Chapter 1: Anne

The university is a four-hour drive from home, and I had decided long ago to come up by myself and get settled in on the first day possible. Dad wanted to bring me, but I told him I loved him a lot for offering, but not to bother. I told him no one needs to spend 8 hours on the road just to lug stuff to college. I was kind of regretting that, now.

I'd said my good-byes at home and left early in the morning, feeling full of the excitement of going off to college. I wasn't more than twenty miles up the Interstate before my eyes got misty and I wished I had Dad to talk to. The feeling passed, but I realized I'd underestimated the effect a change like this would have on me.

The end of August gets hot, and I really had a tough time of it, lugging my suitcases and boxes up three flights of stairs in Old North. I was only wearing a tee-shirt and shorts, but just by the third or fourth trip I was sweating and thirsty. Just the same, I kept at it until all my stuff was upstairs. I sat down on a box and just tried to breathe normally for a while, examining how I felt — a little low, I guess. But finally I opened the cooler and brought out my water bottle, pouring about half of it down my throat to ease the dryness. I settled back to see what I had. Besides a hell of a mess, that is.

I had about half my clothes unpacked when I heard voices in the hall. Someone knocked on the open door. There was a blonde girl with, for God's sake, a cowboy hat and boots, and two older folks.

"Hi. Can I help you?"

The girl said, kind of slow, "Well, if this is Room 350, then I'm your roommate. And this is my mom and dad."

"Good to see you. I'm Anne Stilwell, I just got here this noon. Come on in."

She was Mary Travis, and I met her mom and dad and forgot their names instantly. Her mom looked a little sour, and gave me a once-over that told me she doesn't approve of a tee-shirt without a bra. Her dad — he's real quiet — brought in a couple of suitcases and put them on the side of the room opposite my stuff.

Mary is blonde with a long, heavy braid. She took the hat off. High cheek-bones, strong jaw, full, naturally red lips, nose straight and just long enough. Dark blue, X-ray eyes. She wore a long-sleeve shirt with the cuffs turned back. Good tan. Jeans not too tight, good figure. The boots are a kick.

"Since I got here first, I sort of took my pick of things, but we can still fight about who gets which bed. Take a look around and get comfortable." I said. Mary sat on the floor, her mom on a chair.

"Nice campus," Mary said, "as far as I can see."

"Well, yes," her mom said, "but I'm more concerned about this room. Not much furniture. No place to sit."

I said, "I plan to go down to the Salvation Army or Goodwill tomorrow and see what they've got. Try and beat the rush later in the week when more people get here. I figure we need an armchair and maybe a couch or sofa-bed. Depends on what they have and what it costs. I have a car, so we can get the stuff back here without too much trouble."

Dad spoke up, "I don't know what your budget is, but Mary can share the costs with you, if you like."

"Thanks," I said with a smile. "I don't really want to pay for the whole thing myself — I'm not rich."

"Neither are we," Mom said, "but we did plan to put something into that kind of furniture. I see you have a computer. Do you have a printer, too? I don't see one."

"No, ma'am, we have one at home, but it's the only one and I couldn't bring it. I guess I'll look for one at Buyer's Club."

Mary said, "Why don't we go halves on it? I have a laptop with me but no printer, either. No point in buying two."

I thought for a second. "Fine with me, but we need to agree ahead of time what to do if we get a divorce."

Mary laughed her big, open laugh. "Right. You never know what's going to happen. We'll work it out."

We talked a little longer, then Mary and her folks headed back downstairs. They were leaving for the airport already. When she came back upstairs, she was talking with a boy who was carrying a big box. "See you later," she said and came into the room.