IN THE AIR OVER MISSOURI

            "Momma," Emily said.  She was sitting on her mother's lap and looked up at her.  "Dere?"

            "We're almost there," Margaret smiled.  Emily was being very good, but she was getting sick of being on the plane.  "Do you want to sing another song?"  Emily smiled making her curls bounce.  "Okay," her mother said.

            Margaret and Emily song a couple of songs.  Then Margaret read a book to her.  She was very proud of how well behaved her baby girl was being.  There were a couple of other children, her age and older, on the plane that weren't nearly as well behaved as Emily.

            When the plane landed, Margaret carried Emily and her diaper bag off of the plane and into the airport.  This was the first time that she traveled with the baby, and had to find a way to get the luggage and Emily out of the airport and into a cab.  She accomplished it with some help from a baggage attendant and a cart.

            "Here we are," the cab driver said as they pulled up to a house.

            Margaret looked around.  It was a cute little house, with a white fence around it.  Margaret smiled thinking about the time they had the mortgage burning party for the Colonel.  True to his word, it wasn't a picket fence, but a fence that you could sit on. There was a barn in the back and a few beautiful horses out in the meadow. 

            "Momma," Emily said a little nervously.  "Dis?"

            Margaret smiled at the child as they climbed out of the cab.  "This is Colonel Potter's house.  We're going to stay here for a few days."  Margaret put Emily down on the ground and grabbed her hand.  She looked at the cab driver, "Would mind brining the suitcases to the door?"

            The older man smiled, "Gladly."

            "Thank you," Margaret said with a grateful smile.  "Okay baby," she said to her daughter.  "Let's go meet Mrs. Potter."

            Margaret walked up to the door and noticed that there was a note on it addressed to her.  Before she read it, she paid the cab driver.  Then she took the note off of the door, and read what it said.

            Margaret dear,

                        I'm sorry I can't be here.  I had to run to the hospital.  Don't worry, it's not bad news.  Make yourself at home, and feel free to help             yourself to anything in the kitchen.  I should be there by two.  Sorry.

                                                                        Mildred Potter

            Margaret looked at her watch; it was only twelve.  "Okay," Margaret said to her daughter.  "I guess we just go in."  She opened the door and Emily went in.  Then she brought the suitcases in and sat them by inside the door. 

            Emily looked up to her mother and held her hands up.  She wasn't too comfortable in strange situations and liked to be as close to her mother as possible.  Margaret picked up her child and looked around.  She saw what she thought she would see.  The living room was filled with pictures of family and friends.  The sofa was also covered in one of the swatches that the Colonel had showed her a few years ago.

            Margaret looked around more than she would have if Mrs. Potter would have been there.  Then she looked at the rest of the rooms on the first floor.  There was a den in there that she assumed was the Colonel's.  He had paintings, and pictures of friends from WWI up to Korea.  Margaret saw a few pictures that made her smile.

            There was one of BJ and Hawkeye goofing off doing God knows what.  There was one of Radar sitting at his desk trying to get someone on the radio.  There was one sitting on the desk of Charles yelling at someone.  The person that he was yelling at was off the camera, but it could have been just about anyone.  Then there was one that caught her attention.  It was of her and Hawkeye.  They were sitting together in the O-club laughing.

            "Momma," Emily said looking at the picture that her mother held.

            Margaret smiled, "That's right."  She placed the picture down on the desk.  "Are you hungry?"  The cubby little blonde shook her head yes.  "Alright.  We'll see what we can find, and then put you down for a nap."

            "No," Emily said shaking her head.  "No nap."

            Margaret smiled and kissed the child on the cheek.  "Yes nap.  Now let's get something to eat."

            Margaret found another note on the kitchen counter telling her what there was to make for lunch.  Emily wasn't picky about what she ate, and Margaret just made something simple to eat.  It was a little strange making herself at home in a person's home that she never met.  After a while she sat down in the living room with her daughter, and got Emily to take a nap.  She laid the child on the couch and covered her up with her blanket.  She had a specific pink blanket that she had to have when she fell asleep.

            A half an hour after Emily fell asleep, Mrs. Potter came home.  Margaret heard her pull into the driveway and stepped out onto the front porch to greet her.  The old woman smiled at her, "Hi.  You have to be Margaret."

            "Yes," Margaret smiled.  "It's nice to meet you," she said shaking the lady's hand. 

            Mildred smiled and hugged Margaret.  "I feel like I already know you.  Sherman is going to be so happy to see you.  Now, where's that little girl?"  She asked as she walked into the house.

            Margaret followed the lady into the house.  "She's right here sleeping on the couch."

            Margaret looked on as Mildred approached the coach.  Emily was lying on her back with her hands above her head and a few blonde curls across her face.  "She's gorgeous," the lady told Margaret.  Emily had fare skin like Margaret, and the same full lips, as well as the blonde hair.  "I bet she has blue eyes under those eyelids."

