I tell Mark I love him often. I want him to know it and I don't care who else knows it. I tell him I love him when he's being a pain at the grocery st...re. I tell him I love him when we're sitting on the couch watching a movie. I tell him I love him when I tuck him in at night and when he wakes up in the morning.I asked him that day if he had fun and he said it.He was midway twisted around my neck and holding on to my hair when he said it."I love you, Daddy."I had my hands steadying Mark on my. But I call to her and she enters, striding across the room toward the desk. “Good morning, Mr. Copeland.” “Hi Gracie. How are you? How's Max?” She purses her lips and looks to the floor, and I see a small blush creep up her cheek. I wonder who she's caught him screwing this time. “Gracie ...” “I have your post, Mr. Copeland.” “Gracie …” “Your post, Mr. Copeland.” I move my eyes from her face to her outstretched hand and take the small pile of envelopes and packages as well as her unspoken hint.. The bar crowd was showing signs of thinning out, Vanessa had split to find whatever New Year’s bliss she was searching for, and John decided it was time for him to take off also. Nothing to hang around here any longer for. When this song ended he would say his goodbye. Setting his unfinished beer in the center of the table, he fished out his wallet to take care of the tab- his parting gift to the lucky couple- and glanced up out of an instinctual urge. Blue was approaching the table, Lee. ’ Standing, unable to stay seated, he moved about the room almost restlessly. ‘Luckily, a decent lawyer in the public defenders office landed her case and with the hospital records to back up past abuse, as well as accounts from several neighbors, no charges were filed. It went down as self defense. But Salina…’ ‘Has had to rebuild her life from the ground up.’ ‘And she has done a remarkable job. I admire her for it. She went back to school and she took college classes, then worked several temp.