Devil’s in the Details, page 10
I turned back to dropping the old book in the bag, glancing at my watch. Alex was five minutes early, making me smile to myself. I was stuck now. I cleared my throat, "Are you hungry?"
Alex turned back to me, her eyes clearly roaming over my dressed down look of loose blue jeans with a few holes in them, and the old tattered pair of white converse. The haphazard outfit I threw on, was topped off with a light blue linen shirt that was one size too large for me, but did its job in covering the almost see through old white V-neck t-shirt. A shirt that had definitely seen most of the laundry compartments in the Navy's fleet of ships.
"It's nice to see you dressed down, Victoria." I could hear her cautiously test out using my first name, wondering if it was still okay to do so. "I don't feel the overwhelming need to salute you or make up a lie about my dog eating my essay." Alex grinned as she squinted against the sun.
I smiled nodding, "Thank you. Weekends are the only time I can leave the suits and uniforms in the closet and dress like a bum." I motioned over her shoulder, trying to ignore the silly joking banter Alex was attempting. It was out of habit, not out of purpose, to get this lunch meeting started so I could end it sooner. I just wasn't good at first impressions if it wasn't in a classroom or in a mark's house with their blood on my hands, "If you want, we can take the back path to the restaurant. It will be less tourist laden." I rolled my eyes under the sunglasses, could I be more stiff and rude? Probably.
Alex laughed lightly, turning to where I had directed, "That sounds good." She waited for me to step next to her before she leaned closer to me, "Victoria, I’m just as nervous as you are."
I glanced at her, her eyes boring right through my sunglasses made my heart skip and my gut tell me that I needed to decide what I was going to do from this point on. I didn't say anything, just smiled again, then fiddling with my bag strap as I started to walk down the gravel path with Alex falling in line next to me.
"Why did you pick Lee's house to meet?" Alex’s voice was soft, an attempt to ease the strange tension between us with casual conversation starters.
I lifted my head up, focusing on the path ahead, "It's close to the sandwich shop and everyone knows where it is." I trailed off before I admitted out loud that the house was one of my favorite places in the city. There was something about this woman that made me want to tell her things that I kept locked up, and do it without thinking twice. I smiled softly, looking over at her, "Why did you pick Monument Meats?"
Alex chuckled, trying her best not to reach out for me as her steps would get a little wobbly on the downhill slide of the loose gravel path, "It's honestly the first place that popped in my head. I used to eat there on the weekends during my first and last years in college." She paused, "To be even more honest, I haven't been there in years, but I do remember that they had a massive corned beef sandwich." Alex suddenly grabbed my elbow as she stumbled. "Shit, sorry. I probably should have brought my cane. I didn't expect this path to be such trouble." Her brow furrowed in frustration that her body was still lagging on getting over her injuries.
Alex went to pull her hand away from my elbow, when I shook my head, gently grabbing onto hers, "It's okay. Use me if you need to. Some have told me that I am as stiff as a wooden board." I smiled at her, hoping the joke would ease the tense air around us.
Alex laughed, moving closer and gripping onto my arm right above my elbow as I dropped my hand from her. Her hand was warm, soaking into the thin, ragged material of my old shirt. Sending a shiver up through my arm and right to my chest. I clenched my jaw to fight through the sensation and focus on the way she squeezed ever so slightly. Telling me that Alex already trusted me far more than I did her.
"I wonder why anyone would say such a thing about you." Alex smirked at me, "I did want to ask if you took etiquette classes, I had never seen anyone stand up as straight as you did in your office the other day."
I sighed, "Blame the Navy." I then laughed lightly, "And that I’m actually a bit stiff and not much of a people person." I rolled my eyes, "Again, you can blame the Navy for that."
Alex laughed with me as we walked down the back path, past the park stations and maintenance huts. "You're a teacher Victoria, how can you not be a people person?"
