Jessie and her brother spent the rest of the afternoon catching up. She found out that Johnny had joined the Navy, much to the chagrin of her father, and had quickly become an officer. He was stationed currently in the Sea of Japan, and he had 48 hours leave that he used to come see her, having to be back by 0400 hours.

Jessie showed him around camp, and introduced him to her friends. The nurses were especially pleased to meet him, and he charmed them all, even Margaret.

He caught her up on the happenings at home, who was sleeping with who, who had married who. Nothing had changed.

But, she had changed more than she realized.

She laughed at all the right places, but her heart really wasn't in it. She kept seeing the hurt look on Radar's face, and she wanted more than anything to explain.

Night came all too soon, and Johnny had to return to his ship. Jessie fought tears as he hugged her one last time.

"At least you're in the Navy," Jessie said, holding him tightly. "I've seen what happens to the boys here, and I couldn't stand it if you got, well if you were . . ."

Johnny patted her on the cheek. "Hey, you're the brave one in the family," he said, patting her cheek. He looked at her sternly. "I can't believe you didn't tell these people. Did you just lie to them for three months?"

She shrugged, remembering Radar's reaction. "Not exactly, I just didn't tell the whole truth," she said miserably.

"You know they'd have found out eventually," he said and kissed her forehead. "Be good, sis, and no more lying to these people, OK?" He stepped into the waiting jeep and was whisked away.

Jessie watched the jeep go until it disappeared in the distance. She turned, knowing what she had to do next.

The first place she looked was his office. She found Radar sitting at his desk, staring aimlessly at a sheet of paper, looking as miserable as she felt.

She stepped hesitantly inside. He didn't say a word, but she saw him clutch the paper tighter. He knew she was there. She cleared her throat nervously.

"I know you're angry at me . . ."

"You lied to me," he interrupted, and she fell silent. She couldn't see his expression, but she could hear the hurt in his voice as he continued. "You said your father was in 'real estate.'"

Before she could answer, he angrily pushed himself away from the desk. "So what else have you lied about? You said you live in the country, but I guess it's in some sort of mansion. Your brother said something about help? And what about . . ."
"Stop it, just stop it!" Jessie yelled, not wanting to be reminded of her sins.

"I'm not one of your servants you can boss around!"

"I'm not bossing!"

"We're not supposed to lie to each other, we're supposed to tell the truth," he said, suddenly looking deflated.

"I'm still the same as I was before."

"How do I know you didn't lie about other things? Or you won't make up stuff in the future about important things?"

Jessie threw her hands up. "Great. Just great. I knew this was a bad idea."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "What was a bad idea?"

"Us. Me and you."

"Why? Am I not good enough for you or something?"

"Don't put words in my mouth!" She knew the entire camp could probably hear, but didn't care. "So what? I'm worth millions! What else do you want to know? My mother left me a trust fund when she died. I got a new convertible when I turned 16. I've mingled with actors and actresses. I own seven racing horses that are probably worth more than your entire family farm!"

Jessie regretted the last words as soon as she said them. "Wait, I didn't mean that . . ."

She reached for his arm, but he jerked out of her grasp. She dropped her hand in defeat.

Her mind raced, willing him to look at her. "My whole life I've been treated as if I belong behind some sort of glass, fragile and not to be touched. I've had friends only for my status, and I didn't want that here."

She knew it all sounded lame to him because it suddenly did to her.

"Just leave," he said sullenly, not looking her in the eyes.

Without a backwards glance, she turned and walked into the night.

Callahan, you've screwed up big time now . . .

And this time, she couldn't make it right.

For the first time in many nights, she cried herself to sleep.

*************************************

"Hey, Radar, mail came yet?" Hawkeye and B.J. sauntered into Radar's office.

Instead of his usually busy self, Radar was staring sullenly into space. He jumped when they entered.

"Um, no, sirs." He half-heartedly shuffled papers around on his desk.

"Darn. I was expecting my latest issue of Nude Sports Illustrated. It's the tetherball issue." He elbowed Radar, who had stood up to shuffle through some more papers in the corner file cabinet. "I might just let you borrow it."

