“Going Home” by Crimson Ruari

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You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.

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I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

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and today’s story is

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“Going Home” by friend-of-the-fireplace Crimson Ruari,

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who has short stories in Heat 14 and CLAW 1 and

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you can find more of his stories on his webpage.

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“Going Home”

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by Crimson Ruari

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Her sister's new car rolled smoothly down George Street.

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Jen patted the dash fondly;

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it was a '52 Ford Victoria,

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and her sister had made special arrangements to loan her the car for a few days while she was in town.

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It might have been last year's model,

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but it was very nice, and it fit their budget.

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When she got back, she'd owe Alice and Mike a nice dinner.

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Perhaps a celebratory dinner,

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perhaps not. She'd find out soon enough.

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She turned the radio off

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and enjoyed the remainder of her drive and let the sounds of the town join her through the open windows.

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She'd been away for a long time.

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About six years. A long six years,

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between nursing school and the war.

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Now that Korea was over,

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she was on her first leave anywhere near home since she'd left right after high school.

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She'd already been to see her parents,

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out north of Ranson.

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It had been good to see them, and good to catch up, though

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she'd managed to keep up with them in letters.

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They were a little older,

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but just as vibrant as ever.

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She'd even had a little time to catch up with her father one-on-one and swap war stories.

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Her mother hadn't wanted to hear it,

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having had enough of war with the last one,

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when their father had been called up while she'd kept the house going

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and raised Jen and Alice.

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That was what had driven her to become a nurse;

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she wanted to do what she could to see that as many men got back to their families as possible.

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She turned east on to Washington

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and drove through downtown Charles Town.

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A late afternoon, it was fairly quiet;

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the traffic was mostly wives running errands and a few drivers making deliveries.

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Small groups of high school kids strolled the sidewalks,

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lightly bundled against the classic October hint

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of winter's chill.

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She smiled. It hadn't been that long ago since she'd been one of those girls on a favored boy's arm, but it felt like half a lifetime.

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Just down the hill from the racetrack,

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she saw the sign for the diner where she'd arranged to meet Dan.

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The Mountain View Diner was aptly named, since just about everywhere in West Virginia had a mountain view.

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It must have gone in while she was away, but Dan had been right:

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she really couldn't have missed it.

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She did nearly miss the turn for it,

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as it was set back off an unassuming side street.

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It was a good thing the road was empty, because she tested the brakes rather thoroughly.

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Turned out, they worked just fine.

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Gravel crunched under the tires as she pulled up.

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There were a few cars out front, but she didn't see Dan's old Chevrolet,

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but maybe he'd parked it around the other side.

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Heck, maybe he drove something different now.

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She hadn't thought to ask.

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Or maybe it was just that she was early.

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Jen got out of the car and smoothed her uniform,

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brushing out the influence of the long drive.

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She settled her service cover between her ears

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and looked at her reflection in the window of the diner.

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She thought she cut a rather fetching figure,

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a tri-color smooth collie

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in olive jacket and knee-length skirt, silver bars of a First Lieutenant just barely glinting in the overcast light.

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She grinned; she'd earned her silver bars, and she'd make Captain soon if she decided to renew her commission.

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Of course, that was all part of why she was here.

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She had enough of admiring herself and went inside,

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tucking her cover under her arm

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she crossed the threshold.

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The bell over the door announced her presence,

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and she was greeted almost immediately by a short,

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white-furred waitress in an almost painfully-pink uniform.

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"How ya doing, honey? How many?"

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Jen paused and looked around.

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She didn't see any sign of Dan,

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and as a Bernese, he'd have stood out.

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"Just me for now, I guess.

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My friend should be joining me in a bit, but I'm rather early.

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early." The waitress shrugged.

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"Well, as you can see, we're jam-packed,

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but I'll find you a spot.

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spot." Jen looked around.

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There was an older dog working on a sandwich at the bar, and in one corner, a couple seemed to be sharing a dessert.

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She found the waitress looking at her expectantly, so she grinned.

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"That's mighty kind of you.

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you." The waitress chuckled and led her a short walk to a booth by the windows.

