"I was just underwater off of Pendleton on a mission. Almost killed someone. But 'almost' is good ... was good. Didn't have anything real serious happ...n. Can't think why I remembered that." I was thinking again.Arti pulled me firmly into the hear-and-now. She leaned over and stuck a tongue in my ear. "It's just you being crazy, you know. Everybody flashes back to another event in the past. Nothing strange in that. It's called memory."She was right. It wasn't the IED in Afghanistan. It wasn't. Mel sat me down, saying she had to talk about something serious.She began by telling me how difficult this was for her to tell me, and my first thoughts were that she was seriously ill with some deadly disease. Instead, she informed me she had been unfaithful ' and of course, her partner in the infidelity had been Tanner.You can understand I was in absolute shock. She apologized and cried. All I could do was ask her 'How could she'' She tried to explain. It was a long evening. The gist of her. ‘I can’t believe this asshole isn’t even going to get out and help.’ I have everything hooked up and get back into my car. I figure this will work as it has dozens of times before and turn the key. Nothing. I can’t believe this. I turn it again and again but nothing is happening. I get out of my car and fidget with the cables a little then try again. Still nothing. I can feel myself ready to lose it. I get out of my car, slam the door and pull off the cables slamming the hood. I disconnect them. Would she ever be able to belong to the world she lives in? This world of grace and elegance? My, how she'd melted to nothing in her embrace. How the emotions had taken away her breath. They had made her cry like a baby.Even now she felt the relief. God, it took tons off her shoulders. The catharsis had pulled her up like a drowned swimmer from a deep ocean of misery. It left her to shiver on a beach of silvery sand and radiant sunshine.Kristie shook her head. She took a deep, shaking breath..