'F' is for ... Fundamentals on the Fourth

 Part 10

 

Faith took a breath and refocused on chastising her fiancé. 

 

“Well, the leg thing was an accident, but you should have known not to propose to me in public.  How many times were we at a baseball game or at a bar when some fool gets everyone’s attention and asks his girlfriend to marry him?  And I would tell you over and over what a terrible thing that was.  If the woman doesn’t accept there and then, she ends up looking cruel, … and the guy ends up completely embarrassed.  And even if the woman wants to say ‘yes,’ … that should be a private moment.  Not something that happens with an audience of strangers.”

 

“I just wanted to prove to you that I was serious,” insisted Fred.  “When I say somethin’ in front of my buddies at the firehouse, … you know I mean it.”

 

“You should mean anything you say to me, regardless of who else is around,” Faith insisted.

 

Harm bristled at her tone, even if Fred did not.  “So, fly-fishing, the fettuccini dinner, and the firehouse proposals all failed,” Harm recapped, trying to get back to the story and away from any potential quarrels.  Directing his next comment to Fred, he stated, “I’ve got to say – I admire your fortitude.”

 

“Yeah, well, he does get points for trying,” Faith agreed.  “At least there was no bodily injury the next time.”

 

“Speak for yourself!” Fred disagreed.  “I definitely came out worse for the wear.”

 

He started explaining to Harm, “We went to visit her folks on the family farm, see.  And I’m trying to bond with her father, right?  So, me, being a city guy, I’m going all in tryin’ to prove myself.  And they’ve got this filly, who happened to be pregnant and close to giving birth.  Well, she goes into labor, and it’s just me and Frank, … her dad, out there, ‘cause the rest of the family went into town.”

 

Fred’s eyes were alight with the memory.  “And it was like this amazing experience that I went through with her father, and before I knew it, there was this foal.  A new life.  And it was the first time that I really felt like I shared something with Frank, you know?”

 

Harm could not help the pang of guilt over not having really shared any fond experiences with the Frank in his life – his step-father. But that was merely a passing thought as his focus returned to the bartender’s story.

 

“So, we’re getting ourselves cleaned up in the house,” Fred continued.  “And I gather up the courage to do the traditional thing and ask Faith’s father for her hand in marriage.  I honestly don’t know that he would have said okay before our little adventure in the barn, but … we bonded out there, so I’m thinkin’ I’ve got a shot at his approval.”

 

Harm noted that Faith shook her head slightly as Fred went on.  “After a long moment, her dad starts going on about how I need to take care of her and all that, but he finally gives me permission to marry Faith, and I’m on cloud nine … for about five seconds.  That’s when I hear the door slam.”

 

Harm’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

 

“I’m not my father’s possession,” Faith adamantly stated in explanation, “and you two,” she told Fred, “had no business discussing what should have been between just you and me.”

 

Fred rolled his eyes and leaned in towards Harm.  “She came home, heard us, and went all feminist on me,” he complained.  Straightening up, Fred added, “And then, in my hurry to follow after her, my foot got caught on Fluffy, their fat house cat, and I fell, face flat on the floor.”

 

Harm winced.  This guy just couldn’t seem to catch a break.  It was a wonder the two were still together.

 

Tiring from all of these stories, Faith looked directly at the bar’s patron and stated, “Look, the lesson from all of his mistakes,” she tilted her head to indicate Fred, “is this: … Think about the woman, … not a woman, but the woman that you love, … because to love her you have to truly know her.  You have to treat her according to who she is, what she believes, and how she operates … as an individual.”

 

Harm considered that for a second.  He should know that Mac didn’t like to be blindsided.  And she was not one to just agree with one of his whimsical ideas. … Well, not usually.  There was that impulsive baby deal, which she had inexplicably gone along with.  But maybe that was because of the five-year delay that was built in?  She had probably figured circumstances would change by then, so she hadn’t taken it too seriously when she had agreed.

 

Normally, though, Mac was a logical person who wasn’t afraid to ground him, to make him see reality, even when it meant fighting with him.  She was also a person who needed time to process things.  Plus, he knew she had her insecurities when it came to men ... at least on some level.  That, coupled with all of the issues, his and hers, that had kept them apart all these years, would make it impossible for her to just accept what he was offering.  Harm had to admit that he hadn’t thought this through.

