“He said you had leave coming and didn’t take it.”

The waitress put a plate down between us that neither of us had ordered.

Helen pushed it to the middle of the table and left it sitting there.

“Did you tell them where I actually was?”

“I said you were in the Army and that the Army is a big place.” She wrapped both hands around her cup.

“Your grandmother talked about your promotion at the church supper.

Twice.