by Cole Reid
“Good morning,” said the woman, “How did you sleep?”
“That’s a good question,” said Georgia, “When I know, you’ll know.” The woman laughed.
“Is it ok if I take some coffee back to my friends?” said Georgia.
“Of course,” said the woman, “The early bird gets the coffee here in Hertford.” Georgia laughed. The coffee was on the bottom burner and there were Styrofoam cups on the left. Georgia filled three cups before stuffing cream and sugar packets in her pocket.
“Are there any lids?” asked Georgia.
“I’ll get you some,” said the woman. She walked from around the front desk and unlocked a far door on the end of the small office. She reached inside and pulled out a large plastic bag. She took a handful of plastic lids from the bag and shut the door. She walked toward Georgia and put the lids down next to the coffeemaker.
“As many as you need,” said the woman.
“Thank you,” said Georgia. The woman saw Georgia trying to handle three cups of hot coffee.
“Can I offer you a hand?” asked the woman.
“I can manage,” said Georgia.
“Now that coffee’s hot,” said the woman, “Let me help. It’ll keep you from burning yourself.”
“Thank you,” said Georgia. The woman handled one cup while Georgia palmed the other two.
They walked the length of the motel, passed the boys’ room; passed the private room, Diane and Patrick’s room.
“Where ya from?” asked the woman.
“Virginia,” said Georgia. She felt connected to the question. It was the last question from a stranger that she didn’t have to worry about answering. It was the thing that made the suburban life with the white picket fence so desirable. The simple truths were no worry. Georgia felt like a snake shedding skin. She was days away from being reintroduced to the world with different skin.
“My husband was from Virginia,” said the woman.
“You don’t say,” said Georgia, “Can you hold this cup while I grab the key?”
“Sure thing,” said the woman. Georgia fished in her pocket for her room key. She unlocked the door and set one coffee down while holding the door with her foot. The woman held the two coffees in silence. Georgia turned to her and smiled, grabbing the two coffees from her hand.
“Thanks,” said Georgia.
“Any time,” said the woman. Georgia looked at the woman then over the woman’s shoulder, realizing for the first time it was an overcast day. Georgia felt a certain loss when the door closed behind her. She counted it as perhaps her last interaction with a stranger on her own terms. Within days she would be playing a role, trying to collect as many details as her eyes could catch and mind could record. But for the moment her mind could rest. There was a certain accord of being in a room with like creatures. It reminded her of a zoo—same species, same cage. Like most species, they had more than one name. One was Femme Fatale. Another was Honey Trap, all young, all attractive and trained to trap.
Only Georgia was awake. She sipped coffee and swallowed thoughts while trying not to make much noise. Yvette stirred in her bed, seemingly smelling the coffee.
“You’re taking yours black,” said Yvette. Georgia smiled.
“Like always,” said Georgia, “I got cream and sugar here for you. You want it now?”
“Sure,” said Yvette, “It’ll get cold. Plus I shouldn’t sleep anymore. I want to but I won’t. What time is it?”
“8:28,” said Georgia.
“Good enough,” said Yvette.
“You hungover?” asked Georgia.
“No,” said Yvette, “Not really. I was keeping up with you. You didn’t have much at all.”
“That was the plan,” said Georgia.
“You’re so strategic,” said Yvette. Georgia smiled. Yvette got out of bed wearing her shirtdress but the jeans she had on from the night before were missing. Yvette walked to the end of the bed and sat down. Georgia handed her a coffee. The creams and sugars were still in her pocket. She stood up and pulled the contents of her pocket out in her hand. She slapped Yvette five and left a pile of creams and sugars in her hand.
“Thanks, Gigi,” said Yvette. Yvette put an unusually large amount of cream and sugar in her coffee.
“No stir stick?” said Yvette.
“Sorry Babe,” said Georgia, “Forgot.” Yvette smiled.
“What are you thinking?” asked Yvette.
“The coffee?” said Georgia.
“Yes,” said Yvette, “The coffee. Do you think it’s gourmet?” Georgia laughed with Yvette.
“What am I thinking?” said Georgia, “What am I thinking? I’m thinking this is what they mean when they say such is life.”
“What do you mean?” asked Yvette.
“I mean just what I said,” said Georgia, “We’re on the board now. No more dress rehearsals.”
“Are you scared?” asked Yvette.
“Butterflies,” said Georgia.
“Butterfingers,” said Yvette waving her fingers in the air. Georgia smiled.
“You’re a hundred times more competent than me at anything,” said Yvette, “I’d rather be you going into the field than me.”
“Wait until briefing before you say that,” said Georgia, “You know where you’re going but you don’t know the details yet.”
“You’re probably going to some tropical beach. Some where you can bathe in a bikini,” said Yvette.
