M*A*S*H — The One Year Reunion
Author's note: The characters belong to 20th Century Fox. Any other characters belong to me.
July 27, 1954. It's one full year after the Korean War ended. Hawkeye and Margaret are still happily married and the twins are a year old and they all still live in Crabapple Cove. B.J. and Peg still live in Mill Valley. B.J. practices as a general surgeon at San Francisco General. Erin is three years old and Peg is a housewife. Sherman and Mildred Potter still live in Hannibal and Sophie was brought to the states and Sherman rides his beloved horse everyday on his ranch. Klinger and Soon Lee live in River Bend and Soon Lee is expecting their first child. Father Mulcahy also lives in River Bend and is the chaplain at General Pershing Memorial Hospital, the same hospital where Sherman and Klinger work. Father Mulcahy got some of his hearing back from that accident in Korea. Radar and Patty recently got married and Radar is entering the Police Academy in Des Moines and he's also a part-time farmer along with his mother. Trapper and Louise are still together in Boston. Trapper practices as a general surgeon at Boston Mercy. Becky is 8 and Kathy is 10. Charles and Cathy Jo live in Boston and they're expecting their first child. Charles is the head surgeon at Boston Mercy. Louise Burns is a widow and still lives in Fort Wayne. She works as a receptionist at a local company. Her daughters are Laura, 14, Christina, 12, and Julianna, 10. Lorraine Blake still lives in Bloomington and works at a local diner as a waitress to support her children. She'll never forget the day that Henry was killed. Her children are Molly, 8, Janie, 6, and Andrew, 3.
Hawkeye and Margaret decided to have a reunion party every July 27 in Crabapple Cove at their home. Hawkeye and Margaret are busy setting up extra tables and chairs in their house and in the lawn. The house is a Victorian era style. There's a verandah on the front entrance and the house is white with green shutters, green trim, and a green roof. There are ten rooms in the house. Downstairs houses the kitchen, living room, dining room, bathroom/laudryroom, and study. Upstairs houses Daniel's bedroom, the twin's bedroom, Hawkeye and Margaret's bedroom, a spare bedroom, and the second bathroom. Margaret has made all kinds of food, so that the rest of the gang doesn't have to make anything. Margaret is wearing a yellow dress with white sandals to compliment her blonde hair. Hawkeye is wearing his famous Hawaiian shirt with navy blue shorts and his famous cowboy hat along with black sandals. Daniel is wearing a khaki green shorts set with black sandals. Maggie is wearing a pink sunsuit and Ben is wearing a blue sunsuit and both are wearing white sandals. Suddenly, the doorbell rings and Margaret answers it.
"Mom, what are you doing here?" asked Margaret as she saw her mother at the door
"Margaret, dear, I just wanted to know if you need any help with the party!" replied Jean Houlihan as she came to the house wearing a purple dress and white shoes to compliment her light grey hair
"Well, you could try my cooking to see if it's fit to eat!" said Margaret as she and her mother headed to the kitchen
"Margaret, everything looks so marvelous. I'm sure everything's fine! I can stay and help Daniel look after the kids if you want!" said Jean as she opened and closed the fridge
"Sure, mom! You know, it's nice that you're living right next door to me than to live in another state!" said Margaret
"I know. I'm glad I made the right choice!" answered Jean
Hawkeye comes into the kitchen and smells all of the food.
"Hi, Jean! Hello, sweetheart!" said Hawkeye as he kissed Margaret
"Hawkeye! How's my favorite son-in-law?" asked Jean
"Jean, I'm your only son-in-law. I'm great!" replied Hawkeye
"I know, you're still my favorite. Where's my grandchildren?" asked Jean
"Dad's playing with them in the living room!" said Hawkeye
"I'll go and leave you two lovebirds alone!" said Jean as she headed toward the living room
"What was that all about?" asked Hawkeye
"Oh, Hawkeye, you know my mother, she just wants to help out!" said Margaret
"I know. So tell me, what did my little sweetheart cook up for the party?" asked Hawkeye as he hugged and kissed Margaret
"Well, I made some coleslaw, tossed salad, potato salad, chocolate cake, cherry cheesecake, and I cooked some ham and lobster to go along with the salads. All of the food is cooling in the fridge because I don't want anyone to get food poisoning!" replied Margaret
"Well, it's a safe bet! I've been eating your cooking for a year and I've never been poisoned by it!" answered Hawkeye
"I guess it proves that I'm still a good cook!" said Margaret
Hawkeye and Margaret laugh about their whole conversation and the doorbell rings again. They both answer it.
"Well, honey, look, it's the Hunnicutt clan all the way from California!" said Hawkeye as he opened the door
"B.J., Peg, and Erin! I'm so glad you could all make it! Erin, you're turning out to be quite a cutie-pie!" said Margaret as the Hunnicutts came into the house
"Hawkeye, Margaret, we wouldn't miss this reunion for the world!" said B.J., who was wearing his Hawaiian shirt with black shorts and black shoes, and he still had the moustache
"That's right! B.J. planned his whole vacation around our reunion just so we could be here!" said Peg, who was wearing a sky blue dress and white sandals
"Erin, this is Uncle Hawkeye and Aunt Margaret!" said B.J.
"Hi!" said Erin wearing a pink dress and white sandals to compliment her light brown hair and brown eyes
"Listen, dad and Jean have the twins in the living room playing with toys. Erin, would you like to join them?" asked Hawkeye
"Yeah!" said Erin
"I think that means yes!" said Peg as she and Margaret took Erin to the living room
Hawkeye and B.J. are still talking in the foyer when the Winchesters and MacIntyres arrive together.
"Well, if it isn't Pierce and Hunnicutt, my old Swamp mates!" said Charles, also wearing his Hawaiian shirt and black shorts with black shoes, as he, Trapper, Louise, and Cathy Jo enter the house
"Hawkeye, B.J.! Great to see you again!" said Trapper, who was wearing his famous Hawaiian shirt with green shorts and black sandals
"This is a surprise, you and Charles driving from Boston together!" said Hawkeye
"It was Trapper's idea that we save gas and motel rates!" said Charles
"Hi, everyone! How's everyone doing?" asked Cathy Jo, wearing a black maternity dress with white sandals
"We're great, Cathy Jo! My goodness, you're getting big!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, I'm eight months pregnant! I should be getting big!" answered Cathy Jo
"She has all of the side effects that I had when I was pregnant with Kathy and Becky. I swear, we had to stop at every rest stop from here to Boston!" said Louise, who was wearing a mauve dress and white sandals
"Great to see you, Louise! Where's your kids?" asked B.J.
"B.J., they decided to stay at their friends house the whole weekend while we're gone. I feel so much better knowing that they're staying with good people. Where's Peg?" asked Louise
"She and Margaret took Erin to play with Maggie and Ben in the living room!" said B.J.
"Cathy Jo, let's say you and I go see the kids and leave the men to themselves!" said Louise
"Right behind you, Louise!" answered Cathy Jo as she and Louise headed to the living room
Just as the men were catching up on stories, the Potters, the O'Reillys, the Klingers, and Father Mulcahy arrive.
"Hello, everyone! It's great to be here!" said Sherman, wearing a navy blue shorts set with black sandals, as he and the rest of the gang entered the house
"Sherman, you're looking well!" said Charles
"Thanks for dropping the Colonel nonsense. I'm retired from the army!" said Sherman
"It's great to see you all again!" said Father Mulcahy, wearing a black shorts set with black shoes and his crucifix
"It's nice that everyone's together on a happier occasion!" said Klinger wearing a Toledo jersey and blue shorts with black sandals
"That goes for me!" said Radar, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and blue shorts and black sandals
"Radar, old buddy! Congratulations on the wedding and Soon Lee, congratulations on your new arrival!" said Hawkeye
"Thanks, Hawkeye. Where's Margaret?" asked Patty, wearing a red dress and white sandals
"I wonder if she needs my help getting everything. I bought some pies at Gillis' Bakery & Deli up the street from here. I wasn't sure she had anything!" said Mildred, wearing a green dress and white sandals
"If Cathy Jo's here, we could exchange experiences on our pregnancies. I'm seven months pregnant!" said Soon Lee, wearing a pink maternity dress and white sandals
"Margaret, Cathy Jo, Louise, and Peg are in the living room with the kids. I'll put your pies in the fridge for you, Mildred!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, that's sweet of you!" said Mildred
The women all gathered in the kitchen to chat while the men sat on the verandah and chatted.
"So, how's everyone been?" asked Margaret as Maggie sat on her lap
"Everything's great with Trapper and me. Becky and Kathy are almost teenagers and they decided to stay with friends this weekend!" said Louise
"Sherman is so much more relaxed since he retired form the army. Everything's the same as it was before he went to war, except that he goes for a morning ride with Sophie!" said Mildred
"I'm so glad that B.J.'s back. My life is more complete now that I have Erin and B.J. together again!" replied Peg as Erin sat on her lap
"Max is the sweetest man I know. He surprises me every month with flowers or a candlelight dinner. I've got a pregnant belly to show for it!" answered Soon Lee
"Radar and I like to go out on the town every weekend. He's so sweet and cute!" said Patty
"Charles always surprises me with little gifts. You know, everyday that I'm home cooking and cleaning, I miss him dearly. That's why I kiss and hug him when he comes home!" said Cathy Jo
"Hawkeye and I try to go out once in a while, but we only go out if Daniel or mom doesn't mind babysitting. He surprises me with flowers, wine, jewelry, or chocolates. He took me out for a candlelight dinner on our second wedding anniversary!" replied Margaret
"That's my son-in-law, the hopeless romantic. All I can say is that he's making my little girl very happy!" said Jean
"Thanks, mom. By the way, Soon Lee and Cathy Jo, when are your babies due?" asked Margaret
"Max and I are expecting in September. Max thinks it's a boy, but we'll know when this baby comes out. Sherman said it was alright to travel because he's my doctor!" answered Soon Lee
"Charles and I are due in a couple of weeks. I think my baby is a girl because of the way it moves around. The baby's been kicking me all day!" answered Cathy Jo
"Who's your doctor, Cathy Jo?" asked Margaret
"Charles is. He and Trapper told me it was okay to travel. He's a little nervous because he's never delivered a baby before!" said Cathy Jo
"B.J. had one of his colleagues deliver Erin. He was too scared to do it himself in case of complications!" said Peg
"Sherman smoked his cigars in the waiting room when Evie and Cory were born. One of his friends delivered both of my kids!" said Mildred
"Trapper delivered both Kathy and Becky under the supervision of his obstetrician friend!" said Louise
"Old Doctor Taylor delivered Margaret at the Mash unit Alvin and I were stationed at. It was the happiest day of my life!" said Jean
"Mom and I have something in common. We both gave birth to our kids at Mash units. The only difference is the my husband delivered our kids. I'll never forget the look on Hawkeye's face when he realized that the first person our kids saw was their daddy. It was the happiest day of my life!" said Margaret
"Radar and I don't plan to have children just yet. We want to spend time with each other first. We spend most of our time drinking Grape Nehi instead of liquor!" said Patty
"Speaking of Grape Nehi, Patty, I bought a case of it along with me because it's also my favorite drink. I'll get Charles to bring it in for me. Would you like a bottle?" asked Cathy Jo
"Thanks, Cathy Jo, I'd love it. It's also Radar's favorite drink!" answered Patty
"I'll go out and get it!" said Cathy Jo
Cathy Jo walks out to the verandah to find Hawkeye holding Ben on his lap, B. J., Charles, Klinger, Sherman, Radar, Father Mulcahy, and Daniel in heavy conversation.
