I'm just thankful you and the kids have not been hurt. We've all been lucky," I said really feeling the emotion."Another thing," Kathy continued, "I s...w how you just reacted and kicked that guy, killing him. It was automatic, almost a natural reaction. Jake was like that. Are all you ex G.I.'s that way? Do you all kill so easily?" Kathy, I didn't mean to kill him, I was trying to save the deputy. If I had not done something, Henry would have shot one or all of us. I couldn't reach him in time. I shook my head, then looked around at the faces of my family. Kora had such a look of raptured joy on her face, hands clutched to her breasts. She swayed. Zanyia's arm went around her waist, supporting the woman while a purr rumbled from her throat.“You did it!” Greta cheered. My bedmaid threw her arms around me, her armored form pressing into my side.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Kora FalkI swayed in Zanyia's embrace. I couldn't believe it was over. I felt so surreal. There was nothing hanging. I grabbed a bottle of bubbly then pulled her to her feet. "Give Dawn a wave, my love, she's watching us."Shyly again, she looked over at Dawn who, with a big smile, gave her a wink and a wave. For a second, she once again looked flustered but then one arm went around my waist and with the other, she waved back.We hadn't got very far outside, just to a sufficiently secluded spot when she stopped me, "I think that I'd like you to kiss me please, Helen." She added, "I'm not sure about this but. I called out her name as I walked out from the office where I had changed the password to the gate. I received no response and figured she must have been upstairs in her new room, which were right next to mine. My parents house was very large, and my mother had been surprised, that I had assigned the room next to mine to Carmen. The rooms even shared a bathroom. I had explained my decision with my concern for Carmen and her pregnant state and my mother had accepted this explanation with a smile.