Page 127 (1/2)

Evelyn only stopped pounding on her husband’s chest when she was too exhausted to go on

"You did that?" she whispered

"Yes"

He tried to take her hand again, but she batted hiet back," she demanded

"I was a differentThe platoon leader said they were Viet Cong"

"The babies?" she said, her voice barely audible

"I had no choice It was strategic They were the enemy"

His voice petered out and with it the litany, the liturgy, the story he’d told himself every day, until he believed it Until the miracle occurred, the transubstantiation Until Frederick Lawson becaing hippie Draft dodger

Until a lie becahosts had pursued him over the border and across the years

There had been no escape for Frederick Lawson after all No second chance No rebirth His past had shown up one day, and knocked on his door, and asked hi into those dead eyes, Frederick Lawson knew this pretty village had offered hiirl--"

Al Lepage stopped, and Gao no further But Lepage gathered himself, and his burden, and moved on

"She couldn’t have been round in front ofNot a word, not a sound No begging, no crying There was no fear None All I could see in her eyes was pity"

Pity, thought Gae had put on the face of the Whore of Babylon The emotion he couldn’t quite naance, or amusement It was pity For the hell to co The rot

But Al Lepage wasn’t finished yet

"I was alone," he said, his voice detached, filled onder "I could’ve let her go"