“I’m eating supper here while I get ready to go to class. It doesn’t make sense to drive all the way home just to turn around and come back to the city.”
After a pause, her mom said, “So, you don’t even see Mike and the kids then?”
“I see them when I get home.” Not that they spoke to each other.
“I’m worried about you, Jess. I’ve been thinking about what you’re doing and, to be honest, it reminds me of your dad.”
Instant fury. Instant. “How can you say that? What I’m doing and whathedid are nothing alike. He abandoned his family. I’m trying to give us all a better life.”
“That’s not what I meant. Will you please just listen for a second?”
“No, Mom. I won’t. I’m busy, but it’s only temporary. My family is doing fine. I’m fine. The course ends the third week of January, then it’ll get easier.” That wasn’t exactly true for several reasons: she was horribly lonely, she was beyond exhausted, and as soon as she took the test, she’d be busy preparing her law school applications.
Her mom sighed again. “I don’t know about that. If you get in, you’ll be in law school, and I’ve never heard anyone say that was a real breeze.”
“Yeah, well,eventuallyit’ll get easier.”
“Hmph. Are you even aware that it’s Thanksgiving in two days?”
“Of course I am,” Jessica huffed.
“Have you bought a turkey yet?”
“Nope, Mike did. He’s doing the meal this year, remember?”
“Will you even be there or will you be at class?”
“I’ll be there, obviously. Look, Mom, I have to get this homework done, so if there’s nothing else, I should get off the phone.”
“That was it. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
Jessica closed her eyes for a second. “I’ll see you in two days. You can hear my voice as much as you like then.”
“Okay, busy lady. Maybe while I’m there I can schedule an appointment with my daughter so I can see her before Christmas.”
“Mom, seriously. This is just temporary. Can wenotmake a federal case about it?”
“I don’t know,” her mom said in a sing-songy voice. “You’re the one who wants to be a lawyer.”
Irritation scraped her insides. “What? That doesn’t even make sense.”
“Never mind. Get back to your important work. I’ll see you on Thursday.”
“Thanks, love you, bye.”
“Bye.”
After hanging up, Jess let out a low growl, then did exactly what her mom told her to do.
* * *
“I liked your question this evening,” Nina told Jess as she locked up the classroom. Jess’s question hadn’t come close to winning, but it did earn her a few laughs. “It was amusing, but you also seemed to have missed the mark with it. I’m concerned that you might be falling behind.”
Jessica’s stomach tightened. “No, I’m all right. I do understand the material. I just left the assignment to the last minute. I can definitely do a better job if I give myself more time.”
“Do you have more time to give?” Nina asked.
Nodding, Jess said, “Yes, definitely.” She glanced up at the ceiling. “Probably, if I give up sleeping.”
