I should be finishing up something else but I can't think so we get to see what's happening with these guys instead :)

Chapter 42

"Ew! That is so gross Mac! Right here in front of everyone." Chloe winced.

"Chloe, zip it," Harm said trying to form a barrier of sorts in front of Mac with his arms. A totally ineffectual barrier but hey, he didn't have much to work with.

"Shouldn't someone boil water or call an ambulance or something?" Mattie asked.

"I think everyone should calm down." Harriet said.

Chloe ignored her, she had a flair for drama and this was the best fodder she'd had for a while. "Wait, it's not going to like drop out right out here on the floor is it?"

"You do talk to your children right?" Harriet asked, looking at Harm in disbelief.

"Yes. About dinner and homework and the general state of the world. Having Mac give birth in our living room in front of everyone we know…hasn't really come up."

"Woman in distress here, a little attention on me please?" she looked at the kids wide eyes. Josh actually looked a little green. "It's okay kids. No one is giving birth right here. I haven't even had a contraction yet."

"Right, see we have time." Harriet said. 'I think we should just get mac cleaned up and monitor things. There'll be plenty of time to get to the hospital."

"I wouldn't really mind giving birth upstairs in the bedroom. I don't like hospitals much."

"That's not happening." Harm said. "We will be going to a sterile hospital where a lot of people wear white."

"This house is clean Harm." Mac protested.

"We're going to the hospital."

"It isn't time yet," Mac said. There was no way she was going to sit in a hospital bed for twelve or even more hours. This was her wedding day. Tears stung her eyes.

"First things first." Harriet said. "Do you have a bag packed?"

"For the hospital?" Mac asked. She assumed that's what Harriet meant, they hadn't planned a honeymoon. She was too far along to travel far.

"No." Mac winced. "I kept meaning to but I thought we had time."

"Come on. Come with me." Harriet said, taking her arm and heading up the stairs.

"You don't need me for anything?" Harm was confused. He had no idea what to do here. Mac was obviously his top priority but there was also the fact that there was a house full of people and a mess on the floor.

"Of course we need you. Who do you think is going to pack the bag?"

"Kids could you please do something about that," he mouthed and pointed as they continued up the stairs.

XXX

"Okay, what exactly needs to go in this bag?" Harm asked.

"Do you have a list? The hospital usually gives you a list."

"In my purse Harm." Mac said frowning.

"Why are you frowning?" Harm asked, panic seeping into his voice.

"No reason Harm, will you relax. I was just trying to picture where I saw it last."

"It isn't there." he said, emptying the contents of her purse onto their bed. Where can I look next?"

"Pass it here."Mac said.

"It's not there Mac I looked."

"No you threw things all over the bed, that isn't looking."

"It's the man version of looking." Harriet said with a smile. She took the bag from Harm and opened a zipper inside, slipping out a folded piece of paper. "One list."

Harm grinned. "So it is. I'm sure that was a fluke." He ran around the room collecting one item after another, turning to look at Mac's face every now and again, looking for any sign that she was in pain. He didn't have to look at her face though when eventually the pain started.

"OOoh. Um, I think that was a contraction," Mac said clutching her belly. It was weird. It wasn't a bad pain, more of a tightening. Sort of like a mild cramp. It was hard though, harder than you could imagine any part of your body being, a usually soft part anyway. "feel this Harm."

"We don't have time to stop and feel things here. I'll get the car."

"It's too soon Harm. You're not supposed to go to the hospital until you're in full labor."

Harm looked at Harriet for confirmation. Their friend had had four pregnancies, one that had ended sadly, if there was a danger of them waiting she would know. She smiled, although there were tears in her eyes, and it did relax him a little.

"It is too soon Harm. Relax. We're not going to let anything happen to Mac or the baby. There extenuating circumstances with baby Sarah. Mac is only three weeks early."

"I'm going to ring the hospital anyway, just to see what they say."

"I think that's a great idea," Harriet said.

Harm took the phone out into the hall.

"You do think everything's going to be okay Harriet don't you?"

"Yes of course I do. Is that another contraction?" She placed her hand on her friend's belly.

"Yeah. That was a bit stronger."

"Good. It all means that your baby is getting ready to come meet us all."

"They said to wait until the contractions are regular, or to phone back in the morning, " Harm said.

"She's had another one."

"Contraction?" Harm said. "Okay, I better finish this bag." He went through the list again. "Clothes for baby to come home. Preferences?"

"There's two sets in there, one for a boy and one for a girl."

"Twins?" Harriet asked, her eyes wide.

"No. We just didn't find out the sex. Seems we're big on surprises around here." Mac said with a giggle.

"Seems so. You two don't do anything by halves. Here we all were wondering if you two were ever going to get it together and then within months…you have three teenage children and baby on the way."

"I know, it's funny." Mac said.

"It's great!" Harm said. "I can't wait to see how a baby fits in to this crazy mess."

"Speaking of messes, I might just go downstairs and see about your, um puddle."

"Oh God, how embarrassing." Mac covered her face.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about honey, it's not like you can control a thing like that. Someone's probably already taken care of it. I'll just go see. Why don't you have a nice warm shower and get changed into something pretty and then come on dawn and join the party."

"Yeah."

XXX

Harriet shook her head. "Seriously." she said. as she reached what looked like a crime scene. Instead of getting a bucket and mop and cleaning up the mess, the kids had cordoned off the area with a rope made of tied together trash bags. They should have known better but Bud could have told them to fix it up properly at least. Everyone seemed to have moved outside and she wasn't surprised.

She was about to go fix it when Harm appeared. "She wanted five minutes to herself," he explained. "Nice."

"I know, I was just going to fix it." Harriet said.

"No, you're not going to do that. I'll fix it."

Josh was about to walk in to the kitchen but backed out when he saw Harm filling a bucket with hot water in the adding laundry room.

"Stop right there," Harm said. "No don't stop right there. Go get your sisters."

"Um, why?"

"Just go do it please."

"Okay, okay."

Harm had already done the job when the kids snuck in sheepishly.

"I thought I asked you kids to take care of this?" he said. "Mac is embarrassed enough, I'm glad she didn't have to see this." He tore a trash bag from a chair.

"We didn't exactly know where to start." Mattie said.

"She's right." Josh said. "I mean it isn't an ordinary mess."

"Yeah, it's human DNA and stuff. Can you just wash that stuff away."

"I would suggest some disinfectant," Mac said with a giggle.

Harm smiled, she looked better, glowing even. "Never a dull moment in this house."

"Ooh, that was a strong one." she said hanging on to the bannister while she took a deep breath.

TBC

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