This is the last chapter for now. I have completely lost characters and it is more like I am writing about my personal life and problems than a fanfiction. I will get back to you guys when I am sure I have got the characters right and if not, I don't know if I will post any further. I will keep working on it and the day I get the characters right, I will start posting again but till then...
I am sorry!
Chapter 30
Chapter 30
First thing I noticed was the cold. The heater was not working to the best of my knowledge. My breath was fogging which was a pretty good indicator of the indoor temperature in this tiny tent. Second thing was even more unpleasant.
"Pierce!" He was standing in the doorway leaving it half open.
"What do you want? And either come in or leave. Its not really warm in here and your presence just adds to my agony."
"Col. Potter sent me to ...check on you. I have to examine you and let him know how you are doing."
What the...
"Tell him I am fine. Or, I was fine till you came in. Now go away and kindly close the door. Why couldn't he come himself like everyday?"
"Him and Hunnicut were called in to tend to some casualties that came in and I was the only one free who could examine you."
"RIGHT. Save the soldiers while launch Frank on me."
"Pierce! I won't stand for this." There was a hint of pink in his pale face which meant he was ready to hold his breath or throw a tantrum. Or perhaps both.
"Then go away, by all means. I am not exposing my stomach to you. I have seen you operate and I like my viscera intact!"
"Pierce! You will regret everything that you have ever said or done to me. I promise you that."
"Go away Frank before I change my mind about kissing you. And..."
The door slammed.
"...don't slam the door on your way out."
How rude!
Col. Potter had made it a routine to come and examine me everyday for last few days since I was incarcerated. Tenderness was still there but nausea and vomiting had all but gone. When I had asked him to let me go back to the Swamp, he reminded me of one of my bunkmates and his hatred for me. He was not sure Frank would let me rest in peace and suggested I spent another few days in here till...I asked him about this random time frame but he just shrugged it off while I laughed at his concern. But he was right and after the way I flared up over nothing earlier today, I wondered if I could even stand Frank when I could lash out at BJ and Radar like I did.
I got up to check the heater situation. It was warm but dead. The gust of wind that accompanied Frank killed the flame. Cursing him and the winters under my breath, I went towards the door to see if there was anyone around I could ask for a matchbox from. It was snowing, not too heavily but it was early for Korea to even think about snow. This was going to be a purely torturous winter. I saw Frank and a slightly smaller figure talking not too far from my tent. Probably some nurse who forgot to give him the clamp he asked for and not the one he needed. Or some new kid who did not know the royal pain in the ass and forgot to salute or something.
"FRANK! TELL SOMEBODY TO GIVE ME A MATCHBOX. YOUR EARLIER VISIT EXTINGUISHED MY HEATER." Frank looked at me and acted as if he did not hear me. I should have known.
I went back inside, hoping for the other soldier or nurse to do the favor while I searched for something to light the fire with within this VIP tent. After I had turned almost half the tent over, I felt the wind on my back and shivered. The door closed softly and I heard O'Hara's voice.
"Here!" And she handed me the matchbook.
"You are a savior! How did you ...Oh! You were talking to Frank and heard me."
"You sound like it was a bad thing that I heard you."
"That's not the bad thing."
"Then?"
"Nothing. Thank you, Lt." I took the matches and lit the fire very carefulll with my eyes almost closed. I could never forget the last time I tried to light a heater. Felt like such a long time ago.
"CATE, remember? We dropped the salutations and last names a long time ago."
"Yeah, Cate. Sorry. So, what brings you to Dr. Pierce's hovel, abode, palatial accommodations?"
"I don't understand you, Ben. At one end you don't seem too pleased that I was talking to Maj. Burns and at the other, you are still not used to using first names with me when everybody and his uncle calls you by your first name and you return the favor. I was even told that you used to call your previous CO by his given name too. So why this paradoxical treatment for me?"
"Its complicated!" I tried to evade the question even though I knew the answer too well. Even though I enjoyed her company, I found an air of slefrighteousness about her that made me cringe. And now she had met the ultinate authority on ill-placed selfrighteousness, Herr Burns. I was trying to stay out of her business as I was already neck deep in so many others as it was.
"He is not a bad person, Ben. Just very misunderstood. And after what Maj. Houlihan did to him, he is very lonely and everytime you pull a fast one on him he gets hurt."
Wow!
Seemed they had been talking lately.
