˚Chapter 7˚
{Month Four}
"The glossary in your writer's reference books includes commonly confused words, such as 'accept' and 'except', words commonly misused, such as 'aggravate', and words that are nonstandard, such as 'hisself'. It also lists colloquialisms and jargon. Colloquialisms are expressions that may be appropriate in informal speech but are inappropriate in formal writing. Jargon is needlessly technical or pretentious language that is inappropriate in most contexts. If an item is not listed in this lesson, consult the index of your book."
I kept up well with my professor as I copied down what he was saying almost word for word. He listed words that people often debated using in writing on his powerpoint and I copied that down also.
I was currently sitting in my Advanced English college class before I was due to work an eight hour shift at Houston's and then apartment hunting afterward. I had to get moving out soon if I ever wanted there to be enough room for my two babies and I to even live. It would probably have to be a one room apartment, but that didn't matter. It was what I would be able to afford and it would suffice for awhile.
"Now, onto the debate of 'a' versus 'an'," Professor Adams continued. "We use 'an' before a vowel sound, 'a' before a consonant sound: 'an apple', 'a peach'. Problems sometimes arise with words beginning with 'h'. If the 'h' is silent, the word begins with a vowel sound, so use 'an'; 'an hour', 'and heir'; 'an honest senator'; 'an honorable deed'. If the 'h' is pronounced, the word begins with a consonant sound, so use 'a': 'a hospital'; 'a hymn'; 'a historian'; 'a hotel'. When an abbreviation or acronym begins with a vowel sound, use 'an': 'an EKG'; 'an MRI'; 'an AIDS patient'.
"We've already discussed the difference between 'affect' and 'effect'. Can you tell me what the difference is, Miss Holmes?"
My eyes snapped to my teacher and I was surprised for a moment. I must have been off in la-la land if he had called on me, intentionally. Fortunately, I had heard the question and I knew the answer.
"'Affect' is a verb that means to influence something. 'Effect' is a noun that means a result of something. Like, 'the drug did not affect the disease, and it had adverse side effects.'"
He smiled at me. "Very good, thank you."
I smiled back and dropped my head back down to my notes.
As he went over review of things we discussed the week prior, I doodled on the edge of my notebook paper. The holes punched in the margins transformed into black holes and the lines served as the different levels of the earth as I drew in a girl falling. I drew vines and ropes that came off the edge of the paper, but they were just out of reach of her. When I finally got to the bottom, I drew her safely on the ground but with no where to go. I shaded in the bottom few lines as well as I could with the pen I had so it was dark. She didn't have anyone.
I tuned back into the lesson just as Professor Adams began our last word differences. I had been spaced out for longer than I had thought since there was now only five minutes left of class.
"For the last one, we are evaluating 'farther' versus 'further'," he started to conclude. "'Farther' usually describes differences, as in, 'Chicago is farther from Miami than I thought.' 'Further' usually suggests quantity or degree, as in, 'you extended the curfew further than you should have.'
"Alright, that's all for today, ladies and gentleman. I'll see you all next Tuesday at eight a.m. Have a nice weekend," he said.
The sound of rustling paper, zippers being pulled and notebooks being flipped closed filled the previously silent room. I was usually the last one out since I hated getting stuck in crowds anyway and the extra mass of my body these days didn't really permit the close proximity to other people. I took a little extra time to get my stuff together than everyone else. It helped that my shift at the grocery store didn't start until one this afternoon; I had a little over two hours to spare and my next class wasn't until ten that night. I kind of liked attending a community college for my first year.
Everyone had already vacated the room by the time I had my bag over my shoulder and my earbuds in. I was making my way through the tables to the door when my professor waved me down. I raised my eyebrows and took one bud out of my ear.
"Yes?" I wondered, walking closer to his desk, where he was leaning.
"Mind if I have a short word with you, Miss Holmes?" he asked politely.
"Yeah, sure," I nodded. I put my iPod on pause and took a seat in the chair as he sat on the tabletop. He smiled down at me.
"I was just wondering why you didn't attend a university," he started. "You're definitely bright enough to have, and your grades from high school and these past few months have proved that. You're very far advanced from all my other students. Why aren't you somewhere like U Dub or USC?"
I chuckled darkly. "Thank you for the praise, Professor Adams, but my current situation doesn't exactly allow the luxury of a university," I told him. "I'll probably be going next year, but it just wouldn't have been possible this year."
"Well, were you accepted anywhere, or did you not even apply?" he asked perplexed. It was like he didn't even realize that I was pregnant, even though I know he was told.
"Oh no, I applied, and I was accepted in the spring, and I thought I was going to attend, but fate had other plans," I said, stroking my stomach. "There's always next year, or even the semester after next."
"Do you wish you could've gone to a university?" he questioned, his eyebrows raised.
