Each section of the garden is more impressive than the last, a marvelous combination of flora, stone, and water that weaves together to create a fairy land. Everything from giant, towering features that dwarf the viewer to intimate, bubbling brooks tucked in private alcoves, nothing but the sound of pounding water and chirping birds to keep you company. A peaceful paradise.
And then the rowdy college kids show up. I stumble upon a group of my students standing below a fertility statue fountain. The female bust has about thirty breasts, water shooting out of each nipple. The students are all laughing and taking inappropriate pictures, tongues hanging out like they’re catching the water.
I snap a quick photo and shoot it off to Colton.
Me
College students are gross: Exhibit C.
Colton
That’s one we don’t have in our collection.
Me
This generation is more creative than us.
I slip my phone back in my purse and dive into my pitch to Dr. Keck. She listens, engaged and respectful, and I feel a surge of hope.
“Look, I’m not going to be much help to you,” she says when I finish, and my heart sinks. “I’m an instructor. I’m not on the tenure track, so my voice will carry less weight on something like this.”
“You’re still a professor in the program. Your support would make a difference.”
She shrugs. “But it’s dicey. My contract is year-to-year. It’s a lot easier to boot an instructor, and I love my job. And, at the risk of sounding dismissive, our program already has a greatprofessional development component. We don’t need extra help from the staff.”
“Is it conceited for me to assume you’re talking about the KMG internship program?” Juliana jumps in, and Dr. Keck chuckles. “Did you know Quinn helped design that internship?”
Dr. Keck eyes me speculatively. “If you designed it, why haven’t you been at any of the meetings?”
I straighten my spine. “Because I haven’t been invited by the faculty. Juliana reached out to me on her own.”
Juliana nudges me with her elbow. “Quinn’s being uncharacteristically modest right now. She’s the reason the program is so successful. I’d have been completely lost that first year without her.”
She hums thoughtfully. “If you’re involved with the curriculum, you should be in the meetings next year.”
My heart races. That’s way more than I expected from her. “I’d like that.”
She nods once. Definitive. “If all the other professors are in, then I’ll support you, too. Otherwise, I’m sorry.”
“I have everyone on board except for Dr. Guarino. And I have a month left to sway him. Maybe with all of your help?” I give her a cheeky smile, and she laughs.
“Good luck. He’s old school.”
“Well, I’ll have to change that, then. Won’t I?”
She gusts out a sigh. “Fine. I’m in.”
I barely hold back a squeal and the desire to throw my arms around her. Dr. Keck laughs and continues down the walkway.
I sidle up to Juliana. “You’re the fucking best!”
“That was all you, babe!” she whispers back, hip checking me.
One person left to go. Yes, he’s the hardest, like fighting the final boss in a video game, but I believe in us. And it’s something Inez can keep in mind when she goes back to Florence for her second interview.
When we get home, I rush right into Colton’s room. I ignorehim asking how it went and fly right to his desk where we set up our war room. I smack one of the white pawns off the map, grab a black pawn from the set on his bookshelf, and plop it down with a gratifying thunk.
Colton runs over to me, lifting me up and swinging me in the air as he kisses me.
