Chapter XXI

“If you have time you should drive up to NYU and see me.” Lily said.

          January switched the side she held the phone on her head. She was trying to avoid saying yes. With all the people around her she was hoping Xandera would be one of those people and she would just have to hang up so that she could go out with Xandera. Naturally though, she wasn’t so lucky.

          “Why will you be up there again?”

          “I’m giving a lecture for the art department.” Lily sounded annoyed but thankful that January took an interest.

          “And they’re paying you?”

          “It would be silly for me to go if I didn’t. Where are you? Is loud…”

          January plugged up her other ear. “A student art show. Just about everyone has a piece in it. I have three in fact.” She then paused and realized she should add. “These aren’t for sell. This seemed more like a party then an art showing.”

          In the background January heard Maia ask for the phone. Lily denied her and her persistent whining continued.

          “Awww…please Janus. We can have dinner, we can…”

          “Sure Mom I’ll meet you up tomorrow.”

          Lily grunted with happiness. “See you then.”

          “Naturally.”

          The next day January did her homework and snacked on candy and loaded up in the car and drove to NYU. She had hit it at 9:15p.m.; about the time Lily always ends her lectures. She tells the teachers and students the lecture will end after two hours but she always goes over fifteen minutes. January doubted that the students would be listening to her the normal 120 minute because it was being held at night.

          Lily was giving the lecture in one of the larger classrooms in the art department. January couldn’t understand the topic, but she didn’t care. At least she didn’t have to listen to it.

          By the time she found the room and walked to it most students were gone. There were a few lingering, but they looked like they were messing around on their computers.

          “Mom.” January said softly when she came up to her.

          Lily jumped an inch but kept her composer. January had interrupted her mom’s conversation but she couldn’t undo irrupting it.

          “Aww Dr. Small, this is my daughter, January.” Lily held on to January’s arm and smiled kindly. The doctor extended his hand and January politely shacked it.

          He was an older man with a thin, gray mustache lining his upper lip. January couldn’t see what he wore because he had on a purple trench coat.

          “Janus Dr. Small is the head professor of studio art here. I’m sure you two have a lot in common.”

          “Oh how so?” Asked the man. His voice sounded high pitched.

          “She’s a studio art major at Apple Blossom Art University.” Lily supplied.

          Dr. Small cupped his chin. “Nice, small school. But at a school like that your talents are being wasted.” He pulled a business card from his front pocket. “Call me if you change your mind.”

          January wondered what he meant by ‘change your mind’ and assumed he was talking about changing her mind about going to ABAU.

          “I have a step daughter who goes here too.”

          “Ah, really? And what’s her name?”

          “Celia Rossi, she’s teaching major. Sweet girl she is.”

          “How nice. Thank you again Dr. Masters for your wonderful lecture.” Dr. Small shook Lily’s hand and walked away.

          Lily tuned around and took a few steps back. “Look at you. You’re as beautiful as always. You most be eating well too.” Lily patted January’s swollen belly. “Good for you.”

          January felt herself blush into a deep, hot red.

          The next things she heard was Jamie’s voice. It sounded like it was coming close.

          January turned around to find Jamie walking down the hall way and talking on the phone.

          She very much wanted to avoid any more comments about her stomach so January darted off to Jamie.

          By the time she reached her Jamie was putting her phone in her pocket. January grabbed on her to sleeve and forcefully turned Jamie around.

          “What the hell?” Jamie’s eyes were full of anger but as her eyes feel upon January that self-protective anger turned to kindness. The same as sweet as sugar kindness Jamie always showed her and right now she needs some to be nice to her.

          “I’m here with my Mom.” January explained as if she had lost Lily.

          “Is she here? Does Celia know?”

          “Yes and I’m not sure if Celia knows.”

          “How does coffee sound? We’ll go to the Starbucks and get you something nice.”

          Lily saw January talking to Jamie and with a wave of the hand Lily knew she would be leaving. The mother nodded kindly and then pressed her fingers against an invisible keypad to tell January to text her when she was finished.

           January followed Jamie until after a drive down the road they were at the local Starbucks.

          “Wasn’t there one at the school?” January asked walking in to the warm coffee shop.

          “Actually there were two closer to the school then this one. This Starbucks just mean a lot to me; it was where I meet my girlfriend.”

          The two stepped up to the counter and Jamie started spouting off Starbucks jargon and only seemed to pause to ask January what she felt like having.

          “I’ll just have decaf. I don’t feel like having much else.”

          Both Jamie and the girl waiting on them shrugged and Jamie paid for the drink with her credit card.

          “So what’s on your mind?”

          “A heart’s longing and bull s**t like that.”

          “Eww cursing. That’s new territory for you.”

          “I curse a lot when no one’s looking.” She completed under her breath.

          They sipped the drinks before Jamie said. “Is there anything wrong?”

          Chewing on the tip of her lid January thought about her next statement. “How much do you know about why people do what they do?”

          “Well I’ve spent the last three years devoted to that and despite the fact I have graduated yet I can give you a pre-packaged answer.”

          “Why do people rape?”

          Jamie looked like she was about to spit up her drink. “Why? Has something happened?”

          With a trembling jaw January answered. “Someone at my school was raped. It happened a little while back.”

          “Are you making sure you aren’t alone? Ever? That’s terrible.”

          “I’m careful.”

          “Good. A lot of people rape for power. It’s hardly ever lust, they just hunger control and power over someone. They love making people hurt. That poor, poor girl. It was a girl right? Sometimes it’s boys who are raped…”

           “No, it was a girl.”

          “And I bet she’ll feel so ashamed that she’ll never speak of it. I feel for the girl.”

          “I’m sure she would be happy to hear that.” January said nodding. There was warmth under her breastbone and at first she thought it was heartburn but when it didn’t become a sharp pain she realized it was the comfort of empathy.

          “So how are classes?”

          “Easy, hard, depends on my mood.”

          Jamie nodded and rolled her straw in her mouth. “I’ve been there.”

          About that same second Jamie phone rang and she looked down at the small screen.

          “I have a date in thirty minutes.” She looked up and smiled. “I’m sorry to hurt you.”

          “You… you didn’t hurt me.”

          Swiping her hair from her face she texted back her girlfriend.

          “I’ll drive you back.”

          “Sure, that sounds good.”

          Jamie drove January back to NYU. As January stepped out of her car Jamie kissed her on the check and said, “Be careful. It would be terrible if what happened to that girl happened to you."

Reviews

[Tina Kline]

Too bad she just can't come out a ask for help. Being secretive like she is won't get her very far in healing. I can't blame her for trying to understand what is mostly not understandable.

[Sarah J. Mendonca]

There are a lot of she's and her's in the sentences. Think of a way to redo the sentence so that isn't necessary.