The New Nurse in Town - Part 2
By Shell
Two hours later, Claire sat in the VIP tent, staring at the money on the desk in front of her. She still held the picture in her fingertips, hoping the girl's image would inspire a plan. She sighed and decided a walk would help. When she walked outside, she was surprised to discover that it was early evening. She saw Nurse Kellye passing by, and she called out to her. "Hey, Kellye, do you know if Harper's awake? I want to talk to him."
Kellye stopped and thought a moment. "Wasn't he the one with the chest wound?"
"Yeah. Is he up?"
"I'm sorry, Captain," Kellye said. "He died about twenty minutes ago. He had some lung complications." Claire nodded and Kellye walked off.
Claire walked aimlessly around the compound for fifteen minutes more determined now to help Harper's wife. She was deep in thought when a voice called from behind her.
"Hey, are you Captain Morgan?"
She turned to see a wounded soldier limping towards her, a cast on his right leg. When she nodded, he smiled. "You're a lot cuter than Harper mentioned."
Her eyes widened. "You knew Harper?"
He nodded. "Oh yeah, Tim and I were buddies. He was a good guy. He told me yesterday about you, and I think you can find a way to send this to his parents. He handed her a picture. "This is Tim in front of his parent's house. I think they would want it back."
Claire recognized Harper in the picture, but what surprised her most was the house he was standing in front of. In one word, it was huge. A mansion was more like it. The house was an immaculate white with Roman columns lining the front. Claire could almost see the deep green of the lawn from the black and white photo. "This is quite a house," Claire said.
"Yeah," the soldier said. "I was always surprised Tim's parents couldn't find a way to buy him out of the draft. But the way Tim described them, they hang onto every penny they get and are always scrounging for more. You should have heard how happy they were when they found out about Tim's big poker winnings-"
Claire's eyes widened. "Poker winnings?"
He nodded. "Yeah, two weeks ago Harper really raked it in. He won $800 bucks. His folks flipped."
"Did you tell them?" She asked.
"Yeah, they called all the way from the states to see how Tim was. He was on guard duty, so I took the call for him. I have to get Tim's money somehow and sent it to them. They made me promise to get it to them somehow."
Claire frowned. This new development just made her entire day a whole lot worse. Getting the money to Harper's wife wasn't going to be as easy as she had hoped. "Did Tim ever tell you if he was married?"
The soldier thought a moment, then shook his head. "No. Tim and I were close, Captain. He would have told me. I'm sure."
Unless he was so afraid someone would tell his parents about her, she thought. "Why don't you get some rest? You've probably had a long day."
He nodded. "It was a pleasure, Captain." With that, he limped off to Post-Op.
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Fifteen minutes later, Claire sat at the bar in the 4077th's Officer's Club, deep in thought. She could get the money to the girl, but the parents would soon get suspicious after a certain amount of time, and the 4077th would be to blame. Her record was bad enough without adding theft to it.
"What are you having, Captain?"
Claire had been so absorbed in her thought she hadn't seen the bartender approach. When she looked up, her eyes discovered a man dressed in a long red evening gown, a pearl necklace, matching earrings, and long white gloves. She was shocked for a moment, but the realization soon hit her, and she grinned. "Corporal Klinger, I presume."
"In the flesh," Klinger responded with a smile. "So what do you want to drink?"
"Scotch and water, but hold the water. And make it a double."
Klinger's eyebrows rose. "Rough night, Captain? People usually don't order doubles until they've been here for at least two days."
"You could say that," Claire muttered. She pulled out the two pictures she had been given. "You remember the kid with the bad chest wound?" When Klinger nodded, she continued. "He won $800 bucks in a poker game and wanted be to give it to his wife." She held up the photo. "Unfortunately, it also happens that his parents want the money too, and they hate the wife. But it's not like these parents need the money. Look where they live." She handed Klinger the photo of the house.
He whistled in astonishment. "That's the kind of place I'd like to be in," he said. "Where does the wife live?"
"Outside Seoul," Claire answered. "The problem is, if I take the money to her, the parents, along with the army, will be on my hide, and that is the last thing I need."
"Why not let the army take care of it?" Klinger asked, handing her the drink.
She shook her head. "The parents will get it in a flash. It would just be another couple pennies to add to their fortune."
Klinger shook his head. "That's rough, Captain. I wish I could help."
She smiled. "Don't worry about it." She drowned the last of her drink. "I'll just have to sleep on it. Thanks, Klinger." He nodded, and she walked out of the Officer's Club.
