A Promise To An Old Friend
Part 5
Margaret awakened from one of the best night's sleep she could remember. Looking out the window, she saw that it was early, but sunrise was not far off. She dressed and slipped onto the hallway bathroom to wash up. Carrying her shoes in her hand, she tiptoed down the stairs and into the kitchen. She looked through the cupboards and found that for a bachelor residence they were surprisingly well stocked. She put a pot of coffee on and thought about surprising the Pierce men with breakfast. Suddenly she had an inspiration. Remembering Hawkeye during one of Clete Roberts' interviews with the 4077th saying he missed pancakes and the smell of bacon frying in the morning, she decided to make that.
She remembered that particular visit from Clete Roberts well. She'd hung around the Mess Tent, listening to what Hawkeye had to say until she realized that she would be interviewed as well.Then she'd rushed back to her tent to fix her hair and put on make-up. She thought hard about her near-obsession with make-up in those days. It seemed to her that the less she'd felt like a woman, due to Donald's constant infidelities, the more make-up she'd worn. When Scully came around, he'd made her feel more feminine, and her use of make-up declined. After her fling with Scully ended, her use of make-up temporarily increased. It was only after her trip to Tokyo to visit her father, with everything that had happened there, that she had started to truly develop a sense of her own self-worth and her use of make-up moderated. Now she wore little make-up and kept it natural looking.
She heard footsteps on the stairs and turned to see Daniel coming into the kitchen.
"What is that wonderful aroma?" he asked.
"I thought I'd make breakfast," she answered, pouring him a cup of coffee, "I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all! You look good in my kitchen."
"She certainly does," Hawkeye walked into the kitchen, inhaling deeply, "What smells so delicious?"
"I made breakfast. Pancakes and bacon. I hope you like them. I seem to remember your telling Clete Roberts you missed them during one of his interviews at the camp."
"And you remembered that after all these years?"
She poured him a cup of coffee and they sat down to a pleasant meal. When they were done, Hawkeye washed dishes as Daniel and Margaret sipped second cups of coffee.
"Wow, Margaret," Hawkeye tossed over his shoulder, "Is there anything you can't do? You can cook, you can change a tire, you're a nurse, you can even salute. I'll bet you can do everything."
"Not hardly, " she laughed, "But I do enjoy cooking. I just never get a chance to do it much. Cooking for one person is no fun."
"I can imagine."
"Well," Daniel broke in, "What do you two have planned for today?"
"I have a couple of patients this morning, then I thought I'd show Margaret around our fair town. That should kill, what, about an hour or so?"
"I know Crabapple Cove isn't very big," Daniel chuckled, "But it's home, and I like it better than any big city I've been to."
"I think it's a beautiful little town," Margaret enthused, "I can see why it means so much to Hawkeye."
"Any other plans?"
"No, not really. I hadn't thought much about it. Anything in particular you want to do, Margaret?"
"It's your call. I have no idea what's even around here."
"I have a suggestion," Daniel offered, "The State Fair is happening in Augusta. Why don't you two drive there and enjoy it? I can take care of your patients while you're gone."
Hmm. Sounds like fun. Margaret?"
I've never been to a State Fair," Margaret admitted, "But isn't Augusta pretty far away?"
"No, it's only about two and a half hours away. We could drive there, check into a motel room, and spend a couple of days there."
"I think I'd like that."
"Okay. I'll get my patients out of the way, then show you around Crabapple Cove, then we can drive to Augusta."
"Sounds like a plan to me. Would you like me to pick you up at your office when you're through with your patients?
"That'd be great. It's right on Main Street. You can't miss it. say about noon?"
"I'll be there."
True to her word, promptly at noon, Margaret was waiting outside of the Pierce's medical office. Hawkeye suggested they leave the car there and they would walk around town. Margaret agreed and they started down Main Street. Hawkeye introduced her to so many people she had trouble remembering all the names. With a twinkle in his eye, he ushered her into the drug store soda fountain and ordered chocolate ice cream sodas for them both.
"This is so delicious it's almost sinful," Margaret exclaimed, "I've never had one of these before."
"I thought you might like it."
