I make it a point not to post on weekends. Strategic reasons, if you must know. But I am making an exception because of the new readers who reviewed the story. Thanks guys!

Enjoy!

Chapter 43

3pm was a long time away. There was only so much sprucing up I could do. There had to be something else for me to do in the meanwhile. I just rummaged through my old collection of magazines and books and then on to BJ's collection. No joy. Having already ransacked Frank's footlocker earlier in the day, I could not hope for some miracle to give birth to something readable, not in his locker.

Finally, I decided to go see O'Hara. The visit was long overdue and she deserved some information about Frank. For some strange reason, I did not want her to get hurt. I hoped I was not too late. This plan had one flaw. It was more than likely that it backfired. But I could live with that too.

I knocked at her door. And just reflexly, I did the secret Margaret-Frank knock.

"Come on in, Frank." I smiled when I heard Cate say that.

"Its not Frank." I said as I entered the tent.

Her moth opened a little bit before she closed it again to open it again.

"That was a cheap stunt, even by your standard, Ben." Scathing tone. This was not going as well as I had hoped for, considering my already low expectations.

"No stunt. Just an old habit. Did not know Frank still stuck to his old ways."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

I thought for a small fraction of second about laying it all out for her. She did deserve to know.
"Frank and Margaret had the same knock." I said meaningfully.

"You think I am like Major Houlihan?"

"In a way, Yes. She too fell for that twerp before coming back to her senses."

"You mean she used him and then moved on, don't you?"

"No, I don't. Frank is married, ya know."

"I know. So?"

"So? So it means he will never leave his wife for you. He owes her a large chunk of his financial stability, I think." That came out too direct.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Plenty! I might seem stupid. I might act stupid. But trust me, I am not stupid. He is a ...He is selfish, arrogant and uses people like you ..."

"People like me? Selfish? Arrogant? You don't think half the camp thinks the same way of you too."

"Don't make it about me, Cate. I came to tell you he will hurt you. He is good at that. Plenty of practice! I have known him longer than you do. You can ask Margaret even. She did not believe us till the end."

"I am surprised at your arrogance, Ben. You have dated every single nurse who has come to this outfit. I know you were instrumental in killing Frank's relationship with Maj. Houlihan. Yous pranks made his life a living hell. You think I am stupid."

"My pranks? They are just for fun. And you know that too.You ARE that stupid if you think I had anything to do with Frank's dismal romantic life."

"That does it, Ben. You won't leave him alone and I am tired of your childish antics." That was enough of melodrama. She was not going to listen to what I was saying. She was acting like Frank was a sick little puppy and I was the bully who kicked it.

"Are you abandoning me because of Frank? Even Margaret never stooped that low." I said lightly.

"Ben, you are not going to grow up and I find Frank to be mature, thoughtful and caring. So yeah, if I want a friend, I would prefer someone who has moved out of adolescence into manhood." Her cheeks colored when she said that. What the hell was that about?

Manhood?

"Wow, Nobody ever dumped me for Frank either. That was an insult I was not prepared for. Count it as a new personal low for me!"

"Dumped? I did not dump you. We were not dating, you and I, for me to dump you. And for your information, neither are Frank and I. We are good friends, something you won't understand."
I chuckled at this despite feeling somewhat disconcerted. This girl was probably just as stupid as anyone dating Frank could possibly be.

"I'm just tired of your juvenile obsession with making him miserable. I tried to tell you that I did not like it since he's a friend too. But I think bullying him is more important to you than our friendship."

What the hell?

"Bullying? Are you seriously trying to be my mom, my HS sweetheart and my conscience, all at the same time?"

"Fine, Ben. As it suits you. Either you act like a grown up or its over between us."

"It was fun while it lasted, Lt. Just last bit of advice. Don't trust anything Ferret Face tells you. He will screw you and then leave you for dead. Secondly, grow out of your naivete and your almost whimsical notion of friendship. Everything you said to me, well, except for the one about bullying Frank, a phrase to which I vehemently object...where was I? Yeah, apply those 'grow up, Ben' sermons to yourself. How they let you out of school is anybody's guess."

"Kindly leave my tent, Captain!"

"Sure. Have a good day. Ferret Face might be around to whine later today." I told her as I opened the door to leave.

"GET OUT."

Wow, that was nice. I wondered how Frank got women so worked up about him. He sure liked 'em feisty, that was sure, the weasel.

