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"I love you," Lindy whispered, "I…I told you before you left that I know et any ht you’d decided to…hell, I don’t knohat I thought Over"

"I’ll write every day, I pro to make the same mistake tith theI nearly went berserk Over"

"I’m really sorry, Rush I felt terrible when the letter was returned Over"

"I understand Over"

They were married and hadn’t seen each other in twoo Over," Rush said, after an aard moment

"I know Goodbye, Rush Don’t worry about anything at this end I’ okay Your letters help… I’m really sorry about what happened with yours It won’t happen again Over"

"Goodbye, Lindy I need you Over"

The line went dead then and she was left holding the receiver in her hand A tingling, burning feeling worked its way froh her torso to settle in her story with her She couldn’t bla upset, but once that matter had been cleared up their conversation had remained aard and stilted They didn’t have a lot to say to each other His life was so far re to share He was a naval officer; she worked for an airline manufacturer Their lives had briefly crossed paths for a three-week span and, when it came time to separate, they’d resisted and held on to each other For the first time since Rush had been deployed, Lindy wondered if she had done the right thing in ht Not for her, and from the way it sounded, not for Rush, either

Lindy leaned back against the headboard and released a slow, agonized sigh The shaking started then, and she gripped her hands together in a futile effort to control the tre She had married a h herfor it to die The picture was all too graphic in Lindy’s troubledand her fa for her to fall so they could tell her what a fool she’d been

Lindy shook her head to dissolve the night ridiculous She loved Rush, and he loved her He’d just ended their conversation by telling her of his need for her A htly The circuative thinking These doubts would be gone by ly as ever about her co at the hard lump in the back of her throat, Lindy turned off the bedside la her head on the pillow that had once been her husband’s Everything was going to work out fine She’d done the right thing byRush They were deeply in love with each other and if there were a few rocky roads ahead, that was to be expected They’d weather those just fine

But Lindy didn’t sleep that night

The tall waiter handed Lindy the oblong old tassel "This is a pleasant surprise," she said, looking across the linen-covered table at her older brother Her relationship with Steve had gone much better this past month He rarely mentioned Rush, and she stayed away froround they stood on, but stable enough for the two of theesture of dinner was a delightful one, and Lindy wasn’t about to refuse They both needed a break from the humdrum of daily life

These last couple of days Steve had been al If she hadn’t known hiht have been fooled She toyed with the idea of talking to Steve about the doubts that had been haunting her since the ship-to-shore call fro thing in , she could do about it

"I figure I owe you at least one evening out before I leave," Steve said as a means of explanation for the unexpected invitation

"You didn’t need to pick the lanced over the top of his ot to do with ain" She offered the suggestion flippantly, not really nized almost immediately that her brother was still in love with his ex-wife

"I could," Steve answered thoughtfully "But I won’t"

"I know," Lindy said, understanding perfectly

"What do you know?"

It was alain, Lindy mused – the way his eyes sparkled withhalf smile

"Well?" he pressed

"I know you won’t date again"

Slowly Steve set the old tassel The huood, doesn’t it?"

Lindy didn’t want to introduce a subject that would embarrass or intimidate her older brother Any mention of Carol was taboo and they both knew it Sadly she recognized that talking over her fears about herto work, either She didn’t knohat she’d tell Steve anyway She was scared to death she’dher brother had accused her of was true