Chapter 12

Major Tom Hardy sat up on the edge of the cot wearing blue pajamas and a rob with slippers. The nurses were instructed to get the patient up and moving after surgery to help him regain his strength. Due to being stuck in bed, Tom was not aware that the camp was already planning his wedding. Margaret Houlihan decided that she would assist Tom in walking about the camp as she found him very handsome and she wanted to understand his relationship with Edna more.

Margaret came to his side to escort him. "Ready for that walk, Major?" she asked cheerful.

"I think so." he nodded and with Margaret steadying him he managed to stand up under his own power. He then let the nurse lead him on the walk about the camp.

They started towards the door of the recovery tent. Margaret mentioned, "You must be excited. I mean about the wedding and all."

"What wedding?" he asked.

She paused and gave a odd look. "Your wedding. You and Edna."

"I haven't had a chance to ask her yet." he informed. "Wedding?"

Margaret stated, "The whole camp is planning your wedding, Major. Klinger is even going to let Eddy wear his wedding dress. Igor is making the cake. Father Mulcahy is doing the ceremony."

"I haven't proposed." he insisted. "I only asked her brother for permission to propose. I was going to wait until I got back on my feet a bit."

She puckered in thought. "Hmm…"

"What?" he asked.

"You only spoke to Charles about it and didn't actually propose yet?" she questioned.

"He gave me his blessing." he nodded.

"I wonder…" she debated.

"What?" he pressed.

She suggested, "Maybe Charles is planning the wedding figuring if he could Eddy married off then she would be out of his hair and would go back home. I can't imagine he would want her here in a war zone." She led him outside the tent and continued to walk about.

He rebutted, "But she's contract. I would not send her back home. I doubt she would even give up her tent at base. She's independent and I like that about her. She doesn't ask me for money or anything. She does her own thing."

"But once you two get married she would be your wife and wouldn't you two have kids and such?" she wondered.

Tom stated, "Eddy loves kids but only when she is ready. Not to mention she's a Winchester and I'm pretty sure she would be hiring a nanny so she can still race. Her family is loaded." he mentioned off hand.

Margaret assumed, "Marrying into money has its advantages."

"I've never asked her for a cent." he assured. "Just knowing your future in laws are millionaires can be a little intimidating. I'm glad I got a chance to meet her brother. He seems down to earth and like a nice guy."

Margaret smirked, "You have no idea what you are getting into, Major."

"Oh?" he asked a bit bewildered.

"You are about to marry into a extremely wealthy family. Charles has his own quirks about him. I like Charles. I adore Charles but he does have some quirks." she warned.

Tom assumed, "I think we all have our quirks."

"True." she agreed. She then spied Klinger dashing out of his tent holding the wedding dress for Eddy to try on. She stated, "You might want to get the wedding straightened out before you get married, Major."

"I think I should." he agreed watching the sight.

Mess Tent

Klinger entered the mess tent with the wedding dress in hand. He soon spied Eddy sitting with Charles at the table as both assumed the other was pulling a joke about the wedding. He rushed to the table and held the dress out proudly before Eddy.

"I got the alterations all done, Colonel." he stated gleeful.

Charles looked at his sister sitting directly across expectantly. "Don't you think you have let this go on far enough?"

She accused, "You are the one who started the rumor." She then looked at Klinger, "Tom has not asked me to marry him, Klinger. It's just a rumor."

The Corporal stood defeated, "You mean there is no wedding?"

She shook her head, "Sorry!"

Charles stated, "I did not start such a rumor. Your beau merely asked for permission and I graciously gave it to him on behalf of father." He looked to Klinger, "There is no wedding, Klinger. Now go put that dress away."

Eddy asked, "Can I see it before you put it away, Max?"

"Sure." he agreed feeling down. He was all excited for a wedding as it was a morale booster.

She stood up and looked at the dress. She held it up before her as a grin crept across her face. She held it before her and addressed Charles, "This is a beautiful dress! Klinger is such a great tailor."

Charles rolled his eyes.

Tom and Margret entered the tent after Klinger. Tom spotted Eddy standing up at the table holding the dress before her. His eyes softened, "Maybe she's ready." he suggested to himself. Before Margaret could yell at Klinger, Tom walked over to the table. He didn't have the ring on him but that didn't stop his proposal. "So, will you marry me?" he asked Edna.

She turned and spied him standing right next to her. She was so focused on Klinger's dress she didn't see him walk into the tent. She draped the dress over one arm and then wrapped herself around him. She gently kissed his lips and replied, "Yes! But not right away. Not here."

He wondered, "Why not here?"

"I want my sister in the wedding. She will want to be a bride's maid." she explained.

"She has the stutter?" he recalled.

She nodded, "It will break her heart of she's not in it." She looked to Charles who had to agree.

Charles stood up, "Indeed. Our sister would suffer a broken heart." He then offered a hand to Tom. "Welcome to the family, Major."

He shook his hand in return, "Thank you, Major."

Klinger stated, "So, you two are going to wait to get married?"

Eddy and Tom traded glances and both nodded as Eddy spoke. "We are." She then added, "And I want you to come to my wedding too, Klinger. I want the whole camp to come. After the war is over and everyone goes back home. I will fly each and everyone of you to the mansion and you can make my wedding dress. I will pay you for it."