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Jen settled herself on the seat that faced the door.

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She placed her cover on the seat beside her.

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"My name's Maggie. I'll be taking care of you today.

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As you can see, we're full up, but I'll try to stop by when I can.

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Can I start you off with something to drink?"

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Jen chuckled again.

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"Slow day, eh? A coffee would be great.

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great." Maggie's tail wagged behind

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her. "Sure is. Gotta keep myself entertained somehow.

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I'll be right back with that coffee.

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coffee." Maggie walked away,

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and Jen glanced at the menu, then set it down.

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She wasn't up for food just yet.

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She'd spied a jukebox when she walked in,

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and she went over to go look at what it had.

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It held a collection that reminded her of

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high school dances, with their safe songs. Well,

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mostly safe. The Ink Spots and Glenn Miller had pleased the chaperones, and she admitted a great fondness for their music.

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There were newer songs, too.

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"Blue Tango" had been popular in the canteen when they'd

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finally gotten a copy.

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She dropped in a dime and pressed buttons for that and

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String of Pearls.

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She walked back to her seat with a little extra sway in her step

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and her tail as the music started.

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Maggie had just finished pouring her coffee and gave her a quizzical look.

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Jen guessed that song was a little lively for the regular crowd,

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despite being wildly popular.

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She just shrugged and smiled as she returned to her seat.

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"Thanks." "Sure, honey. Waiting on a hot date?" "Hm. Maybe?" Maggie quirked

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an eyebrow.

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"You'd think a girl would know.

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But I guess that's your problem.

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problem." Jen nodded. "That it is.

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I haven't seen him in a while, so who knows?"

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Maggie patted her arm. "Well, good luck.

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luck." Jen just smiled as the waitress walked away.

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She took a sip of her coffee, then closed her eyes and settled a little deeper into her seat,

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relaxing as the music washed over her.

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Tires crunched through the gravel of the lot, and she looked up when the bell over the door rang.

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Dan stepped through.

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He was a tall, solidly built dog, with the classic black pelt and white-striped muzzle with rust cheeks.

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He'd always been a handsome dog,

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and he seemed to fit his black sheriff's deputy uniform perfectly.

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She stood and waved as he looked her way.

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His face lit up, and she felt her tail wag at the response.

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They embraced, and Dan nearly crushed her in his arms.

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She nipped his neck gently,

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and he let up. He grinned and licked her cheek. "Hey Jen!

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It's great to see you again!"

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She smiled and licked his muzzle in response.

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"And you. It feels like it's been forever.

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forever." She rubbed a paw over the arm over his shoulder.

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"This looks good on you.

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You didn't tell me you'd become a deputy."

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"Well, it was a short phone call, and you caught me by surprise.

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surprise." He seemed to remember he was holding her

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and stepped back suddenly.

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"And what about you?

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I see you got into the Army Nurse Corps!"

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She smiled and took his paw,

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guiding him to sit across from her.

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"That I did. But that was three years ago!

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You hadn't heard?"

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He grinned. "I run into your dad from time to time, sure.

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He told me, but I just didn't quite believe it until I saw the uniform.

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You look good in it.

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Happy." Her tail thumped on the seat.

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"That I am. It's good work, and I seem to be good at it.

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it." He chuckled. "Nobody doubted you would be.

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You don't do anything by half measures.

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measures." She squirmed a little.

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Even from Dan, she'd never been great with compliments.

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There was always something she could do better.

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"And how long have you been a deputy?"

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"Oh, about four years now.

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I knocked about after school for a couple years, then figured I'd try this and see how it goes.

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goes." Jen rubbed her thumb lightly over the back of his paw.

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"And do you like it?

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You look happy." He smiled at her. She could

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hear that big,

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feathery tail thumping on the seat.

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"I am. You know I've always loved it here,

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and now I get to help out.

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It's a good feeling.

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feeling." He covered her paw, sandwiching it between both of his.

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"What brings you back here?"

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"With the war over, I'm cashing in some of my leave to visit folks.

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I have another year left on my term, but I might renew.

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I've loved the work.

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I wanted to see if maybe this was still home."