I decided to tell BJ this latest story and see what he had to say.

Radar was sitting at his desk with those tiny lettered pages in front.

"Hey Andy. Did you mail my letter?"

"No jeeps going out today."

"OK. Still typing those pages you showed me earlier? Or just taking your anger out at the typewriter?"

"Oh cut that out, Hawkeye. I wanted to ask you something."

"I did not do it, Radar."

"Oh Hawkeye, I am serious." He looked a little worried so I kept my cheerfulness to myself this time.

"What is it, kid? Some girl trouble?"

"NO. NO. Jeez, Hawkeye. I wanted to ask you about BJ."

"BJ?"

"Yeah, BJ. Is he alright?"

"Yeah, last I checked. Why?"

"He has not written home in a week. Maybe more. And there has been no mail for him from home either. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. His wife is on vacation."

"In November?"

"Yeah, Tiny Tim, in November. California does not observe seasonal vacation plans."

"Man those big states really know how to live." He shrugged and gave his trademark smile with awe in his voice.

"Sure they do. Hey, would you do me a favor? Let me know whenever BJ receives a letter."

"Naaa, you cannot read it."

"Don't need to. I know you will let me know what it says before BJ reads it to me a hundred times over. Just tell me when he does, alright? We never get to see each other anymore!" I remarked wistfully, shaking my head. He chuckled as I opened the door to post-op.

"You sure are on the move for somebody given some quality down time."

"Have you any idea how time stretches and elongates when you have nothing to do and nowhere to go?"

"I think I have some idea. I thought you had something planned for Frank's homecoming."

"That was a short lived affair. He is so joyless, I feel we have to up the ante just to get some solid reaction out of him. All he does these days is threaten me with consequences."

"We? Leave me out of this, Master! You are enough for him."

"You are no fun anymore, BJ Hunnicut."

"I will take that as a compliment these days. What did you do to him today?"

I told him about it. He smiled and chuckled a little. It was good to see him cheer up. Maybe this next story would really lift his spirits.

"Frank kinda told me about his interest in Cate."

"Cate?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Its not like that. BJ. I just...I don't know. I don't think I like her all that much but seeing the definite chance of Frank hurting her, well. I had to do something, didn't I?"

"Oh! So you did do something? And now you want to know my feedback. Why didn't you ask dad first, son?"

"Oh shut up, Beej. Just listen for now and you can come back to mocking me later."

I told BJ the whole story, thinking since he knew how women used their minds, he could tell me what this was about.
He gave me a big smile when I finished.

"What?" I asked him.

"What what?"

"What do you think, sire?"

"You sure have a way with people, Ben." I just glared at him before starting off again.

"Can you believe that woman?"

"I think I can, Hawk."

"I mean, cummon! Taking sides with Frank? Telling me to grow up? Me! It should have been the other way round."

"You mean..."

"NO. Not like that. What are you, the gossip columnist? I thought I had seen it all...If it weren't for the risk to my practice license, I would have slipped salt peter into his breakfast and improved our collective life at this camp."

"She said you bullied Frank? What did she say about me?"

"Nothing. It was like I was the only one to do that to Ferret Face."

"You two do have a connection. A spiritual one. " I glared at him before he clarified, " You and Frank, I mean."
He chuckled. I joined him. I could imagine Frank whining to her about me.

"Do you think Frank did that as a kid too? The whining, I mean. Going to mommy and telling her about big, bad boys who ate his lunch and tied his pigtails?"

"You bet your ass, Benjamin Franklin." We both laughed again.

"If I had told her of the clean cut, family man Hunnicut being the brains behind most of Frank's plights..."

"Me? Sure I am smarter and wittier than you but when it comes to Frank, you beat me. You are a class of your own. He brings out the best, or worst in you, depending."

"Hey, I got this idea." I told him of my idea about the Unit signboard. And then he came with an old but good one.

"I have asked Radar to get me some industrial strength glue. Lemme see when it gets here and we can make his Christmas worthwhile." We both discussed our plan for next few minutes.

"I thought you had a date today."

"I remember. I am not senile, Beej."

"Oh yeah, one of the two things you are relatively punctual about."

"I am always punctual. At least for important stuff!"

"So are you treating her to eggs a la crap?"

"No, I have to tell cook to come up with something. I shall get going." That was not exactly a plan but hell, in this place, what else could I do?