"Honey, is there something wrong? Are you having early contractions?" asked Charles
"No, Charles, I was wondering if you could get the case of Grape Nehi our of the trunk for me!" answered Cathy Jo
"Of course, sweetheart!" replied Charles
"Oh, Radar, I know that Grape Nehi is your favorite drink and Patty and I like it too, would you like some?" asked Cathy Jo
"Sure thing, Cathy Jo!" replied Radar
Charles brings the case up to the verandah.
"Here you go, Radar! I'll put the rest in the fridge later!" said Cathy Jo as she handed Radar a bottle and headed back into the house
"Gee, thanks!" said Radar
"Charles, you have a swell girl. It just amazes me that you're married!" said B.J.
"What's that supposed to mean, Hunnicutt?" asked Charles
"You're so sweet to her, unlike the way you treated us!" answered B.J.
"I guess that's true that opposites attract!" said Hawkeye
"So, Winchester, when's your little lady due with your baby?" asked Sherman
"Sherman, she's due in two weeks time!" answered Charles
"She's due in two weeks and her doctor let her travel?" asked Hawkeye
"Relax, Pierce, I'm Cathy Jo's doctor and I assure you that she hasn't had any complications. I have Trapper to back me up on that, right Trapper?" asked Charles
"Right, Charles! Besides, she's surrounded by five of the best doctors in the world if she goes into labor!" said Trapper
"I'm a little nervous, too! Soon Lee's due in a couple of months and I've never been a father before!" said Klinger
"Klinger, I know I'm not speaking from experience, but I think you'll be fine. I've seen the way you handled those Korean orphans back in Korea, you filled their lives with joy!" said Father Mulcahy
"Do you really think so, Father?" asked Klinger
"I believe in it. I have God to back me up on it too!" answered Father Mulcahy
"Well, I guess Winchester has got it all together. He isn't nervous, right Winchester?" asked Sherman
"Yes, of course!" replied Charles
"Klinger, don't feel bad. I was nervous too when Margaret was pregnant. You're not alone!" said Hawkeye
"Gee, thanks! You truly are my friends!" said Klinger
"Say, Klinger, what did you ever do with those dresses?" asked Radar
"Well, Radar, I gave them all to Soon Lee!" answered Klinger
"That's nice. You know, you had a lot of great dresses. Let's see, there was the nun's outfit, the Moses getup, the nurses uniform!" said Radar
"Don't forget the Statue of Liberty or Lady Godiva outfits!" said Hawkeye
"Or Gone With The Wind and the Wizard of Oz outfits!" said Sherman
"Hey, I still have those getups. I know, I'll rent them out as Halloween costumes!" replied Klinger
"You know, it's too bad that Old Ferret Face is dead. We played a lot of good jokes on him and the rest of the unit!" said Hawkeye
"I remember the time Frank dug out a fox hole and I filled it with water and I got Sidney Freedman to yell 'Air Raid' and Frank fell into the hole and got all wet!" said B.J.
"Hawkeye and I put Frank in a box and nailed it shut, but we put breathing holes in it!" said Trapper
"Trapper and I trapped Frank in his fox hole and parked a jeep over it!" said Hawkeye
"Gentlemen, I seem to remember that Margaret played some jokes on you!" said Charles
"Hot Lips, a practical joker?" asked Trapper
"Oh yeah, she took mine and Hawkeye's robes while we were in the shower and she had the nurses waiting for us in the Swamp and we had to walk across the compound naked!" said B.J.
"She put oatmeal in my boots and we stole her tent and I put a skeleton in my bunk and she got scared and hit me with a pillow!" said Hawkeye
"You guys stole my clothes and other belongings when I wouldn't give you my papers!" said Charles
"Charles, I stole your belongings and put them in my tent. I was forced to do it!" said Father Mulcahy
"Father, I'm shocked that you would do such a thing!" said Trapper
"I'm also shocked. I didn't think you had it in you!" said Radar
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, but you all know that I like to box!" replied Father Mulcahy
"I remember when I had my friend, Daniel, come and he faked a heart attack just to pay you back for all those tricks you played on him!" said Sherman
"I know we all had our good times and bad, but I would hate to see my little Ben get drafted like I did!" said Hawkeye as he watched Ben playing on his lap
"Son, I felt the same way when you got drafted. I felt that a part of my life was gone when you left!" said Daniel
"I missed you and thought about you everyday, dad!" said Hawkeye
"I know, son!" replied Daniel
Back in the kitchen, the women were still in a heavy conversation.
"Margaret, everything looks delicious. You must have been up all night cooking!" said Mildred
"Try all day yesterday! Cooking the good was the easy part, trying to keep Hawkeye from eating it all was the hard part!" replied Margaret
All of the ladies share a laugh.
"The baby just kicked me for the umpteenth time today. I guess it's anxious to get here!" said Cathy Jo
"Erin kicked inside of me all the time I was pregnant. That's how I knew everything's alright!" replied Peg as she watched Erin playing on her lap
"This little lady here and her brother moved around about in my belly more times than you can shake a stick at! Mildred, thank you for the pies, but you didn't have to bring anything. Where did they come from?" asked Margaret
"Well, Margaret, I didn't want you to go through so much work just to feed all of us, so I stopped at Gillis' Bakery & Deli just up the street from here and got a cherry pie and an apple pie!" answered Mildred
"Gillis' Bakery & Deli! Oh, Rena and Shannon Gillis make the best baked goods in all of Crabapple Cove. Rena's son and Shannon's brother, Tommy, was a childhood friend of Hawkeye's. He visited the 4077 once and then he was hit by enemy fire. He came back to the 4077 as a patient and Hawkeye tried to save him, but he died in the O. R. I didn't know him that well, but I gave Hawkeye a shoulder to cry on!" said Margaret
"Margaret, that must have been awful for Hawkeye to go through!' replied Cathy Jo
"It was, Cathy Jo, but when Henry Blake's plane was shot down, it hurt Hawkeye even more. Henry's death affected all of us because he was our former C. O. , but when Sherman Potter came, we never forgot Henry!" said Margaret
"I wish I was around then to meet him, Henry sounds like he was a good man!" replied Cathy Jo
"Oh, he was. Trapper used to talk about Henry in his letters to home. Henry loved fishing more than anything, but most of all, he loved Lorraine and his kids!" answered Louise
"Radar told me about the time someone tried to kill Henry. This cowboy drove a jeep through Henry's tent while he was sleeping, he even blew up the latrine and his office chair, and he even tried to push Henry out of the chopper!" said Patty
"Why would anyone want to do that to a sweet, innocent, man?" asked Mildred
"Well, Radar said that this cowboy wanted a hardship leave and Henry wouldn't give it to him, so he tried to kill him!" answered Patty
"Max has told me all about Henry too! Henry and Sherman were like fathers to Max, since he was far away from Toledo!" said Soon Lee
"It's a shame that Henry never made it home. You know, he never got to meet his son, Andrew. He was born while Henry was in Korea. Molly and Janie sent home movies to him and he shared them with everyone. Now, Lorraine has to work as a waitress in order to support three kids, but she does get a survivor pension from the army, but its barely enough to get by!" said Margaret
"Well, B.J. wasn't too keen on me working as a waitress, but what can you do when you're raising a child on your own and your husband's in Korea!" answered Peg
"I was the one who straightened B.J. out. He was really upset about the whole thing and I told him that he was acting like a male chauvinist. Then he realized that he was wrong and I was right!" said Margaret
"Margaret, I'm so glad that you straightened him out. How can I ever thank you?" asked Peg
"You don't need to thank me. B.J. was the on who turned to me and changed his ways!" answered Margaret
"Margaret, what about Louise Burns? How's she doing?" asked Mildred
"Louise is doing alright, but it's hard for her to raise three girls on her own. She's working as a receptionist and Frank's army pension isn't much money a month. She talks to Lorraine Blake every so often because they're both widows trying to raise children on one income!" answered Margaret
"It's terrible that Frank overdosed on pills and died. I bet his daughters felt bad because they didn't know that their daddy was mentally ill!" said Louise
"Yes, it was terrible! Laura, Christina, and Julianna came home from school one day and found Frank lying on the bedroom floor face down. Laura tried to revive him, but by the time the ambulance got there, Frank was already dead! The girls had called Louise, who was at work at the time, just before they called the ambulance. Louise rushed home from work just before the ambulance got there. It was a day they'd never forget and the girls still have nightmares about it to this day. It happened almost 10 months ago!" said Margaret
"I can just about imagine what those girls are going through. I don't know what I'd do if Charles died so suddenly!" said Cathy Jo
"Same here. None of us would know what to do if our husbands were taken away from us so sudden!" said Patty
"I felt that way when Alvin left me. I felt that a part of my life was missing when he divorced me, but I know that I still had Margaret to go to!" said Jean
"Mom, I was devastated when dad left you. That's why I tried to please him and make him proud of me, hoping he would come back to you! I soon realized that you were happy without him!" said Margaret
"I know, dear!" replied Jean
"Well, what do you all say that we dig out the food and call the men into eat with us!" said Margaret
The women grabbed all of the food out of the fridge and set it on the kitchen table for a summer buffet. The men joined the women in the dining room to eat the meal, and the children were seated in high chairs eating toddler food.
