If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you best teach it to dance. (George Bernard Shaw)

Penny cried herself to sleep that night and prayed for the first time since Tommy told her he would never get to Heaven. She cried and prayed every night. Keep him safe, Lord, she pleaded night after night. She couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, all she could do was read and pray. She found solace in these activities because maybe, just maybe, Tommy was reading the same book on the other side of the world. She would sit by the fence and read to him and sometimes she convinced herself he was there. She would close her eyes at night and pray because maybe, just maybe, God would be merciful and keep Tommy safe.

Tommy was not having a conventional tour. Tommy and his brothers went to lavish bars and restaurants and hotels, lots of hotels, and they would drink to excess, actually they did most everything to excess.

Vincent became the youngest General in American history. 

After not too long Ricky, Tommy, and Tony slept in a quarters fit for a king. Rider didn’t opt for the special treatment. 

Tommy and Tony would lay awake at night and talk. Tommy was warming up to Tony, though he was too much like Ricky. While they talked, Ricky slept. He slept as sound as if he were at home in his warm safe bed. They were safe, more or less, but at night they could still hear the shots ringing out. There were a million reminders like that telling them they were at war. Ricky slept.

They sent coffins home.