Outside, she spotted Radar busily loading a jeep with supplies. "What's going on, Radar?"
"Not much, Captain," he answered. "I just have to take these supplies down to the hospital in Seoul."
Claire's eyes brightened. Someone was certainly watching her from above. "When are you leaving?"
"Five minutes," he said, tying down the boxes in the back seat.
"Radar, you have to take me with you."
He looked up and gasped. "What? Are you crazy? I can't do that…Colonel Potter will kill me."
"Sure you can. I'll take full responsibility." She had often heard herself say that phrase. Oh well. Here we go again… "Just let me get something from my tent." Claire ran back to her tent, grabbed the money, and ran back.
Radar looked horribly frightened. "Captain-"
"Radar, are you going to make me pull rank on you? I hate doing that."
Radar sighed. "Yeah, you and Captain Pierce. Get in." He remembered the time Hawkeye had gotten Radar to drive him to meet Trapper John's plane before he left for home. They had missed Trapper by ten minutes, but they did find one of the 4077th's new surgeons, B.J. Hunnicutt.
Claire grinned. "Thanks, Radar. Move over, I'll drive."
Radar slid into the passenger seat as Claire started the jeep. "Captain, may I ask why you have to go to Seoul?"
"Long story," she replied, driving out of the compound. "I'll explain on the way."
They were well on their way when Claire finished the entire story. Radar nodded with understanding. "Just one question, Captain. What are you going to do when the parents start looking for the money?"
Claire shrugged. "I'll figure that out when I come to it. I'm making this up as I go, Radar."
"Captain-"
She smiled. "It's just Claire, Radar."
"Ok, Claire. Did anyone at the 4077th tell you that you remind them of Captain Pierce?"
She laughed. "No, I haven't gotten that one. May I ask where you got a question like that from?"
He shrugged his small shoulders. "I don't know. You're a lot like him, but you're a girl. I mean, look at what you're doing now. You're risking your neck to help someone you don't even know. Captain Pierce probably would have done the same thing. But I'm pretty sure he's never punched anyone out."
Claire laughed even harder. "Thanks, Radar. Looks like you've heard about my record. Trust me, that Colonel deserved it. I'd do it again if I had the chance." They rode along in silence until Radar spotted Seoul in the distance. Soon the silhouettes of small shacks could be seen, and Claire knew she was at her destination.
She pulled the jeep to a stop and hopped out, taking the money and pictures with her. "Looks like this is my stop. Pick me up here in two hours," she ordered.
Radar nodded as he slid into the driver's seat. "Good luck, Captain," he said. "But I gotta tell you, this is never going to work. It's too dark and the chances of finding anyone-"
"Let me take care of it, Radar," she said. "Just give me two hours. And thanks for the ride." He started up the jeep and drove off, disappearing behind a bend.
Claire knew Radar was partially right-finding one person in an entire village would be close to impossible. She didn't even know the name of Harper's wife. But she'd been in worse messes before and come out successful. Why should this be any different? Claire sighed and headed into the village, keeping an eye on every face she saw.
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It had been an hour and a half with no success. Most of the villagers met Claire's glances with fear or anger, and she had almost come close to getting kicked out of the village by a mob of angry farmers with pitchforks. She pushed her way through crowds, searching every face, focusing on every detail.
Finally, with only fifteen minutes to spare, Claire stopped and looked around, frustrated and beaten. She could barely see through the darkness, and she still had to find her way back to where Radar was going to pick her up. With a heavy sigh, she turned around-
And immediately smacked into a young girl carrying a large basket. Surprisingly, she offered her apologies in English, and Claire took a moment to study her face. She immediately gasped. It was Harper's wife, it had to be. Pulling out the picture, she saw that the two women matched perfectly.
"Are you married?" She asked quickly. There was little time to waste.
"Yes." The girl nodded, her accent thick. "My husband is Tim. Why?"
Claire pulled the money from her pocket and put it into the girl's hand. "He wanted you to have this. I'm very sorry, but he died a few hours ago." Tears immediately sprung to the girl's eyes, and Claire wished she had time to comfort. "I have to go. Tim loved you very much. He wanted you to be happy."
"Thank you," the girl's voice was barely a whisper. "Thank you very much. Who are you?"
"There's no time for that," Claire said, pulling away. "I have to go. Good luck." With that, she ran off, pushing her way through the crowd. By the time she got back to the main road, Radar was just pulling up in the jeep. He immediately began driving off when she got in.
"You find her?" Radar asked.
