A/N: Thanks very much to Meredith (Beatrice) and Tessa for their reviews!
May 1959
"I don't get them." Hawkeye remarked, watching as Charles and I sat beside each other on the piano stool, laughing and having a great time as Charles once more fouled up the piece he was trying to master.
"Hmm?" Margaret queried, she and Hawkeye were sitting on the sofa, Hawkeye painting her toenails.
"I don't get them, look at how close they are, would you guess they had a broken engagement?"
"Would you guess we had a broken relationship?" Margaret argued. "They're not letting it stand in the way of what was already there and neither are we, we're all just friends, would you guess there was ever anything between BJ and Anne? Or Anne and Trapper? Or you and Cathie or any of the other women you talk to, or myself and . . . no that's not the same there's still bitterness there. They also have a daughter, if they were bitter, and twisted, and everything they're not, April would suffer." Charles and I smiled at each other.
"I hate you so much Missy Margaret," Hawkeye tilted her foot up so the sole was visible and carefully painted a pink smile on her heel. "You're right too often."
"Get used to it." Margaret yawned, pulling her foot away and wiped the wet polish off.
"Margaret," I said, awkwardly turning around in my chair, I was due any day, and not a moment too soon. "Do you want to sleep here tonight, you look pretty tired."
"Sure, she can crash in our bed with us, we've done that before." Hawkeye referred to when Amy-Jane had arrived and we'd gone west to see her.
"I wasn't pregnant, well, I was but you know how it was, I was barely three weeks, I wasn't showing or anything."
"You do too much for me, but this time I'll have to accept, I am exhausted." She yawned again, stretching.
"Charles, you've got the spare room as usual, Margaret, you have a choice of the playroom sofa bed, the spare room with Charles, or squeezing in with Hawkeye and I."
"Seeing as I couldn't upset Charles and the kids descend on the playroom as early as 5am, I think I'll sleep with you two. At least, you manage to sleep whole nights." I usually woke around 6 with the demand from my bladder as my little Mate had been sleeping on it all night, but it was better for Margaret than being roughly woken at 5.
"Well if you'll excuse me, then, I'm going to bed, Margaret, you're sleeping on my side, I'll go in the middle." I yawned, standing up. Margaret followed and in a matter of minutes, we were both sound asleep.
I washed my hands and returned from the bathroom. I'd woken earlier and tiptoed out. In the two minutes of my absence, Margaret and Hawkeye had shifted to take up most of the bed in a spreadeagled fashion. I gave a soft laugh, and put on my robe, leaving the two to sleep and going to play with the kids in their room.
"I had no idea!" Margaret's voice came from the bedroom sounding very surprised.
"I'm so sorry!" Hawkeye's voice nearly spoke over her, genuinely apologetic. I left the kids for a second to find out what was going on. My guess, which was confirmed as I entered the room, was that Hawkeye and Margaret had wound up holding each other, Hawkeye mistaking her for me, and Margaret mistaking him for someone else.
"You two are hopeless, I go to the bathroom for two minutes, and you'd already taken over the entire bed!" Granted it was a bit squashed when I was pregnant, but not uncomfortably so.
"I'm sorry Anne," Margaret said, but I laughed it off, not really worrying anyhow. I trusted them both, and knew they wouldn't do anything anyway. Margaret went downstairs to help Edna get breakfast and I went to play with the kids some more.
"When baby come?" Lydia asked. She couldn't wait until the day she too was a big sister.
"Soon I hope." I replied. "Now let's go Little One, breakfast time. Baby, Angel put away your toys, breakfast is ready." I ushered my five lovingly downstairs.
"Do you want to come Anne?" Charles asked. Everyone was going to the park.
"I'm pretty tired and I would love a shower, so what say I meet you there at 12 with a picnic lunch?" I yawned.
"Will you be okay to do that by yourself?" Margaret asked.
"Yes, I'll be fine. If I'm not there by 12.15 you'll know something's wrong and you can come back and get me." A few minutes later, I kissed everyone goodbye, and got busy making lunch. It took a while as I was making for six adults, and five small but certifiably ravenous children.
It was getting dangerously close to 11.45 the time I'd have to leave, when I finished making lunch and went upstairs to shower. I smiled down at my bump, taking extra care in washing it. I yawned some more, I was still tired and I reached out of the shower to check my watch. It was half past and I knew that if I didn't leave by noon, I wouldn't make it.
Turing the taps off, I turned and reached for my towel, and collapsed as the all-too familiar but surprisingly sudden and strong pain of a contraction caused me to swear violently. It didn't hurt that badly, it had just surprised me and once I'd calmed down, I reached for my towel again and barely had time to wrap it around me when I had another contraction.
