Dedication

Dedication

Dedication

This novel is dedicated to three people who touched my life and opened my eyes.

Dara Dara.
Scorpio girl. Beautiful punk. Phoenix rising. Lover of all things Patti Smith, Marianne Faithfull and Jeff Buckley.
I know that saying I'm sorry doesn't help.
But know that the years have come and gone and finally I understand what I did to you.
Dara, if you're out there and you're reading this, please know that I cannot explain what I did or try to say it wasn't my fault. This story began as an apology to you. You are strong, beautiful and kind, and I deliberately hurt you. I took something from you that was not mine and for that, I can only hope that someday I might to look into your eyes, apologize for my actions and ask your forgiveness. Please accept Grace as the first step on that path. Love, B.

Elise Rivet Elise Rivet of Draria, Algeria, Mother Superior of Notre Dame de Compassion.
January 19, 1890 – March 30, 1945
Died in the Ravensbrück concentration camp, volunteering to replace a mother in the gas chamber.
Elise Rivet, Mère Elisabeth dans la vie religieuse, a caché des réfugiés, mais aussi des armes, des munitions, du ravitaillement dans les caes de son couvent. A la suite d'une dénonciation, Elise fut déportée à Ravensbrück où elle donna sa vie aux autres. Elle est un exemple de courage, de détermination, de foi en Dieu, en l'avenir ; car la résistance est aussi une résistance morale.

Robert Norman Smith Robert Norman Smith of Trucksville, PA.
September 20, 1926 - ?
Missing in action since August 19, 1969 when his plane flew over Quang Binh province of Vietnam and disappeared while on a photo reconnaissance mission just north of the Demilitarized Zone.
Smith's aircraft made one run over the target, and then he and the other aircraft separated and were supposed to rendezvous for a second run. Smith never returned for the second run, and contact was never established with Smith or his backseater. It was never determined whether Smith's aircraft was shot down or crashed because of a malfunction. However, the area in which they were last seen, about 5 miles east of the city of Vinh Linh in Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam, was relatively heavily defended. The U.S. believes there is a high degree of probability that the enemy knew what happened to Smith and Flanigan.