Part three
September 1954
"Charles, what's keeping you? The car's w…waiting. You know you have to leave now if you're going to get to the airport in time." Honoria braced her hands on her hips, staring from her brother to the pile of discarded shirts, ties and jackets on the bed. "Criminy, don't tell me you're still deciding what to wear! What are you, a d..d…debutante? What was wrong with your b..b..blazer and tie?"
"It looked like I was going to a meeting with the Polo Club Committee."
"Your s…s…sports jacket then?"
"Didn't look right with a tie."
"Your grey suit?"
"Too formal."
"Your check shirt?"
"Too casual."
She gave a strangled scream of exasperation. "Have you d…decided for sure on those grey s…slacks, or are you just wearing those as a s…stop-gap?" she asked.
He shrugged, and she realised she'd have to decide for him or they might well be here for the rest of the afternoon. "Right," she said, moving across to the bed and riffling through the pile of clothes, "Keep those on, p…put this on-" she thrust a pale blue cotton shirt at him, "-forget the tie, put your b…blue cravat on and this jacket. I'll go and w..wait in the car." She paused in the doorway, looked back at him. "I'm sure she w…won't mind w…what you're wearing," she assured him, "If she's as nice as she sounds on those tapes."
Charles shifted from foot to foot as he scanned the lines of people coming through Arrivals, but he heard the children before he saw them – a tide of high-pitched chatter and excited shrieks resonating from the back of the crowd. He saw Father Mulcahy first, who smiled and waved from the head of a line of youngsters who were walking two-by-two, holding hands, and shepherded by a half-dozen nuns – and Kyung Soon.
Seeing Charles, she hurried forward, ahead of the line, and took his outstretched hands for a moment before moving closer and putting her arms around him as he drew her into a welcoming hug. "I can't believe you're really here," he said, "It's so good to see you again!"
"And I am happy to see you, Charles," she said, pulling back to smile up at him, "Thank you so much for helping to arrange all this."
"I hope your choristers haven't caused too much mayhem on the plane?" he said, looking over her head at the youngsters.
She giggled, shook her head. "No, no. They are excited of course, but they have been very good – mostly!"
By now, Father Mulcahy had caught up to them, and Charles kept his left arm across Kyung Soon's shoulders while extending his right for the priest to seize and shake.
"It's wonderful to see you again!" said Mulcahy, pumping Charles' hand up and down, "Charles, I cannot thank you enough for organising this!"
"Oh, I just knew the right ears to murmur into," said Charles, "But I'm glad they were listening!"
He supposed it had helped that the reporters he had initially contacted had been in Korea themselves, and so had some empathy with his line of reasoning. But it had been pleasantly surprising to have the TV companies agree to cover one of the choir's concerts while they were in Boston. Combined with Clete Roberts' planned interview with Kyung Soon, there was every chance that by the time they had finished, more thousands of American dollars would be heading toward South Korea.
"Come on," he said, reclaiming his hand from Mulcahy and picking up Kyung Soon's suitcase, "There's a bus waiting right outside for the children. Let's get you all to your hotel."
"… and by the time I'd managed to get the engine started, they were shooting at us! But, thankfully, they were far too drunk to hit anything, and once we were out of range, Charles opened his door and yelled 'Remember the Boston Tea Party!'" Father Mulcahy, sitting with Kyung Soon and Charles in the Hotel lounge, laughed as he finished his tale, and took a sip from his coffee. He had been in Boston for over a week now, rehearsing the children for their concert and television performance, giving an interview to Clete Roberts, and discussing arrangements for the Charity Dinner and Dance that Charles had organised for the coming Saturday evening. It was good to find the time to sit and relax for a while, and satisfying to see the relationship between Kyung Soon and Charles Winchester continuing to develop.
She had put her hand on Charles' as Mulcahy had spun his story, and it was Charles she looked at as she said: "It was brave of you both to go back like that when you knew they had guns."
"It was crass stupidity, fuelled by desperation," said Charles, with a chuckle, "And I for one was frightened half to death when the Father here couldn't get the truck to start." He helped himself to another cookie from the plateful in the middle of the table and nibbled a corner of it before he added: "It felt good though, once it was all over. Even if it did cost me my polar suit!"
"It could have cost you your neck if you'd fallen off the running-board," said Mulcahy, injecting a note of rebuke into his voice. "Then I'd have been in trouble with Colonel Potter for losing him a surgeon!"
Charles' laugh was genial. "But you'd have got the penicillin, Father, are you sure he wouldn't have considered it a fair swap?"