"Whoa, mate, what's going on here?" I addressed the baby, extremely surprised. I'd had no previous signs of labour, but from the strength and regularity of the contractions, and the fact that my waters had just broken, it was obvious things weren't going to wait.
I got myself out of the shower, with great difficulty and settled on the couch in the study, forcing myself to take a few deep breaths and calm down. It was almost 12 and I knew I had until at least half past before anyone would come back. Figuring the baby wouldn't make his appearance that soon; I got as comfortable as possible on the couch with many towels and sheets.
I very quickly discovered I was wrong about assuming the baby would wait. By 12.15 the baby was beginning to crown, that is, the head was already being delivered. I was in no pain though, unlike my other long and rather painful labours, this was short, painless and happening in a damn hurry.
I couldn't hold off pushing any longer, and I propped myself into a semi- sitting position so I could see what was going on. I didn't want to push, but I had to, the pressure was too great. By now I was scared, I'd never been alone when I'd had any of my children. I'd always had at least Daniel, and it was strange and scary not to have any of the support I was used to. Watching as my baby emerged into the world, I forced myself to settle down, panicking wouldn't help, and so far everything seemed to be going well, even if too quickly for my liking.
"Come on Princess, let's go see what happened to Mummy, she probably fell asleep." I heard the troops returning and I realised if I called out, they'd probably make it for the very last bit. All I really needed to do was push once or twice more, and I'd be a mother for the sixth time.
"HAWKEYE, DANIEL, MARGARET, CHARLIE, GET UP HERE NOW, I REALLY NEED YOU!" I surprised myself, as I hadn't known I could yell so loudly. I guess a contraction really helped my voice.
"Just a second!" Hawkeye replied. I waited until I'd got my breath back from pushing and yelled again.
"GET YOUR ARSES UP HERE NOW! I AM ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY!" Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Margaret, closely followed by Hawkeye, Charles, Daniel and Edna burst in. They were a split second too late.
"Oh my god, Annie!" I'd just given birth completely unaided and I was now cradling my newborn son to my chest.
"Anne, were you in labour when we left?" Daniel asked. The group had rushed forwards to see the baby, who was making excellent use of his lungs.
"No, I just had a . . ." I checked the clock, "45 minute labour. Hawkeye, do you want to meet your son?"
"It's a boy?" He asked, as I put the tiny baby into his arms. "It is a boy! He's going to be a lady-pleaser." I burst into hysterical tears and laughter; the shock of what I'd done finally coming back on me, and it was several minutes of noisy gasping breaths and tears before I'd settled down again.
"Congratulations Annie." Charles kissed my cheek as I now lay in bed, cleaned up and with my healthy, very big 12lb baby boy cradled in my arms.
"I should be so lucky." Margaret smiled, rubbing the little boy's head, which was covered in thick black hair. He had beautiful black hair and eyes that were an incredible shade of indigo.
"Can we see now?" I looked past Margaret to see my five children gathered at the door.
"Come on darlings, it's time for you to meet your baby brother." Margaret helped them all up on the bed and they crowded around, peering at the newest arrival.
"Felicity, Ben, April, Jess, Lydia, this is your baby brother." I displayed the little boy who watched the world with his dark indigo eyes.
"I hold?" Felicity asked nervously as with the previous babies she had not really held them.
"Sure, come here and sit down, hold out your hands. She sat next to me and I laid the baby in her arms, showing her how to hold her brother.
"What baby's name?" Jess asked. At our 3-year-old's query, I glanced at Hawkeye.
"We don't know yet Baby." Hawkeye said, as I gave Ben a chance to hold his brother, which he gladly accepted.
"Danny, you my brother, it you and me now. We play ball and climb trees and it all be fun Danny."
"Danny? Why did you call him Danny Benny-boy?" I asked, surprised at the name.
"It a nice name like Grandpa." Edna sometimes called Dad Dan or Danny as a joke.
"I suppose we could call him Daniel." Hawkeye said. "After Dad, that would be nice."
"Son, you don't have to." Daniel protested modestly.
"Shut up Dad, I like it very much. BJ just presented us with the perfect name." I smiled at my son. "Give him to Aunty Margaret, she's dying for a cuddle I can see." Margaret carefully took the baby boy.
"Daniel Pierce, it sounds wonderful." Charles said softly, smiling at the baby. I could tell he was wishing he'd been around when April had been born, so he could be holding me like Hawkeye now was.
