Back In the World
Ch. 8
Boy that sounds familiar
---
"Here we are Margaret…" Hawkeye said sliding her hotel key in door and opening it.
BJ and he held both her arms and set her down on her bed.
"It was great seeing you again Margaret." BJ said trying not to laugh.
"Good seeing ya too, good old BJ." She slurred and tried to stand up falling right back down.
Hawkeye couldn't help but smile. She was so beautiful and tried hard to remember the first goodbye they had.
He nodded over to BJ to get her ready to get into bed.
They took off her shoes and uncovered the covers. She slid onto the bed and Hawkeye brought the covers up to her, tucking her in.
"Goodbye Margaret."
"Boy that sounds familiar, but I think last time it went more like this." She said, grabbing Hawkeye and kissing him.
Hawkeye enjoyed the first two seconds then fighting himself he pulled away. "Major, I'm married."
"So was Frank." She replied making another grab for him but he had backed away.
"I'm not Frank Margaret; there is only one Frank Burns."
BJ smiled. "Thank God."
"We have to get back, you sleep tight. And take care of yourself." He said to her as she started to fade into her sleep. He kissed her on the forehead and the two started for the door.
"I always loved you Hawkeye Pierce." She said as she turned on her side getting comfortable.
Hawkeye stopped and smiled. "Me too Margaret, me too."
BJ tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for the door. After one last glance, the two left and made their way to their own hotel.
**
"Well that was weird huh?" Hawkeye said to BJ in the taxi.
"Why would you say that? I mean it's no secret any more Hawk, It was twenty years ago and you still got the hots for her…"
"She's beautiful Beej, every man has the hots for her, always has." Hawkeye said glancing out the window.
"Sure." BJ said.
"Sure? What's that suppose to mean?" Hawk replied turning back to his friend.
"It means sure, what do you mean what's that mean?"
"That's what I mean." Hawkeye replied.
"What do you mean?" BJ asked confused.
"Never mind." Hawkeye replied.
"Sure." BJ smiled.
Hawkeye Pierce just rolled his eyes at his friend and smiled slightly.
**Hotel Room
"Gonna call Jennifer?" BJ asked taking his wallet out of his pocket.
"Of course I'm gonna call her, why wouldn't I call her?" he replied defensively.
"Hey, easy, I was just asking." BJ replied.
"Yeah just like the 'sure' in the car was just a normal 'sure'"
"Hawk, relax, you don't have to tell Jen if you don't want to…I mean it was innocent, I'm sure she already knows about Margaret anyhow." He said grabbing a towel to take into the shower. "Doesn't she?"
"Well not exactly." Hawkeye replied sitting on his bed.
BJ sighed. "It's fine Hawk, I wouldn't worry about telling her. It was so long ago anyway, she loves you so much. She'll be elated just to hear your voice."
"You're right Beej, you're always right…Thanks." He said picking up the phone and dialing out.
BJ smiled. "Sure." And closed the bathroom door behind him.
It had been about fifteen minutes since he'd last thought about his son.
'I wonder what he's doing right now? I bet he's real scared.' He thought as the ringing tone echoed on the other line.
"Hi honey…it's me." He replied to the hello from the other side. "Yeah, it was good. Our old company clerk Radar, read a little something…it was very touching…yea…dinner was wonderful, it was great to see everyone again…yeah it was a bit sad saying goodbye, but I'm a big boy…Teddy?...he said to keep it…I know…Margaret?...Yea, she was there…good…hey honey…I'm running out of minutes on this card…I will see you late tomorrow night…I know…be strong….I love you too…bye honey."
He hung up the phone and couldn't help but feel depressed. He thought for a second about retreating to the mini bar and opted to do just that. By the time BJ returned his friend was just about passed out. Mini bottles of liquor lay all around him.
"Hey …Beej…care to join me ole buddy."
BJ shook his head. "Oh, Hawk."
"Did you know Blake is gonna get killed Beej?....yup….yes sir…we're gonna get a letter and he's gonna be dead….its gonna say 'we regret to inform you, blah blah blah….I'm gonna lose my kid…" He fell into a bit of tears.
BJ took a seat beside him putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hawk…you don't kknow that…just…just relax…have faith."
"Faith…to hell with faith…easy for you too say big guy…your girl can't be drafted…she wont be in the damn war…so you have nothing to worry about …so quit yapping about faith…when you have no reason to have any!" He finished and took his finger out of BJ's face where it had been during his entire monologue.
"Hawk…" BJ began calmly.
