I Remember You

by Mairsile Leabhair

  When she reached the morgue, Vicky was met by the nurse from ER.

  “Are you Ms. Montgomery?”

  “Yes. I want to see her.”

  The nurse unlocked the door to the morgue, and opened cooler number four. She pulled out the gurney with Aidan’s body on it, and pulled the sheet back.

  Vicky gasped at the sight of her pale lover, who, if she wasn’t lying in a morgue, one would think she was sleeping. In spite of herself, Vicky’s hands shook, as she touched Aidan’s arm. “Oh my God, she’s cold?” Something isn’t right. She lifted Aidan’s limp wrist, feeling for a pulse. There wasn’t one. She put her hand on Aidan’s heart, willing it to beat. When she didn’t feel one, Vicky’s entire body began to visibly shake.

  Yvonne moved beside her, putting her arm around her. “She’s gone, Vicky.”

  But Vicky pulled away, “No! I don’t believe it. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen.” She buried her head on Aidan’s shoulder, and let the tears flow. I don’t understand, Aidan, please, wake up. I don’t want to play this game anymore. Please wake up!

  Yvonne urged Vicky to let go of Aidan, and led her from the room. The nurse pushed the body back into the cooler, and followed them out. Yvonne pulled her boss’s trembling body to her, and held her close, letting her cry. Neither of them were concerned with the employees who passed in the hallway.

  The nurse spoke compassionately, “Her Living Will indicates that you have proxy, Ms. Montgomery. Where do you want her remains to be sent?”

  Vicky wiped away her tears as best she could, “What? Oh um, Rolling’s Funeral Home will be fine...” Please, God, this can’t be real.

  The nurse made notes on Aidan’s chart, “Here are her effects, ma’am,” she handed Vicky a plastic bag, with Aidan’s billfold, car keys to her Mustang… Her Mustang!

  “Nurse, do you know what car Aidan was in, when she um… died?”

  “I think it was a Ford, ma’am.”

  “Oh…”

  The nurse went back into the morgue, and the door closed, locking behind her.

  “Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Yvonne took Vicky’s arm, and escorted her back to her office.

  Vicky put her hand in her pocket, and felt the burn phone, willing with all her might for it to vibrate. Once back in her office, she put down the bag, and slumped down in her chair, “Please, give me just a minute.”

  “Of course.” Yvonne brought over a box of tissues, then backed out of the office, and closed the door.

  As soon as the door closed, Vicky pulled out the burn phone. She typed one word, “Please!” and sent the text to Aidan. When there was no immediate reply, she sat back, and fought off the tears that threaten to escape. Remembering the effects bag the nurse had given her, she pulled everything out, and picked up Aidan’s wallet. Even though she believed that kind of thing was personal for most people, she had to have that connection to her lover. She smiled at the photo of them as kids, the very one that had brought Aidan’s childhood memories back to her. She looked in the coin purse, and saw only a dime and a quarter. Looking through the bills, Vicky only found a twenty and some ones. Guess there’s nothing here. She was hoping for a secret message, something to let her know that Aidan was all right. Her eyes kept coming back to the photo. She pulled it out, and on a whim, looked at the back. Aidan had written something on there. Sometimes two positives make a positive. Vicky knew, that was her sign, and she cried for joy.

  A knock on her door caused Vicky to quickly stuff the billfold, and phone into her pocket. “Come in.” She wiped the tears from her eyes with a tissue.

  “Ms. Montgomery, may I drive you home?” Paul inquired, as he entered the room.

  She looked at him for a moment, then answered, “Yes, thank you, Paul.”

  *

  Entering her home, Vicky timidly looked around. The thought that a terrorist had been in her house, sent shivers through her body. She changed her mind. But as she turned to leave, she noticed Aidan’s laptop. It had been placed on the ottoman, and left open. The darken screen came to life, as she touched it, opening to a word file. She quickly snatched it up, and read, ‘Don’t worry kid, there are no monster’s under the bed.’ Aidan must have come by this morning, before… When they were kids, Vicky often had Aidan looking under the bed for monsters, and always felt better, when she didn’t find any. Today was no different.

