pools of sorrow waves of joy

"What did you do?" Xander looked Josh over as if he'd spent his week in prison. All he needed was an orange jump suit.

Josh was a little frail. Perhaps shell shocked, but it was time to work and he was ready.

"Oh, Minnie gave me a haircut." That was all he wanted to say. After all, it was all so grim.

Yes, there was a part of his life he was leaving on the kitchen floor... like his hair that Minnie swept up. But he hadn't shaved. It was true, things were different now.

Josh did his best to give Xander a quick smile. It was best to keep upbeat. No need to share it with Xander.

"I guess, Minnie.." Josh slightly sighed. A part of him didn't want to admit he needed her. That would be too easy and things had not been easy in a very long time. Yet, she was a comfort..when he needed her most. "We." Yes, WE. It was true, they were together now. And he knew he shouldn't be happy about it, under the circumstances. "We need to find a new place to live."

All that hard work, making a house a home seemed an eternity..and he guessed it was all for nothing.

"What?"

"I don't think we should live on base..since..well." He didn't want to say it.  "I signed the divorce papers." He didn't want to say Tina's name. "And..and I have full custody."

Josh guessed things would be different, once Tina was state side, but she was still overseas. He guessed she would be, for quite sometime.

"But-" He knew Xander hated to dire straits. Xander patted him on the back. "Looks like, you could stay there, at least a little while." After all, his daughter was a military dependent.

"It's OK-" He started as the alarm went off. Suddenly, another world came to be. It was time to stop talking and get busy.