Page 111 of Her Dark Salvation

“What can I get you?” A server appeared, holding a pot of coffee.

“A cappuccino for her?—”

“Extra hot,” I added.

“Extra hot,” Jeff said with a smirk. “And a caprese sandwich for us to split.”

“You got it,” the waiter said and headed back behind the counter.

Funny. Amid all the revolution, there were some things I never wanted to change. Like caprese sandwiches at Scholar’s with Jeff.

“Early lunch today,” Jeff said.

“Yeah, sorry. Marco and I are leaving at one for Amherst.”

“Meeting the parents?” He quirked a teasing smile.

“Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? A middle-aged man going to ask his middle-aged girlfriend’s parents for permission to marry?” I chuckled. “But you know Marco.”

He laughed. “I do. And I think it’s sweet. They’ll appreciate it.”

The waiter returned with my cappuccino, and I held the mug in both hands to steal its warmth.

“Is something wrong?” Jeff scrunched his eyebrows and examined me. “You seem a bit off.”

I lifted the mug to my lips and took a tentative sip of the scalding brew. “A little maudlin, that’s all.”

“About…”

“I’m ready to leave MIT,” I said, the closing of one chapter and the opening of another an emotional upheaval that tightened my chest. Tears prickled my eyes.

Jeff’s mouth formed a tight smile. He folded his hands on the table. “You sure?”

The urge to cry burned the back of my throat. “More than I’ve been about anything in a long, long time.”

His smile broke free of his restraint, and he reached across the table and grabbed my hand. “I am so happy for you, Anna. You deserve to feel fulfilled. You’ve worked too hard not to get up every morning and enjoy what you do.” His voice cracked and lips quivered, and his unconditional love and support opened the floodgates.

Tears spilled down my face, and I laugh-cried for several breaths, a huge grin plastered across my face. “Thank you.” I swiped the tears away. “Thank you for understanding. Thank you for getting this. For getting me.”

He took off his glasses to wipe the tears from his scruffy cheeks. “I’d be a horrible best friend if I didn’t.”

I laughed nervously, struggling with all the emotion.

The server came back with our caprese sandwich, and Jeff didn’t waste any time. He split it in half and lifted his portion to his wide-open mouth.

I chuckled. No, I didn’t want this part of my life to change at all.

“So,” he said through the mouthful. “What are you going to do instead?”

“Well…” I sunk my teeth into the sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. “I think I’d like to take a month off. Enjoy not working for a change. Marco wants to go to Italy for a couple weeks. Says we need the break. I tend to agree.”

Jeff snorted. “No doubt. I wouldn’t mind a break myself, and I didn’t go through half of what you did.” He popped a few chips in his mouth. “But then what? I know you. You’re going to get real bored real fast.”

“No kidding. One month is about all the vacation I can handle. So, I was hoping…” I picked at the edge of my sandwich. “When I get back…” I lifted my eyes. “I could come work for you?” Jeff stopped chewing, the tremendous bite held in his cheeks like a chipmunk. “I want to join your team. Get assigned to jobs like the one I just finished. Go to sites, work with clients, solve problems. I want to be a consultant.”

His mouth arched into a smile that reached his eyes and wrinkled his crow’s feet. He finished chewing, and his smile broadened, smug and eminently pleased. “Liked it, did you?”

Satisfaction and gratification swelled in my chest when I thought about the job I’d completed for DEI. It also left a sinking sensation in my gut, the reality of the truths I’d uncovered a painful reminder that not all stories had a happy ending. Regardless, I had made an impact, and however painful, it had helped DEI and Marco. I couldn’t deny the depth of my newfound fulfillment.

---