The Covenant - Chapter Twenty-Eight

Picking up her jacket from the seat behind her, Annie considers the last words of the play that the lead gently whispers to his heroine “It isn’t just a moment, but the beginning of a lifetime”.  Cynically, Annie quietly retorts to herself, “If it were only that easy to just be in the time for anyone” flopping her coat around her shoulders to protect her from the bristly air.  “What did you say?” curiously asks Elliot rushing to walk next to her with a smile while knotting his maroon scarf and tucking it into his winter coat for better warmth.  The theatre doors are large and heavy with delicately edged glass designed in a garden with the tree of good and evil.  As only a gentleman would do Elliot steps in front of the door to allow Annie to walk out onto the bustling pavement before him.

“It’s so crowded tonight, I don’t think  I’ve ever seen so many people in one small place” chimes in Beth, wrapping her arms between Elliott’s and snuggling in as if she is afraid of the cold rather than just in need of warmth.  Elliot smiles at her, taps his hand on her left glove tightly sealed to his arm and politely wiggles away from her, “I think you might find my scarf more useful” taking it from his neck and handing it to her while moving closer to Annie and putting his arm around her uninvited shoulder. 

In response Annie can feel herself stiffen but not entirely sure as the cause of her motive. Her thoughts quickly wander to what Rick might be doing this evening and disappointed that she had not accidentally run into him at the show tonight.  She finds herself pretending to reach into her handbag pulling herself away from him while she tries to find a mystery item in her purse.  “Can I help you find something?” kindly asks Elliot looking over her shoulder to see into the chasm of a warehouse full of surprising items.

“No, thank you.  I was just looking for some chap stick.  My lips are a bit dry because of the wind”, pulling out the first thing she could find to answer his question and holding it up between them to create more space with a natural barrier.

“I have some Burt’s Bees if you would like some” offers Elliot looking into her eyes and leaning close to her as if to offer a secret that is only shared between the two of them.  He pauses for a moment as if waiting for her answer before slowing moving away.

“Thanks, but I have mine” nervously responds Annie not entirely sure what to do or how to react to how she is feeling.  She looks over his shoulder to see her sister offering sheer daggers of jealousy and death.

“I would like some” grabbing it out of his hand and quickly applying some to her lips and then turning to Elliot offering a smoldering look with her lips slightly apart “Does it look like I’ve got it covered?”

Without thinking, Elliot gives her a quick glance looks away and then looks again, returning rather flatly “I think you’re fine.”

Tightly forming her lips together in a thin line, her eyes narrow into two small creases while tossing back her coiffed hair, “Annie never bothers to take care of herself” then pausing for dramatic effect to stare Annie down from head to toe “She would really benefit with a trip to my stylist, because she’s too oblivious to even notice what’s in fashion.” 

Feeling her words sting, Annie subconsciously closes her coat more tightly around her.  Noticing the slight, Elliot counters “I like the way Annie dresses, her beautiful personality comes out in her own unique flair and style”.

Puzzled Annie looks at him in disbelief and takes a quick inventory of what she is wearing silently considers, “Perhaps glancing at a fashion magazine once or twice in a decade might be rather useful ….” Elliott notices the moment of insecurity and adds “I like Annie just the way she is and I wouldn’t change anything about her.”

Regaining her composure Beth loudly huffs, disconcerted replies “I think we’re heading the wrong way.  We should get a taxi instead of walking.  It’s too cold to be outside tonight!”  Jumping just off the cement curb, raises her hand trying to flag down a taxi in the middle of the busy street.

Walking just behind them, Annie notices that Ariel seems a little sad tonight and lost in her own thoughts.  As Elliot places a hand through his hair, Ariel watches him intently as if considering the purpose of each action and disappointed in her own conclusion.

In spite of Elliot’s kindness and support tonight, Annie’s thought can’t help but drift back to her conversation earlier in the afternoon with Rick and wishing he were walking with her tonight rather than Elliot who now seems to have finally noticed that Ariel is also with them tonight and lost rather animatedly in a story with her.

As they squeeze into a taxi with Ariel and Beth cohesively flanking Elliot on each side in the back side, Annie moves to the front passenger seat next to the cabie who greets her with a kind smile of understanding and empathy.  “I remember you”, he begins as Annie recalls a memory of recognition and joins “Yes, you were the very first person I met when I came to New York. I immensely enjoyed your kind tour of NY for a naïve novice of the city.  How are you?  I hope you and your family are doing well!” ecstatic to have randomly met someone who feels like an old friend.

“Can’t complain, things have been good”, he warmly replies “I hope you have been enjoying your time in the city.”

“It’s been great!” sincerely exclaims Annie “There are so many wonderful and exciting things to see and do here.  I don’t think that I could ever be bored…” while losing herself in her thoughts of how many different experiences she has had in such a few short months.

“I was hoping there might be a chance of running into you again and catching up with your adventures.  You’ve been one of my nicest customers over the years” genuinely explains the cabie “Most of the time my customers are in a hurry to get shuffled from here to there and don’t have much time to chat.”