“Why would they send me to a warm place in a cold war?” asked Georgia.
“Because they know you look good in a bikini,” said Yvette.
“They’ve never seen me in a bikini,” said Georgia, “I hope.”
“They probably have,” said Yvette, “They’ve probably seen us all in the buff. I wouldn’t put it passed Director Witt to have spy cameras in our quarters.”
“Neither would I,” said Georgia.
“When I think about it,” said Yvette, “Where are you gonna collect the most intel? In some embassy in Warsaw where it’s a gnarly twenty-seven degrees in winter and you’re all bundled up with your wool scarf and stockings and looking like everyone else. Or coming out of the water like Ursula Andress on Swakopmund Beach, where at the same time of year it’s about seventy-five degrees. And South African dignitaries and military commanders who go there on holiday are very likely to spot you and invite you back to their wohnsitz for a drink.”
“Only if his name is Bond, James Bond,” said Georgia, “But I’d be about five or six hundred miles from the Angolan border where they are currently fighting a war.”
“That’s my point,” said Yvette, “The Soviets have a hand in that war, which makes us interested. The South Africans are there so why not know what they know. It’s on their own border. Or do you want to assume that the South Africans will tell us everything they know?”
“With the criticism our government gives theirs over Apartheid, I wouldn’t assume anything,” said Georgia.
“Exactly my point,” said Yvette, “Enter Special Operative Georgia Standing to the rescue.” Georgia took a sip of coffee.
“Why not?” said Georgia. Tanis began to roll over in her bed. She was clearly awake but Georgia didn’t know if she was pretending to be asleep. Georgia thought about letting her pretend. But she sat up.
“There’s coffee here for you, Tan,” said Georgia.
“Gigi is looking after us this morning,” said Yvette.
“Thank goodness for early birds,” said Tanis, “I’m not in the condition to get up and go get my own Joe.”
“We’re looking out for ya,” said Yvette. Georgia set her coffee on the table and took the third cup to Tanis.
“Thanks Gigi,” said Tanis, “Any cream?”
“Ask Yvette,” said Georgia.
“You know I saved you some,” said Yvette, tossing a few creams to Tanis.
“Bingo,” said Tanis.
“No sugar?” said Yvette.
“Uh Uh,” said Tanis.
&nb
sp; “It gives you that added kick,” said Yvette.
“I already feel like I’ve been kicked,” said Tanis.
“You had quite a bit,” said Georgia.
“Those were our orders,” said Tanis.
“What do you mean?” said Georgia.
“Director Witt,” said Tanis, “He said spend the next twenty-four hours unwisely.”
“You feelin’ unwise?” said Yvette.
“Hangovers always feel unwise,” said Tanis.
“What about Diane and Patrick,” said Yvette, “You think they’re feeling unwise?”
“I don’t know,” said Tanis, “They were awfully quiet.”
“Is that a bad sign, Gigi?” asked Yvette.
“I don’t know,” said Georgia.
“Draw on your Analytics training,” said Yvette.
“I’d rather not,” said Georgia, “Besides don’t you remember the most simple way to gather intel?”
“Ask a simple question,” said Yvette.
“Because?” said Georgia.
“Simple questions are easier on the psyche,” said Yvette, “Easier to admit. Harder for the psyche to block.”
“If you’re that curious, why not ask them if they made it or not?” said Georgia, “If they lie, you’ll know it.”
“Beats the hell out of speculation,” said Tanis.
“They can’t sleep forever,” said Georgia.
“If they slept at all,” said Yvette. Tanis didn’t laugh. She would have but she was suffering the aftershock of so many shots.
“Is anyone hungry?” asked Georgia.
“I am,” said Yvette, “Tan, you should eat too. The sustenance will help a hangover.”
“Or a bullet to the head,” said Tanis.
“Wait till you get the details of your assignment,” said Yvette, “You might get your wish.”
“Don’t talk like that,” said Georgia, “Finish your coffee and we’ll run back to The Point to get our cars then let’s go to that diner up the road before we all head out.”
“OK,” said Yvette.
“I’m not going anywhere till I finish my coffee,” said Tanis.
“You should go to the shower,” said Georgia, “After you finish it.”
“I’m gonna miss you, Gigi,” said Tanis, “You’re like Mother Goose, getting us little ducklings in a row.”
“No, I’m not,” said Georgia, “They’re going to send us to different parts of the world but we’re still on the same team. I’m just looking after my teammates.”
“That’s sweet,” said Yvette, “But you are like Mother Goose, so responsible.”
“Do they have schnapps at this diner,” said Tanis, “I’m ready for round two.” Yvette looked at Georgia.
“She’s kidding,” said Georgia, “So what do you think about what I said?”
