HER WISH
ONE
Emerson
“Thanks again,Major Reynolds. Have a good one.” I say into the phone before I drop it back down in the cradle.
It’s close to the end of the day on Friday and I’m trying to finish up the last of my work before it’s time to head out. I finish typing up the last of the details into the email, double-checking that everything is correct before I hit send. Friday’s are my favorite day for more than one reason. Sure, it’s the end of the workweek but the reason that I really love it is because I get to see him.
I check my watch, seeing that it’s almost time for him to come in. I push my black hair back behind my ears, straightening out my button-down shirt and pencil skirt as I stand and head over to the copier. I’ll be able to see him come in from here and I save all my copy work for this time of day so that I have an excuse to stand here for a couple of minutes.
Captain Denver Cabot.
I sigh just thinking his name. He’s so dreamy with his bright blue eyes and athletic body. He’s tall too, about 6’1” with the typical military haircut. If I could design a dream guy it would look just like him. He looks great in his camo greens and I suspect he would look great out of them as well.
I met Denver about a year ago when he got orders to Keesler Air Force Base. I’ve been working on Keesler as a civilian secretary to the commander for about three years now and I love it. The pay is great, and I have benefits and days off plus the work is never boring. I’ve lived in Biloxi, about fifteen minutes from the base all my life and I got the assistant job right out of high school. I still live in Biloxi but now it’s in an apartment by myself instead of with my dad.
Denver is a Captain and works in communications, the building next to the one that I work in. I ran into him one day when I was walking to my car for lunch and ended up dumping the contents of my purse on the ground between us. My pale skin had instantly flushed bright red and I had dropped down to pick everything up right away, trying desperately to hide my tomato-red face.
I’ve always had fair skin, and everything shows up on it. I burn easily too and with my black hair and pale grey eyes, I look a little monochrome. Maybe that’s why I like to wear such bright colors all the time. My favorite color is pink, and I try to buy most of my clothes in varying shades of the color.
The day I ran into Denver for the first time I had been wearing a bright pink summer dress dotted with white polka dots. It was stretched around my curves and maybe just a tad too short for the office, but I loved it so much that I just had to wear it. I had almost flashed him when I bent over to grab a packet of tissues and the front pulled down.
I had grabbed everything in my hands, cramming it back in my purse before I stood shakily back to my feet. I’m only 5’5” and I had to crane my neck to meet his bright blue eyes. He was staring down at me with a strange look on his face and I was sure that he was embarrassed for me. I had mumbled a quick apology before I darted for my car and vowed to avoid that guy for the rest of my life.
I didn’t even make it to the end of that day.
He came into the commander’s office at the end of the day, needing to talk with him about some meeting and I had almost run right into him again. This time, he caught me and had introduced himself. That was when I really noticed how hot he was. He had walked me back to my desk and stood next to it while he waited for the Commander to be done with his phone call. He had asked me my name and how long I had worked here, and I had somehow managed to work up the courage to ask him the same.
He was an officer, a Captain, and worked in communications. His office building was actually right next door to ours and I ended up seeing him a lot over the next couple of weeks. I also learned a bunch about him. I learned that he had a bachelor’s in cybersecurity and had just moved from Hawaii. He told me about what it was like there and I hung on his every word. I had always wanted to see the world and I loved how Denver described the places that he had been too. I think I fell in love with him right then and there.
He had just PSC’d to Keesler a couple weeks before and was still getting settled in. I wanted to offer to show him around so bad, but I wasn’t that bold. He comes in most weeks and I usually run into him when I’m walking to my car at the end of the day. Sometimes I wonder if he waits for me on purpose.
We’ve grown closer over the last year, sometimes eating our lunch together outside or going somewhere to eat off base. I wish that it would go past that though. I don’t want to be his friend. I want to be his everything.
I’m a little panicked now. Officers move around every two years and I know that I only have another year with Denver before he’ll be leaving. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t get to see him or talk to him every week. I’m desperate now.
Maybe that’s why when I pass by the fountain in the mall, I find myself stopping and digging a penny out of my wallet. I squeeze my eyes shut, gripping the penny tight between my fingers and making my wish before I toss it, watching it fall into the water and sink to the bottom.
God, please let Denver fall for me the way I have for him. Please.