Chapter 12: Engagement
Three o'clock on Friday and for once I was free!
I had no club meetings or swim team meetings. I had homework done. I was free!
Then to top it off daddy was taking us all out to a special dinner and Romero's!
"Bye everybody!" I shouted grabbing my book bag as the bell rang for the end of the day.
"Where you going Estie?" Holly asked.
"Maggie and Dad are both working over. I got to get squirt and make sure we're ready for dinner," I shout already to the door.
"All right have a good weekend!" Holly shouted as she and my friends waved their hands.
I waved back and headed out of the school down the street to the cross walk and then to the elementary school.
"You want to come over today?" Henry Jones asked Dylan as they got their things ready to go home.
"Na I'm going to spend the weekend with Estelle. She's coming to get me since mommy's busy," Dylan stated.
"She's nice. I wish my brother was that nice," Henry sighed. He had an eighteen year old brother that hated being seen with him.
"Yeah she's cool I just hope mommy says yes tonight," Dylan stated as they left the building.
"Yes?" Henry asked.
"I'll tell ya later. There's Estelle," Dylan replied running to the girl.
I saw Dylan chatting to one of his friends and I realized that if tonight went like daddy wanted then I might get to come pick him up a lot more…or Maggie would come get me!
"Hey buddy!" I waved as he started running to me.
"Hi Estelle!" he grinned hugging me as I got on my knees.
"Hey how was school?" I asked as he pulled away.
"It was good. Summer is next week!" he said excitedly.
"I know we'll going to Army Summer Camp soon," I grinned as I stood and took his hand.
We lived about a five to ten minute drive from the school so it was normal a twenty to thirty minute walk.
"Estelle," Dylan called after we were half way home.
"Yeah squirt what is it?" I asked looking down at him.
"Why does daddy want us there tonight?" Dylan asked.
"Actually I don't know. I guess so Maggie knows we like the idea or I guess to keep her unawares," I shrugged.
"Oh…okay. So we're going to your home first?" he asked.
"Yeah we have to. I have to get the ring and get ready first," I nodded, "and then we'll go to your home and get you ready."
"Sounds good. I want to look as handsome as daddy," Dylan stated.
I laughed as we headed down my street to my house.
"Ms. Houlihan…Ms Houlihan!" a young nurse shouted waving her hands in front of Margaret.
Margaret blinked and focused on the girl.
"What is it Daphne?" Margaret asked.
"I've been calling you for ten minutes about Mrs. Appleton who you just saw," Daphne stated handing Margaret the chart.
Margaret looked it over and wrote something down before handing it to the younger nurse.
"So what's on your mind?" Daphne asked.
"None of your concern Nurse Gregory," Margaret snapped turning to her last few charts.
"Ah so it's the hunky Doctor Pierce?" Daphne smirked.
Margaret glared at the girl.
"Daphne go to your charts," Head Nurse Nancy Kerrigan snapped.
"Yes ma'am," Daphne nodded and hurried off.
"Thanks Nancy," Margaret sighed.
"You are rather out of it Margaret," Nancy stated.
Margaret sighed, "What am I going to do? I can't stop thinking about him."
"My advice…enjoy it," Nancy smiled, "just don't let it interfere with your work."
Margaret nodded and continued her charts.
"Somebody is looking mighty happy today," Doctor Ferguson smirked as he entered Hawkeye's office.
Hawkeye shook his head and focused on the doctor.
"Margaret again?" Jimmy Ferguson grinned.
"Tonight I ask her. I'll have the kids with us so she knows that want us to be a family too," Hawkeye grinned.
"You've been great with Estelle, Ben I'm looking forward to see what you do with this kid as well," Jimmy stated as he left.
"Where is everybody?" We heard dad's voice down stairs.
Maggie, Dylan, and I grinned as we left Maggie's bedroom and headed down the stairs. Dad was dressed in my favorite black suit of his with his face clean shaven and his hair just right.
"Wow guys you all look fantastic!" daddy grinned looking at all of us.
He took Maggie's hand and spun her into his arms kissing her sweetly.
"You look especially delectable," he stated.
"Hawk watch it we have the kids," Margaret warned.
"Right. Kids are we ready?" he looked at us with a special look. Even Dylan had realized this look meant that we better have our parts of his surprise.
