The Space Between (11 page)

Georgia started to make her bed, then stopped. She rumpled the sheets again and smiled at her handy work. When Brady started to call her again, she picked up the pace and locked the door as she left.

~Chapter Twelve~

Georgia made her way out to the sidewalk in front of the dorms. Students shuffled past. There was a hum, a buzz, of conversations and laughter. She felt that hum in her blood, it was energizing. She turned to look at the building she’d just walked out of and had to tip her neck back. It was one of four tower-like buildings that surrounded the center of campus. She knew them well. This, Greene Hall, was in fact the dorm she was going to move into all those years ago. Most students couldn’t live on campus. There were too many students compared to the number of available rooms. Georgia wouldn’t have been able to afford to live off campus, so she’d been lucky to get housing. It killed her to have to turn over such a coveted boon, but no doubt a grateful alternate swooped in to take her place. She’d like to think it was a poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks, or from a small town—praying for an opening so she could attend university. The first in her family, just like Georgia.
 

Dorm room. Scholarship…both left on the table. She hoped whoever received both was now thriving and successful, that her loss was someone else’s gain, someone else’s future secured, not squandered. That made her feel good. It didn’t sting as much now that she had Amelia. But at the time it had been excruciating, and her disappointment visceral. Her mind was plucking the details and past hurts from her memory bank.
 

 
She never thought she would have the chance to walk as a student, backpack slung over one shoulder, moving forward with purpose. Georgia spun slowly in a circle, taking in her surroundings, feeling the gratitude of the situation. The ability to have a second chance even if it was only for one night’s slumber—she’d take it.
 

One of the main what if’s from her past was leaning against a large tree—his arms crossed, looking relaxed and sure of himself. She wasn’t sure why he was here, what she was supposed to gain or learn. Maybe it was just to enjoy his company once again. After all, it wasn’t cheating if it was in your mind, right? Right. She couldn’t be held accountable for her subconscious mind.
 

“There’s my girl.” Brady pushed off the trunk. “Let’s get to class. Want to grab a coffee first?” he asked, as he put his arm around her neck and pecked the top of her head. She was tall for a girl, but Brady, well over six foot, almost made her feel petite.

“Sure…uh, are you walking me to class?” Not knowing where she was going was going to be a big problem. She’d had that dream before, where she could never seem to get where she needed to go. But she usually wasn’t wearing a bra or forgot to put on pants, so she was grateful she had both.

“G, you know I’m on the opposite side of campus,
and
I have to get there before anyone else.”
 

No, she didn’t know that.

“Oh, yeah.”
 

Guess she’d be skipping class after all.

“Babe, don’t pout, please. You know with graduation next year I have to get my internship assigned. All the good ones go fast, so I have to kiss Professor Dickson’s ass all semester. He has all the connections at the state capitol.”

Graduation? Next year?

“Uh, you’re graduating next year?” They weaved through the mass of students briskly walking on the sidewalk.
 

“Yeah, so are you…How hard did you hit your head?”

“Hard I guess. My mind’s a little hazy.”

“Maybe you should go to the campus doc.” His voice softened.

“Nah, I’m fine. Nothing a little java won’t cure.”
 

The coffee shop near her dorm was packed, but the line was short. Brady ordered for her and handed the cashier his debit card. He hadn’t asked what she wanted, but it wasn’t in an alpha male way. It was as if he knew her usual, but her usual had changed over the years. When he knew her, she liked vanilla lattes with two sugars, but after sleepless nights with babies, then more sleepless nights with sick kids, she liked more coffee in her coffee, so she took it black with a splash of creamer. When the first sip hit her tongue she cringed at the sweetness, but covered it quickly. Apparently taste was another sense she had in this dream. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so she’d pretend to drink this and get a real coffee later. Something with cream cheese, too. If she could taste, and calories didn’t count, she might as well go for it.

