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When I go back to my base, I realize that I didn’t ask Lily for her phone number. I keep thinking about her and wish I could talk and spend time with her every day. I am not even sure if I will see her again. My mind is filled with numerous questions. Is she a frequent visitor to the bar? Does she live in the neighborhood permanently, or is she a visitor in the town? What if her parents are strict and not in favor of her getting friendly with people of color? From my talk with her, it didn’t seem to be the case. How can I meet her again if she leaves town, I wonder? My head is spinning with all these thoughts. I try to immerse myself in the duties at the base and try to banish thoughts of Lily. It is getting hard.

My troop leader has assigned me to study and analyze reports we are getting about Taliban activities in and around Afghanistan. My responsibility is to generate the intel reports to guide the troops on the ground. I work ten-hour days. When one is in the military, there is no nine-to-five routine. It felt like regular office work, but it changed quickly.

 I haven’t written or spoken to Mom and Dad in a while.

“Are you eating enough and taking care of yourself?” Mom had asked the last time we talked. It was a call on FaceTime.

“Don’t worry, Mom.” I had replied. I could see Dad in the background trying to pitch in, but mostly it was Mom who was talking. I could see her happiness in seeing me rather than just hearing me on the phone.

“How’s life there on the military base? We have no idea. No one in my and your dad’s family has ever served in the military. Do they work you hard? Do you get a chance to get out and meet other people?”

Mom has so many questions.

“Slow down, Mom. I’m okay,” I had said.

“We worry about you every day, Beta.” Mom wiped her eyes.

“I’m okay.”

“We are glad you are not deployed for field duty,” Dad interjects. I could see him sitting close to Mom.

“Hi Dad,” I say. “Not yet, anyway.”

“We hope it never happens, and you come home safe and sound.” He continues.

I wanted to change the subject.

“How’s Lakshmi, Akaash, and Krishna?” I ask.

“Oh, they are all fine. Lakshmi has moved near Baltimore.” Mom replies in a calm voice, but I notice a bit of hesitancy in her voice.

“That is super, Mom. Now they can visit you often. How far will that be? About an hour’s drive?”

“Your dad says that’s about right, but you never know the traffic on the beltway and highway 66.”

“Not much you can do about it, but at least that is closer than being somewhere in California.”

There was a moment of quiet before I heard Mom talk again. Mom and Dad exchange glances as if they had a non-verbal communication. What was that about? I wonder. Are they trying to hide something?

It is another six weeks before I visit the Scala bar. This time I am by myself. With Logan there, three would have been a crowd. I don’t take my guitar with me. If Lily is there, I want to spend all my time with her.

I recognize some faces from the crowd. The bartender acknowledges me.

“The usual?” he asks.

I nod, and the bartender hands me a schwarzbier.

I scan the room. There is no sign of Lily. Asking the bartender seems stupid. How would he remember her or know about her whereabouts? She could be visiting some other bar, or maybe she has left town. I sit by myself at the counter, sipping my beer. There is a soccer game on the TV on the corner of the wall. I look to my left and then to my right and don’t find anyone interested in starting a conversation. After an hour or so, I am about to give up and return to the base when I notice Lily enter through the main door.  A handsome young man with blond hair is accompanying her. He is slim, wearing skinny pants as most Europeans do, and is taller than she is. He keeps pushing his blond hair back from his temples.

“Oh, oh,” I say to myself. “She has a boyfriend. Well, I can’t expect a pretty young woman like her not to have one.”

As she comes closer, she spots me and waves as she approaches.

“Arjun, so nice to see you again. How long has it been? Three months?” She doesn’t lean forward to give a peck on my cheek. Should I hug her or shake hands? I do nothing.

I am surprised she is interested in talking with me, even with her boyfriend there.

“No. Only a month or so, if I have to guess. How are you?”

“I’m fine. How have you been?”

“Busy with some special assignment. Enough about me. Would you introduce me to your friend?”

“My friend?” Lily says with a broad grin. “Meet my brother Hans.”

I extend my hand to greet Hans. It is a relief to know that he isn’t Lily’s boyfriend.

“Nice to meet you, Hans.”

We shake hands, and the three of us move to a small round table. Lily orders a glass of red wine, and Hans orders the same beer I am having.

“Hans just graduated from college.”

“Oh, yeah. Congratulations, Hans. What did you major in?” I ask.

“Drama.”

I am surprised by the short answer. Well, some people are not talkative.

“Hans has been interested in acting ever since high school,” Lily adds.

“Aren’t you lucky! My brother Krishna is also studying Drama. But would you know that my Dad wanted me to be an Engineer, and I am here serving in the Army.” I say.

“Well. Our dad is not interested in advising us about what he wants us to do. He’s so busy with his work and travel. Anyway, isn’t it up to a person to choose what they want to do and make their own life?” Lily says what I want to hear.

“You are right,” I agree.

Lily turns to Hans, who has not said anything, and says, “Arjun here is a guitar player.”

That seems to have sparked Hans’s interest. He suddenly looks interested in participating in the conversation.

“I’m so happy to hear that.” He says, looking straight at me.

“Yes. I was a member of a band in high school. We called it DAN the Band.”

“What does it mean? The initials?”

“D for Dan, my friend, who was a percussionist. A for Arjun, that’s me, and I played the guitar. N was for Naomi, who was the lead singer.”

“Hans’s girlfriend Heidi is also a singer.” Lily interrupts.

“You two will be a nice pair and work together in the theater if that’s what you want to do.” I face Hans when I say this.

“And Hans has good news. Tell him, Hans.”

Hans looks taken by surprise as if he wishes she had not said that.

“Well, if you want to make it public. We have decided to get married when Heidi graduates from the music school.”

“That’s fabulous. Congratulations. You two will be happy together.”

“Thanks,” Hans says, shyly.

“Not only that, their engagement is in two weeks. We will have a small celebration in our dad’s farmhouse, and I want you to come.” Lily is speaking rapidly, excited. I am surprised by the sudden invitation. All this time, I wasn’t sure if she liked me.

“Are you kidding?” I say, “I wouldn’t know anyone there. Will it be all right?”

“They will like it. You will come as my friend, and they will love to meet my friend.”

“I would be glad to come,” I reply.

We finish our drinks. After a half hour or so of talk, Lily and Hans say bye and leave.

“Don’t forget. In two weeks, you are coming to Hans’s engagement. I’ll text you the address.” Lily says as she walks out with her brother.

I am tickled pink when I return to the barracks. I am glad to get confirmation from Lily that she is interested in me. Who knows what the future will be, but things are moving in the right direction.

“Yahoo. She likes me. She likes me.” I yell, raising my fist in the air, looking around the room as if there are people around me, and I may have startled them. But I am all by myself. Logan is out somewhere.