6

Six hours later

"Hawkeye, the next time I tell you to turn left, do it! I can't believe you turned right!"

Hawkeye had managed to make the drive six hours by getting them lost for an hour and a half. Luckily for him, they had just pulled up in front of the house. He was glad he wouldn't have to listen for any more last minute directions such as "Turn right, you idiot!" and "That lane, stupid!"

"Finally decided to join us, eh? Where'd you stop and what did ya do, or don't I wanna know?" Daniel kidded.

"Your son," Margaret said, giving Hawkeye a Look, "got us lost."

"Hey, I can't follow your directions! Dad, at the last possible second she screams 'Turn right, you idiot!' or 'That lane, stupid!'"

Daniel just shook his head. You can tell they're in love, he thought.

"Can we go inside? It's freezing out here!" Kris asked.

"What do you think we're going to say?" Margaret asked.

"No. We have to help carry the boxes in."

"You're right," Hawkeye said.

February 1, 1959

"Hawkeye...did you notice what the name of the doctor who has the practice up the street is?" Margaret asked out of the blue on day.

"No...why?"

"It's Doctor F. M. Burns."

It took Hawkeye a second to put it all together. "Is this a joke?" he asked.

Margaret shook her head. "Do you think it's him?"

"Maybe. I mean, how many people who are doctors have those initials? Maybe we should check it out, though."

"You're right...we should watch to see if anyone who looks like him goes in or out of the building today," Margaret agreed. All of a sudden, she started to laugh.

"What? What is it?"

"Do you realize this is what we always wanted? Me to live by his practice. Oh, God! But, look who I'm with!! It'll give him nightmares!"

Hawkeye started to laugh, too. "You're right! I hope it is him...this will kill him!"

All day, they looked up at the building, waiting for Frank Burns to come out. At five o'clock on the dot, he walked out. Margaret and Hawkeye weren't going to let this opportunity pass them by. They grabbed their jackets from the closet and went outside. The two of them exchanged glances.

"Yo, Frank!" called Hawkeye.

Frank turned around, wondering if that was who he thought it was. When he realized it was Hawkeye, he kept walking. All of a sudden, it hit him. Margaret was there, too!

"Hi!" Frank called with a nervous giggle. He started to walk towards them.

"So, I see you're visiting Pierce," Frank said to Margaret.

"No," she replied.

"Then...ooh, Margaret, don't tell me you two are together!" Frank whined.

"Yes and no," Hawkeye said.

Frank looked thoroughly perplexed ... and a bit hopeful.

"We're not married ..." Margaret began.

" ... but we are together," Hawkeye finished.

Frank's expression changed from confused to disappointed to angry.

"Listen, Pierce," he began in an angry tone. Then, he stopped and decided not to try to chew Hawkeye out. "Pierce ... can I talk to you - alone - for a minute?" He asked, somewhat civilly.

"Okay," he agreed. "If I don't come back, tell Mickey and Kris that I love 'em," he joked.

Margaret smiled at him and then turned to walk back to the house.

"You ... you ... how could you?!" Frank exploded.

"What?" Hawkeye was confused as could be.

"You knew I loved her!" he whined.

"I did?"

"Yes." Frank looked like he was going to throw a temper tantrum. Surprisingly, he collected himself before he did. "She's a great person ... treat her right ... I hope you two are happy together," he said, although the last part was a lie. He turned and walked away.

Hawkeye was in a daze. He turned and walked back home.

February 4, 1959

It was a Monday. The household was in a state of pandemonium as it often was on Mondays.

"Where is my literature book?" Kris yelled. "Sister Carlita will have a cow if I don't have it!"

"Mommy, I don't feel good," wailed Mickey.

"Where's the newspaper?" Hawkeye called from the other room.

Daniel, who had come over to ask if they had gotten a newspaper that morning, almost tripped over Daisy causing him to yell, "Rotten cat!!"

Everyone continued to complain, question, and or swear - loudly. After this went on for about fifteen minutes, Margaret had had it.

"QUIET!" she yelled. "Kris, your homework is on the kitchen table. Daniel, next time, look before you step. Hawkeye, no one got a newspaper today. Mickey, neither your father nor I can stay home today, so you have to go to day care. Does that answer all of your questions?"

Everyone nodded.

I could do without this, Margaret thought. If she did, she would have to do without Hawkeye, and she didn't want that.

June 7, 1959

Someone was knocking on the door. Actually, they were pounding on it and ringing the door bell, as if they were trying to play music.

"That's Mary!" Kris yelled as she thundered down the stairs. Informing her best friend that she was there by doing that was something that had been happening since February. It wasn't that annoying after a while. Kris opened the door, not having to check to see who it was. The girls hugged and then Mary headed for the cookie jar, as she always did. After that, she got her and Kris some lemonade.

"Wanna go ride bikes?" Mary asked.

"Sure!" Kris agreed. They finished off their drinks in almost a split second and headed out the door. Hawkeye was sitting on the back porch and asked where they were going.

"Ride bikes," Mary said.

The girls ran down the yard to the garage and got on their bikes. (Actually, Mary rode Margaret's bike.) As usual, about half an hour later, they came back sweaty and scared from one of the stories they made up.

"But officer, we were just riding our bikes when outta no where two cars collide and we ran into the cars, flew over the handlebars and ..." Mary began in a fake British accent.

"LANDED ON OUR BUMS!" she and Kris screamed, still using the accents. They began to laugh.