The Covenant - Chapter Eight

A loud pounding noise on the front door echoes throughout the apartment.  Anxiously Annie making a batch of chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen and rushes to answer the door afraid of what emergency has caused the alarming disturbance.

“Tell her” demands Jennings shoving Alice Hammer into the apartment with her shoulder.  “You need to tell her what you have done.”

“Well, uh … let’s see ….” Stammers Alice Hammer looking down and avoiding Annie’s eyes “I just thought …”

“Oh, please.  Just get it out” Jennings rolls her eyes and gently taps her best friend on back moving her more closer to Annie who is a little bewildered standing in front of her “You need to confess what you did.”

“It’s alright” assures Annie concerned what possibly in the world sweet Alice Hammer could do that would in need of garnishing an apology with such urgency “You can tell.  I’m sure everything is okay.”

“Well, you see I got to thinking” slowly begins Alice Hammer taking a deep breath “that you might need some adventure in your life.”

“At least that part is true” bluntly states Jennings annoyed that her friend is taking so long to tell Annie what she has done.

“You seem to be very caught up in the needs of your family and their children and don’t take much time for yourself.  I know this last year has been very hard for you” continues Alice Hammer grabbing for Annie’s over gloved hand patiently waiting at her side for the cookies to finish baking.  The glove slides off as Alice Hammer glasps her hand “Oh, sorry about that.  Let me put that back on for you.”

Jennings grits her teeth in dismay shaking her head. “Show her the letter, it might be quicker!”

“Oh, yes let me find it in my purse.  I just put it in there about an hour ago” as Alice Hammer begins to dig through her gigantic oversized purse full of books, makeup, mail, toys for her grandchildren, etc.

“She’ll never find it … it won’t happen …” mutters Jennings under her breath holding many eclectic items in her hand to assist Alice Hammer in her search.  In a few tedious moments Alice Hammer exclaims holding a white envelope with a shield on the front in the corner “I found it!”

Puzzled Annie cannot figure out what this could possibly have to do with her, she hears the bell from the oven alarm announcing that her cookies are finished cooking.  “I’ll be back.  Why don’t you take a seat and we can have some fresh baked cookies together?”

“OOOhhhh wonderful!  I just love cookies!  Sugar cookies, Christmas cookies, lemon cookies, zebra cookies, cookies with sprinkles ….” Delightfully chatters Alice Hammer clapping her hands together in anticipation.  In return Jennings stares at her and shakes her head.

Carefully Annie places the melting chocolate on dessert plates with a pitcher of hot steaming vanilla coffee and moves towards the living room where her friends are waiting.

“Well, what is it that you would like to tell me?” graciously asks Annie pouring them each a cup of coffee.

“Have you ever wanted to travel?” excitedly asks Alice Hammer with big wide eyes and a cheesy encouraging smile.

“Yes, I’ve thought about it time to time, but there never seemed to be a right opportunity to go anywhere” reflects Annie slightly envious of her friends who have traveled at different points in their lives.

“You like to help people too, right?  I always see you doing things outside of church with your Sunday School class, members of the youth band, and the Girl Guards too as well as helping out with the Sensational Seniors club on Tuesdays” states Alice Hammer as if making a list of qualifications for employment.

“You’re right, I do enjoy doing things with the kids and seeing both of you every week” nods Annie in agreement wondering what her dear friend has been up to.

“You’re avoiding your crime” pointedly states Jennings looking directly at her best friend for over forty years “Just get it out.”

“As you know there are posters all over every corps building in the division advertising service corps.  They’ve opened up to all age groups this year for the six week summer session” begins Alice Hammer “As a elementary teacher, I know you have the summer off and often end up babysitting your nephews but they are going to summer camp this year.”

“Yeah, that is usually how my summers end up being” adds Annie “but they are going to scout camp and now both are finally old enough for senior music conservatory so they will be gone for entire month.”

“I was thinking that a summer away in an exotic location might be good for you” continues Alice Hammer rubbing her anxious hands together “You like helping people and I’ve heard more than once that you’ve though about being a missionary but just haven’t had a chance to do anything since you were in college.”

“Yes that’s right, but I’m not sure what this has to do with me.  I didn’t sign up.” States Annie concerned that there might be some more unknown elements to the discussion yet to come.

“Well … I didn’t know if you had actually read the posters” stutters Alice Hammer “I know that I should have asked you first, but you were always so busy when I remembered and then at other times we were having such a good time together that I accidently forgot to mention it to you.”

“Spit it out … I can’t stand it anymore.  If you don’t tell her, I will!” perturbed states Jennings crossing her arms in front of her and crossing her legs in definance.

“I signed you up” announces Alice Hammer holding her breath.

