Crest & Shield - Chapter Eight

“What are you doing? It’s only November first!” Anne snaps at Ellen who is turning up the radio volume of the CD in the minivan. “Why are we listening to Christmas music now? It is not even Thanksgiving yet!”



“I thought that it would put us in the mood for all the things we have to do today. Besides you like band music just as much as I do and this is the new “Sounds of the Season” from Trade with all of the territorial and staff bands on it.”



“As you know I do like brass music, especially good music – But seriously Christmas?” Anne questions with a mock tormented look.



They are on their way back to the Devon corps. Ellen is currently working at area command with the Majors Middleton helping out at the Christmas warehouse with the Women’s Auxiliary and Anne is working with Brandon to help with the Angel Tree program at the Crestwood corps. She is also assisting Brandon by playing the piano at the senior facilities, institutions, prisons and VA hospitals for their Christmas programs and community care distribution.



“Do you see Liz and Lila much today and yesterday?” asks Anne but not with a motive to care just as a way to start conversation as she stares out the side window watching cars pass them.



“Yes. I see Liz frequently when she brings donated items over for specific families. She is doing a good job so far. Liz has almost reached her goal. Most of the families have been adopted by corporations with only few handful of families that she is still looking for sponsors from businesses or churches” compliments Ellen. “I don’t see Lila much though because she is usually at area command in the counting room and kept quite busy with other errands”.



“I get to see her” moans Anne “She drops off coin wrappers or other supplies. Everything she says, even nice things are said with a condescending tone. Who is she? What makes her so special and more important than anyone else? We are all working really hard to make it a successful Christmas for families in our community.” remarks Anne while shaking her head and rolling her eyes

“Lila doesn’t need to have such an attitude with the rest of us.”



Ellen pulls up into a parking space at the Devon corps. As they get out of the car, a rather large fall feathered human-sized turkey with mustard tights and big plastic clawed feet comes up without Anne noticing and knocks on the passenger side window. The wild turkey then greets them and hams it up with a bull-legged jig. Although shocked at first from the hit on the window, Anne is bent over laughing while crawling out of the minivan. They see the turkey with a large tail of autumn colors shake his gizzard and attempt to do a cartwheel with bended knees on the corps lawn but doesn’t quite make it and rolls into a summersault instead.



Ellen giggling calls out “Who is that? Is that Maggie? ”



“No! It’s me!” they hear coming from inside the gigantic costume head of the turkey.



As he takes off the mask, “It’s me, Brandon. Your mom needed a costume to use on the float with the disaster canteen for the city Thanksgiving parade downtown. I found this costume a few months ago in attic storage of the Hallmark room. I heard you were coming over after work and thought I would try out the costume for you”.



The three of them blush and giggle. “Also for your information, I’ve contacted Krispy Kreme and they are donating several dozens of hot glazed donuts for us to pass out from the canteen at the parade. I was hoping that you and Ellen wouldn’t mind playing in the small ensemble on the trailer float with me. Maybe Liz or Lila wouldn’t mind being the turkey for the parade.”



“I highly doubt it, but you can always ask” Anne smirks while Ellen raises her eyebrows and grins in a look of you-never-know.



After chatting together for a few moments “Would you like to go out for dinner with us tonight? Or do you have something at the corps?” asks Anne.



“I’ve not got anything on my schedule at the moment. I’m hungry too. Let’s get your mom and Maggie so all of us can go. It will be my treat” happily replies Brandon.



While Brandon heads back into the corps to change into something more comfortable, Anne states to Ellen “He’s so funny. We’re going to the movies on Friday if you want to come along with us. There are some new art house movies out that look pretty good that we are going to see.”



“Normally it sounds great but I have my thesis that I need to work on so that must finished by the due date. But it sounds interesting though. I’ll have to think about it” replies Ellen even though the movies are something she would be very interested in seeing but giving Brandon and Anne more time to get acquainted seems like a better idea instead.



“Everybody is here. Jennings is coming with us too. Do you want to take one car or two?” asks Brandon.



“I have boxes of precise kit lap blankets to give out for community care in the back. Why doesn’t Anne ride with you? Mom can sit up front with me and then Jennings and Maggie can squeeze in to the second seat.”



“Ok” chirps Anne before Brandon can say anything and heads over to his car.

Brandon curiously catches Ellen’s eye and gives a nod of “thank you” to her. Ellen shrugs her shoulder as if it is nothing and grins back at him.



Jennings is playing eye spy with Maggie as they head to the restaurant and listen to Disney Radio that has been turned up in the back just for them while a surprised Mrs. Dashing puts away the Christmas CD.



Mrs. Dashing peers out the window and seems lost in her own thoughts. “Do you know Brandon was telling me today that he will probably only be stationed here a year? They’ve asked him if he would like to help plan a special national conference that is coming up in a couple of years and his appointment will likely change in June.”



“I didn’t know. Have you mentioned it to Anne?” asks Ellen.



