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"And I haven't heard yet But ant to be married as soon as possible We can't let anyone know, at least not right away The whole thing has to be handled delicately"
"Of course But once you're married, the Navy wouldn't separate a husband and wife, will it?"
"You're joking, Moht you knew the military better than that The Navy does what's ht falling in love in the first place"
"But he'll be in Virginia, and you ton"
"We don't know that yet Royce is pulling every string he can to make sure that doesn't happen Even if worse comes to worse and I do have to stay here, it won't be forever Eventually we'll be together"
"I don't like the sound of this, Catherine," her mother said in low, concerned tones
"Trust ht now"
"Not necessarily Sweetheart, don't you think you should consider resigning fro with herself for several days She'd talked it over with Royce, and they'd batted the idea back and forth several times, but she'd been ada the Navy," she argued forcibly with herup my career just because I happened to fall in love"
"You'll always be an attorney, and frankly, I've never understood why you don't simply join a law firuet involved with now I've con now Besides, of all the people in the world, I would have thought you'd understandisn't even up for consideration Royce knows that and accepts it"
"But, Catherine, sweetheart, be reasonable, what man wants to be separated fro it sound like a foregone conclusion that I won't be transferred with hi about it," Catherine stated heatedly She i her so and hard The Navy was important to both her and Royce Catherine noted, however, that no one suggested he resign his commission and become a civilian because he wanted to marry her
"What about children?"
"Mo productive going over this now I've got less than teeks tofrom his command here, which helps Can you send us whatever it is we need to file for a wedding license in California?"
"Of course"
"Good" But her ht What about children? Catherine didn't know if she was being greedy to want it all A career, a family and the Navy That was a question she had yet to face
The next few days passed in a ind of frantic activity Catherine barely saw Royce, barely talked to hiinia to
Friday after work, Catherine returned to her apartment in a haze of concern Over the next two days she spent hours on the phone with heron every wedding dress within two counties
Royce called her late Sunday evening "Hello, beautiful," he greeted in a soft, sexy voice that curled her toes
She was exhausted physically andback a powerful need to have his arht questions "Did you and Kelly find a house?"
"Within the first day It's perfect Three bedrooe kitchen and all for a reasonable rent" Royce hadn't been able to obtain housing on the base, which made the move just a little more difficult Kelly had considered it important to accompany him on this trip so she could scout out the schools and choose the right kind of neighborhood, which e
"What did Kelly think of Virginia?"
"It was radical this and radical that At least that's what I see's new and fun I don't think she's going to have any probleled up on the sofa, the phone cord stretched as far as it would go froraph of her father, lingering there for severala whole lot of adjustments in the next feeeks" It worried Catherine that Royce's daughter was suffering the brunt of the sacrifices they each were forced into e
"Kelly's resilient Trust les of darkest Africa if itto be part of our family"
"I love you" Catherine felt the need to say it It suddenly sees
"I love you, too" After the hectic craziness that had surrounded theood to sit in the solitude of her hoed to hear for so many weeks
"I didn't want to love you, at least not at first," Royce adhly "God knows I tried to stay away fro to have you in e soon, and I'll be in your arms for the rest of our lives" She said it as a re the moisture from her cheek She should be the happiest woman in the world Within a matter of days she and Royce would beon the corner of her desk was a constant reminder of how quickly that happiness could be tarnished