Ben wheeled me up to a table and bent down. "What kind of ice cream do you want there, Ann?"
"Vanilla bean." I nodded my head. It was my favorite.
Ben laughed and stood. "Sounds good." He walked up to the counter left me unattended.
I seized the moment to look around the cafe. A blue fountain, it's bottom filled with copper pennies, gently gurgled. Plants lined sitting areas. It looked like a wonderful place to sit and socialize.
Just as I turned to look at the other side of the cafe, a young boy and an older black man came in. Dressed in two suits the scanned the room, then making eye contact with the boy. He whispered something to his superior and they began walking towards me.
Oh no.
I desperately tried to hide my face and turn away as they sat down on either side of me.
"Annabelle Woods?" The older man asked.
"What's it matter to you?" I spat back. The venom in my voice masking my terror.
The boy chuckled. "Sorry." He glanced up at his superior and cleared his throat.
"We're part of the Peace Corps. We wanted to know if you're interested in a deal of a life time." His green eyes met mine.
I willed myself to show no interest even though my heart pounded wildly at the thought of joining the peace corps. "Oh yeah?" I whispered. "Tell me about it."
The older man pulled a pamphlet out of his suit. The young boy handed me a card. "Read the pamphlet. Call me when you've decided what you want to do." I read the names.
Lucas Thompson.
I looked him in the eye. "Is there a deadline?"
"Miss Woods, call me only when you are sure of your answer. That will be your deadline." Lucas spoke.
I could only nod and inspect the pamphlet. A huge warship with the name WS Peacekeeper cruised along the ocean waters. I gently turned the page and read.
Doctor Jackson of The Peace Corps Sector Four cordially invites you, Miss Annabelle Woods to join the ranks of The Peacekeeper, commanding them as Fleet Commander and Admiral Annabelle Woods.
My head shot up in surprise. "You can't be serious.." I started to say but the two men were gone. Only the slight hint of gun oil lingered where Lucas sat.
"Who you talking to Ann?" Ben came back with two massive bowls of ice cream.
Stuffing the pamphlet under my thigh and the card between my knees I stuttered. "Uhh nobody. Sorry."
"You know what I think?" He hummed.
"What?" I took a bite of my vanilla bean.
"I think this hospital air is driving you insane."