But something, aside from Mac’s lack of agreement to his proposal had upset him, too.  He found himself voicing that concern. 

 

“She said to give ourselves time to fall in love.  But we’ve been close for seven years.  If she hasn’t fallen in love with me already … I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

 

Incredulously, Fred asked, “If you’ve been close for seven  years, then why the heck haven’t you been dating her?”

 

“I …” Harm faltered, nervously fingering his still-full glass of beer.  “It’s complicated.  … We work together.  And she’s my best friend; I didn’t want to ruin that.  And …”  Harm shrugged his shoulders.  “I don’t know; the timing never seemed right.”

 

“But you love her,” Fred stated, wanting confirmation.

 

“Yes.”

 

“And you don’t think she loves you?” the bartender followed up.

 

Harm shrugged again, this time followed by shaking his head negatively.  “She said we needed time to ‘fall in love.’  That means she doesn’t already love me, doesn’t it?”

 

“When did you fall in love with her?” Faith interjected, obviously getting ready to make a point.

 

“I don’t know exactly,” Harm answered slowly.  “Sometimes, I feel like I’ve always loved her.  I was afraid to admit it for a long time.”

 

Faith put her elbows on the counter.  “So, let me get this straight: You finally admit that you love her, even though you’ve felt that way for a lot longer.”

 

Harm shyly nodded in agreement.

 

At that, Faith continued, “… Well, what makes you think that she doesn’t love you, too, but is just as scared to admit it? … Especially since you’ve never even stepped up and asked her to date you?  For all you know, she could be madly in love with you, but, like you, has trouble confessing it.” 

 

Before Harm could counter that, Faith added, “Besides, falling in love is not a one shot deal.   We can fall in love over and over again with the same person, more all the time, especially as the relationship evolves into something more intimate.”

 

Fred added with enthusiasm, “Yeah, it’s like that song.”  He started to sing, “Oh, I love you more today than yes-ter-day …”

Faith joined him for the rest of the line, “… but not as much as tomorrow.”

 

“Okay, I get it,” Harm interrupted, wanting to stop their impromptu show.  More people were entering the restaurant, and he didn’t want the extra attention.

 

Faith smiled at Harm’s discomfort, but then gave him some advice.  “Find out how she feels.  Just because she doesn’t agree to marry you right now doesn’t mean that she doesn’t love you.  If she does love you, then don’t give up.  Let her know you’re serious, do special things for her to let her know how you feel about her.  Let her feel comfortable to express and explore any previously suppressed feelings she may have for you.”

 

“And for the love of flippin’ flapjacks,” exclaimed Fred, “if she’s willing, … start dating the woman!”

 

After sending an odd glance her fiancée’s way, Faith agreed, “Absolutely.  … And then ask her to marry you again when the time is right.”

 

“And if she doesn’t agree that the time is right, but also doesn’t tell you to take a hike,” the bartender said, “… don’t be afraid to ask again.  As many times as it takes.”

 

Somewhat curious about how Fred eventually did succeed, Harm asked Faith, “What finally made you say yes?”

Instead of answering, Faith merely grinned and looked at her fiancé.

 

Fred smiled back, but shook his head, still in apparent disbelief at the story of how she accepted his proposal. 

 

He turned to Harm then and told him, “It was funny really …  The fifth time I proposed was just … magic.  There was no forethought at all.  We were just sitting in my Ford Fairlane after going out to eat, and I got kinda flooded with this feeling of how much I love her.  So, I told her so.  I wasn’t even proposing really; I just wanted her to know how I felt.  That I wanted to be with her everyday, and I’d wait …  forever for her to agree to be my wife … ‘cause she’s the only one for me.”

 

Looking back at his fiancée and putting his arm around her, Fred finished, “… She told me my wait was over.”

 

Suddenly confused again, Harm asked, “How is that different from the first time you proposed?”

 

“The difference,” Faith stepped in, “was all that had happened in the time between.  Being able to feel secure that we have what it takes to make it together, forever.”  More casually she added, “That and … the fly fishing wasn’t my favorite thing, so I wasn’t really in the mood for a marriage proposal.”

 

Summing things up for Harm, Faith said, “Look, women just need time to process, need to know that you really love them for the long-haul, and that it’s really going to work.  There isn’t any formula.  You can’t forecast when she’ll be ready, but if you really love her, and she loves you, … then keep reminding her how you feel, what kind of future you’re willing to offer her, how special she is to you.  Don’t overdo it, but every now and then, test out the waters just to see how she feels about getting married.  And be patient.”

