;aaahh…lanja nee puku mundu edi paniki raade.nee lanti pooku inko vadna pettu aite ilaane undaali’ annaa…’nee madda lechindo ledo ema kaavaalo...choosikune baadhyata naade’…aammaaaaaa…ani arichindi..kinda na madda digindi lopala…”dengara dengara dengu…”cehppu mari evarni padukobedtaavo cheppu’ anna’mana officelo sridevi undi kadaa daani padukobedta..daani sallu pooku naalaage untaayi ‘ andi…’lanaja naa maddanu em cheyadalchukunnave illaa maatlaadutunnaav..kasito chachchchipotaa’ ani. He flashed that smile again.“Yep. Nope. You making fun of me?”“Yes.”“Well, okay, then,” I said.He smiled again. When I stuck out my hand to shake he pulled me in for a hug. I realized only afterward that I’d spent most of the day with the guy and never thought once about his being gay. Meaning that he wasn’t my gay friend; he was just my friend.The next couple of weeks were busy ones. After moving my stuff in I spent several nights shopping for a bed and getting my room in order. I put up some. Commodore and you, Captain Grey, please sit with me!”Hastings and Thomas took the seats with their backs to the driver whilst Somers sorted the captains into the other two carriages.“A bloody knighthood, Grey! I certainly did not expect that!”“Only if the Ministry allows it, Sir,” Thomas said, trying not to jinx the matter.“Somers says they will. It is too great an opportunity to let go. Imagine, two Navy officers made knights of a foreign military order! The newspapers will love it.”“Why I,. As soon as the coast was clear, he slipped into Rachael’s room and closed the door.He sat on her bed, reached out to take her hand and patted a spot next to him for her to sit. He said, “There was a lot of that story I hadn’t heard before. I’m really sorry you’ve had to go through all that. Granny Sonya used to rant and rave about the way you were being raised, but I don’t think she guessed everything that was going on. In fact, I know she didn’t because she wouldn’t have hesitated one second.