Gray Girl (36 page)

She stared at the gray face in the
window while the bus rolled down the interstate.
 
She studied the unfamiliar reflection
staring back at her and spoke out loud to it.
 

I saw you on R-day, in the mirror.

I knew you then.
 

But who are you now, Gray Girl?

I don't know you.
 

I don't…

          
Recognize
you.

Rick checked his mailbox before leaving.
 
A single envelope with
SKIP
written in large letters lay on its
side.
 
He braced himself for what
could be a sort of
Dear John
.
 
She had not spoken or written anything
to him since he revealed himself to her on that second Saturday in May.
 
He had hoped they could speak at least
once since the Superintendent’s lecture about what had come to be known as “The
Incident.”
 
But there just hadn’t
been any time.
 

He unfolded the note and recognized
her handwriting.
 
He inhaled deeply
and read Jan’s last note to him.

Dear
Rick,

Even
though I have been a “tough case,” I hope you won’t give up on me just
yet.
 
Thanks for everything.
 
I mean, everything.
 
Especially the
prayers.

See
you at Buckner!

Jan

POSTSCRIPT

Any inaccuracies regarding the
buildings, grounds, rules, uniforms, training, sequence of events, etc. are
entirely my own fault.
 
I didn’t
worry about getting all the details straight and I purposely changed a few of
them.
 

Even though Jan and I share some of
the same characteristics, I was never charged with an honor violation, nor
fraternized, nor involved in anyone’s death.
  
Jan and Kristi do not exhibit the
level of fear that we experienced as plebes because I wanted to make these
characters bolder, smarter and more empathetic than we actually were at that
age.
 
I wish I could have been more
like Jan Wishart when I was a cadet.

Finally, I want to express my deep
appreciation for my West Point experience.
 
It may be the only college you grow to love long after you leave.
 
Very few of us loved it while we were
there.
 
Yet, USMA gave us more than
it took away.
 
Despite, and perhaps
because of,
its harsh nature when we were cadets, most of us
have
become proud members of the Long Gray Line.
 
I feel blessed to be among the men and
women who have experienced something that is not comparable anywhere.
 
We share a bond.
 
I feel this ever more deeply with each
passing year, especially among my classmates and women who were once cadets.

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR

Susan
I. Spieth graduated from West Point in 1985 and served five years in the Army
as a Missile Maintenance Officer.
 
After completing her military service, she attended Seminary where she earned
a Master of Divinity degree.
 
She is
an ordained clergywoman in the United Methodist Church, having served five
churches as Pastor/Associate Pastor for seventeen years.
 
Susan and her husband have two children
and live in Seattle, WA.
 
This is
her first novel.