A Visitor CH. 5 – FINAL
By: TLH
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"Did you hear?" Hawkeye said entering the SWAMP.
"We're surrendering…yeah, that's old news." Trapper said handing his bunkmate a martini.
"Henry's dad is here from the States."
"Oh? Did you meet him?"
"Yeah just did."
"So that's what had Henry all wound up?"
"Yeah, and I don't think him getting here is gonna un-wind him."
"What makes you say that?"
"I have a knack with Father Son relationships. I have one ya know."
Trapper smiled. "Uh huh…ten bucks says they get a long fine."
Hawkeye laughed. "You're on."
--
Henry paces outside of his office towards the VIP tent.
"Why don't you just save yourself the trouble and leave now!" He yelled into the tent and stormed off.
Hawkeye held his hand out.
"How did you…?"
"Told you I had a knack."
"A knack? What the heck is a knack anyway? No one says Knack…here." He reached into his pocket, handing him the ten dollars.
--
The next morning at breakfast, was as if nothing happened. Hawkeye wasn't surprised.
"Ya see Trap; this is what we call the typical male pride. Neither will let each other know they are upset, thus pretending they are not mad at all. However, this will ultimately lead to a huge blow up over something small and irrelevant, but leading back to what they were originally mad at each other about in the first place." He nodded. "Did you get all that down?"
Radar then entered quickly.
"This cant be good." Hawkeye noticed.
"Sir, we got a load of wounded coming in, marines just tried to take hill 403."
"Again? Damn that hill. Alright let's move…Pierce, Macintyre, suit up." He stormed out of the mess tent, leaving his Father picking at his food.
Hawkeye made his way over. "He's always like this when we have company."
"Pierce isn't it?"
"Yes sir. I'm afraid your son won't be much of a host while we have wounded."
He rolled his eyes. "Sure."
"I'm sorry sir, but did you just scoff?"
"If I did?"
"I'll have you know, that this unit wouldn't run the way it does without your son, who to you may be less than adequate, but to us, is nothing of the kind. So before you start scoffing, I suggest you come over to the OR in about five minutes and see what it is we do here."
Before he could reply, the man had left. And he was left again to pick at his food.
Henrys Father had made his way to the OR and stood outside for hours, watching his son work. He saw him save many. But it was the one his son lost that stuck in his mind. He saw his son step out for a moment and made his way over to him.
"Henry." He sat beside him.
"Hey dad, look I'm sorry, we weren't expecting any wounded for…"
"It's alright. It's war, I remember…look son…"
"Look dad..."
The two smiled.
"I saw you lose that boy in there, you handled it so well, and you handle it all so well, how?"
"I had a good teacher growing up…no matter what, you always handled it…so that's what I try to do over here…I'm far from perfect…heck I drink…screw up paperwork…cant give an order if it was handed right to me…but I handle it…cuz I have to."
"I'm sorry about yesterday."
"I'm sorry too, heck it'd been a while since we had a fight like that, and I actually kind of missed it."
"Can't wait till you get back home so we can have them like we used to."
The two laughed. "Looking forward to it… but until then, I gotta get back…"
"Go ahead; I'll be in my tent when you're through."
He stood up and pushed the door open into the OR.
"Hey dad."
"Yes?"
"Thanks for teaching me."
He smiled. "You're welcome."
---
The rest of the time they had, they did a little golfing and spent a lot of time together, before it was time for him to go. When he left, Henry embraced his Father like a child on his first day of school, never wanting to let go.
"And this is where, they exchange nods instead of I love you's." Hawkeye said to Trapper who had started to doze off. Hawkeye smiled, putting the ten bucks back on his friend's dresser. "Even experts are wrong sometimes."
He then turned back to watch the goodbye.
"I'll see you when you get home Son." They embraced once again.
"Yup, I'll see ya."
They released the embrace.
--
One Week Later
"I've got a message, Lt. Col. Henry Blake's plane, was shot down…over the Sea of Japan, it spun in, they were no survivors."
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END
AN: Please review, it helps me, help you.
Take care – TLH †