Lined With Silver

by Roseanne Evans Wilkins

  When they stepped into the lobby, he stopped and pulled her to him. She laid her head on his chest while he cupped one of his warm hands around her frozen ear. He held her a moment, then stepped back. “That isn’t exactly how I planned to end the day.” His crooked smile was distracting.

  She managed an answering smile through her confused thoughts. “We survived. What are we going to do about the car?”

  “The weather report was better for tomorrow. It’s supposed to get up near 40°, so I think we can take a taxi and pick it up. I doubt there are any tow trucks picking up stray cars tonight. They’ll be plenty busy with accidents.”

  He steered her toward the elevator banks. “Even though your chattering has stopped, I think you should go take a hot bath. I’ll order some hot chocolate. We can have it in my room, if that’s okay?” The last was tacked on as an afterthought, but she felt like she was walking through a fog. It was more than the icy walk. She wanted some time to examine her intense feelings.

  At his mention of hot chocolate, she stepped back into the moment. “I’m not really hungry, but something hot sounds good.”

  He nodded as he pressed the eighth floor elevator button. As the doors closed, she closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. An almost overwhelming desire for his touch had flooded her, and she could hardly walk down the hall when the door opened. She was glad he couldn’t read her thoughts. She was afraid he’d run like mad if he could. As she stepped into her room and shut the door, she whispered “temporary” through gritted teeth. And then the tears started.

  Chapter Six, Changing of the Guard

  After a hot shower, Sondra felt much better. She hoped her red, puffy eyes would be attributed to the drying wind.

  Wrapped in her long pajamas and a fluffy robe, she didn’t want to be seen wandering the halls, so she opened the door between their rooms. To her surprise, another door was on the other side. At her quiet knock, Zack opened it immediately, as if he had been anticipating her choice.

  He glanced over her attire. “Sensible.” He approved.

  Sondra could feel the color steal up her face. She couldn’t seem to be around him without some kind of physical manifestation of her feelings. She kept her eyes lowered and hoped he wouldn’t see the evidence of recent tears.

  He reached out and gently lifted her chin. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, not trusting her voice.

  He reached to stroke her still-wet hair. “Storms don’t usually get this cold here. This is unusual.” He ran a finger over her flushed cheek. “After last night’s terror, this was a bit much, wasn’t it?”

  Tears threatened to flow again, but Sondra bit the inside of her lip and steadied herself. She’d practiced law for too many years to let her control slip away. She took a breath to compose herself. “A little cold around the edges, but the shower helped. Has the chocolate arrived?” She hoped the mention of food would distract him from his too-close perusal.

  “I was putting it on the table when you knocked.” He turned to indicate the covered dishes behind him. “Shall we?”

  The tray included large chocolate-dipped strawberries, some white and some dark. Even though she hadn’t felt hungry, they were a temptation she couldn’t resist.

  He dabbed at her chin with a napkin.

  Sondra giggled. “Sorry. These strawberries are messy.” She rolled her eyes in appreciation. “But oh, so good.”

  “I thought you might like them. They were Mom’s favorite.”

  She swallowed a bite. “Did you come here with her?”

  “This was a frequent spot for our family vacations.” He glanced around the room.

  “This hotel?”

  “This room.” He indicated the connecting door. “We usually kept the doors open. Jade and I would watch TV in your room when Mom and Dad wanted some privacy.”

  Sondra blinked. “Ummm. Uh. That’s… nice.” So they were spending their honeymoon in a place Zack’s family had vacationed in. She didn’t know if she should be shocked or flattered. Shocked he would want her in his private family space or flattered he wanted to share it with her. She knew so little about this man who was her husband.

  Would their marriage even last long enough for her to figure him out? Did anyone ever really know their spouse? Her work as an attorney made her believe most relationships were built on the beliefs of each participant. She had to remind herself she was seeing broken relationships, not healthy ones.

  After that exchange, they ate in companionable silence with Sondra managing to keep her unruly thoughts in check. She pushed back from the table when they finished. “I’m really tired. Jet lag is catching up with me. What time did you want to meet?”

  “Same as this morning—around 7:30. Is that alright?”

  “That will work fine.” She scurried into her room, locking the connecting door behind her. She leaned against it a moment, her breath coming in dry sobs. This was close enough to her youthful dreams to catch the moment but far enough to make it an unreachable gulf. How was she going to keep her feelings in check during their short marriage? His father might die tomorrow, but the process of the embryo implant and then delivery would take months, and part of the unwritten agreement was to stay married until the baby was born.

  As she thought about the months of keeping her emotions under tight wrap, she let them loose. She buried herself in her pillow and cried herself to sleep.

  * * *

  When the alarm rang at 6:30, she had managed to get enough sleep to feel semi-rested and able to tackle the day. She rolled out of bed and looked out the window. Even through the pre-dawn darkness, she could see the sky was clear. Zack’s weather report seemed to be accurate. Hopefully, they’d be able to get the car unlocked. She didn’t want to have it towed to the rental agency.

