The desk was thoroughly searched, and still Margaret couldn't find the single item she had been hunting for. The driver of that truck in the compound earlier had brought a bundle into the office and she had been in dire hope there was something for her.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry," Radar came out of Colonel Potter's office with files protectively in hand and busied himself putting them into the cabinets. "The uh, mail hasn't come today. It should be here in a day or so. The only thing is that box there. But it's something for Major Winchester."
"You're saying that this package for the Major was the only item delivered?" She glanced over the rectangle-shaped box from the desk and noted one side of the brown paper had been loosened somewhat. She shot a sneer toward the Corporal.
"Sometimes they come like that."
"You try telling that to Major Winchester."
"Telling me what?" Charles came into the office. "Hello, Major. Corporal, I came to inquire about a delivery." He noticed the box on the desk. "And I bet that's it."
"Yessir, it's for you."
"I thought as much." Winchester looked over the top of the package, then glanced at Margaret. "Now, what am I supposed to be told?" She pointed to the undone paper edge. "What's this? O'Reilly!"
Radar shrugged innocently and quickly bowed out through the doors to Post-Op.
"That little vermin.."
"He's been doing that to my mail ever since I've been here."
"Yeah, but.. oh nevermind." Charles laid the box back on the desktop and opened it, or finished opening it. "Just as I thought, she really has gone and done it."
"Who? What is all that stuff?"
"From my sister, Honoria. It seems that she and some old school chums thought it would be a lark to take a trip to Pennsylvania and to visit an Amish farm. She wrote me a while back saying that she'd be sending me some things from there. How nice, you know. Let's see, leather belts? Little wooden picture frames? And other things here." He spied something secured in thin paper. "Oh yes, here's something that might interest you."
"Those are beautiful." Margaret said as he unwrapped a set of four handmade candles. "Exquisite. I can't believe the expert craftsmanship."
Charles eyed her closely. "Would you like them?"
"Oh, I couldn't, but.." She took one as he handed it to her, and admired it for a few minutes. "Wait, what do you want in return?"
"Margaret.."
"No, no, no, you always want something in return."
"Well, there's a first time for everything. Really, Major, I know that you like these, to ahh, when you want to read and all."
"Yes, I..." she felt a warmth surge through her at the remembrance of reading, or actually being read to by candlelight. "Are you sure you won't mind parting with them?"
"Candles? In the Swamp? With those two adolescents? They'd burn down the whole tent."
"And your sister wouldn't mind?"
"No, in fact she said one time that I ought to give y.. hmm.. Oh, I mean, no, she'd love to have them appreciated."
"Hmm?" She absently asked, her attention to the candles. "Wow, yes, thank you Charles, and be sure to thank Honoria, too."
The office door opened and Hawkeye barged on in. "Isn't it too early for Christmas?" He nodded at the candle Margaret held. "Though, don't mind me, I'm just on my way to the medicine chest for some paregoric."
"Who's ill?"
"B.J. I told him not to eat those fish he caught from the river southeast of here." Hawkeye continued as he went on into the lab, and returned shortly with the bottle. "The items in there are becoming few and far between. Didn't we.. just..?" He slowed his speech at the sight of the Majors in a quiet stance, curious expressions on both faces. "Wait a minute, did I stumble onto something top secret? What are you two kids up to in the office, in the middle of the day, all alone?"
"Pierce, your mind runs on one cell." Charles put his box back together.
"And even that's polluted."
"What can I say? It's so charming, it attracts everything. Speaking of attraction," Hawkeye sat on the desk. "What's going on here? Huh? A little undoing of the typewriter ribbon? Or some other sordid office supply? Made more romantic with candle usage?"
"Ahh!" Margaret snorted and headed for the door. Then stomped back to the desk, snatched up the three other candles and left with as much dignity as she could muster.
The supply shelves were more empty than Colonel Potter preferred. Klinger hovered near by, and assured his CO that none of it was his fault. That the recent delivery truck that had came into the 4077th's compound didn't have all the items they desperately needed.
"It's just a few of those things, and something for Major Winchester, I believe that was all on the truck, sir."
"Somebody somewhere got the order screwed up wrong!"
"It wasn't me this time, Colonel, I swear!"
"Jumping jitterbugs, I guess the only way to get this right is to do it ourselves." With Potter's deduction, Klinger turned on his heel in effort to get as far away as possible. "Hold it, not you. Do you know where Major Houlihan is?"