Claire nodded with a grin as she sat back in her seat. "Yeah, I did. Now that the hard part is done, all I have to do is figure out how to get the parents off my back. But there's no sense in worrying now; I should have at least a few days to think about it. Let's just get home."
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Radar was sitting at his desk an hour after he and Captain Morgan had arrived back at camp. Luckily no one had noticed them leave or return, and no wounded had come in. The entire camp had gone to bed, and all Radar had to do was finish the daily report, carefully editing his passenger on the trip to Seoul. He was just about to settle in with his trusty Teddy bear when the phone rang.
"4077 M*A*S*H."
He had barely listened to two seconds of what the speaker said to him when his heart stopped. He quickly put the speaker on hold and grabbed his robe to put over his pajamas. Running to the VIP tent in his bare feet, he immediately burst in. "Captain Morgan!"
Claire rolled on her side and groaned. "What is it, Radar?" She asked, her voice groggy. "Are there more wounded?"
"No," he cried. "Even worse. The Harpers are on the phone, and they want their money!"
"What?" Claire was immediately out of bed and on her feet. She grabbed ran back to the office with Radar in the T-shirt and shorts she slept in, not caring to find her robe. Picking up the phone, she introduced herself as calmly as possible, pretending not to be aware of Harper's situation. Listening to Mrs. Harper babble the entire story bought Claire some time, but when Mrs. Harper finished, her mind was still scrambling for an idea.
There was a long pause as Claire bit her lip. "Well, Mrs. Harper," she began, keeping her voice steady. "My company clerk has just informed me that Corporal Harper's money has, well, already been claimed."
The woman practically exploded into the phone. When she finally calmed down, she asked the question Claire had prayed she wouldn't ask. "Who claimed the money?" Claire said. "Well, Mrs. Harper, that is a very good question. Give me a moment to check my records." She paused and looked to Radar, who only shrugged in desperation. Claire couldn't think of anyone that she hated enough to pin theft on them. She was trapped.
Mrs. Harper was threatening to sue her by now. "Just be patient, Mrs. Harper," Claire said gently. "The company clerk is working as fast as he can. It's the middle of the night here you know."
"Just tell her that a Captain Tuttle claimed it."
Claire turned suddenly at the voice and saw Hawkeye standing in the doorway. She put her hand over the receiver. "Tuttle? Who's Tuttle?"
"Will that work?" Radar asked.
"Just do it," Hawkeye said with a smile. "And tell her he's in the Navy and at sea right now. I'll explain in a minute."
Mrs. Harper seemed satisfied with this information, and the conversation was soon, and thankfully, over. Claire turned to Hawkeye after she hung up the phone. "Now who's this Tuttle person? I hope he isn't a friend of yours."
"He's not," Hawkeye said. "He doesn't really know anyone."
Radar nodded. "He doesn't exist."
"Trapper John and I created him a long time ago to help us get medical supplies for the orphanage. The guy's done everything, now including giving a much-deserved widow her husband's money. Mrs. Harper will get so caught up in army and navy red tape she'll give up after a few weeks." When Claire gave him a questioning look, he held up a hand. "Klinger and I had a little chat while you were gone. I got the whole story."
Claire smiled. "Thanks, Hawkeye. I owe you for this one."
He grinned with a small chuckle. "You certainly do. I had to tell Colonel Potter that you were with me for a couple hours. But don't worry, I'll find some way for you to pay me back."
"I'm certain you will," Claire said, walking out of the office doors. Hawkeye soon caught up with her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "How about dinner?" He asked. "Definitely not now, I was in the middle of a conversation with my pillow."
She laughed. "Alright, how about Friday night?"
"I have to wait until Friday?" Hawkeye looked disappointed. "That seems so far away. The war could end before that."
They had reached her tent by now. She smiled and pulled away from his arm. "Well, if the war ends, we can have dinner in San Francisco. But until then, remember that patience is a virtue." With that, she turned and shut the door of her tent.
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The rest of Claire's two weeks seemed to fly by incredibly fast. Hawkeye spent a good amount of his time with her, and she was happy to discover he was a much better person than the rumors had described. Colonel Potter had told her repeatedly that he was impressed with her work, and that she should come again any time Major Houlihan was away. If only Major Carter would allow such a chance…But Claire knew she wouldn't. When her CO transferred her to Major Carter, it was more punishment than forgiveness. Carter was cold, nasty, and strict. She demanded perfection, and no matter how hard Claire tried, she could never live up to what Carter wanted.
