A WHISPER OF ETERNIT

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When the movie was over, she went into the bathroom and turned on the tap in the bathtub. She felt a shiver of unease when she looked out the bathroom window and saw that it was dark out. Dominic would be stirring now. How long until he discovered she wasn't home? How long before he realized she wasn't coming back?

She put her hair into a ponytail, tossed her clothes on the floor, and stepped into the tub. Lying back, with her eyes closed, she let her mind drift.

She tried to blink back her tears as she smoothed the collar of her son's uniform. He was so young, barely sixteen.

He smiled at her and for a moment it wasn't her grown son looking at her, but the little boy he had once been. "How do I look, Ma?"

"Mighty handsome."She stroked his cheek."Mighty handsome. Promise me you'll be careful."
"Ma…"

"Promise me, Jacob. Indulge your poor old mother."

"I'll be careful, Ma, don't worry. We'll whip those Yanks in a week, you'll see."" She could hear the eagerness in his voice, see it in his eyes. "I've gotta go, Ma. Tom's waiting."

Tom Myles was Jacob's best friend. They had grown up together, played together. It was only fitting that they would go off to war together.

She followed him out onto the verandah, blinked back her tears as he mounted his grandfather's horse. "Make us proud, son," his grandfather said, handing Jacob the reins.

"I will, Gramps."

Charles shook hands with his grandson and withTom, then climbed the steps to stand beside her, one arm draped across her shoulders.

Forcing a smile, she waved to her son, unable to shake the awful foreboding that she would never see him again this side of heaven.

They stood there until the boys were out of sight, then Charles went inside, leaving her to stand there alone, her heart breaking.

Dominic came to her that night. Knowing that there were no words that would comfort her, he took her into his arms and held her close, one hand stroking her hair. The tears came then, flooding her eyes, soaking his ruffled shirt front. She cried until she felt hollow inside, until there were no tears left.

"Libby, come away with me,"he said. "We can go north. You'll be safe there, with me ."

She shook her head. "I can't. I have to be here when…"She swallowed hard. "I have to be here when Jacob comes home ."