Suddenly, the alarm goes off, flashing 7:00 and Death Cab for Cutie is once again strumming out a soft ballad on the guitar and singing to his "love o...f mine." I can't help but gasp and a burning clench down in my abdomen."You like this song?"I nod wordlessly. He's frowning."My wife did too."Did. He said 'did.' What does that mean?Oh! Oh, no! It suddenly all clicks in my head—he's a widow. That explains the sad eyes, the faint white ring where a wedding band once sat, and 'did'. It makes sense. He had not intended to take on a full student like he did with me, but he says that he saw potential in me. I felt so honored and felt like my skills really blossomed under his guidance. Demetrius kept pushing for details about the nights with the young captain but I could never tell him anything. It had been over half a year since he took me under his wing and in that time he had made no advance. Not that I was complaining or anything, the thoughts of sleeping with the captain terrified me.. “Thanks, lass, but ‘hundreds of people’ good?”“Sure!”“We can do better,” I said. “Anyway, even if Gwen and Colin can’t be there all the time, we definitely are there all the time.”“Let’s get to work as soon as we get home,” Muireann said.“I need to make a few calls, but yeah,” I agreed.“You guys are so lucky,” Alice pouted.“Lucky, or crazy,” Lara replied, laughing.“Oh, it’s going to be a blast and you know it. Do you need, like, a tambourine player?” she asked, her voice full of hope.“Um .... She was facing the mirror, saw that her chin was high, proud, her body firm but relaxed. She toyed with the crown of her bare white breast while waiting for Brian to come in.She heard him in the kitchen. She turned that way sipping her drink. He appeared in the doorway.He looked haggard, she thought. He had dark circles under his eyes, as though he had not slept well last night. He gazed flatly at her, scanning her costume.He demanded, "Why are you wearing that?" Because I like it."He scowled..