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Date Posted: 22:30:58 04/28/13 Sun
Author: usmgrad
Subject: April 2013 Challenge - Sick Day

Title: April 2013 Challenge - Sick Day

Author – usmgrad

Disclaimer: JAG and its characters are the property of CBS Television, Paramount Studios and Bellisarius Productions. All rights reserved. No monetary gain will be realized from this story and no copyright infringement is intended.


Another peak into the lives of Harm, Mac and their adopted daughter Emily.



It was the phone call Harm knew would come one day, and he was woefully unprepared for it. ‘Emily was sick and couldn’t stay at daycare, would he please come pick her up.’ The call couldn’t have come at a worse time, Harm had a critical report due, his office staff had been hit hard by some sort of intestinal virus and he was currently without reinforcements, Mac was in Washington. Hanging up the phone, he sat there shell shocked. Realizing he needed to get moving, he briefed his XO, packed his briefcase and left to pick up Emily.

On normal days it was convenient to have the daycare center close to the office, but this was not a normal day. Today Harm wished the center was a little further away. He needed a long drive to figure out what he was going to do. He didn’t have near enough time to gather his thoughts let alone come up with a battle plan. After parking the car he took a deep breath before proceeding into the building. He was entering unknown territory. All the planning in the world couldn’t have prepared him for what he found inside. There in the nurse’s office, lying on a cot was a small, pale, lethargic little girl. Harm’s heart sank; this couldn’t possibly be the same energetic child that argued with him just this morning about wearing her pink dress instead of the blue one selected the night before was it? Reality hit him like a brick, his little girl was sick.

As Harm signed the necessary check out forms the nurse tried to reassure him that it was probably a twenty four hour bug, several students had already been sent home with similar symptoms. His daughter would be fine, he simply needed to take her home, give her something for the fever and make sure she drank plenty of liquids. Harm thanked the nurse for the advice, picked up his daughter and headed toward the door.

Emily, laying her head on her dad’s shoulder, whispered, “Daddy, where’s mommy?”

“She still out of town, baby.” Harm tried to be strong in light of the fact his daughter seemed so weak.

“But I want mommy.” Emily was almost in tears.

Rubbing her back trying to sooth his distraught daughter, Harm replied honestly, “I know Em . . . so do I.”


The moment the nurse said drink plenty of liquids Harm knew he was in trouble, they had finished the orange juice and milk at breakfast. The juice cupboard was bare. A stop at the store was in order. Thankfully they encountered a helpful clerk that suggested Sprite and popsicles. The liquid purchases were quickly made, along with a small stuffed bear. Harm hoped the new addition to the family, named Fuzzy, would somehow help his daughter feel better. Harm would do anything to make his little girl feel better.

After a quiet ride home Harm carried his daughter, who was holding on tight to Fuzzy, into the house.

“Daddy, when’s mommy coming home?”

“Sometime tomorrow, why?”

“I miss mommy.”

Kissing his daughter’s head, “I know sweetheart, I miss her too”

Upstairs to Emily’s bedroom she changed into her favorite pajamas. Harm hoped the comfy pajamas in addition to her new best friend would help to make her at least feel a little better. So far so good, Harm thought. After a quick call to the pediatrician Harm began to feel better, he now had a battle plan, of sorts, medicine, rest and liquids. He could do this.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Harm was ready for the step one: medicine.

“Em, doctor says you need to take this medicine.”

She turned up her noise, “But I don’t want that kind. I want the other kind.”

Harm checked the cabinet where Mac stored the medicine; there was no other medicine there.

“It’s all we have Emily; you have to take it to help you feel better.”

“I don’t like that one, Mommy let’s me have grape. I want grape.”

Harm checked again, “Emily, we don’t have grape, we have this.”

“But that’s yucky.”

Somewhere in the back of his mind Harm heard Mac telling him – ‘you have to be firm Harm, you can’t always let Emily have her way.’ She couldn’t mean now, when his baby was sick could she?

“I’m sorry but it’s all we have, you’ll just have to take it.”

“NO”

“Emily Ann Rabb, open you mouth and drink this.”

She complied, but only after making a face and holding her noise. She managed to spit some of it up – all over Harm’s summer whites.

“Thank you . . . I think.” Harm was grateful she had medicine in her but had just had spot removal added to his growing list of things to do.

Emily went to lie down on the sofa. Harm retrieved the rest of his things from the car, changed out of his now cherry spotted uniform and checked in with his office. By the time he returned Emily had fallen asleep. He quietly covered her, hoping she would be feeling better soon.

