Tempus Fugit
By Mavis Applewater
For disclaimers see part one.
A special thank you goes out to my beta reader Mary.
As always this is for Heather.
Part Eight 1963
We were discovering Peter, Paul & Mary, falling in love with The Beatles, Martin Luther King inspired us with his dream of the future, we used zip codes for the first time and the nation mourned the loss of an icon. It was the same year that for the first time in my life I would mourn the loss of one of my peers. It was in the spring that I heard the news. If only I could turn back the clock to that afternoon and warned Bobby. He never would have broken his leg; instead he would have remained our hero, gone on to LSU, and not be drafted.
He never would have stayed in the military, never ended up in a far off land in a war we didn’t understand. But Bobby made his choice and I had to respect his decision. I just wished that it hadn’t cost him his life. The Army claiming he died a hero did nothing to comfort his mother or Sandy who, although she never confessed it, was deeply in love with him. Sandy was the one who called me sounding drunk and ready to fall off the deep end. I rushed home after dropping a note in the post office box hoping that Ginny would somehow get it. I was numb while riding the train home and mentally calculating how many years it would be before Sammy was eligible for the draft.
My Dad was sitting in the living room staring off into space. He had the same look on his face that he possessed when he learned that Ginny had lost her brother in Korea. I had no idea the horrors my easy going father had witnessed when I was just a baby, and he would never talk about it. When I saw him like this I understood that there were things that haunted my father. I was going to say something to him. I couldn’t. How could I explain to him that I supported our troops, our boys, but I didn’t believe in this war?
I slipped away unnoticed ducking into the kitchen. Mom was just staring out the window. “Twenty-three,” she whispered absently. “He was just a baby.” She concluded turning to me and wrapping me up in her arms. “Sorry,” she sniffed when she finally released me. “I talked to Mrs. Walford yesterday.”
“How is she doing?” I questioned realizing it was an idiotic question.
“She’s a mess,” Mom cleared her throat. “Parents are not designed to outlive their children. I remember him swinging in that old tire swing your Dad put up. It was just before you kids started second grade. Right out there remember?” She asked pointing out the window.
“Yeah I remember,” I answered with a ghost of smile. “I can’t believe this. Bobby was the big man on campus and now he’s gone.”
“I called Ginny,” Mom explained while looking for something to do.
“How?” I was taken aback.
“She had called a couple weeks ago to wish your Dad a happy birthday,” Mom prattled on. “She gave me a number where she could be reached. I wasn’t sure she’d still be there you know how she moves around.”
“I noticed.” I answered in a grim tone.
“She was still there,” Mom continued. “She’s working at some place just outside of Vegas. I thought she’d want to know. Didn’t she date Bobby?”
“Yeah she wore his jacket for awhile,” I nodded. “I don’t remember for how long.” It really was hard to say how long since she and Laurie were constantly passing it back and forth. “Did Ginny mention if she was coming home for the services?”
“She’s wasn’t sure,” Mom sighed rubbing her brow. “She wanted to pay her respects, but as she put it, she didn’t leave too many friends behind.”
“It’s true,” I grumbled. “I’m not sure that the Walford’s will be happy seeing me walk in.”
“She wants you to come and she doesn’t have a problem with Ginny,” Mom sighed. “She told me so herself. She said you should show up driving the Chevy just to show up all those snot nosed punks who ditched Bobby after he got hurt. Ron came home last night. He can’t stay long because of school.”
“I should have hitched a ride with him,” I smiled for the first time. It was kind of ironic that both Ron and I ended up in law school. “I should call Ron and let him know that I’ll pick him up tomorrow. I also need to talk to Sandy and find out how far she’s dug herself into the bottle and what kind of bottle.” Sadly Sandy’s entertainment had long ago strayed from just the liquid form.
The phone calls were short. Sandy was a mess and on her way to Smithy’s bar where some of the old gang was gathering. So I called Ron the second I hung up with her and told him we needed to go get her. He agreed. I grabbed the keys to my Mom’s Plymouth Valiant and sped off to Ron’s parent’s house. Needless to say I am not one of Mr. & Mrs. O’Keefe’s favorite people. There was that whole scandal revolving around Ginny and, apparently, by going to the prom with me Ron had ruined his life. Or it could be that I had dumped him. I never found out which transgression had set them on edge.
We walked into the dingy bar filled with the A list from 1956. “Wow I’ve had nightmares that started out this way.” I confessed as we walked past the hostile glares. I fought against the urge to smack someone. Unlike Ron, Sandy and myself none of these people had even spoken to Bobby since before he was drafted. Now they all acted like we were intruding on a memorial for their friend. I stumbled for a moment remembering that it was only a month ago when Bobby answered my last letter. He said that he was proud of me. I had just finished my internship in San Francisco after turning down a lucrative position at Hilton, Brown & Larson. Even though Ginny had opted to spend her summer in Tucson and Albuquerque my time living in the city by the bay was remarkable. San Francisco was on the brink you could just feel it in the air. I wrote to Bobby telling him everything. I also added that I missed him and he had better get his butt home in one piece. “Son of a bitch broke his promise,” I snarled just as we discovered Sandy slumped over the bar.
“Yes he did,” Sandy suddenly jerked her head up. “One more tour and that’s it. He told me it was the last one. He promised.” She sobbed turning her focus towards the gaping crowd. “Look at ‘em acting like they give a shit. Staring at us like we’re the ones who don’t belong. Liars all of them.”
“Now just calm down Sandy,” Margie barked. I blinked a couple of times not realizing that it was her at first. The years had not been kind to my former best friend.
“No!” A man I didn’t recognize stepped forward. “She’s right. We let Bobby down. These three are the only people who stuck by him. He would have stuck by us no matter what. Now all we can do is say goodbye and for that we should be ashamed.”
“Groper?” I jumped back completely stunned by the man standing before me.
“Ellen,” he nodded respectfully. “With your permission I’d like to buy you and Bobby’s other real friends a drink. I want to toast him and apologize to him.”
“Thank you Dirk,” I graciously accepted noticing that only half the room agreed with his sentiment.
“Dirk?” Brent nudged him. “She’s one of those.”
“Really?” Dirk seemed surprised. “Well that would explain why you never put out.” He shrugged. “So what would you like to drink Ellen?”
“Gin and tonic would be fine.” I sputtered completely thrown by the changes in his personality.
“Ron?”
“Just a Bud, then I think we should take Sandy home,” Ron agreed.