"Of course I do, but there was a change of plans, and I just dealt with it," I explained. "I don't regret getting pregnant, in fact, it's a blessing. Yeah, it would've been easier and more ideal if it hadn't happened, but it did and I don't mind. It's not the most ideal way to start my life as an adult, but I wouldn't have it any other way, even if I could've gotten into my dream college."
He smiled at me once more.
"You're a very strong young woman, Miss Holmes," he told me. "If there's any freshman in my classes that I believe can handle college and a child, it's you. You're intelligent, strong, willful, independent and hard-headed. I think you'll have no problem in the real world or getting into a university next year. May I ask where it was you were accepted to?"
I gave him a slight, thankful smile. "Thank you, Professor. And I was accepted to U Dub, Stanford, Yale, USC, UCLA, U of A, Princeton and Cambridge."
His eyes were wide. "You were offered some of the highest ranking schools in the world and you didn't accept, regardless of your situation?" He sounded truly astounded.
I shook my head and shrugged. "No, but I wrote them all and told them of why I couldn't attend and they extended their offer to next year."
"Any full rides?"
I nodded. "Yeah, Cambridge, U Dub and USC. The rest were only partials."
"Well, good luck, Miss Holmes," he said, putting his hand on my shoulder briefly with good wishes. "I'll see you in class Tuesday morning, yes?"
"Yeah, see you then, Professor Adams."
I grabbed my stuff and left, thinking of what could've been if I had just accepted any of those offers.
~EINH~
"You have a house, O'Reilly," Johnny joked as he walked into the break room where I was half-asleep. He walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out his daily dose of Dr. Pepper. He popped the tab with a hiss as I yawned.
"Yeah, but it's too far away to drive over there, take a nap, get ready and drive back," I explained, sitting up and stretching. "It's easier to just come here, get dressed in the bathroom and take a nap."
He shrugged. "I guess, you weirdo," he mumbled. He took a sip as I yawned again.
"Well, it's almost time for my shift, so it doesn't really matter anymore," I shrugged, sticking my tongue out at him.
I stood from my spot at the table and stretched, making those weird baby dinosaur noises. Johnny chuckled at me, and I shot him a glare.
"Don't act like you don't make those noises when you wake up," I warned him.
"I know I do, but yours are amusing," he chuckled.
"Whatever," I mumbled. "What check stand did you just get off of?" I asked as I threw the apron over my head. I walked over to Johnny so he could tie it in the back.
"Five," he answered as he finished tightening the bow.
"Alrighty, see you later," I called as I left the break room. He just raised his hand in a wave goodbye.
I headed out to the front of the store where register five's light was one of the many turned out. The lines for the four registers open were long, so I decided I'd come at the right time. I grabbed the last people in line at each of the registers and pulled them to mine. Most of them I knew by name, but there was one that wasn't familiar.
"How are you doing O'Reilly?" Mrs. Green, my kindergarten teacher asked as I just started scanning her items. I called for someone to bag the groceries before turning back to answer her.
"I'm doing well, Mrs. Green, and yourself?" I wondered politely with a smile. Yes, it was a requirement to be polite to all the customers, but I truly enjoyed talking to most of them. Out of towners were the worst, though.
"Good," she answered with a smile. "How are the babies doing?"
"Very well," I answered with a pat to my swollen stomach. I scanned her last item and read off the total to her. She handed me her credit card and took her receipt quickly.
"Have a nice day," I called as she was just about to take off with her cart. She called back a quick reciprocation as the next person pulled their cart forward. I didn't have to look up to know who it was. The stunning, plain tungsten wedding band on his left ring finger gave it away.
"Fancy meeting you here, Professor Adams," I joked as I scanned his bottled coffee and doughnut from our bakery.
He chuckled slightly as he handed me a five dollar bill. "Yes, small town, isn't it, Miss Holmes?"
"Too small," I answered on a sigh. I was so ready to get out of here.
He laughed more heartily this time. "I'll see you on Tuesday. Have a nice day."
"You too, Professor."
I talked briefly with the next person in line, Dr. Grey, Brooks' only dentist, besides her husband who was an orthodontist and had treated my braces back in the seventh and eight grade. We had a short conversation about her husband and how he was doing. She asked me if I was still wearing my retainers at night and I answered in the affirmative. I had to wear them at night for the rest of this year and then I didn't need them at all, thank goodness.
We said our goodbyes just as the next person pulled up to the stand. Looking up, I realized he had brought over two carts full of groceries. I groaned internally, knowing this would take me a good twenty minutes, while I smiled outwardly.
Looking up at the gentleman, I realized why he wasn't familiar. I had never seen him before in my life, and he didn't look like he was even from somewhere else in the state.