"What do you think, name Daniel after our other little boy?" Hawkeye asked, his lips close to my ear, so I was the only one who could hear. "Daniel Adam Riley Pierce?" He said the full name so I could hear it.
"That's nice." I replied softly. "I like it." Margaret was still cuddling her nephew, but I reached over to take him from her, and between us, Hawkeye and I looked the little boy over, deciding whether or not it suited him.
"I think there's a name been chosen." Charles said with a smile. "Care to spill?"
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce my newest son Daniel Adam Riley Pierce." Hawkeye said proudly.
"May we introduce our son, Daniel Adam Riley Pierce!" I smiled, seeing that this little boy was going to be a Daddy's man immediately.
"That too." Hawkeye agreed sheepishly, kissing me as the phone rang.
"I'll get it." Daniel went into the study, and picked it up. "Hello Pierce residence, yes, why of course, not at all, she's here. Margaret, it's for you, a Harold Olsen."
"Harold?" Margaret shrieked, hurrying to the phone and snatching it out of Dad's hand. We shared a confused smile as everyone else had a cuddle with Danny. We heard snatches of conversation that made us laugh.
"Of course you can call me here, that's no worry, they don't mind." Calm dismissal. "No, divorced." Sadness. "You're what? That's great!" A question and then surprise. "Yes, will I what? Of course I will!" More surprise and pure elation. "I'll see you tomorrow then, I love you." Serious happiness and warmth.
Margaret put the phone down and took a deep breath, happiness at whatever she'd agreed to, radiating off her in waves. She came back into the bedroom and took a deep breath. Every face turned to her, watching, waiting.
"I'm getting married!" Margaret cried. "Harold and I have known each other since forever, and he's just been promoted to Colonel and, it's wonderful, he's taking leave tomorrow and he's coming to see me."
"Congratulations!" Everyone in the room hugged and kissed Margaret.
"When are you getting married?" I asked.
"In the summer, he has most of August leave." Margaret beamed.
"You may get your majorettes yet." Hawkeye replied.
"I hope so. A little girl, and a little boy."
"How about four little girls and two little boys?" I laughed, motioning to the children that were on the bed.
"Maybe two little girls and two little boys, but not that many." Margaret laughed.
We met Colonel Harold Olsen the next day, who was an army doctor and very nice man. He seemed very much in love with his old flame who he had not seen since before Korea, nearly 10 years ago. He treated Margaret with the respect and love she really deserved, and that no one else, except perhaps Hawkeye had given her. They had met as ten-year-olds somewhere, and hated each other, but when they'd been reunited as 18-year-olds and again just before the war, things had been extremely different. I was happy for Margaret, rightly so, she deserved this.
The kids kept growing and blossoming, and I loved every moment I spent with them. Danny was growing fast, as was his hair, and to my joy, his eyes remained that beautiful, but strange shade of blue. Not surprisingly August, and Margaret's wedding day came quickly. It was in Fort Wayne where Harold was stationed, and so, for most of us, it meant a flight to Indiana.
"I now present Mr and Mrs Colonel Harold Olsen!" We began clapping and cheering, with many comments about how Margaret was finally married to the Army. Both of her parents had come up and Col Houlihan remembered me clearly.
"Captain Pierce!" Hawkeye froze in his tracks, and I turned around with a smile. I saw who it was and saluted smartly, even though I was no longer in the army. He returned the salute. Hawkeye meanwhile scuttled off, he'd had bad experiences with the Colonel.
"You're still my Margaret's friend then, that's good to see, are you still a Captain?"
"No, sir. I left the army as I have children now. If you'll notice I'm not wearing any bars." Margaret had asked that everyone she'd met via the army came in Class-A's, and we all obliged, but as I was no longer a Captain, I left off the rank insignia, but still donned my old uniform, which fit better, as it had been a little big before.
"Very good, I'd hate to have to book you for impersonating an officer."
"Of course sir." I ventured a smile, which he returned.
"And tell your husband to stop hiding, and that it's a pleasure to see him in uniform for once." Alvin smiled and moved on, happy that his daughter was married at last, and to a man he approved of.
"Captain and Lieutenant Pierce!" This time Hawkeye and I both froze. Forcing a smile on, I gripped Hawkeye's elbow and turned around. We were right in recognising the voice, the sharp, nasal tone of Lt Col Frank Burns.
"Maj- umm, Colonel! What a surprise, I didn't expect to see you here!" I snapped a surprised salute. I'd never saluted Burns before and had little intention to start now, but surprise made me do it.