Dirk ordered and paid for our drinks and offered a semi-elegant toast that once again only appeased half the crowd. Then he did the oddest thing; he introduced me to his wife Erin and showed me pictures of his children. “My God you’re an adult how did that happen?” I couldn’t help but question.
“You met Erin right?” He smiled.
“Ah the better half,” I nodded suddenly understanding. “So what is it you’ve been doing these days? Besides chasing those beautiful kids around.”
“After the army I’ve been working down at Jenkins Garage,” he smiled. “I’m the manager now and I’m hoping that someday I can buy old man Jenkins out. I see your Dad down there every now and then picking up parts for the Cherry Mobile. You know what he says to me the first time he saw me working there? He says aren’t you the jackass that used to date my daughter?”
“Sounds like Dad,” I snickered. “So what’d you say?”
“One of them.”
“Thanks a lot pal,” Ron groaned. “I think it is time we split.” He whispered placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“Sorry Dirk time to scrape Sandy up off the floor,” I apologized grabbing hold of Sandy.
By the time the first wake started Ron and I had managed to make Sandy somewhat presentable. Her mood was still foul. I wasn’t looking forward to entering the funeral parlor; seeing the boy I had grown up with laid out in a casket while I offer a feeble I’m sorry to his grieving parents. “Hello Stewart.” I greeted him at the entryway. He was one of the few people I felt wouldn’t give us a hard time.
“Hi Ellen there’s a problem,” he confided in a grim tone just as Dirk came out to join us. Ron, Sandy and I looked at one another wondering if one or all three of us were the problem.
“You are not going to believe who is in there wailing about how her high school sweetheart is gone.” Dirk spat out.
“Well, Sandy is with us so it can’t be her,” I began mentally checking off Bobby’s steadies. “That leaves Harriet, Susan, and Diane who he got bonus points for because she was a senior and he was just a junior.” The moment the words bonus points came out of my mouth I knew who it was.
“That just leaves the Swenson Twins,” Ron concluded.
“Laurie.” I fumed my chest tightening at the very thought of being in the same room with her. “Can’t be Ginny she just heard yesterday and I don’t think she could have made it in from the west coast yet. Besides she was never prone to theatrics.”
“Thank God you’re here!” Margie bellowed storming out to join us. “I pulled her aside and she just won’t leave. Poor Mrs. Walford is hysterical. Ellen I’m sorry for acting like the jerk of the century back in high school but please you have got to help.”
“My pleasure.” I sneered clenching my fists.
“No,” Ron stopped me. “A fist fight is not what we need.”
“Sure it is!” Sandy urged me on. “After what she did to Bobby and her sister? Hell I say we drag the wench into the center of town and stone the bitch.”
I agreed with Sandy and I understood Ron’s point this was the last thing the Walford’s needed. “If I’m not back in five call the cops.” I groaned making my way into the building. The smell of lilies made me sick. I stopped by the casket; somehow holding myself together as I said goodbye to Bobby. Then I made my way to his parents ignoring the sobbing blonde in the center of the room determined to hog the spotlight. “I’m sorry for your loss.” I meekly offered surprised when the two of them hugged me. “If you’ll excuse me I think there is something I need to take care of.” I offered noting that the others had returned. Dirk and Stewart flanked Laurie’s side while Ron kept Sandy at bay.
“I can’t believe she’s here much less acting like this.” Mrs. Walford choked out. “She broke my son’s heart and now she’s acting like the queen of the ball.” She just shook her head before beckoning Sandy to join the family. “Ellen, do what you have to do. I don’t want that woman here.” I just nodded and turned towards my target.
I felt like Moses parting the red sea watching innocent bystanders scattering as I approached Laurie. “A moment of your time?” I gritted my teeth.
“I don’t think so,” she sniffed. “I’m far too upset to deal with the likes of you.”
I took a deep breath before grasping her elbow. “Outside now or I’ll make a few announcements that will most definitely blow that Donna Reed act you are going for.” I threatened while guiding her out of the room.
“That was rude!” She had the gall to bark at me once we were outside.
“His mother asked me to get rid of you.” I hissed.
“My God that looks like my old car,” she had the nerve to smile when she spotted the Chevy.
“It should it belongs to your sister,” I spat out.
“She’s not?” She gasped frantically searching the parking lot.
“No, Ginny isn’t here,” I growled. “She was worried about making a bad impression. Oddly enough his mother said that Ginny was more than welcome to come. You, on the other hand, are not.”
“Wait Daddy sold the cars,” she suspiciously countered.
“No Daddy sold your car,” I mocked her. “Really, really fast so no one could do a comparison. Ginny made sure I got her car.”
“Why? You’re a deviant,” she snarled in disgust.
“I prefer lesbian,” my voice was stone cold as I addressed her. “Look no lightening bolts guess God isn’t going to strike me down. But you knew I was gay. After all you were the first girl to stick her tongue in my mouth.”
“You little bitch,” she spat at me before she started waving her wedding band in my face. “I’m a married woman. I’m normal who is going to believe you?”
“You have never been normal,” I shook my head mystified by her logic. “And if you are what passes for normal these days then thank God Almighty I’m not. Now I’m going to make another deal with you. If you don’t leave right now I will start shouting out every skanky move you pulled on me six years ago. Then I’m going to tell everyone here how I can prove it and I can. That was you in Boston and not your sister. Like I said I can prove it. Got it Princess Grace?”
“What do you mean you can prove it?” She had the stupidity to challenge me.
“I have witness statements attesting to the fact that the car had a dent in it and the attacker, that would be you, was right handed.” I trumped her but good. Her face fell and she was speeding out of the parking lot in her new Mercedes before I had stopped speaking.
My parents walked up just when I was about to go back in. “Was that Satan I just saw tearing out of here?” Dad asked with disgust.
“None other.” I groaned while trying to calm myself.
“Why was she here?” Mom was flabbergasted.
“Who knows?” I cringed. “Look I need to go back in let Bobby’s mom know that I got rid of her.”
“With?” Mom gulped.
“Not with violence, Mom,” I stated taking her by the hand. “I was tempted but I just threatened to expose her. That’s all it took.”
The preliminary wakes and the funeral that followed was the hardest experience any of us had been through. Prior to that weekend we had only had to face saying goodbye to older relatives. I thought at the time it was a wake up call. It wasn’t. When it was time for me to leave I was spent. Not only from dealing with Bobby’s sudden death, but from dealing with people who had at one time been my dearest friends. Only a handful seemed not to care about my sexuality the rest, in my humble opinion, could go screw themselves.
