Anchor Line

by Dawne Walters

  He flipped around an 8 x 10 that was leaning against the side of the box. The glass broken as well. The simple silver frame housed the picture of the two of them on the gondola ride in Venice. The one that the gondolier took. He had a 5 x 7 of that same picture that she’d framed for him. He reached down one more time to find a 5 x 7 of he and Addie sitting at a cafe that Nathan had taken when they went to Venice a second time. It was a chilly evening and he had his arms wrapped around her. They were looking at each other so lovingly.

  He put the pictures back in the box and looked down at the one in his hand as he pushed the box back against the desk, and then walked out, pulling the door closed behind him. He walked up the long aisle past the cubicles and out the door to the desk in the waiting area.

  “Could you please do me a favor Ms. Verna?” He asked in his suave voice he knew that women loved. “Please don’t tell Addie I was here. I really want to surprise her.”

  Verna looked up from her desk and gave him a conspiratorial smile. “Our little secret.”

  “Addie works until five right? I totally forgot what time she told me she got out.” Conrad leaned in closer to affirm with Verna that they had a secret.

  “Oh yes.” Verna whispered.

  “You mentioned that she had lunch with someone?” Conrad whispered.

  “Oh yes!” Verna exclaimed softly, “Captain Crisman is very sweet on Ms. Marshall.” She paused for dramatic effect, “Although, Ms. Clair and I think that she’s not that into him. She doesn’t look at Captain Crisman like a woman should when he brings in gifts.”

  Verna’s answer threw Conrad for a loop. Captain Crisman? Conrad thought for a moment.

  “This captain…Crisman?”

  Verna nodded excitedly.

  “His ah, his first name wouldn’t happen to be Jim would it?”

  “Why yes. Yes it is. He’s always asking Addie to call him Jim. Do you know him?”

  Ignoring her question, he asked, “How long have they been seeing each other?” He knew exactly how they knew each other. Crisman was at Bragg. He wanted to know how long Jim had to embed himself in her life.

  “He got here a few months ago I believe. The same time Ms. Marshall did. So, not very long at all.”

  Conrad stood back from the desk and smiled at Verna hiding his relief to her answer, although he thought he might just vomit. The thought of Jim and Addie together. Jim wasn’t even her type.

  “Well. I’ll be back Ms. Verna. I’ll see you later.”

  Verna waived and got back to typing.

  Conrad stopped by the front desk and asked Clair to not say anything to Addie when she walked in, that he was there either. She winked at him and agreed. Conrad put his Oakley’s back on and walked out into the sun to his truck. Crisman was taking her to lunch and giving her gifts? Nice. Kinda fast for a few months, he thought. He made his way across the parking lot to his truck and got in. He started the engine and looked at the picture in his hand.

  ”Addie.” He said to the picture, realizing that he was in deep. Maybe love maybe not, but God he needed her. Few women gave him sexual gratification as Addie did. Few women gave him such a hard time as Addie did too.

  He wasn’t sure how long he actually sat there examining the picture of him and Addie, but when he looked up, he recognized her immediately. Just like she materialized from the picture. God bless, she looked thin. He went to duck down in the front seat and realized that she wouldn’t recognize his new truck and straightened back up. She was stopped in front of a newer model, dark blue 350i BMW, a row ahead of him.

  Her navy blue dress seemed to hang off of her. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. She was still wearing those huge sunglasses that she liked so much that he gave her crap for. Her matching blue heels accentuated her muscular calves. A few moments later, a Soldier got out, putting his beret on. Addie didn’t smile for him. She didn’t appear happy in the least. Conrad couldn’t see the man’s face until he put his hand on Addie’s hip and kissed her forehead, giving him a side shot. Fucking Jim Crisman! Then they started for the building.

  Conrad came unglued and his foot unconsciously revved the gas. Good thing he was still in park.

  Get. Your. Fucking. Hands. OFF! Conrad’s mind screamed.

