The next day Hawk and Khezia walked into the mess tent looking normal but refusing food. Hawkeye drank some coffee but Khezia just sat and talked with Radar about Iowa. "I was in Iowa for a few months when I was twelve." She commented.
"Really? Where else have you been?" Radar looked up from his food.
"Well, I've been to every state in the US except Alaska. Then I've been to England, France, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Norway, Germany, Mexico, Canada, South America, and Africa. My husband and I are living in Colorado, at the moment."
"That's a lot of moving."
"You're tellin' me! Until I was eighteen we never stayed in the same place more than three months. My mother homeschooled me and my brothers."
"How many brothers do you have?" Father Mulcahy, the camp priest, asked.
"Eight." she sighed. Hawkeye sprayed his coffee across the table and gasped.
"Eight! You have to be kidding me!"
"No, I'm not. And I'm in the middle. Four older, four younger. I was my mother's respite before more boys came along."
"Your father should be happy." Margaret laughed.
"Yup, every single one is in the army."
"Really, what are their ranks?" Henry asked from sitting across the table from me.
"This might take awhile." "We have time." Henry replied and looked at me expectantly. "General Luke Lawrence he's 11 years older than me, General Matthew Lawrence- 9 years older than me, Brigadier General Mark Lawrence who's 9 years older me, he and Matthew are twins, then comes Colonel John Lawrence- 5 years older, then Lieutenant Peter Lawrence he's 3 years younger, Sergeant James Lawrence is 6 years younger, Corporal Timothy Lawrence is 8 years younger, then my baby brother Private David Lawrence is 10 years younger. That's everybody." She cringed, dreading what everyone was going to say.
"Talk about a lot of brass!" Trapper whistled.
"Wait until you hear about her husband." Frank waddled in smiling like a toddler who had found a bug.
"Shut it, Burns." She growled.
"I did a little check on our female doctor, it seems-" Frank was suddenly cut off as Khezia wrapped her hand around his mouth.
"I said 'Shut it' and I meant it. Got it, Major." Frank nodded quickly. When she let go of his mouth he grabbed both her wrists and smiled.
"As I was saying, her husband is Gen…" He shut his mouth quickly as Khezia's kicked him in the shin.
"Henry, can I please keep that a secret." Khezia practically begged.
"I guess. Burns, don't say a word." "Yes sir." He squeaked and limped back to the swamp.