"Get out of the bathroom! You’ve already been in there over an hour and there are still three of us that need to get in!” screams Lila as she pounds on the cheap plywood door.
“I got up at 5 so it wouldn’t make a difference” yells Liz back through the door and then opening it, “See – I’m done already.”
Lila and Anne have been waiting for her to come out with a handful of rubber bands which fly past her with some making instant contact.
“You’re both so childish!” huffs Liz while she raises her nose in the air and slams the door to her guest room.
“Mission accomplished!” states Anne.
“I won’t take as long as Liz. Hopefully there is some hot water still left somewhere in the building” truthfully remarks Lila.
In her plush rose bathrobe, Ellen is sitting at the kitchen table with her Bible and journal with a cup of hot chi tea. She hasn’t slept that well and was enjoying a few moments of quietness to start her day.
Anne plops down beside her in the 70s style wood ribbing chair. Anne pulls out another chair to rest her cute bunny slippers on while she chats. “What do you think Willoughby will look like? Do you think he has changed much? Do you think he’ll look older and more sophisticated? What do you think he’ll think of me?” questions gushing one after another.
“Actually I don’t know but I’m sure you’ll know by the end of today” suggests Ellen “Hopefully you’ll see him and can take a picture so you can remember”.
Ellen is really very tired of answering the same questions over and over for several months now and is relieved to know that today is the day that some of those answers are finally resolved for Anne.
“I’m wearing an orchid dress with a matching necklace and the lovely bracelet from Brandon. I think it is so beautiful” observes Anne as she holds it towards the ceiling light “it’s one of the most exquisite gifts I’ve ever been given. He seems to intuitively know what I would like in just about everything.”
“Have you heard from him?” inquires Ellen.
“It seems like forever since I’ve seen him. He’s been on vacation for three weeks visiting with Julie and her grandparents” remembers Anne “I wrote an email and told him all about coming. He only wrote a short note back to me though which is unusual for him. Brandon suggested we could go out to lunch when he gets back which will be nice.”
Lila walks out of the bathroom fully dressed with her makeup and hair all ready, “Ok Anne it’s your turn and then I guess Ellen is last when you’re done. But there is only 45 minutes before breakfast so you better hurry” warns Lila.
“Don’t worry Ellen I can finish up after my shower in the bedroom so you have enough time to finish” sympathetically states Anne “You should have the bathroom first tomorrow.”
Two minutes before breakfast begins they all walk towards the dining room to meet the other future officer fellowship delegates. Lila is scouting out the other cute young men in the room and pointing them out with giggles and snorts loud enough so the unsuspecting guys can hear.
Anne turns to Ellen with a look of “can you believe this?”
Liz purses her lips tightly and slaps Lila on the back “Stop that. You’re embarrassing us!”
“Am not!” snaps Lila quickly sticking out her tongue at Liz “I think there are a lot of cute guys here. We need to go meet them!”
Lila grabs Liz’s arm and pulls her to another section of the dining room where some are standing around looking for a place to set their belongings before waiting in line to get their brunch buffet.
Anne anxiously whispers to Ellen, “I still don’t see Willoughby or Ted. I wonder when they will get here. I wonder where they are. They have got to know we are here waiting for them.”
While waiting in line, Ellen looks around but doesn’t see Ted either. She doesn’t have much interest in looking at the cuteness or availability of anyone else, if Ted should choose to like her that would be enough for her happiness.
As they find what they want for breakfast, Liz waves them over using half her body in motion to a table by the large windows. Two men are sitting at the oversized round table with Lila. As they walk over twisting their way through the assorted tables and chairs Lila yells, “We saved two seats for you but you need to hurry before someone else tries to steal them from you.”
Anne leans over while carrying her tray to Ellen “I wish someone would”.
Liz starts with an introduction, “As I’m sure you both know but haven’t met yet, this is Fannie’s brother Robert Ferris.” Robert critically looks them both up and down and then snuffs “Robert this is Anne and Ellen Dashing.”
Robert is very confident and arrogant much like Fannie but politely states “It’s nice to finally meet you. Ted has said a lot of kind things about your family. I’ve met your brother quite a few times since he regretfully married Fannie. She is a bit high-maintenance but most girls are it seems.”
