Rodger was shooting hot pool. He had a run of 5 or 6 balls in a row. I was gazing around the room. I couldn’t help but notice when this woman entere... the pub. She was different. She was very natural looking. She had her curly hair in a pony tail. She wore no make up. She didn’t need any. She had the build and confidence of a superior athlete. She stood inside the doorway looking around for someone. Then she headed straight for me. Or so it seemed. It was Rodger she embraced and. "Can't wait to finish school at the end of the Summer Term and, and this is what is so stupid about me doing a double take on you, she has also become a beautiful young lady. Taller than you but you'd have expected that."Victoria nodded. "Does she know what she wants to do?"Mark chuckled. "I think she's cut it down to a shortlist of about twenty-five."Both women laughed. "That sounds like Serena," said Frances."What about you, Victoria, because you've left school, haven't you?" Yes. I'm doing a. Ask your parents.”“Huh!”“Grim, you’re out now, right?” she asked.“What? Out of jail or out of the Army?”“The Army.”I nodded. “Pretty much. I’m in the Individual Ready Reserve, at least for another few years, but they would have to call me back to duty first. I mean theoretically they could, but I doubt it. Why?”“So, it’s for real. You’re out and we can get married?” she asked.Kelly was laying half on top of me, looking up at me as she said this. I smiled at her and nodded. “Just say. ”“Oh, God,” Dad moaned in a fake panic attack. “We’ll never have grandchildren!”Normally, other than a nice lunch, that’s the extent of our Christmas ‘celebration’ but this year we were having guests. That meant that this year Mom went into hyper drive once all the presents had been opened. I was pressed into service to gather up the used wrapping paper, saving the boxes and bows for Mom’s stash in the guest room closet. Mom busied herself in the kitchen. Even Dad was drafted to quickly run the.