New York City, New York
November 1945
Lydia Martin, formerly Ryland, looked down in concern at her six year old daughter, whom she had just tucked into bed.
"Mary," Lydia asked her troubled child, "Is there something that's bothering you?"
Mary looked down at her bedspread before asking – uncharacteristically hesitant, "Are you sure that Dad is on his way home from London and the war?"
"Of course I am," Lydia stated firmly, not a little surprised. "Why, I received another telegram from him just yesterday and I know that I read it to you and Grandma Samantha." Lydia's eyes narrowed with suspicion as she asked Mary, "Why do you ask?"
Mary fidgeted, eyes downcast again before she blurted out, "At school earlier today, Tommy Caldwell told me that it was all a big lie that the adults had come up with and that none of the soldiers were ever going to come home."
Lydia's breath caught momentarily in her throat as she slid down to sit on the edge of Mary's bed. "You must understand something, Mary. Tommy's father died in the war last year while he was fighting in Germany."
"I know that." Mary broke in on her mother's explanation.
"Yes, and Tommy must miss him very much. It must hurt to start seeing all of these fathers come back home while Tommy knows that his own father will never return. Don't you think so?"
"Yes," Mary nodded her head before her brown eyes darkened. "But it was still mean of him to say. I don't like him anymore."
"It was mean, you're right about that, but I thought that you and Tommy were good friends."
"We were, but we can't be anymore because he's been so mean since Mr. Caldwell died. We'll never ever be friends again, because I'll never ever like him again and I'll never ever speak to him."
"'Never ever' is a very long time." Lydia mused.
Mary shrugged. "Too bad."
"I see." Lydia leaned forward and placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead. Deciding to let Mary work this one out on her own time and terms, Lydia stood and took her leave. "Sleep well, sweetheart. I love you."
"I love you, too, Mama."
Lydia shut the bedroom door and – caught between a frown and a smile – went in search of her own mother, Samantha. Finding her in a living room recliner, Lydia curled up on the sofa.
"Well," Lydia informed Samantha. "It would appear that Mary has had a falling out with poor Tommy Caldwell."
"Oh?" Samantha looked up from her book. "What caused that?"
Lydia relayed to Samantha what Mary had told her, ending with, "She says she'll 'never ever' speak to him again."
Samantha smiled at that. "Well, I guess that we both know how that story's going to end, now don't we?"
Lydia grinned while shaking her head. "Maybe, but that cycle has got to end at some point, don't you think?"
Samantha just shrugged.
"Well, when do you think that it'll end?"
Samantha raised her eyebrows. "My best guess? Never ever."
The final one-shot in what has apparently decided to become a trilogy - sequel to "Never" and "Never Again." Now I really need to try and post again on my Criminal Minds/iCarly crossover, "When Things Happen." Please review this one-shot and make my day! Thanks a lot!:)