You know Easter, Christmas, family reunions, vacations, and the odd weekend trip. My partners brother has several kids, 4 to be exact one boy and thre... girls, and they all know and love their Uncle David. I was off this particular weekend when my phone rang, it was his nephew Cain, and so I answered. He was frantic, he was at the bus station and couldn't get ahold of his grandparents. I knew they were out of town, but apparently he had forgotten. I told him to hang on, and I would be right. I didn?t doubt for a moment she?d be sleeping with thephotographer. I didn?t want to insult or offend her in any way byopening my big yap, so she?d continue to offer her advice and help melearn how to make the most of my situation. Gee, I keep forgettingshe is a guy under all that war paint!She was looking at my chest in an odd way, like she was wonderingabout something. ?Are you sure that you?ve only been taking yourmom?s pills for about a month? I?m not an expert, but it oks to methat you?re. In with all of the pointy things was a life preserver I stole when I first got on the boat. It was going to help keep me afloat despite the density of the weapons. While the bag was not exactly buoyant, it did not sink. That was enough to let me drag it behind me as I slowly, so as to not give anyone on the ferry a reason to look back, swam to shore.The sun was well and fully up by the time I clawed my way up the beach. Which is when I learned that when you are trying to not drown as you haul a. I tell myself she knowsI'm lying; she knows I'll never see her again and there'll be othersoldiers to take my place just as I must have taken some other soldier'splace.Seven.I nearly hang up when HollyMark answers the phone.When she says hello, quizzically, I can hardly speak my mouth is sosandy. I know this is how fear tastes because this phone call tasteslike the moment when I pissed myself in my first Afghanistan firefight."Holly?" Who is this?" Tim. Timmy. Timmaaay." Wow, I'd hoped I'd.