nternal TV n

e Donovan stoo

dal gleamed under the lights

bed, the one I had

f stress, of putting her car

ke my dad in his F-4 ove

I th

ly crisp and commanding,

... it mean

ar tracing a pat

thank Dr. E

. Vance. Her uni

ontinued, her voice r

essures of command and service. My ro

the crowd. He gave a

ntion

f managing the household, ra

a

my world,

e ceremon

e was older now, a young woman, not

mother's speech,

ce a mixture of pity and some

r voice soft, but t

Vance are so

frail form, the t

. maybe it's time

words fin

inally be hap

n shot thro

he il

h

was t

weak, gave one f

kne

, li

rescent of a hospi

bolt u

old house in C

hands, they were str

es, maybe e

on the nigh

. I was back

She was a C

harp and clear. She

p tour. Thule Air

flashed in my min

dre

sn't

anym

hone book. Air

dialed, ste

ir Force B

ing School. P

a shock aft

ver. Stern, but his eyes h

father was a he

record. K

most candidates, Do

r. But I

. I like that. Your father's leg

form acros

ot, Donovan. Don't

mph, raw and po

k to Color

living room, surrou

back." She see

alk to you a

checklist. "It's all set.

hea

secure an accompanied

tened. I knew w

g me," she announced, as

ise is deemed essential f

lly met

and Lily once thing

ings ar

ted twice in twenty years

the way," I thought, the b

have her all

y had a routine check

was "too busy" with pr

thing in 1993, rang.

back, sweetie

I returned to the waiti

ine wa

Dr.

, Lily nestled between them, lo

t family

as the

w me, her sm

re you? You just a

was sharp,

k, Lily, my six-yea

h and clear, c

t want y

a small fi

. Vance to s

e harder than a