Date: Thurs, 26 Mar 2009 19:36:18

Subject: Secretary Diaries

To: desertrat@mail.mil.gov

From: freckles_21@yahoo.com

Dear Desert Rat,

A day in the life of...Me!  :)

Another week is almost gone

I don't know really what I've done.

I've answered phones, and greeted clients,

Made the coffee and fixed appliance...es (the copy machine).

Most days I sit and dream

Of the day when I'll be earning more green (though not a whole lot more).

Last night I helped Grams make a blackberry pie.

And I still haven't found anyone that catches my eye.

I pray for you daily and hope you are well.

Are there any guys in your troop that you could sell (my finer points too)?

Aubrey

Aubrey chuckled to herself as she sent off her latest email to her brother then put her laptop over on her bedside table.  Reaching for her worn and tattered copy of The Scarlet Pimpernel, she lay back against her pillows and settled down for a few hours of reading before going to sleep.  She should be working on her online algebra assignment that was due by Monday, but who wanted to work on math when there was danger, intrigue and romance to read about?  Besides, she told herself.  I'm almost done.  She fanned through the pages she had left before the end.  I can finish this tonight and work on my assignment tomorrow. 

Aubrey had just gotten to the best part--where Marguerite, finding out a trap has been set, is forced to remain silent when her husband appears when all she wants to do is beg him to run away--when her cell phone rang.  She jumped slightly, startled.  Hardly anyone called her.  Her heart fluttered nervously for a moment when she wondered if it was Justin calling, but Aubrey rolled her eyes when the ID registered her parent's house number.    Her father--a military man through and through--had fought the hardest against Aubrey moving to California.  He was convinced she couldn't take care of herself and was going to get taken advantage of and wind up dead in an alley somewhere.  However, after a few months of calling regularly and discovering nothing had happened he had calmed down and grudgingly admitted that maybe she could take care of herself and he shouldn't worry so much. 

"Hello?" She asked, answering the call.

"Hi, honey.  It's Mom." Michelle Davis answered.

"Hi, Mom." Aubrey smiled, closing her book and putting it back on the nightstand.

"How are you?" Her mother asked.  "I was just calling to talk."

Aubrey looked over at the clock on her nightstand, and furrowed her brows in confusion.  "At ten o'clock at night?" She asked referencing the current time in Virginia.

"Well, you know." Her mother drawled.  "It's been a while since I called and I was thinking about you." 

Aubrey narrowed her eyes in suspicion.  She knew her mother well enough to know she didn't call at odd hours unless she had an ulterior motive.  "What's up, Mom?" She asked.

"Huh?" Her mother responded, feigning innocence.

"What's going on?" Aubrey asked, sitting up and scooting back against the headboard.  "What's the real reason you're calling?"

"I can't call you just to talk?" Michelle inquired.

"Sure you can." Aubrey chuckled.  "But that's not usually the reason you call me."

Her mother was quiet for a moment.  "I ran into Shirley Johnson at the grocery store this evening," she started talking quickly, "and we got to talking."  Aubrey groaned and closed her eyes as she let her head fall back against the wall.  This could only mean one thing... "She mentioned that Andrew was coming home next month and he was going to be stationed out in San Diego.  I told her that you were living in L.A. right now and I--"

"Mom." Aubrey interrupted her.  "Mom.  You're too late."

"What?" Her mother asked in confusion.

"Michael already emailed me about Andrew being stationed out here.  He even offered to give Andrew my phone number." Aubrey informed her mother.

"He did?  Oh.  Well, great!" Michelle exclaimed.

"No, Mom." Aubrey replied in irritation as she got up and began pacing around her bedroom.  "It's not great."

"It's not?" Her mother asked.

"No." Aubrey shook her head.

"Why not?"

"Because." Aubrey sighed heavily.  "I'm not in love with Andrew.  I've never been in love with Andrew."

"Oh." Her mother tsked.  "You just haven't given the boy a chance."

"Yes." Aubrey replied.  "I have.  I only went out with him to begin with because it was what Dad wanted."

"But he's such a nice boy." Michelle continued.  "There aren't many of those left, you know."

"You're right." Aubrey nodded.  "He is a nice guy.  He's a great guy and he'll make someone very happy."

