have about twenty minutes of homework to do tomorrow morning before class.”
“Good night then.” Janice half-smiles. She goes back to her bedroom and sits down to think.
The next morning Janice goes to work. She manages to get through the day without strange looks or other disturbing events. She comes home to make and eat supper before walking around, feeling empty. She notices some hard water marks on the shower stall. She is still cleaning when Landon comes home.
“Mom, does this place need to be that clean?”
“No, I just did not know what to do with myself.” Janice drops the rag back into the bucket of water from where she is scrubbing the kitchen floor. “There are leftovers in the fridge, if you are hungry.”
“I bought a burger with my tips. Mom, do you need me home?”
“No, I just need to find a new hobby or a second job.”
“The piano is paid for.”
“Completely. Although I don't know what I will do with it if you run off to boot camp and I get moved to an apartment.”
Landon pales a little. “I need my piano.”
“In boot camp you get a cot and a locker. No room for pianos. Or that's how it was when I went through it.”
“I never knew you were in the army.”
“I was an army brat. I didn't know there was any other way of life until I got posted abroad and was put through cultural sensitivity training. Then I met your father. He joined and I quit to raise you and your sister. I don't think I've lived off an army base in my entire life.” Janice sighs. “I will just finish up here and go to bed.”
“Mom, you will hang on to the piano?”
“As long as I have room for it.”
“Good night, Mom.”
“Good night, Landon.”
Two weeks go by. Janice works in the library and goes home to her empty house where she is cleaning out closets. One night the phone rings.
“Janice Keller?” A man's voice asks.
“You are speaking to her.”
“I understand that you have taught here at the base.”
“A number of things. What are you thinking about precisely?”
“Hand-to-hand combat.”
“I am a little out of practice.” Janice answers.
“Come over to the gym tomorrow night. I will run you through a circuit and see if you still have what it takes. Believe me, I need the help.”
“Who do I ask for?”
“Lieutenant Morris.”
“What time?”
“Eighteen hundred hours.”
“Okay.”
Dressed in comfortable and slightly stretchy pants and a t-shirt, Janice arrives five minutes early the next day.
“I am looking for Lieutenant Morris.” Janice tells the man at the reception desk.
“And who shall I say is here?”
“Janice Keller.”
“He's expecting you. Go on back.” The man points her in the proper direction.
“Class is about to begin.” A man yells at her. “Get in line.”
Janice moves to the back of a group of young soldiers who are being put through their paces and pushed past their limits. Once they are tired, a man without rank showing arrives.
“Time to find out what you really know.”
Five masked men attack the group. Many of the members pull into a circle for safety. Janice chooses a target and puts him down. She yells instructions to the soldiers and the rest of them join the attack.
The man without rank waits for everything to die down. “Men, this is your new instructor, Mrs. Keller.”
They salute her. Janice acknowledges them with a nod.
“Meet here at eighteen hundred hours tomorrow night. Dismissed.” Lieutenant Morris addresses the assembly. The soldiers fall out of line and head for the showers.
“Evenings only, no weekends.” Janice says.
“Eight weeks and then a live exercise.”
“I will go AWOL for a few days. My son has a competition.” Janice pauses.
“So long as they are ready in eight weeks.”
Landon frowns when Janice explains her second job. “Are you broke? I can spend some of the money I made on getting to the competition.”
“No, it is just something to keep me busy in the evening.”
“Laura phoned.” Landon frowns. “She wanted tuition for a summer training course.”
“Did she say if she would phone back?”
“No, she said something about writing Grandpa.” Landon rolls his eyes. “She is such a pain sometimes.”
“I will phone her.” Janice frowns. “It would be nice if you made an effort to get along with your sister.”
“After the remarks she makes about me joining up, I don't think so.”
Janice reaches for the phone. A young voice from Laura's dorm room says she would pass along the message.
Saturday comes before Janice hears back from her daughter. “You know I can't stay up that late. We have curfews.”