Klinger stated, "That sounds like fun. I never been to a big mansion before."

Charles rolled his eyes, "I'm surprised you didn't offer to take the MASH 4077th with you on your honeymoon, dear sister."

She stood pondering, "That's an idea."

Tom grew wide-eyed, "Um…"

Margaret stated, "I think waiting is a good idea. No need to rush these kinds of things."

Igor then emerged from cooking area with a large cake. He grinned, "I got the cake done, Colonel."

"Um…" Eddy winced as she looked upon the wedding cake.

"Igor put that away!" Margaret huffed. "There is no wedding. It was a rumor that got started. Major Hardy and Edna are only engaged. They are not getting married right now."

Igor stood a pouted, "What do I do with the cake then?"

Max stated, "I know! Radar told me there is a citation ceremony coming up for myself, Eddy and Captain Peirce. We can eat it then."

Margaret asked, "Citation ceremony?" She looked baffled for a bit, "I know the Colonel put in citations for you and Pierce but Eddy is not military."

Max spilled the beans, "She's a real Colonel."

Eddy stated shaking her head, "I'm not a Colonel, Max. I'm not in the military. I'm a contractor."

Charles then figured it out. "You can be an honorary Colonel." He then debated how Potter could accomplish such a title.

"That's it!" Klinger agreed. "A real Honorary Colonel."

Eddy rolled her head back, "Max. An Honorary Colonel is just a title. Like Colonel Sanders. He's a Kentucky Colonel. You know. They guy with the fired chicken place."

"Right!" he cheered. "You are the Honorary Colonel of the MASH 4077th."

Charles stated, "Ridiculous! A Honorary Colonel of the MASH 4077th. Might as well just invest in the fired chicken franchise."

Edna grinned, "I did! You and me are both investors in the new friend chicken place. It's called Kentucky Fried Chicken."

Charles gasped, "You went and invested my money is some friend chicken restaurant?"

She nodded, "I'm telling you that place is going to really get big."

Charles grumbled, "I never should have let you talk me into letting you invest my money. Fried chicken. Colonel Sanders. Sounds ridiculous."

"I can buy you out if you want." she offered.

He paused thinking about the proposal. He knew his sister could always pick a winner no matter ill-advised the investment sounded. "No! We will see how it goes. You usually do pick the winners. Our investment in Kodak seemed to have paid off better than I expected." He soured, "Chicken!"

Klinger cheered, "That sounds finger lick'en good, Major." He then gathered the dress as Eddy handed it back to him. "When you are ready to get married, Colonel. You just let me know and I'll make your wedding dress. Maybe I can even be a bride's maid." he kidded.

She grinned, "You can be a bride's maid but you will have to wear a tuxedo."

"I can do that." he promised.

Charles asked a bit worried, "Do you plan on putting the whole camp in your wedding, dear sister?"

She nodded grinning from ear to ear. "Yes."

He rolled his eyes as he knew she would indeed host such an event. "I can't wait." he huffed annoyed.

Later

Colonel Potter called the company to order for the pinning of the citation ceremony. Before him were the rows of men and women. Starting with the officers he went to Major Tom Hardy first who stood in line still in pajama's and a rob as he uniform was torn from the shrapnel. Potter pinned a Purple Heart to the man's rob and gave a salute to the Major who was wounded in camp.

Next the Colonel stood before Captain Pierce who stood rather perplexed. He looked upon Hawkeye's bewildered face. He stated, "For going above and beyond the call of duty to rescue the boy in the orphanage, Captain." he then pinned a silver star to his chest and gave a salute.

Hawkeye stood stunned. "I don't deserve this, Colonel."

He smiled, "A certain lady pilot thought otherwise." He hinted to Edna who also stood in line next to Charles through she was just a civilian.

Hawkeye stood beside himself as he looked over at Eddy standing beside Charles with a smile on her face.

Next the Colonel came to Corporal Maxwell Klinger wearing a white sailor blouse with matching skirt and high heels. He took the box that Radar handed to him and then presented the bronze star. He stated, "For going above and beyond the call of duty when you captured the sniper, Klinger." He pinned the award to the color of the blouse much to Klinger's dismay.

The Corporal glanced down at the award, "Great! How am I ever going to get a section eight now?"

Potter gave a salute and Klinger returned the gesture.

Most of the camp assumed the ceremony would be over but Radar still had one more box in his hands. The Colonel then came to Edna and stood before her. He opened up a small box contained to reveal his Lieutenant Colonel pins. He stated, "By the power invested in me as the Commanding Officer of the MASH 4077th, I bestow upon you the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the MASH 4077th." In reality the military did not have honorary ranks. Only a handful of states reserved such an honor. Thus, Edna was blessed with an honorary rank by the hospital itself.

She nearly chuckled as she realized there really was no such honor or rank but the camp itself was bestowing it upon her. She stood before the Colonel as he gave her his own insignia in the honor.

Max cheered, "You are a real Lieutenant Colonel now, Eddy."

"Only for the 4077th." she replied. She saluted Colonel Potter, "Thank you, sir. I will forever cherish this."

Potter smiled in return, "The 4077th will forever cherish you, Colonel."

BJ grinned, "Time for cake!"

Colonel agreed. "Company dismissed."

The End