Chapter 17

Rob, Jenny, Kelly, and I went sledding the next day. We built a fire, using it to warm ourselves and try to dry our wet clothes. The girls made tuna sandwiches for lunch. I brought two thermoses of coffee, but they didn’t last long. There were other people sledding on the hill. Some of them looked to be students while some were younger. Before we headed for home, a couple of families showed up with small kids.

Like the day before, we took turns sitting in different positions on the sled. Rob or I were usually in front, but on a few of the runs down the hill, Kelly or Jenny sat up front. I don’t know if the girls played around as they had the first time. If they did, they kept it a secret.

When we got back to the house, there was a strange car in the driveway. I wasn’t expecting anyone so I became concerned there were intruders in the house. Leaving the girls in the truck with the engine running, Rob and I went to investigate.

We walked around the house, looking for broken windows. It wasn’t until Rob mentioned there were no footprints in the snow I realized no one had been near any of the windows or the basement door walls.

“Times like this make me wish I carried a gun,” Rob said as we went back to the truck.

“What do you think we should do, call the cops?” I said.

“Yeah, I think it would be a good idea. You never know who might be in the house,” Rob told me as he opened the door to the truck.

I asked Kelly for the cell phone, but she told me she didn’t take it sledding. Rob and I felt the best thing to do was leave so we could call the police from a pay phone. As I was climbing into the truck, the front door opened.

Kelly laughed and said, “It’s Mom! Our parents are here.”

After gathering my thoughts, I began to laugh. I pulled the truck into the garage, turned it off and we all climbed out. Kelly’s dad came out into the garage to greet us.

“You and Mom scared the crap out of us. We thought someone broke into the house,” I said as we shook hands.

“Sorry, didn’t you get our message? Mom left one on your answering machine on Friday. We managed to get a few extra days off and wanted to come up to see you and Kelly,” Dad said.

“I didn’t check the machine, Dad. We don’t use the phone too much,” Kelly said. “Not the one in the study where the machine is. I’d like you to meet our friends, Rob and Jenny.”

“Nice to meet you,” Kelly’s dad said as he reached out to shake Rob’s hand.

“Whose car?” I said.

“It’s a rental. We flew up this time,” Dad replied.

We went into the house to see my mom. She was in the kitchen, working at the counter. Kelly and I gave her hugs and kisses, telling her about being scared. Kelly introduced Rob and Jenny to Mom.

“These are the guy’s I’ve been telling you about, Mom. Rob and Jenny,” Kelly said.

“I’m pleased to meet you two. Kelly talks about you when she calls,” Mom said.

“Nice to meet you too,” Jenny said.

“I’m making a nice dinner for us,” Mom said after everyone had greeted one another. “I have a small ham in the oven. We’re going to have scalloped potatoes, creamed corn, salad, and fruit cocktail.”

“Wow, it sounds like a feast!” Jenny said. “Can I help you Mrs. Rodgers?”

“Please call me Fran. You too, Rob. I’m all set for the moment, but you girls can set the table when it’s time for dinner.” Mom looked at us and smiled. “You kids look wet.”

“We were sledding, Mom. Justin and Rob bought a toboggan and we’ve gone sledding two days in a row. It’s such a blast!” Kelly said.

“Go change into dry clothes before you kids catch cold,” Mom said.

“Where are your things?” Kelly asked.

“We put them upstairs in one of the guest rooms. I hope you don’t mind we made ourselves at home.”

“Of course not,” Kelly said.

“Rob and I are in the big room. Do you want us to move?” Jenny asked.

“No, Larry and I are fine,” Mom said.

Rob, Jenny, Rob, and I went to the laundry room to get out of our wet jeans and sweaters. The four of us headed upstairs, wearing our long underwear and socks.

“What are you going to wear?” Jenny asked Kelly as we walked to our rooms.

“Sweats, I want to be comfortable tonight,” Kelly told her.

Once we changed, we went back down to visit with Mom and Dad. Dad had a fire going and Mom was pouring coffee. We all got a cup of the fresh coffee before gathering in the great room. We talked for a little while, telling Mom and Dad about having our friends up for spring break.

“How was the cruise?” I asked Mom and Dad.

“It was wonderful. You kids should have come with us,” Mom said.

“It was nice in the Bahamas, hot too,” Dad said. “The ship was very nice and we had a great stateroom.”

Mom got up to check on the food in the oven. Kelly and Jenny went with her so they could set the dining room table.