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"Still?" His ears perked as he leaned across the table.

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"Jen, it's always been your home.

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home." She smiled and lifted his paw to kiss his fingers.

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"I don't know anymore, Dan.

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I'm not the same girl as when I left;

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I haven't been home in six years, between nursing school and then the war.

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I was in a M.A.S.H. pretty much the entire time.

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It wasn't a nice thing, but it was good.

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I want to keep doing it.

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it." He looked at her,

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ears drooped. Dan had always had the best brown eyes,

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and she'd always had trouble even wanting to say no to him.

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"You know, we have a new hospital here.

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They could use more experienced nurses.

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nurses." She chuckled. "I know!

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Right after I went away, typical!"

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He grinned. "Well, it's here now.

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And I'm here. I've missed you.

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you." Jen opened Dan's paw

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and kissed the pad at the center.

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"Oh, Dan, I've missed you, too.

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But surely there've been other girls.

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You're a nice guy, and damned handsome,

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and you have a good job.

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job." It was Dan's turn for wryness.

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"Flatterer. There have been a few, but none of them stuck.

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The job is demanding, you know.

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You probably better than most.

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most." She sighed. "Yeah." "What about you?

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You're even more gorgeous than when you left.

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left." She chuckled. "Like you said,

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the job's demanding.

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I certainly met a lot of guys,

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but they were all so needy: 'please

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save my arm,' 'please don't let me die.'

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You know the type.

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type." Dan barked a laugh,

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then tried to cover it as a cough. "Ah. Ahem.

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You were always a little terrible.

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terrible." He grinned. "I think you might be worse now.

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I like it." She grinned again

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and kissed his paw.

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"Thanks. I don't think it's going away.

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away." She stared at him for a moment, taking in the way his black fur flowed into his uniform, and those

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soft, brown eyes she'd always loved. It had been

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a long time. She shook herself to break the spell.

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"We should eat! I'm famished."

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They passed an early supper with catching up.

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Dan's family had always been good for stories, and that hadn't changed.

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She shared what he hadn't already heard from her family,

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which wasn't much.

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He'd clearly kept up better than she had.

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She supposed that wasn't much surprise.

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Her sister lived down near Washington, and she was pleased to have something to share he didn't already know.

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She told stories from nursing school and the officer prep course

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and even a few from the war.

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Dan regaled her with tales from the law enforcement academy and from the job.

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Jefferson County clearly hadn't changed much since she'd left.

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She watched Dan as the sun slipped towards the mountains,

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catching him in that early sunset glow as he told a story about one of the town's stupider drunks getting himself in trouble.

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That was Charlie:

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a good guy when he was sober, which was rarely,

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and a clown when he wasn't, which was frequently.

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It was sad, but he never caused any real trouble,

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and he was always kept the deputies guessing about what he'd do next.

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She wondered how much he did it for the attention.

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She stared at him for a time in silence before realizing he'd stopped talking

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and was looking at her expectantly. "Hmm?"

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He chuckled and leaned over the table to lick her muzzle.

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"I said, you look like you're somewhere else entirely.

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What's on your mind?"

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She grinned and reached out to ruffle his cheek fur.

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"What says I wasn't just lost in watching you?"

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Dan leveled a look at her that must have served him well as a deputy;

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he was clearly skeptical. "Mmhmm.

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We dated steadily for what, three years, before you left?"

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She sighed. "Yeah. About that."

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"So I know when you've got something on your mind.

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Besides, your ears are tucked back.

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What's wrong?" Dan's observations called her attention to the sinking feeling that had been growing in her stomach.

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"I guess I was just thinking about how much this place has stayed the same."

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"But you haven't. There's a lot more steel and drive in you than there was. And that's saying something!"

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He grinned at her,

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his tongue lolling out of that big muzzle of his.

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She smiled. "I guess so.

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so." She stared a moment longer,

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then stood quickly.

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"But let's dance! We haven't danced in,

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well, I guess six years.

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years." She didn't wait for him,

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but went over to the jukebox and dropped in a quarter.