“No. I thought that I would let him tell her. I don’t want her to back off in her friendship with him right now because he will be leaving” replies Mrs. Dashing “Brandon is a good man and is good for Anne. They seem to get along very well together.”



Jennings jumps into the conversation “Oh yes, it is so good to see them out and about together. He’s quite the eligible bachelor in the territory and has many girls chasing him for his attention. He’s kind and a spiritual man as well” and then with a note of wisdom “not bad a combination in a man.”



In the meantime Brandon is talking with Anne in the other car “This is the new staff band CD that came in the mail today. It has some great new pieces by Himes, Bulla, Ponsford, Gordon and Gates on it. Have you heard it yet?”



“I ordered my copy a week ago but it hasn’t arrived yet. It could be waiting for me at home. I have the new ISS songster CD though and it is quite good too!” answers Anne.



Both of them talk back and forth quite content in each other’s company.



“What are your plans for Christmas? Will Julie be visiting? Will you be going to see her and her grandparents?” asks Anne.



Brandon’s face grows clouded for a moment, “No. I’m planning to take vacation the week after Christmas and possibly go to see all of them”. Anne misunderstands and misinterprets his facial response. She wrongly thinks that he is thinking of his former fiancé. “I understand how much you must miss her”.



“Yes, I think about her a lot” replies Brandon in reference to Julie not his fiancé.

But Anne looks hurt for a moment. “It’s difficult to let people go sometimes” add Brandon but again referring to Julie but being misunderstood by Anne.



“Yes, I can relate to that. It hurts a lot.” replies Anne on losing her friends from her parent’s previous appointment but Brandon mistakenly thinks she is talking about Willoughby.



“How do you get over someone?” asks Anne while thinking about his fiancé.



“I don’t know. You have to stop thinking about them I guess. I’ve always found it very difficult to let go of someone I care deeply about” thinking of his possible move a few months away and how he feels about Anne.



“You’ve moved a lot though and have met lots of people. I’m sure you easily find new friends to help you get over losing others” remarks Anne wondering if Brandon will ever be able to let go of the memories of his fiancé.



“Once you care about someone and come to love them, it’s not as easy to forget them” argues Brandon assuming that she will easily forget her time with him as soon as she is around Willoughby again and he has moved to a new appointment.



“For me, I would think that it would be worth the effort to let go of old memories and move on” retorts Anne with a slight note of irritation to her voice.



“Well, I’m not that flippant” bitterly remarks Brandon thinking that Anne is talking about her quick change from liking him to moving on to Willoughby “I take things much more seriously” sharply replies Brandon.



Anne’s eyes widen and she tightens her lips because she now thinks that Brandon has pointed out her immaturity. Anne crosses her arms in front of her and leans hard back against the headrest of the car. Brandon grips the stirring wheel with more force and looks intently at the road in front of him wrongly assuming Anne’s inconsistency. The car is silent except for the blaring march on the CD.



Getting out of the car, Anne slams the door while the rest of the Dashing family looks on with curious interest in the parking space next to them. Brandon gets out after her and takes a moment to straighten his pants and brushes his shirt of imaginary lint. He walks ahead without waiting for Anne to catch up with him.



Everyone looks a little confused except Brandon and Anne who are obviously ticked off with each other.



At the Italian restaurant, Anne and Brandon sit at opposite ends of the table from each other. They occasionally peer around the centerpiece advertisement stand which they are using to block the view in order to curtly answer when asked a question by one of the others such if they want more bread, butter, salt or pepper.



Jennings decides to lighten the atmosphere a bit and explains that a new Silver Crest is being built in the area command that she hopes to move into next year. She explains the benefits of a place that is specifically designed for seniors to meet all their needs in one place including a cafeteria, library, game room and activity center with lots of schedule and organized events and classes.



Jennings also gossips that she thinks that her daughter and son-in-law will probably be transferring to a new appointment the next year since they have been in the area command for three years now. She asks if anyone has heard any rumors about the moves for June. Brandon agonizingly stares at his plate of lasagna but adds, “no, not really only a couple of possibilities.”



Anne adds, “Well, I don’t know about anyone else” specifically looking at Brandon to catch his eye “but I’m ready to try some place else” to which Brandon replies with a smirk “Yes, you like new things.” Anne glares at him in return.



Ellen and Mrs. Dashing look back at forth at each of them throughout dinner as if watching a verbal tennis match. As they walk out to the car, Brandon offers to take Jennings with him so that they don’t have to make an extra trip to drop her off at her house. Anne rolls her eyes and shuffles her shoulders while mumbling under her breath “whatever . . .” while climbing into the back seat of the mini-van with her family.



Anne takes out her Ipod from her purse while throwing back her head against the cushion of the headrest and closes her eyes in order not to have to communicate or explain herself to anyone else. The van is very quiet driving home. Mrs. Dashing and Ellen are entirely confused but don’t feel it is the right time to ask Anne for an explanation.



Rather than try to talk to Anne who is in a fowl mood, Maggie grabs homework from her backpack and decides that it would probably be a better waste of energy to work on it instead.



