Chapter Four
Without Lydia
When June came, Lydia couldnt come home for our birthday. Shed been called into the field right after her two years of classes were overher first tour as a government nurse. She was needed in Turkey where the hospitals were overcrowded with patients, victims of the last earthquake, a flood and a US military invasion. There was much to do and no time to spare for home visits. When she called to break the news, I heard the strain in her voice, though I didnt dare mention that to her. I couldnt come back with anything less than a cheery send off, even though my heart suddenly felt as if it had been strung across a barbed wire fence.
Youll get to see the world, huh? What youve always wanted.
Yes, Im excited. Excited, maybe, but I could hear the fear.