"But not you?" Her mother guessed.

"But not me." Aubrey repeated.

"Are you sure?" Michelle continued.  "He'd be able to--"

"Stop, Mom!" Aubrey pled.  She stopped pacing and let out a sigh then sat down on her bed, her shoulders slumping.  "There's nothing there."

"I just want you to find someone who'll make you happy." Her mother told her.

Because there's no possible way I can be happy on my own? Aubrey thought sarcastically and wanted to ask her mother.  Instead she just sighed.  "I know." She said and she did.  She knew her mother only had her best interests in mind.  It was just frustrating that she didn't seem to grasp the concept that Aubrey was an adult and perfectly capable of meeting people on her own and making her own decisions about her life. 

"I worry about you." Michelle said.

"You don't need to worry about me, Mom." Aubrey assured her.  "I'm fine.  I'm happy.  I'm keeping busy and staying out of trouble."

"But you've haven't made very many friends out there." Michelle stated.  Thanks for rubbing it in. Aubrey thought.  "How do you expect to get married if you're not meeting anyone?" Her mother continued.

"I'm only twenty-one!" Aubrey reminded her in exasperation. 

"Don't get snippy with me, Aubrey Janae." Her mother scolded.

"Sorry." Aubrey responded contritely and took a deep breath.

"Just promise me one thing." Michelle said.  "And I won't say another word about it."

"What?" Aubrey asked warily. 

"If Andrew calls you...give him another chance."

Aubrey was quiet for a moment as she thought about what her mother was requesting.  Would it really be so bad to give Andrew another chance?  Her mom was right.  He was a good guy-a great guy-but was he the right guy for her? 

"It's been almost two years, Aubrey." Her mother continued quietly.  "Maybe things have changed."

"Alright!" Aubrey consented with a sigh of resignation.  "Alright.  If he calls, I'll give him another chance."

"Thank you." Michelle said.  "Now, how's Grandma doing?"

~~~~~~

Date: Thurs, 26 Mar 2009 23:18:10

Subject: Captain's Log

To: freckles_21@yahoo.com

From: desertrat@mail.mil.gov

Freckles,

What's this I hear about you not meeting anyone that catches your eye?  Tomorrow is Friday (tomorrow is Friday where you are, right?  I get so messed up with the time difference).  DO NOT just sit home with Grandma again!  You're 21!  Go out and have some fun!  You live twenty minutes from L.A.  Go find a hot club and dance with a couple guys!  Life is too short.  Don't waste the time you have.

Your mission this weekend: Call David. (He still works at that club downtown I think, doesn't he?)  Get him to get you in.  Have a few drinks and see who catches your eye.  Then dance with them!  I am expecting a full debriefing on Monday of the weekend's activities.

This email will self destruct in five seconds...

Not really, but that would be kind of cool if it did, huh?

Michael

Aubrey laughed as she read her brother's email later that night, wondering if he had somehow talked to their mother in the last couple hours and knew what she and Aubrey had been talking about.  But, he was right.  She was living in the perfect place to find someone exciting that caught her eye and life was too short to waste.  Enough wasting time. She thought.  Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders she vowed to do what Michael had ordered her to do.  She was going to go out tomorrow night.  Now, whether their cousin David was still working as a bartender downtown was yet to be seen but Aubrey crossed her fingers and prayed that luck would be on her side. 

~~~~~~

"Hey!" David smiled as Aubrey walked towards the bar he was manning.  "They let you in!"

Aubrey grinned as she approached him.  "Thanks to you." She told him.  She looked around her at the people filling the large space.  "I don't think they would have let me in if you hadn't given them my name." She said, noticing all the women in the club and suddenly feeling very plain in comparison.  She'd never gone out clubbing before and had no idea what was appropriate clubbing attire and suddenly her jeans and simple white button down shirt seemed very backwoods.  But that's what I am. She thought dejectedly.  Backwoods Barbie.  She tried not to look like she felt--completely out of her element--but it was hard not to. 

"What're you drinking?" David asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Um..." Aubrey looked at her cousin for help.  He chuckled.

"How about we start out with a Coke?" He asked.

Aubrey smiled.  "Thanks."  He winked at her as he popped the top on a soda can and poured the cola into a glass for her. 

