“Hmmm.”
“Rest assured I’ll only be approving the most
attractive groomsmen.”
“Of course I will.” Julianna leaned over and gave
Sam a hug. “And you know I’d do it even if they were all cows.”
“Of course you would,” Sam said, “but I’m not just
doing it for you. I’m doing it for my pictures, too.”
Julianna crossed her legs. “Good thinking.”
“Unless you decide before then that you want a plus
one and just say the word.”
Julianna laughed. “I don’t see that happening
anytime soon.”
“Still all-about-the-flesh-hold-the-feelings, are
you?”
Julianna shrugged. “I just don’t have time for a
relationship right now. I need to focus on getting my career going.”
“Does that mean you’re not going to look up you-know-who
when you hit campus? Or does it mean exactly the opposite?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know, that professor.” Sam let her head fall to
the side. “The one you had the affair with.”
Julianna found the gold cross charm around her neck with
her fingers. “It wasn’t really an affair.”
Sam rolled her eyes. “Whatever you want to call it
then. You know who I mean anyway.”
“It’s so funny you mentioned that. I haven’t even
thought about that guy since we graduated.”
“Really? I thought you were, like, totally obsessed
with him.”
“Maybe then, but that was a long time ago. It was just
a crazy school girl crush.” Julianna dragged the charm back and forth on the
chain. “He’s probably not even there anymore.”
“Well if he is, I’m sure he’d remember you.”
Julianna laughed. “Oh yeah. Wherever he is, I’m sure
he remembers me.”
“Your dad still the dean?”
“Please.” Julianna leaned an elbow on the table.
“He’s more likely to stop being my dad before he quits that job.”
“So you had no trouble getting into the semester exchange
program?”
“No, but my grades were good enough anyway.”
“I figured,” Sam said. “I was always jealous of the
grades you got. Without even studying!… especially considering how much time
you spent drunk or out of your smarty pants, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah. I didn’t even realize I was such a geek until
grad school.”
“That explains why you always had an affinity for
them.”
“Nothing’s changed.” Julianna cracked her knuckles. “Except
that I don’t really worry about what people think about my dad being the dean
anymore.”
“I didn’t know it bothered you.”
“I just felt like I had to try harder to prove
myself. I worried that people didn’t think I had as much a right to be there as
everyone else. Now I don’t give a fuck.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“I know. I mean, does anyone even think twice about
Kevin having a job at the gym? No. There’s no difference. Everybody takes
shortcuts to get what they want if they can. It’s human nature.”
“So true.”
Julianna tipped her glass until an ice cube fell into
her mouth.
“So when do classes start?”
She moved the ice cube into her cheek. “Monday.”
“How depressed are you that I won’t be living with
you?”
“Clinically.”
“Well, sometimes Kevin has his friends over for
football games. That would be the perfect excuse for me to come stay the
night.”
Julianna zipped her boots again and stood up. “How
will the guys get their beers from the fridge without their wench on hand?”
Sam shrugged. “They’ll manage.”
“That’s perfect, then.” Julianna gave Sam a hug and a
kiss on the cheek. “Tell Kinky Kevin I said hi?”
“Of course.”
Julianna sat in the driver’s seat and turned on the
engine of her Volkswagen Beetle. Then she added her favorite pop station from
college into one of the preset radio buttons. When she looked up, Sam was tapping
on her window.
She rolled it down.
“Did I forget something?”
“No.” Sam smiled. “I did.”
“What?”
“I meant to ask you if you would tell Professor
Jenkins I said
“Rest assured I’ll only be approving the most
attractive groomsmen.”
“Of course I will.” Julianna leaned over and gave
Sam a hug. “And you know I’d do it even if they were all cows.”
“Of course you would,” Sam said, “but I’m not just
doing it for you. I’m doing it for my pictures, too.”
Julianna crossed her legs. “Good thinking.”
“Unless you decide before then that you want a plus
one and just say the word.”
Julianna laughed. “I don’t see that happening
anytime soon.”
“Still all-about-the-flesh-hold-the-feelings, are
you?”
Julianna shrugged. “I just don’t have time for a
relationship right now. I need to focus on getting my career going.”
“Does that mean you’re not going to look up you-know-who
when you hit campus? Or does it mean exactly the opposite?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know, that professor.” Sam let her head fall to
the side. “The one you had the affair with.”
Julianna found the gold cross charm around her neck with
her fingers. “It wasn’t really an affair.”
Sam rolled her eyes. “Whatever you want to call it
then. You know who I mean anyway.”
“It’s so funny you mentioned that. I haven’t even
thought about that guy since we graduated.”
“Really? I thought you were, like, totally obsessed
with him.”
“Maybe then, but that was a long time ago. It was just
a crazy school girl crush.” Julianna dragged the charm back and forth on the
chain. “He’s probably not even there anymore.”
“Well if he is, I’m sure he’d remember you.”
Julianna laughed. “Oh yeah. Wherever he is, I’m sure
he remembers me.”
“Your dad still the dean?”
“Please.” Julianna leaned an elbow on the table.
“He’s more likely to stop being my dad before he quits that job.”
“So you had no trouble getting into the semester exchange
program?”
“No, but my grades were good enough anyway.”
“I figured,” Sam said. “I was always jealous of the
grades you got. Without even studying!… especially considering how much time
you spent drunk or out of your smarty pants, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah. I didn’t even realize I was such a geek until
grad school.”
“That explains why you always had an affinity for
them.”
“Nothing’s changed.” Julianna cracked her knuckles. “Except
that I don’t really worry about what people think about my dad being the dean
anymore.”
“I didn’t know it bothered you.”
“I just felt like I had to try harder to prove
myself. I worried that people didn’t think I had as much a right to be there as
everyone else. Now I don’t give a fuck.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“I know. I mean, does anyone even think twice about
Kevin having a job at the gym? No. There’s no difference. Everybody takes
shortcuts to get what they want if they can. It’s human nature.”
“So true.”
Julianna tipped her glass until an ice cube fell into
her mouth.
“So when do classes start?”
She moved the ice cube into her cheek. “Monday.”
“How depressed are you that I won’t be living with
you?”
“Clinically.”
“Well, sometimes Kevin has his friends over for
football games. That would be the perfect excuse for me to come stay the
night.”
Julianna zipped her boots again and stood up. “How
will the guys get their beers from the fridge without their wench on hand?”
Sam shrugged. “They’ll manage.”
“That’s perfect, then.” Julianna gave Sam a hug and a
kiss on the cheek. “Tell Kinky Kevin I said hi?”
“Of course.”
Julianna sat in the driver’s seat and turned on the
engine of her Volkswagen Beetle. Then she added her favorite pop station from
college into one of the preset radio buttons. When she looked up, Sam was tapping
on her window.
She rolled it down.
“Did I forget something?”
“No.” Sam smiled. “I did.”
“What?”
“I meant to ask you if you would tell Professor
Jenkins I said
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