Just ignore her, he said to himself. But he could hear her damn pen scribbling. He could see her movements in his peripheral. She was raining on his sunny day. He grimaced, walked over to the trash and threw his cup away and marched back into his office.
Click, clop. He walked and he could hear her. Stalking him. Walking behind him. He walked a little faster until he started to feel a little winded. He started to feel perspiration on his forehead. Jeez, he was almost running. He forced himself to slow down and walk slower.
He reached the door and pulled off his sunglasses. He turned to hold the door and pass it off to the person behind him. And there she was smiling. He almost let the door go.
She smiled and said "I would accuse you of following me, but it appears I am the one following you from the park." She said that with a laugh. A laugh that was soft and seductive. It was probably the thing that lured Greek sailors to crash themselves into rocks.
He made his face go dead. When he feared showing too much emotion, he went to no emotion. His eyes deadened and looked through her. His face froze and his lips curled into a polite smile.
"Pardon me." Lucas responded.
"Just joking that I was following you from the park" she said with a smile and shake of her head.
"Oh, were you at the park too? It was a nice day for it." He said before walking away.
He almost ran to his desk. He was good at not displaying emotion. He should have felt victorious. But she smelled so good up close. She smelled soft and sweet. Her hair should be too lustrous to be called brunette. He replayed the conversation in his head. Was she flirting with him? No way. Her laugh, just thinking about it now, made him hard. He actually did work hoping everyone would think he was too busy to disturb. They would see the tenting of his pants and know that he was having dirty thoughts about a gorgeous woman somewhere. Like in the building next door.
That night, he called the Shirley's.
"Oh, of course I remember you Luke. And the other fellows as well. Jim and Raymond. This is a surprise. We haven't heard from you in years. What can I do for you?"
"You want to speak to Chuck. Luke, I hope this isn't a joke. Chuck has been dead for 4 years now.
" You didn't know. None of you knew. I told the High School Reunion committee a couple years back. Oh, you three didn't go to the reunion. "
"All that we were ever told was that it was a routine training deployment that went horribly wrong. We have his medals, and the flag. He's buried here in town."
"He was such a good, good boy." She said as the memories started to choke her with grief. There was probably an endless well of tears always ready at a moments call to fall on the mementos that were left.
Lucas called in sick. He called Ray and Jim the night before... They met later that night to drink a couple for Chuck and remember the old times.
"I can't believe he died."
They each said it, so no one was sure who said it this time.
He was only 26. 4 years. That was a long time. He was such a kid.
"If it's a routine training exercise, how come someone can die?' Jim asked sarcastically. "How routine can it be for god sakes?"
"It's the military. So you never know what the whole story is. Sure it was routine. It was their routine conquering of a third world nation." Ray answered back with a sneer.
"He's dead" It was all Luke could think to say. How short a life was it that he was dead at 26? Shot, or blown up or something equally terrible. He couldn't imagine his friend knowing that pain. Never knowing any life outside of the military.
"Yes, he's fucking dead" Ray sneered.
"Stupid mother fucker. He never knew when to just shut up and duck." Jim said with a bark of laughter.
That was enough to get Luke and Ray smiling.
"Like when he was on first and yakking it up with the first baseman, and that line drive clocked him right on the top of his head." Ray retorted.
"The asshole cost me a hit. It went straight up. My damn line drive turned into a pop up" Lucas grinned shaking his head.
They ended their night, clinking their beer mugs together.
"To Chucky, rest in peace brother."
They would make a group trip out to his grave in a couple weeks. Maybe drop by his folks.
Lucas sat in his apartment later that night. He could only shake his head. He was so young and then he was gone. 26 in some forsaken place.
"My own life matters less than his did."