“Because I have too,” said Rosita.  Pulling away and using her thumb to wipe away Carmen’s tears.  “Will you be ok here?  Alone?”

            Carmen nodded, Rosita the noble, always thinking of someone other than herself.  It would never change, “I think so, but can I stay?”

            “Of course, silly girl,” laughed Rosita.  “Ya familia, and that will never change.  I had some papers drawn up…”

            “Papers?  What are you talking…,” began Carmen, then realized what Rosita was talking about.  “No, don’t, it’s bad karma, Rosita tear them up!”

            “No, trust me, this is what I want.  You just have to get Mel to take care of it before noon tomorrow.  Hey…,” yelled Rosita as Carmen walked away from her.  “Listen to me; if something happens to me, I want you to be taken care of.”

            “I don’t need taking care of, I want you to come home safe,” berated Carmen, stomping her foot on the old linoleum floor. 

            “I will… the papers on the table, have Mel notarize them for you, then file them, ok?”  Rosita moved to her bedroom on quick feet, “I have to get going, I have a flight out for Texas in five hours.”

            “Texas?  No, you can’t leave now, come on, Rosita,” said Carmen, stomping off after Rosita.  “Stay, wait, don’t do this now…”

            “Don’t try and stop me,” began Rosita.

            “What about Alice?  What about the Center and the law job, and… you’re life…”

            “Hey, I’m not dying.  I’ll be back,” smiled Rosita.  She’d made it back once, she’d do it again. 

            Carmen paced around as Rosita pulled her things from her closet, throwing things on her bed and fishing for her boots, finding them and putting them on the floor next to her bed.  Going about for the next fifteen minutes, packing, getting things she wanted and needed. 

            “I’ll leave the car at the airport, pick it up in the morning?” asked Rosita.

            “I’m going with you,” said Carmen steadfastly.

            “No.”

            “Why not?”

            “Because I don’t wanna do the teary goodbye, ok?  Get to bed, and in the morning, tell Alice, just….  Just tell her I’ll be back,” said Rosita softly, leaving the room quietly and Carmen threw herself on Rosita’s bed, pulling her pillow to her and curling up there, trying not to cry.

Calling back retired or discharged personnel does happen.  Or if you are in the reserve, you can be called at anytime.  So, it’s very likely that someone can get called, and even if you are in school, they pull you back in right at the end of the terms.  “You’re not in school now, back to basic and off you go.  It happens…  all to often…”