Page 34 of Coral Memories

“You must think about your parents as well.”

“And you.” Ginger spoke with understanding. “I know the risks, my love. But I also know I cannot sit idly by when I have the intelligence to help. This is my chance to be part of something greater than myself. For my country and for others.”

“Alright, but we must take every precaution.” With a sign of surrender, he pulled her close. “This will require travel to Virginia for training. Can you manage on your own?”

“I manage fine when you’re away.”

“I had to ask. You’re my wife, and my job is to protect you.”

“You do. But you must also let me go.” Ginger’s mind was already sizzling with excitement. “I’ll come back like a boomerang. I promise.”

It wasa beautiful spring morning when Ginger slipped into a nondescript back door a few blocks from the U.S. embassy in Paris. She was a few minutes late, having raced from an early doctor’s appointment.

She was still numb at the diagnosis.

But she had no time to process that. Immediately, she unlocked a cabinet and withdrew her work from the day before. She settled into her chair at the wooden desk and addressed the stack of documents.

The room fairly hummed with the quiet concentration of a handful of other cryptologists, each bent over their work. Though she’d only been at this for a few months, Ginger felt as if she’d finally found her true calling.

She was skilled at pattern recognition, the initial step in decoding messages. To an outsider, the work might seem monotonous, even mind-numbing. But to Ginger, each new coded message was an exhilarating challenge, a complex equation taunting her—yet, destined to be unraveled.

As she reached for her first document of the day, a shadow fell across her desk. Looking up, she met the approving gaze of her supervisor, Reginald Thompson.

“Mrs. Delavie,” he said in a low voice, mindful of the quiet room. “A moment of your time, please.”

Ginger nodded, rising to follow him to his office. Curious glances from her colleagues also followed her. Her unique position as both a skilled cryptologist and the wife of a high-ranking man in diplomatic services hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Once inside Reginald’s office, he gestured for her to take a seat.

“I’m sorry for being a few minutes late,” she began.

“That’s not why I called you in,” he said, lacing his fingers on the desk. “Your work has been exemplary. The patterns you’ve identified in Eastern European communications have provided invaluable insights. And saved lives.”

A warm glow blossomed in Ginger’s chest. “Thank you, sir. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute.”

Thompson’s lips quirked in a rare smile. “Which is why I’m recommending you for more advanced training in Virginia. Six weeks, this time. Starting next month. You’ll work with top analysts on more sensitive materials.”

Ginger’s heart raced with excitement. Advanced training meant more complex codes, higher stakes, and the chance toimprove sensitive situations. But a small voice in the back of her mind whispered a reminder.

“That might not be a good time.”

Thompson continued, “You have a unique situation, Mrs. Delavie. We’ll make any necessary accommodations. Your husband’s position affords you certain flexibilities.”

She bristled slightly at the implication she received special treatment, but practicality won out over pride.

“May I let you know tomorrow?”

He nodded, satisfied.

Settling back into her chair, Ginger picked up another document with renewed vigor. A profound sense of purpose washed over her.

Each pattern she identified, each code she cracked, led to something greater. She was no longer just Mrs. Bertrand Delavie, the nameless extension of her husband. In this room, she was a vital cog in the machinery of national security, using her intelligence to protect her country and her family.

Yet, sooner or later, she would have to address what would soon become obvious.

10

Marina couldn’t remember when she had seen Heather so happy. Her daughter’s face glowed as she talked about her plans with Blake for the future. She had stopped by Marina’s house to borrow a cocktail dress for a party that one of Blake’s nonprofit rescue organization supporters was having.

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