"Don't 'Hawk' me…you have 'Hawk''d me for the last time…" He wiped his tear stricken face. "Ya know what? I liked kissing Margaret … I did…I missed her…and I liked kissing her…is that a sin?..."
BJ was stern with his reply. "Listen…you love Jennifer…you love your wife…stop this talk…you're drunk."
"I'm drunk?...I can't be drunk…I haven't been drunk since…since …the…war." The last word caught his heart and he fell into tears once again. "The war Beej…my kid…the war."
Not another word was spoken all night. The next morning the two packed up and headed for the airport. Just as the two took their seats, Hawkeye sighed and said. "So, is life gonna go on?"
BJ smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "It always did, and it always will."
The trip back was full of humor and laughter. For now, the old Hawkeye was back and BJ was glad. It was like he had a revelation that he couldn't wallow in his sorrow, it never worked before and it wouldn't work now.
BJ and Peg stayed for a couple more days until returning to the bay area. The kiss between Margaret was never mentioned. Months passed and the friends talked often as the tear stricken nights continued through the months. Benjamin Pierce was burying himself into his work and returning home to console him wife night after night. His son's letters had stopped coming and no news was good news as far as he was concerned.
The couple could barely watch the news on television or read the headlines in the newspaper. Even conversations in the office caused Hawkeye to cringe. They couldn't escape it. He and Jen did attend his high schools championship game in which they were victorious. Yet, two more months passed by and no word, but just as BJ said life always went on. Surgery after surgery, Benjamin Pierces life was full of routine. The other families whose sons had been sent over offered them help and prayer, but Hawkeye turned them away. Time and life was slowly ticking away and though his wife clung to faith, he had nothing.
Nothing until a rainy night in December when he returned home. His wife greeted him sitting on the stairs, tear stricken, holding a piece of paper in her hands. She coughed and handed it to her husband.
He read it and gasped.
"What…when?" He replied kneeling down to meet her eye to eye. She couldn't reply through the tears. He kissed her forehead and embraced her. "Oh, Jennifer…Jesus…" He said quietly. You could see the desperation in his eyes as he searched his soul for a response. Nothing came out except… "Oh God." He hid his face in his wife's shoulder and joined her in her tears.
--
AN: Not nearly the end….stay tuned…and review, cuz ya knooow..its helps me, help you -TLH
Ch. 8
Boy that sounds familiar
---
"Here we are Margaret…" Hawkeye said sliding her hotel key in door and opening it.
BJ and he held both her arms and set her down on her bed.
"It was great seeing you again Margaret." BJ said trying not to laugh.
"Good seeing ya too, good old BJ." She slurred and tried to stand up falling right back down.
Hawkeye couldn't help but smile. She was so beautiful and tried hard to remember the first goodbye they had.
He nodded over to BJ to get her ready to get into bed.
They took off her shoes and uncovered the covers. She slid onto the bed and Hawkeye brought the covers up to her, tucking her in.
"Goodbye Margaret."
"Boy that sounds familiar, but I think last time it went more like this." She said, grabbing Hawkeye and kissing him.
Hawkeye enjoyed the first two seconds then fighting himself he pulled away. "Major, I'm married."
"So was Frank." She replied making another grab for him but he had backed away.
"I'm not Frank Margaret; there is only one Frank Burns."
BJ smiled. "Thank God."
"We have to get back, you sleep tight. And take care of yourself." He said to her as she started to fade into her sleep. He kissed her on the forehead and the two started for the door.
"I always loved you Hawkeye Pierce." She said as she turned on her side getting comfortable.
Hawkeye stopped and smiled. "Me too Margaret, me too."
BJ tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for the door. After one last glance, the two left and made their way to their own hotel.
**
"Well that was weird huh?" Hawkeye said to BJ in the taxi.
"Why would you say that? I mean it's no secret any more Hawk, It was twenty years ago and you still got the hots for her…"
"She's beautiful Beej, every man has the hots for her, always has." Hawkeye said glancing out the window.
"Sure." BJ said.
"Sure? What's that suppose to mean?" Hawk replied turning back to his friend.
"It means sure, what do you mean what's that mean?"
"That's what I mean." Hawkeye replied.
"What do you mean?" BJ asked confused.
"Never mind." Hawkeye replied.
"Sure." BJ smiled.
Hawkeye Pierce just rolled his eyes at his friend and smiled slightly.
**Hotel Room
"Gonna call Jennifer?" BJ asked taking his wallet out of his pocket.
"Of course I'm gonna call her, why wouldn't I call her?" he replied defensively.