"Locked and loaded," Dylan stated.
I just smiled flicking my black hair over my shoulder.
"All right…and as a special treat," dad stated opening the door.
Maggie gasped seeing a black limousine outside waiting for us.
"Hawkeye you didn't," Margaret gasped.
"Yes I did," dad nodded as the chauffeur opened the door for us all.
We got in first and then Maggie followed by dad as the car drove off to one of the most expensive Italian restaurants in town.
"What's the occasion?" Margaret asked.
"No reason I just thought we've have a really up town night tonight," dad answered.
We got to the restaurant at about seven thirty and were taken to a table in a corner that was one of the rounded booths. We ordered drinks and our food and then started small talk.
"So how was everyone's day?" dad asked.
"I made a 98 on the biology test and Mrs. Popper said she liked my research paper so maybe I did good on it," I shrugged.
"I drew a picture of all of us for art class and I got all the fractions right thanks to Estie helping me," Dylan stated.
"Mine was the same old same old," Margaret shrugged.
"I had a light day actually," dad stated, "and great job on the classes kids. I want to see that picture when we get home Dylan."
"Yes sir," Dylan nodded.
Our food arrived a about fifteen minutes later and we dug right in.
"Oh dad I meant to tell you. I got mine and Dylan's drafts in the mail today. We leave the 13th of June," I replied.
"You're sure you want to take him four days early Estelle?" dad asked.
"General Cruthers said I could," I replied.
"Is that okay if he leaves for camp early Margaret?" dad asked.
"I guess it is. He's really excited and the pamphlet did seem really nice," Margaret shrugged.
"All right are you going with Brad and Jamie?" dad asked.
Jamie was Brad's older brother. He was eighteen.
"Yeah the guys already said they'd drive us," I nodded.
"You trust her with two teenage boys?" Margaret asked.
"The guys know the rules. And if they break them…"
"I can kick their butts and I always have my knife," I added smirking.
Maggie rolled her eyes at me.
After they'd finished their supper Maggie and Daddy stood to dance and gave us the signal.
"Come on squirt," I whispered as we quickly slipped out of our booth and headed for the kitchen.
"Hey, hey boys it's my youngest son's girlfriend!" the head chef chuckled.
"Hey Mr. K how's it cooking?" I grinned.
The other chefs and workers smiled at me.
"It's going good. What'd you eat tonight?" he smiled.
"Shrimp Scampi with the angel hair pasta. It was Perfecto!" I smiled.
"Good now what are you doing in here?" he grinned.
"This is why I'm here," I smiled pulling out a small red velvet box. I opened it to show him the old silver ring with the blue and white diamond stones.
"Wow," Mr. Killingworth whistled.
"Yeah it was grandma's. Daddy wants you to bring out your best desert with this on it. He's proposing," I smiled brightly.
"Hawkeye's going to be my daddy!" Dylan stated.
"We'll give you our best," Mr. Killingworth replied taking the box.
"You rock Mr. K," I grinned kissing his cheek as we left the kitchen and slipped back to our table.
"This is on the house by request of the head chef," the waiter; Bobby grinned winking at me as he placed four plates in front of all of us.
"Tell Walter thanks for us," dad nodded.
"Yeah tell him thanks Bobby," I smiled.
"Will do Little Star," Bobby nodded and walked off.
"You two certainly know a lot of people here," Margaret smiled.
"Bobby is a senior at school and the head chef is Brad's dad," I explained.
"Oh," Margaret nodded looking down at the pie. She gasped seeing a gleaming ring on the top of hers.
The ring was a 14 karat white gold band with tiny sapphires and diamonds half way around the rim. There were two 2.5 mm round sapphires on either side of an emerald cut white diamond.
"H-Hawkeye?" Margaret questioned.
Me and Dylan smiled scooting closer as dad got out of his seat and got on one knee.
"Margaret we've been through hell together and we made it. You have a beautiful son and I have a beautiful daughter. Margaret I love you more than anything and I want to make us all a family. I want you to be my wife. I want us to be together," Hawkeye replied.
"Yes…I yes," Margaret nodded.
Hawkeye grinned and took the ring off the pie slipping it on her finger.
"Yes!" Dylan and I shouted trusting our fists in the air.
Hawkeye and Margaret laughed before kissing.
A/n: There is still more to come!