“Dad’s driving me back into town,” I announced once my bag was packed. I hugged my Mom quickly. “Uhm Mom do you think it would be okay if you gave me Ginny’s number?” I was nervous since Ginny hadn’t bothered to relay the information directly to me.
“Of course,” Mom’s brow crinkled quickly snatching a slip of paper from the counter and handing it to me. “She asked me to give it to you when I spoke to her the other day.” She reassured me. “Honey when you call her,” she slowly began. “Her friend can be a little rough around the edges. So don’t take her attitude personally.”
“Oh?” I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Is she a close friend?”
“Not that kind of friend,” Mom smiled tucking her fingers under my chin. “Ginny met Jo in prison. I think it is safe to say that prison isn‘t a charm school. Once you get past her gruffness she is very nice.”
Dad and I chatted a little during the drive into the city, each of us dancing around the subject of the war. Even with my peers it was a touchy subject. So many thought it was a young man’s duty to answer the call. While the rest of us thought that this was not like the wars our fathers and forefathers had fought. It was a turbulent time and we had no idea just how rocky the road ahead truly was.
It took me all of two seconds to drop my bag and check my watch before I started dialing the phone. “Yo!” A husky voice answered.
“Is Ginny there?” I cautiously inquired reminding myself of my mother’s warning.
“Who wants to know?” The person I could only assume was the infamous Jo demanded.
“Eleanore Roosevelt.” My voice was deadpan.
“What?” She barked once again before I heard her laughing. “Oh wait man you must be Gin’s friend, Ellen. Wow she’s told me all about you. Hey sorry to hear about your friend Bobby.”
“Thank you, Uhm you must be Jo,” I politely responded.
“None other,” she laughed heartily. “But don’t get the wrong idea. I still drive stick if you know what I mean.”
“I get your drift,” I smirked shaking my head thinking mom was right about Jo. “So is Ginny around?”
“Wow sorry she’s pulling a double at the Sevens.” Jo grunted.
“The Sevens?”
“Dive ass bar she’s cocktailing in,” Jo grumbled. “What can you do right? If you’re gonna be up I’ll have her call you?”
“I’ll be up and thanks Jo.”
I paced the floor all night before finally giving up and falling asleep around four in the morning. I jumped out of bed when the phone rang just before eight. “Hello?” I croaked.
“Hey sorry,” Ginny’s voice finally greeted me. “I didn’t mean to call so late. What time is it there?”
“Almost time for me to hit the shower and drag my sorry ass to my first class,” I grunted.
“Maybe I should call back later?”
“No,” I blurted out shaking my head in an effort to wake up. “I need to hear your voice.”
“Same here,” her sultry voice lured me in. “I can’t believe that Bobby is gone. Why was he still in the service?”
“He decided that’s where he wanted to be,” I sighed twirling the phone cord between my fingers.
“How did it go? Or is that an asinine question?”
“Sucked, especially when your sister showed up,” I bitched.
“She... She what?” Ginny stammered. “Tell me she didn’t make it about her?”
“Wish I could,” I coldly grunted. “Don’t worry I kicked her to the curb. Metaphorically speaking of course. Some of the old gang was cool. The rest kept there distance. They must think homosexuality is contagious. Oddly enough one of the nice ones was Dirk.”
“The Groper, Dirk the jerk your old boyfriend?” She gasped.
“I know go figure,” I laughed. “He’s like all grown up complete with a wife who’s a doll and a pack of kids. He even announced to the whole gang that I never put out in high school.”
“Yes you did.” She purred.
“Only with you.” I shivered from the lurid tone in her voice.
“So I was thinking,” she continued to toy with me. “Your folks wanted to know if I was coming home for my birthday next month. I’ve about had it with being a cocktail waitress.”
“Good call.” I encouraged my heart skipping a beat.
“So how about I pack my trusty duffle bag and head out to the highway; stick out my thumb and start heading your way?” She suggested much to my delight.
“Or I could send you a ticket and you could take the train?” I eagerly suggested.
“No,” she flatly refused. “I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
“See you soon.” I whispered.
“That you will.” She promised.
She ended up arriving just before her birthday. She spent a couple of nights keeping me warm in bed before we spent time with my parents. She stayed with my parents for another week while I returned to school. Then she swung back into Boston until I was just about ready to start my summer internship and then she was on her way. I was not sure where she was really heading that time, but she said something about New Orleans. I did what I always did. I made love to her the night before she left like it was the last time because someday it would be and then in the morning I put her on a train.
Uncertain of when or if I’d ever see her again I went on as before, working, studying and the occasional date. I’d hear from her now and then. I always felt relieved when I did. I worried constantly that something might happen to her.
It was a few nights just after Halloween when I walked into my humble little studio and discovered Ginny lounging on my mattress scarfing down Jiffy Pop while laughing hysterically to the Flintstones. “You’re late.” She chastised me.
“Sorry dear the meeting ran late,” I laughed shrugging out of my coat. “Late class and a study group which I would have canceled had I known I was missing so much fun.” I just shook my head unable to believe how enrapt she was with a cartoon show.
“This is great what is it?”
“A cartoon version of the Honeymooners,” I sighed. “You’ve traveled to every nook and cranny this great country has to offer and you’ve never seen the Flintstones?”
“Did you know that this tasty treat that is as much fun to make as it is to eat was the only thing remotely edible in your home?” She glared at me.
“Again didn’t know I had company.” I smiled climbing onto the mattress snatching the tin from her. “That was going to be my dinner.”
“That’s sad.” She wagged her finger at me. “I guess I need to take you out to dinner. And no I didn’t drop in on my parents; I just saved my wages from my last couple of gigs.”
“What have you been doing besides slinging drinks?” I tried to be polite but I worried. I didn’t want to worry she was after all a grown woman.
“Let’s just say nothing illegal other than that I don’t want to talk about it,” she grumbled.
“So, how long are you staying?” I hated the question mostly because I never liked the answer.
“Well the last time I talked to your Dad he said I had to get my ass back home for the holidays,” she surmised. “So I’m assuming that I’m here for the holidays.”
“Groovy!” I beamed. “Look I’m exhausted would you mind ordering in?”
“No prob,” she nodded. “Uhm, but before I do my turn to ask the snotty question. Whose side of the bed am I sleeping on?”
