Agent for a Cause

"How much is he paying you to do this?" Anna asked in a small voice.

"Enough lady and then some! Take it from me sister you need to latch on to this one and not let go!"

The rest of the drive was quiet and Bill dropped her off at the curb in front of the bar. He rolled his window down and handed her a card.

"You can reach me with this number day or night and I'll be here."

"I don't have a phone." Anna mumbled out embarrassed.

"He said you might not. Told me to give you this. Chargers in the bag." Bill handed her a sleek looking phone and then handed out a small bag.

Numbly, Anna took both, thanking the taxi driver and entered the bar. Her eyes drifted through the vacant bar to land on the corner seat on her side of the bar. Why? Why was he doing all this? All she'd done was talk to him! She looked heavenward for a second. Maybe she'd given up on faith to soon.

The afternoon passed and the evening wore on. Her boyfriend was a no show and her frustration with his absence was mounting. She wanted to thank him. Play around with his shyness and see his eyes light up in shock when she surprised him.

She must have polished the corner area of the bar where he sat half a dozen times now. She had to face the bitter truth. He wasn't coming. At least not tonight anyway, maybe tomorrow night would be different.

"Hey Anna!"

It was Jim and he was holding something out to her. It was a manila envelope.

"This came for you in the mail today. I forgot to give it to you earlier."

Anna took it and glanced at Jim. "Could you cover for me for a while?"

He nodded and Anna slipped into the back room and out the alleyway door. It was cold, but she didn't notice as she opened the manila envelope eagerly. The first thing she saw was the money. Several thousand dollars of it!

There was a piece of paper too, which she pulled out and opened. "Anna, please use the taxi! If Bill's a jerk I can arrange for someone else to take over till I get back. I'll be gone for several days. I look forward to admiring you again soon. P.S. You don't have to hide your boy from me. Sincerely, your boyfriend."

Anna's lips began to quiver and then a sob escaped as tears tracked down her face to wet the paper clutched in her hands. She slid down to a squat with her back against the brick wall of the bar as she reread the short letter, which was far longer in the depth of its meaning.