" I don't want to hear anything about him and Margaret and I certainly am not interested in his portrayal of a boy scout and mine as the playground bully. You don't know him well enough. You definitely don't know Margaret or me. Its not that simple as he pretends it to be. Give yourself time. Give him time. You will be surprised." I waved my hand to emphasize. I knew that given enough rope, Frank could hang anybody, and if luck beheld, himself.
"You think I am naïve?"
"I did not say that!"
" Gullible?"
"I did not say that."
"I did not say that!"
"You meant it."
"Don't put words in my mouth. I said what I said and that is it. He is a manipulating, selfish man and you are a pretty, sweet girl. Just watch it!"
"See, you are so condescending. I have heard the same about you too!"
"That I am a pretty, sweet girl? If I were you, I would disregard the rumor."
"I should have known. Your reputation is right on the money. Why can't you leave that poor man alone?"
"Are you sure we are talking about the same Frank Burns aka Ferret Face? Because if we are, then either you are deluded or ...or you are deluded! If I start telling you the things he has done ever since we have been shot to this hell, you will be surprised."
"So what if he is a little strict about military discipline? Or that he is religious? I mean, some of us do need some form of regular, structured organization in our life to carry on with the stresses of our day to day lives."
"Are you seriously trying to change my mind about him? Because if you are, you ARE naïve. I have better ideas about using my time and changing my mind about Ferret Face ain't on the list."
"He finds peace in religion and discipline from the atrocities of war. Its better than drinking and gambling, if you ask me. Or chasing any skirt out here."
" Wow, he has done his homework well. Listen Cate! I don't need you to try and fix me or my beliefs or my habits. Secondly, He is an atrocity this war brought on us. Thirdly, women in this outfit don't wear skirts. The only skirt I have seen is on a pair of hairy legs belonging to one Maxwell Q. Klinger and the camp will vouch for me; I admire his dress sense and his fashion awareness but by God, I have never chased him or his skirt."
"Can we talk about something else, please? And I agree with Frank...Maj. Burns on dealing with Cpl. Klinger. He should be courtmartialed and sent to Leavenworth."
"By all means change the topic. I don't like it when someone insults my friends anyway." There was a flush in her cheeks which told me she got embarassed. I was glad to have finally gotten through to her. She was alright, despite her recitation of Frank's praises but if this kept on long enough, I was sure we would lose her to the dark side. Too bad my plate was full with impossible missions already or I would have tried to save her from Frank.
"Tell me about your family."
Great!
"I have two parents. A Mom and a Dad. Mom is a woman. Dad is a man. I am the son." I don't know why I used present tense for Mom. I did not delve in it either. What the hell!
"Can you be serious? I know that much." She laughed a little at my description.
"What do you want to know? Did a stork dropped me in the chimney or did someone left their baby at my parents doorstep because they could not put up with the little monster? Nothing to tell really. No brothers or sisters. An only child. Parents figured one was all they could handle when they found out about my talents. Two of my kind and they could write Crabapple Cove off the map."
"Nice name. I have never heard of it. Where is it?"
"Its in Maine. And don't worry. Neither has the rest of the US. Its a small town."
"You don't sound like a small town guy. They are shy, no?"
"I don't know. All of us were the same. Well, maybe not all. I could take lessons from a couple of them myself. What about you?"
"I am from Florida. My dad is a doctor and mom is a nurse. Older brother is in med school. I wanted to go to med school but they take too few women. So I joined nursing. There are two younger sisters. Still in school."
"You still want to be a doctor?"
"Yeah. I sometimes resent men who have it so easy."
"Easy? EASY? You are kidding, right? Its anything BUT easy."
"I did not mean the hard work part. I just meant...You won't understand. Very few men do."
"Yeah? Help me understand then." I was enjoying the conversation.
"You have to be sensitive to understand. Like Frank!"
"Frank is sensitive? Thats a new one. Don't tell him you said that about him or he might get offended."
"He knows how I feel and is a very supportive man, unlike some other friends."
"What? Uhhh, he understands women should be allowed to get into med schools? He told you that?"
"Yes. He encouraged me to study and apply once I get back to States."
"Bet he offered to help you with the lessons." I smiled knowingly.
"Yeah, why? You have a problem with that?"
"Me? NO. NO. Not at all. Maybe you will though, sometime in future."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Now she was angry. Maybe I had hit a nerve.
"Just be careful around him, Cate. Take it from someone who has lived with him for a long time. He is not as delightful as he seems to you."
"I heard the same thing about you, Ben. And the way you treat him, I think it should be you I should be careful around. I have to get to post-op now. See you!" And with that, she sprinted out of the tent.