"Quit the small talk Lieutenant!" I fell silent, surprised. Hawkeye was trying to sneak away, but I held him firmly beside me. Frank saw my surprise and grinned suddenly, completing his sentence. "And give your pal old Ferret Face a hug!" He beamed at us, while opening his arms. Scary though it was, I could see he meant well.
"Right." I nervously hugged him and a rather warm embrace surprised me.
"And you, Pierce, you're looking well." Frank pumped Hawkeye's hand enthusiastically.
"We must be going, ah - that's my daughter now." I said picking up Amy-Jane as she toddled past crying, looking for BJ. It was a complete lie, only Danny and the twins had come, as Danny was still breastfed at 10weeks and Lyss and BJ were flower girl and pageboy respectively.
We returned to the Cove a day after the wedding, having had a wonderful time. Margaret and Harold were somewhere, having a honeymoon. Summer was nearly over, and in September, the twins started kindergarten. I was nervous, understandable so, as it meant I'd have two less children around the house everyday, and all too soon for my liking, the First Day dawned.
They were going to the kindergarten in Crabapple Cove, with a class of children with whom they'd spend the rest of their primary school years. The Cove's school was tiny, with a class and a teacher for each year level, going right up to 6thgrade after that, most kids went to Portland Memorial as there was no highschool. Occasionally two classes ran as sometimes other children from nearby towns came in, but it was not the case this year, and my children were in a class of 23 children, 9 boys, 14 girls. I already knew most of them, and the twins did too, so for them at present, kindy was just a way to spend all day with their friends.
"Alright, alright, I'm up!" Ben and Felicity had woken us up very enthusiastically. I groaned a little, I was tired as Danny had been rather playful at four in the morning and it had taken all the nursery rhymes and swinging games I could come up with before he settled down.
"Mummy can I wear the pink?" Felicity asked. It was the dress Colonel Potter and given her last Christmas, and the pretty gingham checks looked very sweet on her.
"Princess, it's fall already, a little too cold for that, how about this one?" I produced a thicker dress I had made that was also pink. It had long sleeves, and a high waist, with very cute embroidery on the bodice.
"It pretty, but do I have to wear tights?" Felicity didn't enjoy tights, claiming rightly that they itched.
"Yes honey, you know you have to wear your tights now. Unless you want to wear your overalls." I added, knowing she'd choose tights over her much- hated coveralls. She resigned to the tights and I was able to dress her. Ben meanwhile had been giving Hawkeye a run for his money, and my little boy was finally in blue jeans with a grey striped sweater on top.
"Okay, it's breakfast time guys, come on, Ma's been cooking you a very special first-day breakfast." We led the beautifully dressed children downstairs for inspection by their grandparents. They passed with flying colours, both Dad and Edna thinking they were beautiful.
"Are we going yet?" The very excited children asked as Hawkeye got dressed.
"As soon as Mummy's finished feeding Danny." I sat in the armchair in the study, giving Daniel his breakfast.
"Mummy, when will you be finished?" Ben asked, fondly watching his little brother feed.
"Another minute pet. Had enough breakfast yet mate?" He gave no reply, but continued sucking. A minute or two later he was done, and Hawkeye and I walked our eldest children to school.
"Hi Anne, Dr Pierce, you must be Benjamin and Felicity. I'm Miss Kyneton, but you can call me Miss K." Lizzie Kyneton was a newish teacher, who'd only been teaching in the Cove since 1954, but she was a cheerful young thing, who got on well with the children.
"Okay, squirts, be good for Miss K now, Mummy will be back at lunchtime to come and get you." Hawkeye bent down and hugged both his children. The kinder class ran Monday and Thursday mornings, all day Tuesday and Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. The half days would gradually stretch to whole days so by April, the kids would be at kinder 8.30-3.
"Okay you two, have fun and be good." I kissed them both, straightening Ben's ever-floppy hair and unwrinkling Felicity's tights. "I'll see you later!" I straightened up as Lizzie took both their hands and led them confidently into the classroom. There were no tears on the twins' part, but I rather suspected if I didn't go soon, I'd be crying.
"Come on, I have work." Hawkeye took my hand and walked me out of the school.
"Goodness, they're all grown up." I started to cry a little. "They're not going to need me as much, soon they'll be dressing themselves, and doing their hair, and there are only four kids at home now!"
"Hey, come on, there are four others after them, and Danny's just starting out." Hawkeye wrapped his arms around me. "You'll be fine, and if you feel lonely, we can always make some more."
"Shut up!" I smacked his shoulder with a laugh. I realised though, that I had to accept the inevitable, my family was growing up.