“You could phone early.” Janice tells her daughter. “Or phone me at the library. The occasional personal call will not get me fired.”
“It is too late anyway. I had to get my tuition in before last Wednesday. Now I will have to come home for the summer.”
“Your room is clean.” Janice tells Laura.
“Mom, have you heard from Daddy?”
“Not lately.” Janice pauses. “Why?”
“I sent him a letter weeks ago and haven't got a reply.”
Janice thinks about this for a few minutes. “There are lots of reasons why it might take a while to get a reply.”
“But he always answers me.” She puts special emphasis on the last word. “Can I bring a friend for the summer? I think Daddy would like her.”
“I would have to meet this friend first.” Janice answers. “You have another eight weeks of school. Another opportunity may arise to do something you like.”
“You don't want me home!”
Janice takes a deep breath. “You can come home for the summer. Just don't set your hopes on your father being here.”
“In other words, you two have broken up.”
“The relationship between your father and me is not up for your speculation. In other words, if you cannot discipline your mouth, I will find you something to do for the summer.”
The receiver slams down. Janice pulls the phone away from her ear.
After a long week at the library and the gym, Janice gets home on Friday exhausted. She and Landon arrive at about the same time.
“Mom, you should go to bed.” Landon frowns.
“I am, good night, Landon. I intend on sleeping in tomorrow so make your own breakfast.”
“Will do, Mom.” Landon nods.
Janice goes off to her room. She manages to change clothes and snuggle under her blanket before her eyes close. She dreams about a phone call from Mike.
The next Monday, when Janice is demonstrating a hold, she notices the needle tracks.
“Soldier, what's your name?” She snaps out the question military style.
“Jerry.”
“Jerry what?”
The soldier glances at the person next to him. Janice catches the slightest of shrugs.
“Jerry Vance.”
Janice dismisses the class early and heads home. She is waiting when Landon gets home.
“Good night, Mom.” Landon leans against the wall nearest his bedroom.
“I have some questions for you.”
Landon frowns but nods. “Go ahead.”
“Do you know a Jerry Vance?”
“Yeah, he's in my English class. What's this about?”
“Who does he hang out with?”
“Rick and his band friends.”
“Have these guys changed their hair style in the past few weeks?”
“Yeah, one of them complained rather loudly about his father demanding a brush cut.” Landon runs his hand threw his longish hair. “I'm glad you don't d
o that to me. Even the colonel hasn't said anything.”
Janice nods. “How is the gig going?”
“Good, the colonel told me how the lounge got its piano. He bought it for his children and none of them played it even though they had lessons. I can't imagine having a piano and not playing it.”
Janice smiles, “No, I don't think you could. Good night, Landon.”
“Good night, Mom.”
An early morning visit delays Janice getting to work. She goes right into story time. Books are selected before she goes to the desk, but no one notes her absence. She is getting off for the day when two MPs accost her at the front desk.
“Mrs. Keller.”
“Yes.”
“We would like to speak to you about what was reported to us.” The same man speaks both times.
Janice grabs a key to a small meeting room. “Do you want a formal statement or just information?”
“A formal statement would be preferred.”
“Come with me.” Janice leads the way to the private room.
“We want you to go to the gym as usual and we will be right behind you.” The talking MP tells her.
Janice nods. “I have been changing here, before I leave the library. If you will give me a few minutes in the ladies room.”
She changes quickly and, at their wave, leads the way to the gym. The guy at the front desk waves her back as usual. Janice takes a deep breath and steps into the room. Everyone is there except Lieutenant Morris.
“Where's the lieutenant?”
“He said he would be a little late.” One of the soldiers says.
“Then we will start with a twenty minute run with intervals very second circuit.” Janice raises her voice. “Go.” She runs beside the last man and she pushes him. That pushes the ones in front of him. The intervals are even faster.
Lieutenant Morris enters after eighteen minutes and frowns at the exhausted men. “What?”
“All present and accounted for.” Janice calls out.
A dozen MPs enter and take everyone into custody. The young soldiers are no