  They had breakfast in her room again, Zack opting to go through the connecting doors as well. He looked as good in jeans and a polo as he had in his immaculate suits.

  She doubted he’d spent half the night stewing over their marriage like she had.

  After they finished, he asked, “What’s the plan for the day?”

  “I want to tour the National Mall and then watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”

  “That happens every hour throughout the day, so we’ll have to make sure we get there at the half hour. They like the audience to be settled well before the ceremony begins.”

  “I hear they take it seriously.”

  “Very. It’s an honor to serve, and a lot of the ceremony is symbolic, so it will seem strange and ritualistic, but it has deep meaning for all the soldiers who serve.” He paused and swallowed hard, and she suspected he was fighting tears. “We’ve all shared the fear of dying without closure. It’s hard enough having friends die. Knowing there are fallen soldiers who can’t be identified—”

  Hesitantly, Sondra reached over to touch his arm, offering some silent comfort.

  He focused and looked at her. “At least I have the comfort of knowing I will see them again. Not all my buddies share our beliefs.” He coughed to hide his emotion and then changed the subject. “So on to the National Mall?”

  “Yes.” She grabbed her purse, gloves that had dried in the night, her camera, and her coat. “Let’s go.”

  The day was as warm as Zack had promised. Sondra sat in the taxi while he unlocked the car. The heat of the day had thawed out the locks. In a few short minutes, he found a parking stall close to the National Mall.

  The wind had died and they were able to stroll through the shoveled walks in relative comfort.

  They spent the next couple of hours walking around the National Mall and taking pictures. The Washington Monument was closed for upgrades, but there were enough monuments to explore that Sondra only felt a momentary twinge of regret.

  As she approached the Vietnam Memorial, she felt a surge of fear from her previous experience, but the winter sunlight was enough to show there were no muggers hidden in the trees. Inst
ead, there were milling tourists as intent on their explorations of the monuments as they were.

  When they walked around the Memorial, Sondra was saddened by the number of names on the wall. “I didn’t realize how many had died.”

  “I don’t remember anyone talking about it in school. It’s hard to imagine that many families missing their sons, their brothers, their fathers.” Zack was scanning the names as he answered. He stopped and pointed at one. “That was my mother’s uncle. The story was that he died during a reconnaissance mission, but I don’t know the details.”

  Sondra leaned over to inspect the name. “I’m sorry for your family’s loss.” She rested her hand on his arm. “Thanks for your service and sacrifice.”

  He covered her hand with his. “It’s a sacrifice I think my family would make again. The cause of freedom is worthwhile, even if the folks back home don’t always agree.”

  Sondra met his eyes a moment and saw a hint of bitterness. The war in Afghanistan was about as popular as the Vietnam War had been in its day. There were too many politicians who were willing to put young American lives at risk, sending them to fight without giving them the tools to win. After spending a few more minutes at the Vietnam Memorial, they walked over to the Korean War Memorial.

  The main memorial was in the form of a triangle intersecting a circle. Black polished granite was sandblasted with the images of photographs taken during the war. Within the walled triangle were nineteen stainless steel statues in raingear. The dusting of snow on the metal made them seem almost alive.

  Sondra said, “It’s amazing how every soldier looks so different. And their uniforms look as different as the individual wearing it. How come each uniform is unique?”

  “Each soldier represents a different military branch.”

  “I can’t imagine how much time it must’ve taken to do all the research and then the crafting.” Sondra stopped next to one of the soldiers to inspect the details.

  “Frank Gaylord must’ve felt a great deal of passion for the subject, that’s for sure.” Zack agreed. They walked on and stopped at the reflecting pool. Carved in a granite slab in front of the reflecting pool was an inscription. It read “Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.” Sondra thought about Zack and his service in Afghanistan. The same thing could be said of him and those who served there.

  The granite wall behind the pool was carved with four simple words: “Freedom is Not Free.” They spent a few minutes in quiet contemplation at the pool and then strolled on to the WWII Memorial. Flags from each country involved in the conflict fluttered in the breeze.

  “When you see all the flags, it really puts into perspective how much of the world was at war then, doesn’t it?” Sondra indicated the flags with a slight wave.

  “It’s sobering, that’s for sure.”

  They moved to the Roosevelt Memorial, which dwarfed the War Memorials. As they walked through the opulent memorial, Sondra turned to Zack. “Doesn’t this seem out of place?”

  “What do you mean?”

  With her outstretched arm, she indicated the surrounding memorials. “Here are all these memorials dedicated to people who died for freedom in this land, and the biggest, most expensive memorial here celebrates socialism.”

  Zack shrugged. “It’s all based on congressional approval. There isn’t much anyone can do.”

  Sondra stared across the mall toward the Vietnam Wall, the names invisible from the distance but imprinted on her heart. “It feels wrong, Zack. Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I hope some future generation with more guts than we have will tear this memorial down and replace it with something that celebrates the freedom we enjoy, not the welfare state this monument clearly celebrates.”

  Sondra shuddered, then turned to Zack. “All this walking has made me hungry. I’d like to go eat and then watch the changing of the guard.”

