Page 105 of June

“What’s right?” Enid asked.

“Nothing,” her mom said, shaking her head. “Just heard a sound I thought was from the TV this morning.”

Caroline looked at Enid then, and her eyes were about as wide as Enid had ever seen them. Enid swallowed hard.

“I heard that, too,” her dad added.

“Wedidhave the TV on this morning,” Caroline lied. “I fell asleep during the second movie we started watching, and I wanted to finish it.”

“Oh. What else did you watch?” Enid’s dad asked.

“Meet the Parents,” Caroline replied, lying.

Enid laughed wildly. Her parents didn’t get the joke.

???

“I’ve got to get my own place,” Enid said. “My parents heard us having sex this morning.”

“They really only heardyou.Iwas very quiet,” Caroline replied, swinging their joined hands back and forth between them.

“I’m going to ask them for a loan. I have to just suck up my pride and ask already. At least I have a part-time job now, and I’ll get another one, but I can’t handle another awkward breakfast like that.”

“It was a little awkward at first, but it was fine once your mom sat down, and we were all eating and getting to know each other. Actually, it got awkward again when your dad told me the story about how you fell pretty bad on your bike when you were nine, and you have a scar on the inside of–”

Enid laughed and said, “You had to pretend you hadn’tseenthat scar.”

“That I hadn’t specifically licked that scar about an hour prior to that conversation,” Caroline added, laughing.

“Let’s maybe avoid that for a while. How about you remeet my parents later, but we keep you from them for the time being?”

“I like them. They’re nice. They didn’t ask you a million questions about classes or your major or your future.”

“Well, I live with them, so they talk to me every day. They get updates over dinner usually, so they don’t have to ask.”

Then, Enid’s phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket with her free hand to check the screen. She didn’t recognize the number, so she decided to let it go to voicemail and put her phone away.

“I have to run. I’m meeting Viv and Jodie for a quick trip to the store for some ice and snacks,” Caroline said. “I’d invite you, but you have a group thing.”

“Don’t remind me…” Enid replied.

They stopped walking in the middle of the quad because Caroline had to go one way, and Enid had to meet her group in the library in the other direction.

“Hey, I had fun this morning,” Caroline said, pulling Enid into her.

“The sex or meeting my parents?” Enid joked.

Caroline laughed and replied, “I liked waking up to me holding you. Then, I liked the sex, and the shower, and the breakfast.” She smiled softly. “It was nice, seeing you with yourfamily. You look a little like both of them, and you get your business side from your dad, don’t you?”

“Mostly, yeah,” Enid said, wrapping her arms around Caroline’s waist.

“So, go and kick ass with this business. Tell your group that you’re the CEO. You’re in charge. Be the boss, babe, and whip them into shape.”

Enid smiled and asked, “You think that will work?”

“They’re in this crazy hard advanced program, too. It’s in their best interest to let you take control and get shit done.”

Enid nodded and asked, “Can I see you later?”

---