The Space Between

by Thompson, Nikki Mathis

  This was going to be fun.

  ~Chapter Thirteen~

  She would never get to flirt with that guy in the row in front of her because after an hour of philosophy, she was ready to try something else. She snuck out and hit a few more classrooms. One was Ancient Civilizations, and the next was Anthropology. Both were interesting, but Georgia started to get antsy. What if she only had a short time left? Deciding she had enough of academia for the day, she hit the quad once again.

  She attended some lectures and kissed her old boyfriend. What else was part of the college experience?

  Party.

  She decided to head back to her dorm room and get a game plan together.

  “G!…Yo, G-Monaaay!” Georgia turned to find a curvy redhead, breathless, but smiling. A girl whose pale hands were gripping the straps of her bag like it was keeping on her feet. Georgia’d heard someone yelling behind her but wasn’t aware she was the G Money in question until she felt a tug on the strap on her backpack.

  “Hey girl, what the hell? I had to actually jog to catch up with you. You know how I hate to move faster than an amble. Why aren’t you in class?”

  “I’m skipping,” Georgia said, not knowing who this girl was who obviously knew her.

  “What? That’s awesome. If anyone deserves a break it’s you.”

  Georgia couldn’t help but smile, she liked this person, whoever she was.

  “You heading back to our room?” the girl asked, falling into step with Georgia’s long stride.

  Ah, roommate.

  “Yes. You?”

  “Yup, I’m going to take a nap.”

  “A nap? It’s eleven in the morning.”

  “Uh, yeah, but I’ve been up since midnight. You know I had the graveyard shift at the hospital last night.”

  “Oh, right. Sorry. I fell getting out of bed this morning and I’m a bit off.”

  “What?” Her roommate halted and pulled Georgia to a stop as well. “Let me see.” She saw the mark on Georgia’s face and and hissed through her closed teeth. She pressed her fingers into the tissue and felt along her cheekbone. Seeming satisfied with her examination she hinged up onto her toes and looked into Georgia’s eyes, scrunching her brow in concentration. She was so close that Georgia could really appreciate her roommates porcelain skin. Not a blemish or freckle in sight.

  “You finished?” Georgia asked with a chuckle.

  “Mmmhmm. Appears to be a surface contusion, no bone bruising. Your pupils look normal. Any dizziness or nausea?”

  “No, Doctor.”

  “Not yet, my friend, not yet…You don’t show any sign of concussion, but keep an eye out for any symptoms.” She stepped back, then threaded her sweater covered arm through Georgia’s. “May I escort you to our rooms, milady?”

  Georgia smiled. Yes, she definitely liked her. She must be a manifestation of Lucy. Every girl needed a bestie.

  Later, as her roommate slept, Georgia snooped into her wallet. Not looking for loose change or anything.

  “A-ha, Cassie Blay, born June, 2nd 1982. Height 5’5”…yeah, right. Hmmm, from California.” She’d never known anyone from California. Never known anyone who wasn’t from Texas when she thought about it. Well, besides Gwen. She wasn’t sure where she was from, but it wasn’t here. Lucy’s dad was another, he had emigrated from Mexico. He loved to tell that story and would tell it often. “When I came to this country,” and so on.

  Eighteen year old Guillermo Martinez snuck into the country. For seven days he hid under twenty pound bags of feed, without food or water. When he finally made it over the border, night had fallen. The truck came to a stop and he rolled out onto the hard gravel. He drank out of a puddle on the ground by the back tire. He’d ended up working the cotton fields outside of their small town. He learned English and worked his way up to managing a team of immigrant workers such as himself. Every day after work he would sit in a corner booth at the Broken Spoke Diner, dusty cowboy hat beside him, a head full of black damp curls and the longest lashes in town. Every day he would smile at the pretty blonde waitress who waited on him. They fell in love and married. Lucy came the following year. The young couple met with some prejudice, but they didn’t let it bother them. Soon people just accepted it as the way things were going to be, and Guillermo, who everyone called Bill, became a citizen and a big part of the community. Lucy was proud of her dad. Once she kicked a guy in the balls so hard he passed out. That was the last time anyone called her daddy a wetback.