"Oh, I'll find her!" Klinger was off to hunt Margaret down, very happy the Colonel didn't delegate him for the task.
Margaret looked over the list the Colonel had given her. "How am I supposed to do this all by myself?" She looked from the listing to the less than half full shelves when she and Potter stood in the supply hut.
"You aren't, don't worry, I'm gonna have someone go with you. Uh, what about Winchester?" Satisfied, the Colonel headed toward his office.
Margaret chased after him. "But sir, uh, couldn't someone else? Some of my nurses? A corpsman? They're the real ones to handle this any.."
"I'd like it to be a doctor, and as Pierce's chief surgeon, he better stay here in case we do get a group of casualties in. It's a blessing none have been reported as of late. And Hunnicutt's a little under the weather." Potter shrugged. "So tomorrow morning is the most ideal time."
"But Colonel.." Again Margaret had to run to catch up with him. "Major Winchester?"
"Yeah, but we all hafta bear that burden sometimes, Major." He replied, and secretly thanked God it wouldn't be him that time. "It needs to be done and I know you can handle the most trying things that come your way."
"Sure, sir." Margaret nodded unenthusiastically. "But that's a long jeep ride to Seoul."
"Well, Margaret," Potter began to think that Charles didn't hold all the cards in the complaint department. "Yes, I know, I wish I could let you have a chopper. But there's not one available now. A truck will be waiting for you in Seoul, I'll make sure of it. All you have to do is tell them exactly what it is that we need, and what we are due. I know how you are a stickler for details, that sort of stuff."
"Right, sir."
The journey to Seoul started out 'well.' Charles was just as disgruntled to be going as Margaret. Although, he couldn't quite put a finger on what else that had her out of sorts, with the exception being the uncomfortable ribbing she took in Potter's office the previous day.
"No, that isn't it." She snapped her reply.
"Could have fooled me." He exhaled, and earned a cross glance from her.
"I just want to get to Seoul, get all of the items that are on the lists, and get back pronto."
"As you wish," was his solitary response. It was pretty quiet the rest of the way there.
Over the next few hours in the Korean city, Margaret saw to it that every supply item taken from the storage buildings was the exact one needed by the 4077th.
"Here's a duplicate list," she pulled a pad from the clipboard and handed it to Charles. "Go and double check to what is going on the truck."
"So, that's what I'm here for? Your lackey."
"Somebody has to do it."
"Why not you? Or are you too busy delegating your authority to everybody who happens to cross your path?"
"What?! You..!" Margaret grabbed the papers she had given him.
"No, it's good this way." Charles took the list back and headed toward the door. "You stay in here. All pleasant and everything in the warm air."
In her white-hot anger, she picked up the nearest item her hand could reach and threw it as hard as she could at him. But the door had already closed behind him and the small box of themometers smacked frustratingly against the wood. Seconds later, Winchester poked his head back into the hut.
"Great shot! Are you going to tell Potter on me when we get back to camp?" Charles ducked quickly out before she could line up another throw.
"Grrmmm!!!" Margaret stammered. She turned to see the Corporal who had been helping her backed up as far against the wall as he could get. "Infuriating!" The Corporal wasn't sure if she referred to the other Major or herself, but thought better than to ask. They worked meticulously over the next couple of hours. When finished with her part, Margaret went to get the final approval from the supply Sergeant and thus, they could be on their way home.
"All right, Major Houlihan, your truck for the 4077th is all loaded and waiting for you."
"For me? What happened to the jeep I came in on?"
The Sergeant perused his roster. "No, I'm sorry, Major, but that's the best we can do. Looks like about an hour ago, Lt. Colonel Davis needed a jeep immediately and has acquired yours. So, it I guess it makes more sense just to take the truck back to the.."
Margaret snatched up the papers and her things and stomped to the door. "Colonel Potter will hear of this! Are you sure the truck's all ready to go?"
"Yes, ma'am, right out th..." She slammed out before he could finish.
She would be so glad to get out of there, away from her obstinate fellow officer even though she knew they would run into each other from time to time. But hopefully the later the better Margaret thought as she marched up to the truck, and came to an abrupt halt when the door creaked open. "You?!" She blinked a couple of times when she saw who was in the vehicle.
"Yes, Major," Charles replied in a bit of patronizing tone. "As unpleasant as it may be, I have to return to the unit as well."
