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Lorenzo seemed somewhat satisfied, but Rose wasn’t They stood out there while she continued to interrogate hireed to leave and all that Lorenzo had told him so far about her and her boyfriend One small relief was that Lorenzo said Vincent didn’t knoas Ben yet

"I didn’t see the point in telling hih"

"Please don’t tell hiain "I swear to you I’ve never done anything with Ben We’ve always been just friends I’ll tell hiet a chance to see hi He wouldn’t understand otherwise I’d have to explain it to hian to slowly encompass her "Is there any other way I can talk to hi "He’s in Iraq out in the field The only way is writing a letter I wrote hi back yet"

Once Rose felt satisfied not just that she knew enough but that Lorenzo was through dealing as well, she headed ho classes She had so ht

"Vincent didn’t do it!" was the first thing she said to Grace as she rushed into the kitchen

"What?" Grace looked up fro the baby

"It was Lorenzo, not Vincent Vincent just covered for hi "I don’t care how long I have to wait, Grace I’ll wait the four years I’ll wait ten if I have to! I don’t care! I don’t care!" She hugged Grace shed, and Rose knew she couldn’t possibly understand

"What about Ben?" Grace asked

"I’ll explain it all later" Grabbing a pear fro her teeth into it and spun around "Right now I have a letter to write"

~~

A couple of days later still walking on air, Rose answered her phone just as she drove in to work her shift at the restaurant She’d written Vincent a ten-page letter explaining everything she’d gone through in the past year and how she’d et Grace off her back She also ain and that she’d wait for hi as she had to After the year she had, she kneithout a doubt she’d ain someday, than attempt to live life without him forever That she obviously couldn’t deal with

"Hey, Ben," she said as she finished parking