always remember that you have to fight for what you believe in. He also said he wanted her to know that he died with honor and courage.”
He handed Ellie the letter and dog tags. Ellie took them in her hand and started crying. Kyle hugged her. “I will tell her everything,” Ellie said through her tears. Kyle stayed a little while longer; he held Dolly and kissed her goodbye and told that her father was a brave and good man. He put his hands on Ellie’s shoulder and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
He left her house to head back home. He told Janice what he would be doing and Janice was fine with it. He called Ellie before going back to Afghanistan. Ellie told him to stay safe and come back home. He never spoke to her after that. Kyle had kept his promise to his friend Brett.
Ellie had sold the house that her and Brett lived in and moved away before Kyle came back from his second tour. It was better that way anyway; he did not want Ellie knowing how his life had changed. He was too embarrassed and he knew that Ellie had moved on. She did not need any more heartache or sadness.
He had given up on getting his disability money. It was futile he thought, just like Janice told him that it was futile for him to try and find her. She would not come back to him. He had not only been betrayed by the one woman he had loved since high school, he had been betrayed by the government that sent him to Afghanistan.
But Kyle would never regret serving in the military. He loved his country and knew his father would have been proud. Even if had to do it all over again, he still would have signed up in the military and gone over. He just never thought that he would lose everything.
He lay his head down to go to sleep that night. He looked up at the moon. The tears fell from his eyes. He had not cried since his friend Brett died and after he read the letter from his ex-wife.
*****
Blocks away Elisa had enjoyed her nice cooked dinner and had soaked in her hot bubble bath that Cora had drawn for her. Elisa put on her silk chemise and got into her nice warm bed with freshly clean sheets that Cora had washed and put on for her.
Elisa had everything. Blocks away the man sleeping under the Central Park Bridge did not even cross her mind. Elisa slept soundly until the next morning.
CHAPTER 5
Elisa woke up. She had slept so soundly. She got up to take a shower and start her day again. She remembers when she was told that she would be the Chief Editor of Pose Magazine. Elisa had worked late nights while putting herself through college. After getting her degree in business management, Elisa started taking on more tasks. She had become Maggie Bench’s (who was the former Chief Editor of Pose Magazine) assistant.
Maggie was hard to work for and demanded nothing less than perfection herself. She had given Elisa a hard time. Maggie had called Elisa into her office, which is now Elisa’s.
“Come in,” Maggie said in a deep voice. Maggie was a heavy smoker. Elisa opened the door and walked in. Maggie was sitting down with her hands folded across her lap. Even sitting down, Maggie could be intimidating. Her deep green eyes could penetrate right through you. She had dark hair. “Sit down please, Elisa.” Elisa sat down as Maggie commanded.
“You are probably wondering why I called you in here.” Maggie said lighting up a cigarette.
“Yes ma’am,” Elisa said softly.
“I know I have given you a hard time Elisa and for your benefit,” Maggie said puffing on her cigarette. “But I like you. You are a lot like me I have seen. I remember the day you came to Pose Magazine Elisa. You were like everyone else walking through that door.
You thought that you were the right person for the job. You thought that you were what Pose Magazine needed. I watched you and you are probably wondering why I gave you such a hard time.” Maggie puffed on her cigarette again and looked at Elisa with a smile.
“No ma’am, never,” Elisa said shaking her head.
“You’re lying Elisa.” Maggie leaned up on her desk and snuffed out her cigarette. Elisa could not stand the smoke and the smell but said nothing. “I watched you for a long time. I liked your work, your designs. You were dedicated, and possessed a refined personality for fashion. You were a go-getter.
“That is why I gave you a hard time Elisa, to push you because I saw the determination you had for Pose or otherwise you would not have spent any late nights working. Plus, when I needed anything, you were there. That Sissy at the time, she did not know what she was doing and nothing about fashion, but you did Elisa. Sissy was not a go-getter like you Elisa.
“I wanted to push you to your full potential. You had an eye for fashion. I could tell that by what you wore and what you drew. Pose Magazine got great a review from your designs and that is when I really knew Elisa that you were what Pose Magazine needed. When you went to get your business degree in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing, I knew you wanted to go even farther.
“I don’t give out these remarks lightly Elisa, but I know loyalty and dedication when I see it. I do not know about your past and I am not concerned with it. My concern is the continued success of Pose Magazine. I have been with Pose Magazine for over thirty years now and I, like you Elisa, did not let anything stand in my way of getting what I wanted and achieving success.
“I made you my assistant because of this.” She got up and walked over to where Elisa was sitting. She sat down on the corner of the desk. Her demeanor was overwhelming. She looked straight into the eyes of Elisa and Elisa was almost sure she could read what was in them. “That is why after some long and tumultuous thinking, I am resigning from Pose Magazine as Chief Editor and I want someone with the capability and poise to run Pose Magazine and keep it successful.
Why am I resigning is not important, but what is important as I have stressed before is the continued success of Pose Magazine and being the leader in the fashion world.” She put her hand on Elisa’s shoulder. “And you my dear, I am giving you the position of Chief Editor of Pose Magazine.” Elisa could not believe what she was hearing. All her time here at Pose Magazine as a designer’s assistant and now the assistant to the Chief Editor, it was what she had dreamed of.
She had proven herself a viable candidate in Maggie’s eyes. Her hard work and dedication had paid off. She had stepped on some toes she knows, but she had gotten what she wanted. She had gotten what she felt she deserved.
“Thank you Maggie, but I am not sure what to say.” Elisa was still absorbing this.
“I don’t want a thank you Elisa,” Maggie lit up another cigarette. “I want you to continue to keep Pose Magazine a success in the fashion world. I trust you. When I am out and I look through a Pose Magazine and listen to the fashion world, I want to see Pose Magazine still being the top fashion Magazine. Do you understand me Elisa?”
“Yes ma’am,” Elisa said. “I will not let you down Miss Bench, I promise.” Just like Elisa, Maggie wanted her workers to call her by her last name and not her first.
“Good, that is what I want to hear,” Maggie said puffing on her cigarette and blowing out smoke rings. “Don’t let my decision be wasted Elisa.”
“I promise you Miss Bench you will be proud of me and I will keep Pose Magazine a success.” Elisa said with confidence.
“Good to hear Elisa, even though I will no longer be working directly with Pose Magazine, I will be indirectly involved with Pose Magazine.
Any questions Elisa?” Maggie asked her.
“Yes, what about the others, will you tell them?”
“I will hold a meeting in my time Elisa, do not worry about that. I have made my decision and that is final. You need not worry. This meeting is adjourned Elisa. You may leave.” Maggie sat back down.
“Yes Miss Bench.” As Elisa walked to the door and put her hand on it to open it, she turned back around. “I