So Much for My Happy Ending by Kyra Davis Page A

papers that are required of an accounting major. But unless called upon to speak in front of a large gathering of professors who are unfortunate enough to have the proverbial stick pushed up their literal asses I see no need to do so.” He then added in his normal voice, “It ain’t who I am.”
    I pretended to buy this as we began our light meal but I suspected that, while in college, Jeremiah’s grammar was better than it was now, even when in casual setting. My guess was that hanging around with a bunch of stoned rockers had had its effect on him whether he was consciously aware of it or not.
    Jeremiah was now pulling out the Leibovitz book with every third or fourth bite of his sandwich. “They’re gonna love this. I know I do.”
    I shrugged and allowed the bubbles of my mineral water to tickle my tongue before swallowing. “Just don’t get any mustard on it.”
    â€œYeah, yeah, I’m being careful. You know, you got good taste, April,” he said while looking into the eyes of Yoko Ono. “Are you into photography, too?”
    â€œArt in general, I have a B.A. in art history. I wanted to be an art curator.”
    â€œBut you don’t anymore?”
    I shrugged. “Believe it or not, it’s a difficult job to get. I would have to go back to school for my Ph.D., and even then the odds of landing a curator position would be against me.”
    â€œWhat are you sayin’? You just gave up?”
    â€œI didn’t give up.” Jeremiah raised an eyebrow at my involuntary rise in volume. I swallowed and tried again. “I put myself through school by working part-time at Dawson’s. A few months before I graduated, Dawson’s offered me a job as an assistant manager and I grabbed it. I thought it would be a good way to pay off student loans and save for a graduate degree.”
    â€œSo this job is temporary?”
    I shook my head. “Not anymore. Turns out I’m a good manager and I will probably make buyer soon. So now I’m a fashion girl. All’s well that ends well.”
    â€œI gotta tell you, that ending sucks.”
    â€œIt works for me,” I snapped. “Besides, if I was trying to land a curator’s job right now I’d have to relocate in order to land the first position available, and how could I do that while maintaining my relationship with Tad?”
    â€œYour fiancé’s name is Tad?”
    â€œTad Showers.”
    Jeremiah fell back in his chair. “No fucking way.”
    â€œYeah, I know, that would make me April Showers. Obviously I won’t be changing my name.”
    â€œNo, it’s not that…What I’m trippin’ on is that I know Tad—we were buds.”
    â€œReally? When and what do you mean ‘were’?”
    â€œHe had a thing with my friend Jackie.”
    â€œShut. Up.” I placed both my palms on the tabletop and leaned in. “Okay, you have to understand, I haven’t met any of Tad’s exes…Well, there’s Jen Vesilind and…Cathy or Constance or something like that, but they don’t count because he only went out with them three or four times each, but Jackie—he’s actually mentioned her! You have to tell me all the gory details.”
    Jeremiah pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his jacket pocket. He unfolded them and then folded them back up. “I’m not real big on gore. How’s Tad doing these days?” There was an edge of concern in his voice that I found puzzling, but not distracting enough to get me off the subject at hand.
    â€œHe’s fine. Tell me about Jackie.”
    Jeremiah unfolded the glasses yet again and put them uselessly on the table. “Jackie moved to L.A. about six months ago. I haven’t talked to her for a while.”
    â€œI mean tell me about what she was like then!” Really, men could be so dense. “What does she look like, what were they like as a