Tuesday October 13, 1992
Ned joins his youngest at the school, they head out to McDonnells as one last ride in the famed 'Doba.
At one point they discuss Nick's ladies situation using well-thought out, rather, well, hypothetical sentences with very long pauses in between, but by the time Nick pulls in it seems they are on the same page, at least as far as he can tell.
Right away he recognizes the Deejmobile, looks like she got it out. He hadn't heard from her all day so she must have gotten busy.
Sure enough Bart himself is at the counter. "Gentlemen!" in that booming voice as he reaches for handshakes.
Nick always loves how this place smells: tires, cigars, and work.
"Leave it to Sis, she got all this filled out, should be set to transfer."
Ned presents their stuff and looks over the Celica transfer.
Bart grins bigger as he gets through the details. "I believe we are in business. Man, I'll have to bring this puppy out next spring."
"I'm sure we'll hear ya a mile away," Nick can't resist.
"Yahh buddy!" He pauses a minute, "Hey your, um..." and turns to the case folders behind the desk, "This gal..."
"Danielle, Danni?"
"Yeah, Eversole...she's all done, we changed oil, filter, topped out everything else, rotated tires, brakes look good, she's all set."
Nick thinks quickly, "That's awesome. Can we try to get her on the horn and maybe drop it off?"
"Yeap, here ya go," and turns the phone around.
Nick dials and glances at the work order to make sure no charge. Good ol' Noreen.
Ned had been looking at the car pics in the lobby, racers, rods some graced with female adornment.
Bart turns to him while it rings, "Hey Ned, we hope we can be of service here and there, what do you drive to work?"
They go on as someone answers, female voice, "Hello?"
"Is Danni there?"
"Nick?"
"Yeah, her car is done, we can bring it to the campus, I can bring her back there to get it even."
"Just a sec -"
Some phone handling sounds, "Hey, it's already ready already?"
“Yeap we can get it to the campus easily or even to where you are with some finagling.”
"Hold on," followed by the expected mumbles, "yeah Ape-girl can take me to campus, is it by your building?"
"Just look for the car, in about,"<looks at Ned for confirmation>, "20 minutes? OH, look for Dad's truck."
"This is awesome, maybe you can show me your building?"
"It'll cost a nickel."
"Hmm, don't push it Swanson, see you there, be careful."
Nick is pretty sure she had never said be careful till recently and probably because he says it.
Bart turns to him, "Have you talked to Sis lately?"
"Not since Sunday, we'll prollably get a lunch this week."
"Gotcha, well she's definitely headed to the big school, that '89 Poncho should get 'er there an back a few times."
"I heard it's nice, maybe she'll let me sit in it and go VROOM VROOM."'
This gets a laugh.
"Alright dudes, it's been a pleasure, don't be a stranger." and he reaches for handshakes, then continues, "Nick I don't know how you get all these lady friends but good luck," turns to Ned, "Man those were the days weren't they?''
Ned just shakes his head, "Not for me, I don't know what's so special about this kid."
This gets the biggest laugh of the night and they wave and make their exit while Bart coughs it out.
Nick almost heads to his former ride and catches himself. He finds the Celica unlocked.
Ned checks it out, "Not bad, they really did some detailing."
"A LOT of detailing, the previous owner practically had three lifetimes of you-name-it in here."
"We'll miss her."
"I try not to think about it."
"I know."
Ned fumbles around with the Grand Am and gets his bearings, starts off.
Nick follows and they convoy off into history.
At the campus lot sure enough there are two girls on a hood next to the pickup, looks like a a Ford Fairmont of sorts that he’d seen at Dawsons’.
Ned tosses Deej her keys and excuses himself toward the truck. "Good evening, Ladies." Then turns to Nick, "will you be at supper?"
Deej interjects, "Mind if I borrow him?"
Nick thinks, "We can grab a bite at the snack bar, it's open till about 9."
Ned just grins and shakes his head, "He's all yours, just don't send him home all gassy."
April is just beaming at all this.
Deej turns to her, "Wanna see his office?"
April just makes a face, holds her nose and shakes her head emphatically, gets into her Ford and waves while pulling out.
"So what all did they do?"
"The invoice is in there, no charge, you should be set for winter. Looks like those tires have another go-round."
"Dad and Grandpa got me those a couple years ago." She looks down.
"Come on, kiddo, I'll spot ya the nickel."
Nick notices a later model Grand Prix, nice blue one but can only suspect.
She takes his arm as they head to the building. "My mom called this morning, asked if she could come out."
He stops and looks at her.
"I know. Brought me a nice potted plant and we took my car out there. We visited with April's folks. OH, and she gave me an envelope with enough to apply here."
"Hon that's...amazing."