May 1959
"I don't get them." Hawkeye remarked, watching as Charles and I sat beside each other on the piano stool, laughing and having a great time as Charles once more fouled up the piece he was trying to master.
"Hmm?" Margaret queried, she and Hawkeye were sitting on the sofa, Hawkeye painting her toenails.
"I don't get them, look at how close they are, would you guess they had a broken engagement?"
"Would you guess we had a broken relationship?" Margaret argued. "They're not letting it stand in the way of what was already there and neither are we, we're all just friends, would you guess there was ever anything between BJ and Anne? Or Anne and Trapper? Or you and Cathie or any of the other women you talk to, or myself and . . . no that's not the same there's still bitterness there. They also have a daughter, if they were bitter, and twisted, and everything they're not, April would suffer." Charles and I smiled at each other.
"I hate you so much Missy Margaret," Hawkeye tilted her foot up so the sole was visible and carefully painted a pink smile on her heel. "You're right too often."
"Get used to it." Margaret yawned, pulling her foot away and wiped the wet polish off.
"Margaret," I said, awkwardly turning around in my chair, I was due any day, and not a moment too soon. "Do you want to sleep here tonight, you look pretty tired."
"Sure, she can crash in our bed with us, we've done that before." Hawkeye referred to when Amy-Jane had arrived and we'd gone west to see her.
"I wasn't pregnant, well, I was but you know how it was, I was barely three weeks, I wasn't showing or anything."
"You do too much for me, but this time I'll have to accept, I am exhausted." She yawned again, stretching.
"Charles, you've got the spare room as usual, Margaret, you have a choice of the playroom sofa bed, the spare room with Charles, or squeezing in with Hawkeye and I."
"Seeing as I couldn't upset Charles and the kids descend on the playroom as early as 5am, I think I'll sleep with you two. At least, you manage to sleep whole nights." I usually woke around 6 with the demand from my bladder as my little Mate had been sleeping on it all night, but it was better for Margaret than being roughly woken at 5.
"Well if you'll excuse me, then, I'm going to bed, Margaret, you're sleeping on my side, I'll go in the middle." I yawned, standing up. Margaret followed and in a matter of minutes, we were both sound asleep.
I washed my hands and returned from the bathroom. I'd woken earlier and tiptoed out. In the two minutes of my absence, Margaret and Hawkeye had shifted to take up most of the bed in a spreadeagled fashion. I gave a soft laugh, and put on my robe, leaving the two to sleep and going to play with the kids in their room.
"I had no idea!" Margaret's voice came from the bedroom sounding very surprised.
"I'm so sorry!" Hawkeye's voice nearly spoke over her, genuinely apologetic. I left the kids for a second to find out what was going on. My guess, which was confirmed as I entered the room, was that Hawkeye and Margaret had wound up holding each other, Hawkeye mistaking her for me, and Margaret mistaking him for someone else.
"You two are hopeless, I go to the bathroom for two minutes, and you'd already taken over the entire bed!" Granted it was a bit squashed when I was pregnant, but not uncomfortably so.
"I'm sorry Anne," Margaret said, but I laughed it off, not really worrying anyhow. I trusted them both, and knew they wouldn't do anything anyway. Margaret went downstairs to help Edna get breakfast and I went to play with the kids some more.
"When baby come?" Lydia asked. She couldn't wait until the day she too was a big sister.
"Soon I hope." I replied. "Now let's go Little One, breakfast time. Baby, Angel put away your toys, breakfast is ready." I ushered my five lovingly downstairs.
"Do you want to come Anne?" Charles asked. Everyone was going to the park.
"I'm pretty tired and I would love a shower, so what say I meet you there at 12 with a picnic lunch?" I yawned.
"Will you be okay to do that by yourself?" Margaret asked.
"Yes, I'll be fine. If I'm not there by 12.15 you'll know something's wrong and you can come back and get me." A few minutes later, I kissed everyone goodbye, and got busy making lunch. It took a while as I was making for six adults, and five small but certifiably ravenous children.
It was getting dangerously close to 11.45 the time I'd have to leave, when I finished making lunch and went upstairs to shower. I smiled down at my bump, taking extra care in washing it. I yawned some more, I was still tired and I reached out of the shower to check my watch. It was half past and I knew that if I didn't leave by noon, I wouldn't make it.
Turing the taps off, I turned and reached for my towel, and collapsed as the all-too familiar but surprisingly sudden and strong pain of a contraction caused me to swear violently. It didn't hurt that badly, it had just surprised me and once I'd calmed down, I reached for my towel again and barely had time to wrap it around me when I had another contraction.