“Yours,” I asserted with a wry smile. “Trust me it has been vacant for awhile now. I need to take a shower. There’s a menu for Wong’s stuck to the fridge pick out whatever you want and have it delivered.”
“Well that explains the moldy food cartons stacked in the ice box,” she muttered under her breath as I stepped into the shower.
I could hear her ordering the food while I stepped into the shower. Secretly I hoped that she would join me. “You know,” she called out from the other room. “When you said the menu was stuck to the fridge I had assumed that there would be a magnet involved. Do I want to know how it was able to just hang there?”
“Tape you spaz,” I shouted in return. “Just answer the door when the food arrives. I think Dobie Gillis is on next you should like that.”
“Hey I’ve seen that show and I do like it,” Ginny shouted back. “They let us watch it in prison.”
“I’m surprised there wasn’t a riot.” I groused under my breath.
“What was that?” She teased.
“Nothing.” I quickly retreated trying to picture her, Jo and the rest of the inmates sitting around regaling in the adventures of Dobie Gillis. The picture finally formed and it was nothing short of ridiculous.
When I finally emerged the food had arrived and she was watching the Untouchables. “Your parents had the only color television in town,” I dryly began crawling up next to her so I could get at the food. “I don’t recall you ever watching it.”
“I didn’t.” She shrugged handing me a fork. “We weren’t really allowed to it was just for show.”
“Ah another family secret revealed,” I teased picking at my food.
“Yeah that’s my family tree shake it hard enough and all the nuts fall out,” she sighed. “Silly when you think about it. We had a color television that we weren’t allowed to watch not that it mattered since there weren’t too many shows broadcast in color. Still aren’t.”
“Hey we barely had a television,” I elbowed her. “Dibs on the egg roll.”
“You still barely have a television,” she jested nodding towards the wavering screen on my aging little TV. “And don’t sweat it the egg roll is all yours.”
“Should I invest in a color set for when you visit?” I played along wondering why it was she hadn’t kissed me yet.
“It would be nice,” she pouted as I studied her. “What?” She dryly questioned meeting my gaze. “Shall I guess?”
“Give it a shot,” I challenged her.
“You’re wondering why I haven’t kissed you,” she correctly deduced. “Why I haven’t tried to slip that robe off of your naked body?”
“Well I have a theory,” I cleared my throat setting my food aside. “Since you stopped by here first and not my parents I can only assume that you are single. I’ve told you that I’m not involved so the only reasonable explanation is that Robert Stack is a hell of a lot sexier than I am.”
“Never,” she stressed snatching a fortune cookie from the bag. “Truth?”
“Always.”
“I’ve been traveling for three days straight,” she turned to me with a weary smile. “I haven’t slept or eaten the whole time. If I kiss you it will lead to more and I’m terrified that I’ll fall asleep on you. The spirit is willing but the body is weak.”
“Three days!” I practically shouted. “Keep eating and then you are taking a long hot bath. Then straight to bed and sleep. I’ll wake you in time for Thanksgiving. I’m serious.” I cut off her objection. “Look I know you hate being told what to do, but you need to start taking care of yourself and if you won’t then I will. Or I could call my mom I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to,”
“No,” she cut me off holding up a carton of lo mien. “I’ll be good. See I’m eating.”
“Good.” I huffed shoving another carton in her direction.
“Ellen,” she seemed shy all of sudden. “I also wanted you to know that I don’t stay with you just because of the sex.”
“I should hope not.” I scolded her.
“I’m serious, I like spending time with you.” She tried to make me understand.
“Back at ya’,” I smiled. Granted it wasn’t an undying declaration of love but it was nice to hear. “Now eat.”
It turned out Ginny was just exhausted by missing a few meals and not sleeping for a couple of days. It was more like missing most meals and not sleeping at all. She was run down and had a nasty touch of the flu. The misguided fool thought she was going to leave when she realized she was sick. It hit the fan when I returned from class one afternoon and found her struggling to pack her duffle bag.
“Are you insane?” I bellowed snatching the bag from her. Thankfully she was too weak to fight. “You’re sick.”
“I know and that is why I should leave,” she tried to reason.
“Where?” I gaped at her.
“I’ll crash at a motel,” she tried to defy me.
“Ginny if I was sick what would you do?” I laid my trap while pushing her back into bed.
“That’s not the point.” She groaned.
“Oh but it is.”
“I’d take care of you,” she barely managed to utter. “This is different.”
“How?” I baited her.
“I don’t want you to catch whatever cooties I have,” she blurted out. “You can’t afford to get sick.”
“Don‘t flip your wig!” I scolded her. “We’ve been sharing the same bed for a couple a days now. I’ve already been exposed to your germs. It’s too late. I’m going to get whatever you have or I won’t. By the way you have the flu not the plague.”
“I don’t seem to recall you being such a bad ass,” she sniffed pulling the covers tighter around her body.
“You take a girl’s virginity and she’s bound to get snippy with you every now and then,” I reasoned. “Oh by the way while I’m in class tomorrow Mom’s stopping by with soup and to check on you. Don’t worry she has a key so she’ll just let herself in.”
“Your mother has a key?” She gasped horrified by the information. “That would have been really good to know all of those times we got naked together.”
“Normally she calls first,” I chuckled noticing that her complexion had turned even paler. “But knowing that it will be just you, sick in bed with clothes on she is comfortable letting herself in. Like she says there is knowing and there is knowing.”
“Where does she think I sleep when I stay here?”
“She doesn’t think about it,” I laughed. “The same way my Dad refused to consider sending me to a co-ed college because of the special friendship I had with you. That was Mom’s idea after she realized it wasn’t a phase. Now are you finished with your attempt to break out of here?” She just nodded her head weakly. “Good go to sleep. I have to study.”
I blinked my eyes several times the apartment seemed different. There was a brightness to it and an unfamiliar scent. “Something is out of whack,” I muttered glaring at my companion who was nestled beneath the covers happily watching television.
“Confused?” Ginny messed with me. “Your pad is clean.” She beamed.
“Climb it, Tarzan,” I snarled ready to flip her the bird when I spied my mother kneeling in front of my tiny ice box.
“Eleanore you weren’t going to make an obscene gesture now were you?” Mom grilled me without even turning around.
“How does she do that?” I questioned not for the first time in my life still wondering if mothers grow an extra set of eyes in the back of their heads when they give birth. “Why are you cleaning my refrigerator?”
