Lieutenant Redwing woke up after surgery. Everything was hazy. She moaned as she tried to sit up, a pain in her abdomen stopped her. Everything came flooding back to her. She felt the bandages over her wound. It was a strange feeling, she was always the one patching people up. Never had she been the patient. "Oh, you're up!" a warm feminine voice greeted her. It was Margaret Houlihan. Her voice full of compassion. "How are you feeling?" she inquired.
"Like someone beat me with a led pipe," Lieutenant Shay Redwing responded, or more like groaned.
"Just try to get some rest, ok?" Margaret gave the lieutenant a stern yet warm look.
"Yes ma'am," Shay yawned. She was tired. It was hard work being injured!
Redwing always thought she could like Major Houlihan. She did always have her moments of supreme kindness, but her pure military attitude often got in the way, many people never got to see the sweet feminine side of the major. Possibly, Shay was the only member of the nursing staff that could be considered to be somewhat close with Major Houlihan.
Finally, the morning came and Shay didn't feel as bad, she wasn't sure if that was her healing or if she had been given some sort of painkiller, the latter seemed likely considering the location and severity of her wound.
"Look who finally came around," said a sly voice, it was Trapper.
"Better check those stitches when you get the chance, I think he sewed his name into you," Captain Pierce joked.
"A good surgeon always leaves his mark," joked Trapper with his crooked smile. "A little memento for after the war." Trapper winked at Shay.
"She won't need any mementos if things go your way," smirked Pierce.
Trapper turned a wonderful shade of red. He elbowed Hawkeye in the gut before turning away to check on another patient. Shay chuckled at Trapper's reaction.
Hawkeye came and sat on the cot next to her. He glanced over his shoulder to be sure no one was going to be listening. "Trapper really likes you, you know," he said quietly while checking on her wound.
"You're joking."
"I'm not, I swear!"
"Look Hawkeye, I've heard about his reputation," Shay whispered,"Its a new girl every night."
"Ah, but you see, that was before you came into this camp."
"Pfft." Shay rolled her eyes.
"Look, Shay, I live with him. Its been different lately. He doesn't go out with girls anymore. Instead he lays around with a dazed look on his face. And after you took a knife yesterday, I'd never seen him act the way he did. He was worried to the point of a panic attack after your surgery."
"Whatever Hawkeye, I've heard his way to operate. I'm flattered, really, but I want something real, a sort of commitment or ability to commit."
"Well just don't break his heart when he comes around, I can't stand to see him mope," Hawkeye sighed. "You just get some rest." Hawkeye got up and walked away, leaving Shay alone with her thoughts.
Shay wanted to believe what Hawkeye had told her. She had been taking glances in Trapper's direction since she had first met him. His humor, crooked smile, and auburn hair she found to be irresistible. The only turn off about him being that he had a tendency to fraternize with multiple women. Shay would not allow herself to be used like that.
Shay suddenly felt lonely. She wished Hawkeye would come back so he could tell her more of Trapper's behaviour. The thrill of it made Shay feel like a school girl all over again. For now she would just have to wait. She expected Henry to be dropping by later. Along with Macy Lucan, the nurse whom she had stopped from killing herself. Macy was a friend and Shay hopped she wasn't feeling too much guilt over what had happened.
Henry Blake stopped by early that afternoon. He wore a concerned look on his face. "How are you feeling?" he asked nervously.
"A little sore," Shay responded the answer wasn't exactly honest. She had a stabbing pain in her abdomen but how else was she supposed to feel after being stabbed?
"Then you won't mind if I take a look." Henry gently lifted the lower third of her shirt and removed some bandages to get a look a the wound.
"Hmm… Its a bit swollen, which is to be expected." Henry looked concerned, like something was badly wrong.
"What's wrong, sir?" Shay inquired, her heart rate increasing, she feared something much worse was wrong than what the colonel was letting on.
Henry quickly looked away. "Uhh, I don't know how to tell you this…" Henry started. Shay felt her stomach drop. Her eyes started tearing up. "Macy is dead."
"Wha-," Shay started to say. She was shocked. "How did it happen?" she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes, blurring her vision.
"In not entirely sure…She was very upset over accidentally stabbing you. It did look pretty bad, you'd lost a lot of blood. She must have thought you weren't going to make it. While we were operating on you, one of the mines went off in the minefield. Next thing we knew Radar was running in here telling us Macy had stepped on a mine… There was nothing we could do." Henry looked away again and wiped a couple tears from his eyes. He could never get used to delivering this kind of news to people.
Horror was the first emotion to hit Shay. Then anger.
"Why did she do that!? I could have died saving her! And she repays me by running off and getting herself blown up!" Shay sobbed.
"Easy, easy, you don't want your stitches coming loose." Henry pressed gently on her shoulder. Without realizing it, Shay had sat fully upright, an action she now regretted. Her wound was screaming at her. She submitted to Henry's gentle push and laid back down. "I know its hard Shay, we're all here for you if you need us." Henry squeezed Shay's hand sympathetically. Shay's mind blazed with anger. She had saved her friends life only for her to throw it away again, leaving Shay wounded in more ways than one.