Chapter 53

The soldiers marched past and there were flags with gold stars on them, and the bands played, “When you come back--and you will come back,--there’s a whole world waiting for you.” But the only war songs she had ever heard any returned soldier sing were “Mademoiselle from Armentieres,” and “Hinky-Dinky-Parley-Vous.” Other people besides returned soldiers sang those too. Steve used to sing them, in the shower bath. She wished Steve were not dead. Damn it, she wished he were here. He might call the child a bastard, he…