The Wall Crossers

September Loves Arrive - Friday

Friday

Anja's perspective

It is Friday and I have worked all day. Livie was assigned to CQ duty at Andrews last night and all day today. She will need to rest this evening, so we will not see each other.

I did not tell her about Niels.

I left work an hour early to get home and prepare for Niels and dinner out together.

It is almost 6pm and I am wearing my yellow lightweight knee-length chiffon A-line dress with shoulders adorned with pretty, floaty bows, a pleated sash with a bow-tie at the back. Bodice is sleeveless, and a V-neckline. This is my favorite dress and I feel so pretty in it! I have never worn it for Livie. I wonder... Why not?

I will go bare legs—I have to make some statement of independent woman as a test for Niels' tolerance! Underneath, I have on my most thrilling black lacy panties and bra—for Niels only to the extent that this foundation encourages me to be a sexier me, a less normal me! He will not see them, but I will feel the feminine energy from it.

I have used a light foundation and blush on my face. Red lipstick and nails (expressing power; my favorite, coral, is reserved for Livie!). A fake ruby teardrop pendant on a thin gold chain hangs just above the V of the dress neck. Simple gold ear hoops. My hair is brushed in cascading waves to either side, with barrettes drawing hair from my face to the back.

I touch my temples and the hollow of my neck with Chanel Mademoiselle perfume, a mix of orange, jasmine and rose, most girls say is one of the most mysterious and exciting scents... my thinking is Niels is cosmopolitan and I want to appear, and smell, that way too!

I will not wear my watch. I'll let Niels drive the timing of the evening and never show restlessness of watch-glancing on my part!

I have on my shiny black Court shoes with medium heel that will match my purse on a string! And of course transparent footies for the shoes since I'll not be wearing full leg coverings.

There is a knock on the door. I open it. Niels is there with a fist full of wild flowers in his left hand. He wears his broad toothy smile with eyes partly closed as if sizing up the head of some foreign state. He has on navy blue blazer, buttoned up. Off-white, almost cream, shirt buttoned up to the neck and a charcoal tie, wider than the one he wore Wednesday. Shiny black wingtip brogue shoes, with dark socks. Pants a kind of charcoal color with maybe some red threads mixed in for a standout effect.

I hold out my right hand, which he kisses gently, and I say, "Niels. How nice to see you. What lovely flowers!... thank you!" I give him a winning smile.

I drop my hand and reach for the flowers with my left as he says, "Anja, you look stunning."

I step back, holding the flowers, and pull my door open wide. "Please come in." I am still smiling and now blushing.

He steps in and looks around. I head for the kitchen saying, "I'll just put these in a vase and be right back." I open my lower cabinet and pull out a special vase, a white opaque rectangular one—it is nothing much to look at, but Papá gave this to me years ago and told me that my Mother had bought this early in their marriage, and so it has very special meaning to it. I also have two vases clear and fluted that match, I bought them myself and they are billig (cheap).

From the kitchen, as I set the flowers with water in the vase, I call back to Niels, "Can I get you anything?"

"Nein. I am just appreciating this photo you have framed. He is still talking as I walk back into the parlor. "It is of Norddeich, Ja?"

"Ja, you recognized it! It is my favorite place! Have you been there?"

"Oh Yes," he says, still studying my framed photo. "It is very expensive... der grundeigentum (real estate). I would suggest instead the Moesgaard Strand of Denmark."