  Throwing her keys on the ottoman, Vicky kicked off her shoes, and sat down on the couch. She pulled out the phone, hoping for a text message, though she knew it hadn’t vibrated yet. Clamping it tightly in her hand, she got back up, and walked to the kitchen, then to the bedroom, then back to the kitchen. Pacing just seemed to help ebb the nerves a bit. She picked up a bottle of whisky, and a shot glass from the cabinet, then went back to the couch and poured herself a drink, swigging it down in one gulp. “Oh Aidan, please be alive.”

  Needing something, anything, to distract her from the worrisome possibilities, she picked up the liquor, and the laptop, and with the cell phone still in hand, made her way to the bedroom. She climbed up on the bed, where she set the phone on the pillow next to her. Clicking on Aidan’s playlist, on the laptop, she turned down the volume, and set it to the side, then reached for the shoebox full of letters. Pulling out the next unread letter, she poured herself another shot of whiskey. This time she sipped at the warm liquid, allowing it to ease its way down her throat, as she began reading the next letter in the sequence.

  Today’s the day! Happy birthday to me! The swearing in is this morning, and then it’s off to boot camp. I’ve been in a hurry, all my life, to be an adult, and today when I raise my hand and swear to protect this country, I will finally be one. And Vicky, I’ll also be swearing to protect you. Maybe I can’t be with you anymore, but I can do my bit for love and country, to protect you as well. I choose to fight for what I believe in, even though it may cost me my life, because today I am an adult.

  US Army Recruit Cassidy, reporting for duty.

  Vicky hugged the letter to her chest, and let the tears flow. I missed so much of your life, Aidan. The combination of exhaustion, and whiskey, finally became too much, and Vicky fell asleep, still clutching the letter.

  Higher, Aidan. Push me higher!

  Okay, kid. Hang on!

  At the sound of her cell phone ringing, she jerked awake, and grabbed for the burn phone beside her. The phone rang again, and she realized it was her work phone, still in her pocket, that was ringing.

  “Hello.” Disappointment evident in her voice.

  “It’s Paul, ma’am, sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to let you know that Bill will be by in the morning, to pick you up, if you feel like coming to work?”

  “Bill? The new Security Officer? You spoke with him?”

  “Yes ma’am, he’s standing right here.”

  She put her hand over the phone, looked to the heaven’s and shouted, “Thank you, Jesus!”

  “Ma’am?”

  “Oh, sorry, Paul. Would you put Bill on…,” Vicky wanted to hear Aidan’s voice, but realized, she should wait, “Would you ask him to come get me, now? I need to be at work,” Vicky tried to restrain her excitement, but it wasn’t working, and it confused Paul.

  “Yes ma’am, no problem.” Maybe she’s just overwrought with everything that’s happened.

  “Oh and Paul, I may be a while, I have some, um, errands I need to run first, okay?”

  “Understood, ma’am, Bill will be happy to drive you, were ever you need to go.”

  “Thank you, Paul, thank you so much!” Vicky hung up the phone, and checked the burn phone for a text. As she had hoped, there was a message from Aidan that simply read, ‘S.E.X.’

  Giggling like a school girl, she ran into the bathroom, and freshened up her makeup, brushed her hair, and sprayed some expensive cologne on her wrists and between her breasts. Inspecting herself, she decided Aidan would be pleased. Returning to the bedroom, she put away the letters and the shoebox, and smoothed
out the comforter. Changing into a negligée, she positioned herself on the bed.

  “Oh crap,” she exclaimed out loud. Aidan will have to knock on the door, and I’ll have to let her in, because she’s Bill. Damn, this is giving me a headache! She grabbed her robe off the bench and went to her front door, unlocking it. Then she went to her living room, and laid across the couch, striking a provocative pose.

  Minutes later, there was a knock at her door, “Come in, Bill,” she yelled from the living room.