"Hmmm..." Margaret snorted, she had been so determined about returning to the 4077th with the allotted supplies, and had planned to avoid Winchester as much as possible at camp, that she had forgotten that he would also require going back, and most likely in the same manner. She made an exaggerated move getting out of Charles' way when he jumped down to valiantly let her enter.
When he took her hand to assist her up, she shot him a vicious look. "What are you doing?" Margaret nodded toward the hand he held.
Charles shook his head. "I thought I might help."
"That's not helping. I can do this myself."
"Okay," he stepped back to give her room. But sure enough, Margaret did have a bit of trouble climbing inside, and on her third attempt to get up into the cab, she suddenly felt a strong boost from behind and was propelled quickly up into the seat.
She held her vexation in check and scooted over as far as she could when he got back in himself. "You really liked that, didn't you?"
"What? I would like to get going and you were taking your sweet time."
"I..I.. ?" Margaret gave a sideways glance to their driver and even though he was busy steering the truck out of the city, the smile on his face said he enjoyed his passengers' banter. "Major, you saw that all the supplies were loaded properly?"
"I did indeed, Major," Charles' voice was nicely even. "I made sure of everything being in total correctness. Because, you know, that's what I'm here for." He showed her a triumphant smirk. Margaret shook her head in frustration. "Here's my listing, it should match up with yours."
"It better," she unfolded her inventory papers.
Charles watched as Margaret scrutinized every detail. She had claimed she wanted to get all of it correct per Potter's instructions. But Winchester began to feel she carried the nitpicking a little too far. So he decided to play along and started naming every item Margaret checked from both lists.
"Let me out!"
"But ma'am, we're in the middle of nowhere."
"Sergeant, I said stop!"
"Ma'am, please..."
"I'm a Major."
"Major, please..."
"Margaret, we're nearly back. It be foolish to get out here."
"Now I'm a fool?" She spat. "Let me tell you, I'm not a fool, buster!
"Your actions are a tad foolish if you insist on getting out here and walking the rest of the way."
"I just want to be out and away from..."
"Me, I guess. Well, can try and stay away from one another as much as possible once we are back at camp. As for now, we'll have to bear this arrangement."
"Heh-heh-heh," their driver had to laugh. "You two must be married or something?"
"Ah, no."
"I should say not!"
The Sergeant continued to snicker. "You sure act like it."
"I was once, but definitely not to him!" Margaret nodded toward Winchester.
"Well, Major, you aren't the.." Charles bit off his words when she shot him another not-too-pleasant look.
"Driver, uh, Sergeant...?"
"Jackson, ma'am, er, Major."
"Sergeant Jackson, stop right here." She gathered her gear, and once the driver slowed to a stop, Margaret turned to Charles. "Move!" She barked, but Winchester didn't budge. So she commenced to climb over him.
"Margaret, what has gotten into you?" Charles casually asked as her face passed in front of his.
"You're not going to get out of the way so I'm getting out."
"No, this won't work, so please sit back down." Winchester stated quickly before she could launch a protest. "Unless you.." His hands touched lightly at her waist.
"Oh, nevermind," and before he could follow through, she returned to her seat with just a bit of indignant air. "Drive on." Jackson put the truck into gear and they continued on their way.
"Look, you get out, we would be eventually turning around and coming to pick you up. Then there would be the ultimate stand off between us, before you finally would concede to get back into this truck and continue on." Charles glanced at her defeated face. "Listen, you've got to think of all the supplies we got to get back to camp with. The sooner the better, you know."
"Yes, I know that's right." Margaret huffed. "And by the way, I'd like it if you kept your hands to yourself, you've touched enough."
"Most certainly, Major."
"Heh-heh-heh.." Jackson couldn't help his enjoyment.
"Oh, shut up!" Both Majors snapped in unison.
Colonel Potter stepped between the Majors Houlihan and Winchester. They had shown him what they had returned from Seoul with. "Great job! It looks like you two made a superb haul. You did so well, that I'm assigning the both of you the duty of putting all of this away."
"But sir, can't some of the corpsmen do this?"
"Colonel, I must protest."
"Uh-uh-uh," he put up his hand to stop any more arguments. "Who better? This way, you will know exactly where everything is, especially being the senior officers and all." Potter turned to go back into his office. "I expect a full report of the inventory once you are through."
"But.."
"Now, get some corpsmen to help if you wish, but I'd like you two to be in charge of it." He walked on into his office and left his two Majors standing defiantly in the middle of the compound.
With a so-be-it shrug, Charles gestured for Margaret to begin in the hut while he handled the load from the truck.
