Page 10 of Complete Me

Kaino keeps their hands in their coat pockets, their amused expression shuttering to a bland mask. “I don’t shake hands, but it’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh.” I grasp the strap of my bag with my unshook hand. “Fair. The university’s a petri dish. Better safe than sorry, I suppose.”

The stillness of their expression fades, and their lips curve into a genuine smile. “Mmm.” They glance into the lecture hall. “What was your lecture about?”

I can’t keep the disdain from my voice. “Introduction to English Language and Literature. It’s my only 100 level class and the bane of my schedule.”

That earns me a soft chuckle. “So, students from all majors trying to fulfill English requirements?”

I drop my head back in defeat. “Yes. And inevitably, at least one person tries to fly by with last year’s notes from another student, or by reading summaries of the books, and when they get caught, they cry foul.”

Kaino gestures down the hall. “Is that what happened with the student who stormed out?”

“Unfortunately, yes. There was cajoling and eyelash fluttering. Much to her chagrin, I shut her down. That’s when the waterworks began.”

Their expression is not quite a wince. “Does that happen often?”

“More often than you’d think. Definitely more often than I’d like.” They tilt their head, assessing me again. This time it’s thorough, though not in a sexual way. Not really. But I do feel rather exposed afterward. I can’t say I mind. “So, are you a student here?” It seems like a stretch, but it’s the most obvious explanation for why they’d be at the university.

“No. I have a client in one of the master’s programs. Today was an on-campus day.”

I wait for an explanation, but with no more information forthcoming, I ask. As I tell my students, asking intelligent questions is required to learn something of value. And I’m not above a bit of snooping. “Your client?”

“Yes. I’m an interpreter. American Sign Language.”

While not uncommon, I’ve personally never had a student who needed an interpreter. Still, I wonder why I haven’t seen them before. “Are you on campus frequently?”

The smirk has returned, but their gaze never wavers. “Do you mean, do I come here often?”

Embarrassed, because I might have meant that—unintentionally, of course—I raise up to my full six feet four inches, towering over them. “No. Not at all. I only ask because—.” Scrambling for words, which is utterly out of character for me, I fill the gap by adjusting my messenger bag. I do not like how unsettled they make me feel, but I refuse to give them the satisfaction of knowing they’ve flustered me. “I’ve never seen you on campus.” Nor have I heard anyone mention a strikingly attractive interpreter. Though I don’t necessarily gossip with anyone here. We both ignore the fact that this is a very large campus and we could have gone years without running into each other, if their clients weren’t in the humanities department.

“This is my first student client. I don’t normally accept education assignments, but this one’s at the graduate level and within my area of specialization, so I agreed to a trial semester. If it works out, I’ll do more. If not, then I haven’t invested a lot of time in something that’s not for me.”

The casual mention of specialization without clarification piques my interest, as I’m sure was intended. And damn them, now I want to know more. But the middle of a busy hallway is nowhere to have a conversation. Kaino is obviously on their way somewhere, though they don’t seem in a hurry to leave. That’s not at all intriguing. Perhaps I could use the time to find out more about them, and who they currently are to Bjorn. Or who they want to be to him. “I’m sorry. I’m being terribly rude with all my questions. Were you headed somewhere? Am I holding you up?”

“Actually, I’m looking for someplace to grab a coffee. I have a few hours before my next off-campus client, and someone mentioned there is a cafe in this direction.” They tilt their head consideringly. “Care to join me? Or do you have another class?”

In fact, I don’t have another class right now, and my office hours aren’t until two. Do I want to get to know this person? I find that I do. “I have some time before my next class, and I certainly could use another coffee after the hour I’ve just spent. It’s either that or something harder, and since I have another class later this morning, it needs to be coffee.” I gesture vaguely in the direction of the espresso bar in the next building. “There’s a cafe near here, but it’s loaded with students. I’m willing to brave it if you are. Or my office is a few minutes walk in the other direction. There’s comfortable seating and a coffee machine I spent a small fortune on because I’m an unapologetic caffeinated beverage snob. If I’m going to spend ridiculous sums for coffee anyway, I want what I want when I want it, and I prefer not to stand in line with a billion people to get it. Fair warning, I don’t have all the flavorings, and no whipped cream, but I do have several coffee creamer options. Your call.”

Surprisingly, they show no hesitation. “Your office sounds perfect. All I need is black coffee that isn’t burnt. No frills required. A lack of crowds is a bonus.”

“Fantastic. Follow me.” I guide them out the main doors and into the quad. The ground is wet from the misting rain and we dodge puddles as we talk. “What’s your specialization? It doesn’t happen to be English literature, does it?” At his confusion, I clarify. “You mentioned your client’s course is in your specialization.”

“Ah. Art and business. I was going to be a curator before I took an ASL class in college and fell in love with the language and culture. After I got my Master’s in Art History, I pursued my certification as an ASL interpreter.” Perhaps it’s just my imagination eagerly connecting dots, but it’s easy to envision Kaino as an art curator, jet-setting around the world, gathering priceless sculptures and paintings for the Getty or some private collector. They have an air of mystery and culture about them that I find fascinating. And attractive. “Is English literature your specialty?”

Aware that Kaino is probably only asking to be polite, I fight my inclination to wax poetic, keeping my answer short and to the point. “I have a Master’s in Literary Criticism and Analysis, but I have a passion for nineteenth century British Realism. Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and the like. That’s my specialty.”

Kaino’s eyes brighten. “I love Austen but frequently struggle to get through Dickens. To me, he’s like Shakespeare. His stories are better when performed. Context clues help with the language, and time constraints usually mean an abridged version of the story.” I’m about to object, but they continue. “The stories themselves are enjoyable, but the language is so…” They take a moment, searching for the right word. “...cumbersome. Dickens meanders. There are completely irrelevant passages that go on and on.”

The potential to have an intelligent discussion on the merits of Dickens, even if the offered opinion is utterly incorrect, has my nerves buzzing excitedly and my heart beating rapidly. “But it’s through his language choices that we see what life was like for people from every class of society. It’s a snapshot of the early to mid-nineteenth century.”

The walk across the upper campus to my office flies by, the drizzle completely ignored as we debate the merits of Dickens, and when we reach Padelford Hall, I usher them in. By the time we’re outside my office, I’m practically buzzing with enthusiasm. “It’s nice to meet someone who understands the genre and can discuss the topic intelligently.”

Kaino snorts. “Even if I find Dickens long-winded?”

I unlock my door and step inside, allowing Kaino to enter before I shut it behind us. “At least you can explain your position, have examples to back it up, and don’t use the word ‘like’ seventeen times per sentence.” I pull off my coat, draping it over a hook on the coat rack, and hold out my hand for Kaino’s.

“You know, even though it doesn’t appear in writing, ‘like’ as a filler word dates all the way back to the nineteenth century. So actually, it’s quite appropriate for our topic of conversation.”

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