After asking him several questions about his family and getting caught up on the current happenings of his daughters and the latest in his wife’s cooking, Annie feels rewarded in renewing a friendship.  He offers his card with his cell phone number neatly written in pen at the bottom, “If you ever want to get away and try something different my wife makes an out-of-this world lasagna.  Bring a friend if you want to, she always makes plenty.”

“That sounds great!  I may take you up on your invitation.  Homemade Italian food sounds terrific!” warmly returns Annie and thinking of a possibility of a future outing with Rick “I’ll bring a friend too so we can both meet your family.”

As Elliot gets out of the taxi in front of the Senior Residence where the Elliotts are staying, he opens the door for Annie and helps her out of the car, only overhearing the last of the conversation slightly jealously adds “You make friends rather quickly.  You’ve already been invited out to dinner by a stranger”.

With a smirk, Annie responds “He was the first person I met when I came to New York.  We talked mostly about his family while he told me about the best places to see in the city.  He was only being kind.”

“You always met the strangest people.  You talk to anyone, doesn’t matter who they are.  I don’t know how you have the nerve or courage when you barely speak to people you have known for years” snidely remarks Beth trying to somehow belittle Annie even in her ability to make new friendships.

“Some of the kindest people we will ever meet were once a stranger to us” retorts Annie “I’d rather have a moment of meaningful, than a lifetime of solitude” wondering if this might be her own personal answer to the last words of the play.  Her thoughts drift again to the gentleness in Rick’s voice and how he made her feel just to be near him once again. 

Standing a few feet away, Elliot appears to be flirting with Ariel trying to cheer her up from earlier in the evening.  Ariel grabs a hold of his arm while she laughs at one of his jokes that was not particularly amusing but which she finds artificially hilarious, while tossing her head back and leaning in towards him as if she has never found anything funnier.

A few minutes later, Elliot offers to walk Ariel around the block to McDonalds for a coffee since she says that she needs something to warm up with before returning to the apartment.  Beth decides to join them not wanting to be left out of the party that was originally meant for two.  After offering her apologies for being tired, Annie heads into the glass sliding security doors alone. 

As she stands at the elevator in the front lobby after pushing the arrow to go up to the seventh floor, she hears a familiar voice behind her.  “I was wondering when you were going to get back tonight.  If it is not too late, I was hoping that you might be interested in trying a new chocolate dessert that I found at a deli around the corner.”

Waiting for a moment to collect her thoughts before turning around, Annie is so happy to hear his voice again she can feel the moisture gathering in her eyes, “I would love to! Dessert sounds perfect right now!”

Connecting with her smile, Rick amicably helps her put her coat back on as they head out the door into the welcoming night air. They walk in silence for a few minutes unsure of what to say next but each contemplating a thousand silent options within seconds of elapsed time, “It’s really quite a cozy place.  There were quite a few locals having lunch when I was there the other day.  Do you have any favorite places that you like to visit so far?” endeavors Rick to begin the discussion.

“A few, maybe next time you can come with me and I’ll show you some of them” shyly invites Annie opening that every answer will be a ‘yes.’

“I’d love to.  I’d like to explore the city with you.  You always had a way of finding the most unusual or unique places that were interesting.  Most of them were pretty intriguing, only a few were a little scary” jokes Rick as they both fall into memories of a past time of their adventures together.

Rick can still hear Annie’s voice “Come on!  It’s not that bad” while they struggle to see through the grease stained windows of the diner marked “Tim’s Place”.  “It may not look the best, but it smells wonderful” chides Annie attempting to get him to comply. “I guess it does, but the view looks like it might need a visit from an inspector” Ricks responds while placing a small peck on the tip of her nose “If I get food poisoning, you have to nurse me in the hospital until I get well again!”  “I promise” sulkily replies Annie disappointed that he does not greet the visit to the local diner with the same enthusiasm.

The sit and chat for a couple of hours, laughing over many of the stories of the eccentricities of their former professors while the conversation switches to goals and dreams for the future. He tells her of his desire to be an officer and to have a day to day ministry with people that will make a difference. She appreciates the sincerity of his calling but also struggles with the reaction of her family if she were to join him in his life of service.

Both of their memories seem to stop and begin in the same place as they look at each other with knowing eyes without a word being spoken. “Do you still feel the same about officer-ship as you use to?” anxiously asks Rick trying to downplay the tremor in his voice.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t like it before.  But sometimes family obligations or opinions can stifle what you really should be listening to.  God’s voice is rarely a shout. I wish that I had been still enough to listen then.  I think He would have worked everything out in His timing.”

Softly Rick counters “Maybe He already has” not looking up at her but hoping that she can feel and understand the weight of his words.

As the wind blows the leaves at their feet, Annie moves closer to him.  Rick gently places a hand on her back to guide her around the puddles blocking their way to the entrance of the diner.