!" Annette had it in hand as soon as it was visible -- and in mouth before I stopped talking! "Hey!" She wants to see it big," Annette declared before...diving on it again."I can do that myself, if I think it rates it," Kate rasped, kneeling before me. "Move! You're hogging it! How am I going to see?"By then, I was already up and running and probably eighty percent firmed up. Kate grabbed the shaft from Annette -- then became aware that there was plenty to grab. Annette surrendered my length to. It was the award of the Purple Heart. It was followed by citations for the Silver Star and then the Distinguished Service Cross. He gave the medals to Colly in their presentation boxes.Finally, there was the last one. He said, "It is with great pride and sadness that I present to you the Medal of Honor won by your late husband, Sean Patrick Callahan, for extraordinary bravery far beyond the call of duty."He then read the citation which told how Lt. Callahan had carried out a nearly-impossible. " I never raised my voice.My mother, her eyes dropped for a fraction of a second. The world turned upside down. My stomach flip-flopped. I swallowed but never blinked."I'll get the vacuum." She said simply and set down the tool box.It couldn't have been that easy. I was struck dumb. Now what?, my mind raced. I had burned all my jet fuel trying to keep my cool. If I didn't get away soon I was going to lose it, but I didn't want to act totally lame. She wasn't going to let me get away with. Come in, I’ll show you” she said, and walked towards the room like nothing had happened between us just then. I dutifully followed her into the little bedroom. On the floor were three large cardboard boxes, neatly wrapped in brown tape.She opened the overhead cupboard and asked me to put those boxes in there. I lifted one box with great difficulty, and by the time I put it in the cupboard, I was already breaking a sweat and I was feeling hot. So I warmed up a bit and removed my t-shirt. I.