Emily catnapped through out the afternoon. When she was awake she would drink a little Sprite and nibble on crackers. Other than fever, she did not exhibit any other symptoms the doctor said to watch for. Harm was surprised at how easy this had been so far; tending a sick child wasn’t too bad. The pattern of catnaps and snacking continued into early evening. When Emily was awake Harm would read to her or they would watch cartoons. While Emily catnapped Harm checked in with his office and worked on his report.

When Mac called to check in with her family she was surprised to find Emily was home sick and upset Harm hadn't called to tell her. After speaking with their daughter, Harm was sure Mac had her bags packed and was headed to the airport. It took all of Harm’s persuasive techniques to convince his wife Emily was really doing alright. The doctor said it would probably only last twenty four hours and by the time she got home Emily would be better and back at day care. Mac reluctantly agreed.

After another struggle with taking the ‘yucky’ medicine, Harm finally convinced Emily to “catnap” in her bed, hoping she would sleep through the night. As he walked back to his office to finish his report, Harm made a mental note to include grape medicine on the next shopping list. Harm's 'last minute' additions to the report took longer than he anticipated but finally managed to crawl into bed around midnight, only to be woken an hour later by Emily.

“Daddy, my stomach hurts.”

Before he could sit up he was wearing everything Emily had eaten and drank since breakfast. Emily was now wide awake and crying because her stomach hurt. Harm wasn’t in any better condition.

An hour later Emily's stomach was still hurting, but thankfully all 'activity' had ceased. Harm's bed had been stripped and sported fresh sheets. Emily had been bathed and was now in clean pajamas, hugging Fuzzy (who thankfully ‘missed’ the upset stomach action) and was snuggled deep in her daddy’s bed. Harm figured if she was going to be sick again he wanted her close to him and the bathroom. Harm had taken a quick shower and was now back in bed sporting clean sleepwear. However, Emily wasn’t sleepy; she wanted her Daddy to read to her. Harm was dead dog tired, but read he did, ‘Green Eggs and Ham’, Emily’s favorite book. As soon as he’d finish and she would say in a small, weak voice.

“Read it again Daddy.”

After thirty minutes, Harm’s voice was about to give out and Emily was fighting closing her eyes. Her eyes finally won the battle and Harm was finally able to rest his voice and close his eyes, but sleep never came. He was too concerned about his little girl having another bout with an upset stomach.

The next morning, which came around noon, Emily woke feeling better. Harm was slower to wake having only catnapped in between “checking” on his daughter. He knew it was going to be a marine strength coffee day if he was to function. Emily’s fever was gone and her stomach had settled. Emily’s appetite had returned.

Coming downstairs with her dad, Emily exclaimed, “I’m hungry.”

Not totally unexpected, Harm had to think fast not sure another day of crackers and sprite would work, “How about some soup?”

Harm was a little leery to let her have any food after what they had been through the previous evening, but figured since her fever was gone and she appeared to be feeling better maybe the good old American cure all would be alright. Emily followed her dad in to the kitchen.

“I want a hot dog.”

“I don’t think you should be eating a hot dog, some chicken noodle soup would be better.” Harm pulled out a pot and retrieving the soup from the cabinet and pointed toward the bar stool “Have a seat.”

Emily sat down, unhappy at her father’s choice of food. After all her mommy let her eat hot dogs. “I don’t want soup.”

Harm ignored the objection and continued to fix her lunch, “How about some crackers to go with it?”

Harm continued to prepare lunch as Emily sat and pouted. All Harm could think about was the quicker he had Emily eating the quicker he could make his much needed coffee. After the ups and downs (no punt intended) of the past twenty four hours he could finally see the return to normalcy. Unfortunately, Harm was looking too far ahead, just as he was setting the lunch in front of Emily, she decided to reach for her glass of Sprite and knocked the bowl of hot soup from Harm’s hands spilling it all over him and her. So much for normalcy.

“Great, just great.” He wasn’t mad, but at this point he sure wasn’t happy.

“I’m sorry Daddy.” Emily was on the verge of tears.

Harm quickly picked her up “I know sweetheart, its okay. Let’s just go change into something dry and try this again.”

With lunch finally finished, Emily want to watched cartoons, but Harm, armed with his coffee needed to work. They made a deal, work first then cartoons. To the office they went, Harm to his desk to work and Emily to the side table for an intense coloring session. Harm emailed his report, made a few phone calls and opened his emails. After completing what he considered necessary, Harm checked on what Emily had been doing.

“That’s pretty Em.”

Emily smiled then frowned. “Daddy I miss mommy.”

“I know pumpkin, I miss her too, but she’ll be home tomorrow.”

“How about Mommy is home now.” Mac surprised both her husband and daughter with the early arrival.