"Whoa, mate, what's going on here?" I addressed the baby, extremely surprised. I'd had no previous signs of labour, but from the strength and regularity of the contractions, and the fact that my waters had just broken, it was obvious things weren't going to wait.
I got myself out of the shower, with great difficulty and settled on the couch in the study, forcing myself to take a few deep breaths and calm down. It was almost 12 and I knew I had until at least half past before anyone would come back. Figuring the baby wouldn't make his appearance that soon; I got as comfortable as possible on the couch with many towels and sheets.
I very quickly discovered I was wrong about assuming the baby would wait. By 12.15 the baby was beginning to crown, that is, the head was already being delivered. I was in no pain though, unlike my other long and rather painful labours, this was short, painless and happening in a damn hurry.
I couldn't hold off pushing any longer, and I propped myself into a semi- sitting position so I could see what was going on. I didn't want to push, but I had to, the pressure was too great. By now I was scared, I'd never been alone when I'd had any of my children. I'd always had at least Daniel, and it was strange and scary not to have any of the support I was used to. Watching as my baby emerged into the world, I forced myself to settle down, panicking wouldn't help, and so far everything seemed to be going well, even if too quickly for my liking.
"Come on Princess, let's go see what happened to Mummy, she probably fell asleep." I heard the troops returning and I realised if I called out, they'd probably make it for the very last bit. All I really needed to do was push once or twice more, and I'd be a mother for the sixth time.
"HAWKEYE, DANIEL, MARGARET, CHARLIE, GET UP HERE NOW, I REALLY NEED YOU!" I surprised myself, as I hadn't known I could yell so loudly. I guess a contraction really helped my voice.
"Just a second!" Hawkeye replied. I waited until I'd got my breath back from pushing and yelled again.
"GET YOUR ARSES UP HERE NOW! I AM ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY!" Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Margaret, closely followed by Hawkeye, Charles, Daniel and Edna burst in. They were a split second too late.
"Oh my god, Annie!" I'd just given birth completely unaided and I was now cradling my newborn son to my chest.
"Anne, were you in labour when we left?" Daniel asked. The group had rushed forwards to see the baby, who was making excellent use of his lungs.
"No, I just had a . . ." I checked the clock, "45 minute labour. Hawkeye, do you want to meet your son?"
"It's a boy?" He asked, as I put the tiny baby into his arms. "It is a boy! He's going to be a lady-pleaser." I burst into hysterical tears and laughter; the shock of what I'd done finally coming back on me, and it was several minutes of noisy gasping breaths and tears before I'd settled down again.
"Congratulations Annie." Charles kissed my cheek as I now lay in bed, cleaned up and with my healthy, very big 12lb baby boy cradled in my arms.
"I should be so lucky." Margaret smiled, rubbing the little boy's head, which was covered in thick black hair. He had beautiful black hair and eyes that were an incredible shade of indigo.
"Can we see now?" I looked past Margaret to see my five children gathered at the door.
"Come on darlings, it's time for you to meet your baby brother." Margaret helped them all up on the bed and they crowded around, peering at the newest arrival.
"Felicity, Ben, April, Jess, Lydia, this is your baby brother." I displayed the little boy who watched the world with his dark indigo eyes.
"I hold?" Felicity asked nervously as with the previous babies she had not really held them.
"Sure, come here and sit down, hold out your hands. She sat next to me and I laid the baby in her arms, showing her how to hold her brother.
"What baby's name?" Jess asked. At our 3-year-old's query, I glanced at Hawkeye.
"We don't know yet Baby." Hawkeye said, as I gave Ben a chance to hold his brother, which he gladly accepted.
"Danny, you my brother, it you and me now. We play ball and climb trees and it all be fun Danny."
"Danny? Why did you call him Danny Benny-boy?" I asked, surprised at the name.
"It a nice name like Grandpa." Edna sometimes called Dad Dan or Danny as a joke.
"I suppose we could call him Daniel." Hawkeye said. "After Dad, that would be nice."
"Son, you don't have to." Daniel protested modestly.
"Shut up Dad, I like it very much. BJ just presented us with the perfect name." I smiled at my son. "Give him to Aunty Margaret, she's dying for a cuddle I can see." Margaret carefully took the baby boy.
"Daniel Pierce, it sounds wonderful." Charles said softly, smiling at the baby. I could tell he was wishing he'd been around when April had been born, so he could be holding me like Hawkeye now was.