 

Harm took a moment to process all that he had been told. 

 

Reflecting upon his earlier conversation with Mac now that his emotions had settled some, he realized that … she had not blown him off.  In fact, aside from her surprise and concerns about the speed of things, she had seemed interested …  More than ‘seemed’ - She told him that she was interested … in him.  He should be elated by that!

 

There was no mistaking the look in her eyes before he stupidly blurted out a proposal.  She had been hoping to start a relationship with him.  She wanted that kiss to be the beginning of something for the two of them.  Even after his ‘proposal,’ hadn’t she simply suggested that they slow down?  That they try dating?

 

Mac was right about that.  Not that Harm thought that dating, per se, was necessary, but they did need some transition time.  How was he any better than Brumby, impulsively insisting on a marriage without first establishing a real romantic relationship with her?  That thought sickened Harm.  Damn it!  At least Brumby had made his interest known ahead of time. 

 

And Harm knew that Mac didn’t like to be pressured into anything.  If nothing else, that one visit to her on the Guadalcanal told him that.  Who the heck did he think he was to simply decide that now was the time for him to … claim her?  Did he really expect her to go along with his brash, un-thought-out plan?  The logical answer was no.

 

But he had to admit that the actual answer had been yes, he had expected that.  Because he wasn’t being logical.  He loved her, and he wanted to believe that she loved and wanted him, too.  He still hoped for those things, but he now knew that expecting her to suddenly declare her love for him and jump into his arms had been selfish and unrealistic.

 

As far as proposing went, Harm gave himself a big, fat ‘F’ … for failing miserably. 

 

He took in a deep breath and said, “I think I need to go.  … I should pick up a few things and head back.”  Harm took out some money and placed it on the bar.  “Thanks for … everything.”

 

“You didn’t touch your beer.  You don’t even want a sip before you go?” asked Fred.

 

Though Harm had been fingering the glass throughout the discussion, he had never actually gotten around to bringing the glass to his lips.  He hadn’t even realized, because he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts and the couple’s stories.

 

But, now, Harm thought of Mac.  He knew she didn’t mind him drinking, but tonight, he didn’t want to give her any more reasons to keep her distance, even the faint smell of alcohol on his breath.  Besides, he didn’t need the alcohol in his system; he was beginning to get high on hope.

 

“Nope.  If you want it,” Harm looked at Faith, who had nearly finished her glass already, “go ahead.”

 

As he left, Harm could hear Faith question Fred.  “So, … ‘For the love of flippin’ flapjacks?’  Really?  Where do you find these phrases?”

 

Flashback Finished

 

 

Part 11
 

Mac sensed his nearness from behind her, and her heart started pumping a bit faster.  She had no idea what to expect from him at this point, since he had seemed so upset with her when he left.  But she tried to remind herself of the optimism that she had recently found.  Whether he had meant to or not, Harm had said that he loved her.

 

The sun was not quite setting as Harm came around to stand in her line of sight.  He was holding a brown paper grocery bag, and Mac was pleasantly surprised to see a gentle expression on his face. 

 

“… Hey,” she greeted him softly.

 

“Hey,” he replied equally as tentatively.

 

Harm eyed both her and their peacefully slumbering godson, but said nothing more.  He simply stood there as if unsure of something.

 

Eventually, just to fill the silence, Mac stated the obvious.  “AJ fell asleep.  … Not too long after you left.”

 

“Yeah,” Harm responded quite simply.  “Bud and Harriet not back yet?”

  

“No.  Bud called my cell about ten minutes ago to check in.  I think they’ll be coming back out pretty soon.  He just wants to keep Harriet as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.”

 

Harm had put the bag down on the blanket as Mac had spoke and was now kneeling from having done so.  “Makes sense.  And it’s good that AJ’s catching forty winks before tonight’s fireworks, I guess.”

 

Mac noted that Harm was still emphasizing the letter ‘f’ at the beginning of words as they had done earlier.  That was fine.  She could follow suit.

 

“You must have worn him out with all of the frolicking around you did earlier.  Now he’s got to recover from his fatigue.”