“Because it is or was, as you kids put it, raunchy,” Mom growled with disgust snapping off the Playtex gloves she was wearing. She released a sigh as she climbed to her feet.
“She cleaned the bathroom, did the laundry including the sheets,” Ginny eagerly informed me. “You should be jazzed. The floor is so clean you could eat off it.”
“Hey this place was just groovy before I went to class today,” I tried to defend my more than candy ass attitude towards housework. It was true keeping up with the dusting and other stuff just wasn’t my bag. But the place wasn’t a pig sty either.
“Eleanore,” Mom bugged out on me. “Ginny is sick. Now I don’t think that it unreasonable for me to clean up a little. I understand that you get busy and forget to wash the floor among other things. Now come here and let me take your temperature?”
“She’s talking to you.” Ginny gloated.
“I’m not sick,” I argued allowing my mother to take me by the hand and shove a thermometer is my mouth. I stood there looking like a complete ditz while she even took my pulse. I sighed dramatically trying to keep the thermometer steady while Mom checked her watch. I think it was the smug look on Ginny’s face that was really ticking me off. Mom finally removed the thermometer from my mouth checked it carefully before shaking it. I stood there enduring further embarrassment as she kissed my forehead.
“So what’s the verdict Dr. Kildare?” I grunted still ready to throttle my kiss up of a friend who seemed to be relishing my torture.
“Just as I suspected, you’re fine.” Mom concluded while I groaned.
“I told you that.” I snarled.
“Listen Miss Sassy mouth,” Mom cut me down to size. “You’ve been sleeping next to someone who is sick. I mean near someone, oh the heck with it. You know what I mean. Thanksgiving is coming up and I wanted to make sure that the both of you were going to be able to enjoy your dinner. Especially now that you’ve given up all that no meat nonsense.”
“So why isn’t she sick?” Ginny demanded.
“Because you probably already had a full blown case of the flu before you got here,” Mom chastised her wagging her finger at her. “You just refused to give in until you crashed.” I stuck my tongue out at Ginny while my mom scolded her. “Now you,” she spun around getting me in the act. “Take the trash out and then I have a list to go over with you.”
“A list?” I blanched.
“Just a few suggestions to keep the both of you healthy,” Mom tsked. “Now if it makes you feel better the first item on the list is that Virginia is grounded. No ifs, ands or buts.”
“Ma?” Ginny fussed.
“It is only for a couple of weeks,” Mom sighed. “If either of you has so much as a case of the sniffles when Pops picks you up the night before Thanksgiving I’m locking the both of you in your rooms. That ought to keep you from swapping spit.”
“Oh that would explain item two,” I smirked scanning the lengthy list. “No, you know what.”
“No, you know what?” Ginny echoed shaking her head.
“That’s what it says!” I laughed holding up the list.
“You know what it means and for the time being it is off limits.” Mom groaned rubbing her throbbing temple.
“Chill Eleanore,” Ginny cautioned me with a wry smirk just as I was about to ask Mom to clarify her meaning. “Let it slide. Your Mom has worked her tail off today.”
“I swear you’re trying to kill me,” Mom whimpered. “At times like this I wish the both of you got into Stanford.”
“Sorry I didn’t get into Stanford Mom,” I sighed thinking I wouldn’t have gone even if I had since Ginny wasn’t available. “Only Smith and Penn State accepted me.” Then I paused turning my attention back towards Ginny. “You got accepted to Stanford?”
“She was accepted by all the schools she applied to,” Mom shrugged like it was no big deal.
“Yeah,” Ginny confirmed with a sad look in her eyes. “By the time the mail caught up with me in Girls Town my acceptance letters arrived along with the letters from all four schools rescinding their offers.”
‘Stanford, Berkeley and UCLA nope that makes three.’ I mentally counted off startled when my mother shoved two heavy trash bags in my hand.
“Take the trash out.” She insisted walking me to the door.
“I know the way,” I sighed once we had stepped into the hallway.
“Smith.” Her voice trembled as she answered my unspoken question. “You better get those down to the dumpster before you attract bugs.” I just nodded mutely trying to digest what she had confided in me.
My mind was reeling as I made my way down the back staircase. Against her domineering sister’s wishes Ginny had applied to the one school I wanted to attend. Not only that she got in. I couldn’t help wondering just how different our lives would be if Laurie hadn’t screwed everything up?
Mom puttered about for a bit longer before saying her goodbyes.
“Your Mom is great,” Ginny confided later that night when we were curled up in bed watching television.
“She really is.” I concurred thinking that in the Mom department I really scored.
“Bit of a blabber mouth,” Ginny pursed her lips. “So are you going to ask what the fourth school was? I saw the wheels spinning in that overactive mind of yours.”
“None of my business,” I shrugged. “I just assumed it was UCSF or maybe San Diego.”
“You lie like a rug.” She gaped at me. “She told you?”
“I didn’t know you had applied,” I whispered.
“Yeah no biggie,” she grunted turning her attention back towards the television. “I filled out the application, wrote an essay and maybe went for an interview. You know your TV really sucks. I only get to watch TV when I visit you.” She threw out pretending that the rest of the conversation hadn’t happened.
“If it was no big deal then why didn’t you tell me?” I pushed.
“Because I decided to go to another all girls’ school, the state pen.” She tried to joke. I ignored her feeble attempt at humor. “Think about it,” she finally sighed heavily. “If we ended up at the same school it could have been a disaster. We were a couple of kids back then. What did we know?”
“We could have roomed together,” I finally gave in. “I probably would have enjoyed sharing space with you a lot more than the chick I ended up with.”
“Didn’t you end up going out with her?”
“Right,” I nodded with a slight grimace.
“Did it end badly?” Ginny’s voice seemed uneasy. It was the first time we had delved this deeply into the other’s romantic life. Normally it was limited to her name is.
“It wasn’t a bad ending,” I tried to explain blushing slightly recalling the unique twist that had finally broken Connie and me up. “It just took far too long to get there. Never a good sign when you suddenly decide to have an open relationship.”
“Open? How open?” She inhaled sharply.
“Uhm,” I was flustered this was certainly a conversation I never expected to be having. It had been shocking enough that afternoon when my sainted mother actually told us we couldn’t swap spit. “Well,” I dragged my feet clearing my throat several times. “There was this poetry reading.”
“How very beatnik of you.” She droned nudging me gently. “So a little poetry and then?”
