Lawrence Looks for Treasure

Part 2 - Chapter 20

Ema laughed, shyly. 'I got the news a couple days ago.'

'Well that is good news,' her aunt said. 'Are you two going to try to stay together during university?'

'Okay, Aunt Mary—that's enough,' Ema said.

'Fine, fine—I won't pry. What about you two boys? Have you heard back yet?'

'I'm going to Columbia,' Chris said, proudly. 'It's where my Dad went.'

'Wow,' Ema's Aunt said. 'And you, Lawrence?'

'I, umm, I actually didn't apply to university,' I said, nodding as I spoke.

'Oh,' she said. '. . . Not to worry. My brother only had a high school diploma, and he did just fine.'

I knew Ema's Aunt was just trying to be nice, but it kind of seemed rude. I was planning to do better than fine. Better than everyone in the whole room. I could go to university if I wanted to. I could probably become a physicist if I wanted to. I just didn't want to.'

'What are you going to do, instead?' She asked.

'I'm not sure yet,' I said. I didn't really feel like going into it. Besides, what was I to tell her? That I planned to go on adventures? That I was, in fact, already on one?

The conversation continued over diner, but I didn't talk much after that. Ema's aunt was nice; she just wasn't my type. She was kind of an idiot, honestly. The kind who spends a boatload on some Spanish dancer paintings, and thinks herself artsy.

***

After dinner, Ema's Aunt brought fruit and whip cream for dessert. It was heaven. Say what I might about the lady, I was awfully grateful for the food.

'Thank you again for dinner. It's so delicious, really.' I said, once the food had disappeared.

'Oh, it's nothing,' Ema's Aunt chimed. 'You guys get your things in order. I'll clean up.'

Chris, Matty and Ema filed out the dining room and up the stairs. I hung back to help carry dishes into the kitchen. Ema's Aunt insisted that I join the gang upstairs, but I just smiled and kept carrying dishes until she relented.

'Those dancing paintings are neat,' I said, as we gathered cutlery.

'Oh, thank you,' she said. 'I found them visiting California. They may be worth a lot one day.'

'Cool,' I said.

Silence prevailed until we finished clearing the dishes. Ema's Aunt began washing them in the kitchen. Again, she insisted I join the gang. Again, I smiled and kept helping until she relented.

'You know,' I said, drying a plate. 'You've really set up a beautiful home for yourself.'

'Thank you,' she said, coolly.

'Where were you at my age? In your life, I mean.' My gaze was fixed on the knife I was drying. But from the points of my eyes, I saw her smirking, like I had asked what two plus two makes.

'Oh I wouldn't be so nervous, if I were you.'

I wondered—was I noticeably nervous? I didn't feel noticeably nervous. I was a little nervous, sure. But was it radiating off me? If anything, I now felt nervous.

'At your age,' she continued, 'I didn't think too much about where I was. At your age, I just had fun, and did what I was told.'

'Did you go to university?' I asked.

'I did,' she said. 'For nursing.'

'You can get a house like this as a nurse?' I asked, not quite thinking whether the question was too personal.

'No, it takes two salaries. My husband is an accountant.'

'Oh,' I said, chewing on this new information. An accountant, eh? I wasn't sure what they even did. Manage people's money, I thought, and help with taxes.

'Do you know if he's hiring? I've always dreamed about learning some accounting.' I lied. The thought had never entered my mind.

'You need a lot of training before he could hire you,' she said. 'At university.'

'Oh,' I responded. 'He doesn't even need someone to get the mail or mop the floor or something?' I figured that once hired, I could work my way up.

'I can ask,' she said. 'But don't get your hopes up.'

'Please ask,' I said.

We didn't talk much until the job was done. Then, Ema's Aunt called everyone down to organize our stuff, and put it in her Jeep. Once the car was loaded with our things and ourselves, Ema's aunt drove us to Lennoxville, dropping us at a campsite.

'Be safe,' she told us. 'And remember, I'm just a phone call away.'