Chapter 10:
Hawkeye was blissfully sitting on the beach back at Maine. It was a warm summer day and he had his arms wrapped securely around his wife. Off on the shore the two watched their three children laughing and splashing in the water.
"Thank you Hawkeye for them," Margaret smiled turning to face him.
"No thank you," he smiled.
He was leaning in to kiss her when someone started violently shaking him.
"What the…" he looked up and saw Candace holding their baby daughter.
Candace shook him again crying, "Daddy…daddy wake up!"
Hawkeye sleepily opened his eyes and found Candace leaning over his cot shaking him hard with tears running down her face.
"Candace? Candy what's wrong? Where's Margaret?" Hawkeye asked swinging his feet off the cot.
"Daddy you have to hurry," Candace whispered, "There's something…something wrong with mama."
Hawkeye grabbed his robe and jacket and ran out of the tent with Candace trailing behind holding a little baby doll she'd gotten just yesterday from the couple for Christmas.
Hawkeye entered Margaret's tent and found the woman on her cot with her eyes tightly shut moaning and whimpering as she curled into a ball.
"Margaret…Margaret it's me come on open your eyes," Hawkeye called sitting on the side of the bed.
"Uggh Hawkeye it hurts," she groaned looking up at him. He felt her forehead and found her burning up.
"All right what hurts baby?" Hawkeye asked.
"I…I think it's my appendix," she moaned.
Pierce got her to straighten out slightly and prodded her stomach and sides. Margaret curled up when he touched where her appendix was and groaned.
"Daddy is mama gonna die?" Candace cried holding her doll.
"No baby daddy's going to fix her okay," Hawkeye smiled before turning and picking up his girlfriend.
"Candace go wake up Uncle BJ okay and tell him I need him."
Candace nodded and raced out of the tent.
"You're gonna be okay Mags. I love you and I'm not going to let anything happen," Hawkeye whispered exiting the tent.
"I l…I love you too," she whispered in his chest.
"Can I stay please?" Candace asked entering in scrubs and a mask.
"I think she'd like it," Hawkeye winked, "come over by me and hold her hand sweetie okay?"
Candace nodded and gabbed the sleeping nurse's hand as Hawkeye began to operate. Colonel Potter was assisting with the anesthesia and Nurse Baker was there.
Hawkeye had just cut into Margaret when Burns came in looking sour.
"Colonel why wasn…"
"Mask!" Potter shouted.
Burns grabbed a masked and put it over his mouth as he stood at Margaret's feet.
"Colonel I'm supposed to do appendectomies," Burns whined.
"Burns if I wasn't tending to a sick lady I'd sock you," Hawkeye snapped.
"Burns, Pierce found her just lay off. Besides I'm certain Margaret would prefer Pierce," Potter stated.
"What's that supposed to mean? And why is she here!? She's not a nurse," Burns snapped.
"Lay off Burns and get out," Potter snapped.
Burns glared but left the OR.
"It's okay mama. Colonel Potter and daddy will make you better," Candace whispered.
Hawkeye and Potter smiled through their masks as both men went back to work.
Margaret groaned as she started coming around. She was in a mild bit of pain but nothing compared to other night. She opened her eyes and found Hawkeye in a chair asleep.
Candace was in his lap asleep as well. She smiled at them as Nurse Able came up to her.
"Good to see you up Major. The Captain and Corporal have been here all night. If I may say I think they really love you ma'am," Able whispered checking Margaret's stitches.
"You may and I love them too," Margaret sighed.
Able smiled and quietly left the Head Nurse just as the two in the chair started stirring.
Hawkeye and Candace opened their eyes and smiled at the Major.
"Hey you scared us you know. That appendix of yours was close to bursting," Hawkeye said quietly.
She just smiled at the two of them.
"Major I'm glad you're better," Candace smiled.
Margaret frowned slightly saying, "You didn't call me mom."
"No I didn't," Candace sighed and got off of Hawkeye's lap, "I realize it was uncomfortable for everyone and I will stop. I'm very glad you're back."
With that Candace walked out leaving the army doctor and nurse confused.