“Then we invited two friends back to our room. They weren’t a couple but they were familiar with the concept. Then I suggested having a little wine and I suggested a game of spin the bottle,” I gulped. “Connie and I seemed to spin away from one another’s direction. A little kissing led to more wine and more kissing. Which led to this time I want you to kiss me this way or it would be more fun without your shirt on. It kind of escalated from there. It was different.” I concluded while Ginny just stared at me. “Blair freaked the next day. Tina and Connie ended up dating for awhile. I started dating Carrie and put it behind me. Please say something?”
“I’m stunned,” she finally stammered. “Things like that only happened in the joint if you were someone’s bitch.”
“Everyone was consenting.” I tried to reason. “It was a lark. But it did put the final nail in our relationship’s coffin. Face it if all is right with your relationship chances are you won’t happily sit back and watch your girl go at it with two other women.”
“You’d be surprised how many people think that is romantic,” she scoffed.
“Do you?” I shrank back.
“No,” she firmly denied. “Call me old fashioned.”
“Do you think less of me?” I timidly asked picking at the blanket.
“No,” she hesitated. “I’m just surprised. Hearing something like that from you is kind of like hearing Gidget reading aloud from Lady Chatterly’s Lover.”
“What?” I flared yanking back the covers and jumping off the mattress. “Do I look like Sandra Dee to you? Is that the real reason you’ve been keeping your distance? I’m what like a kid sister to you? There was a time when all you wanted,”
“Stop!” She demanded struggling to catch her breath. “This has gotten way to funky. For the record I thought you were the hottest thing since sliced bread the first time I laid my eyes on you. I still think that. Back in the day when our hormones did our thinking for us I always treated you like a lady. Why would I treat you differently now that we’re adults? Just so you know the first fight I got into at reform school was over a picture I had hanging over my bed. It was of you in your little rah-rah outfit and this chick made a crass comment. I decked her sorry ass. After that I kept it under my pillow. Wanna know why I kept it so close? At night I use to entertain myself while looking at it.”
“You did?” I blushed as the image leapt into my mind.
“It was a hobby I began long before we started hanging out together,” she mumbled turning shyly away.
“I seem to recall discussing this with you back then,” I wiggled my brow suggestively.
“Look the point is,” she huffed turning back to face me. “You were hot then and you still are. The only reason I’m playing hands off is because I feel like crap. Am I shocked hearing about your sexual exploits? Yes, but that doesn’t mean I think less of you.”
I just stood there weighing her words still not completely convinced that I hadn’t in some way let her down. “Fine,” she wearily expressed patting the bed. “Tit for tat. Probably around the same time you were playing spin the bottle I willingly allowed another inmate to tie me up while I gave her cellmate a tongue lashing.”
“You what?” I was floored. Then I just nodded my head. “I get it. Coming from anyone else I would have found that tidbit of information tantalizing coming from you I feel,” my words trailed off. I wanted to say it hurt and I felt betrayed. But I had no right to feel those things. Not only we were no longer together; I was with someone else. “I feel like I read my mother’s diary. We shouldn’t have gone down this path.”
“No and we won’t again,” she agreed as I finally sat down beside her. “Face it we have too much history to be swapping war stories. My fault I’m the one who brought it up. I thought you were going to tell me that you started dating someone else. I felt a little blindside by the details. Ellen when I’m with you I don’t want to think of where you’ve been or who you’ve been keeping company with. Sometimes I think I am pretending there hasn’t been anyone else for either of us.”
“Me too.” I confessed.
“Can I ask you one more thing?” Her tone was very serious.
“Sure since this last round of twenty questions has been such a blast why not?” I agreed.
“You don’t happen to still have your cheerleading outfit do you?”
“I think it is in my folk’s attic,” I answered confused as to why she wanted to know. “Why?” Then it hit me. “You are so twisted.” I laughed before tickling her furiously. When we started laughing and rolling around I finally felt the tension washing away. I reluctantly pulled away when she started coughing.
“Sorry,” she hacked.
“I can’t believe you,” I patted her back.
“What that we ended up having a spat because I never told you that I tried to get into the same college?” She coughed furiously. “Damn I can’t wait to feel better.”
“Not the spat you spaz,” I glared over at her. “Did you really get off to my picture?”
“Yes,” she confirmed taking a slow breath. “When I was sixteen it was a nightly ritual. Hey don’t give me that look you have no idea the trouble I went through to get that picture. Hold on grab my bag?”
I couldn’t help the blush that covered my entire body as I reached for her bag. I was thrown off kilter when I picked it up without realizing that it was almost empty. She caught me easily and wrapped her arms around my waist before taking the bag from me. “Your Mom did our laundry too.” She explained searching through the worn duffle bag. “Here you go.” She announced handing me a faded photo of myself waving my pom-poms.
“Do I want to touch this?” I teased her. “I have never seen this picture before.”
“You remember Leo Richmond?”
“Shutterbug? The guy who took all the pictures of the pep squad and players for the yearbooks,” I answered.
“I had to go out with him,” she grimly explained snatching the photo from my grasp. “Longest date of my life. But he had a major crush on you and I knew he’d have a spare snapshot tucked away somewhere.”
“Okay this is one date I simply must ask you about,” I laughed curling under the covers.
“First he had the nerve to suggest the passion pit,” she griped. “I never went to the drive-in with a guy I wasn’t going to start with the zit king. I said no way. So we had to go to the movies and he tries to put the moves on me during The Seven Year Itch. Little creep; I still have no idea what happened in that flick. I figured what the heck. We’ll go he’ll feel good and I get to watch Marilyn Monroe plus I get a picture of you. Nope. Groper had more manners. I was still fighting him off when the lights came up. So being the genius that I am I figure it’s over. I get my picture and he gets to tell people he scored a date with one of the twins. Wrong again. What’s a movie without catching a burger afterward? I tried to convince the little skuzzy bucket to just drive me home or to go anywhere but Buddy’s.”
I was laughing so hard the tears were streaming down my face. “Oh come on,” I laughed even harder. “He had to show you off. Who was going to believe him if the two of you weren’t seen together?”
“I thought I had covered my bases,” she sighed bitterly. “I didn’t have the Cherry Mobile yet so we had to take his car and I insisted on a flick that was playing out of town.”
“He had a car?” For the life of me I couldn’t recall ever seeing him drive.
“Not really it was his uncle’s truck,” she shuddered. “The thing was a bucket of bolts that I was certain was going to die half way across town. No such luck.”
