“Yes, I was. She’s been my CO since I joined up. I knew she could be replaced at any time, but it’s still a shock to the system.”
“Are the other members of your squadron taking the news okay?”
“Uh-huh, we don’t have a choice.” Sam sighs. “We have a new captain and lieutenant due to arrive later today. Rumor has it that she’s been swapped with Captain Edwards as her replacement. He’s a by-the-book hard-liner.”
I can hear the edge in his voice. “Are you worried about having to serve under him?”
“No, I can handle whatever the army throw at me, but I’m afraid it means that our plans for this afternoon are going to have to be put on hold.”
“I understand. A new CO means you can’t exactly ask a favor out of him. You need to stay in his good graces.” My shoulders hunch. I’d hoped to be able to spend a little time with Sam this afternoon, but now I’ll have to settle for a video chat. “I’ll still be there at four.”
“I’ll look for you then, Fashion Guru.”
“Try not to work too hard. Or yell at too many tourists.”
That elicits a chuckle from him. “Don’t worry, I’ll only shout at them if they do something they’re not supposed to. Have a good day at work yourself.”
“Thanks, I will.”
After explainingmy arrangement with Clarissa to Mr. G, he readily agrees to let me adjust my work schedule to two four-hour shifts, two days a week. I stayed up late into the night driving myself mad, trying to figure out how I can make everything work. At one point, I seriously considered quitting. But in the end, the pros outweighed the cons.
Pros:
-Forced to shower and leave the flat
-Guaranteed human interaction
-Ability to swing by HG Parade en route to work
-Ability to vent to Mr. G about life
-Ability to ask Mr. G about soldiering stuff
-Won’t have to change the name of my employer on my work visa
-Pass to Buckingham Palace grounds
Cons:
-Takes away time I could be using to chill
-Must wake up before noon
-Interactions with tourists
-Required to take public transport on weekends into the busiest part of the city
-Pay is nothing to write home about
Today, Mr. G graciously allowed me to leave at half three. Now, at three forty-five, I arrive at Horse Guards. Entering the courtyard through the back, I’m caught in a deluge of tourist groups. It must be spring break for some people. I hear chatter in a variety of different languages, recognizing English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, and some German words.
We shuffle along before exiting the tunnel to the shady, packed courtyard. The clock tower bell rings out. MODofficers shout instructions. “Get behind the double white line, please.”
Most groups fan out along the gap of space by the guard shop kiosk, but I know better.
“Excuse me?” I ask an officer wearing a face covering.
“Minerva, good to see you.” The officer pulls the black fabric down. I’m greeted by a familiar face.