His hair was pitch black and it swooped over his forehead, reminding me a lot of Justin Bieber before he cut it all off. His eyes were striking blue and his dark eyelashes framed his almond shaped eyes. What really tipped me off was the sun kissed skin of his face and neck. He would've been pale if he grew up almost anywhere in Georgia.
"You seem to know everyone around here," he commented, starting our conversation.
"This is Brooks," I answered with a smirk. "Everybody knows everyone. We even know the people from towns surrounding us. But, I don't know you."
"Well, let me change that," he answered with a smile. He stuck his hand out for me to shake. "I'm Jeremy."
"O'Reilly," I returned and then quickly took my hand away to make a dent in the stuff on the conveyor belt. People were smart enough not to get into line behind this guy.
"This is a lot of groceries," I said, glancing at the daunting task that I still had to endure. I had barely scanned six items already.
"Yeah, we just moved here and we need the necessities," he said.
"I figured," I shrugged. "Where are you from?"
"California," he answered nonchalantly. "Malibu," he added after seeing the questioning look on my face.
"You lived in Malibu--the home of the stars and prestigious--and you moved to Brooks, Georgia--a town with the population of close to seven-hundred?" I asked skeptically. "What gives?"
"We wanted to get away," he shrugged. "And we have family out here."
"Who's that?" I asked, knowing I'd know them.
"Randall Heath and Amy Nolan. They're my mom's brother and sister."
"Dr. Heath was my pediatrician and Mrs. Nolan was my fifth grade teacher," I smirked. "And I used to babysit Dr. Heath's girls when I was younger."
"You do know everyone, don't you?" he asked with pleasant surprise.
I chuckled. "Yeah, pretty much. I guess it's to come with the infamy my friend and I have come to acquire."
"Oh," he said, looking slightly interested, "how so?"
I shrugged. "We were kind of the trouble-makers of the town. We weren't criminals, by any means, but we liked to get into a little mischeif every once in a while. We aren't what this town would consider 'normal'."
"You guys grew up together?" he wondered, his eyes slightly amused.
"Yeah, since we were four. We were joined at the hip until he enlisted in the military right before graduation," I said, my eyes focused on the items I was scanning.
"Oh, it's a guy," Jeremy said, just realizing I wasn't talking about a girl.
"I never got along very well with the female population," I said, looking up at him and smirking.
"Except for me," Kai said, walking up behind me and over to the bagging station at the end of my register. "And Andie."
I laughed. "Yeah, because you guys acted more like one of the guys than I did."
"This is true," she said, nodding. "Although, after high school, Andie turned a little girly on us with all the clothes and makeup." She held the converation as I tossed items at her as I scanned them.
"But she still swears like a trucker and acts anything but ladylike," I chuckled.
"Don't we all?" Kai said, throwing a wink my way. "Who is this, Riles?" She jerked her head in Jeremey's direction before looking down at what her hands were doing.
"This is Jeremy, Jeremy, this is Kai," I said, continuing my job of scanning. "He just moved here from Malibu," I teased in my best valley girl accent.
"How posh," she said, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.
"Just had to bring out the British-isms, didn't you?" I asked her, laughing lightly.
"But of course, love," she joked, placing her hand on her heart and making her accent more proper.
"Kai is from England, but her family moved here when she was eight," I told Jeremy, who was watching our transaction with mirth in his eyes.
"Nice to meet you," he told her. She nodded her head in reciprocation.
"So, O'Reilly, do you have a bofriend?" Jeremy asked, leaning his elbows in the little table area next to the credit card scanner.
At his question, Kai barked out a very unattractive laugh, and I froze my movements for a second before carrying on with the task at hand. As I was about to answer him, Kai cut in.
"Are you seriously hitting on her already?" she asked, still laughing. "I'm not sure if you're really ballsy or just plain stupid, but she's pregnant." She even proved it to him by reaching over and patting my belly gently. The action caused the material of my apron to flatten out and reveal the bulge of my stomach. I guess it just wasn't that noticable under the bulky material. "Besides, the father would kick your ass if he found out and if he were here to do so. But, I would do it on is behalf in a heartbeat." If Kai was anything, it was protective.
Jeremy's eyes widened in an 'Oh shit' face before he mumbled an apology, and his face began to turn bright red. It was actually quite comical, but for his sake I stopped myself from laughing and finished ringing up his purchase. I told him his total as Kai continued laughing and bagging his things. He handed me cash, and I quickly gave him back his change and gave a polite goodbye as he carted off all of his stuff.
As soon as he was out the door, I broke out into laughter, thankful that there was no one else in my line at the moment. Kai's laughter joined mine, louder than before, and we doubled over simultaneously.
"Oh goodness, I love you," I told her as I wiped tears from my eyes.
"Oh, darling, I love you, too."