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When Saturday came around Margaret was more nervous. She made sure that Haylie had a nice long nap and was bathed. She wanted to make sure that the child was in a good mood and looking her very best. She knew that her daughter couldn't look anything less than adorable, but she wanted her to be clean.
Margaret wrapped the child in her little pink towel and then picked up the wet baby and carried her to the nursery, Margaret set the little girl in her crib. She didn't want the two year old to escape while she was trying to dry her off and put the baby lotion on her.
"Mommy?"
"Yes Haylie?"
"Where we go?" The naked two year old asked. Haylie had completely removed her towel and was now sitting playing with her doll. She didn't like the confines of the towel.
"We're going to a friend of Mommy's for dinner."
"Ood?"
"Yes, you'll have some food."
"'Oood." Haylie smiled, she as now bouncing merrily in her crib.
Margaret had put the lotion on her daughter's soft skin and stood back and looked at her. "Okay Haylie do you have to go potty?"
"No potty."
"Okay lets get you dressed."
"Kay."
"Come here." Margaret smiled picking the toddler up and the towel. Haylie smiled and hung onto her mother. "Okay honey do you want to put your panties on?"
"Yup me do." Haylie smiled. Margaret set Haylie down and handed her a pair of panties. After Haylie pulled them of she look at her mother and smiled. "Petty Mommy."
"They are pretty. Do you want to wear this dress?" Margaret held up a white dress with a pink sash and tiny pink flowers on the skirt.
"Yeah!" Haylie smiled brightly. Margaret handed her the matching bottoms to put on. After Margaret dressed Haylie, she put the baby's hair into two curly pig tales. She tied them with pink ribbons to match the dress.
"There we go sweetie, all ready."
"Yay, Mommy eddy?"
"Not yet. Mommy needs to get dressed. Do you want to play with your doll while I put my dress on?"
"Kay. Uppy?" Margaret smiled and picked up the toddler. She grabbed Haylie's white sweater and walked across the hall to her bedroom. Margaret set Haylie down on her bed and walked into the bathroom to grab her dress.
"Haylie honey." Margaret wanted to make sure that she kept her toddler busy talking. A two year old could get into anything if left alone for two seconds, and she wanted to keep her daughter clean so the could be to Charles' house on time.
"'Es Mommy?"
"Where's your doll?" Margaret asked noticing that the doll wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Uner piwo."
"What's she doing under the pillow?" Margaret asked pulling her shirt off.
"Payin."
"Playing what?" She asked putting her slip on.
"Hide and 'eek."
"Are you sure its not just hide?" Margaret teased pulling her light blue sun dress on.
"Mommy!" Haylie giggled with a giant smile.
"Haylie." Margaret smiled mimicking the two-year-old causing a hearty laugh to emerge from her.
"I wuv oo."
"I love you." Margaret smiled kissing her daughter on the lips.
"Amost eddy?"
"Almost. I just need to put my shoes on, then we'll put yours on."
"Kay. Ite un's?"
"We'll put the white ones on." Margaret smiled.
"Yay."
"Do you want to get your Mary Jane's?"
"Huh?"
"You're pretty white ones."
"Kay." Haylie smiled pulling her doll out from under the pillow and climbing off the bed. Margaret smiled and followed the two-year-old into the living room where Margaret had everything.
After pulling Haylie's shoes on, Margaret put her sweater on then helped Haylie into hers. Margaret grabbed the diaper bag and her purse and they headed straight for Charles's house on Beacon Hill.
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Hawkeye walked into his apartment around four thirty on Saturday. As soon as he shut the door he saw Lily sitting on the living room rug in a pale yellow dress. The weekend baby-sitter stood up and smiled. He put his book away and picked his bag up.
"Hi Doctor Pierce."
"Hi Stacey. How was she?"
"A doll like usual. I bathed her and dressed her. I also put together her diaper bag for you."
"Thanks Stacey." Hawkeye smiled at the teenage boy putting his spring jacket on.
"No problem Doctor Pierce. Bye Lily." Lily looked up at her sitter and waved.
"I'll see you Monday?"
"Yup. Bye."
"Bye." Hawkeye closed the door and looked at his baby. Lily was sitting contentedly playing. "Come here Lily."
"Dada." Lily smiled wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Did you have a good day?"
"Yea," Lily smiled. Hawkeye rubbed her back and walked into his bedroom. He put the little girl on the bed and changed his shirt.
"Okay, lets get your diaper bag and then we'll go to see Uncle Charles and Auntie Bess." Lily smiled brightly. She loved her Uncle Charles and Auntie Bess. Hawkeye talked to the little girl all the way to Beacon Hill.
