I laugh as I meet his gaze, running the back of my hand over my face angrily at the tears. He has always been the most amazing man I’ve ever known, the superhero in my story. I mean, he has been putting up with me since age thirteen and I was definitely no picnic.
“I guess, Ted, you have to ask yourself this. What are you willing to do to be with Sophia?”
I don’t even have to think about it. “Anything, everything.”
Grayson grows silent again while he thinks.
“Then we have some planning to do this week,” he says with a glint in his eye.
6
Sophia
“Is it always this hot?” I ask the young soldier as we bump down another dusty road to nowhere.
“Like living on the sun, ma’am.”
I hear a hint of a southern accent in his voice. He can’t possibly be older than eighteen.
“So like Texas in the summer,” I mumble, fanning myself with my hand. My boss pats me on the back, laughing.
“You’ll get used to it,” she says.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t think I’m complaining.” I’m quick to issue an apology. I love my new job, I’m not in any hurry to lose it.
“Well, if you’re not going to, I am,” our cameraman says, grinning at me. “Here, use this.” He hands me one of his neck wraps he’s kept in a cooler.
“Thanks,” I murmur.
If it wasn’t so hot, I would turn him down flat. He has been after me since I started this assignment. Ignoring his sexual innuendos has started to become a full-time job. Laying the cold wrap against my neck, I sigh at the immediate relief.
“Sophia, what are your thoughts on still shots?”
Ms. Shieffer has been my boss for a little over four weeks now. She has been a senior foreign correspondent since I can remember watching the news and has already taught me so much about this business.
I pull out my notebook from my messenger bag to start reviewing the notes I made last night for the report. So far, we’ve worked our way from Syria to Afghanistan to the border of Iran. I’ve tried to keep my family informed of where I am at least once a week, but sometimes it’s hard to use a secure satellite phone.
Teddy stopped responding to my texts a week ago. It’s just as well, but it still hurts. I miss him more than the rest of my family combined.
We finally reach our destination on a hill overlooking Iran. It takes part of the afternoon to record everything we need for the segment so it’s dark by the time we make it back to camp.
We are staying in a tent with an infantry unit assigned to this area on cots that are so small I wonder how the men sleep on them. I can’t remember the last time I had a hot shower. I share a tent with my boss while our cameraman bunks with several of the soldiers.
I’ve enjoyed getting to know some of the soldiers in the evening, especially when a unit includes women. I’ve started writing down profiles with the idea of putting together a human interest story at some point.
“We need to pack up after dinner tonight.” Mrs. Shieffer and I are walking to the mess tent that evening when she breaks into my thoughts. “We need to meet up with another infantry unit back in Afghanistan. I’m being told, with the tension building in Iran, it’s safer for us to report from farther back.” She rolls her eyes at me.
She’s as tough as any person I’ve known, the danger doesn’t even slow her down.
“I’ll let Jay know. What time do you want to leave?” I ask as we get in line in the mess hut.
The cooks do a great job with what they have, but it’s still a little questionable. I can’t even identify tonight’s meal. It’s definitely a good way to shed those extra pounds I’ve put on since college. We find a seat among the soldiers, settling in to pick through our food.
“Let’s say six. I’m not sure when the transport will be ready, but we don’t want them waiting on us. Also, is something going on between you and Jay? I thought you had a boyfriend somewhere.”
“No ma’am,” I say, shaking my head. “I mean, no nothing is going on and yes, I have someone.”
With a nod from my boss, we return to our meal.