They walked around the town some more and even took another stroll on the beach. Then they made their way back to the car and drove to the Pierce house, where Hawkeye threw a few things into a suitcase and stowed it in the trunk of the car along with Margaret's. They stopped by the office to say goodbye to Daniel.
"Don't wait up for us!" Hawkeye called as they pulled out of the parking lot.
Since they were in no hurry, Hawkeye drove leisurely down some back roads towards Augusta, giving Margaret a chance to admire the scenery. The leaves were starting to turn; there were vivid splashes of scarlet, orange and gold everywhere. Margaret took it all in with delighted eyes.
"It's magnificent!" she breathed.
"Yeah, old Mother Nature really puts on a show this time of year, doesn't she?"
Soon enough they were pulling into Augusta. Following the signs, they found the fairgrounds, then tried to find a motel nearby. All the closest ones were filled so the ventured further until they came upon one called The Oakwood Motel. Hawkeye went into the office to see about vacancies, then came back to the car.
"So, what did they say?"
"There's a problem. They only have one room available. And the guy in there told me that pretty much all the motels within ten miles of the fairgrounds are booked solid. So I guess we'll have to look a little further out to find one that has two rooms."
"Wait. What is the room here like?"
"It's a double. Has two beds."
"Well, I guess we could share the room. It's only going to be for a couple of nights. I think it'll be okay."
"I don't know if I can trust you in the same room with me. You might try to get friendly with me and then what can I do? You outrank me!"
Margaret rolled her eyes.
"But, seriously. I'll have to register us as married. Seems this is a family motel and they have a policy against renting rooms to unmarried couples."
"It's all right. It's only a little white lie. It won't hurt anybody."
He went back into the office and came back several minutes later with the key. Their room was at the far end of the motel. Hawkeye parked in front of it and handed Margaret the key.
"Why don't you go unlock the door while I get our suitcases."
Margaret unlocked the door and switched on the light. It was a small room with two beds covered with rusty brown spreads. Brown floral chintz curtains hung at the windows. It wasn't a very pretty room, but it would do.
"Well, it isn't much, but it beats an olive drab tent, doesn't it?" Hawkeye joked.
"I think we can honestly say we've slept in worse places."
"Why don't I put these down and we go get a bite to eat?"
"Great, I'm starving. Just give me a minute to freshen up."
"I saw a little place about half a block down. If you're up for it, we can walk there."
"That sounds fine to me."
Ten minutes later they were walking down the street. The restaurant was a small Italian place, dimly lit and inviting. Hawkeye ordered chicken cacciatore, while Margaret had veal parmigiana. They ordered a bottle of wine with their dinner.
"Mmm, this is delicious. Much better than anything that came out of the Mess Tent. Want to try a bite?"
"Sure. Oh, that is good. Try a bite of mine."
They lingered over dinner, ordering a second bottle of wine. When they left, they were both a little tipsy and acted silly on the walk back to the motel. Laughing, Margaret fumbled trying to get the key in the lock. On the third try she finally made it and the door swung open. They stumbled in, still giggling, and Hawkeye fell on the bed. Margaret sat heavily on her bed and reached to pull her suitcase up beside her. She accidentally hit the latch, spilling half the contents onto the bed and floor.
"Ooops!" she slid off the bed to pick up her things, stuffing them back into her suitcase. She pulled out her pajamas and robe and staggered slightly as she made her way to the bathroom, "I'm just gonna grab a quick shower."
"Need a lifeguard? I'd be happy to help wash your back."
"No, thanks. I think I can manage."
When she came out of the bathroom her hair hung in a damp curtain around her shoulders. As she put that day's clothes into her suitcase then closed it and moved it off the bed, Hawkeye passed her on his way to the bathroom. He came out a short while later in a T-shirt and plaid flannel pajama bottoms, having taken a brief shower himself. Margaret slipped off her robe and slid under the covers. Hawkeye put his used clothes away and climbed into his bed after switching off the light. They lay there quietly in the darkness until hawkeye heard a scrambling noise from Margaret's bed.
"Hawkeye, are you asleep?"
He turned to answer and got a face full of pillow.