“Have you known Liz for a long time?” asks Anne. Liz looks uncomfortable and tries to start speaking loudly to Lila at the same time.
“Actually we met years ago while I was still in high school and my brother was the corps helper at her father’s corps. But we haven’t seen each other for years. I don’t think we’ve seen each other since my brother moved on from that place” remembers Robert.
“He’s just joking!” nervously giggles Liz “He just can’t remember at the moment.” Robert looks confused but doesn’t deny her allegation. He thinks to himself that he is pleased and flattered that she is able to remember him from other times that they might have met but he now seems to have forgotten.
Robert then adds, “This is my friend David. He’s my best friend since childhood.” David is more on the awkward side but appears to be as snobby if not more so than Robert. He barely looks at them “Nice to meet you. I’ll meet you back at the room. I need to go now.”
Lila offers to walk with him. He shrugs his shoulders, but Lila walks with him anyway chatting away as if not to notice his indifference to her.
“So, what do you girls do with your time?” asks Robert to Anne and Ellen. Anne responds, “We’re both going to school full time. I work at the corps with Captain Brandon and Ellen works at area command with the Majors Middleton as well.”
“Oh. I finished my degree quite awhile ago. Higher education is essential if you expect to climb the ladder in the corporate world” adding confidentially “I’ve no interest in being an officer. I’m here to meet other singles in the territory. My family is quite well connected in the Army and we go back for generations. My mother would like me to find a blue blood Salvationist for a wife and this seems to be the stomping grounds for that opportunity”.
“Are you referring to us as a herd of cattle?” snaps Anne
“I call them like I see them. Even if some are more pleasurable to look at than others” replies Robert nodding his head to Liz who returns with a delighted smile.
‘Perhaps you need to look a little more deeply into the individual attributes and qualities of the women around you rather than to generalize their potential of attraction” clarifies Ellen with a smile “character is defined by the soul of a person not by its wrapping.”
“I’m not looking for soul but I am looking for a beautiful woman to stand beside me.” Robert again winks at Liz who wiggles her shoulders and batters her eyes in response.
Anne’s shoulders droop and her jaw drops while looking over to Ellen in an obvious “Is this guy for real?” Ellen quickly shoots a look to say “stop.”
Robert stretches his arms above his head and each arm lands on the backs of Liz and Anne’s chairs while the group continues talking. Eventually he drops his arm from Anne’s chair and moves in closer to Liz.
“So would you save me a seat during the next meeting? I have to run back and pick up my stuff and check to see if David is coming” asks Robert.
“Oh course. I need to get my things too. We can walk over to the conference room together” replies Liz.
Anne and Ellen walk out of the dining room together. “If she is so committed to Ted why is she flirting so much with his brother?” observes Anne “If Ted does really like her I don’t think he would be too happy to see them together.”
Ellen replies, “Maybe it’s because he’s comfortable because Robert knows that she is dating his brother” trying to offer a rational reason for Liz’s flirtatious behavior.
“You need to open your eyes” Anne asserts “Liz doesn’t care about Ted. She just wants a male body around her all the time. She gives you a hard time because Liz sees you as competition not because she cares at all about Ted.”
“That may be true, but I don’t know how Ted feels. I also don’t know how he feels about me either even if he realizes that Liz is only using him for attention. It doesn’t necessarily mean that he likes me” reflects Ellen.
“Maybe you’ll get to talk with him this week-end and get things straightened out” offers Anne.
As they walk into the conference room, the room is jam packed with talking delegates. The noise fills the entire room. Everyone is dressed in white shirts and either black pants or skirts. A few have bright blue epaulets with either one red bar or two. All the women have their hair above their collar which has been cut or plastered with hairspray to stay that way and lack all jewelry except for a random wedding ring. A handful of delegates have chosen to wear regular clothes which includes Liz and Anne.
The curtain opens and the praise and worship band is on the stage. Willoughby is playing bass. He looks quite trendy in his new haircut and outfit.
“Wow. It’s Willoughby! He’s here Ellen!” Anne tries to wave from the back of the room but he appears not to see her. “Let’s go down towards the front so he can see us!” while grabbing Ellen’s arm and pulling her towards the front row.
