CHAPTER 6

DAY 5

Friday

AN: Thanks to everyone who took a moment to leave a review. They mean the world to me and make writing so much more rewarding. This chapter is to show my appreciation. If you want to get daily chapter postings (7 days a week) instead of the MWF postings, keep leaving reviews.

It was Friday evening, and after showering the sweaty day off me, I went to the kitchen to help Finn. "What's for dinner?"

"Eggroll in a bowl and zucchini fritters."

Eggrolls, but in a bowl? What did that even mean? Everything we'd eaten had been healthy and surprisingly good, except for the oatmeal. I really hated oatmeal.

He opened a package of ground turkey and dumped it in a skillet with garlic and other spices before handing me a head of cabbage. "Wash this and slice the whole thing into one-inch strips."

"Since Saturday mornings are half days, what will we focus on tomorrow?" I asked while slicing the cabbage.

"Weapons, lower body, and self-defense," he answered without looking up from the skillet. He took the bowl of cabbage and handed me a grater. "Wash and grate a few carrots, zucchini, and sweet potatoes." When I finished grating everything, he mixed half the carrots, all the zucchini, and sweet potatoes together, adding spices and eggs to make a gooey mess. He formed them into patties and coated them in parmesan cheese before putting them in a skillet to brown. I wasn't sure those would taste good.

He finished the fritters before dumping the cabbage and carrots into the skillet with the turkey and adding chicken broth and spices. It shocked me that the cabbage shrank so much, but it smelled good. He spooned some of the eggroll mixture into his bowl, added a couple of zucchini fritters, and went into the sunroom. Message received. I would be eating alone… again.

I took my dinner out onto the back deck. It amazed me how quickly the week had passed. Training was usually over by four each day, which allowed me time to wander the property and read the interesting books from Finn's library. I learned about these things called micro-expressions from the book about lying. They flash across people's faces so quickly that they are unaware they make them. Those tiny reactions can be very telling if you know what to look for. I guess Finn had noticed my choice of reading material because when I woke up this morning, there was a book at my seat at the dining table titled You Say More Than You Think.

I stayed outside until it was dark, cleaned the kitchen, and went to my room to call Hector. "Angelita?" He drew the word out, and I could hear the happiness in his voice. My heart leaped with joy. In the background, I heard voices and hoped I hadn't caught him at a bad time. "Lester and Mama are here. Let me put you on speaker." I smiled, picturing them sitting around Mama's kitchen table eating scrumptious and thoroughly fattening food.

"Hey, Steph," Lester said.

"Mija," Mama said, "tell me you are eating enough?"

"Yeah, I feel like I'm always eating, but it's all healthy stuff. No donuts or cake. And nothing as good as what you make," I assured her.

"That's too bad," Lester said, his mouth obviously full and moaning obnoxiously. "Ow!" he yelled. At the same time, I heard a slap, most likely by Mama's hand to the back of his head. "What'd you do that for?" He sounded affronted.

I snickered.

"Where are your manners?" Mama scolded. "Do not rub it in that you have good food to eat when our Stephanie is sacrificing." She spoke to me again. "I will make your favorites to welcome you home. When will that be?"

"Eleven more weeks." I sighed. That seemed like a lifetime.

"That is too long. Try harder and come home sooner."

I couldn't admit I was struggling and doubted whether I could complete the training, so I put a positive spin on things. "I'll do my best. Bribing me with food helps, but honestly, I can't wait to be home."

"Do you feel safe with this strange man?"

"Yes," I assured her. "I was cautious at first, but I do feel safe."

"What's he like?" Lester asked, suddenly serious.

"He's not very talkative, and he's grumpy. He doesn't want me here, and he doesn't hide it. I'm sure he'd be happy if I drove away and never returned."

"That does not sound good," Hector said, and I heard keys clanking against each other. "I am on my way."

"No. I can deal with it. I rarely see Mr. Scott unless we're training. He stays in his garage, doing who knows what, or in the sunroom on his computer. I'm lonely, but he has plenty of interesting books, and the lake is peaceful. Most evenings, I'm so tired I can barely manage a shower before I fall asleep."

"Sounds like Ranger training," Lester said.

"Funny you mention that. I took the Army physical fitness test on Monday. I didn't know how challenging it was to become an Army Ranger."

"How'd you do?"

"I did 17 push-ups, 45 sit-ups, and ran two miles in 20 minutes and 30 seconds."

"Not bad. Just remember, it took us weeks to get through Ranger school."

"I might not be in the best shape physically, but Mr. Scott says I'm a crack shot. So, I've got that going for me."

"I told you that," Hector said, sounding slightly hurt. "You did not believe me?"

"I thought maybe you were being kind because you're my friend, but there's no way this guy would say anything to make me feel good, so it's easier to believe him. Does that make sense?"

"Si, Angelita, but I would never lie to you."

"I know." I had a sudden urge to cry. I missed my friends and family and wanted to go home badly.

"Have you been taking your medication?" Hector asked.

"No. I don't want to take it unless I need to."

"There have been no panic attacks?" I didn't miss the skepticism in Hector's voice. He knew. Somehow, he knew.

"There were a couple on the first day, but nothing since. And they were minor."

"What happened?" I imagined Hector's spine straightening, immediately on alert.

"It's embarrassing. I feel stupid."

"No one is laughing, Steph," Lester said. "Some of the toughest people I know have suffered panic attacks, including myself."

I knew they needed to hear the details of what triggered my panic attacks, or I could expect them to load up and be on Finn's doorstep by morning. "The training equipment is in the basement. When he opened the basement door, I flashed back to the cellar stairs and couldn't go down them. I still can't go down them, and it's been five days. I have to go out the back and down the deck stairs to enter from outside. And then, at lunch on the first day, he ate a peanut butter sandwich. I don't think I'll ever be able to smell it without getting sick."

"I'd feel the same way," Lester said.

"There has been nothing since then?" Hector asked.

"No. Nothing."

"We miss you, mija," Mama said.

"I miss you all, too. Hector, can you let my parents know I called and that I'm okay? You can tell Mary Lou and anyone else who asks the same thing. Just don't tell anyone where I am and what I'm doing."

"I'm going by the bonds office Monday. I'll tell Lula and Connie," Lester offered.

"Thanks, Les."

After a chorus of goodnights, I hung up and lay on my bed, thinking about my life. I felt more confident about my training, and it seemed likely that I would remain a bounty hunter. My next step was finding a partner to effectively back me up. There were two problems with that. Lula already considered herself my partner, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings by bringing in a new partner. Sure, Lula caused a lot of the trouble we got into, and she wasn't dependable, but she was a loyal friend. Loyalty counted a lot in my book. Also, where did one find a capable partner? I fell asleep ruminating on that.