"No, I'll tend to the truck, this time."
"Well, Major, I thought you preferred it inside?"
Margaret placed hands on hips and glared daggers at him. "I said would handle things from that end."
"All right, have it your way." Charles acquiesced before she found something else to lob at his head. A few of the corpsmen joined them and they got the daunting physical task completed in good time.
But with the never-ending paperwork, the exhausting day had accumulated into night before all was through in the supply hut. The tired officers and enlisted decided a bite of supper and sleep came before getting the new inventory information to Colonel Potter. Before the breakfast hour, an announcement over the PA came about a meeting of the senior medical staff in Potter's office.
"Right now?" Margaret grumbled aloud. She dressed quickly and trudged her way over to the hospital. Her fellow officers were already there. "Here's the exact count, and the amount of the items, etc." She handed Potter a well-padded clipboard.
"Major, I know you and Winchester had it pretty rough yesterday." The CO leafed through the papers. "But we sure appreciate your tireless effort."
"Yeah, Margaret," Hawkeye nudged B.J. and they both snorted with giggles. "Charles isn't playing fair and telling us what you two did all yesterday."
"We worked is what we did, which I'm sure is more than I can say of you two hyenas."
Charles agreed. "That's more or less what I said."
"We've gone for supplies before," B.J. hummed. "And it hasn't taken us that long."
"Hunnicutt, seems like your recent ailment has gone to your brain."
"Well, they say fish is brain food." Both B.J. and Hawkeye burst into laughter. "But seriously, Charles, thanks for your concern, I'm feeling better today."
"C'mon, children," Potter intervened. "Radar," he gave O'Reilly the stack of inventory papers to file.
"Uh, not right now, sir," he started to bolt from the office, and everyone rose to follow, but then Radar quickly stopped in his tracks. "Oh, it's the mail truck."
"Finally!"
"Man, we've been popular lately." Hawkeye replied as the staff settled back down for the meeting.
After the conference on next week's lecture about gangrene prevention with the visiting doctor from Tokyo, and then breakfast, Margaret headed back to the hospital. She passed Klinger coming from one of the enlisted personnel tents, the bulging mailbag over his shoulder. She steered him towards the OR. "Before you continue your delivering, I need your help with coordinating the cabinets in here. Then I want to see if there's any mail for me. It's urgent."
"I don't know if there's anything for you yet, Major, as you can see it's kinda full."
"Yeah, but that's beside the point. First, let's get to the rearranging and stocking in through here."
"Well, okay," he put the mailbag right outside the door and followed her into the OR. "But if the Colonel gets mad at the late mail delivery, it's on your head."
"Fine. Whatever. See this needs.." Margaret stopped short at the sight of Charles at the specific cabinets.
"We doctors need to know where things are as well." He offered as explanation and straightened up. "All done. From the entire list that was formulated last night. You can check my work if you like." He moved back from the cupboard. "It's nice to have that bit of knowledge, cause sometimes we're inclined to carry so much of the load in here."
"Carry much of the load?" Margaret repeated, felt her temper slip. "Just a minute, my nurses and I are always professionals, especially in here."
"And I'll never dispute otherwise."
Margaret wasn't sure if Charles was sincere with that last statement or was being his common sarcastic self. But she was too weary to bring a retort against it.
"So uh, Major? I take it you're not needing me after all?" Klinger broke the tension.
"No, thanks." Margaret answered, and temporarily forgot about the inquiry to her mail.
Klinger stopped to retrieve the dropped mailbag. He sighed with not looking forward to toting the overstuffed satchel around the compound.
"Are you quite through with your bellyaching for the day?" Margaret had to grin, she wanted to show she could be just as sarcastic.
"Yes, I believe so." Charles leaned against the nearest OR table.
"Good! You know, you keep turning up like a.."
"A bad penny?" He replied in his normal tone.
"Well, I don't.. " Margaret realized she was getting flustered, and could tell he saw it too and actually seemed to enjoy it. Especially by that annoying smirk of his. With a toss of the head, she was prepared to just get out of there as quickly as possible.
Klinger gave such a good heave picking up the heavy mailbag that it smacked hard against the door. Something from the other side stayed the bag from falling through, and with that little push, the Corporal obliviously went on out of the Pre-Op ward and continued on his way.
The door hit Margaret square in the backside, shoving her brusquely forward and directly into an unwitting Charles. He automatically caught her. It took her a moment to get her breath. Which after a few minutes, still didn't come very easily. Margaret slowly levelled her face up to his. "Uhhh..."