"Margaret, everything's delicious! Did you make all of this food?" asked Sherman
"She sure did! I watched her making all of the food yesterday and she wouldn't let me eat it!" answered Hawkeye
"Oh, Hawkeye, I didn't want you to eat all food the food because our guests had to eat something! Thank you for the compliments, Sherman!" said Margaret
"Is this the famous Maine lobster we're eating?" asked B.J.
"The one and only! Hawkeye's friend, Dicky Barber, is a fisherman and he gave us all of these lobsters yesterday, so Margaret decided to serve it today! Hawkeye's other friend, Toby Wilder, is a farmer and he gave us all of the vegetables for the salads!" said Daniel
"It's delicious. I've never had lobster before!" said Radar
"Being from Iowa, you don't get much seafood!" said Klinger
"The lobster is tasty and the ham is out of this world!" said Charles
"The salads are excellent!" said Father Mulcahy
"Yeah, it's much better than Igor's cooking! At least it's not rotten!' said Trapper
"What ever happened to Igor?" asked Cathy Jo
"My guess is that he opened up a restaurant somewhere in the states, but I know one thing's for sure, I won't be eating there!" answered Hawkeye
"Everything's great. I can't wait to dig into those desserts!" said Soon Lee
"Those pies look so good!" said Peg
"So does the cheesecake!" said Patty
"And the cake looks good too!" said Louise
"I love every dessert in the world. I have a sweet tooth!" said Mildred
"Margaret and I both love sweets! It's hard to resist them!" said Jean
"Everyone help yourself to all of these desserts when you feel like it!" said Margaret
After desserts were served and ate, the men go into the living room and the women are busy cleaning up.
"Anyone have more memories of the 4077 they would like to share?" asked Hawkeye
"Well, I remember the day Henry was killed on his way home from the war! It touched all of us. I still remember Radar giving him a salute and Henry kissing Margaret. He also told Frank not to drive everyone nuts and to stuff his whistle!" said Trapper
"I remember coming into the O. R. and giving you all the news. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do!" said Radar
"I still remember making that special outfit just for his going away party. I still have that outfit too!" said Klinger
"It was a sad day for all of us, but it was a great day when Sherman stepped in to take over as C. O. I swear, one more day of Frank as C. O. and I would have went crazy!" said Hawkeye
"It was a great day when I met you all. You're my second family and I wish I'd met Henry. He sounds like my kind of guy!" said Sherman
"I wish I could have met him!" said Charles
"Same here, I put one of his fishing lure in the time capsule!" said B.J.
"We all had our good times telling jokes and playing jokes on each other. Not all of the war was bad!" said Father Mulcahy
"You're right. We drank the war away with the still!" said Trapper
"I second that motion, but we all became friends during the war. I'm so glad to have met you all!" said B.J.
"It's so nice that you were all there when my son needed you the most. I felt awful when he told me that Tommy Gillis died in the O. R. table right in front of him. I also felt bad when Hawkeye thought he had killed that baby on the bus. Son, that wasn't your fault, it was the mother of the baby. She was the one who killed him and I know that everyone in this room will agree with me on this one!" said Daniel
"We agree!" said the men in unison
Back in the kitchen, Margaret and Louise were washing dishes and Patty and Mildred were drying them. Soon Lee was putting all of the leftover food in the fridge, Cathy Jo was cleaning off the tables and Peg and Jean were watching Erin, Maggie, and Ben, so that they would stay out of the ladies' way.
"Margaret, this is a great party!" said Louise
"Everyone had a great time!" said Patty
"The food was excellent!" said Mildred
"And so were the stories!" said Peg
"I'm just glad that everything went according to plan!" said Margaret
"Ooh!" said Cathy Jo as she finished cleaning off the tables
"Cathy Jo, is something wrong?" asked Margaret
"Margaret, when you were in labor, how did you know it was time?" asked Cathy Jo
"As soon as my water broke and my contractions were five minutes apart, I knew it was time! Why do you ask?" asked Margaret
"Well, I thought that the baby was just kicking me all day, but now I'm convinced that it's more than that. I've been having pain every five minutes and my water just broke!" said Cathy Jo as she clutched her pregnant belly
"Oh my god! We don't have time to get to the hospital! Okay everyone, don't panic! Louise and Mildred, help Cathy Jo upstairs to the spare bedroom! Mom and Soon Lee, look after the kids! Peg and Patty, boil some water and get some sheets and towels! I'll get Hawkeye and Charles' medical bags and get them upstairs!" said Margaret
The men come out of the living room to find out what's going on.
"What's going on here?" asked Hawkeye
"Cathy Jo's in labor, her water just broke!" answered Margaret
"Oh my god, she's not due for a couple of weeks!" said Charles
"Charles, it can happen anytime after the eighth month!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, Charles, just go and get your medical bags and meet me upstairs in the spare bedroom!" said Margaret
Hours later, B.J., Sherman, Klinger, Radar, Father Mulcahy, Trapper, Peg, Mildred, Soon Lee, Patty, Louise, Jean, Daniel, Erin, Maggie, and Ben were all waiting downstairs in the living room for the word on the newest member of the 4077 family.
"B.J., I was wondering if you feel the same way as I do about giving Erin a little brother or sister to play with!" asked Peg as she sat next to B.J. holding Erin
"Peg, of course I want to have more kids. I'd love to have a son to take to ball games!" answered B.J. as he smiled at Peg and Erin
"I'm so glad because I want to have another baby!" replied Peg
"Me too, honey!" said B.J.
"Sherman, I thought I told you not to smoke in this house without asking first!" said Mildred as she fanned the smoke away from her face
"Mildred, Daniel said it was alright with him! Besides, I always smoke a cigar before a new arrival comes! When Cory and Evie were born, I was in the waiting room smoking!" answered Sherman as he sat next to Mildred
"This is exciting! A new bundle from god will be arriving before too long!" said Father Mulcahy
"Trapper, I miss the girls. I wish they joined us instead of deciding to be with their friends!" said Louise as she sat next to Trapper
"I know, I wish they came too and met everyone here. I miss them too!" said Trapper
"Max, do you realize that I'll be feeling the same way Cathy Jo is feeling right now? I'm scared to death!" said Soon Lee as she held Klinger's hand
"Don't worry, honey, it can't be any worse than what Cathy Jo's feeling right now!" replied Klinger
"Radar, I want to have a few kids of our own someday! What about you?" asked Patty
"Sweetheart, I want kids too!" answered Radar
"This reminds me when Hawkeye was born. Joan was in labor for a long time and finally, the nurse handed me my little boy in the waiting room!" said Daniel as he held Ben on his lap
"Daniel, I'm so excited and it's not even my grandchild being born! I guess I feel that Cathy Jo is like a second daughter to me, next to Margaret, of course!" said Jean as she held Maggie on her lap
Upstairs in the spare room, Cathy Jo is still wearing her black maternity dress as she is lying down beneath the sheets in the bed. Margaret is coaching her through the contractions and she has brought the baby scale into the room. Hawkeye is sterilizing instruments and Charles is monitoring the baby's heartbeat.
"Oh my god, I'm having another contraction! Ooh, ooh, ooh!" said Cathy Jo as she winced in pain
"Just breathe, he ho, he ho! Relax! It helped me through my labor!" said Margaret as she reassured Cathy Jo
"He ho, he ho! The pain is getting worse all the time! I didn't know childbirth was this painful!" said Cathy Jo as she had another contraction
"How far dilated is she now?" asked Hawkeye as he wiped Cathy Jo's forehead with a cold face cloth
"I don't know. We'll check as soon as we scrub up!" answered Charles
Charles and Hawkeye go into the bathroom to wash their hands and put on surgical gloves.
"Pierce, why wouldn't she tell me that she was having pain on our trip up here?" asked Charles
"I guess she didn't want to worry you and she probably thought the baby was just kicking her!" answered Hawkeye
"Pierce, were you as nervous as I am now?" asked Charles as he was scrubbing his hands
"Charles, I had butterflies in my stomach! Then I realized that Margaret did all of the work and I was the catcher!" answered Hawkeye as he was scrubbing his hands
"I'm also nervous about raising a child. I don't know if I can do it!" said Charles as he dried off his hands
"Charles, you told all of us that you were prepared!" replied Hawkeye as he dried off his hands
"I thought I was, but I guess I'm fearing the worst!" said Charles as he put on surgical gloves
"Don't worry, Charles, I'll take over if you pass out!" said Hawkeye as he put on surgical gloves
"Thanks, Pierce! We better get back to my wife and check her progress!" said Charles
Hawkeye and Charles go back to the bedroom.
"Cathy Jo, Charles is just going to do a vaginal exam to check how far dilated you are and you might feel a little pressure!" said Hawkeye as he and Margaret held Cathy Jo's hands
"Hawkeye, it can't be any worse than what I feel now!" answered Cathy Jo as Charles was doing the exam
"Charles, what's the scoop? Is she ready to push?" asked Hawkeye
"Pierce, take a look over here! What do you think?" asked Charles as he motioned Hawkeye to help him with the exam
"Charles, the baby's head is crowing! That means she's fully dilated to 10 centimeters!" said Hawkeye as he helped Charles with the exam
"Charles, you mean I can push now!" said Cathy Jo
"That's right, sweetheart!" answered Charles
"Cathy Jo, just hold my hand and take a cleansing breath and push! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10! Stop pushing and repeat the same process over again!" said Margaret as she reassured Cathy Jo
"Margaret, I hope I'm not hurting your hand!" said Cathy Jo
"Not at all!" said Margaret
"You're not hurting mine either!" said Hawkeye as he held Cathy Jo's other hand
"The head's out, Cathy Jo! I need you to push a couple of more times to get the rest of the baby out!" said Charles as he was delivering the baby
"The baby's got more hair than the father! Charles, you're holding up well, and Cathy Jo, you're doing great!" said Hawkeye as he wiped Cathy Jo's forehead with a cold face cloth
"Charles, can I push now? I really need to now! Ooh, ooh!" said Cathy Jo as she winced in pain again
"You're doing great! Okay, the baby's out now and I'm cleaning the fluids out of the mouth and cutting the cord!" said Charles as he held the baby in a blanket
"Waa, Waa!" cried the new baby
"Charles, what is it? Is it a boy or a girl?" asked Cathy Jo as she heard the baby crying for the first time
"Sweetheart, it's a girl!" replied Charles as he smiled at his newborn
"Charles, you did a great job delivering you own child. I'm proud of you and so glad you didn't faint while in the process!" said Hawkeye as he looked at the newborn
"You were right, Pierce, it was a wonderful experience!" said Charles as he handed the baby to Margaret to get weighed
"Cathy Jo, I'm just cleaning your little girl off while she's being weighed!" said Margaret as she placed the baby on the scale
"Margaret, how much does she weigh?" asked Cathy Jo
"She weighs 6 lbs, 8 oz, and she's 21 inches long! I think this little lady should be with her mommy now!" said Margaret as she put a diaper on the baby
"Cathy Jo, I need you to push to deliver the placenta!" said Charles
"Alright, but that's all the pushing you'll get out of me today!" said Cathy Jo as she pushed
"Okay, it's out and there doesn't look to be any signs of bleeding!" said Charles as cleaned Cathy Jo off and finished her exam
Margaret hands the baby over to Cathy Jo.