 

“Frolicking?” Harm questioned her word choice as he changed positions to be seated next to her.  “Men don’t frolic.”  He was trying to keep things light and set a comfortable tone.

 

 “Well, what would you call it?” asked Mac.  “You were running around with him – being frisky.”

 

At that, Harm made an odd expression to which Mac reacted with a puzzled countenance of her own.

 

“What?” he asked when he realized she was staring at him.

 

“Just trying to read your facial expression,” she told him.

 

“Well, it’s just that playing with my godson is not how I’d usually think about being frisky, that’s all,” replied Harm with some mischief, though without looking at Mac.

 

An awkward moment followed, as they both realized they really weren’t at the point to be joking around about any kind of sexual innuendo.

 

With seriousness, Harm offered his answer about how he would describe his playtime with little AJ.  “I’d say that AJ and I were just fooling around, having fun.”

 

Mac wanted to comment on his use of ‘fooling around,’ as she was sure that Harm had quite often thought of that phrase in a different context as well, but she bit her tongue.

 

Instead, she waited a moment and then genuinely noted, “You were gone awhile.  I started to wonder … if you’d forsaken us.”

 

“No,” he assured her with a look that said he would never do that.  “I was just … fidgety,” he explained.  “Ended up going into a few of the places in the shopping center, talking to some people.”

 

“Hmm.”  Mac, making small talk, asked, “Find anyone fascinating?”

 Harm didn’t want to reveal anything about his chat with Fred and Faith just yet, so instead, he mentioned the odd person he had passed by just a minute ago.

 

“… Well, there was this one fellow - a street performer, I think.  Had a flamboyant and flashy outfit, covered with frills and shiny fringe, … and what I think was a big fin on his back.”

 

“Was he supposed to be a fish?” asked Mac.

 

“Maybe.  The foul odor that he was giving off definitely smelled fishy,” Harm half joked, scrunching up his nose in remembrance.

 

Mac really wasn’t interested in the strangers Harm had seen, no matter how strange they had been.  She was suddenly more intrigued by the bag that Harm had brought with him, especially since it was emitting a sweet aroma.

 

“Speaking of fragrances, but less fetid ones, … what do you have in there?”  She indicated the bag that he had brought back with him.

 

“Oh, uh, … flowers … for you.”  He reached in the bag and awkwardly lifted out a small bouquet.

 

“For me?” questioned Mac, in surprise.

 

In response, Harm handed the petite floral arrangement to her. 

 

She cautiously accepted it, but noted,  “… I thought you were furious with me when you left.”

 

“Not furious … exactly.  Mostly just … frustrated with you.”

 

“But, despite our little feud, you went foraging for flora to give me?” Mac asked, a bit confused.

 

It was obvious that this bouquet had indeed been rummaged through.  The petals were bent, and the bow on the red, white, and blue ribbon around the stems was half undone.  It certainly looked as though these poor flowers had gone through the wear of having been picked through.  Nonetheless, it was a kind gesture.

 

Trying to make it sound as an observation rather than an accusation, Mac noted, “You’re being a bit fickle.” 

 

She wasn’t sure what he wanted from her at the moment.  She had expected him to be somewhat antagonistic with her after their last encounter – whether picking up their disagreement or, more likely, just pushing her away.

 

Harm shrugged.  “I may have … leapt to some conclusions earlier … and overreacted,” he admitted quietly.  “So, I figure we have a fence to fix.” 

 

Mac wasn’t quite sure how to interpret Harm’s statement.  Which conclusions was he referring to, exactly?

 

“I know the flowers aren’t much,” he admitted.  “They were an afterthought, really.  Frankly,” he said, reaching back into the bag.  “ … I figured I’d earn more points with this.” 

 

From the shopping bag, he produced a pint of ice cream.  “You like this flavor don’t you?”

 

“Fossil fuel!”  Mac’s eyes lit up.  “One of my favorites!”

 

Harm smiled triumphantly.  “Fudge and fossils together – how could it not be?”   With his other hand, he held up a spoon.  “Fancy having some?” he asked.

 

Her eyes narrowed at him, but she was grinning.  “You know I can’t refuse that.”

 

Without moving the sleeping child resting on her lap, she reached over and stuck the stems of the bouquet in the handle of the cooler, making sure the flowers were secure.

