Chapter Ten:
Friendship may, and often does, grow into love, but love never subsides into friendship.- Lord Byron
BJ Hunnicutt walked down to his mailbox as he watched his pregnant wife play with Erin on the porch. He chuckled and took a hold of the few envelopes, quickly flipping through the obvious bills, the familiar handwriting caught his eye. Smiling he took the letter and sat down on the porch steps.
"Daddy?"
"Erin?" BJ asked with a smile.
"What you have?"
"A letter from Hawkeye, he hasn't written in a bit," he added to Peg. "I wonder what he's up to," opening the envelope, he flipped open the stack of paper and shook his head, and began reading.
Beej,
It's been a while, but things here, they're different. Dad and I are still in practice together, although he does give me all the surgical cases. Just this morning I took out the tonsils of an eleven year old! Imagine that, and not shrapnel! I know its been two years since we did that, but I can never get over the joy of sinking my scalpel into a nice fresh unmeatloaf body. I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you this for months now. Two things really I want to tell you, both go hand in hand. I've been leaving things out of my letters since September, and now that its January, you might as well get those pages. Don't look yet, you'll spoil the surprise.
Surprise number one, I'm a father! A real father, just like you. Except my child, my daughter, is only eight months now, and is growing like a weed. She means the world to me Beej. I've only known her since September, but I love her, and everything she does. Oh her name is Daisy Allegra (after my mother!). Now you're probably wondering, what is going on? Well that is surprise number two, Margaret. You remember Margaret, my daughter's mother? That's right, one of the only good things that came out of that god forsaken war was my daughter's conceiving. Margaret and Daisy are now living with me and Dad in Crabapple Cove. She loves it there, moves around here like its always been her home. Mostly she's a stay at home mom, but a few days a week she works at Dad's clinic. Daisy gets me on those afternoons, which she loves. I know what you're thinking, I'm a huge jerk and didn't tell you this sooner, and I am expecting a rather angry phone call from you soon, but that's my life I suppose!
At first Daisy, I was scared of her, being her father, and nightmares plagued me, but as she grows up, and wants her "Daddy" I'm learning to love it. So enclosed is all the pages I left out of my letters, detailing Daisy's months with me. And Margaret and I's growing relationship. That's right, relationship. We're dating. Each other. Imagine that?
Margaret is sad, and sorry she never kept writing you, but you should be expecting a letter from her as well, she feels she owes you an explanation, she keeps saying that besides me, you're the best friend she never had, so I think that being said, she misses and loves you.
As I'm expecting your telephone call, I should let you know Margaret and I were thinking of coming and visiting you, Peg and Erin for Easter, it'll be Daisy's first and whatnot, and I want her to know her godfather. So talk to Peg about that before you call me, so we can hammer out the details.
Hawkeye
BJ stared at the words over and over again, flipping the countless pages behind the letter, filled with Daisy and Margaret.
"They have a kid..." he said as Peg looked at her husband.
"Who?" she asked.
"Hawkeye and Margaret, they have a kid. Together. A daughter, named Daisy. They want to come see us for Easter."
"Well that's wonderful darling, didn't you say someday they'd end up together."
"I did Peggy, but not this way," he said shaking his head. "Listen to this: Margaret showed up on my doorstep, and she just said 'don't hate her' and I knew I couldn't, I didn't know who she was Beej, but I loved her from the moment I set eyes on her..."
Margaret sat in the rocking chair, staring outside Daisy's window at the cold winter, the ground and trees were blanketed in thick, white snow, and there was a chill in the air that frosted the windows. She was rocking Daisy back to sleep, once again that night. The flu had taken most of the Cove, Daisy included, and Margaret was doing her best to comfort the child. It was nearing three am, and the moon high in the sky twinkled the snow.
"Margaret," Hawkeye's voice said from the doorway to the nursery. "She asleep?"
"No," Margaret whispered back with a heavy sigh. "Nothing I do is making her better."
"Come on," he said softly touching her shoulder. "Don't put her down, just come with me." Margaret obeyed, standing up as Hawkeye supported her and the clingly baby attached to her body. Walking slowly and into the darkened hall, lit only by the moon, he walked them into his bedroom. She looked at him, and he shook his head. "Trust me." Nodding Margaret moved to lay in his bed, Hawkeye moved to the other side, as Daisy easily fell between them, placing a hand against his chest, and one on Margaret's. She looked at him in surprise, Hawkeye just smiled and laid is head down, so his chin was on top of Daisy's head. "I told you to trust me," he whispered as Margaret attempted to move. "No, don't she'll wake up."
"Okay," Margaret smiled as she felt Hawkeye's arm drape over the side of her body, making sure not to crush the sleeping child between them. He was trying everything and anything to make Margaret realize that he wanted them together, more than just for Daisy, but for them. Because they wanted to be together. It was their chance to be together, and he hoped, just hoped she'd realise that. Soon.
The sound of Daisy's cry woke both her parents from their slumber, as each blinked as the sun from outside beamed from the crack in the curtains. There was already a chill in the house, and it was obvious the temperature outside was below 32F.
