Chapter 14

"What were you thinking?" Margaret moaned unsure whether she was talking to herself or to the baby.

"You scared me," Margaret said once she had made up her mind. "I don't like being scared. So don't do this again, okay? Okay."

Margaret rested her head against her pillow and messaged her hands against her stomach. To her relief she was met with a kick.

"Hello to you too." Margaret greeted a small smile spreading across her face. "I'm sorry I told you not to move earlier. I want you to move, you can move whenever you want to. Just lets avoid doctors for another six months okay."

"Margaret?" Hawkeye called from outside the door.

"Hawkeye?" Margaret said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check on you. I brought you some flowers." Hawkeye said handing her a bouquet of pink carnations.

"Oh they're lovely."

"Yeah, I snagged them out of this garden on Pennsylvania Ave." Hawkeye joked, taking a seat in the chair next to her bed.

"Thank you." Margaret said setting them down. "You didn't have to come back here."

"Who said I had to? Maybe I wanted to. I mean after all they think we're married. What kind of husband would I be if I didn't look in on my wife and child?"

"I - I - I don't know what to say." Margaret said flustered.

"You're pregnant." Hawkeye suggested.

"Yeah."

"How far along are you?" Hawkeye urged.

"A while. Could you hand me that glass of water?" Margaret asked as she felt her heart racing.

"Why didn't you tell me in one of your letters? I mean we're friends and all. Aren't we?"

"Ofcourse. Good friends. Look, Ben I'm tired. I appreciate you coming and all but I think I could use some rest." Margaret said nervously.

Tired of beating around the bush, Hawkeye decided to take the direct approach.

"Am I the father?" he couldn't look at her when he asked and when he did look up he saw that she wasn't looking at him either. "Margaret?"

"I-I- can't we talk later. I don't really think we should be having this discussion here. Someone could come in."

"Margaret I don't care if the damned President of the United States walks, we're talking about this now. I'm the father?" Hawkeye shouted, pounding his fist on the bed.

Margaret jumped, surprised over Hawkeye's reaction. Taking a deep breath, tears began to fall from her face.

"Yes," she replied so quietly that Hawkeye could barely hear her.

"Why? Why? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Ben, I don't want to have this conversation here. At least not now. I'm in the hospital."

"Margaret - you're having my baby. How could you not tell me? When were you going to tell me?" Hawkeye asked ignoring her request.

Margaret tried to open her mouth to speak but she couldn't; in fact, she could barely breath.

"Margaret?" Hawkeye asked concerned. "Margaret?"

"I can't talk to you right now. My blood pressure is too high. I'm in a hospital. I'm pregnant. I'm scared-" Margaret stopped abruptly as she realized what she said.

Hawkeye stopped too when he saw how upset Margaret was.

"Do you want me to get a nurse?"

"I want you to go."

"Fine. I'll go for now. But we are going to talk." Hawkeye said standing up to leave.

Once he was gone Margaret found herself able to breath again. She didn't know what was going on with her but she didn't like it. She was always in control and she knew she was not in control now. She wasn't in control of anything. Hawkeye and the baby had managed to take over her life.