Friday, March 12
The student cafeteria wasn't crowded that day as Ian took a spot near the front. He piled his backpack and jacket on a chair next to him, stretched his legs, and waited for his cousin. Ian, a veterinary medicine major, had finished his last final of the winter quarter and looked forward to the spring break that awaited him. He had no specific plans for the break, but since his parents were on vacation in Russia, Finland, or God knows where else, he had the house to himself and could do pretty much what he wanted. No, he wasn't going to throw party after party, mainly because most of his friends were going to Florida or Texas to a nice, warm beach. Secondly, he didn't hang around with the big party crowd and wasn't much of a partier anyway. Besides, the neighbors would stand in line to tell his parents once they returned home.
Ian glanced at his watch and frowned. He was getting pretty hungry and thought that Brenda would have been there by now. She almost always beat him there and it was unusual for her to be late for anything. They tried to meet weekly for lunch, but sometimes it would be a couple weeks or a month between meetings because of classes or other scheduling malfunctions. He knew that she had had a final that morning, but thought that she would have been finished by now.
He was just about to give up and get in line when he saw her bound into the cafe full of energy, her short brown hair flying everywhere.
"Sorry I'm late," she said as she dumped her books into the chair with Ian's stuff. "The test was a little harder than I expected, plus the grad asses were late. Anyway, I'm here, so what's on the menu?"
"It's the same as always," Ian said as he got up to go to the chow line. Brenda followed and looked at the choices. Ian already had a slice of pizza on his plate and was reaching for a sub sandwich. Brenda didn't really see anything that appealed to her, so she selected a salad and a coke. Ian paid for the meals, he insisted, and they made their way back to the table.
Once they were settled, Ian asked her the question that led off most of their discussions, "So, you still a virgin?"
Brenda rolled her eyes like she always did when he asked the question first. "Of course I am. Want to check?"
"Sure, you want to do it here or go to my house?"
Brenda shook the table a bit with her hands. "This seems sturdy enough, let's do it here."
"Alrighty then...." Ian slapped his hands on the table as Brenda started to giggle. Ian smiled and leaned back in his chair.
"Well, what about you?" Brenda asked.
"Chaste as a newborn."
"Is there any hope for us?"
"God, I hope so," Ian said laughing, "but this is getting kind of old, you know."
"It sure is," Brenda agreed between bites. "Maybe I'll find someone after I graduate. I sure haven't done very well in my four years here."
"You'll be too busy with your MBA to worry about guys."
"Thanks for helping me with that picture," she replied disgustedly. "You could at least give me
some
hope for the near future.
"Anything for you, cuz."
The banter continued throughout the meal as they shared their day with each other. They mostly talked about spring break and their plans for it. Brenda had no plans, either, so they decided to hang out together since neither were dating anyone at that time. Truthfully, they preferred each other's company to anyone that they had dated recently, so it made sense to them. They finished their lunches quickly and talked for almost another hour. Finally, as it approached two o'clock, they packed up to go home.
"Well, Ian," Brenda said as she slipped her coat on, "I guess I'll see you next week sometime. Give me a call Sunday and we'll work out some plans."
"Sure," he replied, "but if you don't hear from me by noon, call me and wake up my lazy ass!"
"Okay," laughed Brenda, "I'll do that." She smiled at Ian as her brown eyes sparkled. Ian always loved to look at her eyes because they reminded him of a fawn's eyes. They were easily her best feature. "Well, I'll talk to you later," she said after she gave him a friendly peck on the cheek.
"Okay, see you," he called after her before she disappeared into a crowd. Within seconds, she was gone and Ian picked up his backpack and left.
It was after ten o'clock in the evening and Ian's body was telling him that it was time to go to bed. He was in his dad's study listening to the stereo; his was on the fritz and his dad's was awesome. He turned off the stereo, left the study and started the long climb of stairs to his room. He was but halfway up when the phone began to ring from the room below. He debated on whether or not to answer it, but curiosity got the best of him. Since his mom and dad had been on vacation for the past two weeks, he thought that it might be them checking in, as they liked to do. He reached the phone on the fifth ring and answered it in the most pleasant voice that he could muster, considering how tired he was.
"Hello, Nicks residence, Ian speaking."
A frantic voice answered on the other end, "Oh Ian, thank God you answered!" Brenda cried.
"What's wrong Brenda? What's up?" Ian asked, alarmed by the tone of her voice.
"Mom and dad have been in a terrible accident. We're at the University Hospital. Please come, I'm so scared!"
"Okay, okay," Ian said, suddenly alert, "how bad are they?"
"I don't know!" she sobbed. "No one's told me anything. Please, please come," she pleaded.
