Chapter Three

Lieutenant Harry Townsend licked his lips and threw another buck onto the table. Eyebrows lifted.

"Someone's confident," murmured Klinger suspiciously, wriggling his nose as he concentrated on his cards.

Harry's dark brown eyes flashed around the table, but his poker face was legendary. Not even a twitch of the lips. One by one, all the men tossed their cards down.

And then Father Mulcahy sighed heavily and stood up, throwing down his cards. "I'm out."

"What's the matter, Father?" protested Corporal Gibbons. "I was just gonna suggest you give up the priesthood and come with me to Vegas. You and I'd make a great team."

Mulcahy looked faintly pensive for a moment. "Vegas…Vegas…good business for priests there. Lots of people getting married, lots of people repenting the morning after..."

A few chuckles were uttered around the table but mostly everyone's eyes were on Klinger and Harry. Klinger batted at his earlobes anxiously, as if wishing he still had a pair of earrings to fiddle with, then cleared his throat, sat up straight and laid down his cards.

Harry nodded serenely at Klinger's hand, then calmly laid down his. "Full house. Thanks guys."

The tent erupted, and Harry merely swept the cash into his pockets and stood up. "It's been a pleasure." He tipped his hat and strolled out of the tent.

Klinger dashed after him. "C'mon, pal, one more round! Just let me win back a couple of bucks! I need to pay off Zale before he knocks my block off!"

Harry stopped, gazed down at the ground, and shook his head. "Max, it's simple. Go to Rosie's, sell your last garter belt, and get back into the game."

Klinger looked aghast. "My last one? But…but…the memories!"

"Okay, but I'm not going to replace all your teeth for free you know."

Klinger bowed his head. "I am humbled by your wisdom, oh Great One."

For the first time, Harry flashed Klinger his typically charming grin. "Great One? Now we're talkin'. Tell you what, just for that, you can come by my tent. I'll give you a free bridge."

Klinger's brows furrowed as the tall lieutenant strolled away. "But sir, my teeth are…fine."

Harry joined the line in the mess tent behind Captain Hunnicut. B.J. looked up at him and smiled. "Hey Harry. How's the mouth business?"

"Same old. Smelly, terrifying and frequently deadly. How's the body business?"

"Smelly, terrifying and frequently deadly."

Igor chuckled and slopped a ladle of mashed yams onto Harry's tray. "Hey, it applies to the food too!"

Harry and B.J.'s faces both turned deadly serious. "Hey, it was all fun and games when we were joking about people's lives, but c'mon! This is food we're talking about! Show a little decency, would you?" B.J. slammed his tray down in illustration and stormed off.

Harry grabbed a toothpick from the jar and a glass of milk. "It's only because I feel sorry for you," he announced loudly before stomping after B.J.

They slid into a table and stared morosely into space. "Why is it the same every day?" B.J. muttered. "Wounded, filth…"

"Filthy wounded."

"Bad food, infuriating people."

"Infuriating food, bad people."

B.J. smiled but his eyes were still glazed over. "I'm so tired I can't even gather the energy to close my eyes."

"Well they've invented this amazing device. They call it a bed."

"Shut up, you're turning into Hawkeye. Speaking of which…" B.J. straightened up and regarded Harry seriously, "have you seen him around today?"

"Not since this morning when you relieved him. He was going into the Swamp."

"Well, he's wandered off somewhere."

"Probably on a romantic rendevouz."

"Without telling me? Without telling us?"

"Good point. He's definitely grounded when he gets home."

B.J. laughed tiredly. "Har, I'm so tired my witticisms are tying themselves up into knots. I've gotta go to bed."

"Hm, why didn't I think of that?"

B.J. grunted and stumbled out of his seat and out into the sunshine. Harry heard him shout, "Ah…natural light!" before wobbling across the compound into the empty Swamp.

Harry sipped his milk and grimaced. The stuff got harder and harder to stomach each day. He glanced at it, wrinkled his nose, and threw it over his shoulder.

"Hey!"

He winced. Oops. He swiveled around fast, his most apologetic smile on his face and froze. A strange woman was standing behind him holding a tray and frowning at her milk-splattered boots.

"What's the big idea?" she protested. "Who throws their milk? What are you, four?"

"Come on now, that's no fair! I've been told I could pass for two," he replied, turning all the way to face her.

She gave him an appraising look, but didn't seem to fluster. Frankly, Harry was surprised. He knew he was good looking- quite likely the most handsome man in the whole camp, and he was used to having girls titter and blush and act like idiots around him, but this girl did not seem to be intimidated. Instead, she peered at him from under heavy black eyelashes, blinked once, and then strode away without saying another word.

He watched her seat herself with the nurses without once meeting his eyes again. Frankly, he was shocked by her abruptness. He hadn't even gotten the chance to properly introduce himself or ask her name. And now all the nurses were hunching around her to ask her what had happened, and they kept peering back at him and giggling. Once or twice he heard someone squeal, "He's looking at us!"

Christ, what was this, high school?

He got up slowly, resolving himself to at least seem like a gentleman. He was no Hawkeye, he wasn't overzealous or excitable or excessively lusty. He strode over there with a straight back and tapped the woman on the shoulder.

She slowly set down her utensils, swallowed whatever she was chewing, and turned. "Yes?"

He held out his hand and flashed her his most charming grin. "I'm Harry Townsend. And I'm sorry about the milk, I'll try to be more careful when I throw my food from now on."

A small smile perked up the edges of her lips. She nodded. "I'm Lara Dalton." She swung her legs out of the bench and stood up. She was surprisingly tall and lithe, with angular features and wavy brown hair. She smiled back and took his hand. "Nice to meet you, Lieutenant."

He smiled again and all the girls at the table swooned. But he wasn't looking at them. He was looking at her.