They left the coffee shop and found an empty spot on the curb to stand. The steam from her coffee swirled in the cooler air, as Georgia studied Brady’s face from behind the rim. Thick brows over golden brown eyes. Hair tousled in dark waves and chiseled cheek bones above full lips. He was really handsome, almost too handsome. He belonged in the state capitol, not on the plains filled with cows and tall grass, where they’d grown up, naive and dreamy eyed. Laying in the back of his truck watching the sun set and planning their future. She wondered if that boy still existed. But, she wasn’t that girl anymore either. Each had been shaped and changed, but by different circumstances.

“Oh shit, gotta go, babe. Call ya later.” He pressed his lips against hers and lingered there for a moment.
 

“Love you,” he said, stepping back.

“Me, too.” She couldn’t bring herself to say the words back. Even though she would always love him in a way, it seemed like a betrayal to Nate. Nate, who was handsome, but ruggedly so. The grime of a days work complemented him and only added to his swagger. The kind of man that smelled good, even after a spending the day on a tractor, or rebuilding a carburetor.
 

Even so, she might as well live it up. She was pretty sure that was what she was supposed to do. How would she learn from this experience if she played it like she normally would, which was safe and boring.

“Can we grab some drinks tonight?” she asked, as he was turning away.

“G, you know I have study group tonight, then I have to finish my paper.”

“Skip it. Put it off. Come out with me instead.”

Brady shook his head in disbelief, like it was such an outlandish claim he couldn’t even respond.

He waved and walked away. Georgia raised her hand in response, then went straight to the trash can, dumping her large cup of sugar masquerading as coffee. She got back in line and rolled the events of the morning over in her mind. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed…Dream Brady had a ruler up his ass.

Shrugging her shoulders, Georgia quickly shook it off and soaked in the energy around her. She almost felt giddy. College, finally. She’d had dreams about going off to school before, but none so real, none she could experience with every sense on high alert. Not knowing where her class was would not deter her. She wasn’t keen on going to a science lab anyway, however she decided sitting in on a few lectures would be fun.
 

She walked towards the center of campus. The trees curved over the the pathway, forming a green umbrella. Students sat in groups in the grass. Two guys threw frisbee. Couples kissing. The clock in the large tower chimed. Georgia grabbed the straps of her backpack and smiled.
 

She passed the Humanities building and decided that would be a great place to start. She opened the main door. The air was cool and smelled of books and old wood. She followed a stream of students going into a lecture hall. It was medium in size and the seats were in tiered semi-circles. She sat towards the back and waited. Pretending that she belonged. No one really gave her a second glance. Well, no one besides a really hot guy in the row in front of her. She smiled, then put her head down. Thinking that’s what she normally would have done, shy away, she raised her face to find he was still looking over his shoulder. She turned up the smile a few watts and winked.
 

This was going to be fun.

~Chapter Thirteen~

She would never get to flirt with that guy in the row in front of her because after an hour of philosophy, she was ready to try something else. She snuck out and hit a few more classrooms. One was Ancient Civilizations, and the next was Anthropology. Both were interesting, but Georgia started to get antsy. What if she only had a short time left? Deciding she had enough of academia for the day, she hit the quad once again.

She attended some lectures and kissed her old boyfriend. What else was part of the college experience?

Party.

She decided to head back to her dorm room and get a game plan together.

“G!…Yo, G-Monaaay!” Georgia turned to find a curvy redhead, breathless, but smiling. A girl whose pale hands were gripping the straps of her bag like it was keeping on her feet. Georgia’d heard someone yelling behind her but wasn’t aware she was the G Money in question until she felt a tug on the strap on her backpack.
 

“Hey girl, what the hell? I had to actually jog to catch up with you. You know how I hate to move faster than an amble. Why aren’t you in class?”
 

“I’m skipping,” Georgia said, not knowing who this girl was who obviously knew her.
 

“What? That’s awesome. If anyone deserves a break it’s you.”
 

Georgia couldn’t help but smile, she liked this person, whoever she was.

“You heading back to our room?” the girl asked, falling into step with Georgia’s long stride.
 

Ah, roommate.

“Yes. You?”

