Hi all, this is my first attempt at a M*A*S*H story. All your favourite characters will be featured throughout! Let me know what you think.
warnings for this chapter: None.
1. Father Mulcahy.
The good Father has heard many confession in his time- and despite what many of his confessors seem to think, nothing surprises him anymore. From adultery to violence, gambling to drinking, Mulcahy has heard all the sins there are to commit in a war zone. He's heard the same confession so many times that he's almost fallen into a routine- from his advice to the penance he gives, it's almost always the same. (And on Sundays, he makes sure to hand out several miraculous medals.)
It's late on a quiet Sunday afternoon, and he's about to pull down the sheet he's hung up as a confessional divider when the flap of the tent opens. He sits back down with a small sigh, blessing himself as the person who's entered kneels down on the other side.
"Bless me Father, I sin. It been five weeks since last confession." The slightly broken English isn't what catches his attention- it's the childlike voice.
"I'm listening, my child."
"I am angry with my little brother for hitting me, so I hit him too, many times. I sleep in and not help Mother with feeding animals..."
The sins confessed surprise him. They're confessed with reverence, with sincerity- but compared to what he's head over the last year, they almost seem comical. When the child finishes, the priest lets out a breath he didn't realise he was holding. A few moments pass and he realises she's waiting for him to speak.
"I must ask, how old are you?"
"Six." Is the prompt reply.
He's gentle with his advice- try to be kinder, pray for patience. Listen to your mother, she only wants what is best. Instead of the usual litany, novena or rosary he gives her three simple Hail Mary's as a penance. (her gasp in response to the "harsh" penance makes him smile slightly.)
She finishes her Act of Contrition with an Amen and gets up quickly to leave. He hears her feet softly pat on the floor as she skips over to the door and he feels the sudden urge to ask a single question.
"My Child, before you go I must ask you- what do you wish to be when you're older?" He asks softly.
"A Princess." The little voice replies promptly and confidently. There's a shuffle of feet and the soft creak of the door and just like that, the little girl is gone.
Father Mulcahy thanks God that innocence can still bloom amongst the destruction of war.
Next chapter: Margaret and BJ. "I trust you."