"Hey, easy, I was just asking." BJ replied.
"Yeah just like the 'sure' in the car was just a normal 'sure'"
"Hawk, relax, you don't have to tell Jen if you don't want to…I mean it was innocent, I'm sure she already knows about Margaret anyhow." He said grabbing a towel to take into the shower. "Doesn't she?"
"Well not exactly." Hawkeye replied sitting on his bed.
BJ sighed. "It's fine Hawk, I wouldn't worry about telling her. It was so long ago anyway, she loves you so much. She'll be elated just to hear your voice."
"You're right Beej, you're always right…Thanks." He said picking up the phone and dialing out.
BJ smiled. "Sure." And closed the bathroom door behind him.
It had been about fifteen minutes since he'd last thought about his son.
'I wonder what he's doing right now? I bet he's real scared.' He thought as the ringing tone echoed on the other line.
"Hi honey…it's me." He replied to the hello from the other side. "Yeah, it was good. Our old company clerk Radar, read a little something…it was very touching…yea…dinner was wonderful, it was great to see everyone again…yeah it was a bit sad saying goodbye, but I'm a big boy…Teddy?...he said to keep it…I know…Margaret?...Yea, she was there…good…hey honey…I'm running out of minutes on this card…I will see you late tomorrow night…I know…be strong….I love you too…bye honey."
He hung up the phone and couldn't help but feel depressed. He thought for a second about retreating to the mini bar and opted to do just that. By the time BJ returned his friend was just about passed out. Mini bottles of liquor lay all around him.
"Hey …Beej…care to join me ole buddy."
BJ shook his head. "Oh, Hawk."
"Did you know Blake is gonna get killed Beej?....yup….yes sir…we're gonna get a letter and he's gonna be dead….its gonna say 'we regret to inform you, blah blah blah….I'm gonna lose my kid…" He fell into a bit of tears.
BJ took a seat beside him putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hawk…you don't kknow that…just…just relax…have faith."
"Faith…to hell with faith…easy for you too say big guy…your girl can't be drafted…she wont be in the damn war…so you have nothing to worry about …so quit yapping about faith…when you have no reason to have any!" He finished and took his finger out of BJ's face where it had been during his entire monologue.
"Hawk…" BJ began calmly.
"Don't 'Hawk' me…you have 'Hawk''d me for the last time…" He wiped his tear stricken face. "Ya know what? I liked kissing Margaret … I did…I missed her…and I liked kissing her…is that a sin?..."
BJ was stern with his reply. "Listen…you love Jennifer…you love your wife…stop this talk…you're drunk."
"I'm drunk?...I can't be drunk…I haven't been drunk since…since …the…war." The last word caught his heart and he fell into tears once again. "The war Beej…my kid…the war."
Not another word was spoken all night. The next morning the two packed up and headed for the airport. Just as the two took their seats, Hawkeye sighed and said. "So, is life gonna go on?"
BJ smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "It always did, and it always will."
The trip back was full of humor and laughter. For now, the old Hawkeye was back and BJ was glad. It was like he had a revelation that he couldn't wallow in his sorrow, it never worked before and it wouldn't work now.
BJ and Peg stayed for a couple more days until returning to the bay area. The kiss between Margaret was never mentioned. Months passed and the friends talked often as the tear stricken nights continued through the months. Benjamin Pierce was burying himself into his work and returning home to console him wife night after night. His son's letters had stopped coming and no news was good news as far as he was concerned.
The couple could barely watch the news on television or read the headlines in the newspaper. Even conversations in the office caused Hawkeye to cringe. They couldn't escape it. He and Jen did attend his high schools championship game in which they were victorious. Yet, two more months passed by and no word, but just as BJ said life always went on. Surgery after surgery, Benjamin Pierces life was full of routine. The other families whose sons had been sent over offered them help and prayer, but Hawkeye turned them away. Time and life was slowly ticking away and though his wife clung to faith, he had nothing.
Nothing until a rainy night in December when he returned home. His wife greeted him sitting on the stairs, tear stricken, holding a piece of paper in her hands. She coughed and handed it to her husband.
He read it and gasped.
"What…when?" He replied kneeling down to meet her eye to eye. She couldn't reply through the tears. He kissed her forehead and embraced her. "Oh, Jennifer…Jesus…" He said quietly. You could see the desperation in his eyes as he searched his soul for a response. Nothing came out except… "Oh God." He hid his face in his wife's shoulder and joined her in her tears.
--
AN: Not nearly the end….stay tuned…and review, cuz ya knooow..its helps me, help you -TLH