"This has been a wonderful day."
"Sorry about the ending."
He feels a firm kick in the rump, which is a trick she could pull from right next to him even back before karate. "I forgot you could do that."
"Maybe next time you won't, greenhorn."
They head in via his normal route, through the lobby, past the Dean's office, Childhood Development, Business, Word Processing. He warns her about the computer lab in a hushed voice and she seems intrigued.
Finally they get back to the EET labs, past Goody's office through the classroom not being used to get to his hall-in-the-wall. He unlocks the door and before he can reach for the light switch it she pulls it shut and plants one on him.
She doesn't linger too long, "Alright, you know I had to."
"Well, if you must."
"Is there a light in here."
"Sorry, no smoking." He starts feeling around her back and arms.
"I don't think that's where the switch is."
He flips it on from muscle memory, "That better?"
"Owwww! Mine eyes!"
"So this is it, in all it's glory."
She looks around with the expected amusement, eyes stopping on a painting. "Did that come with the place?"
"I think you know who gave me that."
"She's good."
"Don't you still draw?"
"I would just doodle, never did much outside of art class. Sammy’s the one with that talent she’s not using these days."
Nick just looks at her seriously.
"What?"
"Hi."
This gets him a snotty look, then she zeroes in on his phone. "So are you in here a lot, and can answer, what," leans in, "184?"
"Well I'm in here except when I'm not."
"Do they take messages?"
"Yeah, after 5 rings it goes to the Dean's secretary."
"I'll remember that." She looks down.
"What's up?"
"Tomorrow I'll start my first job on a roof. Gonna be long days."
"Is that part of your, like, rent?"
"Kinda, I get hourly and then we'll work out for meals. April's mom always liked me and appreciates help around the house, you know, they have the office."
"Gotcha."
She pauses, "You always did want to know how things work."
Nick just looks around his cave with the shelves of old scopes, meters, calibration standards, half-vultured student projects that were donated at the behest of student's wives, and mostly just cables that get tangled the moment you look away from them.
"And here we are."
"And here we are."
They look at each other.
Nick breaks the silence, "Care for some better scenery and maybe a sammich?"
She smiles.
"How did we get a bonus night?"
She moves in for a squeeze but more tender than the other day.
Nick lets it linger, they are in no apparent danger, but then there's a knock at the door they came in, "HOUSEKEEPING."
They jump a mile.
Must be someone new. Nick responds, "All set, no trash."
The voice is surprised, "Wow, didn't really expect anyone in there, well have a good night."
"Thanks, do the same."
She leans back and giggles silently.
Nick rolls his eyes and opens the door, looks around and sees the new or sub custodian heading into the hallway. Turns to Deej, "We should head out before a rumor gets started."
She smiles and does a mock salute then steps outside.
Nick kills the light and locks up, they head back around the long side, past the robot lab and such.
She whispers, "Will it be weird being seen with a different arm cover?"
He whispers, "It's not often she makes it over here, don't worry."
"Kayy."
They head out into the cool autumn evening and toward the main building.
She continues with the earlier account, "So, you know how my mom isn't much of a talker."
"Umm, I....guess?"
"Daddy's the talker, Mom's the thinker and ring leader."
"Ahh." This seemed to resonate with his recollection.
"Today she was all about making gestures, and I think she means it, it's her way."
"Well, good."
"After we all caught up a bit she wanted to call your mom."
Nick stops again.
She just looks at him to affirm. "You heard me, sport, and I think she stopped by on the way home."
Nick just looks ahead in a daze. "What a year."
"And it ain't over yet."
They walk on with few words to the downstairs commissary and sure enough Noreen is sitting there with a couple of colleagues, they get a smile and wave.
Deej whispers, "I don't think I could handle being faculty."
"Oh it's a sickness," is all he can muster as they proceed to the counter. He gets a fish sammich, to her disdain, they get fountain drinks (now self-serve) and split a huge basket of fries once the next batch is done.
They find a table toward the front near the window.
Deej continues with the news, "So....I made April talk to Vance for a few minutes last night. He was just getting home from work."
"I need to call that old Cretan sometime. They actually spoke words to each other?"
She thinks a minute then continues after they thank the server for bringing hot fries, "You eh-....ok you...OH, a campfire, when the wood is kinda wet and you have to keep, maybe fanning it?"
"So you egged her on."
She looks up thoughtfully, "Yeah, I had to make the call, introduce them, I could tell he wanted to go chill out after work but..."
Nick just sighs.
"WHAT? They might hit it off, how else will we know?"
"I dunno, Vance was always pretty activity oriented, early on we'd screw around then he got into sports pretty heavy, mostly hoops, hell he started our last two years."
"Wow, well maybe you could check on him in a few days to see what he thinks."