“Hold on,” I interrupted. “No way. If you ended up at Buddy’s with Shutterbug it would have been all over town.”
“Yes it would have been if not for a minor miracle,” she gleamed. “I insisted that we park out front but off to the side. I figure I’m dead, my rep is totally shot to hell when who comes strutting over but Max Pancetta. Everyone’s favorite fullback and a senior. Max is all cool saying, ‘hey I hear you were looking for me?’ I wasn’t, but he and what’s her name just split so I knew Laurie was gunning for him. It was a crummy thing to do but I said sure I’ve been looking for you. Max tells Leo to take a hike. Now in my defense I was on a date with Leo and was just about to tell Max I’d catch him later when Leo whimped out and says sure thing. Can’t blame him, Max didn’t have a neck and was built like a brick wall. I asked if I could still have the picture. I figured it would be his right to say no since I was ditching him in the middle of our date. Max gave him a look and your picture was in my purse. End of story.”
“Almost,” I was still laughing. “Uhm first what’s her name was Peggy; they were steadies all through high school except that one semester when you were wearing his jacket. Right up until the Winter Ball if I remember correctly.”
“In the middle of the Winter Ball,” Ginny groused. “Peggy cut in on us and by the time the song was over he wanted his jacket back. Very embarrassing. Whatever happened to them?”
“He’s an insurance salesman in Ohio, I think, and he and Peggy have five maybe six kids,” I gleefully informed her.
“I still can’t believe it took her that long to break us up,” Ginny sneered. “It wasn’t like I didn’t give her plenty of chances.”
“When exactly did you tell Max that
you weren’t Laurie?”
“Half way through our first milkshake.” She shrugged.
“It feels like another lifetime ago,” I quietly theorized. “Were things really simpler back then or did we just not take notice. In high school I thought I was grown up. Then in college I realized that I wasn’t. Maybe it was because in class I wasn’t simply asked to regurgitate what I was told. For the first time I was being ask to think for myself. It made spending time at home dreadful.”
“I felt like that when I got out,” Ginny agreed. “After spending most of my life doing what my parents and sister told me to do, I was sent off to a world where I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without being told to do so. It took a long time to shake the feeling that I had to ask permission to wipe my nose. I had to take baby steps to find my path, I’m still doing it. The first step when I walked out and there you were asking me where we should go? I had no idea; I still felt that I wasn’t entitled to make that decision. A little while later I was in your arms and for a brief moment I felt free. Then I felt myself slipping back. Each time I started to slip back there you were telling me I was free. But I’m not, not really. About a month ago some friends were heading down to Mexico just for laughs. I went along for the trip. I wasn’t permitted to cross the boarder. I sent my friends on their way and hitched my way up to LA. I tried to find work. I kept hitting the same wall. The same reason I wasn’t permitted to go on a joy ride to Tijuana kept me unemployed. Sorry Miss Swenson you’re a convicted felon. I don’t want to get all morose again.” She abruptly ended the conversation.
“So is that picture safe in your hands?” I questioned desperately trying to lighten the mood.
“No.” She grinned.
“Are you sure that you’re up for that?” I taunted picking up my mother’s lengthy list of dos and don’ts. “Well self gratification isn’t mentioned. Still you are still quite weak; you might need assistance?”
“Why Miss Druette you aren’t looking for a peep show now are you?” She teased me doing the best Scarlet O’Hara imitation she could manage.
“Are you up for the challenge,” I teased slipping my hand beneath her nightshirt. The clammy feel and pallor of her flesh filled me with regret. “Rain check?” I offered withdrawing my hand.
“Scouts honor.” She pledged nestling closer to my body.
I threw myself into my studies over the next week. I needed to get my work done and the temptations waiting for me at home were maddening. Ginny was recovering nicely; I wasn’t in a hurry for her to reach a complete recovery. Oh I wanted her to regain the spring in her step so we could really enjoy our time together. The terse conversation we had fallen into that night had sent me into a bit of a tailspin.
Snuggling in her arms night after night hadn’t only ignited my baser instincts it reminded me of what I had found so endearing about Ginny in the first place. My heart swelled each time I thought of her. I was scrapping together my meager savings searching for the perfect Christmas gift to give her. It was time to tell her; to show her that I wanted more from her than the occasional drive by. I was hoping she would finally unpack her duffle bag for good and stay.
She had given me so much, brought so many things to my world. Now I wanted to offer that world to her, to share my life with her, and craving that she wanted to share her life with me. It frightened me that she may not want feel for me what I so obliviously felt for her. It was a risk that I was finally ready to take. If she said no I was prepared for the pain and willing to set her free. If she said yes I was going to drag Mom out and find a bigger place the cost be damned.
I was turning the corner heading up the steep slope that lead to the narrow street I called home when I spotted her. The little devil had snuck out. It was childish, but I couldn’t resist the impish urge to sneak up on her. I knelt down packing a wad of snow in my hand. Stealthy I approached her plotting just how I was going to get the slushy mass down her jacket. I licked my lips so close that I could almost touch her. She spun around and shouted, “Boo!” I yelped loosing my footing on the ice and went crashing down on the icy cobble stoned sidewalk.
“Son of bitch,” I groaned looking down at the bandage on my ankle. When I felt like I managed to do some damage Ginny rushed me to the hospital practically carrying me there. It took an eternity for me to be seen. When the x-rays came back it was confirmed that I had a sprained ankle. Ginny blamed herself, apologizing up and down during the cab ride back to my apartment. Getting up the staircase was a real treat once again Ginny practically carried me.
I was banished to bed rest for the duration. “I’m sorry.” Ginny apologized again.
“It was your fault,” I tried to comfort her. “I’m cussing because you just got better now I’m a gimp.”
“You’re not a gimp,” she stifled a chuckle. “A little bed rest won’t kill you. You’ve already taken your finals. We don’t have anywhere to be until Thanksgiving. And if you behave you’ll be back in the saddle in no time.”
Despite her overwhelming sense of reasoning I still pouted. The following day we snuggled in bed reading books and watching television. I’ll never forget that day. Snuggled up in bed, Ginny was trying to steal my crossword puzzle. Neither one of us were really paying attention to the television until Walter Cronkite came on the air. It was November 22nd and I felt like the world had come to a screeching halt. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was shot at 12:30pm in Dallas. I can still remember the tears in Mr. Cronkite’s eyes when he announced that the President had died.