Working with Carter had always been a chore, but it did make her a better nurse. Maybe even a nurse that Margaret Houlihan could appreciate.
Claire was sitting on her bunk when Radar ran in to tell her the news: Margaret's jeep had finally arrived. Claire followed Radar outside, trying to straighten her uniform just a bit. Margaret was standing with an air of dignity that Claire had always secretly wanted for herself. Colonel Potter was standing beside her, and they seemed to be in a pleasant conversation.
Margaret noticed her as she approached. "Captain Morgan," she said. "It's been a long time. I hear you've been working quite well in my place."
She nodded. "Yes, Major. It was a pleasure."
Margaret's smile was barely noticeable. "Yes, well, I hope you enjoyed your stay. I'm sure Major Carter will be here soon to pick you up."
"Hold your horses, Major," Colonel Potter said, holding up a hand. "Don't be so quick to kick Captain Morgan out so fast. Don't you two know each other?"
"We did, Colonel," Margaret said icily. "But that was a long time ago."
Colonel Potter glanced between the two women, seeing the cold glares that each one shot to each other. He swallowed as the three of them fell into an awkward silence.
Luckily Captain Morgan broke the silence first. "Well, I better get my things together," she said. "Good day, Colonel. I hope you had a good trip, Major." She then turned on her heel and walked back to the VIP tent.
"I'm certainly glad she'll be leaving very soon, Colonel," Margaret said.
"What is it with you two?" Potter asked, a hint of anger in his voice. "The anger in your eyes is enough to burn through steel!"
Margaret sighed in exasperation. "We had a bit of a falling out, I'm afraid. Colonel, you just can't understand…"
Potter crossed his arms over his chest. "Try me, Margaret."
She paused for a moment, then continued. "Claire Morgan is a disgrace to the United States Army. She has no respect for authority or higher ranking officers."
Potter shrugged. "Neither do Pierce and Hunnicutt, but we still keep them around."
She shook her head. "That's not the same, Colonel. Pierce and Hunnicutt are childish and pranksters, but they are exceptional surgeons. Claire is rash and entirely too bold. That's why we could never continue to be friends. We're just too different."
"A lot can happen with time, Margaret. I believe Captain Morgan has changed since you knew her. She's a fine nurse," Potter said. "An exceptionally fine nurse. She filled in for you better than I ever could have expected. Frankly, I made a request for her to be transferred here."
Margaret was shocked. "Colonel, you can't be serious…"
"I am, Major. I certainly am. You've always told me you could use some help, and we can't let someone with her skill sit around in Tokyo filling water pitchers. If HQ puts in her transfer before she leaves, Captain Morgan will be assistant Head Nurse. And that's that."
Margaret was stunned into silence, and she stood for a long moment harnessing her anger. She didn't even notice when Radar appeared behind her.
"Have a good trip, Major?" He asked.
"What do you care?" She cried.
Radar looked puzzled, but Potter simply shook his head. "What is it, Radar?"
"Captain Morgan's transfer orders just came through from HQ," he said. "Her jeep won't be coming. Looks like she's not going anywhere for awhile."
Margaret bit her lip. "Colonel, it's apparent that I have no choice in the matter at this moment. But if she makes too many mistakes-"
"Don't worry, Major," Potter replied. "If there are any problems, I'll handle it personally." He turned to Radar. "You better go tell Captain Morgan to unpack in one of the nurse's tents." Radar nodded quickly and strode off.
When Radar entered the VIP tent, he immediately noticed Hawkeye Pierce lounging at the desk while Captain Morgan sat on her cot. "Captain Morgan?"
"What is it, Radar?" Hawkeye asked. "Your little body looks all aquiver."
Radar shot Hawkeye a sharp look. "Cut that out!" He whispered harshly. Turning back to Claire, he said, "Captain Morgan just got new transfer orders. You've been transferred here. Colonel Potter said you can unpack in one of the nurse's tents."
"Staying?" Hawkeye cried. He jumped out of his chair and grasped Radar by the shoulders. "Radar, I could kiss you right now, but I can't bend down that far."
Claire stood from her seat and hugged Radar. "I probably won't be so happy to be here in a few weeks, so I'll hug you now. Thanks, Radar."
Radar shrugged and blushed slightly. "Don't mention it."
"Well, this calls for a toast," Hawkeye declared, pouring himself and Claire a drink. "To Claire: welcome to the 4077th. At times it will be the pit of Hell, and at the same time, a barely livable cesspool. But, it's home. At least for now."