"Deej, is this ethical?"
She smiles with a determination that he knows he can't overcome.
"Yeah, we'll see."
"Splendid!" as her countenance brightens and she scoots closer.
"Mmmm hmm."
"Whaaaat?" She purrs knowingly.
"So will you visit your folks more now?"
"Well, we took a huge step in that direction today. She's just wanting to be involved...seems...impressed that I'm taking control."
"Well you're in good hands."
She throws him an Arnold Jackson look, as if to say "whatchoo talkin bout Mister Dee?"
Nick sighs, "I'm tired...but you always...knew how to handle yourself, that's what sets you apart."
"Thanks, Nicky."
About then their order is up, Nick gets it and they pause to take some bites. It's completely dark now with the lingering cloud cover.
From behind him he hears Noreen, "Hey did you get the vehicles sorted out?"
Deej is free to answer first, "Yeap I'm all set, thank you so much for setting that up!"
Noreen side-hugs her, "It's the least I can do for you looking out for this...situation."
Nick is down to a couple bites, "Yeah yeah, is that your blue one out there?"
"Probably the one you saw, it's pretty nice, hard to believe that was a total."
"Wow, just glad you'll be ready."
"Oh did Bart mention?"
"Yeah."
She looks down, "It's a lot."
Nick tries, "Deej says she never wants to be a faculty."
This brings her out of it a bit, "Tell me about it, you want to teach then it's all these damn meetings, I guess we have to keep reviewing to get better as a department but, aye." She takes a deep breath, "Sorry to dump, I should get home."
"Will you hit the caff this week?"
"We'll see, good night."
"Get rest,"
"Take care, thanks again." Deej adds.
It feels weird not doing the hug thing.
After she's out of sight, "Nick it was hard for her to come up to us."
"I suppose, she's tired too."
"Are you OK?"
It’s still all weird, but alas, "I will be. Howbout you?"
"Can't complain."
They go on, finish up, then stroll out in a similar manner as before.
Nick tries to think of what he needs to ask her next but it's just nice in the moment.
"So you have some long days ahead, like being in the Army?"
"Funny you should say that, I considered it a few times."
"OH NO...no more army..."
"Heh, yeah...but it will be long days, should go by quickly and think it'll be a good burn. Supposed to be a nice bunch of guys, sometimes another woman. Bob - April's dad - says he'd never want his daughter doing the work but can see I'm up to it."
"He has no idea."
She squeezes his arm.
"Can I ask a flavor?"
"Umm, I owe you a truckload."
"I'll follow you and we say goodnight there?"
She pauses, "Oh...yeah."
And so they do. On the brief drive he thinks of Noreen and her long trek into Academia and for some reason the Styx track Miss America blasts in his head.
They park in tandem in the gravel drive then she promptly leads him to the side of the house, left of the front door that surprisingly has no awning, there's a window. Then she leads him around the side, away from a pole light and they express proper yet G-rated goodnights up close.
During the embrace she whispers, "So that window we just passed, there's a space behind the shudder - I'll show you in a minute - a letter will fit back there, if you ever feel the need."
He kisses her again, "It works both ways, you know."
"Some nights I won't get to talk much but maybe sometimes would be nice to read and write."
"Try that next with April and Vance."
She smacks him, "Alright flyboy, go hug your poor mother."
"Yea I can't wait to hear about today."
She kisses him, "Write me."
They head around into the light and she taps the shudder and he can see it's a good drop spot.
This drive home is much shorter than he'd been used to. Hard not to feel like he's leaving someone behind, but the big picture is what it is.
He finds Irene pensive on the couch. "Did you have company today?"
"Yes I did, could not have been more surprised. And guess what?"
"I didn't do it."
"No but you will. We all will, dear, the Eversoles are coming for Saturday supper."
Nick has heard it all. "This Saturday?"
"Had you made plans?"
"The best plans are no plans, you know that."
"I hear ya, but she's going to get Danni to meet them here so look sharp."
"Wow, they were always kinda distant. I mean, Dean is a talker but..."
"Yes, Nancy is pretty...terse, but she's sincere and wants to, well, needs to make a fresh start. You heard about -"
"OH yeah, Deej is about to kill her."
"There ya go. Can we be supportive?"
"That's the idea, Mom."
"You're a good kid. Did you get that poor girl something to eat?"
"She had some fries. I had a fish sammich."
"Did I ask if you ate, dear?"
"I think I better go shower the day away."
"You'll smell better."
"By the way, she said the same thing...go to your poor mother."
"It's the price we pay, dear."
"Gunnite, Mom." with a peck on her forehead he heads upstairs to a shower and a pass at the lower bands, dial up some classical, then fade off into a new day.