“Sounds like you kids had a good time when your friends were here,” Dad said.

“It was okay, but too long I think. Next time, we’re going to make it a long weekend or something. A week was too long,” I said.

Dad chuckled. “Yes, a week can be a long time to have guests.”

“Kelly and I felt we had to entertain them the whole time they were here. It got boring after a few days.”

I noticed Rob shifting uncomfortably on the couch across from me. Smiling, I said, “With Rob and Jenny it’s different. They’re not company anymore. Kelly and I don’t feel like we have to do anything special when they’re here.”

“You and Kelly make us feel at home,” Rob said.

“Well, things change over time. We meet new people we get close to and our old friends fall back. It doesn’t mean we lose our old friends, but as our interests change, so do the people we associate with,” Dad said.

“That’s how it seems with Keith and me. He and I don’t have too much in common, but we never did,” I said.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Things seem to work out the way they were meant to,” Dad said.

I chuckled and said, “You sound like my mom. I remember her telling me the same thing.”

“That’s where I learned it.”

“I never thought about how things change,” Rob said. “It sure makes sense to me though. I mean, look at us, the four of us, we seem to click.”

Mom called out, telling us to come to dinner. We gathered in the dining room, sitting around the table. The spread on the table made my mouth water. Mom made several of my favorites.

While we ate, Mom and Dad got to know Rob and Jenny a little better. Rob and Jenny told them about their hometown as well as their plans for the future. I listened, thinking about the close friendship Kelly and I formed with Rob and Jenny. Glancing at Kelly, we shared a smile.

“Rob is going to teach me about fly fishing this spring,” I said when there was a lull in the conversation. “He’s going to teach me how to tie flies too.”

“Sounds like fun,” Mom said. “Do you like fishing, Rob?”

“Yes, I love it. I’ve been fishing as long as I can remember,” Rob said. “I can’t wait until trout season opens.”

Jenny made a face, causing Mom to ask why. “Don’t you like Rob to go fishing, Jenny?”

“He spends a lot of time doing it, I don’t like being alone,” Jenny said.

“Why don’t you go with him?”

“I think it’s boring.”

“When the guys go fishing, we can go along and take pictures,” Kelly said.

Jenny looked at Rob and asked, “Can we go too?”

“You know you can, honey. I’ve asked you before, but you never wanted to go with me,” Rob said.

“That’s before, now I want to go so Kelly and I can take pictures and stuff.”

“Cool, we can camp too, if you want to,” Rob said.

“I want to go camping. Justin told me he was going to take me this summer,” Kelly said.

“Do you fish, Larry?” Rob asked.

“Not in years. I’ve never tried fly fishing. I’m more of a worm and bobber fisherman,” Dad said.

We continued to talk about several different things while we finished dinner. Once everyone had eaten their fill, Mom, Kelly and Jenny began clearing the table. While they worked, they began to talk about our upcoming weddings. Dad, Rob, and I took it as our cue to go out to the great room.

I stoked the fireplace, adding two split logs. Looking outside, I saw it began to snow.

“Looks like we’re going to get the snow they forecasted,” I said. “It’s coming down pretty good out there.”

“Good night to stay in isn’t it,” Dad said, coming over to the window. Putting his hand on my shoulder, he said, “Your mom’s been looking forward to the hot tub.”

“It sounds good to me too. We can go down when Mom and the girls are ready.”

Dad nodded, giving my shoulder a squeeze before removing his hand. I chuckled, wondering if we would be wearing our suits.

Mom, Kelly, and Jenny came into the great room after cleaning up after dinner. We sat on the couches, watching the fire, as well as the falling snow. The girls were still talking about the wedding. Mom told Kelly what she’d done so far and what they needed to do before the wedding. Jenny sat on the edge of the couch, absorbing everything Mom said.

“I didn’t realize planning a wedding was so much work,” Jenny said. “Rob and I haven’t planned anything yet, but we’re not planning to get married for a few years. We want to wait until we’re out of school.”

“If you plan to have a big wedding, you should start planning a year in advance,” Mom said.

“Rob and I haven’t talked about what we want, not yet. I would like to have a big wedding with all of our friends and family. We’ll probably get married in Grand Rapids because almost everyone lives there,” Jenny said.

“I’d like to go to Las Vegas and get married in one of those chapels,” Rob said. “Short and sweet!”