  Realizing what he was doing, the RPM’s racing to six on the dial, he took his foot off the gas as he watched them walk toward the building. He noticed that Addie didn’t lean in as she walked with Crisman as she did with him. That fact alone told him that either Addie really wasn’t into him, she was being polite…or she was pissed. He liked to think the former rather than the later. Watching as they disappeared into the building, Crisman still hadn’t walked out ten minutes later. Was he kissing Addie? Would he come on to Addie in her office? Were they dating? Did he have other business in the building? Conrad’s mind went crazy with scenarios. Still not seeing Crisman exit the building, Conrad looked down at his watch. He had to look at his apartment and sign for the key this afternoon. He put the picture down on the seat next to him, put the truck in drive and left.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Addie was really struggling through lunch. All she wanted to do was go home. Her apartment still wasn’t completely set up two months after her move. She’d dove into work so fast without taking the few days to set up her apartment, that it wasn’t bothering her. Until now. Now, she wanted to go home and finish setting up her apartment. Maybe it was the company she was keeping during lunch the past two weeks. She listened as Jim was still talking. Yep, it was definitely the company she was keeping.

  Jim droned on and on about how he was the best Platoon Leader that Fort Bragg had. Now, here at Fort Polk, he was just excited to be taking command of his own company. And boy howdy was he was all about drilling his soldiers to prepare them for battle. Almost, Addie thought, to the point that he was mean.

  Today’s lunch though, wasn’t any different than any other time she went to lunch with Jim. Addie could feel the headache that was starting on her right temple. Oh dear Lord this is going to turn into a migraine if he doesn’t shut the hell up, she thought to herself. Maybe if she put a disinterested look on her face, he might shut up. She picked at her taco salad that was actually quite good, but as Jim went on and on about drills and tactics of an infantryman she just couldn’t eat. She’d interject with a wow, cool or an ‘oh really’ just to show interest, when all she wanted to do was tell him to shut the fuck up!

  She mentally counted the steps to the door of the restaurant to just walk out. But not one to be rude, she just dealt with it. Saved by the waitress, she asked for a to-go cup of Coke and Jim jumped up to pay the bill.

  Silence. Finally!

  The two staff sergeants at the table next to her gave Addie a warm smile and shook their heads in dis-belief, having overheard most of the conversation.

  “Sorry.” Addie apologized to them as she picked up her pocketbook.

  “You have nothing to be sorry about.” One guy said.

  She offered another smile and walked to the exit. She looked around as she stepped outside of the little Mexican restaurant for a taxi to escape Jim. Knowing that she wouldn’t use it, but hey, it felt good to dream right?

  Jim was putting on his beret as he exited the door and escorted Addie to his car. His left hand on her lower back and continued his conversation from the table. This guy doesn’t skip a beat. Blah…blah…blah. Addie thought as they made their way to his car. Addie let the cool air from the vent blow on her face as Jim drove. She closed her eyes briefly, letting her head fall back against the head rest and saw Conrad talking to her about his last trip to the field.

  Maybe it was all this airborne infantry stuff that Jim was talking about that brought Conrad to the forefront of her mind. Conrad had said he was a mad man getting all of the weapons, equipment and vehicles clean so that he could start his leave and show Addie around Italy. So much so, that he had an extra day and a half to sit around. As it had turned out, they had finished everything on Wedn
esday, leaving nothing but a boring Friday. She hadn’t minded then, listening to Conrad tell her about what he did as an infantryman. It intrigued her how Conrad would jump out of an airplane. What she would do to hear him talk this way with her again. What she would do to be with him just one more time.

  “Addie…Addie?” Jim said loudly.

  The sound of Jim’s voice pulled her away from her thoughts. She looked over at him. “Yeah…sorry. What’s up?”

  “Your ID card?” Jim sounded annoyed.

  Addie mumbled an apology as she pulled her ID out from her purse and gave it to Jim who handed it to the gate guard. The guard scanned both cards and handed them back. Jim gave her the ID back and looked at her questioningly.

  “You okay Addie.”

