Circle of Time by Recy Dunn - Chapter Ten

Online, October 14, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Chapter ten
A loss So Precious

Friday, 5:45 p.m., December 18, 1960 - Washington D.C.
Helen took a sip of wine and looked first at her watch, then across the crowded bar. Three men had offered to buy her a drink, one made a direct pass, thinking she was a high-class hooker, and the other two just quietly walked away when she said her husband was due any minute.

Jonathan was late, exactly fifteen minutes late and counting. He was supposed to meet her at their favorite club, frequented by middle class blacks and very few military officers, just the way he wanted it to be.

The club was located in the heart of the city, a block north of Fourteen Street and Avenue U. Helen worked for the Smithsonian Institution, in the liberal arts section; her specialty was pre-1700 history. Helen normally car-pooled with two neighbors, but on Fridays, she would drop Jonathan off at the Pentagon. After work, around five, Jonathan would take the shuttle from work and the two met at the club. They both recapped their week to unwind and laughed at some funny situations encountered on the job. It was their time out away from Djhon and the pressures of work.

Today, however, did not seemed to be a good day to meet for drinks; sixteen inches of snow had blanketed the city three days ago. The streets in the downtown area had been cleared but some of the roads leading to the suburbs were still icy. Jonathan wanted to go straight home right after work, but Helen insisted on getting together, because it was a special day - it was her birthday.

The bartender tapped Helen on the shoulder and told her she had a phone call. He pointed at the end of the bar. Jonathan knew the bartender and had called the club.

Helen smiled. "Jon, where are you? If you don't hurry up and get over here, a good looking man may pick me up and carry me out the door.'

J