Jenny gave Rob a dirty look. “You’re not serious, are you?” Jenny asked.

“Honey, you can do whatever you want. I was kidding,” Rob said.

When Jenny stuck her tongue out at Rob, Mom and Kelly laughed at her. Rob’s quick wit kicked in and he said, “Don’t stick it out unless you’re ready to use it.” Realizing what he said, Rob started to apologize. The rest of us laughed at his embarrassment.

“I’m sorry, sometimes I speak before thinking,” Rob said. “I forget who’s around.”

“Don’t worry about it, Rob. I’m not offended,” Mom said. “Judging from Larry’s reaction, he isn’t either.”

“Thanks, but it wasn’t something I should have said, not around Justin and Kelly’s parents.” Rob finally smiled. “I’ll try to keep my mouth shut.”

Mom grinned. She looked at me and said, “Do you mind if Dad and I use the hot tub? I’ve been thinking about it all day.”

“Not at all, Mom. Mind if we join you guys?” I replied.

Kelly nodded and said, “There are clean towel and robes downstairs.” She got up, glanced at Jenny, and said, “Are you and Rob going to come too?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind. I’ll run upstairs and get my suit,” Jenny said.

Smiling, Mom said, “Okay, we’ll meet you down there. Personally, I don’t like wearing a suit in the hot tub. I hope you don’t mind.”

Jenny looked at Kelly and raised her eyebrows. Kelly smiled and said, “We don’t wear suits when Mom and Dad are here either. You can do whatever makes you comfortable though.”

Grinning, Jenny said, “You know what makes me comfortable.”

We went down to the basement. I started the tub so the water could come up to the proper temperature while Dad went to the bar. He looked in the cabinet, chuckled, and then looked up at me.

“What would everyone like to drink? I see you have a better assortment than the last time we were here,” Dad said.

“I’ll have a wine cooler,” Kelly said. “There should be some in the refrigerator.”

Jenny asked for a wine cooler too. Rob went to the bar, telling Dad he’d like a whiskey on the rocks. Mom asked for a screwdriver and I asked for a beer. Dad put the drinks on the bar, fixing a whiskey on the rocks for him.

Mom was the first to begin undressing. She removed her top, folded it, and placed it on one of the chairs. Kelly and Jenny joined her, all of them removing their clothing. Dad, Rob, and I did the same. We got into the tub, settling into the hot water.

“Nice tan, Mom,” Kelly said.

“Thanks, like I said, it was a great cruise. The ship had a clothing optional area,” Mom said.

“I didn’t know they had clothing optional cruises,” Kelly said.

“They do. This cruise was strictly adults, but they have naturist cruises for families too,” Mom said. “Dad and I are planning to go again.”

“Kelly, you didn’t tell me your parents were nudists,” Jenny said.

Mom laughed and said, “We weren’t, not until we went on the cruise. Larry and I talked about it and decided to try it. We had a blast on the ship. By the way, the lifestyle is naturist, not nudist. It’s about being natural, not naked.”

Dad asked if things got out of hand when our friends were staying with us. Rob and I told him we made a rule saying there wouldn’t be any drinking until after dinner. Dad said he thought it was a very good idea.

Kelly told our parents about the dice game we played. Mom started chuckling, putting her hand on dad’s shoulder. “I guess it’s true when they say the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, isn’t it.”

“What do you mean” I asked.

“Your mother and I have played the same games before,” Dad said.

“You have? When?” Kelly said.

“When you were very small. I think you were one or two years old. The four of us played strip poker a few times too,” Mom said.

“Did you have to things once you were naked?” I asked, not really sure if I wanted to know.

“No, we played until one person still had something on. We would get dressed and play again,” Mom said.

“Well, that’s not entirely true, Fran. There was the one New Year’s Eve where we took it a bit further. Remember the forfeits?” Dad said, grinning at Mom.

“That’s enough, Larry. We don’t need to talk about it, not in front of the kids,” Mom said, but then she also snickered.

“You guys fooled around?” Kelly asked, her voice showing her surprise.

“It depends on what you consider fooling around,” Dad said.

“We did a little kissing and the like, nothing serious,” Mom offered quickly. “You know, we were young and adventurous too.”

“You and Dad are still young,” I said.

Dad laughed out loud. “I don’t know about young, but adventurous ... I’m finding out Mom is certainly adventurous. She’s making me realize how much fun life can be.”

