31

Crabapple Cove, Maine
April 1979

Hawkeye walked into the master bedroom to find Margaret changing the sheets on their king size bed. The curtains were down, their bedroom windows were open letting the sweet breeze of the ocean in, and Margaret was buzzing around like a bee in a honeycomb. He just stood there taking in her beauty. It wasn't until she opened a big brown box addressed to Mrs. Margaret Pierce, and emptied the contents onto their oak hardwood floors, that he said something.

"Margaret please tell me that is a present for Elizabeth."

"No, it's for our bed."

"Our Bed?"

"I think they're pretty don't you, oh did you see the new curtains," she said holding up a portion of the new curtains.

"Margaret, they're pink."

"Yes, I know I love them. Now feel these sheets."

"They're soft but pink."

"They're satin."

"Oh."

"Here you get on that side of the bed and help me with this sheet."

"Margaret we pay for someone to do all this."

"I know, I just can't wait to use them, now help me with that end."

"No!"

"What do you mean, no?"

"N- O, no, I'm not putting pink satin sheets on our bed."

"And why not?"

"Because Margaret we always have a lot of people staying over with us various times during the year and I don't feel like being nagged for having pink sheets, and pink curtains to boot."

"I want these sheets, and these curtains. I'm not returning them."

"Well you know I could never say no to you. Lord knows I've tried."

"So I can keep them?''

"Don't push the issue my love," he said as the phone rang, and he picked it up. "Hello... How close are the contractions Ben... That far apart... Alright you get her stuff and we'll be right over... Don't forget to call her doctor... Bye!"

"Well..."

"Hunny get you purse, we're about ready to become grandparents. Elizabeth just went into labor."

The two ran out of the house, got into the car and drove down the street to Ben and Elizabeth's house. Ben drove Elizabeth to nearby Spruce Harbor Hospital. Hawkeye, Margaret, B.J., and Peg followed in the car behind them. Six hours later, Elizabeth gave birth to a healthy seven pound, nine ounce, baby boy, named Daniel Benjamin Hunnicutt.