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Sitting in the mess tent toward the end of summer, the camp is ecstatic to hear about mail call. Margaret however looks less than excited when she gets a letter which those at the table assume is about her divorce. Hawkeye tries to catch his wife's eyes to see if she is okay, and is a little dismayed when Margaret refuses to look at not only him, but any of them. A look that does not go unnoticed by Hawkeye's tent mates. Just when B.J. and Charles think they can corner their friends into admitting their relationship, Margaret tells the men that she has a new idea that will allow the surgeons to stay in OR. A little confused by her sudden drive and determination, Hawkeye asks her alone in her tent what causes the jolt in productivity. He knows the fake divorce is final, but has no idea how that is any baring on her. Shrugging, Margaret explains that the actual letter she receives explains her parents' divorce and although she is not thrilled, she figures her new camp measure will please someone if she cannot please her parents. Nodding, Hawkeye asks after a moment, "You know you aren't the cause of their divorce, right?"
Playing with her necklace, Margaret replies unconvincingly, "Yes."
"You aren't," Hawkeye replies. "How long have your parents been unhappy?"
With a heavy sigh and flashbacks of drunken fights between her parents, Margaret replies softly, "Always."
Taking her hand away from her necklace, Margaret takes Hawkeye's hand and looks him in the eye.
"Ben," She says making sure her husband will pay attention to her, "That can't happen to us."
Realizing how much her parents' relationship affected her now, Hawkeye can see why she is making so hard to have the nurses work to free up the surgeons for surgery. She needs an outlet. Then, knowing he has no desire to see their marriage fall apart as much as Margaret does, Hawkeye resolutely answers, "It won't."
The next day Margaret begins briefing the nurses on her plan to which there is little grumbling. They all volunteered to join the army as nurses to begin with. Busy training nurses by day two, Charles and B.J. almost forget about their months in the making plan to catch their friends together. There is also little for them to report on. At least until B.J. walks into the supply tent to find Hawkeye and Margaret doubled over laughing.
Since part of Margaret's plan for the nurses is to help streamline work for the surgeons, she takes it upon herself to check supply after post op duty. Unfortunately for Hawkeye he is the surgeon on rotation to help. Both tired from their day and a long surgery session, the couple grumpily goes through the list they have. Looking for the sulfa Margaret calls out for, Hawkeye mumbles, "'Where's the stupid sulfa?'"
"'It's in the living room'," Margaret announces tiredlyd. Looking at his wife in surprise, Hawkeye asks, "'What?'"
Clarifying, Margaret states, "'The sulfa's in the living room between the end tables.'"
Knowing how his wife has been feeling the last few days regarding her parents' divorce, Hawkeye almost praises, "'Margaret, you made a joke.'"
"'I told you, I was tired'," Margaret answers as his husband laughingly repeats, "'The sulfa's in the living room? I can't believe you said that.'"
Looking for the drug again, Hawkeye finds the box and tells his wife there is plenty.
"'Sulfa so good'," Margaret states as she checks the box on her clipboard sheet. Then, her husband starts laughing hysterically causing her to join in. Still laughing, Margaret goes back to the list, but neither she nor Hawkeye can stop their laughter. When Margaret apologizes, Hawkeye tells her he loves that she is being so funny. Tugging at his robe sleeve, Margaret tries to get her husband to go back to work as both continue laughing.
"'Okay, okay,'" Hawkeye starts then asks, "'Digitalis?'"
Enjoying the current levity, Margaret announces, "'No, I'm keeping it a secret.'"
At this point the adults have a hard time staying serious and double over in laughter. What they are surprised about is not their proximity, but watching Nurse Kelley's entering supply. Unfortunately, the mood is severed as Margaret immediately goes into Nurse Houlihan mode. Hawkeye's face falls a bit knowing their fun is over and wishing she would display it more at camp. He genuinely loves his wife's humor and wishes other's could as well. Telling her so as they leave the supply room, neither is aware of B.J. coming around the corner until they are standing too close to each other. Watching the pair break apart, B.J. makes sure to tell Charles about the events once he gets what he needs. Later in their tent, B.J. makes sure to tell Charles what he sees and is surprised to find the man practically laugh at him.
"Beej, their proximity is nothing. A minor event that you want to turn into something more," Charles announces. Rolling his eyes, B.J. asks, "Alright, well do you have anything you'd like to add?"
Just before Charles can speak, Colonel Potter comes by asking for a surgeon in Post Op.
"I'll go," Charles volunteers hoping to escape B.J.'s supposed theories. However, just as he enters Post Op to help with a patient, the surgeon is amused to find the couple brush hands a little too long as Margaret hands Hawkeye a clipboard. Smirking at the pair, Charles quickly announces his presence surprised when Hawkeye and Margaret quickly move away from each other. Wondering if this is the type of behavior B.J. alludes to earlier, Charles hopes he can ask him soon without Hawkeye being around.