"Oh, you little..." and the pillow fight was on. They pelted each other, laughing hysterically.
"These pillows hold together better than Army pillows!" Hawkeye managed to get out while ducking a wild swing from Margaret. He aimed a blow at her head as she smacked him across his legs, causing them both to stumble. Margaret fell beck onto the bed and Hawkeye fell partly atop her.They lay like that for a few moments, staring at each other, until Hawkeye bent his head and kissed her tenatively. When she didn't pull away he deepened the kiss. Margaret returned the kiss, her arms creeping up around his neck. Passion ignited as he held her head and she twined her fingers in his hair. Their tongues met and danced as their bodies strained ever closer together. Hawkeye slid a hand down and began plucking open the buttons of her pajama top. Margaret sighed into his mouth as his hand found her breast.
The sound of a car door slamming outside their room interrupted the moment and they pulled back as if just realizing whay they were doing. They sorted hands and lips apart. Hawkeye rolled off Margaret and stood up. He looked about to say something, then bent and retrieved his pillow as he went back to his bed. With shaking fingers, Margaret re-buttoned her top. She picked up her pillow from the floor and scooted under the covers. Saying good night rather stiltedly, they turned their backs to each other, but remained vividly aware of the person in the opposite bed.
Hawkeye awoke from a restless sleep, broken by dreams of what had transpired. He'd always known that there was something different about his relationship with Margaret, but the passion that had suddenly erupted between them had surprised him. He didn't discount the night they'd spent in the hut in Korea, but he'd always chalked it up to the fear of imminent death and the desire to feel alive until the end. But last night was different. There had been no threat of death. Despite the wine they'd had, it wasn't a drunken thing. Could there be more than friendship in his feelings for Margaret? Pondering this, he went into the bathroom to wash up, shave and dress for the day. When he came out, Margaret was up and had her clothes ready. She slipped silently into the bathroom, her cheeks blooming with color. She was more composed when she came out, having told herself it was only the wine that had made them act as they had.
"Well, uh, you ready to go get some breakfast before we go to the Fair?" he asked.
"Sure," she mumbled.
They drove in the direction of the fairgrounds until they saw a small diner.
" You might not want to eat to much here. I'm sure there will be plenty to eat at the Fair," he advised.
They both ordered coffee and toast. Finishing quickly, they paid their check and drove the rest of the way to the fair. As Hawkeye paid their admission, they were bombarded with sights, scents and sounds. The crowds were already heavy, so Hawkeye took Margaret's hand to avoid becoming separated in the crush of people. They walked along like that, taking in the sights, until they rounded a corner and were hit by a blast of cold wind that left Margaret shivering. She wore only a cardigan over her short sleeved dress and was unprepared for the chill.
"Whoa," Hawkeye stopped and put his arm around Margaret, pulling her close to his warmth, "I didn't expect it to be so cool."
She slid her arm around his back, gratefully accepting the body heat he was sharing with her.
"I'm sure it will warm up as the day goes on. It's only 10 in the morning," she replied.
They walked onto a building displaying handicrafts such as quilts, crocheted afghans, knitted baby clothes and hand woven blankets. In the next building, competitions were being held for jams and jellies, pickles, mincemeat, and other homemade concoctions. As they passed out of the building, they found themselves on the main midway.
"Would you like to ride the Ferris Wheel?" he asked.
"Oh, yes! It looks like fun!" she smiled.
They bought their tickets and waited for the ride to stop. When it did, they were motioned into an empty seat. As the ride workers secured the bar in front of them, Margaret slid across the seat to press against Hawkeye, and he put an arm around her shoulders. He chuckled when Margaret gasped as the ride lurched into motion. She clutched him tightly as the ride soared higher and higher until it suddenly dipped downward again. Over and under they whirled until the ride slowed and came to a stop. They were near the top, and could look out over the fairgrounds from the vantage point. Slowly, one car at a time, the ride emptied. As they got off, Hawkeye took Margaret's hand and pulled her toward the Tilt-A-Whirl ride. They were barely seated when the ride started up. It spun them around dizzily. Hawkeye tried to brace them in one corner with his longer legs, but the speed of the ride prevented it and they slid about the car, colliding with each other and the car's walls. As the car came to a halt, they disentangled from each other and climbed out on shaky legs.