After walking in the door, Anne strides over to the piano and continually plays for three hours every melancholic tune that she can possibly find among her million songbooks. Ellen and Mrs. Dashing enjoy the evening of music even if the motive seems a little unclear.



Ellen checks for email on her lap top and texts on her phone. There is still nothing from Ted. It seems every time Liz comes to the Warehouse she mentions something about Ted. Fortunately it never seems to be anything personal or something that she didn’t already know because Ted has already told her. The words are a mixed blessing of annoyance and thankfulness that she is hearing about him through someone who technically knows him. It doesn’t appear that Liz is hearing directly from him but she does have contact with other people who know him and talk about Ted which supply her with information.



The next day at the warehouse, Liz asks Ellen if she would like to go for lunch with her at the Grand Dragon Buffet. Having accidently forgotten her lunch on the kitchen counter, Ellen doesn’t have much of an excuse not to go.



They find seats in a fire-engine red vinyl booth near the front window of fighting thorn tailed dragons and order their sodas. After returning with a large plate of chicken fried rice and crab Rangoon from the buffet Liz begins, “as you are aware I’m sure Ted and I have certain chemistry.” Ellen raises her eyebrows but doesn’t say anything, “Ted and I have liked each other for a very long time.”



“After being around you now for a few weeks, I know that you can keep confidences. Knowing that Ted looks at you as one of his friends and obviously only a friend, I thought that I could share our special secret with you” cunningly states Liz.



After taking a sip on her soda while looking up towards the ceiling and swinging her crossed leg, Liz continues “His family wants him to be a professional musician. He comes from a long line of very successful people. His extended family is very wealthy” pausing to wait for a look of awe from Ellen who doesn’t respond to this new bit of information.



Liz starts again “Ted has mentioned wanting to be an officer but I think he is meant for greater things than that” dusting off her napkin “Anyway, his mother doesn’t like me much” stating with a small pout and pause. “We’ve been promised to each other for quite a few years now and unofficially engaged for five. He is working on finishing his degree which will happen soon and I am paying off my credit card debt so we can get married most likely next summer.”



In a whiny voice “We love each other passionately but his mother doesn’t approve of his relationship with me because she wants him to finish his college first before making any commitments” Liz pouts again and takes another sip of soda which she slurps.



“Due to his extremely busy schedule and that we don’t live in the same state, we are only able to see each other twice a year. As you probably have noticed, we try to keep our feelings for a minimum in public so no one will have anything to say to make his mother upset” Liz continues while twisting her fortune cookie in her hand “He is completely devoted to me and is willing to wait even though it is so difficult for us to have such a long secret engagement. We both want the blessing of his family and this seems the most sensible thing to do at the moment in spite of its painfulness to both of us”.



Ellen is quite surprised at this recent news but she has no reason to deny or confirm its credibility because she hasn’t privately spoken with Ted in such a long time.



“If our secret gets out, his family may disown him. I don’t want that to happen just because of me or because someone who couldn’t keep a secret. But I couldn’t bear to keep the secret inside me any longer. I need to share it with someone. You seem like right person since you are such a good FRIEND to Ted” replies Liz. Ellen squirms a little in her chair at the word “friend” but still manages with effort to understand where Liz is coming from.



“Please don’t tell anyone. Not even Ted” pausing for dramatic effect and looking sternly into Ellen’s eyes “because he will be angry with me for talking about it. Our secret engagement might get back to his family and then what would he do? He has no resources to pay for tuition to be a cadet at the training school or if he chooses a professional musician until he finishes his schooling. His family would no longer help with his school loans since he is attending an expensive private college and would have to drop out. His family is very powerful and could interfere with his future” firmly adding with pursed lips “and as you now know that would be your fault if anything is said”.



Liz then opens her fortune cookie. “Umm this is interesting, I wonder what it means? “A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it is written on – Samuel Goldwyn” looking confused “What does your fortune say Ellen?”



Ellen opens the dragon stamped cellophane packaging, “A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge – Thomas Carlyle” Ellen reads out loud. “I like you cookie better. Do you want to trade?” asks Liz.



After returning to the office, Ellen fixes a cup of coffee, closes her office door and sits at her desk. Ellen recognizes Liz’s manipulation for what it is but doesn’t have any communication with Ted to counter Liz’s supposed relationship with him or the demands that Liz has required of her.



Ellen doesn’t want to make things more difficult for Ted with his family or anyone else. If he really is engaged to Liz, what can she do about it? Ted has made his choice. If Liz is lying, what would be the point to confronting him about it? The reality is that Ted isn’t even talking to her right now. Liz has more contact with him than she does. Ted could call or write her any day if he wanted to but instead chooses not to. However, Ellen has never seen Liz answer a text or phone call from Ted, in spite of that Liz implies she hears from Ted all the time.



As the days pass Ellen’s heart aches but she also is mature enough to see that there is not a whole lot she can do to change the situation. She has to accept that Ted is not interested in her and only sees her as a friend. She has to find a way to move on and let go of her affection for him.