“About going to the diner?” said Yvette.
“Well,” said Georgia, “We have to go get our cars first. We all have our briefings later today. We don’t know where anyone is going. Some people might have to catch a plane. I don’t know. I don’t know where any of you are going.”
“That’s a good point,” said Tanis, “We don’t know where anyone has to be today. And we can’t tell.”
“So we should get on the go earlier,” said Georgia, “We can even get more coffee at the diner.”
“Hopefully better coffee,” said Tanis.
“You’re funny,” said Yvette, “Even in the morning.”
“Even hungover,” said Tanis.
“Tan, you do what you gotta do,” said Georgia, “I’m gonna take my shower.”
“I’ve got dibs after you,” said Yvette, “I’m not going to briefing smelling like a wino.”
“Go see what the others are up to,” said Tanis, “I’m not quite ready to walk just yet, need more caffeine.” Georgia went to the bathroom. Yvette went out the door and could be heard knocking on the door of the adjacent room. She knocked for a minute. Eventually the door opened and Yvette could be heard talking to a deep voice, Patrick. The door closed. Yvette kept going.
Tanis sat in her bed drinking coffee, listening to the static sound of Georgia taking a shower. The sound of the falling water was naturally relaxing. The sound, married with the coffee, made Tanis forget about the spatial confusion caused by her hangover. She sat in the room thinking things she imagined they were all thinking. The water stopped and Georgia came out of the bathroom.
“Your turn,” said Georgia.
“What about Yvette?” asked Tanis.
“She’s not back yet,” said Georgia, “It’s better if you just go, so that we have more time to say a proper goodbye.”
“Ok,” said Tanis. When the bathroom door closed the room door opened.
“Ok,” said Yvette, “The boys aren’t up but I told Alan the plan and he said he’d get them on their feet.”
“So they’re up for going to the diner?” said Georgia.
“Yeah,” said Yvette, “One-hundred percent.”
“Cool,” said Georgia. After Tanis finished her shower, Yvette took her turn. The girls were cleaned and readied by 9:22am. They didn’t have to ransack the room, making sure they didn’t leave anything. They didn’t use the room for anything but sleeping. Tanis was the last one through the door. She stuck her foot out to keep the door from closing. She took one last look at the room then moved her foot. Yvette went toward her car. Georgia went to the next room and knocked on the door. Diane was first to the door.
“Hey, Gigi,” said Diane.
“We’re on our way back to The Point to get our cars,” said Georgia, “You wanna ride with?”
“Yeah,” said Diane, “Give me a sec.” Diane closed the door, emerging some two minutes later.
“You got everything?” asked Georgia.
“Think so,” said Diane. Diane and Georgia joined Tanis and Yvette in the Marina. Still feeling the aftershock, Tanis lamented having to get out to let Diane and Georgia crawl to the back.”
“They do know we’re meeting at the diner,” said Georgia.
“Yeah,” said Yvette, “I told them 11 o’clock. That’ll give ‘em plenty of time.”
“Honk,” said Tanis, “To let them know we’re gone.” Yvette tapped the horn and drove toward the front office. Georgia handed her the key and she parked the car across several spots. Yvette got out. She ran inside to hand in the key, coming back in a hurry.
“Diane,” said Yvette, “Who has the key for 107?”
“I left it with Patrick,” said Diane.
“Sure?” said Yvette.
“Yep,” said Diane.
“Good,” said Yvette, “Just wanna make sure cuz tomorrow we’ll all be a long way from here or headed in that direction.”
“Yes indeed,” said Diane.
The diner was called The Baby Grand American Diner. The words were written atop a piano-looking picture on the roof of the restaurant. The name was a hat-tip to the kitchen’s signature baby back ribs, called the Baby Grand Platter. Mostly locals knew about it. Good advice was to go where the locals went, so the Peers went to the Baby Grand Diner. The color scheme was red and black for more than one reason. It was meant to mimic the signature hue of pork ribs blackened on the outside with reddish color on the inside. But white floors were hard to keep looking clean. The black and deep red tiles played their part most of the day, even with dirt they didn’t look dirty. The girls arrived at the diner first. Georgia followed Yvette and Tanis was at the diner before everyone else. Her car was parked nearest the gate at Harvey Point. She was literally the first one out the gate. She didn’t feel the need to wait for anyone. She was hungover. She needed bacon. She needed eggs. She needed coffee. She left. Yvette took Georgia to her car last and waited for her so they could go together. Diane left to join Tanis so she didn’t have to sit alone. Georgia and Yvette came in the door at fifteen minutes to eleven. Diane and Tanis were sitting in a half-circle corner booth with red padding. Tanis’ head was on top of her arms
. Her arms were on top of the table.
“We already ordered,” said Diane.
