Mother and daughter had left earlier – Bill gladly let his wife have the Jeep Grand Cherokee for the day – to attend the mall and both were under ...he belief he would be gone upon their return.“Nice moustache-goatee combo,” Frankie said when leaving earlier. “You actually look less wimpy.”“Nice dress,” he replied. “Past the knees, wow. You actually look less slu–”“BILL!” Amanda barked.Aiming to end this situation before it progressed, he rifled through her belongings in the hopes of finding. Dad then took the chair from behind the desk and put in down just a few feet from where I sat. Son, he said, I could feel him looking at me, but I couldnt look back, you know I love you, dont you? Well, I might not have even been twelve-years-old, but I knew that an opening like that meant that the rest wasnt going to be so pleasant. I nodded. I did know that my dad loved me. He was never shy about telling me, or even showing me with a big hug. But I was still sure that this wasnt going to be a. "Roma and I went around to my mother's part of the house at ten. Pat was there as he stayed over on a regular basis now. Drina and Melanie were expected at any minute. Mom hugged Roma saying how pleased she could join us for the holiday. "Sharon, that is a wonderful portrait hanging in Cecil's apartment. What a handsome man your husband was. I do believe Cecil is a copy of his father."Mom swung her eyes to me. "Cecil what picture is Roma talking about?" It was a portrait painted by one of your. ‘There’s something I need to tell you about your daughter…votre fille, Claire Renault,’ the imposing Lt. Colonel’s eyes softened as he addressed the mother who’d already lost a great deal this day. At the sound of her child’s name, Madame Renault’s heart leapt. But her side of the bargain with God had been kept…had it not? *************************************** Raleigh, North Carolina— July 4, 1941 A goddess of moonbeams and velvet midnight sky — Lula stood before Jordan at the water’s edge..