Shehad awaked about 6:30 A.M. with both a frat boy layingnext to her in bed and a colossal headache. She’d quicklyshowered and dressed, hoping ...o make up time on the roadto avoid another of her father’s lectures. A lecture aboutfamily responsibilities would be nothing now. If she got herlicense suspended again, he’d promise to take away the carshe’d gotten for High School Graduation last year. As she watched the state trooper exit the cruiser, amore terrifying thought. Why didn't you tell me before?"Because, you're, well, different now, Pat. I don't know what happened to you. Mom and Dad have noticed it, believe me. They don't know how to approach you. What's up with you, anyway? You're nothing like you used to be." I know," I acknowledged, "and I'm working on getting back to the way I was. I went through a rough stretch lately, and hopefully it's over."With that matter out of the way, I was finally coming around to formulating a coherent reaction to Eileen's. Of course I will. You know I've wanted to marry you since we were six. But how will we do it?" I'll have to get back to you on that. But marrying me means we're eligible for base housing and you don't have to try to raise my son or daughter in a shitty little apartment all by yourself. We got really really lucky that I wasn't sent in-country."I heard her gulp over the line. "You just made me the happiest woman in town, Bobby. You get back to me with the arrangements and I'll take care of. I went in to take a shower and to try to unwind.The next Monday night I was almost apprehensive over her arrival but as the time came to greet her, Maggie was the first to greet her smiling face as she walked through our doorway. She acted just the same as she always did; smiling and full of excitement over anything that Maggie was saying. I told them goodnight as they went to Maggie’s room and I went out to work. Nothing had changed or was different in any way, I was sure of it. Nothing.