"Sssh," Margaret said softly rubbing Daisy's chest. "You need to be changed."
"I'll do it," Hawkeye said picking up his clock and staring at the time. "Gotta get up anyway."
"Thank you," Margaret smiled stretching out her body as the warm bodies next to her were pulled from the bed. Shivering, she reached around and grabbed Hawkeye's housecoat, pulling it around her body. Walking out of the room, following her partner into the nursery, she gave him a quick kiss handing him a new diaper, and a pair of fresh pyjamas, before walking out.
"Hey, stealing my stuff now are we?"
"Not stealing, merely borrowing." Hawkeye laughed and looked down at his daughter.
"Your mother," he whispered. "Is amazing."
Margaret was in the kitchen when she heard the phone ring, not knowing if Daniel was up, she moved into the hallway and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"I don't believe it."
"BJ?" Margaret asked in disbelief.
"I just don't believe it! I thought he was kidding when he sent me the letter. But you're there, wait, I do have the Pierce house right?"
"Yes, you do," Margaret chuckled as she sat on the hall sofa. "How are you?"
"Not as good as you and Hawk obviously! Is the letter true?"
"About Daisy? Yes, Oh BJ, I hope you forgive me for not telling you, I just couldn't bring myself to say anything, until I was ready for Hawkeye to know," Margaret explained, as she held the phone to her hear. "Its good to hear your voice."
"Yours too. So tell me about this baby of yours?"
"Daisy, she's, perfect?" Margaret laughed. "She loves Hawk, from the moment she met him, she couldn't get enough of him. He says she looks like me, but she has his eyes, right now to the mischief."
"That's wonderful Margaret. And what about you two? Finally a couple?" BJ asked, she could tell the lilt in his voice, and smiled.
"In progress," was her reply. "Now what about you? Hawk said that you and Peg are expecting!"
"We are, due in April."
"We're thinking it might be a good idea to fly out there for Easter, before Daisy's first, birthday," Margaret explained, as she saw Hawkeye walk into the hall, mouthing 'BJ' he smiled sitting down next to his partner. "Someone however is here, and would like to say hello."
"Hawk?" BJ asked.
"Even better, your niece," Margaret smiled holding the phone out to Daisy. "Say hi." Daisy just looked at the phone and squealed in delight as Hawkeye tickled her. "Did you want to talk to BJ?"
"I would love to. You're okay feeding her breakfast?" Nodding Margaret handed Hawkeye the phone and reached for her baby. "So you got the letter."
"I got the letter you jerk!" BJ laughed. Margaret smiled and waved before she moved into kitchen. She could still hear Hawkeye talk, but looked at Daisy sitting on her hip.
"Breakfast, Cheerios, I think," she said plopping the toddler in her highchair. Grabbing the box that Daniel had left on the counter, she poured some in a bowl, placing it down on the tray. Moving towards the coffee, she quickly poured herself a cup, and another one for Hawkeye. Taking a sip of the hot beverage, she smiled at Daisy who was occupying herself by playing with the rolled oats. Walking into the hallway she handed Hawkeye his mug of coffee, received with a smile and a mouthed 'Thank you'.
BJ knew, which meant that in a matter of days, their house would be getting many calls, all congratulating the two. Charles, he'd be the last, and Colonel Potter would be all tickled, demanding the small family goes to visit. Maybe they would. She'd changed though, a lot since Daisy first came to be, nervous and scared, to a mother, who was nervous she was screwing up her child. But that was irrelevant, as Hawkeye said, and even Daniel, you can't screw up as a parent as long as you try.
Daniel was a lot like Hawkeye, or Hawkeye was a lot like Daniel. They talked constantly, and had the same sense of humour. Sometimes he'd go to the clinic in his tuxedo or a costume just to see the faces of his patients. She now knew where Hawkeye got it from. Daniel was always doing something ridiculous, coming to work in a chicken costume when he knew kids were coming in that day, and sometimes, just sitting in the waiting room reading the paper upside down.
Looking at Daniel, then to Hawkeye, and then to Daisy, she could see the traits they all shared come out, and she loved it all. Daisy loved being with her grandfather, squealing in delight while bouncing on his knee, or how he gave her candy when neither of her parents were looking, but they both knew. Daniel was an influence, and she loved him, and everything he was to both members of her family. And to her.
"Ma," Daisy chanted from her highchair shaking Margaret out of her thoughts. "MA!"
"She's calling you," Hawkeye said touching Margaret's shoulder with a smile. "You look good in my robe." Smiling back as she quickly stole a kiss she moved to her toddler.
"What? You want to go play? Because I think that's a wonderful idea," Margaret smiled putting the little girl on the floor, handing her a toy from the table. "Your father leaves these everywhere."
"He never knows where she is," Hawkeye shrugged. "Do you plan on taking off the robe soon?"
"No," Margaret smiled as his arms wrapped around her. "Hawkeye?"
"Yes?"
"I'm ready for this to be real," she said softly leaning into his embrace. She could feel his arms tighten and a smile spread across his face. "I'm really ready for us to be a family, a real family."
"I'm ready for that too," he mumbled into her ear, watching their daughter giggle from the floor.