The End
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By Shell
Two hours later, Claire sat in the VIP tent, staring at the money on the desk in front of her. She still held the picture in her fingertips, hoping the girl's image would inspire a plan. She sighed and decided a walk would help. When she walked outside, she was surprised to discover that it was early evening. She saw Nurse Kellye passing by, and she called out to her. "Hey, Kellye, do you know if Harper's awake? I want to talk to him."
Kellye stopped and thought a moment. "Wasn't he the one with the chest wound?"
"Yeah. Is he up?"
"I'm sorry, Captain," Kellye said. "He died about twenty minutes ago. He had some lung complications." Claire nodded and Kellye walked off.
Claire walked aimlessly around the compound for fifteen minutes more determined now to help Harper's wife. She was deep in thought when a voice called from behind her.
"Hey, are you Captain Morgan?"
She turned to see a wounded soldier limping towards her, a cast on his right leg. When she nodded, he smiled. "You're a lot cuter than Harper mentioned."
Her eyes widened. "You knew Harper?"
He nodded. "Oh yeah, Tim and I were buddies. He was a good guy. He told me yesterday about you, and I think you can find a way to send this to his parents. He handed her a picture. "This is Tim in front of his parent's house. I think they would want it back."
Claire recognized Harper in the picture, but what surprised her most was the house he was standing in front of. In one word, it was huge. A mansion was more like it. The house was an immaculate white with Roman columns lining the front. Claire could almost see the deep green of the lawn from the black and white photo. "This is quite a house," Claire said.
"Yeah," the soldier said. "I was always surprised Tim's parents couldn't find a way to buy him out of the draft. But the way Tim described them, they hang onto every penny they get and are always scrounging for more. You should have heard how happy they were when they found out about Tim's big poker winnings-"
Claire's eyes widened. "Poker winnings?"
He nodded. "Yeah, two weeks ago Harper really raked it in. He won $800 bucks. His folks flipped."
"Did you tell them?" She asked.
"Yeah, they called all the way from the states to see how Tim was. He was on guard duty, so I took the call for him. I have to get Tim's money somehow and sent it to them. They made me promise to get it to them somehow."
Claire frowned. This new development just made her entire day a whole lot worse. Getting the money to Harper's wife wasn't going to be as easy as she had hoped. "Did Tim ever tell you if he was married?"
The soldier thought a moment, then shook his head. "No. Tim and I were close, Captain. He would have told me. I'm sure."
Unless he was so afraid someone would tell his parents about her, she thought. "Why don't you get some rest? You've probably had a long day."
He nodded. "It was a pleasure, Captain." With that, he limped off to Post-Op.
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Fifteen minutes later, Claire sat at the bar in the 4077th's Officer's Club, deep in thought. She could get the money to the girl, but the parents would soon get suspicious after a certain amount of time, and the 4077th would be to blame. Her record was bad enough without adding theft to it.
"What are you having, Captain?"
Claire had been so absorbed in her thought she hadn't seen the bartender approach. When she looked up, her eyes discovered a man dressed in a long red evening gown, a pearl necklace, matching earrings, and long white gloves. She was shocked for a moment, but the realization soon hit her, and she grinned. "Corporal Klinger, I presume."
"In the flesh," Klinger responded with a smile. "So what do you want to drink?"
"Scotch and water, but hold the water. And make it a double."
Klinger's eyebrows rose. "Rough night, Captain? People usually don't order doubles until they've been here for at least two days."
"You could say that," Claire muttered. She pulled out the two pictures she had been given. "You remember the kid with the bad chest wound?" When Klinger nodded, she continued. "He won $800 bucks in a poker game and wanted be to give it to his wife." She held up the photo. "Unfortunately, it also happens that his parents want the money too, and they hate the wife. But it's not like these parents need the money. Look where they live." She handed Klinger the photo of the house.
He whistled in astonishment. "That's the kind of place I'd like to be in," he said. "Where does the wife live?"
"Outside Seoul," Claire answered. "The problem is, if I take the money to her, the parents, along with the army, will be on my hide, and that is the last thing I need."
"Why not let the army take care of it?" Klinger asked, handing her the drink.
She shook her head. "The parents will get it in a flash. It would just be another couple pennies to add to their fortune."
Klinger shook his head. "That's rough, Captain. I wish I could help."
She smiled. "Don't worry about it." She drowned the last of her drink. "I'll just have to sleep on it. Thanks, Klinger." He nodded, and she walked out of the Officer's Club.