“Excuse me. Sorry. Excuse me. I’m Sorry.” says Ellen to each individual as they squeeze between the two rows of chairs and attempt to climb over purses, backpacks, and winter coats that have been discarded at strangers’ feet.
“Here we are!” says Anne to Ellen but load enough hoping to grab Willoughby’s attention.
As they sing with the praise team the new songs of Phil Laeger and Marty Mikles, Willoughby looks over their heads as if he doesn’t realize they are sitting directly in front of him.
The lead singer is a tall attractive blonde that looks like a poster child for the supplies and purchasing department of trade. She is wearing four inch trendy black leather heals and towers over everyone around her. She uses her eyes and physical motions to capture each person’s attention in the audience. Although her hair is in a chignon like many other women in the room, it appears similar to one worn by a model in a fashion magazine. Ellen notices that Willoughby often looks at the lead singer.
Anne sings loudly in hopes that Willoughby will hear her but she is drowned out by other enthusiastic if off key singers in the audience. Finally, the worship time comes to an end. The band members find seats in the back of the auditorium but Willoughby exits off the stage as if to put his guitar away.
The meeting continues but Anne looks around quite often and doesn’t see him return. Anne thinks perhaps he is looking for her because he didn’t see her.
After the meeting, Anne rushes out leaving Ellen to apologize for the many sore feet in the row that Anne has left in the dust. Anne doesn’t come to lunch. Again everyone eats in the same group being creatures of habit. David is friendlier at lunch and seems someone shockingly captivated by Lila whose nonsense rambles one statement after another.
Liz and Robert seem to be lost in conversation of their own except for one moment when Liz turns to say, “Ellen you look so sad. Are you waiting for Ted to come? I’m sure you’ll have your turn after he sees me.”
Ellen looks at her wide eyed and smirks, “Actually, I was wondering where Anne was. I haven’t seen her since the workshop was over this morning.”
“Did you see Willoughby and Sophie Grey?” smirks Liz “He couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Who could really?”
“Who are you talking about?” asks Ellen
“You know. The tall blonde singer with the voice” replies Liz “I hear they’ve been a couple for some time now since he returned to THQ.”
Robert adds, “Really? I wasn’t aware of that. I see Sophie around all the time. We’ve even dated for awhile. She is the favorite niece of the former General. She is quite the catch. If anyone decides to marry her, their future is secured in the Army whether they end up being an officer or not. Willoughby has his future set if they decide to marry. I’m sure his grandmother is promoting the idea. She likes to get very involved in the lives of her grandchildren especially where there social connections are concerned.”
“Do you think he loves her?” asks Ellen
“Oh I wouldn’t go that far” remarks Robert “he just sees a good thing when he sees it and Sophie isn’t that bad looking either.”
Liz smirks at Robert. “Well, she may be pretty but there are plenty of other attractive girls in the room. Take Ellen and me for instance. We’re both quite talented and I know that the guys like to admire me although I’m not so sure Ellen knows that. Sophie is no real competition when you consider all the other qualities that we possess.” While leaning into the shoulder of Robert.
“Sophie can have whoever she wants” replies Robert “is all I am saying. But as for me, I’m not that interested” looking over at Liz.
“I’m going to head back to the room and see if she is waiting there. Hope you have a good lunch and visit with Robert for someone who has an attachment elsewhere” catching Liz’s eyes. Liz is caught off guard for a second but quickly doesn’t let it bother her. She turns back to Robert and they start flirting and talking again.
When Ellen gets back to the room, Anne is not there. She notices that Anne has dropped off her name badge and dark blue delegate packet with a shield on the front. She notices that Anne at least has taken her cell phone with her.
Ellen texts Anne. Within a few minutes Anne is at the door looking over exerted and tired from walking so much. “I can’t find him. I didn’t know where he went. I asked around at the office, they said he left during the middle of the meeting because he had to run some errands for his grandmother. He has to come back tonight because he’s listed on the program. I’m going to go lay down for awhile.”
Ellen is a little disappointed but decides to do something rather than spend the afternoon in the apartment. “I’m going over to the library. I’d like to know what journals they carry and see if I can borrow any for my research.”
Anne absorbed in her own problems doesn’t care, “Ok, see you later.”
In the school library, a young teen comes up to her and asks if she can reach the “Guys and Dolls” DVD that has been placed in alphabetical order on the top shelf. The girl explains that she likes watching Broadway musicals even if they are from another century.