"Here you go." He said, handing it to her. 

"You're awesome." Aubrey said, taking the drink from him and bringing the glass to her lips.

"Aubrey?"

Aubrey turned in surprise as someone addressed her.  "Rachel!" She exclaimed in surprise after swallowing the drink she'd taken and smiled.

"I didn't take you for the club kind of girl." Rachel said above the noise of the club as she grabbed a couple drinks from the other bartender working with David. 

"That's because I'm not." Aubrey said, looking around the crowded club once more then back at Rachel.

"Then why are you here?" Rachel asked with a laugh.

"I don't know." Aubrey confessed with a laugh of her own.  "A moment of insanity?  I'm not staying very long..."

"What?" Rachel exclaimed.  "It's only nine o'clock.  The night is young!  Come on." She said, gesturing with her head as she turned and began winding through the crowd. 

"What are you doing here?" Aubrey asked as she followed Rachel.

"Celebrating." Rachel told her, looking over her shoulder with a smile.  "Jace's album debuted at number eight this week."

"That's awesome!" Aubrey replied excitedly.

"Yeah, he's pretty excited." Rachel said. 

"Hey!" JC said as the girls reached the table.  He took the drink Rachel handed him and pressed a quick kiss to her lips as she slid into the booth next to him. 

"Look who I found." Rachel said taking a drink of the strawberry daiquiri she'd gotten.

"Hey, Aubrey." JC smiled politely though Aubrey could tell he was a little disappointed Rachel had come back to the table with a tag-along.

"Hi." Aubrey replied as she sat down across from the couple, promising herself she wouldn't stay long.  

"What are you doing here?" JC asked, putting his arm around Rachel's shoulders.

"Uh, well..." Aubrey chuckled self-consciously.  My brother made me?  "I was in the mood to try something new and thought this would be a good place to meet some new people."

"Have you met anyone interesting yet?" Rachel asked, curious.

"Not yet." Aubrey chuckled.  "But like you said, the night is young."

Rachel laughed.  "There are always a few weirdoes at these places.  But every once in a while you meet someone great." She took another sip of her drink.  "This one time, I drug Megan out to a club with me and--"

"Hey man!"

Rachel stopped and she, JC and Aubrey looked up as an attractive younger guy came up to their table with a tall brunette attached to his arm.  The brunette released her hold on the guy as he and JC shook hands--the younger man giving JC a congratulatory slap on the shoulder.  "Congratulations on the album."

"Thanks." JC said leaning back again.  Rachel smiled.  "This is my girlfriend, Rachel." JC said in introduction. 

"Hi, Rachel." He said, reaching his hand out to her.

"Hi." Rachel smiled, accepting the guy's hand.

"And this is Aubrey." JC said gesturing across the table.  "She's a friend." Aubrey sat up a little taller.  It wasn't every day someone famous introduced her as "a friend."

"Nice to meet you." The guy said, shaking Aubrey's hand.  By the looks of him Aubrey knew he was a celebrity--confident attitude, perfect smile, attractive entourage--she just didn't know what kind of celebrity or even what his name was.  He was cute.  How come I don't know who he is? She wondered.  She caught Rachel's eye across the table briefly as the other girl took a sip of her drink. 

"See ya, man." The guy Aubrey knew she should know said, lifting his hand as he left with his date.  The three of them went back to their drinks as Aubrey searched her mental files to see if there was anything in there about the guy who she'd just been introduced to. 

Nothing.

"So, can I ask a really dumb question?" Aubrey asked a few seconds later, her curiosity getting the better of her.  Rachel nodded.  "Who was that?"

"What?" JC asked incredulously. 

"I knew it." Rachel laughed.  "That was Chase Crawford." She explained.  "He and Jace have the same manager.  He's on Gossip Girl."

"Oh." Aubrey replied.  That didn't help.  She still had no idea who he was.

"You don't watch that show do you?" Rachel asked.

"Nope." Aubrey said with a shake of her head.

"Seriously?" JC asked in shock.  "What girl doesn't watch that show?"

"I've lead a pretty sheltered life." Aubrey explained with a shrug of her shoulder.

"How old are you?" JC asked.

"Twenty-one." She replied.

"Time to quit being sheltered." He said.  "Live a little."