Outside, she spotted Radar busily loading a jeep with supplies. "What's going on, Radar?"
"Not much, Captain," he answered. "I just have to take these supplies down to the hospital in Seoul."
Claire's eyes brightened. Someone was certainly watching her from above. "When are you leaving?"
"Five minutes," he said, tying down the boxes in the back seat.
"Radar, you have to take me with you."
He looked up and gasped. "What? Are you crazy? I can't do that…Colonel Potter will kill me."
"Sure you can. I'll take full responsibility." She had often heard herself say that phrase. Oh well. Here we go again… "Just let me get something from my tent." Claire ran back to her tent, grabbed the money, and ran back.
Radar looked horribly frightened. "Captain-"
"Radar, are you going to make me pull rank on you? I hate doing that."
Radar sighed. "Yeah, you and Captain Pierce. Get in." He remembered the time Hawkeye had gotten Radar to drive him to meet Trapper John's plane before he left for home. They had missed Trapper by ten minutes, but they did find one of the 4077th's new surgeons, B.J. Hunnicutt.
Claire grinned. "Thanks, Radar. Move over, I'll drive."
Radar slid into the passenger seat as Claire started the jeep. "Captain, may I ask why you have to go to Seoul?"
"Long story," she replied, driving out of the compound. "I'll explain on the way."
They were well on their way when Claire finished the entire story. Radar nodded with understanding. "Just one question, Captain. What are you going to do when the parents start looking for the money?"
Claire shrugged. "I'll figure that out when I come to it. I'm making this up as I go, Radar."
"Captain-"
She smiled. "It's just Claire, Radar."
"Ok, Claire. Did anyone at the 4077th tell you that you remind them of Captain Pierce?"
She laughed. "No, I haven't gotten that one. May I ask where you got a question like that from?"
He shrugged his small shoulders. "I don't know. You're a lot like him, but you're a girl. I mean, look at what you're doing now. You're risking your neck to help someone you don't even know. Captain Pierce probably would have done the same thing. But I'm pretty sure he's never punched anyone out."
Claire laughed even harder. "Thanks, Radar. Looks like you've heard about my record. Trust me, that Colonel deserved it. I'd do it again if I had the chance." They rode along in silence until Radar spotted Seoul in the distance. Soon the silhouettes of small shacks could be seen, and Claire knew she was at her destination.
She pulled the jeep to a stop and hopped out, taking the money and pictures with her. "Looks like this is my stop. Pick me up here in two hours," she ordered.
Radar nodded as he slid into the driver's seat. "Good luck, Captain," he said. "But I gotta tell you, this is never going to work. It's too dark and the chances of finding anyone-"
"Let me take care of it, Radar," she said. "Just give me two hours. And thanks for the ride." He started up the jeep and drove off, disappearing behind a bend.
Claire knew Radar was partially right-finding one person in an entire village would be close to impossible. She didn't even know the name of Harper's wife. But she'd been in worse messes before and come out successful. Why should this be any different? Claire sighed and headed into the village, keeping an eye on every face she saw.
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It had been an hour and a half with no success. Most of the villagers met Claire's glances with fear or anger, and she had almost come close to getting kicked out of the village by a mob of angry farmers with pitchforks. She pushed her way through crowds, searching every face, focusing on every detail.
Finally, with only fifteen minutes to spare, Claire stopped and looked around, frustrated and beaten. She could barely see through the darkness, and she still had to find her way back to where Radar was going to pick her up. With a heavy sigh, she turned around-
And immediately smacked into a young girl carrying a large basket. Surprisingly, she offered her apologies in English, and Claire took a moment to study her face. She immediately gasped. It was Harper's wife, it had to be. Pulling out the picture, she saw that the two women matched perfectly.
"Are you married?" She asked quickly. There was little time to waste.
"Yes." The girl nodded, her accent thick. "My husband is Tim. Why?"
Claire pulled the money from her pocket and put it into the girl's hand. "He wanted you to have this. I'm very sorry, but he died a few hours ago." Tears immediately sprung to the girl's eyes, and Claire wished she had time to comfort. "I have to go. Tim loved you very much. He wanted you to be happy."
"Thank you," the girl's voice was barely a whisper. "Thank you very much. Who are you?"
"There's no time for that," Claire said, pulling away. "I have to go. Good luck." With that, she ran off, pushing her way through the crowd. By the time she got back to the main road, Radar was just pulling up in the jeep. He immediately began driving off when she got in.
"You find her?" Radar asked.
