Both ladies jumped at the sound of Felix's voice. For a moment Izzy and Felix just stared at each other without movement. Felicity broke the silence when she quickly took her cup to the sink. "I think I hear Gus calling from me." She gave Izzy one last glance full of empathy and nodded her head in an attempt to convey that the truth would set her free.

"Felix, I'm sorry for how I have been acting, and I know you must think I have lost my mind." Izzy's voice was so quiet that Felix had to move forward to hear her. He sat in the seat vacated by Felicity. Slowly he reached forward and placed his hand on hers.

"I don't care what the truth is Izzy. Your last letter said that you were heading over with the Red Cross (see the story For the Love of Izzy). What happened to you Iz? You don't have to tell me, and as I have said I don't care. But, I don't think we can move forward until you can get passed it." Felix's eyes were as moist with tears as Izzy's.

Izzy pulled her hand away as she turned to look out the window. She would tell him, but she couldn't watch him while he heard what she was going to say. "I made a good friend while I was in Boston. I think Miss Shirley would call her my bosom friend. Her name was Michelle Smith. We attended nursing school together. She had a sweetheart overseas and saw nursing school as a way to wait for him to return to her. Well, I talked so much about the Red Cross and wanting to help our men in Europe that she eventually wanted to go with me. Her family was NOT happy about her decision. Michelle said if Samuel was hurt somewhere in the field, she wanted him to have the care of a kind nurse. She felt it was her duty to do the same for someone else."

"Does this have anything to do with Samuel?"

"No, he was killed on the battlefield shortly before our camp was attacked. Michelle didn't even know yet." Izzy's eyes grew heavy with tears and she had to shake herself to keep speaking. "Michelle was killed in the mortar fire when my camp was destroyed. We had not been out of Boston two months, and she . . . she was gone. Several were killed, but she was the only one I knew well. She was like the sister I never had. Michelle didn't have a sister either and felt the same way."

Izzy had tears flowing freely now. Felix stood up and quickly walked to where she stood. He attempted to stop the tears with his hand, but she pulled away. Izzy wiped them with her own handkerchief. She then resumed her seat at the table and pointed to the other seat. Felix read the signal and sat back down. She at least owed him the story without tears. She continued in a stronger voice. "This is about Dr. Michael Smith, who is in Halifax. He is the physician from the States that Dr. Snow wanted you to visit as soon as possible."

Felix looked a little confused over the connection. "He is from Boston also."

"He is Michelle Smith's brother, her twin brother, and he followed me here after her death." Felix suddenly realizes that Dr. Smith may be the reason Izzy has not wanted to resume her relationship with him.