Capitol Submission by Cross Skylar

Author:Cross, Skylar [Cross, Skylar]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Terissa

I’m on Landover Road heading west through suburbia.

The city bustle has given way to rolling hills and brick houses with big lawns. Churches. Supermarket plazas. Kids playing in the late spring heat with big bubble makers.

After meeting with Dreynauld, I couldn’t go back to the office. Something is wrong, eating away at me. Alarm bells are going off in my brain. Loud ones.

Before facing Judith, I need to respond to the bells. It’s urgent.

And there’s only one person I trust enough to talk to when I get into this state.

So I took the Metro back to my place, got my SUV, and here I am on my way to the nice quiet town of Kettering.

I turn off into a development and pull up to the big brick house with white shutters. Stately and impressive behind a lawn with diagonal lines mowed through the grass.

I take a deep breath, get out of my SUV, walk to the door, and ring the bell.

The door opens and I’m greeted by a stern face with a frown and folded arms.

“Well,” she says, “there must be a national emergency if you’re here.”

“Auntie O,” I say, “can’t a girl just come by to visit her aunt who she hasn’t seen in a while?”

“A while? Try six months, girl. I only live thirty minutes away.” The frown breaks and she puts out her arms.

I move in and we hug.

“I know, I know,” I say. “I don’t make it out here very often.”

“All right, come on in then and let me make you a sandwich.”

“I’m not hungry, but thanks.”

“You come by my house, you’re going to eat, girl! Those are the rules.”

I step into the elegant living room. I picture Uncle Ted sitting in the armchair complaining about what’s on television. Can’t believe it’s been four years he’s been gone.

“So what is it?” says my aunt as she leads me to the kitchen. “Do you need me to set up a meeting at the Pentagon with someone? Not that I could. Everybody I knew is probably retired or dead.”

“Auntie, stop! Look, I know I’ve been bad. It’s just my job—”

“Your job?” She takes a roast chicken out of the refrigerator along with some marble rye bread. Did she know I was coming? “Girl, a job isn’t everything.”

I sit on one of the stools at the counter. “Your job was everything.”

“And look what it got me! A nice quiet house to die alone in! No children. Nobody to take care of.”

“Hm, as I recall, you had some adventures.”

She smiles as she puts the bread on a plate. “I sure did. I saw it all. Too much, in fact. But it ain’t everything, girl. There’s more to life than power and adventure. I learned the hard way. I wish you’d find yourself a nice man, a man who doesn’t live or work in Washington, and settle down. Raise a family.”

I try not to roll my eyes.

“Auntie O, please don’t go down that road again. How are you doing?”

She slices some chicken onto the marble rye.

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