1
Alvin escorted Margaret into the house with his arm wrapped around her. She was a wreck. Her head hung low in despair. Her hair hung in her face covering the streaked make up that her tears had caused. He brought her over to the couch and sat her down.
"Is there anything that I could get for you?" he asked.
"I wouldn't know what," she said.
"Alright, just let me know if you do need anything," he said.
"Actually, I think I'll go upstairs and lay down," she said.
"Okay," he said.
Margaret went up to her room. Slowly making her way over to her suitcase, she started undressing. Taking off her pearl necklace given to her by her father when she graduated high school and set it down on the dresser in front of her. She then took her heels off and sighed as she placed them down by some flowers that had been sent to her. The one that stood out to her way the bouquet of daisies. A tear swelled in her eye as she stared down at them. Why did they have to choose daisies?
"You have to stop this," she scolded herself and then turned back towards her suitcase.
She continued to get out of her black dress. It had a squared off neckline, long sleeves, and came down to her knees. It fit her perfectly and would mostly just wear to special occasions, but today's occasion was one that she did not want to have to wear that dress. She got into sweat pants and a t-shirt. Staring at herself in the mirror, there was the want of things to be the way they were before. Now she was just sick, sick and tired. Sick and tired of hiding her feelings in public, of acting like she was okay that entire after noon. She pulled her hair back and sat down on the bed. At her feet was back pack. She picked it up and dumped it's contents out onto the bed. Among them, a small box. She picked it up and opened it up. She pulled out the small locket and looked it over as she remembered the night that it had been given to her.
Margaret and Hawkeye sat facing each other on her cot. There was only one light lit up in the tent causing it to be very dim.
"I need to tell you something," Hawkeye started.
Margaret looked to him with interest, hoping that it was the same thing that she had to say. Hoping that maybe there was a chance for them.
"Yes?" she asked.
He stared at her. There was no doubt in his mind that he had feelings for her. The last thing that he would ever want to do is hurt her, but there was something more. His previous condition would make it hard for him to commit time to some one else. He had just been locked away and now he was supposed to get better. He needed time to heal.
"Margaret," he said grabbed her hand.
She watched him as he stared down at her hands. He had no idea how to say what he wanted.
"I love you. With out you, I don't know how I would have made it through most of this war. You truly are the greatest woman that I have ever known," he said and then looked up.
Margaret wiped a tear from her eye as she smiled. She knew what was coming next and she was ready to jump up and yell out the answer. Yes! Yes I will marry you! That was all that kept going through her head.
"I just needed you to know that. I couldn't go home and leave without you knowing that," he said.
"I guess I should tell you that I love you too," Margaret said.
He could see the disappointment in her face.
"As soon as I can, I will ask you to marry me, but I can't right now," he said.
"I can understand that," she said.
"I didn't mean to get you excited about something and then to disappoint you," he said.
"You didn't," she said lying through her teeth.
"But I do have a good bye present for you," he said.
Margaret looked over as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box and handed it to her.
"Thank you," she said taking it.
She opened it up and held it. It was a small locket.
She just stared at it. There was nothing about that night that she would ever forget. It was all engraved into her mind. With out that night, she wouldn't be here the way that she was right now.
"I need you now more then ever and you're just not here," she said.
Her hand was clenched in a fist as she laid back. What could she do? What happened is what happened. Never again would things be the same and she absolutely hated that thought. She just rolled over onto her side and held the necklace close to her chest as she fell asleep.