the same courtesy. “And his body is just to die for...”
Nodding, Mac tried to find the right words. “I think so,” she finally said.
“Well,” he said, getting to his feet. “I hate to eat and run but I must dash. Please give him my love and tell him to get that cute butt of his home so we can go scuba diving.”
“Oh, I will tell him that...definitely,” Mac said as she too stood, fighting the urge to run screaming from this house.

After bidding her farewell, Kelly departed the dining room and Mac grabbed her handbag and retrieved her cell. As fast as her fingers could, she brought up the message screen for Harm and then, with words failing her, she dropped it back into her bag. This wasn’t the type of conversation to have by text. First, she needed to digest all of what Kelly had said, then come to terms with what it meant. Then, and only then, she figured she would talk to Harm about it. With a wry grin she figured that time may well be five years from Tuesday.

One look at Mac’s face when she entered the room was enough for Trish to know that Mac knew about Kelly and Harm. While she didn’t know the extent of her knowledge, the look of confusion and sadness was unmistakable.
“You’re not going too, are you Sarah?” she asked, moving over and taking her hand.
“Ah, yes,” she said somewhat distractedly. “I need to...I have to get some notes organised for tomorrow,” she lied, looking everywhere but at the woman in front of her.
“Sarah,” she said, tilting her head to try and get eye contact.”Did Kelly say something? About Harm?” Mac nodded. “About him and Harm?” Mac nodded again.
“Look, Trish, it really was a wonderful dinner and I hate to be rude but I really can’t talk about this now. I have to go,” she said, needing time and space.
“Don’t blame Harm,” Trish persisted. “He had no idea. I set them up...I just thought...well, I didn’t think he was but ...well, he hadn’t settled down ... I thought maybe it was a possibility and that he just couldn’t tell me ... thought that... “
“Just what was it you did, Trish?” Frank asked, coming in behind her.
“I set Harm and Kelly up on a date,” she confessed, dropping her head.
“You set them up?” Mac checked, her head spinning.
“I did,” she said quietly. “I love my son, very much, and want nothing more than for him to settle down with someone he loves and have his own family. It hadn’t happened with a woman, despite the number of them in his life over the years, so I thought that maybe... well, no, I didn’t really think he was a homosexual but I guess I had to consider that it might be the reason.”
“Trish, you and your meddling,” Frank said, frustration clearly evident. “And what was our son’s reaction to this date?”
“He wasn’t impressed but understood why I had done it, and forgave me,” she said tearfully. “Then we had a long chat about his life, something we hadn’t done in a very, very long time. He told me how very much in love he was with you, Sarah, and how he had been for a very long time. I think he said it was ‘forever ago’ he fell in love with you.”
Mac smiled and nodded; she’d fallen for him forever ago too.
“Above everything in life, I want my son to be loved and to be happy. He has those things with you, Sarah, and for that I am extremely grateful,” she said, moving to embrace the woman who she knew would be her daughter-in-law one day. “And I promised him, and I promise you, I will not meddle anymore.”

Very much relieved, and knowing she had nothing pressing to attend to, Mac agreed to stay for another coffee and more conversation with Harm’s mother. By the time she left, she could only see the humour in the whole ‘date’ and could only imagine Harm’s face when he realised he was on a date with a man. Oh, she was going to have so much fun with this.

For the rest of her conference and the flight home, Mac put more thought into how she would tell Harm she knew his ‘secret’ than anything else she was supposed to be doing. Arriving home at midday Friday and not expected at work until Monday, Mac used the few spare hours to catch up on chores and errands.
‘I’m home’ she had texted Harm and shortly got the reply. ‘Great, can’t wait to see you x’

They had made arrangements the night before for Harm to come from HQ and then they would decide on plans from there. En route, Mac had decided that takeout and bed would be the only two things on the list for the evening and the only ‘plan’ that needed deciding was whether they could wait for dinner before hitting the sheets.

With Harm delayed at the office, Mac had ordered dinner and timed their arrivals to coincide, which they did perfectly. It was Harm who paid the delivery guy at the door, before letting himself in with the bag of food.
“Honey, I’m home!” he called into the apartment, grinning at the cliché.
“Hi,” Mac said, coming from the kitchen.

It didn’t take Harm but a moment to realise she wasn’t sharing his excitement in her being home. “Everything alright?” he asked, placing the food on the coffee table before walking over to her.
“Yeah, fine, thanks,” she said coolly. “I’ll just get...”
“No, wait,” he said grabbing her arm.
“What?” she asked, not looking at him for fear of breaking out laughing.
“What’s wrong?” he asked tugging her closer. “Did something happen?”
“I don’t really want to talk...” she started.
“No,” he interrupted.”We promised each other we would communicate. That there would be no secrets, no withholding information, for whatever reason.”He reminded her.
“No secrets?” she questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“No secrets,” he repeated.

Leading her to the sofa, he sat down and waited for her to join him. It didn’t happen and Mac remained standing on the other side of the coffee table.
“Whenever you’re ready,” he said, leaning back and fighting every urge to force the issue.
“I don’t have any secrets,” she said, her hands shoved into her jeans pockets.
“Well, wh...” he began but she interrupted him.
“I should have phrased that better,” she amended. “I should have said I am not the one with secrets.”
“If it’s not you, then who has secrets?” he asked, confused.
“Um...you,” she said quietly.
“Me?” he said, getting to his feet. “What secrets do I have?”
“Don’t play games, Harm,” she said. “I know.”
“I’m not playing games,” he said sharply. “I have no idea what you are on about.”
“You don’t?” Mac said, trying not to laugh. “Well, I do. I know all about Kelly ... and your ... well ... relationship.”

