The year was nineteen forty six. br A somber faced br and moist-of-eye br dear uncle br revealed the truth, br only to one, br his wife. br They'd married br the year before br when he returned br one morning, br filthy, br from the Russian Front. br He'd brought br a Samovar, br used in the field br for Borscht br and br plain potato soup. br br So happy br to be home br and watch the belly br of his wife br grow quickly, br as on command. br Those times were hard br but happy, br one could taste br the spirit of br humanity br in every brick br and stone br pulled from the ruins, br saved from the rubble. br They spent br their stashes for br black market bread br and yellow butter. br The Doc had said br to eat more, br for his cough. br ' It is the vitamins, br the A and D, br and get a lot of sun br to kill the bugs.' br br There was br so little sun br and hardly br any butter, br though. br br His cough got worse, br he started to, br as if by accident br cough by himself, br in total privacy. br Until that day br when she had seen br the sputum, br all foamy red. br br She sold her ring, br the one they'd br baptised br 'I Thee Wed', br to have enough br to pay the Doc. br They saw him br on that Saturday, br he was sooo busy- br through shredded tubes br his stethoscope detected br a 'slight improvement' br in his condition. br br ' Plenty of butter br and sunshine, daily, br it is the A and D, br the best of luck br to both of you.' br br She rose before him br the next morning. br On that Sunday br the birds were silent, br and he slept in br to never wake again. br br There had not been br enough of anything, br and the TB, br with utmost cruelty br had claimed br another soldier. br br And, on a sunny day br in early May br a little girl was born. br She'll always wear br a locket with his photo br near her heart.