Gonna be honest, this is not my favorite chapter, but I'll let you guys decide how you like it.
Knowledge of "Good-bye, Farewell, and Amen" is needed for this to fully set the tone for the chapter.
On a more positive note, who doesn't want to envision Hawkeye interacting with children after the episode "Yessir, That's Our Baby"? I know I do! Also, anyone have any suggestions on something they'd like to see later on? Drop a PM or leave a review to let me know.
I don't own Corduroy.
Enjoy!
A month later, Margaret and Hawkeye step off the plane to find their friends waiting for them.
"Have a nice flight?" B.J. asks as they leave the tarmac. Nodding, Hawkeye says, "It was good. Much more accommodating than a chopper."
The men laugh as they begin to make their way into the airport with their wives following behind them. Peg watches her daughter run toward her husband before turning to Margaret, hugging her as best she can while holding a nine month old, and asking, "Did you enjoy the flight?"
The blonde laughs a little answering, "I think I'd enjoy it a little more if I weren't so huge."
Peg smiles in understanding as the group stops to figure out where their baggage is.
"How are you doing?" Peg asks while re-positioning her nine month old son on her hip.
"Good! He's so big!" Margaret replies nodding to the baby.
"Yeah, he's causing a mess of trouble and is only crawling. I don't even want to know what he and Erin will get into when he can walk," Peg answers as they follow in step behind their husbands.
"We're gonna go ahead and get the bags, Peg! We've got Erin!" B.J. calls out knowing the women probably want to catch up as much as he and Hawkeye. Peg merely nods as the baby begins to fuss. Hearing his son, B.J. looks over at his friend to gauge the man's reaction. Knowing what the other man is doing, Hawkeye answers before teasing, "It doesn't bother me. What does is you naming your kid after me. What would you do that for?"
"You think Peg would let me name my son Hawkeye? That was the best compromise I could come up with!" The man defends as he makes sure his daughter does not run off too far.
"Your parents named you B and J, Beej," Hawkeye answers adding, "They didn't really give friends an easy way to name their kids after you."
B.J. shrugs before picking up his daughter as he replies, "Didn't think my friends would. Name your kid after a different friend. What makes you think it's a boy, anyway?"
"Margaret's pretty convinced," The man replies with an eye roll just as they reach baggage claim.
"Which bags are yours?" B.J. asks as his daughter tries to squirm from his arms. Pointing to a brown suitcase that goes around on the nearby carousel, Hawkeye adds, "There's a blue one that's Margaret's."
B.J. nods as he keeps a look out for the suitcase while putting his daughter down and telling her to go to her mother.
"Hi, Mommy!" Erin says as she runs up to the women.
"Hi, Sweetheart!" Peg says stroking the girl's hair, "Is Daddy watching out for the suitcases?"
Erin nods before turning to Margaret.
"Have you seen my brother?" The three year old asks happily.
"I have. Do you like him?" Margaret questions wishing to bend down to the child's level and get up afterward. Erin shrugs saying, "I'd like him better if he was a girl."
"Erin," Peg admonishes. Margaret tries to hide a grin as she replies, "My cousin said the same thing when he was her age. Actually, I didn't like my sister for a full year after she was born."
"Thanks for the help," Peg mumbles before saying, "I'm going to change him real quick. Come on, Erin."
"I can watch her," Margaret answers spotting a bench nearby and telling the woman where they will be. Happily, Erin holds on to the woman's hand as they walk over to the bench.
"Your mom told me you got to play with one of your friends at her house the other day," The woman prompts knowing Peg tries to get her daughter to make friends with children her age.
"Yeah! Susan! We played with her dolls. She has a little sister like I have a little brother."
"Really?" Margaret asks.
"Yep, but her sister can walk. Benji can't."
"No, he has to wait a little while for that," Margaret explains. Erin sighs dramatically before asking, "Are you having a baby, too? Mommy got really big like you are."
The blonde laughs a little as she, embarrassed, answers, "Yes, I am."
"Can I name him? Mommy and Daddy didn't let me name my brother."
Just as Margaret is about to answer, she hears a voice joke, "Looks like she's going to attach herself to you while you're here."
Margaret smiles saying, "That doesn't sound too bad. Does it, Erin?"
"No!" Erin happily replies. Noticing her friend looking around, Margaret answers, "Peg went to change Ben."
Saying the name causes her husband to turn his head and the woman smirk.
"That is the reason we shouldn't name our son after me. I could come around when I'm not needed!" Hawkeye half jokes before the group leaves to the Hunnicut's house.
That night at dinner, the adults talk about their lives before B.J. says, "I could only get off for a few days this week. Sorry, Hawk."
