Aftermath
Alone in her semi-private cabin with light music playing, Jilleen typed the last sentence of her report on her lap top computer. Her report documented all that took place from her point of view in the hanger earlier and listed the names of witnesses she knew were present.  She expected she would take the full blame. She was a Colonial officer, she should have known better than let her personal feelings interfere with the performance of her duty. 


Jilleen did not hate the woman, that would be too strong a word. She never gave Jake’s new friend a chance, she wanted to dislike her because she resented the fact that Anika represented the turning of a chapter. One she was not ready to see be turned.

She finished and saved the document on her computer. Her eyes then looked over at her space on the wall over the small desk, the place she kept some her pictures of her family and friends. There were two pictures of her most closest and dearest friend on that wall. One of Bridget in her favorite evening gown, and another with her and Bridget standing together on the patio deck with Jake off to the side at the grill on one summer’s day.

The others on her personal space on the wall, she loved them all just as much and missed all of them. She could let go of them and keep them in her memories, but Bridget was Jake’s wife. Every time she saw him, she would think of Bridget and of her little secret. It hurt but it was a pain she had grown to endure with time, at least she thought.