Less than a year later, at Christmas dinner, she announced plans to enlist in the Navy. Her brothers were stunned. They got up from the table and slapped her back, grabbed her, squeezed. Drinks were spilled and it didn’t matter. Mom cried. Gramma Savannah cried. Dad expected the news, but he cried, too.
Julian cried, though she didn’t know why.
They had perch for supper that night. Julian remembered this because she and her brothers celebrated her new military status in the secrecy of her bedroom, drinking Peppermint Schnapps from a metal flask. Julian threw up, lied that it was merely from the excitement, but—as if it were the fault of the fish—vowed never to eat perch again as long as she lived.
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