  “Yeah. Just feel a headache coming on, that’s all. Not to worry.” She said reassuringly so that he wouldn’t try to invite himself over. “I’ve got some Tylenol in my desk.” She plastered a smile on her face and looked over at him.

  “I could come over and cook for you or bring your something. My sister gets migraines all the time. You mentioned that you hadn’t finished unpacking, you can come over to my house, or I can help you unpack if you want.”

  Shit!

  He sounded almost hopeful when he mentioned that she could go to his house. Not to mention the fact that he now had something else in common with her and someone he is related to or knows or something he personally went through. UGH! She felt as though she couldn’t take much more. Jim pulled into a parking spot and Addie was quick to say that he didn’t have to walk her in. But Jim would have none of it.

  “What kind of lunch date would I be if I didn’t walk you back to your office?”

  Fuuuuuuck.

  Addie got out of the car and had to wait only moments for Jim to get his beret on and get out and come up to her. She cringed internally, but didn’t show it bothered her otherwise as Jim pressed his left hand to her lower back and escorted her to her office. Stiffening her back at his touch. Clair at the front desk just smiled and nodded as Addie rolled her eyes at her when they walked by.

  Once inside the waiting area, Addie turned toward Jim thanking him for another lunch and that she had to use the ladies room as she put her pocketbook on the edge of Verna’s desk. He moved in for a hug and Addie swung around abruptly in the opposite direction to avoid him and put her hand to her mouth as though she might vomit and launched herself into the hallway and diagonally across to the right into the ladies room. Once inside, she pushed against the hydraulics that slowed the door to close it and leaned her back up against it for support, putting her hands up to her face.

  “Wow was lunch that bad Ms Marshall?”

  Addie opened her eyes and saw Liz come around a wall that blocked the view of the latrine to the hallway. She breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Oh God, Liz, you have no idea.” Addie walked around to the sink and grabbed a few paper towels wetting them, then swept her ponytail to one side and dabbed her neck to cool down. “You know, when I first met him in the CG’s welcome brief, knowing that he came from Bragg, he seemed nice. But now, he’s like the newspaper boy in that movie that follows you around screaming ‘I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!’ that won’t leave you alone. You give an inch and runs a fucking mile with it. Holy hell!”

  Liz chuckled at her boss leaning against the wall. “Do you want me to see if he’s left?”

  Addie’s eyes got huge as she looked at Liz’s reflection in the mirror. “Oh would you Liz? Please?” Her body sagged with relief.

  “Sure, no problem.” Liz’s smile widened as she turned around.

  “Oh Liz,” Addie started, and Liz popped around the short corner. “If he’s still there, tell him I’m fine and get me the bottle of Tylenol from my desk would you please.”

  “I got you Ms Mar…”

  “Liz?” Addie Interrupted. “Please…call me Addie.”

  Liz just smiled. “Okay Addie.” And she turned and left.

  Addie sat on the little bench in the latrine, bending over so that her cold paper towels would stay on her neck. Her elbows resting on her knees. What did she do? Attract all the wackos of society? The only decent men she knew were her brother Roger, and her dad. Her thoughts drifted to another decent man, but then even Conrad turned out to be a dick. Addie sighed as Conrad passed through her mind for the second time today. Wow. How her life had changed in two years since she’d met him. Addie looked up as she heard the latrine door open again and saw Liz’s small frame come around the corner.

  “He won’t leave until he knows that you’re okay.” Liz said handing Addie the bottle of Tylenol and a cold Coke.

  “Mother fucker!” Addie whispered, as Liz set into a case of the giggles. “Why won’t he just go away?”

  Liz sat down beside Addie still giggling. “I had one of these once. Then I met Carlos and he took care of him.”

  “Hmph.” Addie made the sound as she pulled the paper towels off her neck and set them on her knee. She popped open the Coke, shook out two Tylenol and took them with a long swig.

  “Ugh, I forgot my to-go cup in his car. He’ll probably use that as an excuse not to leave.” Addie’s face when she looked at Liz was miserable. She leaned back against the wall now and closed her eyes. “Maybe if I stay in here long enough, he’ll leave.” Then she looked at Liz, “But I doubt that.”

