I pull out of her and lean down and kiss her. The kiss is soft, tender, loving even and it surprises us both. But in all honesty, I don't think her li...s could take a hard kiss. They've done enough! I reach up to her face and pull the scarf off her head. Her cobalt blue eyes are bright in the darkness and a little glazed. Our eyes lock and I hold the look for what feels like forever. "You now get to choose what happens next," my smile is shy, unsure of what she'll do, "I can go, or..." I leave. ‘Yes sir. May I get Headmaster to call you? I’ve not seen him down this morning and as housekeeper it is my duty to protect him.’ ‘You stupid bitch. Get him to the phone at once,’ roared the caller. ‘Tell him Colonel Ashton demands to speak with him.’ ‘Oh he mentioned you might call. He will be in his office at 9:00 because the boys coming from some distance begin arriving today. He said he would be busy so could allocate you no more than fifteen minutes.’ There was noising choking on the phone. "What happened to you?" Julia asks when I step in the door. I look downand see that, while my coat isn't too bad my jeans are completely cakedin mud."Took a trip," I say smiling, holding my arms out like a scarecrow, "Ilost my footing and slipped," I clarify."Staring at that phone no doubt," Julia accuses me shrewdly."No," I say unconvincingly."You better go up and shower," Julia rolls her eyes at me.I head back to my room from the shower feeling a lot better. There'ssomething about hot water. And when Frank came to call in early 1946, he actually cried when he saw John walk on shaky legs to him and smile. He cried as he told me how John had gone down with the ship, after dragging him up to the deck and putting him in a lifeboat because his leg had been broken. He had gone back down to find Herb, and neither of them came back before the ship went down.”Sometimes it was hard, raising a boy by myself. But his grandparents insisted I move into the cottage year round. I followed my.