Okay, seriously.  Aubrey thought.  Is everyone I know talking to each other--conspiring to get me married?  "Is this one of those ‘no regrets' speeches?" Aubrey asked, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, you've heard it before?" JC teased.

"Yeah." Aubrey smiled and looked down at her now empty glass.

"Let's go dance." JC said to Rachel.  Aubrey looked up at the couple.  And there's my cue.  She thought.

"But...I want to talk to Aubrey." Rachel replied.

"You guys can talk at work." JC said.

"But..."

"No, it's okay." Aubrey said, putting her hands up as she jumped into the conversation.  "I think I'm going to leave."

"What?" Rachel asked.  "You can't leave."

"Rach." JC said with a chuckle.  "If she wants to go, let her go.  Come on."  He said standing and helping her out of the booth.

"But..." Rachel hedged again, looking at Aubrey as she stood next to JC.

"Rachel, its fine." Aubrey laughed.  "Go.  Like I said, I'm leaving."

"Okay.  If you're sure..."

"I am."

"She is." JC said at the same time.

Rachel turned and playfully slapped JC's chest.  "Quiet." She said with a laugh. 

"Ow." He said rubbing his hand over his chest then put his arms around Rachel from behind. 

"You two have fun." Aubrey said as she got out of the booth.  She watched as JC rested his chin on Rachel's shoulder.  "And congratulations, JC." She offered.

"Thanks." He replied with a smile.

"Bye." Rachel said as Aubrey left.  Aubrey lifted her hand in good-bye as JC led Rachel out to the dance floor.  She stood for a moment, watching as JC spun Rachel around and then pulled her close-sighing wistfully at the obvious love between them.  Rachel is a lucky girl.  She thought as she straightened, preparing to leave-justifying to herself that she'd followed through on what she'd promised Michael.  She'd gone out.  She hadn't spent another Friday night just sitting on the couch watching a show with Grams.  Aubrey turned to leave, pulling up short as she came face to face with a very attractive looking guy. 

"Hello." He said. 

"Hi." Aubrey said, a little taken back that someone she didn't know was actually talking to her. 

"You must be one hell of a thief." He said. 

"What?" Aubrey questioned with a confused chuckle.

"You stole my heart from across the room." He finished with a wink and a grin as he lifted the glass in his hand to his lips.  Aubrey laughed.  "Too cheesy?" He asked and she nodded.

"Just a little." She replied.

"How about this then," he said, placing his glass on the table beside her.  "You wanna dance?"

Aubrey looked at him for a moment.  "Sure." She smiled as she let him lead her out on the dance floor-imagining the shock on her brother's face when she emailed him Monday morning.   She was suddenly glad she'd taken his challenge. 