What I hadn’t realized then was that the events that would follow drove a bigger wedge between my generation and those that had come before us. At that moment I was caught up in the wave of sadness. Ours was a nation in mourning. Later we would question the myth of Camelot. That day Ginny and I clung to one another just as we had done the year before. We rarely left the comfort of my bed.
Thanksgiving was grim that year not just for our family but for all American families. As solemn as Dad was he did try to brighten up the day. He kept calling me Skippy, which tickled Sammy to no end. “Tell me again how you did that?” Dad laughed.
“Oh come on,” I pleaded. “I told you I was trying to shove snow down Ginny’s back and I fell. Satisfied?”
“Why?” Mom shook her head. “The girl just got over being sick.”
“I thought it would be funny,” I grunted. “Till she turned around and scared me.”
“And what were you doing out of bed?” Mom turned her wrath on Ginny.
“Uh Oh.” Ginny gulped turning towards my dad for help. He just held up his hands informing her that she was on her own. “So, Sam I hear you’ve been taking the Chevy out.”
“Dad’s given me a couple of driving lessons,” Sammy brightly beamed. He was so grown up and yet thankfully still a kid. “He said if it is okay with you I can take my test with it.”
“Not my car,” she nodded with a bright smile letting him know it would be more than okay if he got his driver’s license with her old set of wheels.
“Speaking of which what happened to that van you told me about?” Dad asked.
“Made it almost halfway through Route 66,” Ginny groaned. “She died just outside of Tulsa. I sold her for parts.”
“Then how did you get here?” Mom keenly picked up.
“Uhm, bus,” Ginny tried to lie cringing as the words escaped her lips.
“Try again,” Mom scolded her. “Virginia we’ve asked you not to do that.”
“You hitched?” Dad fussed. “Next time call, we can wire you the money to come home.”
“I can’t,” she tried to argue.
“Ginny these days the President isn’t safe,” Dad sternly cautioned her. “Hitch hiking is dangerous. You never know whose car you’re getting into.” Dad’s face turned grim. “Damn I swore I wasn’t going to talk about that today.”
“How can you not?” I sighed picking at my food. “It’s all anyone can talk about. We were lying in; I mean I was lying in bed whining about my ankle when we saw the news.”
“Nice save,” Mom muttered under her breath while dear old Dad’s face turned completely blank. “Eleanore help me clean up. We have tons of desserts.” She blurted out in a cheerful tone. I knew that tone it meant we’re going to pretend that nothing was wrong and everyone was going to be happy, damn it.
I got up and pretended to help mom clear away the barely touched food. I knew she didn’t want me to help. I was on crutches for goodness sake. Nope I was in for a lecture I just was a little uncertain which of my transgressions I was about to be called on the carpet for. I wobbled as we stacked the dishes washing and drying before preparing the multitude of pies, cookies and assortment of pastries mom had baked. “Baking that’s all I’ve done this week,” she answered my unspoken question. “I couldn’t stand watching it over and over again.”
“I don’t know what I would have done if I was alone,” I absently whispered.
“Speaking of which,” Mom’s lips curled. “Didn’t you read my list? Seems like you didn’t do a gosh darn thing on it.”
“We did,” I smirked. “More or less.”
“Less than more,” she groaned waving for me to sit down. “Is she staying?”
“I doubt it.”
“I don’t understand,” Mom suddenly halted her movements. “Why not? A couple of years ago fine. She just got out. Your father was like that when he first got home from the war. We were like strangers. Eventually we worked things out.”
“Wow,” I shook my head. I couldn’t believe she had just compared what Ginny and I shared to what she and my father shared. “You are really hip sometimes.”
“She’s always been hip,” Ginny interrupted carrying the last of the dishes into the kitchen. “Except asking her crippled daughter to help with the chores. What did you do?” She directed towards me.
“Nothing,” I scowled as Mom hugged Ginny. “See you are the favorite.”
“That’s because she was fully grown when we got her,” Mom beamed patting Ginny on the chest. “Come let’s get this out there. Your grandmother is coming over.”
“Oh crap,” I grumbled. All of us grimaced. You know how most Grandmas are so sweet and spoil the kids rotten. Neither of my grandmother’s fit the bill. I’m sure it was because Mom was so young when she got married. Both of my parent’s mother’s thought it was a bad match. Since Sammy and I were a product of that union they really didn’t care for us either. All of us hoped that some day the hatchet would be buried preferably not in someone’s head. We already lost Dad’s mother who remained bitter to the end. Mom’s mother was determined to follow in her footsteps. As much as she disliked visiting she did it every chance she got. Suffice it to say when Ginny entered our little family it just added grist to the mill.
“Uhm Ma I think my flu is coming back. I really should lie down,” Ginny blurted
out adding a little cough to help her cause.
“Not a chance, Missy,” Mom shushed her.
“But she’s not my Grandma,” Ginny whined. “I visited all of my grandparents at the cemetery just before I got to Ellen’s.”
“Look I need back up,” Mom narrowed her eyes at the both of us. “No way I’m facing that battle axe alone. Your Dad is just going to hide in the den with your Uncle Ben. Now we’ll get through this together. Hopefully she won’t say something completely asinine or hurtful. Then after she’s gone we can raid the liquor cabinet.”
Grams visit went pretty much as suspected. The men hid in the den and we sat waiting ever so patiently for my dear loving Grandmother to utter something completely insane. She did and we held our tongues. Easy for Ginny, I think since the old lady opted to ignore her. Mom and I had been masters at ducking and covering whenever she tossed out one of her senseless barbs. The dear old thing was thoroughly amused even if no one else got the joke. Finally she tired and bellowed for Uncle Ben to drive her home.
I was exhausted by the time I went to bed that night. Ginny helped me up the stairs and even tucked me in. “I was going to stay with the folks,” she softly explained smoothing out the blankets. “But I’d feel better if I was around to help you.”
“If you want to visit with Mom and Dad,” I yawned.
“No, I’m worried about you trying to get around on crutches.” She firmly cut me off. “The sidewalks are still icy. You could fall again.”
“Okay,” I smiled raising my hand and cupping her face. My smile grew brighter when she leaned into my touch. “Just so you know I’m only agreeing because I’d miss you.”
She came home with me. Helped me get to my classes and generally doted on me. She stayed on until Christmas which we spent at my parents. Once I was on my feet again she quickly grew restless. She started complaining about the cold and then she was off again. This time she decided to catch the first train not really caring where it was heading.
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