Jenny and Rob sat silently, listening to the conversation. I could sense they were becoming a little uncomfortable with the conversation. Mom must have noticed too.

“I think we’re making Rob and Jenny uneasy,” Mom said. “You two will get used to us.”

“I’m amazed to hear you and Larry talking about the things you are. I’ve never heard my parents talk about things,” Jenny said.

“My parents are pretty straight laced too,” Rob said. “Frankly, I think it’s great you can talk about things with Justin and Kelly.”

“We can talk about anything with our parents,” Kelly said. “My mother never told me anything about sex or growing up. Now I have a mom I can ask anything. It’s like having a mom and sister all in one.”

“I’ve always felt it’s important to be able to be open about almost everything. Obviously there are things we shouldn’t talk about, personal things, but they’re few and far between as far as I’m concerned. Let’s face it we all know what goes on in the bedrooms, don’t we?” Mom said.

Jenny chuckled, nodding her head. “I never thought about my parents making love.”

“I can assure you they did. If not, you wouldn’t be here, would you? Because our children grow up doesn’t mean we stop getting horny,” Mom said, causing everyone to laugh.

Kelly’s dad shook his head. He looked at Mom and said, “You still shock me sometimes, Fran. You’d think I’d have gotten used to you by now.”

“I still remember the look on your face when Kelly and Justin came out of the same bedroom the first time. You looked like you were going to explode,” Mom said.

“What happened?” Jenny asked.

Mom told Jenny about the chalet in the mountains and how Kelly and I spent our first night there in the same room.

“My dad would have killed both of us if I did it,” Jenny said.

“Larry looked like he wanted to. I reminded him he was young once too. I also asked if he would prefer Kelly and Justin sneaking around to do what they were going to do anyway. It isn’t like we could stop them from having sex,” Mom said.

“I think the most important thing I learned is to never put anyone into the position to have to lie. Fran was right of course. There wasn’t anything I could do to change what was going on, or what was going to happen. I had to learn to accept it.” Dad chuckled. “I’ve learned to accept a lot of things since Fran and I got together.”

“Like what?” Rob asked.

“Well, like not feeling jealous. I’ve learned jealousy is fear and insecurity. I’ve learned being over possessive isn’t healthy for a relationship and you can’t own someone. I’ve learned to accept things the way they are for the most part. One of the most important things I’ve learned is I can’t change other people, but I can change.”

“Sounds like good advice. I have the same feeling about jealousy, I don’t get jealous,” Rob said.

“It is, at least for me. Another thing, don’t become something you’re not to try to please someone else. If you’re not happy with who you are, other people won’t be happy with you either. When you’re in a relationship you have to make adjustments and maybe even compromise to a point. It’s all about trying things at least once before deciding you don’t like them.”

Dad got out of the tub. He refreshed everyone’s drink who wanted something. When he asked Rob if he wanted another whiskey, Rob asked for a beer. Jenny kissed Rob on the cheek and said thanks.

“Hey, I’m learning you know. We’ve been here for over a week and I haven’t over done it once, have I?” Rob said.

“No you haven’t, and I’m very proud of you, honey.”

“The funny thing is I don’t miss it, not at all. What we’ve been doing is a lot more fun than getting drunk,” Rob said.

“Getting loaded once in a while is okay, but it can become a problem if you let it,” Mom said and then she chuckled. “Besides, sex is much better when you’re sober.”

Jenny blushed, but nodded in agreement. Rob sat with his mouth open, staring at my mom. Dad laughed while I shook my head. It seemed Mom was even more open than before, if it was possible. While I didn’t find her candor unusual, I did think it was weird she was talking like she was in front of Rob and Jenny.

“Mom! Can we talk about something else?” I said.

“Am I embarrassing you?” Mom asked, grinning at me.

“No, but...”

“Remember what I told you? Don’t do anything you’re ashamed of. If you’re not ashamed of what you do, you shouldn’t have any trouble talking about it. I’m not suggesting you describe what you and Kelly do in detail, but talking about sex, or anything else, shouldn’t be a problem. It’s how we learn after all.”

“It isn’t bothering me,” Jenny said coyly. “In fact, I find it very interesting to hear it from an adult. My mom taught me sex was wrong unless you were married. I had to deal with a lot of guilt when I first became active. Even now, sometimes I feel guilty when Rob and I make love. You and Kelly are lucky to have parents who understand.

