"Sir, may I have your permission to close the video chat and leave for work now?" "Penny, my dear. You still have so much to learn. You are to meet me...at the Hilton on Main Street at 5:15 today. Good bye." "Ummmmm, Sir. But, you just told me that I was a good girl?" "Yes. And I'd like to keep things that way. Let's call it maintenance." I did not understand what Sir Rube meant, but I was afraid to keep pestering him. And, I really had to get to work. Maybe, I can just push this off for another. Will Smitty make it? When can I see them?" I really can't say Commander. We'll have to see what the Doctor says about visitors. You aren't going anywhere for a while yourself and the Crew Chief can't get out of bed either. Maybe your copilot can drop in on both of you. He is mobile at least. Of course all of you will be leaving in a day or two. You've all got a ticket home."Later--Jennifer had no idea how much later--a doctor came into her room. He was a Colonel, US Army. He gave her what she. Marsha broke down and sobbed at the kitchen table. "Why John, why" she sobbed into her hands as they covered her face. "You know I love you Marsha...." I said but the words failed me. I coudn't articulate it. I kept watching the ball game on the tube as Marsha sobbed through her grief. Eventually she calmed down. "I'll go put on my teddie," she said softly. She loved me as much as I loved her and it was a testament to the depth of her love for me that she let me do this "thing" that I. They were both in thought as they went up the stairs into the house. Selena turned to him cutely and put her arms around him."Joeys gonna have bullets put in that shooter of his and we're making a baby." She cooed and kidded him."Thankfully it'll take a year to see how fertile I can get, so you can finish school. We don't need any babies yet." Joe said as he hugged her back."We shouldn't use plural either. Unless we have twins, I think we should stop at one, like we talked about." Selena warned.