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She considered it for a moment, then pushed the buttons for those songs she remembered from high school dances,

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those pleasantly long nights of slow dancing in Dan's arms.

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Dan stood when she returned, and they settled into that old,

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familiar embrace.

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The sunset lit them both

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as they stood in the empty diner's aisle,

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and the needle settled onto the first record.

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First the singer,

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then the violins,

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and then they stepped together.

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"You must remember this,

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A kiss is just a kiss,

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A sigh is just a sigh.

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The fundamental things apply,

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As time goes by." Dan gave a soft, rueful bark and nosed her ear.

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His breath was warm on her short fur when he spoke. "Hmm,

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I have a guess what you're thinking.

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thinking." Jen smiled and nuzzled at the fur of his neck.

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"And what's that?" "You're going to renew.

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renew." She sighed. "Yeah." She looked up at him.

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"You know I still love you, Dan.

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Dan." Dan smiled, then licked her lips.

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"I love you, too, Jen.

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But it's not enough, is it?"

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She pressed her muzzle against his,

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and they danced in silence for a moment.

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"Not for me. I'm sorry.

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sorry." He held her a little tighter.

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"I'm not surprised.

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You've changed, Jen.

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It's good for you, but I don't think you're ready to stay here right now.

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Maybe not ever." "Yeah.

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"Yeah." She looked up at him.

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"Do you remember when we first heard this song?"

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He lapped at her muzzle again.

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"Of course. Eighth grade,

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Casablanca had just come out.

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It was my excuse to ask you out.

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I'd been looking for something for a while.

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while." She chuckled. "And you picked a movie?

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I loved it, but, really?"

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"I got tired of waiting!"

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Jen licked his cheek.

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"Well, I'm glad you did.

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did." They rocked through a slow turn.

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"It's feeling a bit

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prophetic, right now.

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now." She chuckled. "I suppose it does.

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does." Dan sighed. "I'll miss you, Jen,

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but I guess it's best for us both.

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I'm happy here, you wouldn't be.

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I wish you only the best.

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I'll always love you a little.

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little." Jen smiled and licked at his lips.

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"God, Dan, you know I feel the same about you.

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But I can't stay,

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I'd go crazy." "Yeah.

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"Yeah." They danced as the sun set.

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The last song finished, and they stopped.

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Jen looked out the window.

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It was pitch dark, and she saw their reflection,

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Dan in his uniform

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and she in hers.

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They were a picturesque couple,

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if only they had a future.

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She pressed herself against Dan and kissed him firmly.

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They held the kiss as long as they could,

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but finally stepped apart.

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She gathered her cover and tucked it back under her arm,

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then fished a handful of quarters.

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Dan tried to object as she put them on the table,

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but she laid a paw on his arm.

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"Let me get it, Dan,

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just this once." He smiled quietly

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and gathered his hat from the seat,

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then followed her out.

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They paused by her sister's car.

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A white ford with Sheriff markings was parked next to it.

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She leaned in for one more kiss,

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then stepped back,

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giving his paw a squeeze.

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"I love you, Dan. Take good care of yourself.

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yourself." He squeezed hers in return.

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"Love you, too, Jen. Knock 'em dead.

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Er, maybe knock 'em alive?"

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His tail wagged and he shrugged.

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"You know." She wagged in response and smiled.

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"I do." She opened the door to her car and paused.

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"Goodbye, Deputy Williams.

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Williams." He raised a paw to his hat and tipped the brim.

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"Lieutenant Roberts. Ma'am.

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Drive safe, now." He stood there as she backed out,

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watching her. She pulled out to the intersection and turned left towards 9.

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It would take her back to Washington,

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and she wanted to go before she changed her mind.

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She caught a last glimpse of him as the road took her by the diner again.

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He'd be fine. She'd be fine.

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They'd be fine, just separately.

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It hurt, but they both knew it was for the best.

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Dan had his county to serve,

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and she had her country.

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This was “Going Home”

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by Crimson Ruari,

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read for you by Khaki,

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your faithful fireside companion.

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For more stories you can find us wherever you get your podcasts, or on the web at thevoice.dog.

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Thank you for listening

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to The Voice of Dog