35.
Humera
May 19th
Ft. Bragg.
Upon returning home there was a piece of paper slid under my door. It was written in freehand and signed by Hoot.
"Imagine that," I murmured to my sleeping baby.
I set her down on the floor in her carrier and picked up the paper. Why had he slid the note under the door? Where was Jeff at? That was odd. I had left both men on the couch for the Military Marathon on the History Channel. They shouldn't have moved for anything less then a real war.
Sadly, when I glanced over Hoot's letter I understood why. My heart skipped a beat and I had to sit down on the floor to read it, or I would have fallen over.
Hoot had scribbled the note, obviously in a hurry. The man normally had very nice script.
Humera,
Went to the bus station in Raleigh to pick Diana up. The authorities in GA have found the bag Diana hid. Her prints were identified as were the bloody clothes. Jeff knows and is at the office, he'll call Gordon and Randy. Stay on base and don't answer the phone or door unless you know who it is. Burn this note.
Hoot
I promptly climbed to my feet, ran to the kitchen, and promptly vomited in the wastebasket.
This was just horrible.
I clung to the basket as I took deep gasping breaths and slid to the floor. When I put my hand to my temple there was a cold clammy sweat shinned on my skin. Which would be fear and guilt.
If we got caught it would be horrible. We would go to jail. Our children would be motherless.
I needed to speak to Jeff. I needed to hear his voice.
Once I cleaned my face and drank a glass of water, locked the front door and moved Alexandria into her crib I called his cell phone.
On the fourth ring he picked up, "Humera, I'm glad you called, did you get Hoot's note?"
"Yes. Why are you at the office. I need you here, love."
There was the slight edge of panic in my voice and there was good reason for there to be. Jeff sensed it and managed to calm me down, "I'll be home soon. I'm waiting to speak with an Army lawyer. Once I do I'll be home. Nothing bad will happen darling. Trust me."
Ok.
While I trusted him I was still a tad bit worried.
"Darling, is Alexandria there?"
"Yes."
"Good. Why don't you make yourself some tea. Watch some CNN. I will be there as soon as I get some answers."
That seemed reasonable.
Which was one of the things that drew me to Jeff. He was so level headed no matter what was going on, or wrong in my life. I loved that about him. I always had and I always would.
After I took a deep calming breath I replied, "Ok. I will make tea. Read the mail. And I will wait as patiently as I can manage." Then I hung up the phone and had the sudden urge to rip it from the wall and hurl it through the window.
However I did not.
That would wake Alexandria who was as light a sleeper as her father.
I went about preparing tea.
Jeff knew me quite well, the ceremony of it calmed me. While the water boiled I flipped through the letters that were neatly stacked upon the kitchen counter. Junk, bill, bill, flyer, letter from penpal, and a letter from the local college.
I dropped the pile and opened the letter.
The paper was quite ornate.
It was from the Dean of the College.
My eye skimmed the letter and caught bits of pieces. 'Received your application for the position as Professor of English Literature and World Literature…' 'would be honored to have a meeting with you to discuss your application…' 'it would be such an honor for this university to have a scholar of your level on our faculty…'
There were several numbers to call, one belonging to the Dean himself.
Perhaps I would have a job as a professor.
After all I had my doctorate in English and World Literature from Oxford. I had finished it up while recuperating from my injuries and waiting for my citizenship papers to clear.
I read over the paper again to be sure that it was indeed real. Then I tucked it back into the envelope and went on preparing my tea.