"No thanks," Radar said tonelessly. "Now, are you two sirs finished? I need to get some work done."

B.J. gestured around the cluttered office. "Looks more like you've been working on sulking than working for the Army."

"Yeah, you're right, B.J. Think it may have something to do with one red-haired sweetheart who's just recently been elevated to millionaire status?"

"Don't know. Could be."

Radar slammed the file drawer shut. "She lied to all of us, so I don't really understand why all of you are not just as mad at her as I am." He threw himself in his desk chair, which squeaked annoyingly. "Anyway, I don't really even care." He almost choked on the last words.

B.J. and Hawkeye looked at each other. "I guess some of us are a little more forgiving than others," B.J. said.

"If she wants forgiveness, she should go see Father Mulcahy."

Hawkeye raised his eyebrow at Radar's tone. "What I want to know is how come you couldn't tell that she was keeping something from us. You know, that thing you do."

Radar had wondered that himself. He shrugged. "It doesn't work like that."

B.J. clapped him on the shoulder. "Just let us know when the mail gets here."

"Yeah. Sure."

After the captains let themselves out, Radar sat down the papers he had been pretending interested him and rubbed his eyes wearily. The past few days had been hell. Avoiding Jessie had been the easy part. She stayed busy with her duties, and he pretended to be busy with his. Their paths didn't cross, except for occasionally in the mess tent. However, avoiding everyone else's comments and suggestions was not so easy. It seemed that everyone had an opinion, and they felt they must share it with him.

Radar didn't care what everyone else thought. All he knew was that he was miserable. At first, it was easy to be angry. Ever since she flounced out of his office the night her brother left, she hadn't once tried to approach him. Not that he had been approachable. If she got near him, he always managed to find an excuse to leave.

As his anger faded, loneliness returned. At times, he missed her so much, he thought he would be sick. He just couldn't understand how he had managed just fine without her before, but he couldn't seem to probably function without her now.

Not that she ever looked like she missed him. If she was suffering as much as he was, she hid it well. He would see her occasionally across the camp, laughing along with the nurses like nothing was wrong. Just the sight of her made him lonely. And that made him even angrier. Especially because she didn't even seem to care that she had practically broken his heart. Then, he would get angry at himself for the feelings he kept having that wouldn't go away, no matter what he did.

It was a vicious cycle.

Frustrated, Radar swiped at a stack of papers on his desk and watched as they fluttered to the floor.

*****************************************************

"Why does Army food always have to be rotten?" Klinger said, holding his spoon above his plate and watching the food plop disgustingly back into the tray.

"Just don't look at it. Makes it easier to not taste it," Zale said, chewing determinedly.

"Mind if we sit here?" B.J. said. He and Hawkeye sat before waiting for an answer.

"Sure, if you don't mind constant complaining," Zale said, motioning towards Klinger.

"Or constant ugliness," Klinger replied.

"Why, I aughta . . ." Zale shook his fist at Klinger.

Radar just rolled his eyes at their predictable antics.

"Room for one more?" Father Mulcahy asked, tray in hand. Zale gave Klinger a dirty look, but backed down in respect for the priest.

Radar, dismally poking at his food and trying hard not to notice Jessie across the tent with the nurses, moved over to make room.

"Good morning, son," Father Mulcahy said cheerfully.

"G'morning," Radar mumbled.

"Don't be so cheerful, Radar," Hawkeye said, making a face at his plate.

"Didn't I tell you women was trouble?" Zale said, elbowing Radar in the side. "You give 'em everything they want, and then 'bam'!" he hit his palm on the table for emphasis, "they take what they can and leave you wallowing like a pig in the mud."

"Great analogy," B.J. said, grimacing as he chewed. "Could be mistaken for our breakfast." He rose from the table. "I think I'll pass."

Before Radar could reply, the nurses tittered as a figure walked into the tent. He slyly pulled down his aviator sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, and the giggling from the nurses intensified. He edged through the crowded tent and sat in the space vacated by B.J.

"How's the flyboy business going, Jake?" Hawkeye asked.