"Hello, little lady! We're so glad you decided to make an early appearance at our party! I'm your mommy and that bald man over there is your daddy! Charles, she smiles just like you and she has your nose and chin!" said Cathy Jo as she held her baby for the first time
"She's beautiful! She's got brown hair and hazel eyes like her mother! We have to give this little one a name!" said Charles as he looked at his wife and daughter
"How about Jessica Isabella? I always liked the name Jessica Isabella!" said Cathy Jo
"I like it! Jessica, there's a couple of people I want you to meet, this is Hawkeye and Margaret Pierce, a couple of your mommy and daddy's friends!" said Charles
"Cathy Jo, she's beautiful! I can't believe that Maggie and Ben were ever that small!" said Margaret
"You picked a beautiful name for a girl! Margaret, speaking about Maggie and Ben, where are they?" asked Hawkeye
"Mom and Daniel's watching them!" answered Margaret
There's a knock at the door.
"Come in!" said Cathy Jo
"We heard we have a new visitor! Can we have visiting hours now?" asked B.J. as he opened the door
"Okay, but one at a time!" answered Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, it's alright! Everyone come in! I want to present Jessica Isabella Winchester to all of you!" replied Cathy Jo
"Congratulations, Winchester! Here's a cigar for you!" said Sherman
"Thanks, Sherman!" said Charles
"May you be blessed with many happy years with little Jessica!" said Father Mulcahy
"Thank you, Father! I was wondering if you would baptize Jessica the next time you're in Boston!" said Cathy Jo
Why, I'd be delighted to!" said Father Mulcahy
"Charles, you did a great job! I told you that delivering babies was a piece of cake!" said Trapper
"Thanks, Trapper. You and Pierce were both right!" said Charles
"She's so small, but she looks like her mother!" said Radar
"Oh, Radar, I think she smiles like Charles and she has his nose and chin!" said Cathy Jo
"Cathy Jo, she's an angel! I'm going to be feeling the same way Charles is feeling right now! You'll make a fine mother!" said Klinger
"Jessica takes your breath away! She has the honor of being the first baby to be born in the Pierce home!" said Daniel
"She's adorable! I think she looks like both of you!" said Jean
"Thank you all for your support! I hope I didn't ruin the party!" said Cathy Jo
"You did no such thing! You just made the party more exciting!" said Mildred
"Radar and I are planning to start a family soon!" said Patty
"B.J. and I plan to give Erin a little brother or sister!" said Peg
"Cathy Jo, I figured you would have the baby here because you told me on our trip up here that you felt that baby kicking!" said Louise
"Louise, I didn't know that I would have this baby today! I never knew what to expect from labor!" said Cathy Jo
"Is childbirth as bad as they say it is? I'm going to feel that way in a few months time!" said Soon Lee
"Soon Lee, it wasn't as bad as I thought! I'm definitely having more children! I was more relaxed having Margaret and Hawkeye coaching me and having Charles delivering our baby!" said Cathy Jo
"Does this bring back memories for you, dear?" asked Margaret as she held Maggie
"It sure does! Did you ever think about us having more children?" asked Hawkeye as he held Ben
"No, I think having twins is plenty for me! Besides, we have both a girl and a boy! I never would have thought that three years ago, I would find true happiness with the best husband in the world!" said Margaret
"We have two beautiful children and I wouldn't trade them in for the world! It's hard to imagine that three years ago, we couldn't stand each other, I always thought you hated me!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, like I said before, I've always loved you, but I didn't want to tell you when Frank was there because he'd have a fit! After I got divorced from Donald, I saw a different side of you! When you were sick with the flu, I didn't want you to die! When you lost your sight, I was hoping that you would get it back and you did! When you had that sneezing fit, I was so scared because I didn't know if you would survive the illness! When you had appendicitis, I couldn't keep my feelings for you bottled up inside me any longer, so that's why I told you that I loved you as you were put under! I was scared you were going to die!" said Margaret
"Margaret, it's okay, I'm here now and I'll always be here for you! I'm not going anywhere! Did you really think that I was dying every time I got sick?" asked Hawkeye
"Yes, Hawkeye, I didn't want to lose you so soon, and I'm not going anywhere myself! The scariest time for me was when you were in that psychiatric hospital with Sidney, I was all alone with the twins raising them myself! I was scared that you would never be the same person and I was so scared that you would leave me and our babies behind! I wasn't sure how you would react with our own children after that incident!" said Margaret
"Oh, Margaret, I didn't know if I would ever be allowed out of there again, but I missed you and the twins and you and dad convinced me that I didn't kill that baby, but the mother did! I was trying to protect my family!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, I'm still going to stand by you like our marriage vows said, and my children need their daddy!" said Margaret
"I love you, Margaret!" said Hawkeye
"And I love you too, Hawkeye!" replied Margaret
They kiss each other and watch Cathy Jo as she gets acquainted with Jessica.
"Charles, sweetheart, could you get my smaller suitcase out of the car? I packed baby diapers and baby clothes and baby supplies just in case I had the baby here!" said Cathy Jo
"Sure, darling! I love both of my girls!" said Charles as he kissed both Cathy Jo and Jessica
"We love you too!" said Cathy Jo as she started to breast feed Jessica
"Cathy Jo, I was just going to ask you whether you were going to breast feed or bottle feed, but I see you've already decided! I bottle fed my kids!" said Margaret
"Oh, Margaret, I knew for a long time that I wanted to breast feed! I feel that this method brings a mother and her child closer together!" said Cathy Jo
"Hawkeye, can I talk to you?" asked Daniel
"What's on your mind, dad?" asked Hawkeye
"Well, since Cathy Jo gave birth to her baby in our house and since she'll need her rest, I was wondering if she and Charles and Jessica would like to stay here until she's strong enough to travel back to Boston! I could put your old cradle here in the spare room so that Charles and Cathy Jo could have the baby in the same room with them!" said Daniel
"Dad, that's a great idea! I'll talk to Margaret to see what she thinks!" said Hawkeye
"Honey, dad had a great idea! He wants to put my old cradle in this room so that Cathy Jo, Charles, and Jessica can stay a few days until Cathy Jo has rested up enough to go home!" said Hawkeye
"That's a great idea! I'll ask them!" said Margaret as she walked over to Cathy Jo
Charles walks back into the room with the suitcase.
"Cathy Jo, would you and Charles and Jessica like to stay here for a few days until you feel well enough to go home? Hawkeye is going to put his old cradle in this room for the baby to sleep in!" said Margaret
"I'd love it! I'm sure Charles will too, won't you sweetheart!" said Cathy Jo
"Anything for my two favorite girls! Pierce, Margaret, that's very nice of you!" said Charles
"Charles, don't worry about us! Louise and I can stay at the Crabapple Cove Inn for a few days! We'll call it our second honeymoon and we'll call our girls and tell them to stay with their friends for a few more days!" said Trapper
"Trapper, that sounds wonderful and so romantic! We haven't been away together without the girls in years!" said Louise
"Trapper, Louise, why don't you stay at my house! It's only next door and you can still have lots of privacy for a second honeymoon and it won't cost you a cent! Besides, you can check up on your friends anytime you want to!" said Jean
"Jean, that's sounds terrific! What do you say, Trapper!" said Louise
"That's a great idea, Mrs. Houlihan, you're one fine lady!" said Trapper
"Why thank you, Trapper!" said Jean
"You're welcome!" said Trapper
Later that evening, Charles and Cathy Jo were sleeping comfortably in the spare room with Jessica sleeping in Hawkeye's old wooden cradle.
"Waa, Waa!" cried Jessica, wearing pink sleepers
Charles hears the baby crying and gets up and turns the lights on. He notices his wife sleeping comfortably and decides not to wake her up, since she needs her rest after having a baby.
"What's wrong little Jessica? You're not wet or hungry because we just changed you and fed you not long ago!" said Charles as he picked Jessica up from the cradle
"Charles, what's wrong, is she okay?" asked Cathy Jo as she woke up
"I think she's just getting used to her new surroundings! Why don't you get some rest, Cathy Jo, you had a busy day!" said Charles, wearing his blue pyjamas
"Charles, she's so perfect, I can't believe I went through so much pain to get this little angel! I could go through it again to get a little brother or sister in a couple of years!" replied Cathy Jo, wearing a black nightgown
"Sweetheart, don't worry about Jessica, she's a very healthy baby! I checked her over for everything I could possibly think of!" answered Charles as Jessica stopped crying as she was placed back in the cradle
"Jessica's lucky that her father is a doctor. I'm lucky that my husband's a doctor because I know he'll protect both of us!" said Cathy Jo
"And I'm lucky to have such a wonderful wife too! She loves me and I love her too!" said Charles
Charles gets back into bed and kisses his wife and turns the lights out for the night.
It was an unforgettable reunion party that lasted the whole weekend. B.J., Sherman, Klinger, Father Mulcahy, Radar, and their families all stayed at the Crabapple Cove Inn for the remainder of their vacation since they had reserved rooms well in advance. That September, Soon Lee gave birth to Maxwell Quincy Klinger Jr. By that time, Cathy Jo was still adjusting to being a new mom, so she and Soon Lee kept in touch to give each other baby tips.