  Aidan, dressed as Bill, walked in, locked the door behind her, and threw her keys on the entry way table, “Ma’am, someone said you needed a ride to the‒‒” Aidan stopped in mid‒sentence, her mouth hanging open, her eyes opened as wide as her mouth, as she ogled Vicky.

  Yep, she is pleased.

  Vicky was about to say something, but Aidan put her finger to her lips, then pointed to her ear, indicating that someone may be listening. She knelt over Vicky, and kissed her deeply, possessively, then grabbed the afghan from the back of the couch. Motioning for Vicky to follow, they went into the laundry room.

  Aidan turned on both the washer and dryer, then gave a thumbs up, “I think we can talk now. I know I checked for bugs, and didn’t find any, but they could have a directional microphone, pointed at us right now.”

  Vicky asked excitedly, “What happened, how did you come back to life? I felt for a pulse myself. You were dead, Aidan.” Vicky ran her hands all over Aidan’s body, making sure that she wasn’t a figment of her imagination.

  “Oh baby, I’m so sorry you went through that. Homeland injected me with something that knocked me out.”

  She was still confused, “But the ER doctor, the nurses, why didn’t they detect that?”

  “The doctor and a nurse were in on it, Vick. After you left the morgue,” Aidan squeezed Vicky’s arm, “the nurse came in, and revived me with the antidote, and here I am. She told me how you reacted, and I am so sorry you thought it was real. But because you were fooled, so was everyone else.” Aidan spread the afghan over the machines, and helped Vicky up, then she climbed up as well.

  “Oh God!” she exclaimed, and grabbed Aidan into her arms.

  “I know, kid, I know. Listen, we don’t have much time.”

  “Just let me hold you, Aidan, just so I can make sure you’re alive.”

  Aidan smiled and embraced her, as she moved one hand over Vicky’s body, drinking in her warmth, her softness, her tender soul. She thought that seeing her dead, in the morgue, must have taken an emotional toll on her lover’s psyche, and that hurt her heart.

  “Aidan, I can’t take much more of this.”

  “I feel the same way, baby. I think they’ll be making a move pretty soon, now that they think you’re vulnerable. Just be brave a little while longer. We’ll get through this, and then we can get back to our lives.” Aidan lifted Vicky’s chin, and kissed her lips gently. “I love you, baby,” she whispered with hot breath in Vicky’s ear. She began to nibble on Vicky’s earlobe, then moved down to the throbbing vein underneath it.

  Vicky moaned with hunger, as Aidan continued kissing slowly down her neck. “Aidan, sweetheart, these machines are like vibrators when they’re running. You need to hurry up lover, or they’ll do your job for you.”

  Aidan looked at her, and laughed louder than she probably should have, “Damn, woman, you’d better wait for me.”

  Just as the wash machine switched to the spin cycle, they made fast and furious love, satisfying their needs, alleviating their stress, and bonding them together for the next trial.

  ***

  “Vicky, it’s a slow day, you could have stayed home, if you needed to.”

  “Thanks, Yvonne, but the best thing for me right now, is to work. I’ve been missing so much of it lately, they’re going to fire me, if I’m not careful.”

  “Is there anything I can do, to help you?”

  “Oh no, thank you, Yvonne. I’m just going to do some paperwork. You can go home now, and thank you, for all you’ve done. You’ve been my rock.”

  “I know how close you two were.”

  Vicky just smiled at her. Closer than you can ever know, she thought, then shuddered, remembering the morgue, and the cold touch of Aidan’s forehead to her lips. Dear God in heaven, I can’t go through that again. Vicky immersed herself in work, losing track of time, as she took care of one project after another. “Whew, that was a boat load of work. I’ve been neglecting it, far too long.”

  “Talking to yourself, Ms. Montgomery?” Bill walked through the door. He put his hand to Vicky’s ear and tugged playfully, reminding her that they were listening.

  “Oh, good evening, Bill,” she grinned at Aidan. “I was just catching up on some paperwork.”

