“Nope,” he replied. She heard him cough, but he didn’t say anything else.
“What are you going to be doing tonight?” she finally asked.
“Playing some Legendary Warriors 7.”
She could hear him clacking on a keyboard in the background. Whenever Ollie wasn’t at her place, or on a date with her, he was in front of his computer playing a game. She didn’t understand how he dumped hours a day into it, but it was the one thing he was passionate about. He spent as much time on the game as she wished he spent with her.
“Ollie, I have to… go shower. I took extra shifts this weekend.”
“K. Do you love me?” he asked, just as he always did. He needed constant reassurment she loved him, like a box he could check.
“You know I do,” she said. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow after my shift. I’ll text you.”
“K. Bye.”
The line went dead, and Emersyn was alone again.
She tossed the wrapper into the overflowing garbage can and sighed. She hadn’t lied to Ollie—the one thing she’d been craving after work was a nice, long, hot shower. Hell, she might splurge and make it a bath. She hadn’t had one of those in at least a decade.
Emersyn took her white dress shirt off, unbuttoning it and tossing it to the floor. Being in just her black tank top and slacks felt good—the dress shirts always got hot this time of year.
She made her way into the bathroom. Though not as messy as the living room, it certainly stood for improvement. She reached over and cranked the hot water handle to the max, throwing her head back and yawning. A long bath and a nice, welcoming sleep would make for the best evening she could muster. Maybe she’d even get out in time to catch the final episode of Hospitalized, her favorite medical drama.
Turning to grab a new bar of soap from the counter, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She didn’t care much for what she saw and turned away quickly. Her round face and sullen brown eyes weren’t pleasing to anybody. She’d wished more times than she could count to be gifted a new appearance. This skin wasn’t comfortable for her.
The soap was clean-scented and fresh. She was excited to scrub the taint of the day off her. It’d make her feel like she was finally free of the choices she’d made (or so she hoped.) All she could do now was enjoy her evening.
Damn it, she thought, there you go again.
A loud bang at the door caused her to drop the soap in the rising bath water. She turned down and pulled her phone from her pocket. 7:12 P.M. Who the hell would be at her door at this time? The few friends she had were in this time on a Friday night, and they’d certainly text or call before they just showed up. Spontaneity was aberrant among them.
Two more loud raps on the door. Whoever it was, they were making it sound urgent. I just can’t catch a break.
She groaned and stood. Not wanting to go through the hassle of buttoning up the dress shirt, she snagged a gray long-sleeved shirt from the ground and carelessly threw it over her head and shoulders.
Peering through the peephole, she saw a buff, older black man with a crew cut wearing army fatigues. The sight almost made her laugh: what in God’s name would someone from the military be doing at her door? She couldn’t be less important.
She clicked the deadbolt lock free and opened the door.
The soldier stared at her, eyes tracing her up and down. She immediately felt judged, her own eyes going to the ground.
“Emersyn Berg?” the soldier asked, his voice loud and direct.
“Y-yes,” she managed, wanting to close the door and retreat to the safety of her apartment.
The soldier sucked in a deep breath and seemed to relax. “I’m Sergeant Major Bravon Pearson with the US Army. There’s been a development, a situation that requires your presence. It’s of the utmost national security. I can’t say much else here, but I need you to quickly pack a bag and come with me. I have a car outside.”
Emersyn studied Bravon as he spoke. Once he finished, she raised her head and laughed like a mad woman.
Bravon narrowed his gaze. “I can assure you this is no laughing matter, young lady.”
Emersyn kept laughing. Somehow, this soldier showing up at the end of one of the most stressful days she’d had claiming to be with the army and telling her she was to come with him put her over the edge. “Oh, that’s great. I’m that important, am I?” Her guard lowered. She turned and walked back into the apartment. “I’ve got to give it to Ollie, I didn’t expect this from him.”
She decided to forgive Ollie. This prank was far more spontaneous than anything he’d ever done in the past.
Bravon stepped into the apartment, looking around with his laser-focused gaze. “You are Emersyn Berg, 29, work at Atriarch Communications, yes?”
“What, did he have to give you my entire profile?”
The man pulled a neatly-folded paper from his pocket and opened it. “Let’s see. Community college dropout, used to live in Columbus, now in Akron. Your mother died when you were 12, looks like—”
“I never told anyone that,” she said, interrupting him. Suddenly her calm, relaxed, laughing demeanor turned rigid and stiff. What the hell was going on?
“US Government has a record of damn-near everything, Ms. Berg. Now, are you willing to take me a bit more seriously?” He reached up and scratched his graying mustache. “This is urgent. We need you to comply. I can’t say more.”
She studied the clothes on the ground. “You want me to drop everything, a-and leave?” Even the concept she couldn’t comprehend. “I-I can’t. I work tomorrow. I have a boyfriend, I can’t just… go.”
Sergeant Bravon re-folded the document and tucked it away. He crossed his hands in front of him. “I understand the concern. I can assure you this: we won’t be gone too long, and you’ll be fully excused from any absence of work. Your boyfriend will have to understand this goes beyond your relationship. This is a US Government matter now.”
“I-I need to… to sit.” She turned and sat on the edge of her bed. Her world was spinning, suddenly dizziness had taken her like a punch to the head. She was needed by the government? There was a Sergeant Major in her bedroom? Somehow, they both felt like absurd exclamation marks to the taxing day she’d had so far.
“If I say no?” she asked.
Bravon shook his head. “Asking is a formality, Ms. Berg. I’d rather not go there, and I know you wouldn’t either. Let’s both save ourselves some trouble and get this done professionally.”
She stood and started packing a small bag of clothes, toiletries, and anything else important she could find. It felt dissociative, she knew she was packing but she didn’t feel like the one doing it. It was like she was observing, watching, but not in control. Bravon helped hand her clothes, and the bag was full and ready to go a few minutes later.
She pulled her phone out and quickly texted Ollie that something had come up and she was leaving town for the weekend. She had no idea when she’d be back, but she wanted someone to know where she was. As soon as she slid the phone back into her pocket and started towards the door with Bravon, reality hit her in the face.
There wasn’t going to be a half-shift tomorrow, and a full shift after that. She didn’t have to worry about Ollie’s monotonous date planning. She was being whisked away by the US Army.
Her heart pounded out of her chest as Bravon stepped aside and motioned her through the door. She kept her eyes low as she passed through it, fear pounding the walls of her mind.
The one thing she hated more than monotony was the unknown.