“Worked a double. I need money for college. I’ve been taking classes over at Dutchess Community College, and I just got my GED at the end of the summer.”

That was one of the first things to cheer me up all day. I said, “That’s great. Any idea what you want to study?”

She just shrugged her shoulders, and we stared at each other for a few seconds. Finally Mabel said, “It’s not easy, is it?”

“What?”

“Life.”

“Not always.”

She put her chin on her hands and it made her cute face seem even younger. “You really wanted to be a SEAL, huh?”

“I dreamed about it as a kid. I practiced for it. I did it all. Ran, studied karate, pull-ups, push-ups, anything I thought would get me ready. I even became a history buff because I read that all great soldiers were students of history.”

“What happened?”

“I underestimated my ability to do a basic and simple skill.”

“What’s that?”

“I couldn’t swim well enough.”

“You didn’t know that before you applied?”

“I thought I just needed more practice. And I did get better, but not good enough. I was right at the top of the class, that’s why they cut me a break about my swimming ability at first. Ultimately it wasn’t meant to be. And I nearly drowned in the Pacific. It’s deeper than you think.”

Mabel laughed at that and her smile changed the whole room. It made me smile for the first time in two days.

She said, “So you could shoot and fight, but not swim.”

“Basically. Now I just try to do my part in other ways.”

“Like the PI stuff?”

“Sometimes.”

“You don’t ever feel bitter about the SEALs?”

I forced a smile. “I don’t think the Navy would want that. Life’s too short to waste it on regret.”

She reached across and placed her hand on my forearm. “You’re a good egg, Mitchum.”

I put my hand over hers and said, “So are you. Now let’s both go and get some rest.”

I gave her a ride to the double-wide trailer that used to belong to her mother and refused an invitation inside. Right now all I needed was to lie down with Bart for a few hours and sleep as best I could.

Chapter 12

Chapter 12