Page 10 of More Than Water
DEARE,
IHOPE THAT THEMIDWEST AND SCHOOL ARE TREATING YOU WELL.YOUR OLD MAN MISSES YOU DEARLY, ANDI’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ATTHANKSGIVING IN A FEW WEEKS.DON’T FORGET TO BOOK YOUR FLIGHT.LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY HELP WITH THE APPLICATIONS.WE ARE JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY.YOUR SISTER,BARBARA, AND HER HUSBAND SEND THEIR LOVE.SO DO YOUR MOTHER ANDI.TELLCHANDRA WE SAID HELLO.
LOVEALWAYS,
YOURFATHER
Sipping on a cup of coffee at the breakfast bar, I sift through the package that arrived from my family’s New York home yesterday. It’s filled with a stack of applications to four Ivy League universities even though I could have easily filled them out online. I’m sure the hard copies were my parents’ way of forcing my hand even more. Much of the basic information has already been filled in, including my name, address, previous schooling, and other data that qualify me as a human being. All that’s left for me to do is write the appropriate essays and request my transcripts to be sent to each place of higher learning.
I would consider not filling them out at all since I don’t see earning an MBA in my future, but the personal note from my father has me feeling a guilt-ridden sense of duty, especially since he was the one who had backed my case to attend the school I’m at now for my undergraduate degree. It doesn’t help that Barbara, my older and only sister, set such a perfect daughter example—graduating at the top of her class, being accepted to Columbia, and receiving an MBA from Yale. She went to work for my father right after graduation and recently married a fellow employee, a rising star, over the summer.
She’s a show-off and an overachiever, which makes trailblazing my own path even more difficult. If only she had screwed up one thing in her life, my life would be simpler.
Pulling out the first application, I read the requirements for the graduate program and make notes on a small notepad. Deadlines are approaching fast, and I don’t want to miss them because I’d never hear the end of it. My mother would nag the hell out of me for every remaining second of my life. Being responsible—or at least at a level that is acceptable by my parents—is my only saving grace right now. All my life, my mother has expressed the importance of outer presences, so I do my best to appear to be the fine young lady my parents desire. I play their game right back at them. The distance helps, too.
“Morning,” Chandra says, her dark ponytail swinging behind her, as she enters the chilly kitchen. She zips up her hoodie and goes straight for the French press, pouring herself a cup of coffee.
“Hey, there.” I smile briefly. “Morning.”
“Whatcha doing?”
“Looking at applications.” I pile them back together and shove the papers into the large envelope.
“For?”
“Grad school. My father sent them.”
“Ah,” she says, understanding. She takes a long sip of savory caffeine before moaning heavily.
“That good?”
“So good. Like liquid pleasure.”
I tighten my lips. “I think I’ll leave that one alone. You enjoy yourliquid pleasure.”
“I sure will.” She leans a hip against the counter. “So, what’s on tap for you today—besides the evil applications?”
“It’s Wednesday.” I wrap my recently touched up platinum locks into a makeshift bun. “Photography at ten, and then I plan on spending much of the afternoon in the studio until I meet with my advisor at four to chat about my senior project.”
“How’s your project coming along so far?”
“It’s pretty easy really. It’s just a lot of writing and citing my work. Right now, I’m ahead of schedule for turning it in.” I rise from my seat and place my empty cereal bowl in the sink. “How about you? Any big plans?”
“Today is an all-day studio day, and tonight”—she smiles—“Jeremy is taking me out to see a play and then to dinner.”
“Oh, sounds fancy.”
“It should be,” Jeremy says as he enters our small kitchen, surprising me. “Everyone has been raving about the restaurant and the show.”
Chandra and Jeremy have been dating for a few weeks. She’s been extremely optimistic about the world in general since spending more time with him. If I’m being honest, it’s kind of obnoxious. I’m completely happy for her, and I want her to be happy as well.But what is it about women and new relationships?We all turn into delirious little girls who blow bubbles and skip from place to place.
“Morning, EJ,” Jeremy continues as he sidles up to Chandra and slips a hand onto her lower back. He places his lips near my roommate’s ear. “I’ve got to get going. I’ll call you later.”
“Looking forward to it,” she remarks.
I might have just thrown up in my mouth a little from all the sweetness in the air.
Jeremy kisses her on the cheek, and then he leaves out the door. I load my dish into the dishwasher and then lazily sip the rest of my coffee while Chandra prepares her own breakfast.