by Frank Perry
spent the first week at GHI inside her lab, never seeming to come out. By the second week, she was feeling more acclimated and started a morning break ritual, which gave John an opportunity. He’d ambushed her in the cafeteria, the only gathering place in the building. Most of the lab walls were glass, which are easier to clean and sanitize than other materials. Her lab was separated from his by several clear partitions, so he had seen her leave for a break one morning and followed her, arriving while she finished filling her cup with hot water for tea.
He was anxious to meet her but didn’t want to be too abrupt. The Institute was still small, and it would be hard to hide his embarrassment if he misjudged the new girl. Approaching her, he extended his hand, “Hi, welcome aboard. I’m John Hollis, the lab rat over in BSL-4B.”
She had a pleasantly firm grip that came out without hesitation, “Kelly Egan, new girl.”
He smiled, “I saw you here last week and wanted to say hello.”
“Great. I saw you also and hoped we’d get acquainted.” She smiled. She was a direct, confident, woman.
He demurred, “I should tell you that I’m just an assistant here, so not on your level.”
“What level is that? We’re all professionals here and all have important jobs. What are you working on?”
He gestured toward one of the round Formica tables, and she followed. Their discussion lasted ten minutes, then, finished with her tea, she stood to leave. “Nice meeting you, John.”
He nodded the same. This soon became a routine. She was very structured and started taking a break at the exact same time each day, hoping he noticed. He did. It took him a couple weeks of this morning ritual, building his courage before suggesting a trip to the beach during the oppressive Baltimore summer. To his delight, she accepted.
Getting to know Kelly was an enriching experience. John had never related well with women on a professional level. He’d dated a few while in the military, but they were always stilted or on guard, always fearful of the male Marines -- understandable given their surroundings, and he never got attached to any of them. This time was different. Kelly was technically his superior, but it didn’t make any difference. She seemed totally unaware of her position and ignored it outside of work. That first day together on the beach started a bonding process; they both knew it, and didn’t rush it.
After graduation from college, John still had most of the money from his parent’s property and purchased a 2014 Mustang convertible. He bought it from an Naval Academy instructor who was transferring overseas to a new assignment. It was in exceptional condition. It cost more than most econo-boxes but was tons more fun to drive. He’d promised himself a cool car someday if he survived the military. This was that car. On their first date, they drove most of the way to the Delaware coast with top down, closing it for only the last few miles.
Kelly wasn’t a girl to sit roasting in the sun. She had an unexplainable attraction to John compared to other women on the beach. She was careful to use sunblock and an umbrella for shade. She was not an egotist. Every moment, she was actively seeking knowledge or exploring curiosities. They’d played in the surf to cool off, but most of that first date was spent along the Rehoboth boardwalk, walking under the awnings. When the day finished, they drove south along the coast to a restaurant with al fresco dining for Maryland crab cakes, then on toward home. He dropped Kelly at her new apartment, near GHI in Glen Burnie. She kissed his cheek and they both knew there would be more dates in the future. John drove home with the top down again, savoring the warm night air around Baltimore harbor. They only lived two miles apart.
Kelly had been sheltered at home as a girl but learned that she could have a social life as well as an academic life when she went away to college. She had never transitioned to “social butterfly” and avoided many events, preferring studies to frat parties. She had never joined a sorority and probably would not have pledged anyway; she even rejected Phi Beta Kappa honors, claiming she didn’t need validation of her achievements. But she’d slowly begun developing friendships as her focus in science increased. In graduate school, and particularly as a doctoral candidate, she’d formed professional associations with peer students and professors, including some males who were interested in more than a platonic relationship. She’d never “gone all the way,” but there had been opportunities.
With John, she had feelings that had only occurred once or twice before. It was awkward, for sure, working at the same location, but John made it easier for her. He wasn’t overt on their breaks together. Outside of work, he wasn’t possessive or demanding. He didn’t pursue her like some adolescent male. He was gentle and kind, and completely genuine in everything involving her. There was no doubt that they meshed well.
Like Kelly, John never had a serious girlfriend before meeting her. In his case, it had little to do with academic distraction; he had experienced all of the normal male urges and was popular in high school, but his desire to leave home overpowered serious relationships. He was not school-oriented as a kid, and he needed the maturing that military service forced. After servicing, he was more mature than most other college undergraduates, both chronologically and emotionally, finishing a five-year curriculum in three. He’d gotten some credit for his Navy schools, but he also took heavy course loads and spent long hours in the labs. It didn’t allow much time for a social life. So, when he and Kelly met at GHI, timing was right for both of them.
Their weekends together continued through the summer, becoming another routine. They grew intimate at a moderate pace, progressing steadily until one Saturday night when they left a movie and John invited Kelly to his apartment, not entirely sure of himself. She didn’t accept. Instead, she invited him to her place. Their relationship moved to a higher level that night. It wasn’t casual any longer; their affection had been growing for both for weeks and this had been the right time. This wasn’t a one-night excursion for them, it was a conscious elevation in their relationship that both wanted. For sure, it was something like love, although neither of them had any prior experience with it. More than that, they had both processed their relationship logically and arrived at the same point.
Lorne
“Kelly, I’d like to talk to you in my office.” It was all he said, no “good morning,” just a summons. Jules had entered the lab, said his piece and left, not leaving any opportunity for Kelly to respond. She didn’t know if she should be alarmed; Jules was visibly upset about something. She quickly did a mental checklist of her responsibilities and even her relationship with John. What could he be mad about? She left her lab coat lying across her chair and hurried out, glancing toward John’s lab, but he wasn’t in sight. She remained composed by walked briskly through the double doors, into the luxurious executive office wing, straight to Jules’s office. Nothing made sense. Why would he be mad at her?
The executive office manager didn’t look up as Kelly approached the office marked “CTO.” Technically, Charlie Ritter had higher general management duties as the COO, Chief of Operations, and nobody actually had the title of CEO, which was a shared responsibility between the three founders. But everyone knew that Jules was the de facto boss.
She stood in his doorway for less than a second when he signaled with a hand, saying, “Come in, Kelly, and close the door.” What could be the matter?!!
“Ah Dr. Redinger, what’s the matter? Have I done something wrong?”
He shook his head and looked down at the desk. It was disconcerting and somewhat embarrassing to see the big man, head in hands, looking on the verge of tears. “This is terrible, unbelievable …” he glanced up at her, “I just don’t know what we’ll do.”
She felt alarmed that some great disaster had happened, was the Institute in peril? “Jules, what is it?”
He looked at her through reddened eyes, “Lorne. It’s Lorne?”
“Dr. Bridger? What do you mean, what’s happened?”
“He�
��s dead.”
“What! I knew he was in West Africa with the WHO trip. What happened?”
He was gaining composure. He and Lorne Bridger had been friends for thirty years. As partners at GHI, their relationship grew even closer through shared corporate responsibilities. Their work required frequent field work, travel to high-risk areas of the world, usually with public health agencies to survey and predict hot zones. As GHI stature grew in the medical community, so did their involvement with feet-on-the-ground. These responsibilities were shared between Lorne and Jules, mostly, since Charlie Ritter kept things running inside the Institute. Lorne and Jules sometimes travelled together, but as they got older and travel demands became more frequent, they were often alone. He looked up at her, “They were on a fast moving mission across several countries where we go frequently. I don’t think we can know exactly where he contracted the disease, but he started showing symptoms in Guinea. That was only two days ago, and it didn’t look that serious at first. The different weather, air pollution, jet