Chatoyant College Book 5: Parents' Weekend

Chapter 30: Mixed Feelings

Leila stopped in her tracks, blinked, then smiled widely. Her hair was back up in its usual tight bun, which Edie noted with slight disappointment; she'd thought that Leila looked even more beautiful than usual with her hair down and flowing. "Edith!" Leila exclaimed. She stepped towards her and hugged her, saying, "You know how much I love trees. I was just checking on them. What about you?"

Edie hugged her back, even though she felt self-conscious about it with her family still here. "My friend Zip—she just left—was giving us a tour. She's part of the Hillel."

"Ah, of course," Leila said with a nod, her glance including the whole family now. "It's a lovely little place, isn't it?"

"I find it quite charming," said Edie's grandmother. "Is this where you live?"

Leila gave Edie a sidewise glance before answering. "Yes. With the orchard next door, I could hardly live anywhere else! But the co-op hasn't existed for very long, and we need to make sure the trees are healthy. I am sure you've noticed how small most of them are."

"Yes," said Edie's mom. "It's quite a contrast to the old growth in that forest there."

"We tried to get permission to use the forest as part of the land for the co-op, but since the whole forest doesn't belong to the school, it's all still off-limits." Leila glanced sidewise at Edie again, and this time she had to keep herself from giggling. Of course, they, along with much of the rest of the theater department, frequently went into the forest for parties and other reasons. She would not tell her parents that she'd been breaking the rules, and she was grateful that Leila evidently wouldn't, either.

"So you're in charge of the trees? Is that your job in the co-op?" Edie's dad asked.

"Pretty much, yes," Leila said with a nod. "I know about them, and I care the most, so it falls to me. I don't mind in the least. I just wish I could do more for them. Take this one, for example..." She led them over the way she had come, where there was a sapling even shorter than Leila was. It seemed to have a full crown of leaves, but they were turning brown and dropping off. She put her hand on its bark with a sigh. "I do not think this tree is going to survive past the winter."

"How can you tell?" Edie asked. "It just looks young to me."

"Oh, it's the leaves, and the growth rate, and some other things... it would take too long to explain it." Leila smiled at Edie, showing her that she wasn't just brushing her off. "Anyway, I suspect your family does not want to stand around and listen to me lecture on trees."

"Actually, I was just thinking it's time to start heading home," said Edie's mom. "We have a fairly long drive ahead of us."

"Oh, okay!" said Edie, surprised. She'd thought they would want to stay until the evening, but of course, they wouldn't want to be driving too long into the night, especially back to her grandmother's house. "I'll walk you back to your car then." She turned to Leila, not wanting to be separated from her, but thinking that she would want to stay here with the trees. "I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Nonsense!" said Leila. She walked over to Edie's grandmother and took her arm. "I shall walk with you. That is, as long as you don't mind," she added, looking around at the family.

"Oh, please do," said Edie's grandmother. "I do appreciate the support."

They walked slowly back across campus to the parking lot, where Edie hugged her parents and grandmother goodbye and reminded them to scold Leah and Jake fondly for her while Leila stood back. She got them all safely into the car and stepped back to wave goodbye.

"You take care of her," Edie's grandmother said to Leila just before shutting her window, an uncharacteristic frown on her face. Leila simply nodded and smiled, and Edie's family drove off.

"What was that about?" Edie asked Leila as they walked back onto campus. "I didn't think my grandmother was worried about me..."

"Oh—I am not sure," Leila said, glancing back. "Perhaps she is unhappy about leaving you."

Edie sighed. "Well, I'm unhappy about her leaving too. I'll miss her. My parents..."

"Your feelings are more mixed?" Leila asked with a mischievous smile.

Edie laughed ruefully. "Yeah. I'd rather they come here than I have to go back home, though."

Leila put her arm around Edie's shoulders and pulled her close, seeing that she was upset by thinking about her hometown. "Don't think about that for now. Come on, you are not busy now, right? Let's go into the woods."

Edie looked up at her girlfriend, a reluctant smile spreading across her lips. "All right." Leila grabbed her by the hand, and they ran off into the trees.