Page 10 of Saving Veronica
“When Gerald was stationed overseas, I think Ronnie was six, she found a picture of Gerald and taught that bird to talk. She held up a picture of Gerald to cover her face and said in a stern voice, ‘Attention!’ and actually saluted. Then she’d say, ‘At ease,’ and move her hands behind her back, spreading her feet.” She giggled again when she saw the understanding on Finn’s face. “But the best part was when she taught that bird to say ‘Drop and give me twenty.’” They both burst out laughing.
“How soon after that did the General return?”
“He’d come home when he could. I’m sure you know how it is, but he got out when Ronnie was eight. I had planned a small get together for my friends here. My parents were still alive and they were there. Gerald came home, we were standing around talking and I looked over, and saw Ronnie with Kip. The bird lived on her shoulder. She put him on a low branch and waited there. Gerald saw her and came over to pick her up and give her a hug. As soon as he bent down to talk to her, Kip had a good look at his face and stood tall and screamed, ‘Attention!’ Damn if Gerald didn’t do it. Then he said the other things and when Ronnie started giggling, he was confused. It took a few minutes to convince him it was the bird.”
Finn was laughing so hard, he was gripping his stomach, and actually waved his hand in front of his face. “How long did this go on?”
“Every single time Kip saw him until he died two years ago.” She giggled and Finn laughed harder. “Oh my, we should get to work. But before we do, I want to invite you to my house for the BBQ next Saturday. Eric and William will be there, and you’re more than welcome to come.”
“Let me guess, the BBQ that Ronnie had no clue about, but you let it slip?”
“You heard that, did you? But yes, that BBQ. It’s Ronnie’s twenty-sixth birthday. When I told Gerald I was going to invite you, he said he wanted to talk to a fellow Marine and exchange war stories.”
“I would be honored to attend. I have to tell you, Major here will be with me. We were together twenty-four seven for the last three years in Afghanistan. He was injured three months ago and sent home, but my commanding officer said I could keep him.”
“The more the merrier. Now, what did you want to know about the Foundation?”
“How does it work?” Finn frowned in confusion and pulled his questions from his briefcase.
“Let me get you one of the donations we completed six months ago.” She rose and went to her file cabinets and pulled a file. Back at her desk, she paused and indicated for them to sit in the seating area. Finn refilled their coffee cups and grabbed a couple bottles of water before he joined her. He sat down and she opened the file and began explaining everything from step A, the application, to step Z, the cutting, and signing, and presentation of the check.
*****
Several hours later, they realized they had worked until seven. They quickly put everything away and as Finn and Major walked Maggie out, escorting her to her car in the dusk-filled lot, they shook hands, and quickly parted.
Finn walked Major in the park across the road, and thirty minutes later he was on his own way home to his father’s house. His mind was spinning in all directions from his meeting with Maggie.
He walked into his father’s house, smiling widely when he smelled something delicious. He strode into the kitchen and saw her father finishing a salad, pull bread out of the oven, and his grandfather was draining pasta.
“Go wash up,” his father said, and Finn grinned. He returned in five minutes. They were all seated and had heaped their plates high with the sauce and pasta, when his grandfather looked at him and barked out.
“Talk.”
Finn laughed and decided to play with him. “About?”
“Why were you held hostage in the executive elevator today?”
“What?” William sputtered on his wine and stared at his son. “Are you okay?”
“It’s not what you think.” Finn held up a finger, then he took a big bite of pasta, then a drink of wine. “Damn, this tastes good.”
“Talk,” Eric demanded, and reached to remove Finn’s plate, but the younger man moved it out of his reach, and laughed.
“I had just arrived on the floor where Maggie’s office was when I received your text that you were there with Major. I stepped back into the elevator and someone called to hold it. Before I could do or say anything, she slipped in and asked if I had the card thingy—her words, not mine—to stop the elevator without the bells and whistles going off. I said I did, and she asked me to stop the elevator for five minutes, and I could time her.”
“Doesn’t sound so bad,” William said, and watched as Finn took several bites before he continued.
“It wasn’t.” He grinned and both the older men frowned. “I stopped the elevator and she turned her back to me and asked me to unzip her dress, so I did.” He grinned when they coughed into their wine. “She slapped a phone in my hand, told me to hold it, and close my eyes. She made a call as she changed from her dress into jeans and shirts, all the while as she talked on the phone.”
“That’s all?” Eric frowned. “Why was there a stocking draped over the railing?”
“She must have dropped it. It was all perfectly innocent, Grandpa. As she talked on the phone, she changed. It took only four minutes and forty-eight seconds for her to change from office attire to outside clothes. Pretty impressive if you ask me, considering she put on socks, jeans, boots, three shirts, and a down vest, then put her hair up in that messy thing on top of her head, all the while talking on the phone.”
“Do you know who it was?” Eric frowned, able to relax now that his grandson hadn’t been harmed. “I didn’t recognize her when she came off the elevator and rubbed Major down.”
“Her name is Veronica Parker.”
“Ronnie?” William looked at him in shock, then burst out laughing. “She’s a pill. Very passionate.”
