Chapter Seven
T he fluttering in Vickie’s stomach began as soon as she opened her eyes. Memories of last night’s birthday dinner with her parents and the silly promise she’d made to Kristy flooded her mind. What had she gotten herself into? She threw on a satiny pink robe over her nightgown and padded down the hallway. Coffee. No more thinking until she had a cup. At the sight of the freshly brewed liquid, she smiled. Whoever had invented the timer for coffee makers deserved a Nobel Peace Prize.
Her favorite coffee mug was on the counter, right in front of the coffee maker. The spoon to stir in creamer was already inside. Vickie knew if her friends could see the scene, they’d laugh. But it always made her feel better to have things prepared. For as long as she could remember, her nightly ritual had consisted of putting out her mug and spoon, grinding the coffee, and setting the timer. Sometimes she would even go so far as to put out a skillet and plate if she planned to fix a scrambled egg, which was her breakfast of choice.
Jake lazily sauntered into the kitchen, stopping every now and then to stretch. Vickie bent down and scratched between his ears. “Good morning sleepyhead.” She grinned as he regarded her seriously for a moment. “Today’s not going to be the day you start speaking, huh?” she asked as he went back the way he came, presumably to lounge on the fluffy bed he’d claimed soon after she’d rescued him.
Vickie poured coffee into the waiting cup and loaded it with stevia and creamer. She plucked a peppermint coffee stirrer from the container and watched as the creamer swirled with the coffee. For a moment she closed her eyes and enjoyed the scent. Okay. Her first day post-thirtieth birthday wasn’t too bad. She could handle it.
An hour later, she was dressed and ready for work. As soon as she stepped out of her building, the humidity washed over her like a blanket. Why did she even bother putting on makeup? At least she’d thought to use waterproof mascara this morning. Just in case she had to follow through on the promise she’d made to Kristy last night.
It was only a five-minute walk to the Metro. That was one of the reasons she loved her location so much. Quick access to transportation was vital in DC and being so close to Metro Center meant she was close to any of the lines. As usual, she silently applauded herself for choosing her apartment. When she’d first moved in, the area had really been an up-and-coming neighborhood, but with so many renovated condos and apartments in the area, it had quickly transformed into a hip area for young professionals. And although Vickie had never classified herself as ‘hip’ she was happy to at least be surrounded by hipness.
She exited at the Smithsonian stop and managed not to bump in to anyone. Late July was still prime tourist season, so this was quite a feat. Even though it had been five years since she’d moved to Washington, she never tired of walking to work. She could see the Washington Monument almost as soon as she stepped off the escalator from the metro. If she stopped and looked in the opposite direction, the U.S. Capitol was in view. When she’d first started, the other rangers who were stationed along the National Mall assured her there’d come a time when she wouldn’t even notice the monuments, but so far that hadn’t happened.
“Mornin’ Vickie.” Ranger Chris Michaels nodded at her as she walked into Survey Lodge, the main ranger station for the monuments. All the park rangers who worked along the National Mall had to check in at Survey Lodge first, before heading out to their appointed location.
“Good morning,” she smiled. “It’s already a hot one out there. And by the number of people getting off the Metro, I’d say we’re in for a busy day.”
He grimaced. “Is it bad that I’m already wishing for October? Cooler weather and smaller crowds sound nice about now.”
She flipped on the computer. “I don’t mind the crowds. But fall weather sounds nice.”
Chris raked a hand through his brown hair and placed his hat on top of his head. “Guess I’d better go. I’m spending the day at the Jefferson Memorial. How about you?” he asked.
Vickie sighed. “Lincoln Memorial.”
He laughed. “You say that with such excitement. I thought you liked the Lincoln.”
She shrugged. “I do like it. As a visitor. But I prefer to work at the Washington Monument. I’ll get through it though. At least the weather guy this morning said the chance of rain has all but disappeared.” Her mouth turned upward in a smile. “See, I’m trying to look on the bright side.”
“Good luck.” Still chuckling, Chris made his exit, leaving Vickie alone with her thoughts. She quickly checked her park service e-mail. Not much there. A reminder about ordering winter uniforms, but nothing that required immediate attention. She glanced at her watch. She still had five minutes before she needed to leave. That was one perk of getting to work a little early each morning. She hated to feel rushed.
She logged off and headed toward the Lincoln Memorial. Her phone buzzed, alerting her to a new text. She quickly scanned the incoming message from Kristy.
Good luck today. Don’t forget your promise!
A nervous quiver hit her stomach as she read the reminder. What had she gotten herself into?