  “Yeah, Me too.” Liz fell against the wall like Addie did and waited.

  Addie waited a few more minutes before she asked, “Hey Liz, do you think Carlos would beat him up?” That set off a peal of laughter and the two women settled down again.

  After about fifteen more minutes, Verna walked into the ladies room waiting as the big wooden door bumped closed against the metal jamb before she spoke. “MS Marshall?” Her voice soft. “Are you alright?”

  Liz and Addie looked up at Verna who had the silliest grin on her face. Addie nodded to Verna and closed her eyes again, leaning up against the wall. “I told Captain Crisman that you had an appointment coming in about five minutes and you really wanted to rest before he got here. He was quite adamant about staying, but I reassured him that you’d call him so that he would go.”

  Addie got up and hugged Verna so hard. “So he’s gone?” She said elatedly. “Thank you thank you thank you!”

  “Oh yes.” Verna said laughing hugging Addie back.

  Addie, Verna and Liz all walked across the hall. Liz followed Addie back into her office after grabbing her purse from Verna’s desk. Both women sat down and took a collective sigh of relief in Addie’s office.

  “If you just want to take the rest of the day off, you know I can handle it.” Liz offered.

  “Oh, I know.” Addie looked up at Liz. “I feel the need to finish unpacking.”

  “Well, go home then.”

  Sitting at her desk, Addie decided to take Liz up on her offer and to go home. Dealing with Jim just drained the shit out of her and she’d had enough. Thankfully she’d taken the Tylenol when she had, or she’d have a screaming migraine by now. He’d phoned her twice to make sure that she was okay. But when she saw the caller ID on the phone, she didn’t pick up. Calling her chief, she explained that she was wanting to take the day off for a migraine and more than likely tomorrow as well if she wasn’t feeling better. Her boss was more than happy with her taking off. She’d hit the ground running when she got the position here and everyone, her boss and the employees that were under her were excited with the new changes she implemented and that she was a ‘hands on’ kinda gal.

  With that out of the way, Addie stopped by Liz’s cubicle and said that she was in charge of the office and that if she wasn’t feeling well tomorrow she’d phone her and that she’d see her Monday, but if she needed anything to phone. Liz got up and hugged Addie, giving her a smile and sent her on her way.

  Her drive home was fairly easy. It was only two o’clock by the time she left so there was really no traffic anyway. She pulled in the parking space and practically ran up to
the second floor and got into her apartment. Tossing her purse down on the bar in the kitchen, she went to her bedroom and changed into some yoga pants, a t-shirt and some socks. She looked out at the porch for a few minutes before realizing that she hadn’t eaten that much during lunch, so she went to the fridge and pulled out the prosciutto ham and melon she’d bought and fixed a plate, then cut some bread off the long loaf she had bought yesterday and buttered it lightly. Satisfied with her selection, she grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and took her plate out to her patio table. Her apartment faced the parking lot and she really didn’t care. She went back inside to lock the front door and grabbed her laptop to check her email. Satisfied that she had her laptop, plate and her water arranged on her little patio table, Addie pulled her knees up so that her feet were on the chair opposite her, she pretended that she was on her own veranda in Italy and dove into her email.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Conrad walked around the spacious two bedroom apartment, with the rental lady following spouting her sales pitch on the apartment.

  “Just like the other apartment I showed you, you have Corian countertops and cherry wood cabinets in your kitchen and both bathrooms. The lighting has dimmer switches in all of the rooms.”

  Conrad listened as the lady went on and on about the apartment. They walked around looking in the closets and the guest room on the left as he walked down the hallway toward the master. Thankfully it was separated by the guest bath. He didn’t want to have to hear his guests from his bedroom.

  “And this is the master suite.” She said behind him. “You have your own bathroom. Separate tub and shower. Again your Corian countertops and cherry cabinets.” The lady droned on, “And a very spacious walk in closet.”