Compound 41

Chapter 7

Age 22

Little changed for Evelyn in regard to her condition and symptoms for the next few years. She continued her weakly treatments and went in quarterly for her 48 hour observations. She grew to have very mixed feelings about those observational visits to the clinic. On the one hand, she was often haunted by dreams that made no sense to her, and she often felt upset and remorse when she would wake up from those dreams. But, those observational visits also seemed to unleash something inside of her. The sensation of freedom, feeling and completeness would be at its strongest after those visits. She didn't like going in for them, or waking up after, but typically for at least a week after, she had a profound feeling of freedom and wholeness that got stronger and lasted longer after each visit.

After attending the town's small local college, where Evelyn earned a BS in Business Management, she began her graduate studies in the same area online. She had been working full time for a banquet hall that hosted parties and weddings and social events. She had helped to facilitate that company's growth from a small 'mom and pop' company to the most exclusive and sought over venue for miles around. The location was charming, nestled on the edge of town with excellent natural scenery, and the buildings were well designed. But it was Evelyn's insight, organization and management that had propelled the company into such a successful business. She found that she thrived under the pressure of fixing the problems, finding answers and coordinating everything to pull off perfect events. She had an eye for detail and brought a level of perfectionism to everything she did.

It was during one of her post-observation weeks from time in the clinic, when she was feeling great about herself and in connection with her 'inner strength' as she liked to call her new-found oneness with self. She was on her way to meet friends at a bar for a drink after what had been a very long day at work. Several things had come up that would have caused someone of lesser capabilities and composure to have thrown in the proverbial towel in despair. But Evelyn had managed to resolve the multiple problems and de-escalate the various issues in order for a wedding scheduled for the next day to proceed smoothly.

"Sorry I'm late" Evelyn said to her friends, as she skillfully maneuvered her wheelchair past multiple patrons and up to their table. "Rough day" she continued cheerfully.

"Nachos are on the way, and I ordered you a Jack and Coke" her friend Chris said to her once she was settled at the table. "I wanted to get the order in, it's packed in here tonight!"

"Thank you" Evelyn accepted hungrily, looking forward to the nachos, as she hadn't eaten much through the day and was starving. "There are a lot of people in town for the Williams/Anderson wedding tomorrow. It's like they invited the entire county. No joke, the guest list was over 200 people."

"You're in a good mood, though" her friend Alyssa commented.

"Just living the dream" Evelyn responded with a smile. "But seriously, huge complications came up with catering and electrical issues for the venue tomorrow. And don't even get me started on the issues with seating for that many people, but everything is finally lined up and in order. And it always feels good to solve a problem and leave at the end of the day, knowing the event is going to go smoothly in the morning."

"People are saying it's a lot of extended family coming in for the wedding" Chris chimed in. "Olivia doesn't even have any siblings, so maybe all the guests are coming in from her fiancée's side of the family, what's his name? Peter, I think?"

"Yeah, Peter Anderson is the groom" responded Evelyn. "I don't know much about him, but he seems nice enough. I've only met him a handful times. He's worked for the ranger station for a couple of years now. I guess it was love at first sight when she moved home after college. She seems completely smitten. Seeing the two of them together was weird, like they're completely in sync and made for each other, or something. It's kind of equal parts adorable and nauseating" Evelyn chuckled as she spoke.

"I'm really happy for her" Alyssa said romantically. "I've heard he's incredibly handsome, is he?"

"He was definitely attractive, and a very nice build, very athletic" Evelyn said, with a wink for her friend.

"Are you taking Aaron as your plus one, Alyssa?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, I was afraid it was a little too soon to take him to a wedding with me, but I think it'll be ok."

Alyssa and Chris continued the conversation, but Evelyn was no longer paying attention. Two men had just entered the bar, and Evelyn couldn't help but catch her breath when her eyes met those of one of them. She felt something inside of her leap and her heart began to race. She felt like her skin was on fire, and when he looked at her, she felt as if he were looking directly into her soul.

He was tall, incredibly muscular and had the most alluring smile that Evelyn had ever seen. As soon as their eyes locked, his entire bearing lit up and his smile took over his entire face. Small dimples formed at the middle of his cheeks that had a roundness to them that conveyed an overall gentleness to his demeanor that was almost in conflict with the overwhelming strength and masculinity of his stature and body language.

There was a warmth in his eyes that captured her, the world around her had gone dark and all she was aware of was the man across the bar, who seemed to be looking at her with as much attention and intensity as she was looking at him. Without even hesitating, he began to walk toward her, never breaking eye contact. But as he got close, a confused expression crossed his face, and Evelyn was suddenly pulled back to reality, as Chris put his arm across her shoulders.

"Are you still with us?" Chris asked Evelyn jokingly, completely unaware of the stranger who had almost reached their table, and was still looking intently at Evelyn, but had stopped abruptly and continued to stare.

"Sorry, I uh..." Evelyn struggled to find any words that might go together in a sentence, "I umm" and she glanced at the faces of her friends, but her eyes were quickly drawn back to the stranger standing a few feet away. "I umm... just spaced out, I guess" she finally said, still looking at the stranger who was now accompanied by the man he had come in with, who seemed to be directing him away to find an open seat at the bar, but the stranger's eyes never left hers even as he walked away.