With Summer officially drawing to a close, the camp is excited to get one last event in before the cold sets in and the camp decides a softball game between Marines is the best way to end the summer season. Earlier in the year the teams play each other in football and baseball, but always seem to lose. When they lose again, the 4077 is less than happy. Watching with sour faces as the Marines drink to their victory again, Potter complains about the losses. Telling him it is only a game, Margaret is surprised when Colonel Potter tells her she is the reason they lost. Defending his wife a little, Hawkeye remarks that they lost pretty spectacularly at 24 to 4.
"'Murderer'," B.J. chimes in siding with Potter. Deciding to host a bowling tournament between the Marines, B.J. and Potter decide to head up a team. Hawkeye begs off not being good at the game and Margaret is passed over due to her helping them lose at softball.
A few days later without an alley, Colonel Potter is getting more upset. In the room while his boss and Klinger talk about the alley, Hawkeye takes the letter Klinger offers him and becomes upset himself. Excited for a letter, the Chief Surgeon becomes immediately worried when he realizes it is from his father. Reading over the most pressing sentence one more time and being alone in the room, Hawkeye immediately sets out to call his dad. Trying to explain he wants Portland, Maine and not Oregon, Hawkeye is a little annoyed to find Charles come in. When Charles stays after overhearing that Hawkeye's father is have surgery, he is doubly surprised when Hawkeye tells him that no one else can know. Immediately, Charles shuts the door to Post Op. Asking about the surgery, Charles is met with a cutting remark from Hawkeye and decides to head back to Post Op. Hours later, Charles comes back to see if the Chief Surgeon needs anything and stays once Hawkeye is able to ring the room. When the line is cut off, Hawkeye throws the notepad he was writing on toward the office file boxes and Charles decides to stay and talk him through the letter. What he does not expect is to see how good a relationship Hawkeye has with his father. They stay up all night and finally Charles has to tell him, "'Pierce, you should be grateful that only distance is separating you. My father and I have been 12,000 miles apart in the same room. The most intimate and personal communication in the Winchester household, took place at the evening meal. Every night, promptly, at 7:15, we would gather at the dinner table. The soup would be served, and my father would begin with "Tell us what you did today, Charles." I would then have until the salad to report the highlights of my day. Even now the sight of lettuce makes me talk faster. I assumed that's how it was in every family. When I see the warmth, the closeness, the fun of your relationship. My father was a good man, and he always wanted the best for me. But, where I have a father, you have a dad.'"
Surprised at the difference in their relationships, Hawkeye states, "'Charles, you never told me anything like this before.'"
At this moment, both men know they have officially struck up if not a friendship, a strong understanding of the other as Charles announces, "'Actually, Hawkeye - I've never told you anything before.'"
In surgery hours later, Hawkeye snaps at his fellow surgeons causing Charles to tell him to stay calm. Looking up, Hawkeye catches Margaret's eyes and can tell she wants to know what is going on. In that moment he feels bad for not telling her, but decides to deal with it later. When Potter asks him to fill in for Father Mulcahey in bowling, Hawkeye agrees if only to keep his mind off the call. Once the call does come through, Hawkeye immediately heads to Klinger's office while his wife looks on in confusion.
Excited to finally be able to talk to his father, Hawkeye tells him how worried he was adding, "'If something like this happens again, will you please let me know?'"
When Daniel starts disagreeing, Hawkeye remarks that he is not ten anymore and thankfully his father relents.
"'I've been thinking a lot about you lately'," The surgeon remarks before reminding him of his childhood and reminiscing. Telling his dad he loves him and to do what the nurses tell him, Hawkeye lets his father rest. Taking a moment to regroup, Hawkeye soon rejoins the bowling match which Margaret wins for the team. Everyone is overjoyed at winning, but when Charles looks at Hawkeye, he is happy to see is bunkmate and possibly new friend is grinning for another reason. Telling him some of the details in the Officer's Club while they drink to their win, Hawkeye tells Charles that the drink is on his tab. Raising his glass, Charles toasts, "'To our fathers.'"
"'And their sons'," Hawkeye adds knowing that he has just began another solid friendship.
The next morning, Hawkeye sits in the Mess tent eating his breakfast when Margaret comes in and sits across from him. Pouring him a cup of coffee, she asks about the phone call from the day before. Shaking his head, Hawkeye answers, "Dad had surgery. He's fine."
"Fine," Margaret begins her voice raising just a little, "What do you mean fine? What was the surgery for?"
Noticing a couple people staring, Hawkeye begs his wife to lower her voice stating, "Will you calm down? Dad had an operation there was a mass that needed to be removed."
"Was it cancerous?" Margaret asks. When her husband shakes his head, Margaret sighs in relief. Just then B.J., Charles, and Colonel Potter sit down beside the pair and are mid conversation about the bowling game from the day before. Announcing she is getting a tray, Margaret stands up just as Hawkeye goes to reach for her hand to stop her. Eyes wide, Margaret looks at her husband shocked at such a blatant display of affection. The look he gives her she is sure is an apology to which she just smiles softly. Then, with a broad smile knowing he has to cover up his action, Hawkeye asks his wife, "Will you get me another cup of coffee?"
Sternly but kindly, Margaret nods toward the pot on the table replying with a small smirk, "Get it yourself."
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