I shrugged, guiding Alex out of the cemetery and out on to the bustling city street. I could feel my guard go up immediately as I subtly scanned the crowds out of habit and instinct, "I'm a teacher in a military academy. It’s the one place, probably the only place, where a teacher can be just a teacher and not a person." I pointed down the street, "It's just one more block, are you okay to walk a bit further?"
I felt Alex's hand squeeze my arm again, "I am." Her voice was so quiet, another clue that Alex was possibly a bit more interested in me than just seeking out a new friend.
I swallowed down the feeling of her hand on my arm, and how that simple act of her squeezing it was bringing up so much warmth through my body. I resisted the urge to look down at the woman who I could feel looking at me.
This was going to be a long lunch.
There was something about Victoria that was mysterious. It was the type of “mysterious” that went past an idea brought on by James Dean or television shows. It was sexy but frightening at times. Yes, her mysteriousness did add to her overall attractiveness and drew me deeper into her, but there was something there that had my gut sniffing around like a bloodhound looking for clues. It was that small thing that kept me from completely swooning openly over the woman the second I saw her sitting on the porch steps reading her James Bond book like an aloof college student in holey jeans.
Victoria was beautiful, beyond beautiful, bordering on gorgeous, and I couldn't stop myself from looking at her in the worn out bum clothes she wore. A far cry from the perfectly tailored Navy uniform I last saw her in. One that had left me and my thoughts going in directions I never thought I would venture into, especially in regards to the woman wearing that uniform. Then again, uniforms were always a weakness of mine.
I held onto Victoria's arm as she guided us out of the cemetery and down to the city street. Making me a bit giddy at how chivalrous she had been to offer up her arm and check on me. Chivalry was a lost and forgotten art, and for a romantic like me, any sliver of that came my way made me giddy, and it did leave me at a loss for words. I was only able to grin like a dope as Victoria walked us to the hole in the wall deli that I had indeed pulled out of thin air under pressure when Victoria suggested meeting up for lunch. I glanced at the bright red, white, and blue facade as she quietly announced we had arrived.
Monument Meats was exactly as I remembered it from my college days. A patriotic sandwich place that served huge portions cheap to the locals and the tourists who flooded this street every day. The huge, cheap portions had been the main reason why all of us nursing students hit the place weekly. I looked over at Victoria, "Hasn't changed one bit in almost fifteen years."
Victoria had pulled her sunglasses off, palming them to reach for the door. Opening it for me, she gently held on to my arm to keep my balance steady, "I guess that's a good thing?" She smiled softly at me, guiding me into the half empty restaurant.
I nodded, walking in and heading towards the closest booth that was also the furthest away from the handful of lunching tourists. "It is if the portions are still the same size." I slid into the creaky red vinyl seat, smiling at Victoria as she waited until I was safely seated before letting me go and taking the seat across from me.
I set my bag next to me and began fidgeting with the placemat with presidents on it, in hopes of preventing from looking or staring at the blonde. When that didn’t work, I ended up roaming my eyes over the tacky Americana décor. There were pictures of presidents and monuments plastered over the walls and faded by the sun. I let out a slow nervous breath, catching a hint of a delicate perfume coming from her side of the booth. God, Victoria even smelled good and it was stewing up more feelings in my stomach towards my lunch companion. I quickly grabbed two menus, setting one in front of her, "The Jefferson corned beef sandwich is the best I have ever had, next to that is the double bacon club sandwich. Also known as the Reagan club special."
Victoria nodded, scanning over the menu before setting it down as a middle aged waitress waltzed over to take our order. "What can I get yous twos today?"
I grinned at her thick New York accent, trying not to laugh at how ridiculously thick it was for the area we were in. I set the menu down, "I will have the Jefferson corned beef sandwich, with fries and a large sweet tea. Please and thank you."
The waitress scribbled on her pad, "How's about you sweetheart?" She waved her double chin in Victoria's direction.
Victoria smirked, catching my eyes and giving me a look, "I will have the Reagan club special with coleslaw and a large coke. Please." She picked up my menu, handing both over to the waitress, who snatched them up and waddled away. Mumbling that our order would be ready in a flash.