            "She does," Margaret smiled.

            "Look at those chubby little cheeks.  I just want to pinch them."  Mildred looked at Margaret.  "You can tell she's your daughter.  Come sit with me in the kitchen."

            Margaret followed the lady and sat down at the kitchen table.  "How is the Colonel doing?"

            "I think he'll be okay.  He's a fighter, but it was touch and go for a while.  When he heard that you were coming, his spirits definitely improved.  He was delighted to hear that you're married and have a little girl."

            "Oh, I'm not married."  Margaret saw the change in the woman's face.  She was used to it now.  It was rare to see a single parent in 1955 America.  "It's a long story."

            "It's none of my business," the woman immediately said.  "That must be the reason you're so busy and difficult to get a hold of."

            Margaret smiled and shook her head yes.  "That would be it.  I wouldn't change a thing, though.  Emily is the best thing that ever happened to me."

            Mildred saw the love in Margaret's eyes, and the way she smiled.  It was easy to see that Margaret was happy with her life.  "I can see that.  So tell me about yourself.  I want to hear all about you."

            Margaret and Mildred had a nice long conversation and got to know each other.  When Emily woke up, she didn't know where she was.  She started to cry until her mother came and picked her up.  Margaret calmed her down and then took her to meet Mrs. Potter.  Emily was shy at first, but warmed up quickly when the old woman gave her a cookie.

            Mildred showed Margaret where her room was, and told her to get settled and freshen up.  They were going to see the Colonel at the hospital, and then go out to dinner.  Margaret didn't care about the dinner, but she was anxious to see the Colonel.  She wanted to see for herself that he was okay, and talk to him.

            When they got to the hospital, Mildred turned Emily's attention away from her mother, and Margaret snuck off to see the Colonel.  She knocked gently on the door and slowly opened it.

            The Colonel saw her and smiled.  "Margaret, I was beginning to think you fell off the face of the earth."

            Margaret smiled and gave the man a kiss on the cheek and a gentle hug.  "I'm still here, sir."

            "Well I'm glad to see that," he smiled.  "Have a seat.  Did you meet the Mrs.?"

            "Yes, she's as lovely as you said she was."  Margaret looked him over and felt very sad.  "What happened?"

            "I didn't listen to the doctor.  Let me give a piece of advice.  Always listen to your doctor.  They know what they're talking about."

            "I will," she promised.  "How are you feeling?"

            "I've been better, but I'm better than I was.  I'm so glad that you could come.  I had Mildred calling all over for four days before she finally found you."

            "I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch.  So much happened when I got home, and…"

            The Colonel held his hand up.  "You don't need to explain, Major.  I knew that if I ever needed you, you would come, and you did.  I hear that you're married and have a daughter," he changed the subject.

            "I do have a daughter," she smiled.  "But I'm not married."

            "Oh," he said puzzled.  "I heard you had a little girl, and I just assumed you were married.  I'm sorry."

            "It's okay," she said.  "It happens all the time.  It's just me and Emily, and I love it," she smiled.  "We have each other, and that's all we need."

            The Colonel smiled.  "So the tough Major Houlihan is a mother, huh?  I've got to see that.  You'll have to sneak her in here so I can meet her."

            "I'll try.  Maybe if you get out of here soon enough you can meet her at your house.  She loves your wife.  The first thing she did was give Emily a cookie.  All you have to do with that little girl is offer her a snack, and she'll be your friend forever."  The Colonel laughed.  "She's like a puppy."

            "She sounds like a good kid.  I'm happy to see that you didn't forget to have a happy life."

            Margaret chuckled.  "I probably would have, but when I found out I was pregnant I was forced to give up my army career.  If it wasn't for Emily, I would still be looking for happiness in a career."

            "It was a good thing she came along then."

            "It was a very good thing.  So, tell me how you're feeling."

            The Colonel gave Margaret the medical report like he knew she wanted.  Then they sat down as friends and filled each other in on the last two years.  The Colonel had fully retired from being a doctor.  He would occasionally fix up his grandchildren when they scraped their knees, but for the most part he made time up to his wife.

            They decided to stay home with each other and enjoy their home.  That's not something he did much.  When they were first married, they traveled all over the country living on different army bases.  The Colonel spent a lot of time away from home, and wanted to spend time at home.  He had traveled all over the world, and was done with that.

            Margaret and the Colonel were talking and laughing about the past, when Margaret heard a cry.  It sounded like it was coming from her daughter.  She looked at her watch and realized that she and the Colonel had been talking for two hours.  As the cry became louder, Margaret knew it was her daughter.

            "That's Emily," she told the Colonel.  She stood up, "I better go see what's going on."  Just then the door opened and Mildred came in holding Emily in her arms.  "What's the matter?"  Margaret asked walking over.

            "Momma," Emily cried and held her hands out.

