”And sure enough ... there sat Murray the Bengal ... and Silver, his ... whatever they call a cat’s wife. Very unusual cat, is Murray.“Where’s...the kids?” I asked.“They went with JW,” Tyche said.“How did they ... umh ... Junior,” I said. Figured that one out by my self.“Middle of the night,” the tyke said, “If I had known we were going, I’d have had them leave me here.”“Alan ... call your ex and see if she’ll let the boys go to Ludington for ice cream,” I said.“You really want them to go?” Alan. 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 ran through her. What if he ran abreath test on her, with all she had to drink last night shemight not be able to pass. That would get her license morethan suspended. She had to get out of this ticket. Janet ignored the Trooper’s approach and quicklymoved to the glove. ." Those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them ... somebody said that." What do you mean?" Chief? Been in any wars?" Well, yeah ... almost fifty years ... they're putting me out next month." Korea, Vietnam?" That ain't the half of it, lady." He started pointing to his ribbon display, "I was in the occupation of Japan. They sent me to Trieste. Escorted the Marines to Greece, 1955 Radio surveillance in Vietnam. Then Egypt, Lebanon, Cuban Revolution. Vietnam again. Invasion. ”Deena just hugged her, letting Abby cry a bit, what I was hoping were cleansing tears. I have no idea what to do. This stuff isn’t in the manual.“You know we’re your family,” I said softly. “Family is forever. We’re here...”“Y’all’ve made me feel like that from the beginning. Dan and Nina, they just sort of absorbed me into their home and you all wrapped me up here in this community. It’s alien to what I had before. Nobody’s being fake or devious. Y’all just LOVE people.”“Oh, we’re just plain.