Then she watched as Harm’s face turned five different shades of red, before paling altogether.
“No, no, no,” he managed to get out. “It’s not like that at all.”
“No? Really?” she asked. “Well, I met Kelly the other night and he tells a different story.”
“What did he say?” Harm asked, walking around the table to Mac. “No, wait, I don’t want to know.” He grabbed her by the arms. “Mac, you have to believe me, Kelly and I don’t have relationship... there’s nothing between us.”
“Then why would you have dated him?” she questioned, enjoying this immensely.
“I didn’t!” he exclaimed.
“You mean he lied when he said your date took place at The Crown, our favourite restaurant?” she challenged.
“Well, nnno,” he stammered.
“So, you did date him?” she pushed. “And when you were already dating me?”
“Mac, really, it’s not like that at all,” he said, trying to get his thoughts in order.
“Harm, it’s one thing to cheat on me,” she said, shaking her head, “But with a man...that’s just ... changes everything.”
“I didn’t cheat on you!” he said emphatically. “I went on a blind date...”
“So, if I went on a blind date while you were away you wouldn’t consider it cheating?” she questioned.
“Well, I would but it’s not...” he protested.
“And the thing is, Harm, the cheating is not even the point right now. If you are gay...” she said waving her arms about.
“I am not!” he said loudly. “Despite what Kelly said and what my mom said...”
“Your mom?! What does she have to do with this?” she asked, knowing she needed to end this but having way too much fun.
“Well, it was mom who set it up...” he said wondering just what his mother’s meddling would cost him.
“Your mother? I don’t know if it is worse that your mother thinks it’s fine for you to cheat on me or that she thinks that you are gay,” Mac said before dropping her head and raising her hands to her face. Soon her whole body was shuddering and sniffles could be heard.
“Oh, Mac, please don’t cry... please,” he said, gently trying to raise her head.

When he did he was confused, she was laughing. “You’re laughing?” he queried, not too sure of anything anymore.
“Aha,” she giggled, resting her head on his chest. “Oh, Harm!” she laughed.
“What’s going on?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

For a moment or two, fits of laughter were all he got. Finally, she composed herself enough to wrap her arms around him and lift her head.
“I know all about the circumstances of your ‘date’,” she said, a smile splitting her face. “Your mom told me.”
“I had sworn her to secrecy,” he said shaking his head.
“Well, I admit that when Kelly told me that you had dated and had made suggestive comments about you I was very confused and upset,” she said, the smile disappearing. “I just couldn’t get my head around the whole thing. Then when he left and your mom came back into the room she could tell I wasn’t alright and Frank made her tell the whole story.”
“And you’re alright with it all now?” he questioned. “Because really there was never...”
“I know,” she said, kissing him briefly. “By the time I left your parents’ house I could only see the funny side.”
“I’m glad you could,” he said, shaking his head once more. “I mean, I know I’m not gay but the whole thing left me a little uneasy.”
“Why?” she questioned, caressing his face.
“I just thought if mom was thinking that way, were others thinking that way too?” he replied, not letting her go.
“Does it matter what others think?” she prompted.
“No,” he said. “But it does matter what you think.”
“I do not now and have never thought you were gay,” Mac said, kissing him once more. “Egotistical, self absorbed, conceited ...”
“Anything actually positive?” he asked, not liking the way this evening had gone at all.
“Gorgeous, intelligent, strong, sexy,” she reeled off. “And of course, the most important one...”
“And what is that?” he asked, with a smile.
“Mine!” she said adamantly. “And I don’t plan on anyone coming between us, man or woman.”
“Neither do I,” he replied, before kissing her again and again. “Now, can we eat?” he said, gesturing to the bag still on the coffee table.
“We can,” she said, not letting him go. “But I had something else in mind...”She walked him backwards towards her room. “Unless...”
“Oh, there’s no unless,” he said. “It’s the first place I wanted to head when I got home.”
“Oh, mine too... I just couldn’t resist playing with you,” she said unbuttoning his shirt.
“Well, I won’t resist playing with you,” he said, grinning as he undid her bra. “All night long...”

Climbing into bed, Mac couldn’t help but grin.
“What?” Harm asked, as he was about to slide in beside her.
“Kelly was right,” she said. “You do have a body to die for.”
Harm’s face flushed before he shrugged, “Oh, I know,” he said striking a pose. “I am incredibly sexy ... to women and men alike.” He struck another pose. “
“Just remember they can all look but no one, except me, is allowed to touch,” she warned, pulling him into bed with her.
“Oh, I’m sure I can remember that,” he said, “Just do me a favour.”
“Anything,” she said as she began to place kisses across his chest.
“If anyone ever asks about this Kelly thing, please, please, please don’t tell.”

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Replies:

[> Loved it Nettie. Loved Mac teasing Harm. -- Beth, 07:56:44 10/20/13 Sun [1]


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[> LOL so funny Nettie poor Harm -- Bev uk, 08:20:07 10/20/13 Sun [1]


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[> Perfect sequel Nettie, a flustered Harm, again, too cute! -- JoyZ, 10:31:21 10/20/13 Sun [1]


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[> Great so Good to read -- Alexa, 16:06:24 10/20/13 Sun [1]


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[> Wonderful, you had me in stitches. -- Debbi, 16:04:59 10/21/13 Mon [1]


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[> Very cute and playful. I loved the humor! -- Cristina, 12:24:19 10/22/13 Tue [1]


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[> As soon as I realized this was a sequel, I started laughing. Can just imagine Harm's expressions and embarrassment -- bet Frank could have some fun with this also. -- carramor, 12:31:44 10/22/13 Tue [1]


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