“It was very hard for me to enjoy sex when in the back of my mine I thought it was dirty. I grew up being told if I had sex before I was married, I’d be a slut. My mom didn’t talk to me about raging hormones or being curious. She didn’t tell me I would have the feelings I had, or how to deal with them.

“I’m not saying I think Rob and I did it when we were too young, but I think it would have been a lot better if I didn’t have my mom’s voice on the back of my head every time we did.”

Mom nodded. “I had a mother who was about the same way. I found out how wrong she was, but not until I had to deal with the feelings you’re describing. I decided I wasn’t going to raise my son to feel sex was bad. Justin’s father and I decided we would never tell him sex was wrong or dirty.”

“I almost made a mistake with Kelly. If it hadn’t been for Fran, I would have,” Dad said. “Fortunately for Kelly, I didn’t address the issue with her. If I would have, I would have told her it was wrong. Even though I didn’t think it was. I guess it’s a father-daughter thing. I wanted to protect her.”

“I’m glad you didn’t, Dad. Mom never talked to me too much either. I followed my heart and things worked out wonderfully!” Kelly turned to me, putting her hand on my cheek. “Now I have the man I’ve loved forever.”

Taking Kelly’s face between my hands, I kissed her. “I love you too, sweetie.”

“So, are you kids going to take Dad and me sledding tomorrow? I haven’t been in years and I want to go,” Mom said, putting an abrupt end to the conversation we were having.

“Sure, Mom. Do you have warm clothing with you?” I asked.

“I brought my long underwear, what else do I need? Dad and I have jeans and warm coats too,” Mom said. “We can take a change of clothes in case we get too wet.”

“Should we make a picnic again?” Jenny asked. “We can build a fire too.”

“Yes, a picnic sounds like a good idea,” Mom said.

We decided to get out of the tub. Once we were all out, we went to take showers to rinse the chlorine off our bodies. Mom and Dad went into one of the bathrooms while Jenny, Rob, Kelly, and I went into the other. We showered quickly, Kelly and me following Rob and Jenny.

“You’re parents are so cool!” Jenny said as she dried herself. “I can’t get over how open they are.”

Kelly giggled and then said, “It’s great. Mom and I talk about all kinds of things.”

“It’s obvious,” Rob said. “I learned a lot tonight. It’s nice to know there’s sex after thirty.”

Jenny gave Rob a smack on his bare ass. “You goof!”

“Don’t do it unless you want me to spank you in return,” Rob said.

Laughing, Jenny smacked him again.

We left the bathroom wearing our robes. Mom and Dad waited for us in the recreation room. Mom sat on a chair, thumbing through the cards the girls had made for the dice game.

Looking up, Mom chuckled. “These are hilarious. Who came up with all of these things?”

“Jenny, Becky, Amber, and me,” Kelly said.

“I’ll bet seeing a guy dancing around in a pair of panties was a trip.”

Kelly, Jenny, Rob, and I laughed, nodding our heads. Mom put the cards back on the table before standing up. We headed upstairs, carrying our clothes in our arms. I renewed the fire, adding a few logs to the bed of glowing coals.

“It’s still coming down pretty hard,” Dad said. “I hope we don’t get snowed in.”

“We shouldn’t, the county takes good care of the roads, and I have the tractor and plow to clear the driveway. We also have four-wheel drive vehicles,” I said.

Pairing up, we settled on the couches to enjoy the fire. Dad asked if anyone wanted another drink, offering to go downstairs to get them if they did. No one asked for anything so Dad stayed next to Mom.

We chatted about sledding the next day. Mom and Dad sounded excited about going. The girls planned what they would make for our picnic, deciding on sandwiches from the leftovers from dinner. We also decided to take my camp stove so we could brew hot coffee.

It was still snowing when we decided to call it a night. We all went upstairs, telling each other goodnight before retiring to our rooms. Jenny asked Mom about changing rooms again, but Mom assured her she and Dad were fine.

We all got up early the next morning. Mom and Dad were already in the kitchen when Kelly and I came down. Mom had a pot of coffee going and Dad was looking in the refrigerator for something to fix for breakfast.

“Morning, kids,” Mom said when she saw Kelly and me.

“Good morning,” Kelly said.

“I hope I didn’t get carried away last night,” Mom said. “I didn’t mean to if I did.”

“Not at all, Mom. I think Rob and Jenny enjoyed it,” I said.

