A/N: This is my first fic please be kind. A oneshot of Henry's wife and kids receiving the news of his death.
Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did own MASH, I don't.
Lorraine slowly watched the batter bubble on one side of the griddle cake she was making. The smell of bacon and fresh pancakes flooded the room. She smiled and closed her eyes as she breathed in the scent of good food. Jane, Molly, and Andrew were still fast asleep but the smell of breakfast would wake them soon enough. The night before had been a special night and they had celebrated long after the children's curfew. Their Henry was coming home at last! She was going to make her special chocolate cake later today so it would be ready in time for Henry's homecoming. It was his favorite! Lorraine could barely contain herself! Her children would finally see their father again at last! She hummed to herself as she set the table for herself and her children. She heard the creak of the stairs as the children quickly descended, eager for breakfast.
"Good Morning Mom!" Andrew announced upon entering the kitchen. The chair made a dreadful screech as he scooted toward the table.
"Good Morning Mommy!" Jane and Molly said quietly taking their seats as well. Lorraine smiled sweetly as she set butter, syrup, and a bowl of fresh apples on the table.
"Good Morning children. Did you sleep well?"
"No Mom! Not at all! I was too excited to see Father to sleep a wink!" Andrew replied. Molly and Jane bobbed their heads in agreement. She quickly placed a stack of golden brown pancakes on each of the children's plates.
"Mmmmm... My favorite!" Andrew gasped out reaching for the butter. Molly slapped his hand before it reached its destination.
"Don't be rude! Wait for Mother! And we have to say Grace!"
Andrew looked ashamed and solemnly apologized to his Mother as she took her seat at the table. The children interlocked hands and bowed their heads. Lorraine looked at Jane.
"Jane will you please say Grace for us."
"Yes Mother." she took a deep breath, "Dear Lord, thank you for this wonderful food and family, but mostly thank you for sending our Father home to us safely and we pray that you will do the same for all of our brave boys, Amen." Jane finished softer than she had started. Lorraine nodded in approval.
"That was wonderful Jane! All right, let's dig in!" Andrew's face lit up with joy!
"Oh, boy!"
Suddenly they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Lorraine excused herself quickly and went to answer it. Her smile disappeared as she opened the door to a tall uniformed soldier. His car was pulled up to the curb. Tiny flags that were attached to the car blew softly in the wind.
"Excuse me, how may I help you?" Lorraine felt a feeling of dread spread through her whole body. The soldier looked grim. He held out an American flag and worn uniform for her to take. It was the first time she had noticed he was carrying anything at all. She stared with fear into the mans dark eyes. She was silently begging him not to tell her what she knew was coming. Her pleas were not answered.
"Mrs. Colonel Henry Blake I regret to inform you that your husband has been killed in the line of duty,"
Lorraine gripped the door frame tightly, her knuckles turning a shade of white. "His plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan. There were no survivors." By now she had tuned out the man and was sobbing heart brokenly. She sank to her knees. Tears streaming down her face.
"No! No!" She buried her face into the uniform. She wished that when she opened her eyes Henry would be there. He wouldn't though, not ever again. The man mumbled an apology as he rested his hand gently on her shoulder. Lorraine looked into his eyes.
"Ma' am I am terribly sorry for your loss. I know that this won't bring your husband back but if it helps, he died for his country." The man handed her a tiny black case with a golden border. She clasped it tightly in her hand along with the uniform and the flag. She watched as he drove off , leaving her alone and distraught in his wake. Lorraine was lost in her own weeping until she was brought back to reality by the sound of a small voice. It was Jane.
"Mommy? Who was that man? What's wrong? Where's Daddy?" The little girl placed her small hand on her Mother's heaving shoulder. Lorraine shuddered. How do you tell a little girl that she will never see her father again? How?
Soon Andrew and Molly joined their sister and Mother. Lorraine had composed herself somewhat but she could barley contain her tears. She silently closed the door and ushered her children to the sitting room. There they all sat in silence for a few moments. She took a shuddering breath and looked up at her children. Little Andrew looked just like his Father.
"Children, I'm afraid Daddy isn't coming home today." "Oh. Is he coming tomorrow then?" Molly inquired softly. Lorraine looked at her daughter.
"No honey. He went to a special place." Jane, Molly, and Andrew slowly gathered around their mother.
"What sort of place Mommy?" Jane's innocent question almost caused Lorraine to lose it. This would be her children's first encounter with the death of someone so close.
"He went to Heaven, you know, where Grandma went." Andrew became somber at this. He knew. He had taken their Grandmother's death the hardest. He understood his Father wouldn't be returning today, or any other for that matter. Andrew turned away quickly and ran to his room.
"Andrew! Come back!" Lorraine reached out for her young son. He was too young to be without a Father. She knew she certainly couldn't teach him to shave, or play baseball, or talk about things that she knew only Fathers talked about with their sons! Things would be so different without Henry.
"Come on girls let's finish breakfast." She told them softly as she ushered them to the table to finish eating. She, on the other hand, had a funeral to plan.
A WEEK LATER, AFTER THE
FUNERAL
Lorraine listened to her children's soft breathing as they lay on her bed together. The funeral had been today. Andrew still had not cried, and he was an emotional bomb waiting to explode. Molly and Jane were taking their Father's death well, or as well as expected. She herself was doing okay. Unfortunately, life would never be the same. She fingered the small black case the officer had given her. She still had not opened it since that day, but she knew what it was. A Purple Heart. Everyone knew what a Purple Heart was, nearly every family she knew of had one. A heart shaped metal within a golden border containing a profile of General George Washington, and above it a shield of Washington's coat of arms between sprays of green leaves, and on the back, a raised bronze heart and the words 'For Military Merit' etched carefully. She wondered, was it worth getting one of these medals. Was it worth losing a loved one, even if it was for their country? She,
herself had decided it wasn't worth it. She was now a widow with three kids to raise by herself, how was this purple heart going to help her do that better than her husband would've. Sighing she placed the case on her bedside table and turned off her light. They would make it though. They had to, for Henry.