Back In the World
Ch. 20
--
"Yes last night...okay Margaret, thank you, I will...okay then...take care.." He put the phone back on the receiver just as Hawkeye walked in.
"Have a nice walk?" BJ asked.
"Oh sure wonderful." He said plainly then took a seat once again on the living room couch.
BJ eyed his friend painfully. "Hawk, the arrangements are taken care of..."
"Thanks Beej...you're a gem." He smiled slightly looking back at his tall friend.
BJ smiled in return. Then silence took over the room. There really wasn't much to say.
The night slowly grew into morning and morning into the afternoon. Today was the day when the doorbell never stopped ringing. The neighborhood and the hospital staff had now heard. BJ manned the phones while Hawkeye struggled to appear strong. By the time the day was over, he shook about 76 hands, kissed 45 cheeks and hugged 56 times. He was flattered at their concern and took their prayer wishes to heart. Handy throughout the day was his trusty handkerchief and each time he took it out he remembered that priest...
** VIETNAM
"You take care now son...be sure to tell your father I said hello." The priest took Blake's hand as the stretcher was being laid into the truck. As the truck drove away, the dirt flying up in the Priests face wasn't the cause of the tear that fell from his eyes. He did the sign of the Cross to the truck and said simply, "God Speed Blake Pierce, God Speed."
--
As Hawkeye Pierce shut the bathroom light, he heard a voice coming from his sons bedroom, and he peered through the door...
He saw his friend, kneeling by his sons bed, praying...
"God, thank you for getting Hawkeye through this day. Thank you for the concern of his friends for his welfare. I ask that you would comfort Hawkeye tomorrow at the service. I also pray for his son Blake, Lord bring him home safe. These past few days have been so hard for both of us; I pray that you would give me grace to tend to my friend in the way you need me to. I pray above all for strength for Hawkeye. He is in pain Father, please help him. I love him so much Lord, thank you for his friendship in my life. And allowing me to pay back some of what I dearly owe him from the past. In your Son's name, I pray, Amen."
He jumped back slightly as his friend got into his son's bed and shut the light.
He slowly walked to his bedroom, head hung low. He got into bed and turned off the light. As he looked up, the silence in the room was broken...
"Dear Lord, ditto"
--
The sun shone brightly as the two friends walked out of the house into the car. The arrived at the service right on time and Hawkeye wasted no time retreating to his seat.
The droves of people piled in and the funeral home had reached its capacity. BJ sat next to his friend on the right, and Jens parents on the left. The service was solemn, and a few of Jennifer's friend stepped up to speak of her. The sobs were only few and far between, that was until her husband took the podium.
He wanted to speak but nothing came out. Suddenly he fell into a bit of tears. He kept trying to compose himself but finally gave up. BJ and another colleague made their way up to the podium to help him to his seat.
The pastor went up to close the ceremony shortly after. As the handshakes and kisses came once again, it seemed like forever until the place was almost empty. Klinger, Radar, Charles and Trapper stood quietly in the back. Hawkeye sat quietly with his head down, tears falling one by one. BJ sat quietly beside him.
Just then a lady knelt down in front of Hawkeye and looked up into his face, taking a hold of his hand.
He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. Her hand wiped the tears from his cheeks and she softly placed a kiss on his cheek. She smiled at him and for the first time all day, he smiled in return.
"Hi Pierce."
"Hiya Margaret." He replied standing up and taking her up with him.
The two embraced, BJ standing beside them, a slight smile appearing on his face. He looked up to the heavens and winked, "Thank you"
--
Back at the Pierce home, a taxi pulled up...and slowly but surely a man in uniform stepped out...
-- END CH. 20
AN: Yay for Margaret. And yes you read right, Trapper is there. I love Trapper; I mean he is there out of respect. Stay tuned for more .... PLEASE REVIEW guys, I'm sad with no reviews...it helps me help you – Take care – TLH ‡
--
"Yes last night...okay Margaret, thank you, I will...okay then...take care.." He put the phone back on the receiver just as Hawkeye walked in.
"Have a nice walk?" BJ asked.
"Oh sure wonderful." He said plainly then took a seat once again on the living room couch.
BJ eyed his friend painfully. "Hawk, the arrangements are taken care of..."
"Thanks Beej...you're a gem." He smiled slightly looking back at his tall friend.
BJ smiled in return. Then silence took over the room. There really wasn't much to say.
The night slowly grew into morning and morning into the afternoon. Today was the day when the doorbell never stopped ringing. The neighborhood and the hospital staff had now heard. BJ manned the phones while Hawkeye struggled to appear strong. By the time the day was over, he shook about 76 hands, kissed 45 cheeks and hugged 56 times. He was flattered at their concern and took their prayer wishes to heart. Handy throughout the day was his trusty handkerchief and each time he took it out he remembered that priest...
** VIETNAM
"You take care now son...be sure to tell your father I said hello." The priest took Blake's hand as the stretcher was being laid into the truck. As the truck drove away, the dirt flying up in the Priests face wasn't the cause of the tear that fell from his eyes. He did the sign of the Cross to the truck and said simply, "God Speed Blake Pierce, God Speed."
--
As Hawkeye Pierce shut the bathroom light, he heard a voice coming from his sons bedroom, and he peered through the door...
He saw his friend, kneeling by his sons bed, praying...
"God, thank you for getting Hawkeye through this day. Thank you for the concern of his friends for his welfare. I ask that you would comfort Hawkeye tomorrow at the service. I also pray for his son Blake, Lord bring him home safe. These past few days have been so hard for both of us; I pray that you would give me grace to tend to my friend in the way you need me to. I pray above all for strength for Hawkeye. He is in pain Father, please help him. I love him so much Lord, thank you for his friendship in my life. And allowing me to pay back some of what I dearly owe him from the past. In your Son's name, I pray, Amen."
He jumped back slightly as his friend got into his son's bed and shut the light.
He slowly walked to his bedroom, head hung low. He got into bed and turned off the light. As he looked up, the silence in the room was broken...
"Dear Lord, ditto"
--
The sun shone brightly as the two friends walked out of the house into the car. The arrived at the service right on time and Hawkeye wasted no time retreating to his seat.
The droves of people piled in and the funeral home had reached its capacity. BJ sat next to his friend on the right, and Jens parents on the left. The service was solemn, and a few of Jennifer's friend stepped up to speak of her. The sobs were only few and far between, that was until her husband took the podium.
He wanted to speak but nothing came out. Suddenly he fell into a bit of tears. He kept trying to compose himself but finally gave up. BJ and another colleague made their way up to the podium to help him to his seat.
The pastor went up to close the ceremony shortly after. As the handshakes and kisses came once again, it seemed like forever until the place was almost empty. Klinger, Radar, Charles and Trapper stood quietly in the back. Hawkeye sat quietly with his head down, tears falling one by one. BJ sat quietly beside him.
Just then a lady knelt down in front of Hawkeye and looked up into his face, taking a hold of his hand.
He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. Her hand wiped the tears from his cheeks and she softly placed a kiss on his cheek. She smiled at him and for the first time all day, he smiled in return.
"Hi Pierce."
"Hiya Margaret." He replied standing up and taking her up with him.
The two embraced, BJ standing beside them, a slight smile appearing on his face. He looked up to the heavens and winked, "Thank you"
--
Back at the Pierce home, a taxi pulled up...and slowly but surely a man in uniform stepped out...
-- END CH. 20
AN: Yay for Margaret. And yes you read right, Trapper is there. I love Trapper; I mean he is there out of respect. Stay tuned for more .... PLEASE REVIEW guys, I'm sad with no reviews...it helps me help you – Take care – TLH ‡