After eight years, Mark and I had been struggling desperately with our marriage. With no c***dren to hold us together - my husband's sperm count was e...traordinarily low - we seemed to be drifting apart. Mark's job was consuming more and more of his time. I even had suspicions there might be someone else. I wasn't about to discuss any of that with his family, though. "Why are you here so early?" I asked Bill, putting on a more sociable face. "Did you hear Mr. Jameson calling you?" I quipped.. "Patrick Conner," he said as he regained most of his composure.The expression on the young maid's face turned from simple amusement to a knowing smile. She opened the door wider and invited Patrick inside."Please have a seat and I'll let Lady Jacqueline know that you are here," she said as she motioned to one of the padded chairs that lined the entry hall.Taking the closest seat, Patrick watched the young woman walk to the inner rooms. His eyes now fixed on the short black skirt tightly wrapped. They each succumbed despite the base medical staff doing everything they could. The men all died within forty-eight hours of their first sneeze. It finally hit me after everyone else in my squad was unconscious or worse. The staff had been constantly poking and prodding me to figure out why I hadn’t gotten it, hoping to find some sort of natural immunity. When I sneezed a second time they immediately put me on antibiotics and an IV.Even so, it was four weeks before I was able to crawl out of. Coach pulled me aside before I got into the showers to tell me that I had nothing to be ashamed of, that the team was only in the playoffs in the first place because I had picked them up and carried them there."Sure, Coach," I grinned. "Thanks."I was the last one out of the showers, though, and found the locker room completely deserted. I found out why when I finished dressing and headed toward the bus. There, lined up to shake my hand, was every member of the Marshall High School baseball.