"Seems a bit like we've been here before." Winchester gazed down at her.
"Hmm? Oh uh, yeah." She tried to laugh nonchalantly. "The truck. Yeah." Her fellow Major wasn't moving. "You can, um, let go now."
"As can you."
"Right." Margaret sheepishly realized she still held fast to him.
Charles gently assisted her in regaining her balance. Which seemed to be all right, but as soon as he removed his hands from her, she wobbled a bit. His hand instinctively returned to steady her. "Major, I think the hit from the door shook more out of you than you realize."
"Has to be it. Must be it."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Charles noted she was shaking a little.
"Sure, fine. See?" Margaret turned on her heel and started back to the the Pre-Op door. "Just fine." But she did take caution and look out the door's window before she proceeded through. Not wanting to add insult to injury for once, Charles hoped Margaret hadn't heard but couldn't help the little snicker that followed her departure.
That evening had Margaret looking over the duty roster with one of her nurses, Lieutenant Bigelow. She was not too ecstatic with the request the nurse had brought her. Another nurse had wanted to trade off duties for the next two days for some R and R in Tokyo with her husband who was stationed there.
The conversation she had earlier with Charles crossed her mind. "Lieutenant, you know I don't think it's a good idea for..."
"For us to be switching duties. Yes, I understand, but Major, you know Crossett worked that double shift last week. By the way, that's real pretty," Bigelow nodded toward the lighted candle in the tent. "Where ever did you pick that up, if I may ask?"
"Oh, it was given to me by a.. ah.. friend.. it is pretty, isn't it?" Margaret steadied her breathing and quickly changed the conversation back to the subject at hand. "All right, all right, I'll see to it that Lieutenant Crossett gets her pass and that her duties are taken care of."
"Yeah, that's why I'm here instead of her. She's really fatigued and really needs.."
"You don't have to go overboard on the selling points, I said she has the time off."
"Major, I'll go on and post that and then tell Crossett the news."
"Sure, appreciate it." Margaret handed the roster to her nurse and Bigelow went on her way. Just about to close her door, she caught sight of a figure headed for the Swamp.
"Charles..."
He walked over to her. "What is it, Major?"
"I wanted to show you this," Margaret indicated inside her tent, to the lighted candle. "Isn't it lovely?"
"Ah, yes, gives off a rather nice glow." He stood in the doorway.
"A nice scent, too. I just had to try one out."
"Good, I'm glad you're enjoying them." A movement out in the compound had her urge him inside and she closed the door. "You seem rather in good humor this evening, any special occasion that has come up?"
"My father is going to be visiting here soon. The last time I talked to him, he mentioned about sending word of his arrival and all, and I got a note today of it. He hasn't worked at all the details, but will be ASAP."
"That's the news you were so concerned about earlier? I was worried that you might have sampled some of Hunnicutt's nocuous fare."
"No, uh, that wasn't it at all. I'm just anxious about my dad's visit."
"And you lit a candle in his honor? That's real thoughtful. Ahh.." Charles was acutely aware of her edging closer to him.
"Yeah." Her gaze locked into his. "Very thoughtful." She dared another step nearer, pleased he didn't back off. "Thank you for the candles."
"You're quite welcome, although you've al..." his words were sharply cut off when she leaned up against him, her arms going snug about him, then her lips to his.
After a moment, they softly parted. "I, uh, I'm not sure what came over me.."
"You're not? And what of to.. not.. touch?" Charles watched as the flicker of remembering came across her face.
"Oh, it can be nice.."
"Yes, can be.." He brought her back into him.
Radar lifted his hand to knock on the tent's door, then spied Potter coming out of Post-Op. "Oh Colonel, sir," the company clerk caught up to him. "This needs to be signed. It's for our next shipment of coal."
"Great, before winter sets in." Potter quickly signed the paper on the clipboard, and gestured down the line of tents. "What were you doing at Major Houlihan's door?"
"I was just about to inform the Major that her father just called and said that it is definite, he will be able to come in the next month or so, and that he said he'd be calling again before then."
"That's good, she'll be thrilled. But wait 'til in the morning, Margaret's had a rather draining coupla days."
"Yeah," Radar agreed with his CO. "I guess especially working with Major Winchester."
"They do seem to find new ways of dealing with each other, don't they?" Colonel Potter grinned as he and Radar made their way to the Officer's Club.
The End. :)
