”“That’s understandable,” I said.I didn’t expect Linda to continue, but after a short pause, she said, “Eddie Fucking Clayton. Excuse the ...anguage, but you’ve got no idea what he did to me.”“No idea,” I said, shaking my head, and Linda went on with, “We got married when we were twenty-four. Then, thirteen years later, he left me for another man!”I felt my face falling, and I said, “Oh my God!”I could see from the look on Linda’s face that she was surprised at my response, and she looked at me. ’ ‘Then I choose the room in the glassed-in back porch.’ ‘Um that is the coolest place during a heat wave but is not very secure.’ ‘Do you have anything approaching a watchdog?’ ‘Yes Yeller who is next to useless as a stock dog but is a German Shepherd cross.’ ‘What with?’ ‘Dunno. Her mother went missing and she came back three months later with only one pup. We reckon she may have mated with a Dingo. Her temperament is okay and we keep her because she’s dynamite on rabbits and rats.’ ‘Can it. The emotions, which had built up around my change of fortunes nagged at me. I needed a clear mind and a hard workout would help a lot in draining tension.After some time, the gentle loosening up of my muscles and joints completed, I aligned the axis of my bones with various postures. A few breathing exercises later with my muscles warmed up enough, I ran through the standard Fleet forms. To many of my fellow Academy cadets using kata wasn't a prerequisite to combat effectiveness. Many ignored. Let's see what the doctors can tell us," she replied as the doors opened at their floor and she helped Sheila to her feet.They made their way to the waiting room where Jan helped Sheila to a seat, then went to the nurse's desk."I'm Jan Tompkins, Michael Tompkins' wife. What can you tell me?" she asked.The head nurse, an older woman, looked at Jan with a disapproving stare, wondering how the handsome patient had come to marry a dwarf. She picked up a chart, glanced at it and turned back to.