"Fair, fair," Jake said, keeping a brown eye on the nurses' table. He ran his hands through his blonde hair. "I guess I should be asking you how the nurse business is goin'? Oh, sorry, Father."

Father Mulcahy smiled patiently. "Not a problem."

"Funny you mention the nurses." Hawkeye pointed his fork at Jake. "We were just discussing the fine aspects of women. It seems that Radar here is having some woman trouble himself."

Radar glared at Hawkeye. "I am not!"

"That's too bad," Jake said, distracted. He leaned closer into the group. "Tell me, what's the story with the redhead."

"You mean Jessie? She's been here well over a month. Surprised you haven't seen her already," Klinger said.

Radar watched Jake suspiciously.

Jake turned around and leaned his back on the table, getting a full view of the nurses. "Jessie, huh? She involved with anyone?"

Everyone at the table glanced at Radar. He was torn between rising from the table and stalking out the door and wanting to see what would happen next.

"Not . . . exactly," Hawkeye finally replied.

Zale pointed at Radar's plate. "You goin' eat that?"

Radar, breakfast and company forgotten, shook his head. He was too busy watching Jessie. All the nurses at the table were huddled together, glancing at Jake and giggling among themselves. Even Jessie. Once, she even glanced in Radar's direction, and his heart skipped a beat. But when she caught him looking, she quickly looked away. The other women laughed when she made a comment. His heart fell.

"Wish me luck, fellas!" Jake said, rising from the table.

"Luck for what?" Radar mumbled, missing the last part of the conversation. He didn't have to wait long. To his horror, Jake ambled over to the nurses' table.

"Hi, Jake," Bigelow said suggestively. Some of the other women batted their eyelashes at him or giggled. But not Jessie. She sipped her coffee demurely.

"Girls," Jake said in a group greeting and sat down with a flourish next to Jessie. She glanced over at him as he picked up one of her hands and kissed it lightly. The nurses sighed melodramatically.

"You see that?" Klinger said across the room. "Boy, what a move!"

Radar didn't comment. He couldn't. Anger and jealously welled up in his chest, blocking any attempts at speech.

Startled, Jessie pulled her hand away. "Where I come from, a gentleman would never assume to touch a lady like that without introducing himself first."

Jake leaned back, stretching his long legs. "Who says I'm a gentleman?"

She raised an eyebrow at his comment. She had to admit, his cocky attitude was inviting. "Well, does the gentleman have a name?"

"Jake. Jake McFarland." Sure of himself, he leaned in closer and played with an errant strand of her hair.

"Why, of all the dirty, rotten . . ." Radar muttered, clenching his fists underneath the table.

"This gentleman wants to take you to Seoul tonight to the aviator shindig." He continued twirling the strand around on his index finger. When Jessie didn't immediately answer, he continued. "I bet you would look gorgeous in emerald green, and I saw just the dress in a window in Tokyo. Just say the word, and I'll have it here in two hours flat."

Jessie really wasn't in the mood for a party, especially with this cocky pilot. "Look, you really seem like a really nice guy, but I don't think. . ."

She glanced across the room where she knew they were being watched. What caught her eye was Radar's glare.

How dare he be jealous after the way he's treated me?

She turned and faced Jake, giving him her best smile. "Sure, Jake, why not?"

He smiled back. "I'll pick you up at 8. What about the dress?"

Feeling Radar's eyes on them, Jessie linked a finger through Jake's shirt and pulled him closer. The nurses gasped, and he looked just as surprised.

"A lady never accepts clothes from a man. Especially on the first date," she whispered. "But, I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

He swallowed hard, grinning from ear-to-ear. "Good, I hate to be disappointed."

She let go of his shirt and picked up her coffee cup. "See you at 8, flyboy."

"Oh, I'll be here." He sauntered out the door, whistling, as the nurses huddled around her.

"So, what'll you wear?"

"I bet Klinger has something!"

"What about that dress you wore for the talent show?"

They all jumped as the door flew open, crashing into the wooden supports. Radar stalked out the door and across camp.

"What do you think got into him?"

Jessie didn't reply. The hollow ache in her chest hurt too much.