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Show nouse/ /j-io I f e l t hot and t w i s t e d . "Will you q u i t t r y i n g to run my l i f e ? ! And d o n ' t c a l l him ' o l d man0! He i s n ' t so old. And he does care about me. He loves me. I know he does!" My breath came i n sharp, painful s p u r t s . "When I was a l i t t le girl, he always held me on h i s knee and h e ' d pat my h a i r and sing me songs and c a l l me ' p r i n c e s s . ' " My voice was s h r i l l, defensive. Suddenly I began t o sob. "He does love me. I know so he does." But I was notAsure. Brian had touched a fear hidden deeply, raw and aching. "Besides," I lashed out, "we could be married right now if i t wasn't for your mother!" Brian's eyes flashed and then he sighed, cheeks and chest imploding. "Yeh. I've got to do something about that. I ' l l c a l l my Commanding Officer tomorrow and see what kind of pressure he can put on her. Ok?" "Maybe he could give you permission. Do you think?" He shrugged. "Maybe." I stared disconsolately at his bare leg beside mine on the rumpled edge of the bed. What was I doing here, putting my life in t he hands of a stranger - or putting my hands in the life of a stranger, I wasn't sure which way it was, really. I wasn't even sure Brian still wanted to marry me. Now that he'd had me, maybe he was disappointed. But even as I thought it, I knew it wasn't true. We had fitted together like the earth and sky, a perfect union. Even without the marriage ceremony it was right - so right. "Hey..." Brian put an arm around me. But still I didn't look up, wanting to sulk a little. i i lb. |