Only the unlucky ten percent that had special duty like in the kitchen or guard duty were restricted to the base that was really only a field of tents...raised hastily overnight.I was ready to volunteer for guard duty because I had nowhere to go being one hundred and fifty years out of place and time. Then, Parson told me,"You can come with me to my home over in Fairfield. My family is anxious to see me before we leave to the fighting out west and there is always room for another chair at the. Fast forward to sophomore year: I spent the first half of the year running my ass off and trying to get her to notice me.I wasn't really attracted to her, even though she was a hot butch. I just wanted her to take me under her wing and show me how this whole lesbian thing works. There were some girls I liked who I thought maybe liked me. I tried dropping some hints but didn't have any luck. I felt like I was running out of options. The second semester I took a new PE class she started called. Ever patient Susan just sat and watched me with a gentlesmile and open hands. No judgments, no admonitions, onlytotal acceptance and understanding. How could I possiblyreject someone who accepted me so unquestioningly? Susanhad been both sister and mother to both Karin and I for solong how could I have been so nasty to her for so long?Suddenly all the put downs all the insults all thedisrespect that I had thrown at her, with my father'sapproval and encouragement, over the years seemed so. I felt the warmth of Dawn curled up tight against my chest as she slept, maybe trying to find protection from the cancer growing inside of her. Resting my head on one hand I ran my other hand over the smooth skin of her warm shoulders and slow down the curve of her back and into the tight crack of her bum before lifting up onto her hip. Dawn started to stir under the quilt as I ran my hand over her stomach and snuggled her in tight and kissed her soft neck."Good morning," she sleepily.