“Oh, really?  That’s not a problem.  No one has contacted me” sighs Annie a little wishfully thinking that she had taken the initiative to sign up even though the possibility of going would be rather remote now that she had found out that Rick is leading a summer service corps team for the summer.

“There’s more she hasn’t told you” bluntly remarks Jennings clearing her throat and taking another sip of coffee.

“Well, I REALLY wanted you to be chosen to go.  So I might have stretched the truth slightly” swishing her lips as Alice Hammer adjusts her seat  “You took Spanish in college, right?  I remember you studying with Rick in the library years ago.”

“I took three years in college but I can barely remember past “Como se llama”. Foreign languages haven’t exactly been my forte even though I can read and comprehend somewhat.  What does this have to do with me?” asks Annie now staring at the single envelope on the coffee table.

Taking a deep sign and pressing her lips together before she begins, Alice Hammer rushes the words out “I told them that you were quite fluent and could be an interpreter for the team to Lima, Peru.”  She takes another deep sign in relief as her shoulders relax and she places a huge smile on her face.

“What?  I wouldn’t even expect my dog to understand my Spanish commands let alone to even attempt to communicate with anyone!” shocked responds Annie snapping the cookie she has just bitten in two.  “How were you able to send it in without my signature?”

“This is where it gets a little tricky” admits Alice Hammer slightly blushing.

“She signed your name to the application” blurts out Jennings tired of Alice Hammer’s delays “It was wrong, but she is here to ask for your forgiveness.”

“Oh, I see. What’s in the letter?” grabbing the envelope off the table Annie remarks “Oh, it’s been opened too.”

“I went ahead and read it because I didn’t know if it would be worth it to bother you about everything I had done.  If you hadn’t been accepted, it wouldn’t have made any difference anyway” excuses Alice Hammer “I know it was wrong, but I think in spite of my unacceptable behavior you will have a fabulous time!  It’s a trip of a lifetime!  And, you’ll be helping others all at the same time!  Captain Wentworth is on the same team and I know you use to be friends.  He’s still single and available.  It would such a good thing for you to go” nervously stumbles Alice Hammer over every sentence to provide her friend encouragement to accept the position. “You’ll be acting as a chaperon and part-time interpreter when a local one is not available.

“Annie, look at it this way.  She was wrong to do it, but had the best intentions for you in mind.  You need to go on the service corps team and get out of here for a little while” affirms Jennings feeling Annie’s doubts of herself are about to overcome her. “You can do this.  You have the time off and it would be a good thing too.  You already know most of the team.  You remember Harriet who is good friends with Emma Knightly.  She is going to be there at the same time visiting her family and is also helping as a translator for the time you are there. Also, Lauren and Hailey have been accepted for the time, with Ben Wick from our corps who is fluent and has been on quite few service corps teams over the years, and Captain Wentworth is the team leader. You’ll have a great time with that group.”

“I’ll have to think about it and let you know” replies Annie “there are a few things I need to consider.”

“You don’t have time to wait!” exclaims Alice Hammer “They need to know today.”

“She hung onto the letter because she was afraid to tell you and now has waited for the last minute to tell you” further instructs Jennings with a smirk.

“I guess it would be a good thing.  I’ll go ahead and send them an email” replies Annie feeling that God have might have stepped-in with His own plans for her life at a moment’s notice.

“Uhh … I have another confession before you do anything” quietly whispers Alice Hammer barely loud enough for the other two women to hear.

“What did you do?” cautiously asks Jennings narrowing her eyes directly at her friend.

“I told them that you had accepted the position” answers Alice Hammer nibbling on a cookie and taking a large swallow of coffee.

“Wouldn’t they think it was strange coming from an email from you instead of Annie?” suspiciously asks Jennings knowing there is more to come.

“I told another fib to you out, dear.  I set up a new email account for you to use because I didn’t know your current email and you would needed one for your application.  I’m so sorry.  I didn’t think it would go this far” feeling overwhelmed that she might have overstepped a boundary and might not be forgiven Alice Hammer looks pleadingly at Annie.

There is a long silent pause in the room and then Annie begins to loudly laugh. “You really must have felt I needed to go.  I’m not angry but it rather odd and funny at the same time.  I haven’t been to Peru.  I need to read up on some of the customs there and obviously practice my Spanish. I’ve always had a dream of walking along the Inca trail to Machu Pichu. It might actually be an opportunity of a lifetime!”

Kindly Annie reaches out and gives Alice Hammer a reassuring huge warm hug.  “No more emails though, I’m closing down that account.  I don’t even know the password, so you’ll probably have to help me do that. But I will write both of you and let you know about everything that happens while I’m gone.  Thank you for caring about me.

Looking at Annie and reflecting on her own life, Jennings adds “Sometimes unexpected things end up being the best moments in our lives.”