You know, a lot of young men wear ponytails or man buns these days,” Lorna pointed out.Jace was annoyed. “Mom, let it go, okay? My hair will be ma...ing wigs for kids who’ve lost their hair to chemo. I would think you’d be proud of me.”“I am proud of you, sweetie. I guess I just miss the days when you were my happy little girl,” her mother said forlornly.Jace sighed. “Mom, I was never happy being a girl. You know that.”“I blame your father for this. All that baseball and basketball he played with. She was a gift to you and you are leaving her - rejecting the gift. This shames her and because you have refused her, she will be cast out onto the streets to live however she can. Or she may be sold to one of the local brothels to become a prostitute. She is a refused gift and is of no value now." This news made my heart drop into my shoes! My beautiful Lawan was to be turned out onto the streets of Singapore to live homeless and hungry after I left! How could I do this to her? How could I. They had put hundreds and even thousands of rounds through their main guns and many of the tanks were due for in-depth maintenance. The supply lines back to the Fatherland were rift with obstructions and gaps that made their tactical abilities limited to the point of unavoidable surrender. The inexperience of many of the American Officer ranks drove the General Officer ranks into frustrating corrective actions. It was a problem of not building up a viable military presence until the last moment. She'd plotted for a long time, desperately envious and jealous of her friend. Lily now worked at a law firm, drove a BMW, belonged to a country club. The final piece had fallen into place when Lily was engaged to be married. Kara had found out about the wedding through a mutual friend the day before; she'd immediately gone to her supervisor and requested to take her accumulated vacation immediately. He objected at first, but she was able to find a replacement for her shifts, and she could be.