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“Lily? It’s John. Am I calling you too late?”
“No, not at all. It’s fine. I mean, its 11 PM here but that’s okay. I can have extra coffee tomorrow morning or…” she trailed off, suddenly shy. “I’m glad you called. I don’t care what time it is.”
“I’m glad,” he said with a smile, holding the receiver to his face. “I’m really glad. I got an extra calling card, so we have a bit more time today.”
“I sent you some too. Did they come in yet?”
“No, but I got your photos. Today, in fact.”
“Oh that,” she said flatly, cursing herself as she remembered that day. She’d been so stupid to think that one of those photo booths would have been a good idea. She’d not worn a lick of make-up, nor had she taken the time to really fix her hair. But Nooooo? Instead of throwing away the small strip of photos, she’d put them in the box and mailed it before she could change her mind. Sheshouldhave changed her mind!
“My stars, you are gorgeous,” he breathed, slipping the photos from his pocket and looking at them. “I think Michelangelo missed the boat because I’ve never seen anyone so perfect in my life.”
“Is this a sick joke?” she said dryly. “If so, it’s really not funny. Are we being recorded?”
“Do I sound like I’m joking?”
“Well no, but…”
“No but’s about it. I feel like the luckiest man alive right now talking to someone that is heavenly, both body and soul. In fact, I want you to write down some information. Do you have a pen?”
“Let me get one,” she said, suddenly confused. One moment he sounds like he is spouting poetry and the next, he’s giving orders. She ran down the hallway to the kitchen that had her junk drawer full of pens, paperclips, tape and other oddities. “I’m ready. What’s going on?”
“Okay, when you get a moment, google this news station in Norfolk, Virginia. I want you to do a search for a story online, okay? We talked about the letters to the troops and they interviewed me. I wanted to get you a photo but couldn’t find a way to get it out of the secured camp. When the press showed up, I volunteered and hope that they didn’t cut my scene,” he told her. Lily took her phone and headed to her laptop, booting it up. There was no way she wasn’t looking this up immediately.
“I brought a list of things to tell you, things I wanted to talk about, so we don’t sit here awkwardly.”
“John,” she interrupted. “I got the earrings today. They are absolutely spectacular. You shouldn’t have.”
“I wanted to. You’ve done so much for me – more than you’ll ever know actually,” he said softly. He pictured what she might look like with the earrings, staring at her photo. “I got your letter about your friend. I am so sorry for your loss and know it must be hard. When I called you, I didn’t want to talk but needed to hear your voice. Radar got hurt and one of the guys nearly lost his life on my watch. I was devastated, and you were the only light in my life at that moment. Thank you for just being there.”
“Of course,” she said distractedly, searching the archives and clicking on the link. “I found the site!” she blurted out.
“TEN MINUTES REMAINING,” the voice intoned, and John sprang into action.
“Hang on and let me enter the other card really quick,” he muttered and pressed several buttons, beeping in her ear. She hit play on the video and turned down the sound, watching the screen. Three handsome guys stood there and were interviewed; the third one kept glancing at the camera and she knew in her soul that was him. She began smiling excitedly and couldn’t help the squeal of glee that escaped her.
He was drop dead delicious looking. Positively dreamy! Prince charming looked like a pansy next to this man and he was interested in her? She giggled happily and tried to smother it with her hands.
“Lily? Are you okay?”
“Oh, my word yes, I am practically downright-cotton-peachy-keen right now,” she blurted out happily. “Why didn’t you tell me you were utterly gorgeous? You look like a magazine model!” She heard his laughter and deep voice. Sure enough, his name flashed on the screen on a bar at the bottom, confirming her suspicions. Itwashim.
“I guess I do okay,” he teased, “But I’m glad you like the way I look because it makes it so much easier when I get back to the States to ask you out for dinner.”
“Seriously?”
“Absolutely. I am dying to take my girl out and to see that pretty smile in real life.”
“When are you coming to the States?”
“Hopefully sometime in November or December. I have a lot to do in the meantime. My family in Kentucky has some of my things in storage and I have to find a civilian job. I’m actually a little nervous because this life is all I’ve known, you know?
“Well, we should keep communicating and talking if we can because you have plenty of time to back out. You never know? I could be some weirdo that has horrible hygiene habits, or maybe I need to put my teeth in or color my hair. What if I said that photo wasn’t me after all, huh? We are still virtually strangers that barely know each other. We don’t, do we?”
“How else do I get to know you other than talking with you or going on a date with you?”
“You don’t have to do anything and you certainly aren’t obligated. I’m trying to give you an out in case you don’t like the real me. I mean, those photos don’t tell the whole story – you know? I need to lose thirty pounds and I’m not particularly entertaining. I smell like chalk erasers and white out, more often than not.”