"It's fine. I'm sure Margaret and I can go to the beach or something. I'm not used to palm trees next to my beaches," The man jokes as his wife replies, "There's also a diner I wanted to go to. I used to go there a lot when I lived with them those few months after the war."
As the guests begin their own conversation, Peg looks at her husband and asks, "When did we want to go out?"
"We need someone to watch the kids and my parents are coming up next week."
"We can watch them if you two want to go out this week," Hawkeye offers interrupting his friend's conversation. All three of the adults stare at him confused. B.J. more so knowing how hard his friend's breakdown in Korea affects him. He looks to Margaret for an answer, but she merely shows him a look between concern, confusion, and confidence.
"What?" The surgeon questions seeing the looks on the other people's faces. Knowing what at least two of the people are thinking, Hawkeye explains, "It would do us both good. Me more so than Margaret, but still -"
"Peg?" B.J. questions letting his wife give the final order. Smiling, Peg replies, "I don't see why not. We've been talking about a night out."
"All right, it's settled. Get ready to wrangle two children under four," B.J. jokes, although with a little less mirth than usual. Margaret knows her husband's friend has underlying concern for the endeavor and merely gives a small smile at the man. Seeing the look, Hawkeye decides to question his former tent mate about the look later.
"If you have any reservations about me watching the kids Beej, let me know," Hawkeye states as he and his friend golf the next day.
"I don't," B.J. replies as he tries to putt the ball into the hole. Silence dominates the conversation for a moment as the man retrieves his ball and they head to the next hole.
"Come on, Beej. I saw the look you and Margaret gave each other last night," The other man responds causing his friend to sigh.
"Hawk," B.J. begins, "it's not that I don't trust you with my kids. I'm just wondering if you're ready. Ben still has trouble sleeping at night. I just wonder if you're ready to deal with that."
The pair is silent for another moment as Hawkeye sets up his shot at the next hole. Straighten from the tee, Hawkeye stretches before beginning his back swing and hitting the ball. Watching the object, the surgeon makes a mental note of where it lands before saying, "I'm gonna have to be. I'm gonna be a dad in less than three months whether I like it or not and I don't want the war to consume me the rest of my life."
"You're really serious about this, aren't you?" B.J. questions with a small smile. He is really happy for his friend for not brushing off his problems with jokes. Seeing his friend smile, Hawkeye asks, "What?"
"You've matured. It looks like Margaret got the new and improved model," The blond jokes. The men laugh and banter the rest of their golf session before heading back to the house.
Entering his friend's home, Hawkeye sees his wife playing with Erin who happily draws pictures with the woman.
"Uncle Hawkeye, look!" Erin calls when she sees him. Smiling, Hawkeye walks over to the girl and smiles at the unintelligible markings on the paper saying, "You're a regular Picasso."
Cocking her head to the side, Erin replies, "I'm Erin. Not Picasso."
"Yeah, Hawk," Margaret teases. Overdramatically, the man answers, "Sorry. You're a regular Erin."
Peg watches from her spot at the counter and smiles knowing her husband's friend will be fine watching her children on Saturday night.
When the night arrives for them to leave, Peg jokes, "You're sure you want to deal with my kids?"
The other couple laughs saying they will be fine as B.J. says, "If they get to be too much let us know."
"Yes, dear," Hawkeye jokes telling his friend to leave. When the door closes, the adults turn to each other until they notice the youngest child crawl up to them.
"Mama?" Ben asks staring at the door and then looking curiously at the adults. Margaret almost says something when Erin chimes, "They went out, Benji. Uncle Hawkeye and Aunt Margaret are watching us."
"Mama," The baby repeats softly with a small pout.
"You'd think a nine month old would be less observant," Hawkeye murmurs to his wife who nods slightly.
"I don't even want to know what our child will be like," The blonde replies before trying to distract the baby. Erin tries her best to help, but soon becomes bored with her brother's crying after a couple minutes. Unsuccessful in quieting the boy after about five more minutes, Margaret looks at her husband for help. Trying to repress any memories that surface, Hawkeye says, "Let me hold him. Stay in the room, but let me try."
Margaret nods as she hands the baby to her husband who gently bounces him and sings. Margaret smiles softly before Erin brings out a book for Margaret to read to her. Motioning for the girl to sit on the couch, the blonde keeps an eye on her husband as she reads about Corduroy and his adventures to the three year old. As she reads, the woman finds her voice growing softer. Looking up, she sees Hawkeye pointing to a picture and cooing at the boy. Looking back at the book, Margaret realizes Erin is asleep next to her. Getting her husband's attention, the blonde asks, "Want to trade?"
Hawkeye nods before handing Ben to his wife and picking up Erin, already clad in pajamas, to bed.
Review!