Love in Tangled Branches

Chapter 14

Mac: Her mom is dying. She just found out, I can't let her be alone. Her mom wants to take a trip she doesn't have but a few months left.

CO: Sorry Mac. I'll find out how much leave time you have. You know you boys are like sons to me. Do you love this girl?

Mac: It's crazy but I think I've pretty much my fell like a rock.. How can you love someone in a few hours?

CO: It happens all the time. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on my wife I was going to marry her.

Mac: Well I think if I were to tell her she would think I was a nutcase. All I can do for now is support her and if that means taking a leave I'll take it.

CO: I'll get back to you within the hour Son.

Mac: Thanks

Adele reached her hand back towards Mac and he sat the phone down to grab it. He said "I don't think you need to be driving Adele. Let me get one of my guys to come get your car and take it back to the bakery. I'll take you wherever you want to go." Adele leaned over and kissed him softly before saying "Alright that sounds like a good idea. Mom and I were going to stop for dinner on the way back to her place but I can always whip something up." He said "No need for that I'll take you both out." When he winked over at Emily she started laughing. He held the door as they made their way out of the hospital. Once he had them situated in his jeep and she had pointed out her truck to him he said "It's up to you, I can have Rich do this or get another guy to do it."

She took a deep breath and looked back at her mom, then said "Rich is fine if you think he would." He laughed and said "Baby he's only texted me 30 times since I've been here checking on you." She said "Really? He has?" He pulled out his cell and showed her the messages and she was stunned. Her Brother was on the other end of that number and worried about the sister he had never met. Mac pushed a button on his dash and the phone started dialing through the radio, Rich picked up on the second ring. "What's up Mac. Is Adele ok? How's her mom?"

Mac laughed and said "Rich slow down man. Adele and her mom are in the jeep with me. I need a favor." Rich was choked up when he spoke again "She's with you? She can hear me? What do you need?" Mac glanced at her face when she reached for his hand. She said "I'm here Rich." He said "Adele, I don't know what to say other than I'm glad you found Mac. I hope when you are ready we can try to get to know each other."  Mac saw the tears forming and squeezed her hand, she smiled at him and said "I'd like that." Mac cut in and said "Rich are you busy?" Rich cleared his throat a few times before saying "Nothing important. What do you need me to do?" Mac said "I'm going to swing by your place and drop off Adele's keys to you. Can you go get her truck from the hospital and drive it to her bakery in Ocean View? Her friend is there running the bakery so you can just have one of the guys follow you or hang out and I'll give you a ride back to base later. Adele doesn't need to be driving right now."

Rich said "Of Course I'll do it. How long until you're here?" Mac said "See ya in 10 Minutes." Rich said "See ya then." Mac disconnected the call and said "Are you okay? I know you weren't ready to face him yet." She smiled at Mac and said "I'm okay actually. It made it more real hearing him. I have a brother. This day has been full of surprises a lot of good ones, some bad." He said "If you aren't ready when we get there you don't have to get out. He won't push you." She said "I think I want to meet him Mac. Mom wants to meet him. I'm just nervous." He said "I know you are, but I'll be right there and I can tell you this. You and Rich are a lot alike, same sense of humor and things like that." She beamed a smile his way and said "Really?" He laughed and said "Yes Really. Let's go meet your brother."

They pulled into the gates of the base and stopped at the guard shack. The guy on duty looked into the jeep and smirked at Mac before saying "Where you headed MacBaine? Are the guests cleared?" Mac really didn't like this little punk, he'd had a thing against all the SEALs since he washed out of training. Mac said "Sure are call my CO if you don't believe me. Oh and while you are at it, let your CO know you are harassing SEALs again. Oh wait I believe next time he finds out, you will have another permanent reprimand in your file and that makes how many? Shouldn't be long now until you are knocked down another notch Grear."

You could see the guard was fuming when another man stepped up. The new man said "How are you MacBaine? Need Guest passes?" Mac laughed and said "Sure do Damon two please." Damon grabbed two and handed them over and said "Grear wasn't causing you any grief was he Mac?"  Mac looked over at Grear fuming and said "Nothing I can't handle. Tired of the pissant messing with my guys though." Damon laughed and said "He's gonna mess with the wrong guy off base and pay for it." Mac nodded his agreement and waved as he drove through. Adele watched the exchange and wondered what the deal was.

Mac noticed and sighed before answering her unasked question. "Grear hates SEALs. He tried out a couple years ago, but couldn't hack it. Trials are rigorous, you have to be the best of the best to make a SEALs team. Grear tried out and I was his evaluator, which basically means I had to put him through the tests and if he screwed up he had to do it over. He didn't like being reminded he messed up so one afternoon he took a swing at me. I held him down until he stopped trying to swing and stopped his crap. The whole incident took maybe 30 seconds to get him on the ground 5 minutes for him to stop. I didn't write him up like I could have, told him to do some dives/rolls and get his crap out then get back on course. I told him a SEAL doesn't blame others, they take responsibility, and hold their honor true. He ran the course for 12 hours straight and then said he was tired. The seals could shove it because they were all stuck up punks. I looked him in the eye and ran the bell signaling another washout. It pissed him off that he was tagged a washout. Ever since he hassles every SEAL on the base but especially me because I'm the one who tagged his washout."

Adele shook her head and said "Sounds like a spoiled child to me." Mac just laughed and drove on to Rich's house. Adele squeezed his hand tighter as they drove and hoped it calmed her nerves. As they pulled up Rich stepped outside and Adele gasped. She leaned closer to Mac and whispered "Oh he does look like me Mac. I can't believe it!" Emily spoke up from the back and said "He looks nice enough Honey, do you want to say hello?" Adele looked up at Mac and whispered "Yes I do."  Mac grinned and kissed her softly before opening his door.

As he opened Adele's door she hear Rich say "Hey now Mac I didn't say you could kiss my sister!" Before he started laughing. Adele stepped out and Rich stopped laughing and stared at her. Mac took her hand and led her up towards the house, once close he said "Rich this is Adele, Adele your brother Rich." Adele looked up into Rich's face and saw his eyes were moist like her own. That was all it took, she walked up to Rich and he opened his arms to hug her. Emily had walked up and was holding onto Mac with tears in her eyes. She leaned up and kissed Mac on the cheek before whispering "Thanks Mac. She's going to need you both soon. You love her don't you?"

He whispered back "Is it too soon? Because I'm pretty sure I fell for her the moment we started exchanging messages. Adele is amazing." Emily smiled and said "It's not too soon. You've heard of love at first sight? Maybe for you two it was love at first type." That made Mac laugh and he hugged her to him as he watched Adele and Rich hug and talk and hug again. After several minutes Mac and Emily walked closer and as soon as they were close enough Adele reached a hand back to Mac. He took her hand with his free hand and squeezed. Rich looked up at them and smiled saying "Hey Mac." Before looking back at Adele.  Adele said "Rich this is my mom Emily."  Emily stepped forward and smiled before speaking softly. "Hello Rich. I'm glad you and my girl were able to find each other. I hope that in time you will be as close as siblings can be." He reached out and pulled her into a hug and she whispered "She's going to need you when I'm gone honey. Please take care of my girl." Rich whispered "I'll make sure she is ok always. You don't need to worry about that."  When they stepped back from each other Rich had to wipe his eyes and looked over at Mac who just smiled at his friend. Rich suggested they all go into the house.