After dinner, I finish packing then send off a quick email to Izzy in the communication tent letting her know I’m fine and we’re heading back to Afghanistan tomorrow. I send a quick one to Teddy also, just in case he wants to know. Returning to my tent, I sigh as I get ready to lay down on my cot.
“He must be quite the catch for you to still be pining over him.” I thought Ms. Shieffer was asleep, so I’m caught by surprise at her words. She rolls over so we are facing each other.
“It doesn’t matter,” I tell her. “I think he’s moved on.” I roll over, facing the wall as tears start to roll down my face. I might never be able to get over Teddy, but I wish I could stop crying over him.
“I’m sorry,” she tells me before rolling the other way.
“So am I,” I whisper to myself.
It’s after lunch the next day by the time our military ride is ready to leave. Usually our traveling includes a mixture of military vehicles but this time it’s hour after hour bouncing around in the un-cushioned back of a single tactical troop transport.
By the time we get to our next fighting unit, my head is splitting, not to mention the assault to my kidneys. I have a whole new respect for my boss who has spent the last twenty years living like this.
Pulling up to the base, I breathe a sigh of relief. I can already see a shower area set up. Climbing out of the transport truck, I stretch out the stiff muscles in my back.
“It’s not always this rough. Sometimes we get Paris or London,” Jay says next to me.
Trying to prove I’m a team player, I stay to help Jay unload the camera equipment into his tent.
“Then I’ll pray for London tonight as I fall asleep,” I answer him.
“You know, you can always sleep in here with me if she snores too loud,” he says with a slimy smirk.
He’s starting to really make my skin crawl. The biggest problem is, I can’t avoid him because he is our only cameraman.
“Thanks, but I’m good.” I beat a hasty exit from the tent, glad to find my boss already inside the one we have been assigned to. At least he won’t try anything with her around.
I spend the next day putting the segment together before sending it to our head office over our secure connection. I have to shrug off Jay’s hands several times when he lingers over me, checking on my rough editing. I’ve given the brush off before to unwanted advances, but I have to spend every day with this guy. I don’t want to cause any unnecessary trouble since I’m new.
By the time dinner rolls around, I’m exhausted. Not only have I spent most of the day working on the segment, but I’ve also had to fight off Jay’s unwanted advances. I know if Teddy were here, he would never stand for it, but I left him behind to pursue my own selfish dreams.
After working my way through the mess line, I find a relatively empty table to sit at. I’m even too tired tonight to strike up a conversation with the troops at our new location.
“I heard from the home office,” Ms. Shieffer says, sitting down next to me with her tray. “They are very impressed with the story we put together. It runs on the evening news tomorrow with a recap on the morning show. You did a very good job, Sophia. You should let your family know so they can watch it.”
“Thank you. I’m so glad they liked it.”
I make a mental note to send an email to Izzy later. I’m so excited about the news, I want everyone to catch it back home. I don’t think I’ll even bother sending one to Teddy this time since it’s been three weeks now since I’ve heard from him.
“So have you been having any problems with Jay?” Her question takes me completely by surprise.
“Oh, no, I’m fine. Nothing I can’t handle.”
She watches me for a minute while I act suddenly very focused on eating. After a minute under her gaze, she finally shrugs before digging into her own food.
The next two days, all we can do is sit around waiting for the next assignment. Ms. Shieffer talks several times a day to the home office as we all start to go stir crazy.
I spend much of my time trying to avoid Jay, but he always manages to find me. My best defense is to make sure I’m never alone. I’ve began playing poker in the mess tent with off-duty soldiers working on gathering their stories. Thanks to a few lessons from Grayson’s business partner, Matthew, I can hold my own.
When I’m not focused on that, I obsess over not hearing a word from Teddy. I don’t know why he continues to ignore me. I thought we left on good terms and the thought that I missed something is tearing me apart.
“Well, I have early duty tomorrow, so I think I’ll head out,” one of the soldiers says, standing. The men start to head back to their tents, wishing me a good night as I gather up the cards. The tent is empty when I finally stand to head back to my tent. My boss turned in hours ago, so I’ll have to be quiet when I slip inside our tent.
Turning toward the door, I’m met by Jay standing at the entrance.
“Hey, I was just leaving for my tent,” I say with a fake smile. Taking a deep breath, I try to go around him. Usually there is always someone here drinking coffee, but tonight it’s silent. Jay moves in front of me, blocking my path.
“We’re heading out tomorrow. They’re giving us two days at an American hotel in Kabul to regroup then it’s off again.” He leers at me as he takes a step closer.
