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"I do love you so," he said

"And I love you"

"It was a wonderful day, wasn’t it?"

She nodded against him "And we’ll have many more An ocean of days"

He pulled her close Outside, the night was cold and still "It was a beautiful song," he said "I’lad we found that piano"

And with these words, curled together in their big, soft bed beneath the eaves, they floated off to sleep

--

I’lad we found that piano

That piano

That piano

That piano…

Peter ascended to consciousness to find himself naked, wrapped in sweat-dampened sheets For a moment, he lay motionless Hadn’t he been…? And wasn’t he…? Hissand; his bladder was dense as a rock Behind his eyes, the first stab of his hangover wasits presence felt

"Happy birthday, Lieutenant"

Lore lay beside him Not so ether, slick with perspiration where they touched The shack, just two rooh its ownership wasn’t clear to hiray square of predawn sua finger against the center of his chest, "there’s noyou So how does it feel to be thirty?"

"Like twenty-nine with a headache"