Family Ties

“It looks almost real.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah. Thanks. I’m pretty proud of it. I think it’s the best one I’ve ever done. The roof is the best part. Thanks for all your help.”

“You’re welcome. I have something else for you, if you want.”

“Well, you remember I said you needed art for your museum?”

“I made something anyway.” She held out the box. “It isn’t much, but…”

I lifted the box’s lid and scanned the contents. It took me a moment to realize what I was looking at. Folds of red silk cushioned six small white objects, each a bit larger than my thumb.

the silly box. I hope you like the statues.”

“Trip helped me get the scale right to match your model,” she said. “I tried to do it myself but you know me and math.”

She flushed. “Thank you.”

“How did you know so many of my favorites?”

“Thank you. But… if you don’t mind me asking, why do you like that one Rodin statue so much, the one of the old guy?”

She furrowed her brow at my amusement.

“Because that’s a man who doesn’t give a crap what critics think.”

“Okay,” she said as she thought about it, “I can see that.”

“No, it’s beautiful.”

“There’s beauty in everything, I guess,” I said soberly. “Even being insecure and using a statue as a role model.”

“What?” I said, suddenly self-conscious.

She smiled and shook her head and didn’t try to explain. “Do you want to use the statues?” she asked instead, her tone deliberately lighter.

“Of course. Care to help?”

“They’re perfect,” I said. “I can’t believe you added so much detail. I mean, they’re totally recognizable.”

“Thanks. I don’t want to tell you how long I spent getting them right. It’s really hard working that small.”

“I’ll bet! But they’re incredible.”

“They aren’t much, but I’m glad you like them.”

“They’re just like you: small and wonderful.” I put my arm around her.

She rolled her eyes but hugged me around the middle.

“I’m sorry we haven’t had much time together,” I said after a while.

“It’s okay. Everyone’s so busy.”

“Yeah. Only going to get worse until exams are over.”

“Maybe then we can go on a real date.”

“I like hearing it.”

I glanced at the easy chair and was thinking about an impromptu make-out session when the phone rang. I looked at my watch.

“Who’d be calling this late?”

Wren answered it and then shouted from below, “Paul, phone!”

“Paul, phone,” Christy echoed with a grin.

We went downstairs to find Wren in my room at the computer. She held

out the flowery telephone handset.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“How should I know?” she snapped. “Sorry,” she said immediately. “This dumb computer lost my other paper.”

“It didn’t lose it,” Christy said patiently. “You have to put in the right disk.” She glanced at me. “Why don’t you use the phone in my room.”

I grinned and imagined her mother saying the same thing.

“I got it,” I called when I picked up the extension in her room. I heard a click as Wren hung up. “Hello?”

“Hey,” Sara said. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“It’s the last week of the quarter,” I said. “Projects and papers due. A mountain of work. Exams coming up.”

“Oh. Right. Want me to let you go?”

“Nah, screw that stuff. I’d rather talk to you.” I moved clothes from Christy’s bed, including a wine-colored bra and panty set. They were lacy and revealing, and I imagined her wearing them. I chuckled to myself and set them on top of the other clothes, where she’d know I’d seen them.

“How was your Thanksgiving?” Sara asked as I sat down.

I searched for the right word. “Eventful. Some good, some bad, some…

exciting. It’s a really long story, though. Tell me about yours first. How’d it go with the gallery owner?”

“Eventful,” she mimicked.

“Good? Bad? Exciting?”

“All three, I think.”

“Start with the bad. Then the good. End on a positive note with the exciting stuff.”

“I’m glad I called you,” she said with a long-distance smile. “Not just tonight, but back when Jamie first gave me your number.”

“I’m glad you did too.”

“I really mean it. You make me think everything’s going to be all right in my sometimes-crappy life.”

“Everyone’s life is crappy sometimes. Just find what makes you happy and forget all the other stuff. So… what’s the bad? Let’s get that out of the way.”

“Well, the bad isn’t really all that bad. Just… the same.”

“Yeah. She spent Thanksgiving with her guy.”

“Did they visit his family?”

“Oh, God no! He won’t do that while she’s still working at the club.”

“Wonderful,” I said. “Love the double standard.”

“And she’s still pulling away from you?”

“Yeah,” she said with a sigh. “She hasn’t been home since last week.