“Mommy!” Emily was happy to see her mother, but not as happy as Harm.

“Mac, you’re home.” Even thought he tried to hide it, Mac thought she saw relief on his face.

Hugging her daughter, “I understand you were a little sick yesterday.”

“Daddy picked me up from school and I missed the trip to the zoo. Then he gave me the wrong medicine and I got sick all over him. I'm not sick anymore but Daddy had me eat chicken soup when I wanted a hot dog. I'm glad your home.”

“Well baby, I'm glad you’re feeling better. Maybe we can get Daddy to take us to the zoo in a few days.”

“I drew you a picture while Daddy worked.” Emily handed Mac the picture she had been drawing then returned to her work to draw another picture.

Turing her attention to her husband, “I thought you might need me so I left early, but it seems you managed fine with out me.”

Harm heard it in her voice; she was upset she hadn’t been there to take care of her daughter.

Taking his wife in his arms, Harm tried to put her mind and his at rest. “Mac that’s just not true, do you want to hear about how Emily asked for her mommy every other minute or about the 200 times I started to pick up the phone to ask you to come home.”

“Still you managed without me.”

“Let’s just say we survived and are very glad the Marines have landed.” Harm was relieved the crisis had been survived and thank God Mac was home.


Later that evening


Mac sat on their bed waiting for Harm to come back from checking on Emily one last time. It had taken most of the afternoon, but Mac was now secure in the knowledge she had not been replaced and had indeed been missed. Now it was time to have a little fun at her husband’s expense.

Coming into the room ready for a good night’s sleep Harm commented to his wife. “Remind me to send Harriett flowers and a thank you card.”

“Why?” Not exactly the conversation starter she was hoping for after being gone for three days.

“I’m pretty sure at some point I said something uncomplimentary to her when she had a sick child and still came to work. I now have a better understanding of what it means to be a working parent with a sick child.”

Mac smiled at the thought, “I don’t think this is an errand I’ll need to remind you to do.”

Mac paused for a moment before she spoke. “You know I always knew it.”

“Knew what?” He was only half listening to his wife as he got read for bed.

“That you’d make a great wife, I wonder, did anyone ever tell you that you have great maternal instincts?” The sparkle in her eyes became brighter, “I think your new talents deserve a new call sign, like ‘Captain Mom’ or ‘Flying Nightingale’. You know, now that I think about it I think you need a "Father’s First" book. You know like Emily’s school days book, to mark all your firsts with Emily. First day of Kindergarten, first date, shopping for a first bra. . . “

Harm stopped what he was doing turning his full attention to his wife. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what his wife was up too, he actually expected it. “I don’t think so.”

Coming closer to his wife, Harm turned on the charm. “I could see a new call sign but it has nothing to do with my tending to a sick child.”

Mac pretended to think about it for a moment before suggesting, “Let’s see, Handy Dad.”

Harm shook his head as he pulled her up from the bed into his arms. She pretended to fight, just a little.

“Chef a la Rabb?”

Harm shook his head again while leaning in to nibble on her neck.

Mac stopped talking, enjoying where this ‘conversation’ was headed. Harm paused and looked waiting for Mac to suggest another call sign.

“My Flyboy.”

“And don’t you forget it.” Harm continued where he had left off.

Mac laughed.

He pulled back shocked and hurt at her reaction “You laughed.”

“You’re funny.”

“Not what I was striving for here.”

“And what were you striving for ‘Mr. Mom’?”

“Guess I’ll just have to show you Marine.”

“Actions do speak louder than words flyboy.”

“They do indeed ma’am, they do indeed.”

Not another sound was heard for the rest of the night.

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Replies:

[> Now there's a challenge Annapolis doesn't prepare you for! Great read! -- Nettie, 06:58:10 04/29/13 Mon [1]


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[> Lots of new things for Harm to learn. Emily will teach him well. Great story. -- Beth, 07:14:47 04/29/13 Mon [1]


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[> Too funny, a lovely story, thanks usmgrad. -- JoyZ, 11:58:00 04/29/13 Mon [1]


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[> lol a funny sweet story Usmgrad -- Bev uk, 14:24:39 04/29/13 Mon [1]


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[> Aw usmgrad, this story was adorable and really love this Rabb family with their precious daughter Emily. -- Can Sheshe, 18:32:32 04/30/13 Tue [1]


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[> Love this story, very sweet, Harm in dad-mode is adorable. -- Dee, 11:35:14 05/01/13 Wed [1]


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[> You had me trying to figure out how Emily could walk around carrying Harm wrapped around her little finger. You've create an adorable little girl with Emily and I thank you for your creativity. -- carramor, 01:11:45 05/03/13 Fri [1]


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