The End
Author's note: The characters belong to 20th Century Fox. Any other characters belong to me.
July 27, 1954. It's one full year after the Korean War ended. Hawkeye and Margaret are still happily married and the twins are a year old and they all still live in Crabapple Cove. B.J. and Peg still live in Mill Valley. B.J. practices as a general surgeon at San Francisco General. Erin is three years old and Peg is a housewife. Sherman and Mildred Potter still live in Hannibal and Sophie was brought to the states and Sherman rides his beloved horse everyday on his ranch. Klinger and Soon Lee live in River Bend and Soon Lee is expecting their first child. Father Mulcahy also lives in River Bend and is the chaplain at General Pershing Memorial Hospital, the same hospital where Sherman and Klinger work. Father Mulcahy got some of his hearing back from that accident in Korea. Radar and Patty recently got married and Radar is entering the Police Academy in Des Moines and he's also a part-time farmer along with his mother. Trapper and Louise are still together in Boston. Trapper practices as a general surgeon at Boston Mercy. Becky is 8 and Kathy is 10. Charles and Cathy Jo live in Boston and they're expecting their first child. Charles is the head surgeon at Boston Mercy. Louise Burns is a widow and still lives in Fort Wayne. She works as a receptionist at a local company. Her daughters are Laura, 14, Christina, 12, and Julianna, 10. Lorraine Blake still lives in Bloomington and works at a local diner as a waitress to support her children. She'll never forget the day that Henry was killed. Her children are Molly, 8, Janie, 6, and Andrew, 3.
Hawkeye and Margaret decided to have a reunion party every July 27 in Crabapple Cove at their home. Hawkeye and Margaret are busy setting up extra tables and chairs in their house and in the lawn. The house is a Victorian era style. There's a verandah on the front entrance and the house is white with green shutters, green trim, and a green roof. There are ten rooms in the house. Downstairs houses the kitchen, living room, dining room, bathroom/laudryroom, and study. Upstairs houses Daniel's bedroom, the twin's bedroom, Hawkeye and Margaret's bedroom, a spare bedroom, and the second bathroom. Margaret has made all kinds of food, so that the rest of the gang doesn't have to make anything. Margaret is wearing a yellow dress with white sandals to compliment her blonde hair. Hawkeye is wearing his famous Hawaiian shirt with navy blue shorts and his famous cowboy hat along with black sandals. Daniel is wearing a khaki green shorts set with black sandals. Maggie is wearing a pink sunsuit and Ben is wearing a blue sunsuit and both are wearing white sandals. Suddenly, the doorbell rings and Margaret answers it.
"Mom, what are you doing here?" asked Margaret as she saw her mother at the door
"Margaret, dear, I just wanted to know if you need any help with the party!" replied Jean Houlihan as she came to the house wearing a purple dress and white shoes to compliment her light grey hair
"Well, you could try my cooking to see if it's fit to eat!" said Margaret as she and her mother headed to the kitchen
"Margaret, everything looks so marvelous. I'm sure everything's fine! I can stay and help Daniel look after the kids if you want!" said Jean as she opened and closed the fridge
"Sure, mom! You know, it's nice that you're living right next door to me than to live in another state!" said Margaret
"I know. I'm glad I made the right choice!" answered Jean
Hawkeye comes into the kitchen and smells all of the food.
"Hi, Jean! Hello, sweetheart!" said Hawkeye as he kissed Margaret
"Hawkeye! How's my favorite son-in-law?" asked Jean
"Jean, I'm your only son-in-law. I'm great!" replied Hawkeye
"I know, you're still my favorite. Where's my grandchildren?" asked Jean
"Dad's playing with them in the living room!" said Hawkeye
"I'll go and leave you two lovebirds alone!" said Jean as she headed toward the living room
"What was that all about?" asked Hawkeye
"Oh, Hawkeye, you know my mother, she just wants to help out!" said Margaret
"I know. So tell me, what did my little sweetheart cook up for the party?" asked Hawkeye as he hugged and kissed Margaret
"Well, I made some coleslaw, tossed salad, potato salad, chocolate cake, cherry cheesecake, and I cooked some ham and lobster to go along with the salads. All of the food is cooling in the fridge because I don't want anyone to get food poisoning!" replied Margaret
"Well, it's a safe bet! I've been eating your cooking for a year and I've never been poisoned by it!" answered Hawkeye
"I guess it proves that I'm still a good cook!" said Margaret
Hawkeye and Margaret laugh about their whole conversation and the doorbell rings again. They both answer it.
"Well, honey, look, it's the Hunnicutt clan all the way from California!" said Hawkeye as he opened the door
"B.J., Peg, and Erin! I'm so glad you could all make it! Erin, you're turning out to be quite a cutie-pie!" said Margaret as the Hunnicutts came into the house
"Hawkeye, Margaret, we wouldn't miss this reunion for the world!" said B.J., who was wearing his Hawaiian shirt with black shorts and black shoes, and he still had the moustache
"That's right! B.J. planned his whole vacation around our reunion just so we could be here!" said Peg, who was wearing a sky blue dress and white sandals
"Erin, this is Uncle Hawkeye and Aunt Margaret!" said B.J.
"Hi!" said Erin wearing a pink dress and white sandals to compliment her light brown hair and brown eyes
"Listen, dad and Jean have the twins in the living room playing with toys. Erin, would you like to join them?" asked Hawkeye
"Yeah!" said Erin
"I think that means yes!" said Peg as she and Margaret took Erin to the living room
Hawkeye and B.J. are still talking in the foyer when the Winchesters and MacIntyres arrive together.
"Well, if it isn't Pierce and Hunnicutt, my old Swamp mates!" said Charles, also wearing his Hawaiian shirt and black shorts with black shoes, as he, Trapper, Louise, and Cathy Jo enter the house
"Hawkeye, B.J.! Great to see you again!" said Trapper, who was wearing his famous Hawaiian shirt with green shorts and black sandals
"This is a surprise, you and Charles driving from Boston together!" said Hawkeye
"It was Trapper's idea that we save gas and motel rates!" said Charles
"Hi, everyone! How's everyone doing?" asked Cathy Jo, wearing a black maternity dress with white sandals
"We're great, Cathy Jo! My goodness, you're getting big!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, I'm eight months pregnant! I should be getting big!" answered Cathy Jo
"She has all of the side effects that I had when I was pregnant with Kathy and Becky. I swear, we had to stop at every rest stop from here to Boston!" said Louise, who was wearing a mauve dress and white sandals
"Great to see you, Louise! Where's your kids?" asked B.J.
"B.J., they decided to stay at their friends house the whole weekend while we're gone. I feel so much better knowing that they're staying with good people. Where's Peg?" asked Louise
"She and Margaret took Erin to play with Maggie and Ben in the living room!" said B.J.
"Cathy Jo, let's say you and I go see the kids and leave the men to themselves!" said Louise
"Right behind you, Louise!" answered Cathy Jo as she and Louise headed to the living room
Just as the men were catching up on stories, the Potters, the O'Reillys, the Klingers, and Father Mulcahy arrive.
"Hello, everyone! It's great to be here!" said Sherman, wearing a navy blue shorts set with black sandals, as he and the rest of the gang entered the house
"Sherman, you're looking well!" said Charles
"Thanks for dropping the Colonel nonsense. I'm retired from the army!" said Sherman
"It's great to see you all again!" said Father Mulcahy, wearing a black shorts set with black shoes and his crucifix
"It's nice that everyone's together on a happier occasion!" said Klinger wearing a Toledo jersey and blue shorts with black sandals
"That goes for me!" said Radar, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and blue shorts and black sandals
"Radar, old buddy! Congratulations on the wedding and Soon Lee, congratulations on your new arrival!" said Hawkeye
"Thanks, Hawkeye. Where's Margaret?" asked Patty, wearing a red dress and white sandals
"I wonder if she needs my help getting everything. I bought some pies at Gillis' Bakery & Deli up the street from here. I wasn't sure she had anything!" said Mildred, wearing a green dress and white sandals
"If Cathy Jo's here, we could exchange experiences on our pregnancies. I'm seven months pregnant!" said Soon Lee, wearing a pink maternity dress and white sandals
"Margaret, Cathy Jo, Louise, and Peg are in the living room with the kids. I'll put your pies in the fridge for you, Mildred!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, that's sweet of you!" said Mildred
The women all gathered in the kitchen to chat while the men sat on the verandah and chatted.
"So, how's everyone been?" asked Margaret as Maggie sat on her lap
"Everything's great with Trapper and me. Becky and Kathy are almost teenagers and they decided to stay with friends this weekend!" said Louise
"Sherman is so much more relaxed since he retired form the army. Everything's the same as it was before he went to war, except that he goes for a morning ride with Sophie!" said Mildred
"I'm so glad that B.J.'s back. My life is more complete now that I have Erin and B.J. together again!" replied Peg as Erin sat on her lap
"Max is the sweetest man I know. He surprises me every month with flowers or a candlelight dinner. I've got a pregnant belly to show for it!" answered Soon Lee
"Radar and I like to go out on the town every weekend. He's so sweet and cute!" said Patty
"Charles always surprises me with little gifts. You know, everyday that I'm home cooking and cleaning, I miss him dearly. That's why I kiss and hug him when he comes home!" said Cathy Jo
"Hawkeye and I try to go out once in a while, but we only go out if Daniel or mom doesn't mind babysitting. He surprises me with flowers, wine, jewelry, or chocolates. He took me out for a candlelight dinner on our second wedding anniversary!" replied Margaret
"That's my son-in-law, the hopeless romantic. All I can say is that he's making my little girl very happy!" said Jean
"Thanks, mom. By the way, Soon Lee and Cathy Jo, when are your babies due?" asked Margaret
"Max and I are expecting in September. Max thinks it's a boy, but we'll know when this baby comes out. Sherman said it was alright to travel because he's my doctor!" answered Soon Lee
"Charles and I are due in a couple of weeks. I think my baby is a girl because of the way it moves around. The baby's been kicking me all day!" answered Cathy Jo
"Who's your doctor, Cathy Jo?" asked Margaret
"Charles is. He and Trapper told me it was okay to travel. He's a little nervous because he's never delivered a baby before!" said Cathy Jo
"B.J. had one of his colleagues deliver Erin. He was too scared to do it himself in case of complications!" said Peg
"Sherman smoked his cigars in the waiting room when Evie and Cory were born. One of his friends delivered both of my kids!" said Mildred
"Trapper delivered both Kathy and Becky under the supervision of his obstetrician friend!" said Louise
"Old Doctor Taylor delivered Margaret at the Mash unit Alvin and I were stationed at. It was the happiest day of my life!" said Jean
"Mom and I have something in common. We both gave birth to our kids at Mash units. The only difference is the my husband delivered our kids. I'll never forget the look on Hawkeye's face when he realized that the first person our kids saw was their daddy. It was the happiest day of my life!" said Margaret
"Radar and I don't plan to have children just yet. We want to spend time with each other first. We spend most of our time drinking Grape Nehi instead of liquor!" said Patty
"Speaking of Grape Nehi, Patty, I bought a case of it along with me because it's also my favorite drink. I'll get Charles to bring it in for me. Would you like a bottle?" asked Cathy Jo
"Thanks, Cathy Jo, I'd love it. It's also Radar's favorite drink!" answered Patty
"I'll go out and get it!" said Cathy Jo
Cathy Jo walks out to the verandah to find Hawkeye holding Ben on his lap, B. J., Charles, Klinger, Sherman, Radar, Father Mulcahy, and Daniel in heavy conversation.