            Margaret took her from Mrs. Potter, and Emily laid her head down.  Mildred looked at the concerned young mother and smiled.  "She's alright.  She's been fine.  We were outside, and she fell down and scraped her knee.  Nothing seemed to calm her down, so the nurses let me bring her in."

            "Oh," Margaret said rubbing her daughter's back.  "What's the matter?"  She asked her daughter. 

            Emily picked her head up, "Boo boo," she cried.

            Margaret held her so that she could see the little girl's knee.  "Poor little girl.  Do you want me to kiss it and make it all better?"  Emily shook her head yes and lifted her knee up as best as she could.  Margaret helped her, and bent her head down to kiss the child's knee.  "Is that better?"  She asked her daughter.

            "Yes," Emily said with a small smile.

            Margaret smiled at her.  Then she noticed that Mildred was sitting on the Colonel's bed and the two of them were watching her with her daughter.  "Emily, I want you to meet Colonel Potter.  Can you say Colonel Potter?"  That was the first time that Emily noticed there was a strange man in the room.  She quickly turned shy and shook her head no. 

            "Hi there little lady," the Colonel said.  "you sure do look like your mother."

            Margaret looked at her shy daughter, "Can you say, 'Colonel'?"

            Emily looked at her mother and quietly said, "Ernal."

            "Very good," Margaret praised.  "Can you say 'hi' to the Colonel?"

            Emily looked at the man and leaned closer to her mother.  "Hi," she waved shyly. 

            "Hi," he said again.  "Your mother's been telling me all about you.  She wasn't lying when she said that you were cute."  Emily didn't know what to do and put her head down on her mother's shoulder.  "You're not shy, are you?"

            Mildred looked at her husband.  "She's a little shy until she gets to know you.  Look at those eyes.  Aren't they the most beautiful blue eyes you've ever seen?"

            Sherman smiled.  His wife was a sucker for a cute baby.  "They are gorgeous.  You're going to have a hard time keeping the boys away from her," he told Margaret.  "She's a real looker."

            Margaret smiled and hugged her nervous daughter to her.  "I don't have to worry about that for a while.  I'm still working on weaning her from the bottle.  She has to have one at bedtime." 

            Margaret turned her head to the door when there was a knock at it.  She was close to the door and opened it.  "Excuse me," a nurse said.  "But she can't be in here any longer.  I'm sorry."

            "I'll be right out," Margaret told the nurse.

            "Okay," the woman smiled.

            Margaret turned and walked over to the Colonel, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  "Get better.  I'll see you tomorrow."

            "Bye," he said. 

            "Say 'bye-bye' to the Colonel," Margaret told her daughter.

            "Bye-bye," the baby said with a shy smile.

            "Bye, darlin'," he smiled.  "I'll see you tomorrow," he said to Margaret as she approached the door.  Margaret gave him a smile before leaving the room.  The Colonel looked at his wife.  "If you knew that woman before today, you'd be amazed.  That kid she has has really done something for her."

            Mildred smiled at her husband.  "Children tend to do that for their mothers."  She could see the change in her husband already.  He was more upbeat, and happy.  She knew that he had a special relationship with all of the people he served with over the years.  Margaret was really the first woman that he took under his wing and looked after as though she were his daughter.  She knew that he missed her, and was more than a little saddened that they lost touch.

            "Are you going to stop by before you go home?"

            "Of course.  Are you sure you don't want me to spend the night again?"

            "Not tonight," he said.  "Get to know Margaret a little better and let her get comfortable with being in our house.  If I know her, she's not too comfortable yet."  Mildred shook her head in conformation.  "Maybe she'll be better tomorrow.  She won't be alone at our house, and you can spend the night here."

            Mildred gave him a kiss.  "That's right.  We have another guest coming tomorrow.  I'll see you in about two hours."

            "Okay," he said.

            She could see that although he was much happier than he had been, he was also very tired.  He was still sick, and would be weak for a long time.  Having a heart attack wasn't something that you bounce back quickly from.  It takes time and work.

            Mildred took Margaret and Emily out to dinner and introduced the two of them to the people that she knew.  Everyone was pleased to meet Margaret, which came as a surprise to her.  She didn't think that people would even know about her.  She started to realize just how much she meant to the Colonel.  She started to think that maybe he thought as much of her as she did of him.

            Margaret put Emily to bed at eight thirty, and visited a little more with Mrs. Potter.  She really liked this woman, and after only one day with her, she felt like she had known her for years.  There was something about the lady that made Margaret feel very comfortable.  It helped that her daughter liked the woman.

            It was after eleven when Margaret got to bed.  Like Mrs. Potter had promised, there was a crib in her room for her daughter.  She had to be very quiet so as not to wake the sleepy baby.  Emily could be a deep sleeper, but Margaret didn't want to take any chances.  She checked on the child, and then slipped into her own bed and drifted off to sleep.