Here's another chapter with a surprise guest. I hope you enjoy it.
A year later
Margaret sat outside hers and Hawkeye's front porch, drinking a cup of tea and watching the world go by in the slow, but happy, town of Crabapple Cove when she saw a taxi pull up outside the house. Margaret thought nothing of it, since friends and relatives frequently visited their neighbours. However, when she saw who got out of the taxi, she almost dropped her tea – It was her father, her estranged father, Howitzer Al Houlihan.
Margaret thought of her life up until that point. She and Hawkeye had had a happy, but trying year together. Margaret struggled to find a job she liked at a hospital nearby. Hawkeye and Daniel offered her a job as a nurse in their medical practice, but she wanted to venture out on her own in the civilian world. She had found a job as a Head Nurse at Crabapple Cover Community Hospital some three months prior and she was truly happy with it. She struggled sometimes without having a clear chain of command, but she was getting used to it. She enjoyed working with her staff, the doctors and the patients. Everyday held a new adventure. She also discovered that she loved her husband more than she ever expected she would and she never regretted leaving the Army.
Howitzer Al suddenly appeared at the steps of the front porch with a small suitcase in his right hand. He cautiously approached his daughter.
"Margaret?"
Margaret turned to her father and, in a small voice, said, "Dad? Is that you?"
"Yes, my dear. It's me."
"How did you find me?"
"I looked through the Army records and saw that your husband lived here. I then asked around for you both in town. Someone then gave me directions to your street. I saw you sitting out here and asked the taxi to let me out."
Margaret was at a loss for words, she hadn't expected her father to show up. He had disowned her after she left the Army. He called her himself to tell her as much.
"Dad, I don't understand. You disowned me, you abandoned me. You even refused to come to my wedding!"
Her father looked away. Margaret thought she saw embarrassment in his eyes.
"Margaret, you know I'm not much for apologising. It's a hard thing to do for a man like me. However, you deserve an apology from me. I'm sorry I didn't support you, I'm sorry I didn't believe you and I am truly sorry I missed out on walking you down the aisle. I know you know I never really liked Hawkeye when I met him, but I understand why you do. He's everything I'm not and he loves you for who you are. That was even clear in Korea. I just hope that you're happy with him."
Margaret couldn't truly stay angry at her father. After all, he had apologised to her sincerely. She approached her dad and hugged him."
"Dad, it's ok. I forgive you, but I'm sure we will need to rebuild our relationship. I love Hawkeye and we are happy together. He loves me and lets me follow my dreams. I love living in this small town and having a house to call my own. I love working in a civilian hospital with staff who respect me for my knowledge and expertise. I love my father-in-law. He took me in from the beginning and appreciated me and how happy I make his son. Do you want to be a part of this dad?"
Al had never heard his little girl speak so passionately about her life, not even when she made Major.
"I'd love to be a part of this if you want me."
"Of course I do dad. Come inside, Hawkeye's out back preparing a BBQ. We have some friends coming over. Will you stay?"
"I'll stay. Should we go and see that husband of yours?"