"Is that accent real or just for show?" Victoria set her sunglasses down with her phone before looking up at me questioningly.
I chuckled, "It's real. The owner is from Brooklyn and I think that's his wife, or daughter. I can't really remember. The last time I was here, it was dollar pitcher night and I had just passed my finals." I leaned back against the booth, "So, needless to say, I don't remember much from that entire week."
The blonde nodded, looking down at the table top, she began playing with the red, white, and blue plastic tablecloth. The poor woman was terrible at hiding her nerves.
Cluing me in that I would have to be the ice breaker no matter how nervous I also was. I waited until the waitress dropped off our drinks before pulling out the icebreakers. "I liked Casino Royale, but I think To Live and Let Die is my favorite Bond book."
I watched as Victoria looked up at me with wide curious eyes. I pointed at her bag, "You were reading Casino Royale when I walked up." Squeezing the lemon into my tea, I sat forward, "My mom's longtime boyfriend had all of the books when I was growing up. I ended up reading them out of curiosity and attempt to get to know him better. I do like the lengthy card game scenes in Casino Royale and how Bond feels borderline deviant."
Victoria sighed, laughing quietly, "That's because he is borderline deviant. It's why I prefer the books to the movies. The books always give the impression that Bond could just let go one day and turn to the wrong side of life. While the movies do their best to creatively turn Bond into the dashing white knight." She picked up her coke, sipping some of it, "You are quiet observant, Alex."
"It comes with the job. As a nurse I have to be the first set of eyes for the doctor, and in most cases, I have to be the doctor's eyes when their arrogance blinds them." I let out a short breath, Victoria was beginning to physically ease up. "I will admit that the doctors down here are far more arrogant than the ones in New York. Maybe because the hospital I work at treats most of the nation’s politicians who work down in the capitol building. They think they are gods for treating the government. That maybe in a way they are the ones keeping the country running." I rolled my eyes, reaching for another lemon.
"The city in general is laden with arrogance and self-entitlement." Victoria's voice had a tone to it that told me that she had firsthand experience in those two personality traits. She cleared her throat, "Why a nurse and why come back to the nation's capital?" She suddenly turned to look out the window, "I'm sorry if that's a little personal for a first question."
I shook my head, "It's not. It's the standard starting a new friendship question." Good god was Victoria adorable right now. This hero worship I felt for the woman was turning into one hell of a tempest of attraction for her. I would have to sort out the feelings conjuring in me before I could attempt a friendship, especially when I looked at her hands and wanted nothing more than to hold them. I bit my bottom lip, pretending to think of a grand answer to her question. "Why a nurse? Hmm, I don't have some life changing story sized answer to that. I've always wanted to be a nurse since I was a kid. Maybe it was the soap opera my mom watched about the one hospital were nurses filled the screen and saved the drama of the day. Or maybe, it was that nurses were the ones always giving me candy when the doctor wasn't looking, or something else. Either way, I was drawn to it, and to be honest, I am really good at it."
I smiled a bit wider when I looked up to see Victoria's grey eyes staring intently in mine. She was actively listening and that was a rarity in the world, especially in my world.
I held her eyes for a second before continuing on, "As for the why I came home, it was simply that. I wanted to come home and maybe settle down. My mom is getting older and I missed seeing her whenever the mood struck. That, and New York can wear a person down to the nubs if you let it. It almost wore me down to the nub and beyond. I was an emergency room nurse at Bellevue and then at Mt. Sinai." I shrugged, "I became burned out and wanted a slower pace."
Victoria raised an eyebrow, "And so you come home to work at George Washington Hospital, with one of the busiest emergency rooms in the city?"
I laughed, "It’s far slower than Bellevue. Trust me." I picked up my tea, taking a large sip as the waitress dropped off the mountains of meat, cheese, and bread. I grinned watching Victoria's eyes widen at the sheer size of her sandwich. "Yep, the portions are still the same."