  “I understand, you’re keeping busy, that’s good. I’ve heard from some of the staff, how hard your friend’s death must be for you. If you feel like talking, I’d like to hear about Aidan. Paul tells me she was a veteran?”

  “Oh yes, Bill, she was on the fast track for the Congressional Medal of Honor. She saved lives in Iraq, at the cost of her own safety. Now it will be awarded posthumously. But she didn’t care about the awards. She just cared about doing the right thing, and protecting her country.” Vicky’s eyes glazed over, forgetting who she was talking to, “That’s what mattered to Aidan the most, love and country.”

  The heartfelt emotion in her lover’s voice, caused a flutter in Aidan’s heart. I wish I was half the woman, Vicky seems to think I am.

  “I would have given anything to see her in uniform, walking to the stage, and accepting that medal…” Vicky began to tear up, lost in her own imaginings.

  Aidan touched her shoulder, bringing her back to reality. “Well, I’m sorry for your loss, ma’am.”

  She looked at Aidan, who winked at her. “Oh…” She put her hand to her mouth, and remembered that they were still play‒acting for unseen ears.

  “I’d better get back to my rounds, ma’am. Don’t work too late.”

  Vicky looked disappointed, but Aidan handed her a piece of paper, and then left. Reading the note, Vicky giggled, “Oh, yes!” and stuffed it in her bra.

  ***

  Most cities even the smaller ones, have a seedy underbelly that is home to prostitutes, street gangs, and drugs. Little Rock was no exception. But the back streets of the poorest part of Little Rock, also harbored a small group of foreign terrorists. In a dark, dilapidated room in a back alley, off the beaten path, sat two such terrorists, plotting their next move.

  “Relay message: Muham is in charge, again. What do you have to report?”

  “Message relayed, response as follows: It’s confirmed, Samson is dead, and Delilah has gone home for the evening. Instructions?”

  “Relay message: Tonight is a go.” Muham hung up the phone, switched off the computer, and turned toward the man silhouetted in the dark. “Excellent news. The bitch is dead. This will make things much easier for us.”

  “Indeed, justice will be done.”

  “We will place the detonators tonight. Tomorrow morning, after she returns to work, I will personally put a gun to her head.” Muham pulled out his pistol, checking the chamber, “and make my demands for the television cameras. They won’t deny us our victory, this time.”

  Chapter 14

  Vicky walked into her house, threw her keys down, and tossed off her shoes. She rummaged through the refrigerator, looking for a beer. Finding one, she popped the lid, and carried it back to the bedroom. She was feeling miserable, because she knew that Aidan couldn’t come over tonight. It wouldn’t look good, so soon after her death. Not that she cared how it looked, at this point. She just needed to have her near. With a heavy sigh, Vicky stripped down to her panties and bra, and tossed her clothes on the end of the bed, too upset to worry with hanging them up. Taking a hit off her beer, she set it down, frowning at it. Damn thing is flat. She felt something scratching her, under her bra, and remembered the note she had tucked in there, for safekeeping.


  She read it again, ‘I’m right beside you, baby, can you feel me?’ She closed her eyes and willed herself to feel Aidan beside her. It worked, she felt better. With a sigh of relief, she finished dressing in her pajamas, grabbed her shoebox full of letters, and went into the kitchen for a box of cereal, and a glass of wine. Carrying everything to the living room, she got comfortable on the couch, and tasted the wine, to make sure it hadn’t gone flat too. Satisfied, she munched on the cereal, and pulled out the next unread letter.

  Hey kid, how are you?

  I’m doing great! I love the Army. I love the structure, the training, the connecting with my fellow soldiers. I love the patriotism and the respect. I’m a soldier now! I’ve got a few more weeks of boot camp, and then it’s off to school to learn how to take pictures. I can’t wait!

  BTW, I uh… I met someone. She’s really a great person who’s a lot of fun. She’s like you except she doesn’t giggle when we make love, but that’s okay, that’s something special just between you and me.

  Anyway, got to go. Take care.

  Aidan.