"What do you think, name Daniel after our other little boy?" Hawkeye asked, his lips close to my ear, so I was the only one who could hear. "Daniel Adam Riley Pierce?" He said the full name so I could hear it.
"That's nice." I replied softly. "I like it." Margaret was still cuddling her nephew, but I reached over to take him from her, and between us, Hawkeye and I looked the little boy over, deciding whether or not it suited him.
"I think there's a name been chosen." Charles said with a smile. "Care to spill?"
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce my newest son Daniel Adam Riley Pierce." Hawkeye said proudly.
"May we introduce our son, Daniel Adam Riley Pierce!" I smiled, seeing that this little boy was going to be a Daddy's man immediately.
"That too." Hawkeye agreed sheepishly, kissing me as the phone rang.
"I'll get it." Daniel went into the study, and picked it up. "Hello Pierce residence, yes, why of course, not at all, she's here. Margaret, it's for you, a Harold Olsen."
"Harold?" Margaret shrieked, hurrying to the phone and snatching it out of Dad's hand. We shared a confused smile as everyone else had a cuddle with Danny. We heard snatches of conversation that made us laugh.
"Of course you can call me here, that's no worry, they don't mind." Calm dismissal. "No, divorced." Sadness. "You're what? That's great!" A question and then surprise. "Yes, will I what? Of course I will!" More surprise and pure elation. "I'll see you tomorrow then, I love you." Serious happiness and warmth.
Margaret put the phone down and took a deep breath, happiness at whatever she'd agreed to, radiating off her in waves. She came back into the bedroom and took a deep breath. Every face turned to her, watching, waiting.
"I'm getting married!" Margaret cried. "Harold and I have known each other since forever, and he's just been promoted to Colonel and, it's wonderful, he's taking leave tomorrow and he's coming to see me."
"Congratulations!" Everyone in the room hugged and kissed Margaret.
"When are you getting married?" I asked.
"In the summer, he has most of August leave." Margaret beamed.
"You may get your majorettes yet." Hawkeye replied.
"I hope so. A little girl, and a little boy."
"How about four little girls and two little boys?" I laughed, motioning to the children that were on the bed.
"Maybe two little girls and two little boys, but not that many." Margaret laughed.
We met Colonel Harold Olsen the next day, who was an army doctor and very nice man. He seemed very much in love with his old flame who he had not seen since before Korea, nearly 10 years ago. He treated Margaret with the respect and love she really deserved, and that no one else, except perhaps Hawkeye had given her. They had met as ten-year-olds somewhere, and hated each other, but when they'd been reunited as 18-year-olds and again just before the war, things had been extremely different. I was happy for Margaret, rightly so, she deserved this.
The kids kept growing and blossoming, and I loved every moment I spent with them. Danny was growing fast, as was his hair, and to my joy, his eyes remained that beautiful, but strange shade of blue. Not surprisingly August, and Margaret's wedding day came quickly. It was in Fort Wayne where Harold was stationed, and so, for most of us, it meant a flight to Indiana.
"I now present Mr and Mrs Colonel Harold Olsen!" We began clapping and cheering, with many comments about how Margaret was finally married to the Army. Both of her parents had come up and Col Houlihan remembered me clearly.
"Captain Pierce!" Hawkeye froze in his tracks, and I turned around with a smile. I saw who it was and saluted smartly, even though I was no longer in the army. He returned the salute. Hawkeye meanwhile scuttled off, he'd had bad experiences with the Colonel.
"You're still my Margaret's friend then, that's good to see, are you still a Captain?"
"No, sir. I left the army as I have children now. If you'll notice I'm not wearing any bars." Margaret had asked that everyone she'd met via the army came in Class-A's, and we all obliged, but as I was no longer a Captain, I left off the rank insignia, but still donned my old uniform, which fit better, as it had been a little big before.
"Very good, I'd hate to have to book you for impersonating an officer."
"Of course sir." I ventured a smile, which he returned.
"And tell your husband to stop hiding, and that it's a pleasure to see him in uniform for once." Alvin smiled and moved on, happy that his daughter was married at last, and to a man he approved of.
"Captain and Lieutenant Pierce!" This time Hawkeye and I both froze. Forcing a smile on, I gripped Hawkeye's elbow and turned around. We were right in recognising the voice, the sharp, nasal tone of Lt Col Frank Burns.
"Maj- umm, Colonel! What a surprise, I didn't expect to see you here!" I snapped a surprised salute. I'd never saluted Burns before and had little intention to start now, but surprise made me do it.