Mulcahy pretended to consider for a moment, and put down his cup. "There were times, Charles, when we would probably all have considered it a fair swap – but then, the same can be said about everyone who was there. Everyone had moments when they behaved like complete imbeciles – and I include myself in that statement – but…" His smile faded and his voice grew more serious "… who could go through all that and not have irrational moments? The stupidity of it all, the waste…" He stopped, gave an apologetic shrug as he remembered he was preaching to the converted. "We all cared, and we all cared about each other," he said, "And don't try to deny it, Charles, I know you better than that! Why, just the way you've helped organise this whole trip tells me how much the children's plight has touched you. And for you to invite Major Houlihan and Hawkeye along for the weekend's events, you must have kept their addresses."
"Well, Sooni here insisted," said Charles, smiling down at her. He turned his hand under hers, and their fingers laced together as their arms rested on the table. "Oh, and it's Lieutenant Colonel Houlihan now, Father – though I'm sure she won't mind your calling her Margaret, as the rest of us do."
"A promotion! How wonderful, and how very deserved," said Mulcahy, "Remind me, who is it she's bringing to the Dinner and Dance?"
"General Douglas Heiser," said Charles, "She's known him for a while, I think."
"I look forward to meeting him," said Mulcahy, sincerely, "Will he be coming on Friday – to the reunion meal I mean?"
Charles had suggested that they get together with Margaret and Hawkeye for dinner on Friday, before the formalities of the Charity Dinner where they would, in any case, be sitting at separate tables to help 'spread the word'. Mulcahy was looking forward to their getting together again more than anything else on this entire trip.
"Margaret said he has some old friends of his own to look up while he's in town," said Charles, "But he'll be coming on Saturday, of course, so we'll be able to meet him then."
"And what about Hawkeye?" said Mulcahy. He'd never been able to keep track of who Doctor Pierce was dating while they were in the same camp, he had no chance of knowing who might show up at the Dinner!
Charles shrugged. "I expect it will depend on who he's dating this week," he said, "At any rate, he said he'd think of someone to bring!"
Leaving Father Mulcahy to take the children through their singing itinerary once more, Charles drove Kyung Soon toward Beacon Hill. He had spent ten days showing her the sights of Boston, and to his delight she had loved everything - the museum, the harbour, the recital at Symphony Hall two nights ago, the restaurants he had taken her to, even the campus at Harvard.
This afternoon though he wanted to show her his home – or, rather, his parents' home, the place where he had grown up. Honoria had told him that Mother and Dad would both be out, so he would be able to show Sooni around without there being any added pressure from having to meet them both.
"We'll go up to the house in a few minutes," he said, turning off the drive onto a narrower track that wound to the top of the hill, "But I'd like to show off the view from here first." Stopping the car, he climbed out and hurried around to the passenger side to open Kyung Soon's door for her, taking her hand as she stepped out. "You can see practically all of Boston from here," he said. Pointing, he added, "Over there is Boston Mercy, you can just make out the clock tower, see?"
"It's a wonderful view!" she said, as he led her across to a nearby stone seat, "And the colours of those trees! Oh! I understand now why you were so passionate about autumn in New England in your tapes!"
Charles nodded, looking out over the trees to the city and the harbour gleaming beyond in the distance. "I'm glad you like it," he said, "Because…" He turned to look at her, tightening his hold on her hand and moving a little closer on the bench. "I wanted to ask you… that is, I know we have not spent much actual time together since we met, but I feel that through our correspondence I have come to know you well enough to ask if… Kyung Soon, I don't want you to go back to Korea with the orphans next week, I want you to stay here. With me. As my wife."
That was possibly the most muddled phrase I have ever put together in my life, he thought, No wonder she's staring at me as though I'm out of my mind!
A moment later though, her expression changed and he saw the smile, heard the little giggle he loved so much, and his hopes lifted.
"Charles, I… do not know what to say!" she said, so quietly he would not have heard had he not been sitting so close. "I have an estate of my own… responsibilities," she went on, making his heart sink. "And yet – I want very much to say 'yes'. I… I have come to care for you very much, Charles, I…"
He kissed her, softly and gently, just as he had each night when he'd taken her back to the door of her hotel. But this time, instead of saying "goodnight," when they parted, he murmured, "I love you."
She touched his cheek with her free hand as she gazed up at him, "I love you too…"
"Then please stay!" he said, catching her hand and kissing the palm, "Sooni, you'd be able to visit your homeland whenever you wanted to, I promise. We could visit the…the graves of your ancestors together next year if you'd like that. Just so long as you'll marry me!"
She looked away, but he could see she was smiling, and after another moment she turned back to meet his gaze again. "Do you suppose I can get the money back on my ticket?" she said.
It was strange, thought Charles, that after being back in Boston for over a year, he had not felt truly at home until now.
There were six of them around his dining-room table, four of them veterans of the 4077th. Pierce had brought along Amy Clark, the schoolteacher who had encouraged her class to write them while they were in Korea. "I feel I know you all already," she had said, when she had been introduced; while Pierce, of course, had made a point of emphasising that the two of them were 'just good friends'.
