Chris was the most painful to watch. He struggled with it physically and emotionally. Chris was a marine’s marine. He was broad shouldered, muscular and fearless. He would do anything that needed to get done to accomplish the mission and he would just as quickly help a friend. I felt like I had let him down the most. Chris insisted that wasn’t the case, that I had saved his life. It didn’t feel like it. His life as he knew it was over. He wouldn’t be a marine and now he had to use his strength to make up for the damage of his left arm and left leg. He had to learn to walk again, and how to distribute his weight to carry things. He had to explain to his kids why he looked like a robot with all the braces and splints. It broke my heart over and over again. I decided I needed to get out of here.
“Doctors, if you don’t need me any longer, I need to head out.”
Dr. Klaus looked at me with worry.
“Of course,” Dr. Carr said extending his hand. “Thank you for coming today.”
“No, thank you for taking the time to listen to our ideas. I’m sure we’ll be talking soon.” I forced a smile.
“Yes.” He nodded.
“Dr. Klaus I’ll talk to you in a day or so?” I said as we shook hands.
“Yes, of course.” Dr. Klaus looked as if he wanted to ask if I was okay, but I turned away before he could. I took out my phone and called Eddie.
“It’s time to go.” I spoke into the phone.
“Yes ma’am.”
I made my way back to the main entrance where Eddie was waiting for me.
He studied my face as he opened the door to the car for me.
“Everything alright?” He read the look on my face.
“Yes.” I lied. I didn’t want to talk about it. I slid into the back seat sinking into the cool soft leather. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. I heard the driver’s door close and felt the car start to move. Thankfully Eddie didn’t press the issue by asking more questions. I just needed some time to relax and clear my head. I dozed off on the way back to the hotel.
“You sure you’re alright? Eddie finally asked as we got on the elevator to our rooms.
“I have a terrible headache so I’m going to lay down. Maybe have a massage or something later. I won’t feel much like going out, so you take the rest of the day off and go enjoy the city.” I said taking out the keycard for the room and not waiting for a response.
“Okay, feel better.” I heard Eddie say as I closed the door behind me. I was grateful he hadn’t argued. I headed for the bathroom and the soaking tub. Then I called for a bottle of wine to be delivered and a fruit and cheese plate. I needed to relax. If this didn’t work, then it would be time to take drastic measures and call for a massage.
I greeted the room service attendant with my wine in the fluffy bathrobe the hotel provided. It was luxuriously soft, and I had half a mind to just stay curled up inside of it the rest of the day.
I double locked the door. I took the wine bottle to the tub with me. After turning on my favorite chill music station I sunk down with just my head and shoulders above the water letting the bath salts help to relax my muscles. I took a sip of wine and closed my eyes. Yes, this is exactly what I needed.
The water started to chill and not wanting to ruin a good afternoon with cold bath water I got out and dried off. I had only had one and half glasses of wine and I was feeling better already. I put the robe back on and carrying the bottle of wine and the glass I padded back out to the sitting area of my room.
I sat looking out the window at the city and drank the rest of the wine in the glass. It was dusk and lights were starting to pop on outside.
My cell phone rang. I looked down and didn’t recognize the number of a DC area code.
“Kay Dandridge.”
“Kay? This is Mac.”
I paused for a moment.
“Jim McIntyre, we met at the poker game.”
“Of course, I’m sorry it’s been a long day.”
“Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No, not at all, just watching the sunset from my hotel room window.”
“That sounds….”
“Sad?” I laughed a little.
“I was going to say calming.”
“Oh well, that too.” There was a pause in the conversation, and I had to wonder why he had called. I assumed my grandfather had given him my number. “Was there something you wanted to talk about?” I asked.
“Uh, well. I was just wondering if you’d had dinner yet?”
“No, I haven’t.” Now that he mentioned it, I was starved as the fruit and cheese hadn’t really been very filling.
“Would you like to have dinner with me?”
He sounded like he wasn’t very practiced at dating. Neither was I. I wondered why he had chosen to ask me. Was it something my grandfather had asked him to do?
“That sounds nice so what did you have in mind?”
“Nothing fancy if that is okay.”
“That is more than okay. I’d love nothing more than a place I could wear my jeans and sneakers.” I laughed.
“You got it. Shall I pick you up in an hour?”
“An hour would be fine. I’m staying at the Marriott in D.C.”
“Got it.”
“Okay see you soon.” I smiled to myself.
In an hour it would be close to nine o’clock. Mac must be a night owl like myself. I smiled. This could be fun. The trouble was Eddie. I changed into jeans, my white sneakers and an oversized shirt. I put on