I heard chuckling behind me. Turning around, I saw Rob and Jenny coming toward the table. “I know I enjoyed it,” Jenny said.

Rob nodded. He went to the counter, watching as the coffee maker finished spurting hot coffee into the glass pot. He began filling cups, carrying them to the table for us.

“How about pancakes for breakfast?” Dad said. “It looks like you have enough bacon for everyone. I’d make ham and eggs, but were having ham for lunch.”

While Dad fixed breakfast, I went outside to get started on the snow. I finished in time to come in and sit down to eat. Rob and I cleaned up while the girls went upstairs to get dressed to go.

I loaded the toboggan into the truck along with my camp stove and a can of fuel. I found the coffee pot I used for camping, putting it in the bed of the truck too. After getting a container of water, I was ready to go. Mom brought the picnic lunch, placing it in the cab of the truck.

On the way to the hill, Dad and Rob rode in the front seat with me. The girls sat in back, chattering about the day to come. There wasn’t anyone else at the hill when we arrived, but it wouldn’t have mattered.

“Rob, Jenny, why don’t you make the first run with Mom and Dad? I’ll get the coffee started,” I said.

They headed up the hill, towing the toboggan behind them. I began setting up the stove while Kelly prepared the coffee pot. Once the coffee was on, Kelly and I went to watch our parents and friends come down the hill.

“I love you, baby,” Kelly said.

“I love you too.”

“I think it’s cool Mom and Dad came up to see us, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do. They kind of had me worried before I knew it was them in the house though. I guess we should check the machine more often.”

“No kidding. Did Rob tell you he and Jenny were staying up here this summer?”

“Yes, he told me they were going to get jobs and rent an apartment.”

“Honey, do you think they could afford the apartment above the garage? Do you have any idea how much we should rent it for?”

“I haven’t thought about it, honey. We can rent it for want we want to. It’s ours. Why, do you think they would like to live there?”

“I don’t know, but maybe. I know it would be cool to have them living close to us. Rob and Jenny are cool and I like spending time with them.”

We watched as the sled came down the hill. Dad was in front with Mom right behind him. Jenny sat between Mom and Rob. Mom yelled as the sled raced to the bottom of the hill.

“This is great!” Mom said when she got up from the sled. “I’m ready to go again.”

“You and Kelly go with them this time,” Rob said. “I’ll watch the coffee.”

Mom, Dad, Kelly, and I went up the hill. At the top, we got on the toboggan for the ride down. I talked Mom into taking the front this trip. We rocked the sled until it went over the crest of the hill. Mom and Kelly laughed and yelled was we went toward the base of the tall hill. When we reached the bottom, we fell off the sled into the fluffy snow.

“I’m going to build a fire,” I said. “Why don’t the girls make a run by themselves this time?”

Kelly, Jenny, and Mom went up the hill while I got some of the wood I brought out of the truck. After clearing the snow from the spot we had the fire last time, I piled up a few of the split logs and used some of the stove fuel to get the fire started.

We took turns making runs down the hill, resting by the fire between them. The coffee tasted great, even if it was hard to keep hot in the cold air. While we were eating our lunch, a few other people showed up to sled on the hill.

One couple made a few runs and then came over to where we were standing around the fire.

“Hi, you’re Justin, right? I’m Paul Zimmerman. We have the same biology class.” Paul removed his glove, extending his hand.

“Hi, Paul, I remember seeing you in class,” I said. “This is my dad and mom, Fran and Larry. Rob and Jenny are friends from school.”

“This is my girlfriend, Sarah, she goes to Northern too. By the way, they call me Ziggy,” Paul said. “Mind if we warm up by your fire?”

“Not at all, we have coffee on the stove if you and Sarah would like some. You’ll have to use one of our cups, we only brought six with us,” I said.

“We have cups in the car. Sarah and I stopped for coffee on the way here,” Paul said.

Paul went to his compact car, returning with two disposable cups. He poured coffee into them and then gave one to Sarah.

“Are you majoring in biology too?” Paul asked as he sipped the hot coffee.

“I’m not sure yet. I want to do something along the forestry or fish and game line. Maybe zoology. How about you?” I said.

“I’m planning on a career with the DNR. I’m thinking of becoming a game officer. I’m taking criminal justice too. Sarah is studying business,” Paul said.

“Kelly and Jenny are photography majors, or at least they plan to be. This is Kelly’s and my first year. Jenny and Rob are sophomores.”