The Other Mrs. O'Reilly
Author's Note: In the first season episode of MASH "Love Story" Radar falls in love with a new nurse Lt. Louise Anderson. Of course the storyline was dropped by the writers and Lt. Anderson disappeared. So finally Louise Anderson gets her shot at the title of being Mrs. O'Reilly.
O'Reilly Family Farm
Ottumwa Iowa
Fall 1971
It is 7am in the O'Reilly house and things are always hectic at this time.
Walter O'Reilly the former company clerk of the MASH 4077th known as Radar( now called "Walt" by friends) has already been up for two hours and is finishing his breakfast before getting back to work out in the barn.
His wife Louise is finishing her coffee and trying to get the O'Reilly's two children, seventeen year old Mildred "Millie" and fourteen year old Eddie to hurry up and get in the family car to go to school.
Edna O'Reilly comes into the kitchen wearing a bathrobe. Edna is now seventy years old. She lives with her son and his family.
"Good morning Grandma" the kids say between mouthfuls of cereal.
"Louise you need to feed these children a hot breakfast" Edna says every morning.
"Good morning to you too mama" Louise says to her mother-in-law.
"You kids hurry up so we can get into town. Walter I'm going to stop by the supermarket after work and pick up some strawberry ice cream for dessert tonight so I'll be late. Millie and Eddie will take the bus home from school." Louise tells her husband.
"Thank you mom" Millie says. Millie is a senior this year at Ottumwa High School. "Now I get to ride the bus with the freshman" Millie says glaring at her brother.
"Mildred O'Reilly don't make fun of your brother" Walter snaps to his daughter.
Mrs. O'Reilly teaches Literature and at Ottumwa High School. She also helps out in the music department. She gave up nursing after returning from the Korean War and marrying Walter.
It was his idea for her to become a teacher. Louise was always passionate about books and classical music anyway. She had been trying to educate her husband in those two subjects since their days together at the 4077th.
Mrs. O'Reilly was one of the more popular teachers at Ottumwa High though the Principal did frown upon her fondness for Russian composers and writers. In this part of Iowa Russian equals communist.
Walter watches his family troop out the house. Millie O'Reilly is her mother's child. They both have dark red hair. Louise wears hers in a bouffant style like Jackie Kennedy while her daughter wears it straight like a hippie. Millie is named after the wives of both Sherman Potter and Henry Blake. Walter wanted to name her Henrietta but Louise refused.
Eddie wears horn rimmed glasses like his dad does now. His hair is cut short. His parents won't allow him to have long hair. He is named after Walter's late Uncle Ed.
Next to the door is a picture of the German composer Bach. Mr. and Mrs. O'Reilly always kiss each other goodbye in front of it. Millie O'Reilly has heard the story many times about how her parents met in Korea and the significance of Bach in her parent's life. However she thinks that it is a bit corny that the family has a picture of Bach in their living room.
"You thought it was cute that Dad didn't who Bach was? And you have to keep reminding him about it? I think that is a bit mean." Mildred said.
Later that evening Louise is cooking dinner in the kitchen. Classical music plays in the background. Radar stands in the doorway of the kitchen watching his wife work. She cuts vegetables and moves around the kitchen to the rhythm of the music. When she does this Walter watches her in awe.
"What are you looking at Mr. O'Reilly?" Louise says catching her husband watching her.
"Just watching you work Mrs. O'Reilly" Walter says as he walks over to the refrigerator and pulls out a grape Nehi.
"Don't drink that before dinner it will fill you up and you won't be as hungry". Louise scolds her husband. "Your daughter's history teacher showed me something interesting today. Millie wrote a paper about the French Revolution. It seems she defended the Reign of Terror. Your daughter is a little revolutionary."
All Walter knows about the French Revolution is from the movies. He saw The Scarlet Pimpernel in Korea and thought it was a pretty good movie.
Louise begins to describe Millie's paper in detail. Radar stops paying attention and simply watches his wife. He thinks she is most beautiful when she talks smart.
"Walter pay attention!" Louise snaps at her husband.
"What's for dinner?" Eddie says walking into the kitchen.
"Korean stir fry". Louise says. She was taught how to cook Korean meals by Soon-Li Klinger. The O'Reillys grow Korean vegetables. Park Sung, the young orphan sent to Iowa thanks to the efforts of the doctors at the 4077th originally planted them. Park Sung now lives in San Francisco where he runs his own restaurant. One of his regular customers are Doctor and Mrs. Hunnicutt.
"Korean stir fry again" Eddie moans. "You always make it too spicy Mom".
"How come we never have lamb chops?" Millie says as she now heads for the fridge. Her father tells her "no Nehi till dinner is ready". Millie stops in her tracks. Growing up in a house where your father knows what you are going to do before it happens can be annoying to a teenager.
"Be quiet and stop causing trouble young lady. You know how your father feels about lambs. I know about your paper Madame Robespierre" Louise tells her daughter.
"I didn't mean to offend anyone Mom. I was simply taking the side of the oppressed masses." Millie says in her own defense.
"We will discuss it after dinner. Now get over here and help me make dinner". Louise commands.
"Oui Madame." Millie replies with sarcasm. She then stage whispers to her brother "there are no friends of the revolution here."
"Stop the wise cracks young lady or I'll invite Aunt Margaret to come here and spend the summer with you to straighten you out". Walter tells his daughter.
"Margaret Pierce is not coming in this house" Louise says with a hint of anger. Louise O'Reilly has never fully gotten over the fact that the former Head Nurse of the 4077th at first disapproved of relationship of the future Mr. and Mrs. O'Reilly. It has been a sore point between the two women over the years even though Margaret attended their wedding and was the nurse who helped deliver Eddie into the world.
"But in this case I can make an exception" Louise says glaring at her daughter.