  Zack reached for her hand as they headed to their car. The trip to the restaurant only took a few minutes. After they ate, they got back into the car and wound their way to the Arlington Cemetery.

  Thousands of white crosses across the hills blended in with the snow. Green wreaths placed at the base of each cross were topped with a bright red bow, the crimson a reminder of the season and the sacrifice of the veterans.

  After walking around parts of the cemetery and stopping at the Kennedy Memorial, they worked their way to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and sat quietly, immersed in their own thoughts.

  When they were asked to stand, Sondra was touched by the careful ritual performed by the soldiers. She was glad Zack had taken some time to explain the process. She wouldn’t have understood the significance of the ritual without his insight.

  They sat a few minutes after the ceremony was over. Sondra reached for Zack. “Thanks for coming with me today. It means a lot to have you here with me.”

  “It’s been a while since I’ve come to the monuments. I think coming here with my family was what made me decide to serve in the military.”

  “I’m grateful there are those who feel the way you do.” Her voice was fervent.

  He stood and led her to the car. She was hopelessly lost and was grateful he seemed to have a built-in compass.

  “Did you have anything else planned for your trip?” He asked after they were settled in the car.

  “I’ve neglected my shopping. I have a few Christmas presents to buy. Is there anything close?

  “I think I know a place you’ll like.” He drove a few miles and then stopped at a mall. They wandered, stopping occasionally to look at an interesting display. One stop was for a particularly garish display of Christmas items. When a short stuffed flannel Christmas tree broke out in a version of “Jingle Bell Rock,” Sondra giggled. “That’s just what I need. It would match my dancing Santa.”

  His brows rose in surprise, then he chuckled. “I didn’t picture you as the type to have a dancing Santa.”

  Sondra wrinkled her nose. “He’s a hula Santa. My parents brought him home for me during one of their trips to Hawaii.”

  “You didn’t get to go?”

  Sondra shook her head. “It was an anniversary trip. Their thirtieth, I think. No kids allowed.” She paused and then smiled at him. “I made up for it later, though. I went there on my mission.”

  “Ouch. Tough mission.” Zack’s eyes twinkled.

  “You’re just jealous.”

  “Not hardly. I liked my mission just fine. I served in Canada.”

  “Brrrr.” Sondra rubbed her arms as she faked a shiver. “I’ll take Hawaii any time.”

  Chapter Seven, Jingle Bell Rock

  While they were talking, Zack indicated he wanted to buy one of the trees. The clerk wrapped the tree in paper and put it in a bag proudly proclaiming The Christmas Shoppe.

  As they climbed into the car, Zack asked, “Was there anywhere you had in mind for dinner?”

  Sondra shook her head. “I’m at a disadvantage. I don’t know this area at all. You’ve done a great job picking so far. I’ll leave it up to you.”

  She watched the surrounding traffic for a few minutes and then turned to him. “I have to admit that if this trip has done anything for me, it’s to remind me how human I am. I’ve been almost invincible in the courtroom, but those thugs and the ice storm last night reminded me that I’m as human as anyone else.” She turned to the window again and sighed. “It was Nikki’s request, though, that reminded me first.” She turned back and caught his gaze. “I was a sister and a daughter before I was ever an attorney. Nikki reminded me how strong those ties are.”

  Zack nodded and stared back at the road. “Things like that remind us that we aren’t here for long. The family ties are the ones that matter. Your clients will come and go. The laws change. Family doesn’t.”

  He glanced at her, reached over to softly squeeze her fingers in a comforting gesture. “I believe the guys who were after you the other night were random.
You were in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He released her fingers to move the visor to block the setting sun’s glare. “DC isn’t a safe community. The area is crawling with criminals, and it doesn’t help that the whole area is declared a gun free zone. The criminals know there isn’t anything citizens can do, and the police are so busy investigating murders that they hardly even bother to investigate anything else.”

  Sondra shuddered. “I guess I didn’t really appreciate living in Utah until now.”

  “DC isn’t all of the East Coast. There are a lot of safe communities here.”

  “I’ll stick with Utah, thank you very much.”

  “And I’ll stick with San Jose.”

  As much as she understood their marriage was a temporary convenience for both of them, hearing him announce his intention to continue living as he always had was a clear reminder that this farce was never going to be anything else.

  She stared out the window and wished she’d never taken this unexpected trip to DC. Then she remembered Nikki and her problems and realized her own problems paled in comparison. She was donating a little over nine months to help her sister in her quest to add a child to her eternal family.

  The time would be over before she knew it, and Zack could go on to his software engineering and she would go on helping families break into pieces. The pride she felt in making sure her clients got their fair share in a family break up seemed vainly shallow. She wondered if he despised her for her career choice.

  Determined not to let her depressed thoughts interfere with the last few hours together, she pushed them away and concentrated on enjoying her time with him. They stopped at a quaint restaurant similar to the one they’d eaten at the night before.

  As they walked in the door, he said, “This was one of my mother’s favorite places.”

  The walls were covered with antiques and photographs. Sondra glanced over the room and then turned to him. “What was your mother like?”