39

THIRTY NINE

Oct. 25th: 0830 hours

"Are you an angel?" The young soldier asked. He was laying on his back in the hospital ward. Gazing down at him, with a smile on her lips, was a woman in a white lab coat.

"No, I'm a Texan. That's even better." She replied.

"What?" He blinked at her in confusion.

"Sorry. I reckon you're not ready for my jokes, yet."

"Very few people are, Lieutenant." Major Winchester remarked.

Looking over her shoulder at the doctor on duty, MacAllister grinned at him.

"Where am I?" The man asked as he tried to sit up. The nursed eased him back onto his cot.

"You're not ready to be moving around, yet, either. Private, you are at the 4077th M*A*S*H hospital. We met earlier in the operating room, remember?"

"I think so. I hope I didn't hurt your arm when I grabbed it. For a minute there, I guess I thought some Red Chinese had captured me."

"Well, I've been called Red before. But not because of my political beliefs." She answered with a laugh. "I have to go on rounds, now. I'd like to talk with you, again, when I get the chance."

"Sounds good to me, Angel."

************************************************

"Lieutenant, let's take a short break, shall we?" Doctor Winchester suggested as they exited post-op # 3.

"All right, sir. Let's head for the ranch house."

At her quarters, Winchester opened the door and followed the woman in side.

"I'll fix us some water." Still using her crutches, MacAllister hobbled over to her table and stared at the water pitcher. "Never mind." She announced with a disgusted shudder. "There's something four-legged and furry floating in this."

"Allow me." The man stepped outside to empty the container.

When he returned, Sarabeth shook her head. "Another reason not to build a summer home here."

"I would not recommend a winter retreat, either." After helping her to a chair and bringing a stool for her feet, Winchester sat at the table beside her. He looked at the calendar. "I've lost a day. This is the 25th?"

"Yes, Major Houlihan should be back tomorrow afternoon." She answered unhappily. "I reckon I'll start packing when I get off this shift."

"Sarabeth, I...." Winchester hesitated but decided to speak. "I shall miss you...very much. Would you mind if I wrote to you?"

She smiled. "Great minds, Charles. I was going to ask you the same thing."

************************************************

Outside the main post-op ward, the major paused. "Would you tell me something?"

"I can tell you lots of things." MacAllister smiled and then matched his seriousness. "What do you want to know, sir?"

"What would you have said to me, if I had been asleep along with Pierce and Hunnicutt?"

To his surprise, she flushed and looked away. "No one was supposed to hear any of that. I was...I was...saying good-bye."

"I realize that. I would like to know. Please."

She met his gaze. "I would have said that you are going to enjoy symphonies at the Emerson Concert Hall in Boston for many years to come."

"Thank you, my dear. Sometimes, it seems like that world no longer even exists."

"It does. It's out there waiting for you. Only...I'm not sure that Boston will be exactly as you remember it."

"I may not be exactly as Boston remembers me, either."

************************************************

Oct. 25th: 1200 hours

"Thanks again, Colonel, for all your help during the OR session." Lieutenant MacAllister said. She walked the visiting officer to her jeep. "You really came through when we needed the extra hands."

"You will be notified of the results of my inspection, Lieutenant."

"Looking forward to it, ma'am. Have a safe trip."


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