“Yup, I’m going to take a nap.”
 

“A nap? It’s eleven in the morning.”

“Uh, yeah, but I’ve been up since midnight. You know I had the graveyard shift at the hospital last night.”

“Oh, right. Sorry. I fell getting out of bed this morning and I’m a bit off.”

“What?” Her roommate halted and pulled Georgia to a stop as well. “Let me see.” She saw the mark on Georgia’s face and and hissed through her closed teeth. She pressed her fingers into the tissue and felt along her cheekbone. Seeming satisfied with her examination she hinged up onto her toes and looked into Georgia’s eyes, scrunching her brow in concentration. She was so close that Georgia could really appreciate her roommates porcelain skin. Not a blemish or freckle in sight.
 

“You finished?” Georgia asked with a chuckle.

“Mmmhmm. Appears to be a surface contusion, no bone bruising. Your pupils look normal. Any dizziness or nausea?”

“No, Doctor.”

“Not yet, my friend, not yet…You don’t show any sign of concussion, but keep an eye out for any symptoms.” She stepped back, then threaded her sweater covered arm through Georgia’s. “May I escort you to our rooms, milady?”

Georgia smiled. Yes, she definitely liked her. She must be a manifestation of Lucy. Every girl needed a bestie.

Later, as her roommate slept, Georgia snooped into her wallet. Not looking for loose change or anything.
 

“A-ha, Cassie Blay, born June, 2
^nd
1982. Height 5’5”…yeah, right. Hmmm, from California.” She’d never known anyone from California. Never known anyone who wasn’t from Texas when she thought about it. Well, besides Gwen. She wasn’t sure where she was from, but it wasn’t here. Lucy’s dad was another, he had emigrated from Mexico. He loved to tell that story and would tell it often. “When I came to this country,” and so on.
 

Eighteen year old Guillermo Martinez snuck into the country. For seven days he hid under twenty pound bags of feed, without food or water. When he finally made it over the border, night had fallen. The truck came to a stop and he rolled out onto the hard gravel. He drank out of a puddle on the ground by the back tire. He’d ended up working the cotton fields outside of their small town. He learned English and worked his way up to managing a team of immigrant workers such as himself. Every day after work he would sit in a corner booth at the Broken Spoke Diner, dusty cowboy hat beside him, a head full of black damp curls and the longest lashes in town. Every day he would smile at the pretty blonde waitress who waited on him. They fell in love and married. Lucy came the following year. The young couple met with some prejudice, but they didn’t let it bother them. Soon people just accepted it as the way things were going to be, and Guillermo, who everyone called Bill, became a citizen and a big part of the community. Lucy was proud of her dad. Once she kicked a guy in the balls so hard he passed out. That was the last time anyone called her daddy a wetback.
 

Georgia smiled at the memory and stuffed the wallet back into her roommates purse. Now that she knew her roommate’s name she felt better about asking her to go get plastered.

After Cassie woke up from her nap, Georgia asked her if she wanted to grab a drink. Cassie said, “Is a cowboy bowlegged?” Georgia frowned.
 

“What? You’ve never heard that expression before?”

“Oh, I have. It just reminded me of someone, is all,” Georgia answered, smiling once more.

She liked that Cassie would be open to drinking in the middle of the afternoon, on a Monday. Spontaneity was a trait she envied in others, but she could never quite bring herself to embrace.

“Not that I’m complaining, but did you fail a test or something? You never want to party…Oh wait. Boy trouble.”
 

“No to both.” She wasn’t sure about the test thing but that didn’t matter. “I just feel like enjoying my youth while I’m young, ya know?”

“Totally. When we’re in med school we won’t have any time for a life, so let’s live, girl.”
 

“You don’t have class?” Georgia asked.

“None that I can’t blow off. Besides, this moment may be a once in a lifetime event, so I’m going to take advantage.”
 

Her roommate turned on some upbeat music and they started the whole going out ritual. Cassie came out of the bathroom thirty minutes later wearing a casual black dress with a red toothbrush hanging from her mouth.