"Honey, is there something wrong? Are you having early contractions?" asked Charles
"No, Charles, I was wondering if you could get the case of Grape Nehi our of the trunk for me!" answered Cathy Jo
"Of course, sweetheart!" replied Charles
"Oh, Radar, I know that Grape Nehi is your favorite drink and Patty and I like it too, would you like some?" asked Cathy Jo
"Sure thing, Cathy Jo!" replied Radar
Charles brings the case up to the verandah.
"Here you go, Radar! I'll put the rest in the fridge later!" said Cathy Jo as she handed Radar a bottle and headed back into the house
"Gee, thanks!" said Radar
"Charles, you have a swell girl. It just amazes me that you're married!" said B.J.
"What's that supposed to mean, Hunnicutt?" asked Charles
"You're so sweet to her, unlike the way you treated us!" answered B.J.
"I guess that's true that opposites attract!" said Hawkeye
"So, Winchester, when's your little lady due with your baby?" asked Sherman
"Sherman, she's due in two weeks time!" answered Charles
"She's due in two weeks and her doctor let her travel?" asked Hawkeye
"Relax, Pierce, I'm Cathy Jo's doctor and I assure you that she hasn't had any complications. I have Trapper to back me up on that, right Trapper?" asked Charles
"Right, Charles! Besides, she's surrounded by five of the best doctors in the world if she goes into labor!" said Trapper
"I'm a little nervous, too! Soon Lee's due in a couple of months and I've never been a father before!" said Klinger
"Klinger, I know I'm not speaking from experience, but I think you'll be fine. I've seen the way you handled those Korean orphans back in Korea, you filled their lives with joy!" said Father Mulcahy
"Do you really think so, Father?" asked Klinger
"I believe in it. I have God to back me up on it too!" answered Father Mulcahy
"Well, I guess Winchester has got it all together. He isn't nervous, right Winchester?" asked Sherman
"Yes, of course!" replied Charles
"Klinger, don't feel bad. I was nervous too when Margaret was pregnant. You're not alone!" said Hawkeye
"Gee, thanks! You truly are my friends!" said Klinger
"Say, Klinger, what did you ever do with those dresses?" asked Radar
"Well, Radar, I gave them all to Soon Lee!" answered Klinger
"That's nice. You know, you had a lot of great dresses. Let's see, there was the nun's outfit, the Moses getup, the nurses uniform!" said Radar
"Don't forget the Statue of Liberty or Lady Godiva outfits!" said Hawkeye
"Or Gone With The Wind and the Wizard of Oz outfits!" said Sherman
"Hey, I still have those getups. I know, I'll rent them out as Halloween costumes!" replied Klinger
"You know, it's too bad that Old Ferret Face is dead. We played a lot of good jokes on him and the rest of the unit!" said Hawkeye
"I remember the time Frank dug out a fox hole and I filled it with water and I got Sidney Freedman to yell 'Air Raid' and Frank fell into the hole and got all wet!" said B.J.
"Hawkeye and I put Frank in a box and nailed it shut, but we put breathing holes in it!" said Trapper
"Trapper and I trapped Frank in his fox hole and parked a jeep over it!" said Hawkeye
"Gentlemen, I seem to remember that Margaret played some jokes on you!" said Charles
"Hot Lips, a practical joker?" asked Trapper
"Oh yeah, she took mine and Hawkeye's robes while we were in the shower and she had the nurses waiting for us in the Swamp and we had to walk across the compound naked!" said B.J.
"She put oatmeal in my boots and we stole her tent and I put a skeleton in my bunk and she got scared and hit me with a pillow!" said Hawkeye
"You guys stole my clothes and other belongings when I wouldn't give you my papers!" said Charles
"Charles, I stole your belongings and put them in my tent. I was forced to do it!" said Father Mulcahy
"Father, I'm shocked that you would do such a thing!" said Trapper
"I'm also shocked. I didn't think you had it in you!" said Radar
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, but you all know that I like to box!" replied Father Mulcahy
"I remember when I had my friend, Daniel, come and he faked a heart attack just to pay you back for all those tricks you played on him!" said Sherman
"I know we all had our good times and bad, but I would hate to see my little Ben get drafted like I did!" said Hawkeye as he watched Ben playing on his lap
"Son, I felt the same way when you got drafted. I felt that a part of my life was gone when you left!" said Daniel
"I missed you and thought about you everyday, dad!" said Hawkeye
"I know, son!" replied Daniel
Back in the kitchen, the women were still in a heavy conversation.
"Margaret, everything looks delicious. You must have been up all night cooking!" said Mildred
"Try all day yesterday! Cooking the good was the easy part, trying to keep Hawkeye from eating it all was the hard part!" replied Margaret
All of the ladies share a laugh.
"The baby just kicked me for the umpteenth time today. I guess it's anxious to get here!" said Cathy Jo
"Erin kicked inside of me all the time I was pregnant. That's how I knew everything's alright!" replied Peg as she watched Erin playing on her lap
"This little lady here and her brother moved around about in my belly more times than you can shake a stick at! Mildred, thank you for the pies, but you didn't have to bring anything. Where did they come from?" asked Margaret
"Well, Margaret, I didn't want you to go through so much work just to feed all of us, so I stopped at Gillis' Bakery & Deli just up the street from here and got a cherry pie and an apple pie!" answered Mildred
"Gillis' Bakery & Deli! Oh, Rena and Shannon Gillis make the best baked goods in all of Crabapple Cove. Rena's son and Shannon's brother, Tommy, was a childhood friend of Hawkeye's. He visited the 4077 once and then he was hit by enemy fire. He came back to the 4077 as a patient and Hawkeye tried to save him, but he died in the O. R. I didn't know him that well, but I gave Hawkeye a shoulder to cry on!" said Margaret
"Margaret, that must have been awful for Hawkeye to go through!' replied Cathy Jo
"It was, Cathy Jo, but when Henry Blake's plane was shot down, it hurt Hawkeye even more. Henry's death affected all of us because he was our former C. O. , but when Sherman Potter came, we never forgot Henry!" said Margaret
"I wish I was around then to meet him, Henry sounds like he was a good man!" replied Cathy Jo
"Oh, he was. Trapper used to talk about Henry in his letters to home. Henry loved fishing more than anything, but most of all, he loved Lorraine and his kids!" answered Louise
"Radar told me about the time someone tried to kill Henry. This cowboy drove a jeep through Henry's tent while he was sleeping, he even blew up the latrine and his office chair, and he even tried to push Henry out of the chopper!" said Patty
"Why would anyone want to do that to a sweet, innocent, man?" asked Mildred
"Well, Radar said that this cowboy wanted a hardship leave and Henry wouldn't give it to him, so he tried to kill him!" answered Patty
"Max has told me all about Henry too! Henry and Sherman were like fathers to Max, since he was far away from Toledo!" said Soon Lee
"It's a shame that Henry never made it home. You know, he never got to meet his son, Andrew. He was born while Henry was in Korea. Molly and Janie sent home movies to him and he shared them with everyone. Now, Lorraine has to work as a waitress in order to support three kids, but she does get a survivor pension from the army, but its barely enough to get by!" said Margaret
"Well, B.J. wasn't too keen on me working as a waitress, but what can you do when you're raising a child on your own and your husband's in Korea!" answered Peg
"I was the one who straightened B.J. out. He was really upset about the whole thing and I told him that he was acting like a male chauvinist. Then he realized that he was wrong and I was right!" said Margaret
"Margaret, I'm so glad that you straightened him out. How can I ever thank you?" asked Peg
"You don't need to thank me. B.J. was the on who turned to me and changed his ways!" answered Margaret
"Margaret, what about Louise Burns? How's she doing?" asked Mildred
"Louise is doing alright, but it's hard for her to raise three girls on her own. She's working as a receptionist and Frank's army pension isn't much money a month. She talks to Lorraine Blake every so often because they're both widows trying to raise children on one income!" answered Margaret
"It's terrible that Frank overdosed on pills and died. I bet his daughters felt bad because they didn't know that their daddy was mentally ill!" said Louise
"Yes, it was terrible! Laura, Christina, and Julianna came home from school one day and found Frank lying on the bedroom floor face down. Laura tried to revive him, but by the time the ambulance got there, Frank was already dead! The girls had called Louise, who was at work at the time, just before they called the ambulance. Louise rushed home from work just before the ambulance got there. It was a day they'd never forget and the girls still have nightmares about it to this day. It happened almost 10 months ago!" said Margaret
"I can just about imagine what those girls are going through. I don't know what I'd do if Charles died so suddenly!" said Cathy Jo
"Same here. None of us would know what to do if our husbands were taken away from us so sudden!" said Patty
"I felt that way when Alvin left me. I felt that a part of my life was missing when he divorced me, but I know that I still had Margaret to go to!" said Jean
"Mom, I was devastated when dad left you. That's why I tried to please him and make him proud of me, hoping he would come back to you! I soon realized that you were happy without him!" said Margaret
"I know, dear!" replied Jean
"Well, what do you all say that we dig out the food and call the men into eat with us!" said Margaret
The women grabbed all of the food out of the fridge and set it on the kitchen table for a summer buffet. The men joined the women in the dining room to eat the meal, and the children were seated in high chairs eating toddler food.
