Chapter 18

Alice smiled, “I do want to talk about our future. We start classes next Monday and will be checking into our rooms this Saturday. How are we going to handle all that?”

“The simple answer is together. Alice, we’re still learning about each other and what does and doesn’t work for us together. I want everything to work well for us together.”

“We’ll have a lot of time to be together. Jerry, I want that.”

I chuckled. “Alice, we don’t even know if our class schedules mesh. If they don’t, we should be able to eat our meals together. We can spend our evenings together though I suspect we’ll be studying. However, fair Galadriel, we do mesh and mesh well. That will continue to be true as we work through the rest.”

Mom walked in. “That’s what you call it now, meshing?”

“No, Mom. We call it gargling now. Neither of us gargle.”

However, that statement made Alice giggle loudly. Mom looked at me a bit irritated. “Thanks, son.” She said it sarcastically.

Mom went back to the kitchen. I had my arm around Alice gently holding her closely. She kissed me softly and then said, “Seriously, what are we going to do?”

“About what?” I felt like I was missing something.

“About school. We’ll be in dorms, with different schedules, and you play football.”

I said, “Football isn’t a problem and won’t be allowed to be. Most of my classes are in the morning as are yours. We’ll be in the same dorms as before and probably the same rooms. There’s a common area where we can sit together in either dorm.”

I grinned. “We’ll work it out without gargling.” I had seen my mother look out at us. I looked at Alice more seriously, “We will be patient and it will all work out.”

I bent around to kiss Alice and she helped by twisting to meet me more than half way. I enjoyed having her wonderful body plastered against mine. We had finally ended the kiss but continued to hold each other comfortably.

Alice asked, “We will have the same roommates. Will that be an issue since our roommates used to date but do so no longer?”

“For Joe, no, he’s dating another girl now. For Marilyn, I don’t know but I have a concern. As I had told you, she was tough to get along with in high school. At orientation, it sounded like she wanted to be a more agreeable person but Joe suggested to me that she reverted to her old personality and he ended things. We’ll just have to see how it goes next weekend when it’s time to move in. I’m trying to keep an open mind regarding her emotional state since Joe has been known for ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ in the past. We’ll just have to wait.”

“What does your class schedule look like, Jerry?”

“I have morning classes except for lab. That one meets in the early afternoon once a week. There will be football practices and games. Alice, there are only five linebackers on the team this year and I’m a little light for a college linebacker. I’ve also made my position clear that football isn’t my reason for college and that I will have a life as well as other sports being played. I’m still not sure how that will all work out. It will give you something to do on Saturday afternoons.”

“I would rather watch TV in the common room and cuddle on a sofa with you.” She smiled. “I think our class schedules will work out well. I also have morning courses except for one. It meets twice a week including a lab.”

“I almost signed up for that course but wanted a math course instead.”

“I wish you had.”

“I wish I had, too.”

We sat together for a peaceful while. Mom came in from the kitchen. “Alice, I could use your help if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. I will bring my partner in passion with me.”

“Your ‘partner in passion?’”

“Yes, Ma’am. Jerry’s a good partner and we feel passionate about each other.”

We walked into the kitchen holding hands. Mom put Alice to work cutting vegetables. Alice said, “Jerry could do this.”

“Yes, but I knew he would follow you into the kitchen. I enjoy listening to the two of you talk. You two are very romantic.”

Alice said, “When we talk about our class schedules?”

Mom said, “It’s not what you talk about. It’s how you talk to each other. There is a caring tone in each of your voices. Both of you have pleasant speaking voices but there is that additional tone when you talk to and even about each other.” She smiled. “That tone has been present since we first met you, Alice. I noticed it when Jerry would speak of you even before we had met you.”

I said, “I was just in awe from having met my beautiful queen.”

My dad had walked in during this discussion. He said, “How will a mixed marriage work between you two. She’s an elf queen and you’re a human commoner.”

Alice grinned. I said, “Probably pretty well. After all, Dad, you married up in life. I’ll just follow your example.” I grinned.

Mom smiled. “He’s a good person to use as a example.”

Dad gave her a smile but said nothing. I was reminded that “Silence is golden,” was one of his favorite sayings.

Alice said, “I’ve told my mother that Jerry has the best parts of my father. It works for me. I don’t think it will ever be old.”

I said nothing but smiled, mostly at my fair Galadriel.

I had also set the table. The cooking was completed and the four of us sat down to eat. It was a fairly quiet meal. Dad talked in a general way about his day. When we finished eating, we all went to the living room.

Alice sat next to me on the sofa with my arm around her. She was tight against my body and felt good. My parents looked on and smiled at us.

Dad said, “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure but we’ll be together in what we do.” I replied with a smile.

Mom said, “He does need to pack for school. They leave from here Thursday to give them some time at Alice’s house and for her to pack.”

She smirked. “They also need to talk about the impact sports will have on their amorous activities. I think they will find each one is separately busy with academics and sports. They might not be able to find time for each other.’

I said, “We will always find time for each other.” Alice smiled and squeezed closer to me.

Dad smiled, “Son, you do need to watch out for becoming obligated.”

Mom grinned. “Except for Alice.”

We sat for a while and then Dad turned on the TV for the early news. He and Mom left for bed at about half past after the weather was given. The forecast for continued hot and sunny.

We watched a bit more. I turned everything off and we made our way down the hall to Alice’s bedroom each with an arm around the other. We had kissed a few times but did kiss one more time before parting. Alice went into her room and I stepped up the hall to my room. I entered and closed the door, too. I had flipped the overhead light on as I had pulled the door closed. I looked over through the bathroom to see Alice smiling at me. I smiled back.