  Georgia smiled at the memory and stuffed the wallet back into her roommates purse. Now that she knew her roommate’s name she felt better about asking her to go get plastered.

  After Cassie woke up from her nap, Georgia asked her if she wanted to grab a drink. Cassie said, “Is a cowboy bowlegged?” Georgia frowned.

  “What? You’ve never heard that expression before?”

  “Oh, I have. It just reminded me of someone, is all,” Georgia answered, smiling once more.

  She liked that Cassie would be open to drinking in the middle of the afternoon, on a Monday. Spontaneity was a trait she envied in others, but she could never quite bring herself to embrace.

  “Not that I’m complaining, but did you fail a test or something? You never want to party…Oh wait. Boy trouble.”

  “No to both.” She wasn’t sure about the test thing but that didn’t matter. “I just feel like enjoying my youth while I’m young, ya know?”

  “Totally. When we’re in med school we won’t have any time for a life, so let’s live, girl.”

  “You don’t have class?” Georgia asked.

  “None that I can’t blow off. Besides, this moment may be a once in a lifetime event, so I’m going to take advantage.”

  Her roommate turned on some upbeat music and they started the whole going out ritual. Cassie came out of the bathroom thirty minutes later wearing a casual black dress with a red toothbrush hanging from her mouth.

  “You wearing that?” Cassie mumbled.

  Georgia looked down at her t-shirt and jeans. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

  “Nothing, if you’re a fourteen year old boy. Don’t you own a dress, or something a comic book store employee wouldn’t wear?”

  Georgia laughed. “I’m not sure, I’ll have to rummage a bit. I don’t think I have many clean clothes.”

  “You should really use the washer more than once a semester…I’d let you borrow one of my dresses, but it would barely cover one of your ass cheeks.”

  “Yeah, maybe I could wear one of your skirts as a tube top.”

  Cassie laughed and went into her side of the large built-in closet and started to push hangers to the side. “No. No. No. Hell, no. A-ha. Here, wear this,” she said, holding up a heather gray something. “It’s a sweater dress on me, so it should be perfect for you. Throw on a pair of leggings and you’ll be good to go.”

  “Thanks.” What were the chances she had leggings? She sifted through her drawers and even looked in her overflowing dirty clothes hamper.

  “No leggings, but these skinny jeans will work.”

  Cassie nodded. “Yes, and the sweater should be long enough to cover that tomato sauce stain.”

  “What? Oh, good lord,” she groaned, scraping the sauce off with her nail. She’d like to think she would have had plenty of clean clothes in real life and she would make damn sure that her girls learned how to do laundry before they left for college.

  “Do you want to grab something to eat first?” Cassie asked, as they walked towards the backside of campus.

  “Sure, but it has to be full of fat and carbs.”

  “Who do you think you’re talking to? Of course it will be fattening and carb-tastic. You think I got these sweet curves eating salad?”

  Georgia laughed. “You do have some pretty sweet curves, girl. I wish I had an ass.”

  “If I could slice half of mine off and give it to you, I would. Lord knows I’ve got enough to go around,” Cassie said, slapping her left
butt cheek.

  “It’s better than these stick legs of mine. I look like I’m walking on Twizzlers.”

  “Whatever, you have amazing legs. And they’re not sticks, they’re slender.”

  They continued to boost each other’s self image as they walked.

  The great thing about campus was that it was in the center of everything. Just beyond the end of campus was a street filled with restaurants and pubs. Georgia remembered being awed by the sheer number of choices when she’d come for a visit. She made her parents eat at an Asian Fusion place, and watching her parents read the menu was hilarious.

  “Georgia Beth, what is this? I can’t read a damn word. You think they’d give us a menu in English, it being America and all. How in-the hell am I supposed to know what I’m orderin’ if it’s in a foreign language?”

  “Daddy, calm down. There’s a description of each dish in English. See, right there.”