Lily told him in broken English and baby gibberish about her day. Which Hawkeye found very amusing. She loved to talk, and Hawkeye loved listening to her. Lily was a lot like him. They both loved talking and eating.
Once they arrived at their destination, Hawkeye threw the diaper bag over his shoulder and picked up the baby.
Lily hung onto her father as they walked to the front door. He rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer. Lily's favorite maid Grace answered the door.
"Hello Doctor!"
"Hi Gracie." Hawkeye smiled at the young girl. "Charles and Bess in the study?"
"Yes sir." Grace smiled bringing him to the study. Once there Lily saw her Uncle and smiled brightly. Charles saw the chubby little girl and smiled. He stood up and took her in his arms.
"Well my Lily." Charles smiled. "Thank you for bringing her Pierce."
"No problem Charles, she doesn't like going anywhere without me."
"As it should be." Charles smiled. "Feeling any better Lily?"
"Edder." Lily smiled. Hawkeye smiled and ran his hand over her soft hair. Bess smiled and walked over to the small little girl.
"Come here Angel." Lily went willing into her Aunt's arms. She loved Bess. She and Charles had only been married for just under a year, but Bess was the only female in her life. "Wow, you're getting big."
"Uh huh." Lily smiled brightly.
"Well my dear little girl, we're expecting someone else how would you like to come and wait with me?"
"Uh huh." Lily smiled.
"Who's coming Charles?"
"A dear old friend of mine."
"Oh do I know him?"
"You know her yes."
"Interesting. Hey Bess!"
"Yes Hawkeye?"
"Where are you taking my kid?"
"Some place where we can do girl talk." Bess replied with a smirk.
"Maybe I wont bring her next time." The father shot back.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Charles your wife is something else."
"Oh I know Pierce. Elizabeth is certainly something else."
"Why don't you call her Bess?"
"For a simple reason Pierce, her name is Elizabeth, not Bess."
"We call her Bess."
"I know." Charles smiled when seeing his wife smiling at the door. "Elizabeth are they here?"
"Yes." Bess replied.
"Can I have my baby then?"
"Of course." Bess smiled handing Lily to her father.
"I'll be right back." Bess nodded and sat down on the couch. Charles walked outside of the room and saw Margaret standing there with Haylie in her arms. "Margaret."
"Hi Charles." Margaret smiled setting Haylie on the floor. Charles hugged her tightly and looked at the little girl staring at him.
"You must be Haylie." Haylie looked at him strangely then hugged her mother's leg.
"Its okay Honey." Haylie slowly let got of her mother's leg and smiled at the strange man in front of her. "Can you say Hi?"
"Hi." She said softly.
"Hello Haylie." Haylie smiled and held her arms up. Charles picked the child up. "My Margaret she looks just like you."
"I know. Its kind of scary."
"Look at those eyes."
"Aren't they gorgeous?" Margaret asked taking her daughter into her arms.
"Indeed. Well shall we go in?" Margaret nodded and walked in behind in. Charles walked in and both Hawkeye and Bess stood up. "Pierce, I believe you know my dear friend." He smiled as Margaret walked in.
Both Hawkeye and Margaret stood there, each with a child in their arms. Looking shocked in seeing the other. Haylie and Lily didn't know what was going on.
"Mommy?"
"Yes honey?" Margaret asked looking at her.
"Who's he?"
"Oh right. Hawkeye, this is my daughter Haylie Madylin Houlihan"
"Haylie that's such a pretty name. Your mommy asked me for names and I gave her a bunch."
"I know Hawk. That was your favorite."
"You didn't actually name her after me, but let me pick the name for her."
"I told you I would." Margaret smiled.
"Well my dear Margaret, I would like to introduce you to Lily Angelina Pierce."
"Hi." Margaret smiled. Lily smiled brightly and held out her arms. Margaret and Hawkeye traded children. "You know you're named after me. That's right. My middle name is Lilian."
"You're middle name is Lilian, Margaret?"
"Yup. Margaret Lilian Houlihan, or known to my family as Molly Lily Houlihan."
"Molly? I like that." Hawkeye smiled. "Haylie, I knew you were going to look like your mommy. I just knew it."
"Me ook ike Mommy." Haylie smiled.
"You do. Now we should ask Charles how he managed this?"
"Managed what Pierce?"
"Getting Margaret here." Hawkeye smiled looking at Margaret.
"It wasn't that difficult. In fact I called her and invited her."
"Where do you live Margaret?"
"Here in Boston. I moved her when Haylie was a month old. I'm working at Boston Mercy."
