Chapter 2 The Meeting

When the dinner had ended and all of the guests had made their appeal for appropriated funds or special interests known to the Senators who were present, it was time to call it an evening. Sheri had an early shift in the morning. The ride home was just as pleasent as the ride earlier. Sheri was glad to get home.
"May I walk you safely to your door, Capt?" the major asked.
"I think I can find the way alone Major." Sheri said .
He followed Sheri nevertheless. Tom leaned in to kiss Sheri, she pulled away, thanked the major for the evening and entered her apartment. It was the same small Oxon Hill apartment that Sheri had lived in since she had been stationed at Andrews. The same small apartment that she came home to alone night after night. Sheri changed into something more comfortable and decided that she wanted, no needed to talk to her family in California. Her fingers slowly dailed the number. A woman answered on the other end.
"Hello."
"Hi mom, it's me, Sheri." Sheri's voice was unsteady
"Hi dear. Are you alright?"
"Yes, mother. I'm fine."
Both mother and daughter knew that it was getting closer to 'the anniversary'. No one dared to speak openly about it. After the phone call had ended. Sheri hit the sack for the night.
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The next morning Sheri arrived at her duty station at Andrews. It was a short drive from her apartment.
When Sheri walked through the doorof her assigned floor, her colleagues knew that it wasn't going to be a good day.
"OK. What is everybody standing around for? We have people to care for before the doctors' arrive."
Janet, one of Sheri's best friends since she had been in Washington approached the blonde nurse.
"Hey Sheri girl, what's wrong this morning? Was the evening with major Craig that bad?"
"I don't want to talk about it or him right now, Lt. I'm taking a personal day the rest of the day."
Janet knew enough not to push her friend for answers that she didn't want to give. She also knew that it was around the time of 'the anniversary'.
Sheri departed Andrews and headed for Arlington. On the way she stopped at a street vender and purchased a bunch of flowers.
"You always did like flowers." Sheri said out loud.
Sheri arrived at Arlington Natioal Cementary and looked for the correct section and row. Arlington was hundreds or thousands of rows of white cross head stones all lined up in perfect rows. A single tear danced on /sheri's cheek as she got out of her car and walked through the plush green grass. She stopped nest to a specific heatstone.
Lt. Trevor Garrett
U.S. Air Force
1965-1993

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Sheri kneeled down and layed the flowers next to the headstone.
"Trevor, it's been so long. I still miss you. Why were you taken from me so suddenly?"
As Sheri was getting to her feet and not looking where she was going, she bumped into something or someone.
Sheri got to her feet. "I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."
""It was totally my fault." said an unknown voice behind her. It was Lt. Cmdr. Harmon Rabb, Jr. The Naval officer that Sheri had seen and the Senator's reception and dinner.