"Oh!" Margaret cried, "Let's go on that one!"
They hurried onto a ride called the Scrambler. Hawkeye watched Margaret closely. He enjoyed seeing her like this. He believed he was catching glimpses of the girl Margaret could have been growing up had she and her father let her.
As they were locked into the car, they snuggled together comfortably. The ride spun to life, whirling their car so close the other cars that a crash seemed inevitable, then pulling them back at the last moment. They were laughing like children when the got off the ride. Hawkeye looked around, then turned to her, a twinkle in his eyes.
"Dare you to go on the roller coaster."
"You're on!"
They were seated in the first car of a chain. Margaret gripped the rail on front of them as the ride jerked into motion, making its' way to the top of the first hill. A squeal ending in a laugh was torn from her lips as they soared down the first hill, then flew up the second, higher hill. She giggled uncontrollably as it careened down the second drop, then went through a series of curves ending in a plunge into a long, darkened tunnel. When the ride ended Hawkeye grabbed her hand.
"C'mon, let's go get a hot dog."
They found a little food booth and Margaret sat at a tiny table while Hawkeye got their food. He devoured two hot dogs to her one. As she finished hers and took a sip of Coke she noticed he'd gotten mustard on his cheek. Reaching over, she gently wiped it away with a napkin. He grinned, then palyfully wiped her mouth with a napkin. As they left, she pulled him into a secluded area. Throwing her arms around his neck, she pulled him into a brief, hard kiss.
"Thank you for this day," she whispered, eyes shining.
They walked on, wrapped in each other's arms. At a ring toss game, Hawkeye won her a small stuffed teddy bear. At another game, he knocked over a stack of bottles to win her a porcelain doll. They shared a spool of cotton candy. As Margaret was taking a bite, some of the sticky stuff clung to her lips. Hawkeye bent down and kissed her, licking away the extra. She responded to the kiss, pressing against him. As they broke apart she looked up at him, a hot glow in her eyes.
"Let's go have some more fun, then we can go back to our room," she whispered huskily.
As they finished the cotton candy, he pulled her towards another ride. This one had narrow, airplane shaped cars, making it necessary for Margaret to sit in front of him. He sat at the back of the car, then wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tight against him. She turned to look into his smiling eyes and gave him a quick kiss. The car raised and whirled around, but they hardly noticed, just enjoying the feeling of being close to one another. When it was over, they walked on hand in hand, grinning like teenagers, until they came to a haunted house ride. They rushed up the walkway and climbed into the car. As it entered the ride, they were surrounded by darkness. Unthinkingly, their arms and lips came together. Tongues darted into each other's mouth. Hands moved about, feeling the other's nearness. A gasp slipped from Margaret as Hawkeye's lips burned a trail down her neck to the base of her throat. One of her hands moved inexorably toward her breatst until a flash of brightness warned them the ride was ending. With a sharp, passionate kiss they slid apart as the came out into the sunlight.
"Let's go back to our room," she whispered breathlessly, "We can come back here tomorrow."
They hurried through the crowd to their car. As Hawkeye started the engine, Margaret slid across the seat to press against him. The sun was already setting as they reached their room. They were in each other's arms as Hawkeye took the key from her and unlocked the door. Without breaking their kiss, they stumbled through the door and he nudged it closed with his foot. He reached back with one hand and locked the door. They stood there, kissing, until Hawkeye slipped the cardigan from her shoulders and down her arms. He reached up ans slowly unzipped her dress. Suddenly she broke the kiss and stepped back.
"Wait. I have something I want to do and you need to close the curtains."
As she turned to take something from her suitcase, he moved to pull the curtains to. She slipped into the bathroom and he removed his jacket, then sat on the edge of the bed and took off his shoes. Deciding the overhead light was too bright for romance, he switched on the bedside lamp, bathing the room in soft light. He heard her coming out of the bathroom and turned.
"Wow" was all he managed to get out.
She stood there in a lavender silk negligee with a matching sheer robe over it.
"Margaret, you're stunning."