Margaret, sitting opposite Charles, was waxing lyrical about her General; Father Mulcahy, next to her, nodded and smiled over his coffee, as though he hadn't heard this sort of talk from Margaret before.
Hunnicutt and Colonel Potter were missing from the picture, but they had spoken on the telephone, and had each recorded an interview for the TV show the choir was going to appear on.
And then there was Klinger, of course. Charles had no idea where he might be. He wondered how Max would react if he ever found out that Charles too had fallen in love with a Korean girl.
Which brought Charles' gaze back to Kyung Soon, who was sitting on his left, laughing at some ridiculous joke Pierce had just told.
"You're not laughing, Charles," said Hawkeye, "Come on, that was funny!"
Charles gave him a stare. "As I recall, you and I have differed before on your definition of 'funny'," he said, "But on this occasion, I confess, my thoughts were simply elsewhere." He smiled at Kyung Soon. "Shall we tell them? I know you've been bursting to."
She needed no further encouragement. "Charles has asked me to marry him," she announced, without preamble, taking Charles' hand as she spoke.
There was an explosion of squeals, and cries of congratulation. Margaret jumped to her feet and rushed around the table to hug Kyung Soon and give Charles a kiss that rivalled the one she had once planted on him in the mess tent. He could hear Mulcahy saying "I was hoping you two would get together," and Amy offered quiet congratulations.
Charles found he was a little unsure what Pierce's reaction would be, but he need not have worried – Hawkeye leaned across to kiss Sooni's cheek and shook Charles' hand. "I told Kyung Soon back in Seoul that you were perfect for each other," he said, "I'm just glad you figured it out too!"
"Have you bought a ring yet?" asked Margaret, "Can we see?"
Charles shook his head. "I haven't introduced Sooni to my parents yet," he said, "They're coming to the Dinner tomorrow, but I want to wait till the two of us have lunch with them on Sunday to tell them our news. Once that's done, we can visit the jeweller on Monday and pick out something suitable for a Winchester-in-waiting."
Father Mulcahy silently raised his glass and in a moment the others had followed: "Charles and Kyung Soon," he said, "Wishing you love, peace and happiness always."
The glasses clinked. "I'll drink to that!" Hawkeye said.
Kyung Soon was glad Charles had already shown her around the Winchester residence. Otherwise she would have found it difficult not to stare around her while they lunched, and that would have been most ill-mannered.
As it was, she was able to concentrate on the delicious food and the polite conversation. A light salmon salad, accompanied with a light Sauvignan Blanc, had been followed by a delicious lemon sorbet, and a cup of Lapsang Souchong. She had been anxious about what to say, but the previous evening's Dinner and Dance had provided the initial source of discussion; and, once Kyung Soon had commended Mrs Winchester on her piano recordings, the conversation had become positively convivial.
She began to relax, glancing across the table at Charles for reassurance every now and then, and noticing that he too was looking much calmer than he had for the past few days. She smiled at him and when he winked back, she knew that things were going well, that he felt his parents liked her.
"Shall we adjourn to the drawing-room?" Mrs Winchester suggested, dabbing her mouth delicately with a linen napkin and getting to her feet.
"That would be nice," said Kyung Soon, "That is the room where…" She caught Charles' warning gaze in time, remembering that this was all supposed to be new to her, "…where you have a Canaletto, Charles tells me?"
"Indeed we do, my dear. You appreciate Art as well as music, then?" said Charles' father.
"Oh yes. When I was in Paris I spent as much time as I could in the Louvre."
"My, you have travelled. When were you in Paris, Kyung Soon?"
They had reached the drawing-room, and Mrs Winchester indicated the sofa, inviting Kyung Soon to sit. "Oh, quite some time ago now," she replied, "But I hope to be going back soon..." She glanced up at Charles to make sure it was alright to continue, and she saw him nod, "…for my honeymoon," she finished, shyly.
"Oh, but how lovely!" exclaimed Mrs Winchester, "Charles, you didn't tell us Kyung Soon was engaged to be married! Congratulations, dear! Have you set a date?"
Kyung Soon looked at Charles, who was still standing next to her. He gave her a quick smile, then turned to his mother. "No, we haven't yet," he said.
Mrs Winchester's expression was a blank. "'We', Charles? What do you mean 'we'?"
Charles perched himself on the arm of the sofa, beside Kyung Soon and put a hand on her shoulder. "I mean that I'm the lucky man Sooni has consented to marry," he said.
There was a long silence while his parents looked at each other, then at Charles and Kyung Soon, then back at each other. Kyung Soon grew more and more uncomfortable, and she reached up a hand to Charles, felt him take it in his.
At long last, his mother spoke: "For Heaven's sake, Charles," she said, her voice dripping disapproval, "Don't be ridiculous."
To be continued...