 

Meanwhile, Harm was busy removing the lid from the ice cream.  “Like AJ said,” he stated with a chuckle, “… Aunt Mac always likes food.  Guess I should have known that the way to your heart is through your stomach.”

 

As soon as he had uttered the last phrase, Harm expression changed to one of nervousness.  He shouldn’t have said anything about trying to win her heart.  After their last conversation, that was dangerous territory.

 

Mac had indeed bristled at the words, but seeing Harm’s own nervous reaction, as if worried that she would take the phrase to mean that he was continuing to pressure her, she wasn’t about to give him a hard time about it.  … Not now, while she was cautiously trying to figure out what his current intentions were.  Things were tenuous, but he was being nice to her.  No need to rock the boat.

 

“Fork it over!” she insisted, ending his worries.

 

He sighed with relief and promptly handed the open container and spoon over to her.  “I was lucky to have found that,” he told her.  “The freezer aisle was almost empty in one place, with flavors from that particular franchise, gone.  And another store was having problems with frost build-up …” 

 

He stopped talking when he noticed that she was looking at him with some skepticism. “What?” he asked her.

 

“You - in the frozen dessert section in more than one store on the same day,” she contemplated out loud.  “And I’m surprised you didn’t get something fat free.”

 

“Don’t be facetious,” Harm scolded her.  “Just because I like to be healthy.”

 

“I’m not.  I like how you consider your fitness.  I’m just wondering why you went through all that bother for something that normally gets your disapproval?”  With spoon midway to her mouth, she paused and cocked her head at him.  “… Or are desserts your new strategy for trying to ‘turn my world upside down?’”

 

“No, … I think I’ll have to forfeit that challenge … at least for today.”  He shrugged and softly stated, “You were frowning when I left.  I’d rather you flash me that beautiful smile of yours.”

 

“If I didn’t know better,” Mac said when she swallowed her spoonful, “I’d say you were flirting with me … flagrantly.”

 

Harm suddenly became excessively shy and did not respond, not even with a diversion.

 

This did not go unnoticed by Mac.  “You are flirting with me,” she realized.

 

“No!” he responded at first, as he thought flirting had a connotation of insincerity or shallowness.  “I mean, … yes, … but … I meant what I said.  I just thought you should know … that I’m very fond of you.”

 

If they weren’t playing around with the letter ‘f,’ she would have thought his word choice odd.  As it was, the flowers and the flirting prompted her to ask, “Just so I’m clear, … is this friendship fondness … or are you trying to romance me, now?”

 

She did say she wanted romance, after all.

 

Harm swallowed a lump in his throat, knowing that her question stemmed in large part from his earlier proposal.  “I … uh …  Listen, about earlier – I’m sorry for springing that on you.  I, uh, … realize now that it was something of a faux pas … the way I blurted that out without … you know …”

 

Mac nodded.  She did know.  There had been no preface at all.

 

“I’m not pushing anything,” he told her. 

 

She considered her response for a moment, and, since Harm did not seem to have any more words at the moment, she decided that this was a good opening to share her earlier interaction with their godson.

 

“You know, what really had me flabbergasted was little AJ here, after you left.  … I thought maybe you planted him with an agenda.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“He wanted to know if you and I are going to have a baby together.”

 

Harm’s eyes got wide.  “I didn’t say anything to him.  I swear!”

 

“I know,” Mac assured him.  “I see you’re as flummoxed as I was.” 

 

Now, Harm was just baffled.  “I have no idea what would have made him …”

 

“He saw us kissing,” Mac supplied the answer as to where AJ’s question had come from.

 

“What?” exclaimed Harm in disbelief.

 

 “Uh-huh,” Mac confirmed.

 

Harm was stunned.

 

“You’re not going to faint on me, are you?” asked Mac. 

 

She was actually enjoying this.  It was nice to see Harm being blind-sided this time – especially since she had now had the time to process all of Little AJ’s bombshells.

 

“Did Bud and Harriet …?” Harm left the implied question hanging.

 

“He wasn’t sure,” Mac answered, knowing the question had been the same as hers had been – did they see it, too?   “His mom was inside, but Bud was with him.”

 

“So, maybe they won’t know,” Harm concluded.  “Did you make him promise not to tell anyone?”

 

“We can’t ask him to fib, Harm.”

 

“It’s not fibbing; it’s simply an omission of facts.”

