I try not to gag. “Mom, please. Can you not? You’re making Gracie blush!”
Gracie sinks down into her seat with slight embarrassment. “It’s fine, Janie.”
We stop at a red light, and Mom holds her hands up in protest. “Sorry, sorry! As a mom dropping you both at college for the first time, I’m legally obligated to say that. It’s in the Mom Code of Conduct. Take it up with the president’s mom if you don’t like it.”
“Yeah, you can stop with all that now. We’re well versed in ‘the talk,’ thanks to Mae.” I shudder, remembering Mae’s very literal approach to the birds and the bees. “I miss the person I was before I watched that video.”
Gracie nods in agreement. “Same. If a bee flies up to me, I just close my eyes and hope it stings me now. I can’t bear to look at its little bee face after what I’ve seen.”
“Enough with the bee sex, children,” Mom says in exasperation.
“You brought it up!” I shout.
“And I sincerely regret it!” she yells back.
Gracie snickers in her seat.
“Thank God Tessie’s with friends today,” I mutter.
Tessa, the family pre-teen, will always be five years old to me. I’ll miss her at college, but with Easton being only about ninety minutes away from our houses, we’ll see family often.
“Moving on. Sweetie, do you think you have everything you need?”
“I don’t think there was anything left in the whole store when we were done with it. I’m good, Janie. Thank you again for everything,” Gracie replies.
“My pleasure, kiddo. Daniel, you’re all set for practices? You have your gear?”
“They actually provide it now that I’m in college. I can’t wait to wear the uniform while I compete in a sold out stadium. It feels like forever since I’ve been in arealgame. I miss it.”
“Tessa’s already been telling everyone that her brother’s going to be on TV,” Janie laughs. “It’ll be a blast watching you. You two have your scholarship stuff figured out?”
We answer in unison. “Yep!”
I face Gracie and grin. “This is really going to be our year, huh?”
“I hope so. I’ve already connected with some other students in the pre-vet program and they seem amazing. I’m just excited for a fresh start.”
I grab her hand and lean closer so I can whisper in her ear. “And we’ll have more opportunities for alone time.”
She shivers. I honestly can’t get enough of her. Ever since we started having sex this summer, my protectiveness has increased tenfold.
Rolling down the window as we pull up to her dorm, I breathe in the fresh air and admire the campus. Lush green grass, trees for miles, and little squirrels scurrying around every corner.
“I think this is it!” I call, pointing at the building.
“Drackett Dormitory, kiddo?”
“That’s the one,” Gracie answers as Mom puts the car in park.
I hop out. “I’ll start unloading some of the heavier stuff on the curb to bring in. It’s going to take a while to get all these boxes out.”
“Sounds good!” Gracie holds up her phone. “I might give Mae a call—you want me to put it on speaker?”
I smile. “Always. Can’t wait to hear what wisdom she has for us today.”
Gracie dials her home phone, and it rings three times as we wait to hear Mae’s voice.
“Queen Bee?”
