Erin was sitting on her cot with Darlene beside her, who was sipping a beer she had gotten from the officer's club.

"Quite a way to spend New Years, huh? I bet back in Mill Valley you and your folks had a hell of a time celebrating New Years," Darlene said.

Erin glanced at her wristwatch, "Yeah, back in Mill Valley my mom and dad would take me down to the beach and we'd watch the New Years fireworks be set off."

"Sounds like fun."

Erin nodded. "Where were you from again? Britton?"

"Yeah. Every year my Aunt Teresa and Uncle James would make a big batch of hot cocoa and we'd sit around the old grandfather clock and play board games all night, until it struck twelve."

"It must be nice being able to cozy up with your folks on New Years, in Mill Valley it hardly ever gets cold." Erin checked her watch once more. "You said you celebrated with your aunt and uncle?"

"Yeah," she replied taking another swig from the bottle.

"Did you and your parents always go to visit them on holidays?"

Darlene shook her head, "No, I lived with them."

"...oh. Where, may I ask, were your folks?"

"They had gotten a divorce when I was six, and my mother left me with them up in Michigan after we finished moving out of our old home."

"You ever get to see your parents?"

"No. And I never want to."

Erin watched Darlene as she sat the now empty beer bottle on the table. "What happened?"

She shrugged limply, not completely sober. "Dad wasn't exactly a loving father and husband, he eventually went to jail, and I find myself moving from Florida to Michigan."

Erin nodded, feeling she shouldn't pry any further. "Well, you can forget that tonight, we'll be celebrating New Years together."

Darlene stood up. "We can celebrate by heading back to the club, and you could buy me another beer," she smirked, "or maybe something a little stronger."

Erin sat up from her bunk and looked at her wristwatch for the last time. "Looks like we got one minute to get there."

"Or what, we'll turn into pumpkins?"

"No before it's officially 1970," Erin stood up and began to make her way to the door, "drinks are on me."