 

“Familiar defense …” she teased.  But seriously, she reasoned, “We don’t want him to hide things from his parents.  Besides – you know the best way to assure that a little kid goes blabbing about something is to tell him that it’s a secret.”

 

“So, no forbidding him to say anything, huh?”

 

“No,” she confirmed.

 

“How about we just fasten his mouth shut?” Harm added with some jest.

 

Mac simply shook her head at Harm’s ridiculousness. 

 

After a moment, recalling her conversation with the little boy and considering whether she really wanted to reopen this particular can of worms, she finally stated, “He thinks we should get married.”

 

Harm’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but then he found that he liked the idea that AJ was thinking that way.  He considered how to respond to that.  Should he pretend their last conversation didn’t happen, so as not to pressure Mac?  Make her think he had not meant his earlier proposal? 

 

No, he would not deny what he wanted with her.  He was just not going to force the issue.

 

As casually sounding as possible, Harm stated, “I always knew he was a smart kid.”

 

Not quite sure how to respond to that, Mac continued to inform Harm about her conversation with AJ.

 

 “He, uh, started making a fuss about if something happens to his parents.  Whether you and I would be … really able to take care of him and the new baby.  His parents must have told him that we could get custody if something happened to them.”

 

“Guess so,” Harm agreed.

 

“… I’m just glad he didn’t completely flip out.  Thinking about losing your parents at such a young age?”  Then she added, “He knew that his father almost died last year.”

 

“Formidable subject for a kid,” Harm agreed.  He had not been much older than AJ when he had to deal with losing his own father.  But of course, Harm’s father had been missing, allowing him an entirely different way of coping, for better or worse, through adulthood.

 

“It’s frightening,” said Mac, caressing the boy’s hair, “that he even has to have such scary thoughts … about the fatality of his parents.  I tried to tell him that it is highly unlikely for anything to take his parents away, … but I couldn’t guarantee it.”

 

“No, … you can’t,” Harm agreed, sympathetically.

 

“I guess he just wanted … security.  To know he’d have a place to go.  People to take care of him and his brother no matter what fate has in store.”

 

“Kids need adults they can depend on … to be a fort and foundation for them,” said Harm.  “That’s what parents do.”

 

Mac nodded in agreement.  It’s certainly what parents should do.  Not all did, of course.  Her own mother, who completely abandoned her, and her drunk, abusive father were a case in point.  She had vowed long ago that any children in her life would always be able to trust and depend on her.

 

“… I told him … that if anything were to happen to his parents, … that, as long as you and I are around, he and his baby brother will always be loved and taken care of.”

 

Harm approved of that answer.  “Sounds like you handled everything well.  … Letting him know that our feelings for him … won’t ever fade.  That no matter what, we’ll be here.”

 

Mac got the sense that Harm wasn’t just talking about the two of them being there for AJ … but being there for each other.  Maybe it was time for her to address that.

 

“Harm, when we were … fighting earlier, … do you remember the final thing you flung at me before this four year old found us and forced us to drop the issue?”

 

She didn’t emphasize the word ‘flung,’ because, even though it was accurate and it began with ‘f’ she didn’t want to be too aggressive or accusatory with Harm at the moment.

 

He tried to remember, but couldn’t.  They had said a lot before AJ came back, and with emotions running as high as they had been, he wasn’t sure what the very last thing he had said was.

 

Mac sensed his turmoil, and gently reminded him, “About forgetting everything that we had just said and pretending that it didn’t happen, because I ‘obviously’ don’t … have certain feelings for you.”

 

Oh, yeah, that.  He remembered now that he had told her to forget everything about his suggestion that they get married, because she obviously didn’t love him.

He timidly nodded.

 

“Well, that was … flimsy investigative work on your part, … because your conclusion about my … lack of feelings was a false statement.  In fact, … that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

 

Their eyes connected, and Harm searched for that truth she spoke of.  His heart fluttered, as her meaning hit him with the full force of a freight train.  All he could think was, ‘She loves me?!?’

 

It was then that they heard a whimpering noise and both looked down at AJ who was starting to squirm in an agitated manner.

 

“Must be having a bad dream,” Mac concluded, as she tried to sooth the boy with her gentle touch.

 

“It must be,” Harm agreed, “for him to flounder about like that.”

 

After another moment, the boy woke up with a start and began to cry.

 

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   TBC ...