Chapter 58

He was flipping pages in the book, skimming letters, but obviously looking for several names in particular.

“The odds are no doubt stacked against us,” I said. “No way are we going to find—”

“Jackie!” Goose nudged me. “From Jose to Jackie. Jackie, I love you. I have since we were sixteen. We had to keep it secret, but now, I want to tell the world. I want to tell the universe, even if I can’t tell you. You know, though. You know. I want to marry you. When this is over, I want to start my life with you, the two of us, back in Colorado.”

“Our Jackie,” I said.

“Seems like.”

“If you feel the same way, let’s stand up and say it in front of strangers on the street, people we know, our military commanders and politicians, the one’s who’ll be happy for us and the ones who won’t.”

“Don’t ask. Don’t tell. I wonder if he’s referencing that.”

“Would have been around the right time,” Goose said with a sigh. “I told.”