"This is quite possibly the biggest sandwich I have ever come across." Victoria picked up her napkin, laying it across her lap, trying to figure out where to start. I watched her, noting how carefully she moved no matter what she did. Whether it was holding my arm to steady me, picking up a piece of paper, holding a pen with precision, or try to size up how to lift the pile of food in front of her, Victoria was exact as well as precise and it was endearing to me.
"Ever? Even in your time in the Navy? There wasn't a port down in Italy or Alabama that had baby sized sandwiches?" I picked at my sandwich separating the halves into smaller chunks. "And by the way, why the Navy? Why a teacher?"
Victoria looked up, catching my sandwich strategy and mimicking it, "Why the Navy? Simple reason, the Naval Academy offered me a full scholarship when my ACT and SAT scores were released in my senior year of high school. They won me over with the incredible educational program and the offer of having a job the day I graduated was too hard to pass up. I took it, and since my family didn't have the means to pay for college, it seemed to be a perfect match." I waited for Victoria to take her first bite of the Reagan club, watching as she quickly smiled around a messy mouthful at how good the sandwich was. She covered her mouth with a napkin, "This is exceptional!"
I laughed, picking up my first chunk, "Surprisingly good isn't it?" I wanted to make a political joke, but held back. Remembering the cardinal rules of topics to avoid when meeting someone. Politics, religion, number of sexual partners.
Victoria nodded, chewing fully before setting the food down, "To answer the second part, why a teacher? I fell into it. As my time with the Navy came to an end, I was offered a teaching position since I had minored in military history. I took it. Again, the attraction of having a job the same day I was discharged was too hard to ignore."
I watched Victoria sigh and turn back out the window, pausing for a moment, her eyes fluttering around the traffic as it drove by.
When she turned back to me, looking dead in my eyes as she spoke, I saw that she was telling me something she probably never told anyone. "I missed the innocence of my days at the Naval Academy. Going back gave me an opportunity to teach the next generation of officers to learn from history's mistakes. Then take those mistakes to heart and learn to avoid making mistakes that would cost them so much if they allowed it."
Something in her words told me she was speaking from personal experience, and it made me curious, "Did you serve in the war, Victoria?" I bit into my arm sized pickle. It was a run of the mill question that anyone would ask anyone who was in today's military. In this day and age, it felt like every soldier had been to the desert and back.
Her slate grey eyes turned cloudy, a far cry from the soft and kind ones I had enjoyed since the moment we sat down. The blonde nodded once, "Yes, but I left right after the fall of Baghdad." Victoria cleared her throat, picking up her sandwich, "Your turn, Alex. What's your favorite old movie?"
I watched the tiny clouds swarm around the woman as she kept her head down and focused on the wads of bacon in her grips. I smiled, taking the obvious change in topic, "I would have to say my all-time favorite old movie has to be Bringing Up Baby. I had one fierce crush on Katherine Hepburn when I was younger. I even asked for a tiger for one Christmas. Didn't get it, but I did get my own copy of the movie on VHS to watch endlessly."
In that small sentence, the clouds around the blonde that I was developing a mighty crush on, disappeared. Victoria raised her head up to meet my eyes with clear and sparkling ones. A smirk pulling at the far corner of her mouth, "That is one of my favorite movies ever." She then set her own giant pickle on my plate, “I hate pickles.”
And with that revelation, the ice and tension melted away. Victoria became a different person wholly. Warm, open, wickedly intelligent, and funny. She continued to relax around me and our conversation turned from forced and struggled, to easy and never ending. I told her how my mother gave me the middle name Ava, in honor of Ava Gardner. Then how I was still a New York Giants fan living in a city where the Redskins were the only football team in the world, and would proudly wear my Giants shirt to any Redskins home game.
Victoria in turn told me about how she would write pop quizzes that had patterned answer keys to trip up her students, hoping that at least one would notice that all of the answers were A's or B's in a multiple choice offering. She divulged how envious she was of her neighbor’s expansive flower garden and that she was determined to one day have at least one flower bloom in her yard, come hell or high water.