Margaret moved into his arms, wrapping her won around his neck. They stood pressed together for a few moments, then he bent his head and they kissed softly. The fires between them flared up instantly, and the kiss deepened. He gently removed her arms from about his neck, pushing them down to her sides, then slid his hands up her arms to her shoulders. Slowly, caressingly, he slipped her robe off and tossed it towards her bed. Her hands came up to unbutton his shirt and pull it free from his pants. She pushed it off his shoulders and he let his arms dangle till it fell off. She raised on tiptoe and fitted herself closely to him as he sought her lips again. Still holding each other, they moved over and lay on the bed. Despite their earlier haste, they were slower and more deliberate now, as if realizing they were about to pass a point of no return in their relationship and were giving the other the chance to back out. When neither made a move to end it, desire mounted. Clothing seemed to disappear amid a hail of kisses and touches. Whimpers and moans escaped Margaret's lips as Hawkeye sought out her most sensitive places. Their bodies merged, blended, became one as they clung to each other in mutual need. Sensations built, grew stronger. Pleasure coursed through them, sending them soaring higher and higher until it sent them hurtling over the precipice. Slowly coming back to reality, he rolled off her but refused to let go of her. She reached up and pressed a soft kiss on his lips.
"We should have done this a long time ago," she murmured, nibbling at his lips.
"You know, we're going to have to do the haunted house ride again tomorrow," he joked, his hands roaming over and caressing her breasts, "I missed the whole thing because of you."
"Complaining?" she rolled on top of him.
"Not in the least," his mouth captured a nipple.
She gasped and arched into him. His hands slid down her back to her butt. Grasping it, he lifted her, positioned her and slid her down onto him.
"Ready for more?" he nibbled and sucked on her nipples.
"Oh, yes," she sighed, rocking her pelvis languidly and nipping at his chest. Soon their pace quickened and they strained together until ecstasy exploded over them. Margaret collapsed on top of him, breathing heavily from the intensity of her orgasm. Sliding off his sweat-soaked body, she settled herself beside him. One hand came up to trace patterns in the perspiration on his chest.
"We really need to shower off all this sweat."
"Sounds good to me."
Taking her hand, he led her into the bathroom. Adjusting the taps till the water was just right, he helped her into the shower, then stepped in himself. She picked up the soap and began lathering his chest and arms. Then she bent down and soaped his legs. Moving the soap higher, she began to wash his penis with slow, deliberate strokes. Straightening, she pressed herself against him as she reached around to lather his back and butt. After soaping it a few minutes, she reached down and gave his penis a few extra strokes. He groaned and took the soap from her, spreading lather over her breasts, gently rubbing the soap over each sensitized peak until she was mewling in excitement. He moved lower, massaging the lather into her belly before moving even lower. He knelt down and ran the soap up her legs. His hand slip between her legs and she moaned as he rubbed it back and forth. He slowly slithered back up, making sure that they never stopped touching. Slipping his arm around her waist, he languidly her backside. His lips met hers as he pulled her further under the shower spray. They rubbed against each other sensuously as they rinsed the soap from their bodies. When the last of the white foam swirled down the drain, he shut the shower off and stepped out. He helped her out of the shower, then with a towel began to dry her off, paying special attention to her breasts and between her legs. She grabbed another towel and started drying him, rubbing his chest and massaging his penis. The eroticism overwhelmed them, and they almost ran into the bedroom and fell upon the bed. Without preliminaries, he lifted her hips and thrust into her. She surged against him as they clung together in mindless, growing need, until, with one final thrust, she came. Her ecstatic cries were muffled by his lips and she swallowed his matching cries, as they slowly settled back to normalcy. After a few moments, they slipped under the covers and snuggled tightly together.
"I guess we kinda wasted that shower," she mused.
"Well, then, we'll just have to take another in the morning," he mumbled, one hand playing with her breasts and he nibbled at her earlobe, "Think you can sleep now?"
"Oh, yes, I'm exhausted."
She turned slightly to give him a passionate kiss good night, then lay down and cuddled back against him. Within minutes, they both drifted off into a sated, dreamless sleep, still clasped in each other's arms.