“I thought I heard your voice” Ellen hears Ted say as he comes around the bookcase “How are you? It’s so good to see you again!” as he hugs her and kisses her lightly on the cheek.
Ellen hugs him back but is in shock and isn’t quite sure what to say, “I’m good. It’s good to see you too! It’s all good I think.” Ted looks quite handsome even better than what she remembered him looking like before. But she has always thought he was attractive.
Blushing a little with his eyes dancing “How was your trip? I hope it went well for you. Was it very long? When did you arrive? Are you able to stay at all after the FOF week-end is over?” eagerly asks Ted as he rocks back and forth on his feet in nervous energy.
Ellen tries to quickly answer between the questions but they pop up before the previous one can be completely answered. She is so excited to see him as well it’s difficult for her to form coherent answers.
“Are you enjoying the week-end so far?” Warmly asks Ted as he gently touches her arm.
“Yes. The workshops have been interesting” Ellen blushes surprised by her own feelings of extreme joy and hoping that it is not noticed too much “but I came over to the library to find something to read” not knowing what else to say “they have a lot of good books here” and then cringes a little after the lame statement.
“I like wandering through the shelves too” Ted gets a puzzled look “no I didn’t really mean that. I like looking at the shelves of books or actually the books on the shelves.” He smiles and starts to laugh to himself at his chosen clarification.
“I know what you mean” beams Ellen “You are not that hard to figure out.”
“You really do have an intuitive way of reading my mind and understanding me” remarks Ted “I always feel comfortable with you, Ellen”.
Ted leans forward and moves closer to Ellen. In a serious and quiet voice states “I’ve really missed you and wanted you to know that I got your letters. I enjoyed reading each one of them” starts explaining Ted.
At just that moment “There you are! I’ve been looking all over the campus for you! Are you hiding from me? Of course not, you have been looking for me too!” pronounces Liz in a shrill voice as she enters the row of books. For some reason she looks completely out of place in a library at the training school. Perhaps it is because she decided to change out of her uniform into a tight red miniskirt, matching spike heels, and large looped earrings for the afternoon recreation time.
Ted looks frightened and his face is ashen. He looks too stunned to speak. “Robert told me I would probably find you over here with your head buried in some book of boredom” pronounces Liz “I can’t stand reading. I don’t know how writers can tolerate to write this stuff” then looking at Ellen “You and Brandon are so alike. Both of you always have tons of books around you. I don’t know how you stand it”.
Ted’s eyebrows furrow and he looks somewhat perturbed looking at his watch “I have to go now” apologetically looking at Ellen “I’m a ringer in the cadet’s band this evening and we have a rehearsal in the chapel this afternoon that starts in five minutes.”
“I have to go over to the chapel too. Lila is waiting there for me with David” turning to Ted with a nod and wink “I’ll walk with you. We’ll see you later Ellen”. Liz attempts to grab Ted’s hand which he quickly shoves into his pockets as they walk pass the magazine rack and out of the heavy wooden doors of the library.
At that moment Ellen grabs the shelf and leans on it to catch the weight of her spirit. Again a thousand emotions flood into her thoughts. He seemed very excited and pleased to see her. But why hasn’t he written? Why didn’t he tell Liz no and stay with her? Why did his mood change so quickly and he seemed so upset?
“He looked so attractive and his personality was the same as it always has been which was wonderful to experience again” thinks Ellen to herself “for a moment it was like nothing had changed between us. I wish that Liz had not shown up. She always manages to take over when she is in the room.”
Ellen starts to walk back towards the apartment to change. Tonight’s special program is a dress up banquet. As she strolls back to the room enjoying the afternoon warmth of the sun, feelings of happiness overwhelm her. “He really did seem glad to see me and his hug was so warm and friendly. He said that he likes my letters too. I wonder why he hasn’t written though” then attempting to come up with a reasonable answer “It doesn’t make sense unless he really does feel committed to Liz and doesn’t want to hurt her feelings by maintaining a friendship with me.” This last thought sinks her spirits but she decides to concentrate on the memories of how kind he was today in the library. She looks forward to seeing him again tonight and hopes that they will be able to talk again soon without Liz.
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