The knock on the wooden frame was enough to wake her from sleep.
"Colonel. Margaret? Are you awake?"
She recognized the voice and groggily sat up in her cot and rubbed her eyes.
"Yes Colonel Dayton."
"May I open the door?" Asked the Colonel.
"Do you think you could give me a moment, I just woke up."
"No problem. But I might as well tell you now."
"Tell me what?"
"You get freshened up, but as soon as you're done, report to my office immediately."
She came to a halt as she finished brushing out the tangles in her hair. "Why? Is there a problem, sir?"
"No no! Two nurses, fresh from the states were transferred in last night, I thought it would be good for them to wake up bright and early so they could get aquatinted with their head nurse."
Margaret sighed in relief. "It took the army long enough! Well I'll be there in no time, Colonel."
"Good! I'll be on my way then. The nurses and I shall be expecting you."
She listened to the sound of Dayton's footsteps as they marched away from her tent.
Putting her brush on her nightstand, she pulled on her fatigues and put on a small amount of makeup. She wanted to make the best first impression on her new nurses.
She didn't want to seem like a scary, regular army officer to some girls who were probably fresh out of college. Yet, at the same time, she knew it was right to keep her staff disciplined and in good order.
As she finished lacing her boots, she stood up and headed to meet her new staff.
/scene/
As she walked into the office she was greeted with Dayton's classic lopsided grin; which vaguely reminded her of Trapper.
He motioned to the two occupied chairs, and an empty third.
She took the empty seat and gave the occupants of the other two a friendly smile.
The girl sitting next to her looked to be in her late twenties. Her long, dark auburn hair was pinned up in a bun, much like how she used to wear her hair. But just one look at this girl was enough to put a pang in her heart.
She looked absolutely terrified.
Being an army nurse was a job that a woman signed up to do. There was no draft like the men had. And Margaret could tell that this young lady had no idea what she was sighing up for, what she was getting herself into. War was never and is no game.
She glanced to the other young nurse sitting on the other side of the one next to her. This one seemed a little younger, perhaps not by many years. Her pixie short blond hair only added to the warmth of something that Margaret was almost surprised to see, and quite contrary to the other nurse's appearance:
The largest smile she's seen plastered on a nurse's face.
She noticed the girl reach over and hold out her hand, and in greeting, Margaret shook it. She was almost proud of the confidence she saw in her, but also wondered how long it would take for the war to break her down.
Dayton smiled to the three women sitting across from him. "Margaret," he said, pointing to the nurse next to her, "this is Lieutenant Darlene Bradly."
Margaret and Darlene both stood up, saluted each other, and shared a handshake.
"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Colonel Houlihan," Darlene said with an apprehensive stutter.
"And I as well, lieutenant. The army needs more brave women like you." Margaret gave her another warm smile and a pat on the back.
Colonel Dayton nodded. "Alright Lieutenant Bradly, make your way back to the nurses quarters and finish unpacking while we finish introductions. You are to meet Colonel Houlihan with the other nurses in the post operative unit in one hour."
Darlene nodded. "Understood, sir," she replied as she made her way out the door.
Dayton nodded again, to the second nurse. She in response stood up and made herself present to Margaret.
She held out her hand once again for their second handshake. She gave her salute and a sly, yet almost overjoyed grin to Margaret.
Colonel Dayton motioned his hand toward the nurse. "Colonel Houlihan, this is Lieutenant Erin Hunnicut."