Claire nodded with a grin as she sat back in her seat. "Yeah, I did. Now that the hard part is done, all I have to do is figure out how to get the parents off my back. But there's no sense in worrying now; I should have at least a few days to think about it. Let's just get home."
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Radar was sitting at his desk an hour after he and Captain Morgan had arrived back at camp. Luckily no one had noticed them leave or return, and no wounded had come in. The entire camp had gone to bed, and all Radar had to do was finish the daily report, carefully editing his passenger on the trip to Seoul. He was just about to settle in with his trusty Teddy bear when the phone rang.
"4077 M*A*S*H."
He had barely listened to two seconds of what the speaker said to him when his heart stopped. He quickly put the speaker on hold and grabbed his robe to put over his pajamas. Running to the VIP tent in his bare feet, he immediately burst in. "Captain Morgan!"
Claire rolled on her side and groaned. "What is it, Radar?" She asked, her voice groggy. "Are there more wounded?"
"No," he cried. "Even worse. The Harpers are on the phone, and they want their money!"
"What?" Claire was immediately out of bed and on her feet. She grabbed ran back to the office with Radar in the T-shirt and shorts she slept in, not caring to find her robe. Picking up the phone, she introduced herself as calmly as possible, pretending not to be aware of Harper's situation. Listening to Mrs. Harper babble the entire story bought Claire some time, but when Mrs. Harper finished, her mind was still scrambling for an idea.
There was a long pause as Claire bit her lip. "Well, Mrs. Harper," she began, keeping her voice steady. "My company clerk has just informed me that Corporal Harper's money has, well, already been claimed."
The woman practically exploded into the phone. When she finally calmed down, she asked the question Claire had prayed she wouldn't ask. "Who claimed the money?" Claire said. "Well, Mrs. Harper, that is a very good question. Give me a moment to check my records." She paused and looked to Radar, who only shrugged in desperation. Claire couldn't think of anyone that she hated enough to pin theft on them. She was trapped.
Mrs. Harper was threatening to sue her by now. "Just be patient, Mrs. Harper," Claire said gently. "The company clerk is working as fast as he can. It's the middle of the night here you know."
"Just tell her that a Captain Tuttle claimed it."
Claire turned suddenly at the voice and saw Hawkeye standing in the doorway. She put her hand over the receiver. "Tuttle? Who's Tuttle?"
"Will that work?" Radar asked.
"Just do it," Hawkeye said with a smile. "And tell her he's in the Navy and at sea right now. I'll explain in a minute."
Mrs. Harper seemed satisfied with this information, and the conversation was soon, and thankfully, over. Claire turned to Hawkeye after she hung up the phone. "Now who's this Tuttle person? I hope he isn't a friend of yours."
"He's not," Hawkeye said. "He doesn't really know anyone."
Radar nodded. "He doesn't exist."
"Trapper John and I created him a long time ago to help us get medical supplies for the orphanage. The guy's done everything, now including giving a much-deserved widow her husband's money. Mrs. Harper will get so caught up in army and navy red tape she'll give up after a few weeks." When Claire gave him a questioning look, he held up a hand. "Klinger and I had a little chat while you were gone. I got the whole story."
Claire smiled. "Thanks, Hawkeye. I owe you for this one."
He grinned with a small chuckle. "You certainly do. I had to tell Colonel Potter that you were with me for a couple hours. But don't worry, I'll find some way for you to pay me back."
"I'm certain you will," Claire said, walking out of the office doors. Hawkeye soon caught up with her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "How about dinner?" He asked. "Definitely not now, I was in the middle of a conversation with my pillow."
She laughed. "Alright, how about Friday night?"
"I have to wait until Friday?" Hawkeye looked disappointed. "That seems so far away. The war could end before that."
They had reached her tent by now. She smiled and pulled away from his arm. "Well, if the war ends, we can have dinner in San Francisco. But until then, remember that patience is a virtue." With that, she turned and shut the door of her tent.
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The rest of Claire's two weeks seemed to fly by incredibly fast. Hawkeye spent a good amount of his time with her, and she was happy to discover he was a much better person than the rumors had described. Colonel Potter had told her repeatedly that he was impressed with her work, and that she should come again any time Major Houlihan was away. If only Major Carter would allow such a chance…But Claire knew she wouldn't. When her CO transferred her to Major Carter, it was more punishment than forgiveness. Carter was cold, nasty, and strict. She demanded perfection, and no matter how hard Claire tried, she could never live up to what Carter wanted.