"Margaret, everything's delicious! Did you make all of this food?" asked Sherman
"She sure did! I watched her making all of the food yesterday and she wouldn't let me eat it!" answered Hawkeye
"Oh, Hawkeye, I didn't want you to eat all food the food because our guests had to eat something! Thank you for the compliments, Sherman!" said Margaret
"Is this the famous Maine lobster we're eating?" asked B.J.
"The one and only! Hawkeye's friend, Dicky Barber, is a fisherman and he gave us all of these lobsters yesterday, so Margaret decided to serve it today! Hawkeye's other friend, Toby Wilder, is a farmer and he gave us all of the vegetables for the salads!" said Daniel
"It's delicious. I've never had lobster before!" said Radar
"Being from Iowa, you don't get much seafood!" said Klinger
"The lobster is tasty and the ham is out of this world!" said Charles
"The salads are excellent!" said Father Mulcahy
"Yeah, it's much better than Igor's cooking! At least it's not rotten!' said Trapper
"What ever happened to Igor?" asked Cathy Jo
"My guess is that he opened up a restaurant somewhere in the states, but I know one thing's for sure, I won't be eating there!" answered Hawkeye
"Everything's great. I can't wait to dig into those desserts!" said Soon Lee
"Those pies look so good!" said Peg
"So does the cheesecake!" said Patty
"And the cake looks good too!" said Louise
"I love every dessert in the world. I have a sweet tooth!" said Mildred
"Margaret and I both love sweets! It's hard to resist them!" said Jean
"Everyone help yourself to all of these desserts when you feel like it!" said Margaret
After desserts were served and ate, the men go into the living room and the women are busy cleaning up.
"Anyone have more memories of the 4077 they would like to share?" asked Hawkeye
"Well, I remember the day Henry was killed on his way home from the war! It touched all of us. I still remember Radar giving him a salute and Henry kissing Margaret. He also told Frank not to drive everyone nuts and to stuff his whistle!" said Trapper
"I remember coming into the O. R. and giving you all the news. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do!" said Radar
"I still remember making that special outfit just for his going away party. I still have that outfit too!" said Klinger
"It was a sad day for all of us, but it was a great day when Sherman stepped in to take over as C. O. I swear, one more day of Frank as C. O. and I would have went crazy!" said Hawkeye
"It was a great day when I met you all. You're my second family and I wish I'd met Henry. He sounds like my kind of guy!" said Sherman
"I wish I could have met him!" said Charles
"Same here, I put one of his fishing lure in the time capsule!" said B.J.
"We all had our good times telling jokes and playing jokes on each other. Not all of the war was bad!" said Father Mulcahy
"You're right. We drank the war away with the still!" said Trapper
"I second that motion, but we all became friends during the war. I'm so glad to have met you all!" said B.J.
"It's so nice that you were all there when my son needed you the most. I felt awful when he told me that Tommy Gillis died in the O. R. table right in front of him. I also felt bad when Hawkeye thought he had killed that baby on the bus. Son, that wasn't your fault, it was the mother of the baby. She was the one who killed him and I know that everyone in this room will agree with me on this one!" said Daniel
"We agree!" said the men in unison
Back in the kitchen, Margaret and Louise were washing dishes and Patty and Mildred were drying them. Soon Lee was putting all of the leftover food in the fridge, Cathy Jo was cleaning off the tables and Peg and Jean were watching Erin, Maggie, and Ben, so that they would stay out of the ladies' way.
"Margaret, this is a great party!" said Louise
"Everyone had a great time!" said Patty
"The food was excellent!" said Mildred
"And so were the stories!" said Peg
"I'm just glad that everything went according to plan!" said Margaret
"Ooh!" said Cathy Jo as she finished cleaning off the tables
"Cathy Jo, is something wrong?" asked Margaret
"Margaret, when you were in labor, how did you know it was time?" asked Cathy Jo
"As soon as my water broke and my contractions were five minutes apart, I knew it was time! Why do you ask?" asked Margaret
"Well, I thought that the baby was just kicking me all day, but now I'm convinced that it's more than that. I've been having pain every five minutes and my water just broke!" said Cathy Jo as she clutched her pregnant belly
"Oh my god! We don't have time to get to the hospital! Okay everyone, don't panic! Louise and Mildred, help Cathy Jo upstairs to the spare bedroom! Mom and Soon Lee, look after the kids! Peg and Patty, boil some water and get some sheets and towels! I'll get Hawkeye and Charles' medical bags and get them upstairs!" said Margaret
The men come out of the living room to find out what's going on.
"What's going on here?" asked Hawkeye
"Cathy Jo's in labor, her water just broke!" answered Margaret
"Oh my god, she's not due for a couple of weeks!" said Charles
"Charles, it can happen anytime after the eighth month!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, Charles, just go and get your medical bags and meet me upstairs in the spare bedroom!" said Margaret
Hours later, B.J., Sherman, Klinger, Radar, Father Mulcahy, Trapper, Peg, Mildred, Soon Lee, Patty, Louise, Jean, Daniel, Erin, Maggie, and Ben were all waiting downstairs in the living room for the word on the newest member of the 4077 family.
"B.J., I was wondering if you feel the same way as I do about giving Erin a little brother or sister to play with!" asked Peg as she sat next to B.J. holding Erin
"Peg, of course I want to have more kids. I'd love to have a son to take to ball games!" answered B.J. as he smiled at Peg and Erin
"I'm so glad because I want to have another baby!" replied Peg
"Me too, honey!" said B.J.
"Sherman, I thought I told you not to smoke in this house without asking first!" said Mildred as she fanned the smoke away from her face
"Mildred, Daniel said it was alright with him! Besides, I always smoke a cigar before a new arrival comes! When Cory and Evie were born, I was in the waiting room smoking!" answered Sherman as he sat next to Mildred
"This is exciting! A new bundle from god will be arriving before too long!" said Father Mulcahy
"Trapper, I miss the girls. I wish they joined us instead of deciding to be with their friends!" said Louise as she sat next to Trapper
"I know, I wish they came too and met everyone here. I miss them too!" said Trapper
"Max, do you realize that I'll be feeling the same way Cathy Jo is feeling right now? I'm scared to death!" said Soon Lee as she held Klinger's hand
"Don't worry, honey, it can't be any worse than what Cathy Jo's feeling right now!" replied Klinger
"Radar, I want to have a few kids of our own someday! What about you?" asked Patty
"Sweetheart, I want kids too!" answered Radar
"This reminds me when Hawkeye was born. Joan was in labor for a long time and finally, the nurse handed me my little boy in the waiting room!" said Daniel as he held Ben on his lap
"Daniel, I'm so excited and it's not even my grandchild being born! I guess I feel that Cathy Jo is like a second daughter to me, next to Margaret, of course!" said Jean as she held Maggie on her lap
Upstairs in the spare room, Cathy Jo is still wearing her black maternity dress as she is lying down beneath the sheets in the bed. Margaret is coaching her through the contractions and she has brought the baby scale into the room. Hawkeye is sterilizing instruments and Charles is monitoring the baby's heartbeat.
"Oh my god, I'm having another contraction! Ooh, ooh, ooh!" said Cathy Jo as she winced in pain
"Just breathe, he ho, he ho! Relax! It helped me through my labor!" said Margaret as she reassured Cathy Jo
"He ho, he ho! The pain is getting worse all the time! I didn't know childbirth was this painful!" said Cathy Jo as she had another contraction
"How far dilated is she now?" asked Hawkeye as he wiped Cathy Jo's forehead with a cold face cloth
"I don't know. We'll check as soon as we scrub up!" answered Charles
Charles and Hawkeye go into the bathroom to wash their hands and put on surgical gloves.
"Pierce, why wouldn't she tell me that she was having pain on our trip up here?" asked Charles
"I guess she didn't want to worry you and she probably thought the baby was just kicking her!" answered Hawkeye
"Pierce, were you as nervous as I am now?" asked Charles as he was scrubbing his hands
"Charles, I had butterflies in my stomach! Then I realized that Margaret did all of the work and I was the catcher!" answered Hawkeye as he was scrubbing his hands
"I'm also nervous about raising a child. I don't know if I can do it!" said Charles as he dried off his hands
"Charles, you told all of us that you were prepared!" replied Hawkeye as he dried off his hands
"I thought I was, but I guess I'm fearing the worst!" said Charles as he put on surgical gloves
"Don't worry, Charles, I'll take over if you pass out!" said Hawkeye as he put on surgical gloves
"Thanks, Pierce! We better get back to my wife and check her progress!" said Charles
Hawkeye and Charles go back to the bedroom.
"Cathy Jo, Charles is just going to do a vaginal exam to check how far dilated you are and you might feel a little pressure!" said Hawkeye as he and Margaret held Cathy Jo's hands
"Hawkeye, it can't be any worse than what I feel now!" answered Cathy Jo as Charles was doing the exam
"Charles, what's the scoop? Is she ready to push?" asked Hawkeye
"Pierce, take a look over here! What do you think?" asked Charles as he motioned Hawkeye to help him with the exam
"Charles, the baby's head is crowing! That means she's fully dilated to 10 centimeters!" said Hawkeye as he helped Charles with the exam
"Charles, you mean I can push now!" said Cathy Jo
"That's right, sweetheart!" answered Charles
"Cathy Jo, just hold my hand and take a cleansing breath and push! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10! Stop pushing and repeat the same process over again!" said Margaret as she reassured Cathy Jo
"Margaret, I hope I'm not hurting your hand!" said Cathy Jo
"Not at all!" said Margaret
"You're not hurting mine either!" said Hawkeye as he held Cathy Jo's other hand
"The head's out, Cathy Jo! I need you to push a couple of more times to get the rest of the baby out!" said Charles as he was delivering the baby
"The baby's got more hair than the father! Charles, you're holding up well, and Cathy Jo, you're doing great!" said Hawkeye as he wiped Cathy Jo's forehead with a cold face cloth
"Charles, can I push now? I really need to now! Ooh, ooh!" said Cathy Jo as she winced in pain again
"You're doing great! Okay, the baby's out now and I'm cleaning the fluids out of the mouth and cutting the cord!" said Charles as he held the baby in a blanket
"Waa, Waa!" cried the new baby
"Charles, what is it? Is it a boy or a girl?" asked Cathy Jo as she heard the baby crying for the first time
"Sweetheart, it's a girl!" replied Charles as he smiled at his newborn
"Charles, you did a great job delivering you own child. I'm proud of you and so glad you didn't faint while in the process!" said Hawkeye as he looked at the newborn
"You were right, Pierce, it was a wonderful experience!" said Charles as he handed the baby to Margaret to get weighed
"Cathy Jo, I'm just cleaning your little girl off while she's being weighed!" said Margaret as she placed the baby on the scale
"Margaret, how much does she weigh?" asked Cathy Jo
"She weighs 6 lbs, 8 oz, and she's 21 inches long! I think this little lady should be with her mommy now!" said Margaret as she put a diaper on the baby
"Cathy Jo, I need you to push to deliver the placenta!" said Charles
"Alright, but that's all the pushing you'll get out of me today!" said Cathy Jo as she pushed
"Okay, it's out and there doesn't look to be any signs of bleeding!" said Charles as cleaned Cathy Jo off and finished her exam
Margaret hands the baby over to Cathy Jo.