"Mommy?"
"Yes honey?"
"Where Mercy?" Hawkeye looked strangely at Haylie.
"Mercy is with Auntie Elaine, Uncle David and Grandma." Hawkeye still looked confused. "Mercy is my niece, my sister Elaine's daughter."
"Oh, I see. Well do you want your little girl back."
"Sure. Lily do you want to go to Daddy?" Lily smiled and held her hands out to her father. Hawkeye took her and handed Margaret Haylie.
"Well what do you saw we have some dinner." Bess smiled. The word Dinner sparked Haylie and Lily's ears. They smiled brightly.
"Bessy wat ood?"
"Well I don't know. Lets see what the chef made us." Bess smiled looking at Lily.
"Kay."
"Are you hungry Haylie?"
"Uh huh."
"Haylie is always hungry." Margaret answered.
"Margaret, let Grace take the bag. Grace take Margaret's bag and put it with Hawkeye's."
"Yes Doctor." Grace smiled taking the diaper bag.
"Well follow me, would you like a drink?" Bess asked.
"An ice tea would be nice."
"No scotch Margaret?"
"No, I don't drink."
"You stopped after the war?"
"I sort of had to. With me being pregnant, then with breast feeding."
"I understand." Bess smiled. "Would you like some white wine?"
"Sure." Margaret smiled.
"Charles, two white wines, a dry martini and whatever you want." Bess ordered with a smile. Charles nodded and walked off.
Dinner was a pleasant meal for everyone. The four adults spent most of the time making sure that Haylie and Lily didn't play with their food. Which was unsuccessful. The toddlers were to interested on playing wit the food rather than eating it.
After dinner Margaret and Bess took the two girls to get cleaned up. Instead of leaving them in their dresses, they changed them into their pajamas. Even though the girls weren't tired it was easier to get them in their pajama's now instead of trying later with two very cranky babies.
"So Margaret, how long have you been in Boston?" Bess asked with a smile.
"Almost two years, I moved here when Haylie was a month old."
"And you being divorced I take it was hard."
"Very, but we survive. How long have you and Charles been married?"
"Almost a year. We've known each other since we were kids. He was older than me, and I was in a lower class than he was, but we were friends.
"How long have you known each other?"
"Since I was five. Better part of twenty years. How long have you known Hawkeye?"
"Better part of five years."
"Five?"
"Yeah, we met when he came to Korea."
"That was five years ago."
"Yeah."
"Mommy?"
"Yes honey?"
"Me not seepy."
"I know you aren't."
"Why me in jammies?"
"So Mommy wont have to put you in them when we get home."
"Kay." Haylie smiled as Margaret placed her on her hip.
"Shall we join the men?" Margaret asked looking at Bess and Lily.
"I think that would be wise. Lily's father tends to want his child." Bess smiled as the two walked out of room.
When the two men saw Margaret and Bess walk in they both smiled at the sight of the two beautiful women holding the two absolutely gorgeous children.
Margaret and Bess sat down placing the children on the floor. Haylie showed Lily her doll.
"Dis enni."
"Enni?" Lily asked placing a chubby hand on the doll.
"Mommy ili needs doll." Haylie said looking up at her mother. Margaret smiled and looked over at Hawkeye.
"Lily honey, do you want your teddy?"
"No dolly."
"Okay, Gracie." He called. The young woman appeared in the door. "Would you get Lily's doll?"
"Of course."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Grace left with a smile and came back in a few seconds with the doll. Lily smiled brightly and took the doll Grace handed her.
"Ise olly."
"Olly?"
"Uh huh."
"Pay dollies?" Lily smiled brightly. The two chubby little girls sat on the floor playing with their dolls. Not one of the adults actually knew how the two communicated. All they knew was that one of them burst out laughing.
The four adults talked while the girls played merrily. It was around ten or so that Margaret and Hawkeye picked up their sleeping babies and headed home.
"So."
"Yeah." Margaret said softly as Hawkeye walked her and Haylie to her car.
"Well I ah,"
"Ah, yeah."
"Listen I'll call you."
"Okay. I got to get Haylie home now."
"Okay. Goodnight Margaret." Hawkeye said softly placing a kiss on her lips. Margaret smiled and hugged him half way, since he had Lily in his arms.
"Goodnight Hawkeye." With that Margaret climbed into her car and smiled. Hawkeye stepped back and waved as she drove off.
It wasn't till each of them returned home that they realized they had the wrong diaper bag. It was too late to do anything about it; Margaret would just have to call him in the morning and maybe exchange the bags.