I could bring the children home and say to Johanna, “I have time, now I have time, and so I have to head out again.” And so I did. The children happily jumped around in the living room, Michael glowing with excitement and love for Roy Rogers, and his partner, Eva, continued to chatter on about the little white bunny. Tea was prepared for the chatterboxes, the two of them pouncing on their slices of bread, but I said thank you and excused myself. Johanna was completely taken aback, yet she said nothing; she never stood in my way. I ran back to Shepherd’s Field, this certainly being the last hour of unhappiness. When I saw Fortunata’s wagon, the door was closed. Someone must have been finding happiness inside. I could wait. The goings-on around me pressed on, rumbling with loud merriment; it didn’t bother me. The final day of tribulation could not last much longer, an early evening setting in with its gloom. That didn’t bother me, because my needs were ready to be filled by Fortunata.
