“This is to us. To you and to all your family, Shirl. And it’s to my family back home who don’t even know where I’m stationed.” He patted the settee beside him. Shirley sat down, nestling into the curve of his outstretched arm. She gazed up at him, their eyes swimming together. He leaned over to whisper into her ear: “I love you baby. I’m going to make you happy for the rest of your life. From now on, your life’s mine. Mine’s yours. My family will be your family. Yours will be mine.”
Dolly was sitting at the table. She had lit a home-rolled cigarette, which was hanging from her lower lip. She coughed and picked off bits of tobacco that had clung to her lipstick like miniature limpets. She tilted her head so that she could blow smoke rings up to the ceiling, but had to stub her cigarette o
