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“Really?” Rainy asks her, peering with the special intensity of the inebriated “That doesn’t bother you?”

“Maybe a little,” Frangie et used to it”

“You shouldn’t,” Rio says “You shouldn’t get used to it”

“You sound likeextremely uncomfortable

And yet, isn’t she right?

Isn’t Harder right too?

Rio raises her glass “Here’s to not getting used to bullshit”

For the first ti smile, but it’s her happiest expression yet “Well, Corporal Richlin, you anization if you don’t like bullshit, because as far as I can tell the US Army runs on a full tank of bullshit”

Rio reveals her slow-building but still sweet and rather aainst Rainy’s, and says, “I do believe you are correct”

“Although,” Rainy says in a more somber tone, “that doesn’t apply to the GIs” She takes several quick breaths, steadying herself “Saved o on Rainy shakes her head, dashes away tears, and says, “I best hit the sack Alcohol makes me weepy”

They let her go, secretly relieved to let her carry her pain and rage off to bed

“Just let hts soerness that scare Frangie Then, switching gears entirely, Rio says, “But she’s not wrong, is she? About what they’ll have h heels Pity Jenou—you met her—Jenou would probably love it”

“Jenou She’s the blonde with thethe figure?”

That gets a laugh “The figure I’ to tell her you said that, she’ll love it Yeah, that’s Jenou Although” Rio frowns “I guess the truth is, she’s pretty ed a lot”

“And you haven’t?”