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"Every ti disgusted with herself "It’s all part of the syndro is wonderful, but Wade and I tiptoe around each other for days for fear of saying or doing so that will ruin our reunion," another wife explained

"We choose to ignore the obvious problems and pass over strife until it’s tiain"

"That’s when it really hits the fan," Susan inserted

"What do you mean?" Lindy was curious to know She could understand what the others were saying, although she hadn’t been h to experience with Rush a lot of what the wo her about But the tier to recognize the signs

"It see before our husbands’ leave," Joanna explained

Lindy reht with her the afternoon he’d learned the repairs to the Mitchell had been co his book away," Lindy told the others "I didn’t understand it at the time It was so ridiculous, so unreasonable and not like hily

"I iine it was about that time that Rush realized he loved you," Susan added s He always does The day he coo on a diet, I knohat’s co He’s just learned when he’ll be deployed Jeff loves what he does, but he loves oes on inside hiht of all those er to sail He can hardly wait to get out on the open seas"

"Try to ru a navy wife"

"And then there’s the constant knowledge that we can be transferred at any time"

"Say, did anyone else hear the runed to Norfolk?"

"It’s just gossip, Sissy," Joanna answered "There’s no need to worry about it now"

"See what I h

"You ht transfer its ho about ould happen with her job if Rush was to be stationed in another state She’d have to go with him and leave Seattle Of course she could always find another job, but she didn’t relish the thought A growing knot of concern started to form in her stomach

"The Nimitz was transferred froroup

"Two joys of navy life," Mary ly "Deployment separation and cross-country moves"

"If worse comes to worst, we’ll survive"

It was apparent to Lindy that Joanna was the cool voice of reason in this friendly group Lindy still had trouble keeping track of ho, but felt that she was going to fit in nicely It was as though she were being welcomed into a sorority The other navy wives’ acceptance of her was automatic, their reception warm

"We always survive," Susan added softly "Now, as I said earlier, we’re not going to knock poor Lindy over the head with everything in one afternoon"

"Yeah, we plan to give it to you in sure out how much time married couples are separated if the husband is in the navy?" Mary asked, holding a calculator in her hand Her fingers were punching in a long list of nu to ers flew over the keys " – the husband and ill spend six years apart"

"Six years?" Lindy repeated while the numbers whirled around her head

"It’s not so bad," Susan said, and patted Lindy’s hand to tell her she understood her friend’s distress "In sot everyone here," Joanna added, snapping her briefcase shut and setting it aside "Remember you need to have your letters mailed by the fifteenth of each month"

The other women nodded, apparently already aware of the deadline Susan had explained to Lindy earlier that because the Mitchell was deployed in unfriendly waters, the mail would be flown in with supplies only once ato eat?" Sissy asked, craning her neck to peek into the kitchen

"Every tiains ten pounds"

"I work it off once he’s ho me"

"I could make a cohed

"Well, if a certain so to fade away before your very eyes" Draainst her forehead and released a long, expressive sigh

"Okay, okay," Susan said with a laugh "Lunch is served"

Everyone stood at once and ed with a variety of salads, buffet style Plates and napkins were arranged at one end and the forks fanned out attractively

"I brought the recipe for the Cobb salad, in case anyone’s interested," Paula co," Lindy coht souest of honor"

"We’re all dying to kno you met Rush," Sissy said and Joanna moved Lindy to the front of the line and handed her a plate