Jean Harnett

Chapter 5: Lighthearted

"I think you embarrassed Cramer," Brian said later as they headed for his car after the dance broke up.

"He wrangled me, Brian. He can be so sanctimonious. Sometimes I'd like to jar him out of his complacency."

"I think you came close to doing that this evening," he muttered as he held the car door open for her. "Now there's one you could use your matchmaking talents on. He'd be a real test of your abilities."

Her head jerked up. "Please! I've got to have something to work with."

Brian laughed as he closed her door and walked around to the other side of the car. "Don't you like a real challenge?" he asked with laughter still in his voice.

"A challenge, yes. An impossibility, no. You're having an awfully good time tonight," she said, listening to his chuckle.

"It'd be difficult to be with you and not have a good time," he said as he pulled the car away from the curb.

"I've seen a whole new side of you tonight, Brian. You're almost lighthearted."

"Please! Don't let that opinion get around! You'd ruin my reputation of an old curmudgeon!"

"No, really. How come you're always so sarcastic and glum, especially around Zoe?"

"I guess you could say that she wrangles me," he said in a sober voice. "We didn't get along right from the start, and we're Freshmen sponsors. At least, we can work together. It's only on a social basis that we get on each other's nerves. I guess it's because we're so different."

"That's odd. I see a lot about you two that's alike."

"Maybe we are too much alike. Maybe we see through each others' lies, the little things we do to make it through the day."

"We all need defenses, Brian. You shouldn't destroy each others' illusions."

"The way you did Cramer's? You're probably on his enemy's list after tonight."

"If he thought it through, he'd put me on his friend's list. Only a friend would try to straighten him out."

"I repeat, he would be a real project for you, a real test of your skills at matchmaking. Watching your efforts with him might brighten up the winter for the rest of us."

"Is that what you did to get through the long winter months out in out state Nebraska? Entertain yourselves?"

"That's about it. We didn't even have television until we moved into O'Neill. And what they say is true: you don't miss something you've never had. I still don't like TV very much."

"So your ancestors were pioneers who crossed the rolling prairies in wagon trains?"

"One branch was. Another branch tried to stop them."

She gave him a startled look. "You have Indian blood?"

"Let's put it this way: Some of my people rode away from the Little Big Horn victorious. My great-grandfather was a full-blooded Sioux warrior with many scalps on his belt. Does that offend you?"

"Oh, golly, no! I think it's interesting. My people were shopkeepers in England and farmers in Germany. I always wanted something like a Portuguese pirate on my family tree to make it interesting. But no such luck!"

"There you go again with that romantic streak again." He frowned as he pulled his car into her driveway. "Your apartment is dark. Shouldn't Bergetti be back by now?"

Jean frowned, too. "I'd think Fred Langley would have an early night on Saturday since Sunday is his busy day."

They sat listening to the car motor purr.