  “Oh, okay. Still don’t know why we didn’t just go next door. Supposed to have the best brisket in the state, and I’m over here decipherin’ Pad this and Spring roll that. What in the hell is Bok Choy?”

  Georgia laughed behind her hand. “Dad, you eat Bar-B-Que all the time…and Bok Choy is a vegetable.”

  “Yes, Vernon, expanding your horizons builds character,” her mom added, in her version of a refined tone. Georgia eyebrows rose, surprised her mom was on board.

  “That’s great Momma. What are you having?”

  “I’m havin’ soup, it has something called wontons in it.” She wiggled her fingers, sounding very proud.

  Georgia sniffed and shook her head. She supposed wonton soup was about as exotic as Bette Abernathy was going to get. Her dad, despite his grumbling, let Georgia pick something for him.

  “You sure, Daddy? It may have strange things you’ve never heard of on the plate,” she teased.

  “You’re about to be a college girl ain’t ya? If I’m to attend fancy doctor soirées and such, I might as well start now…just make sure it has steak, darlin’.”

  They ordered and her dad raised his glass of iced tea. “To Georgia, I couldn’t be prouder.” Her eyes filled with tears, her dad’s weren’t much dryer despite his attempt hold them back.

  Even her mom was misty-eyed as she grabbed Georgia’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “We love you, baby girl.”

  Cassie proved to be a fantastic drinking companion. She was what you’d call a happy drunk—getting funnier with each drink instead of more obnoxious She flirted with guys, sang along with the live band. Georgia was surprised to find that she too, was a happy drunk. The flirting was strange since her mind was thirty, but her body, and everyone around her, was in their late teens or early twenties.

  “Hey, I’m Trey.”

  “Hey, Trey.” It sounded like haaay traaay, her accent getting thicker with every drink.

  “That’s about the cutest accent I’ve ever heard. New Jersey?” he teased.

  “Yes, New Jersey, via a tiny ass town up in West Texas.”

  “Oh, okay. I knew your accent sounded exotic.” He grinned. “You come here a lot?”

  “Well, it wasn’t do you come here often, but pretty damn close.”

  “I didn’t mean to say that. Did I just get moved over to the cheese dick category?”

  “Not even close, you’re way too funny for that.”

  “Oh, great, I’m the funny guy. That’s not ‘he has a good personality,’ but pretty damn close.”

  She laughed. “See? Funny, and you know you’re cute.” Cute, hot…whatever. He was pretty damn hot, tall and thin, but not too thin. He had a tight t-shirt on and a thick leather band around his wrist. A tattoo peeked out of his collar. He looked like he should be behind a microphone.

  “Let me try this again. Hi, I’m Trey. I’m glad you chose this establishment this evening. I hope you come more than once.”

  She raise her eyebrow. “Hell, I’m happy with one, but I’m game.”

  It took him a minute, then he laughed.

  “Okay, obviously I suck at this. How about you just tell me your name.”

  “Regina…Regina Phalange.” She held her hand out.

  “Well, Regina, it’s nice to meet you.”

  Georgia was doing a great job of keeping a straight face, but she knew she’d crack at any moment. Lucky for her, he offered to buy her another drink. It was the perfect distraction. Two rounds later, an equally good looking guy called out to Trey.

  “Hey, you gonna stick around?”

  “I think so.”

  “Good, I’ll catch up with you after my set.”

  Set? She nodded, and he walked a few steps backwards, still holding her gaze. He turned and hopped on stage. Georgia turned towards the bar, grinning like a groupie. Getting hit on by a hot guy in a band. Awesome.

  She couldn’t remember ever acting like this when she was this age, but she was raising a kid when everyone one else was enjoying their youth. She had to grow up fast. Even in high school she was always more serious than the others. But, tonight, she was going to embrace immaturity and have fun, and she was fun. She could dance, too. Why did she not know that about herself? She added that to her mental list of things to do more often, dance.

