Survival Of The Fittest

62

I ended up telling Robin a version that left her shocked, but relieved, eventually able to sleep again.

My sleep was another matter but after two weeks, I was starting to settle down.

I'd never forget any of it, knew I had to get back on a routine.

Taking referrals, seeing kids, writing reports. Feed the fish, walk the dog.

Thinking about Helena, from time to time. The things she'd never know… sometimes ignorance was bliss.

Thinking about Daniel, too. What had happened to him?

I filled the hours. Doing the usual things because I could.

The small white envelope that arrived on a sunny Tuesday was punctuation of sorts.

No stamp, no postmark, stuck right in the middle of the day's delivery.

Post-office oversight, if you believed that.

Embossed Hallmark trademark on the back flap.

Inside was no card, just a photograph.

Daniel, along with a pretty, slender woman around his age. He wore a white shirt, dark slacks, sandals, and she had on a loose blue dress and sandals. Several inches shorter than he was, with curly blond hair. Her arm in his.

Flanking them, three children.

A gorgeous, dark-skinned but fair-haired girl of college age wearing an olive-drab Army uniform, and two little black-haired boys in T-shirts and shorts and yarmulkes. The older boy grinned mischievously but the younger one looked serious, a clone of Daniel. Daniel and the woman and the girl all smiled evenly. The girl had Daniel's features, her mother's hair.

Stone wall behind them. Big, rough, golden stones.

Nothing else.

On the back was a typed address:

PINSKER STREET, JERUSALEM, ISRAEL.

Below that:

NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM? YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE.

My service phoned. “A Mr. Brooker, Dr. Delaware.”

“I'll take it.”

“Doctor? My name is Gene Brooker and I'm-”

“I know who you are, Captain. We… encountered each other briefly.”

“Did we? Anyway, the reason I'm calling is to deliver a message, Doctor. From a mutual friend. He sent you something and wanted to know if you received it.”

“I did. Just now, as a matter of fact. Perfect timing.”

Silence. “Good. He said to tell you he's fine. Thought you might be wondering.”

“I was. Thoughtful of him.”

“Yes,” he said. “He's always been thoughtful.”