"Hello, little lady! We're so glad you decided to make an early appearance at our party! I'm your mommy and that bald man over there is your daddy! Charles, she smiles just like you and she has your nose and chin!" said Cathy Jo as she held her baby for the first time
"She's beautiful! She's got brown hair and hazel eyes like her mother! We have to give this little one a name!" said Charles as he looked at his wife and daughter
"How about Jessica Isabella? I always liked the name Jessica Isabella!" said Cathy Jo
"I like it! Jessica, there's a couple of people I want you to meet, this is Hawkeye and Margaret Pierce, a couple of your mommy and daddy's friends!" said Charles
"Cathy Jo, she's beautiful! I can't believe that Maggie and Ben were ever that small!" said Margaret
"You picked a beautiful name for a girl! Margaret, speaking about Maggie and Ben, where are they?" asked Hawkeye
"Mom and Daniel's watching them!" answered Margaret
There's a knock at the door.
"Come in!" said Cathy Jo
"We heard we have a new visitor! Can we have visiting hours now?" asked B.J. as he opened the door
"Okay, but one at a time!" answered Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, it's alright! Everyone come in! I want to present Jessica Isabella Winchester to all of you!" replied Cathy Jo
"Congratulations, Winchester! Here's a cigar for you!" said Sherman
"Thanks, Sherman!" said Charles
"May you be blessed with many happy years with little Jessica!" said Father Mulcahy
"Thank you, Father! I was wondering if you would baptize Jessica the next time you're in Boston!" said Cathy Jo
Why, I'd be delighted to!" said Father Mulcahy
"Charles, you did a great job! I told you that delivering babies was a piece of cake!" said Trapper
"Thanks, Trapper. You and Pierce were both right!" said Charles
"She's so small, but she looks like her mother!" said Radar
"Oh, Radar, I think she smiles like Charles and she has his nose and chin!" said Cathy Jo
"Cathy Jo, she's an angel! I'm going to be feeling the same way Charles is feeling right now! You'll make a fine mother!" said Klinger
"Jessica takes your breath away! She has the honor of being the first baby to be born in the Pierce home!" said Daniel
"She's adorable! I think she looks like both of you!" said Jean
"Thank you all for your support! I hope I didn't ruin the party!" said Cathy Jo
"You did no such thing! You just made the party more exciting!" said Mildred
"Radar and I are planning to start a family soon!" said Patty
"B.J. and I plan to give Erin a little brother or sister!" said Peg
"Cathy Jo, I figured you would have the baby here because you told me on our trip up here that you felt that baby kicking!" said Louise
"Louise, I didn't know that I would have this baby today! I never knew what to expect from labor!" said Cathy Jo
"Is childbirth as bad as they say it is? I'm going to feel that way in a few months time!" said Soon Lee
"Soon Lee, it wasn't as bad as I thought! I'm definitely having more children! I was more relaxed having Margaret and Hawkeye coaching me and having Charles delivering our baby!" said Cathy Jo
"Does this bring back memories for you, dear?" asked Margaret as she held Maggie
"It sure does! Did you ever think about us having more children?" asked Hawkeye as he held Ben
"No, I think having twins is plenty for me! Besides, we have both a girl and a boy! I never would have thought that three years ago, I would find true happiness with the best husband in the world!" said Margaret
"We have two beautiful children and I wouldn't trade them in for the world! It's hard to imagine that three years ago, we couldn't stand each other, I always thought you hated me!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, like I said before, I've always loved you, but I didn't want to tell you when Frank was there because he'd have a fit! After I got divorced from Donald, I saw a different side of you! When you were sick with the flu, I didn't want you to die! When you lost your sight, I was hoping that you would get it back and you did! When you had that sneezing fit, I was so scared because I didn't know if you would survive the illness! When you had appendicitis, I couldn't keep my feelings for you bottled up inside me any longer, so that's why I told you that I loved you as you were put under! I was scared you were going to die!" said Margaret
"Margaret, it's okay, I'm here now and I'll always be here for you! I'm not going anywhere! Did you really think that I was dying every time I got sick?" asked Hawkeye
"Yes, Hawkeye, I didn't want to lose you so soon, and I'm not going anywhere myself! The scariest time for me was when you were in that psychiatric hospital with Sidney, I was all alone with the twins raising them myself! I was scared that you would never be the same person and I was so scared that you would leave me and our babies behind! I wasn't sure how you would react with our own children after that incident!" said Margaret
"Oh, Margaret, I didn't know if I would ever be allowed out of there again, but I missed you and the twins and you and dad convinced me that I didn't kill that baby, but the mother did! I was trying to protect my family!" said Hawkeye
"Hawkeye, I'm still going to stand by you like our marriage vows said, and my children need their daddy!" said Margaret
"I love you, Margaret!" said Hawkeye
"And I love you too, Hawkeye!" replied Margaret
They kiss each other and watch Cathy Jo as she gets acquainted with Jessica.
"Charles, sweetheart, could you get my smaller suitcase out of the car? I packed baby diapers and baby clothes and baby supplies just in case I had the baby here!" said Cathy Jo
"Sure, darling! I love both of my girls!" said Charles as he kissed both Cathy Jo and Jessica
"We love you too!" said Cathy Jo as she started to breast feed Jessica
"Cathy Jo, I was just going to ask you whether you were going to breast feed or bottle feed, but I see you've already decided! I bottle fed my kids!" said Margaret
"Oh, Margaret, I knew for a long time that I wanted to breast feed! I feel that this method brings a mother and her child closer together!" said Cathy Jo
"Hawkeye, can I talk to you?" asked Daniel
"What's on your mind, dad?" asked Hawkeye
"Well, since Cathy Jo gave birth to her baby in our house and since she'll need her rest, I was wondering if she and Charles and Jessica would like to stay here until she's strong enough to travel back to Boston! I could put your old cradle here in the spare room so that Charles and Cathy Jo could have the baby in the same room with them!" said Daniel
"Dad, that's a great idea! I'll talk to Margaret to see what she thinks!" said Hawkeye
"Honey, dad had a great idea! He wants to put my old cradle in this room so that Cathy Jo, Charles, and Jessica can stay a few days until Cathy Jo has rested up enough to go home!" said Hawkeye
"That's a great idea! I'll ask them!" said Margaret as she walked over to Cathy Jo
Charles walks back into the room with the suitcase.
"Cathy Jo, would you and Charles and Jessica like to stay here for a few days until you feel well enough to go home? Hawkeye is going to put his old cradle in this room for the baby to sleep in!" said Margaret
"I'd love it! I'm sure Charles will too, won't you sweetheart!" said Cathy Jo
"Anything for my two favorite girls! Pierce, Margaret, that's very nice of you!" said Charles
"Charles, don't worry about us! Louise and I can stay at the Crabapple Cove Inn for a few days! We'll call it our second honeymoon and we'll call our girls and tell them to stay with their friends for a few more days!" said Trapper
"Trapper, that sounds wonderful and so romantic! We haven't been away together without the girls in years!" said Louise
"Trapper, Louise, why don't you stay at my house! It's only next door and you can still have lots of privacy for a second honeymoon and it won't cost you a cent! Besides, you can check up on your friends anytime you want to!" said Jean
"Jean, that's sounds terrific! What do you say, Trapper!" said Louise
"That's a great idea, Mrs. Houlihan, you're one fine lady!" said Trapper
"Why thank you, Trapper!" said Jean
"You're welcome!" said Trapper
Later that evening, Charles and Cathy Jo were sleeping comfortably in the spare room with Jessica sleeping in Hawkeye's old wooden cradle.
"Waa, Waa!" cried Jessica, wearing pink sleepers
Charles hears the baby crying and gets up and turns the lights on. He notices his wife sleeping comfortably and decides not to wake her up, since she needs her rest after having a baby.
"What's wrong little Jessica? You're not wet or hungry because we just changed you and fed you not long ago!" said Charles as he picked Jessica up from the cradle
"Charles, what's wrong, is she okay?" asked Cathy Jo as she woke up
"I think she's just getting used to her new surroundings! Why don't you get some rest, Cathy Jo, you had a busy day!" said Charles, wearing his blue pyjamas
"Charles, she's so perfect, I can't believe I went through so much pain to get this little angel! I could go through it again to get a little brother or sister in a couple of years!" replied Cathy Jo, wearing a black nightgown
"Sweetheart, don't worry about Jessica, she's a very healthy baby! I checked her over for everything I could possibly think of!" answered Charles as Jessica stopped crying as she was placed back in the cradle
"Jessica's lucky that her father is a doctor. I'm lucky that my husband's a doctor because I know he'll protect both of us!" said Cathy Jo
"And I'm lucky to have such a wonderful wife too! She loves me and I love her too!" said Charles
Charles gets back into bed and kisses his wife and turns the lights out for the night.
It was an unforgettable reunion party that lasted the whole weekend. B.J., Sherman, Klinger, Father Mulcahy, Radar, and their families all stayed at the Crabapple Cove Inn for the remainder of their vacation since they had reserved rooms well in advance. That September, Soon Lee gave birth to Maxwell Quincy Klinger Jr. By that time, Cathy Jo was still adjusting to being a new mom, so she and Soon Lee kept in touch to give each other baby tips.
The End