  Trey and his band, who called themselves Quantum Leap, were really good. Trey found her in the crowd a few times and it made her feel warm and tingly inside. What girl didn’t have the rock star fantasy? They weren’t exactly rock stars, but close enough. Girls were lined up around them, mentally throwing their bras onto the stage.

  The attention from the cute singer was nice, but she had a first love to contend with before she woke up. It sure made for confidence points, though.

  “You want another round?” Cassie yelled over the music. Georgia downed what was left in her glass, then nodded. Cassie knew the bartender, so she had the hook up, which was good, because Georgia wasn’t sure she had any money. Could she just will it into her pocket? She didn’t know how this dream stuff worked. She tried to imagine a fifty appearing in her jeans…but, no luck.

  ~Chapter Fourteen~

  Georgia looked at the ice melting in her glass and reveled in the fact that she could actually feel her buzz. Did she want to waste her one night in college, well, getting wasted? No. Did she want to spend it with Brady? Maybe, if he wasn’t going to act like a lame wanker. Trey had come to talk to her during his break, and she told him she had a boyfriend. She left out the part that she had a husband up in West Texas, he just didn’t know it.

  She fumbled with her phone and scrolled through her contacts. Passing over Brady, she saw Lucy’s name. The name that was noticeably absent, however, was Nate, and that thought made her chest clench. Tomorrow, when she woke up, she’d get to talk to Nate for real. Lucy, too.

  Drunk dialing Brady sounded like a stupid, yet possibly perfect, way to end her dream. The point was to experience what she thought she’d missed out on, or so she gathered. Brady was one of those things.

  It’s not that she wished they were still together. In the beginning, her heart was broken when she lost him. She’d been having some steamy dreams about him lately and she wasn’t sure why. It confused her, made her doubt her marriage. That was not okay with her. Georgia felt as though she’d let him go, but why the dreams? It must have to do with closure. Putting the past to rest so she could focus on the future with no regrets and no second guessing.

  She grabbed her phone and pushed away from the worn wooden table. She wobbled for split second, then made her way to the restrooms.

  She locked herself into the stall and put the phone to her ear. It rang twice.

  “Hey G, I’m still studying,” Brady said.

  “Oh, you are? I reeaaaly wanted to hang out tonight.”

  “You sound weird…have you been drinking?”

  “Maaaaybe.” She teetered off the toilet a bit. She shot one hand out towards the wall to regain balance. Luckily it was the hand without the phone in it, but it could have gone either way. The alcohol was st
arting to hit.

  “Georgia, it’s a Monday night.”

  Why the hell did that matter?

  “So, it’s college. When’s the last time you let loose?”

  “I let loose. Just last month I got pretty tipsy at the date party.”

  Oooh, last month. This guy was wild.

  “Isn’t it like in the frat manual to drink copious amounts of alcohol, and have one night stands?”

  “How drunk are you?”

  “Define drunk. By drunk do you mean losing the ability to drive? Then, yes…By drunk do you mean having trouble saying words with ‘th’? Yes.” Someone pounded on the stall door, yelling to hurry up. “Hey! I’m having an important convo with my old boyfriend. Pee in the sink!…Where was I? Oh, right, wanna take advantage of your inebriated girlfriend?” Inebriated came out a bit slurry. Apparently she was having trouble with ‘br’ too.

  “Only you would use big words even while wasted…And old boyfriend? Is there something I should know?”

  “Uh…oh, you know, you are six months older than me, Grandpa.” She rolled her eyes at herself.

  “Do you need a ride home? I can study later.”

  “Yes! That would be splendiferous.” She told him where she was and hung up.

  Georgia toddled over to the sink and washed her hands. Her eye makeup was taking on an Alice Cooper vibe, so she fixed that and fluffed her hair. Maybe she could score a mint on the way out. She headed to the front of the bar, which was packed. She wasn’t the only one drinking on a Monday night, Brady.

  Cassie crashed into her. “Hey, where did you go? I’ve been looking for you all over the place.”

  “Restroom. Hey, I think I’m gonna cruise, if that’s okay. Brady’s picking me up.”