Working with Carter had always been a chore, but it did make her a better nurse. Maybe even a nurse that Margaret Houlihan could appreciate.
Claire was sitting on her bunk when Radar ran in to tell her the news: Margaret's jeep had finally arrived. Claire followed Radar outside, trying to straighten her uniform just a bit. Margaret was standing with an air of dignity that Claire had always secretly wanted for herself. Colonel Potter was standing beside her, and they seemed to be in a pleasant conversation.
Margaret noticed her as she approached. "Captain Morgan," she said. "It's been a long time. I hear you've been working quite well in my place."
She nodded. "Yes, Major. It was a pleasure."
Margaret's smile was barely noticeable. "Yes, well, I hope you enjoyed your stay. I'm sure Major Carter will be here soon to pick you up."
"Hold your horses, Major," Colonel Potter said, holding up a hand. "Don't be so quick to kick Captain Morgan out so fast. Don't you two know each other?"
"We did, Colonel," Margaret said icily. "But that was a long time ago."
Colonel Potter glanced between the two women, seeing the cold glares that each one shot to each other. He swallowed as the three of them fell into an awkward silence.
Luckily Captain Morgan broke the silence first. "Well, I better get my things together," she said. "Good day, Colonel. I hope you had a good trip, Major." She then turned on her heel and walked back to the VIP tent.
"I'm certainly glad she'll be leaving very soon, Colonel," Margaret said.
"What is it with you two?" Potter asked, a hint of anger in his voice. "The anger in your eyes is enough to burn through steel!"
Margaret sighed in exasperation. "We had a bit of a falling out, I'm afraid. Colonel, you just can't understand…"
Potter crossed his arms over his chest. "Try me, Margaret."
She paused for a moment, then continued. "Claire Morgan is a disgrace to the United States Army. She has no respect for authority or higher ranking officers."
Potter shrugged. "Neither do Pierce and Hunnicutt, but we still keep them around."
She shook her head. "That's not the same, Colonel. Pierce and Hunnicutt are childish and pranksters, but they are exceptional surgeons. Claire is rash and entirely too bold. That's why we could never continue to be friends. We're just too different."
"A lot can happen with time, Margaret. I believe Captain Morgan has changed since you knew her. She's a fine nurse," Potter said. "An exceptionally fine nurse. She filled in for you better than I ever could have expected. Frankly, I made a request for her to be transferred here."
Margaret was shocked. "Colonel, you can't be serious…"
"I am, Major. I certainly am. You've always told me you could use some help, and we can't let someone with her skill sit around in Tokyo filling water pitchers. If HQ puts in her transfer before she leaves, Captain Morgan will be assistant Head Nurse. And that's that."
Margaret was stunned into silence, and she stood for a long moment harnessing her anger. She didn't even notice when Radar appeared behind her.
"Have a good trip, Major?" He asked.
"What do you care?" She cried.
Radar looked puzzled, but Potter simply shook his head. "What is it, Radar?"
"Captain Morgan's transfer orders just came through from HQ," he said. "Her jeep won't be coming. Looks like she's not going anywhere for awhile."
Margaret bit her lip. "Colonel, it's apparent that I have no choice in the matter at this moment. But if she makes too many mistakes-"
"Don't worry, Major," Potter replied. "If there are any problems, I'll handle it personally." He turned to Radar. "You better go tell Captain Morgan to unpack in one of the nurse's tents." Radar nodded quickly and strode off.
When Radar entered the VIP tent, he immediately noticed Hawkeye Pierce lounging at the desk while Captain Morgan sat on her cot. "Captain Morgan?"
"What is it, Radar?" Hawkeye asked. "Your little body looks all aquiver."
Radar shot Hawkeye a sharp look. "Cut that out!" He whispered harshly. Turning back to Claire, he said, "Captain Morgan just got new transfer orders. You've been transferred here. Colonel Potter said you can unpack in one of the nurse's tents."
"Staying?" Hawkeye cried. He jumped out of his chair and grasped Radar by the shoulders. "Radar, I could kiss you right now, but I can't bend down that far."
Claire stood from her seat and hugged Radar. "I probably won't be so happy to be here in a few weeks, so I'll hug you now. Thanks, Radar."
Radar shrugged and blushed slightly. "Don't mention it."
"Well, this calls for a toast," Hawkeye declared, pouring himself and Claire a drink. "To Claire: welcome to the 4077th. At times it will be the pit of Hell, and at the same time, a barely livable cesspool. But, it's home. At least for now."
The End
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