Mission accomplished.

~~~~~~

Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:15:48

Subject: Secretary Diaries

To: desertrat@mail.mil.gov

From: freckles_21@yahoo.com

Dear Desert Rat,

Reporting for debriefing, sir!  The mission was successful.  Are you shocked?  David was able to get me in to the club he works at downtown and after a drink (okay, so it was just a Coke...) and saying hi to a girl I work with who was there celebrating with her boyfriend (he's a musician and his second album just came out and is doing very well), I actually met and danced with a guy who was cute and funny.  His name is Seth and he--

"Personal emails at work?"

Aubrey looked up in surprise as Rachel tsked behind her.  "Oh, please." Aubrey responded with a chuckle.  "Like you don't?"

"I don't." Rachel replied, her straight face only remaining for a few seconds before she laughed.

"I'm just emailing my brother." Aubrey explained.  "Is that okay?"

"Oh, I don't care." Rachel replied with a wave of her hand.  "How's he doing?"

"Good." Aubrey smiled.  "I was just sending him the debriefing he requested on my weekend."

"So..." Rachel drawled, leaning against the top of the reception desk.  "How was your weekend?  Anything exciting happen at the club after we said goodbye Friday night?"

"Maybe..." Aubrey replied.  "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Rachel laughed.  "What happened?  Spill."

"Well," Aubrey began.  "After you and JC left this guy came up to me and--" Aubrey stopped as the phone rang.  "Hold on." She told Rachel.  "Good morning, Adams and Richards." She answered the phone then, after transferring it to the correct person, she turned back to Rachel.

"This guy came up to you," Rachel prompted.  "Then what?"

Aubrey smiled.  "He came up and used the most ridiculous pick up line I've ever heard."

"What was it?" Rachel asked. 

"‘You must be one hell of a thief because you stole my heart from across the room.'" Aubrey quoted the line Seth had given her.

Rachel began laughing.  "That's bad." She said. 

"I know, right?" Aubrey said with a giggle.

"Then what happened?" Rachel asked expectantly.

"He asked me if I wanted to dance.  I said sure.  We danced for a few songs and he bought me a drink then we exchanged numbers before I left."

"Ooh." Rachel intoned.  "What's his name?"

"Seth."

"And what does he look like?"

"Um, he's about JC's height, blonde hair, green eyes, great smile, funny--"

"Has he called you?" Rachel asked.

"Not yet." Aubrey shook her head.

"You should call him." Rachel stated.

Aubrey rolled her eyes.  "Not you too." She mumbled under her breath.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"Nothing." Aubrey smiled at her.  "How was the rest of your weekend?"

"It was good." Rachel smiled.  "After celebrating on Friday we just stayed home the rest of the weekend.  It was nice to just spend the time together while we still can." She paused.  "How come you didn't tell me you went out with Justin?"

"What?" Aubrey asked with a confused chuckle-her brain struggling to process Rachel's quick jump in topics.  "Justin?"

"You know." Rachel looked at her.  "Justin Timberlake?  The guy you smashed your brownie all over in my kitchen a few weeks ago?"

Aubrey felt her cheeks warm.  "I-I haven't gone out with him."

"He was over the other night and mentioned you guys met up at Red Mango last week." Rachel told her.

"Oh." Aubrey replied as understanding dawned.  "Really?" She asked, not quite sure how to feel about the fact that Justin had talked about their chance encounter to his friends.  What does that mean? She wondered.

"Yep." Rachel nodded.

"It was a freak, chance encounter." Aubrey explained, trying not to get her hopes up over nothing.  "We just both happened to be at the same time at the same place."  Again.  She thought, but didn't voice that fact out loud.  There was no reason for Rachel to know about her run-in with Justin at the park back in January.  Aubrey could see the wheels already turning in her friend's head and didn't want her making a bigger deal out of this than it was. 

"Is that all?" Rachel asked.

Aubrey nodded.  "He seems like a great guy."  She offered.  "We sat and talked for a few minutes.  He's easy to talk to--which is surprising," she mused.  "Considering who he is and all."

"It's not surprising." Rachel told her with a shake of her head.  "Not if you know him."  Aubrey smiled. 

"At any rate," Aubrey continued.  "It wasn't a date."

"Hmmm." Rachel hummed.

"What?" Aubrey asked with a chuckle.

"Oh nothing." Rachel replied.  "It's just...Justin made it seem like it was more than just a chance encounter." She stopped when her cell phone rang.  Looking down at it Rachel apologized.  "I have to take this."

"Take it." Aubrey smiled, grateful that the topic of conversation was being dropped.  Although, as she watched Rachel walk away from her, a tiny piece of her was curious as to what exactly Justin had said about their meeting.

Okay, a big part of her was curious.

Does that man he likes me? She wondered then had to laugh at herself.  Don't go reading signs when there aren't any. She scolded herself.  Besides, why in the world would Justin Timberlake be interested in me?  He wouldn't be.  End of story.  Although, he did ask for my number and said he would call.  But it's been, she looked at the calendar on her computer, almost three weeks, so he's probably not going to call me.

Finally, with a sigh, Aubrey resolved that she was just being ridiculous.  Her chance run-ins with Justin were just that: chance run-ins.  Aubrey tried to push all thoughts of the famous pop star from her mind.  She may be a bit inexperienced when it came to guys but she knew when a situation was pointless and wasting her time thinking anything was going to happen between herself and one, Justin Timberlake, was the epitome of "pointless." 

Going back to her brother's email, Aubrey finished telling him about meeting Seth then, after signing it, she sent it off.  She spent the rest of the day completing her tasks at work and finished the homework she had to submit tonight, but her mind wouldn't stop wandering back to her conversation with Rachel about a certain tall, blue eyed superstar. 

I wonder what he's doing right now.