I think now we can go home for Christmas, Jim thought to himself.
‘It turned out to be an interesting vacation,’ said Neilly on the radio. ‘If only,’ then he stopped. Neilly’s way of dealing with the death was not saying the XO’s name. By doing so, it would only make it more real. I liked Gaston too, Jim said to himself. Jim and Neilly were alike in so many ways that Jim was surprised when they didn’t see things the same way. Jim, the ultra-realist, faced what he found to be the truth head-on. Neilly was still struggling to find reasons for his friend’s death.
***
‘Nusmen, are you pouting?’ asked Sheilla.
‘Just thinking.’
‘It’s a hangdog look if I ever saw one,’ said Martin.
‘Who are you? Oh yeah. The CIA guy,’ said Nusmen.
Barbara walked up and gave Nusmen a sympathetic look.
‘He’