"Quit the small talk Lieutenant!" I fell silent, surprised. Hawkeye was trying to sneak away, but I held him firmly beside me. Frank saw my surprise and grinned suddenly, completing his sentence. "And give your pal old Ferret Face a hug!" He beamed at us, while opening his arms. Scary though it was, I could see he meant well.
"Right." I nervously hugged him and a rather warm embrace surprised me.
"And you, Pierce, you're looking well." Frank pumped Hawkeye's hand enthusiastically.
"We must be going, ah - that's my daughter now." I said picking up Amy-Jane as she toddled past crying, looking for BJ. It was a complete lie, only Danny and the twins had come, as Danny was still breastfed at 10weeks and Lyss and BJ were flower girl and pageboy respectively.
We returned to the Cove a day after the wedding, having had a wonderful time. Margaret and Harold were somewhere, having a honeymoon. Summer was nearly over, and in September, the twins started kindergarten. I was nervous, understandable so, as it meant I'd have two less children around the house everyday, and all too soon for my liking, the First Day dawned.
They were going to the kindergarten in Crabapple Cove, with a class of children with whom they'd spend the rest of their primary school years. The Cove's school was tiny, with a class and a teacher for each year level, going right up to 6thgrade after that, most kids went to Portland Memorial as there was no highschool. Occasionally two classes ran as sometimes other children from nearby towns came in, but it was not the case this year, and my children were in a class of 23 children, 9 boys, 14 girls. I already knew most of them, and the twins did too, so for them at present, kindy was just a way to spend all day with their friends.
"Alright, alright, I'm up!" Ben and Felicity had woken us up very enthusiastically. I groaned a little, I was tired as Danny had been rather playful at four in the morning and it had taken all the nursery rhymes and swinging games I could come up with before he settled down.
"Mummy can I wear the pink?" Felicity asked. It was the dress Colonel Potter and given her last Christmas, and the pretty gingham checks looked very sweet on her.
"Princess, it's fall already, a little too cold for that, how about this one?" I produced a thicker dress I had made that was also pink. It had long sleeves, and a high waist, with very cute embroidery on the bodice.
"It pretty, but do I have to wear tights?" Felicity didn't enjoy tights, claiming rightly that they itched.
"Yes honey, you know you have to wear your tights now. Unless you want to wear your overalls." I added, knowing she'd choose tights over her much- hated coveralls. She resigned to the tights and I was able to dress her. Ben meanwhile had been giving Hawkeye a run for his money, and my little boy was finally in blue jeans with a grey striped sweater on top.
"Okay, it's breakfast time guys, come on, Ma's been cooking you a very special first-day breakfast." We led the beautifully dressed children downstairs for inspection by their grandparents. They passed with flying colours, both Dad and Edna thinking they were beautiful.
"Are we going yet?" The very excited children asked as Hawkeye got dressed.
"As soon as Mummy's finished feeding Danny." I sat in the armchair in the study, giving Daniel his breakfast.
"Mummy, when will you be finished?" Ben asked, fondly watching his little brother feed.
"Another minute pet. Had enough breakfast yet mate?" He gave no reply, but continued sucking. A minute or two later he was done, and Hawkeye and I walked our eldest children to school.
"Hi Anne, Dr Pierce, you must be Benjamin and Felicity. I'm Miss Kyneton, but you can call me Miss K." Lizzie Kyneton was a newish teacher, who'd only been teaching in the Cove since 1954, but she was a cheerful young thing, who got on well with the children.
"Okay, squirts, be good for Miss K now, Mummy will be back at lunchtime to come and get you." Hawkeye bent down and hugged both his children. The kinder class ran Monday and Thursday mornings, all day Tuesday and Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. The half days would gradually stretch to whole days so by April, the kids would be at kinder 8.30-3.
"Okay you two, have fun and be good." I kissed them both, straightening Ben's ever-floppy hair and unwrinkling Felicity's tights. "I'll see you later!" I straightened up as Lizzie took both their hands and led them confidently into the classroom. There were no tears on the twins' part, but I rather suspected if I didn't go soon, I'd be crying.
"Come on, I have work." Hawkeye took my hand and walked me out of the school.
"Goodness, they're all grown up." I started to cry a little. "They're not going to need me as much, soon they'll be dressing themselves, and doing their hair, and there are only four kids at home now!"
"Hey, come on, there are four others after them, and Danny's just starting out." Hawkeye wrapped his arms around me. "You'll be fine, and if you feel lonely, we can always make some more."
"Shut up!" I smacked his shoulder with a laugh. I realised though, that I had to accept the inevitable, my family was growing up.