Page 70 of Beach Vibes

“Good for you!” Beth smiled at her. “You’re such a Brainiac. I couldn’t ever pass a basic college-level math class, let alone calculus. But you’ve worked hard, and you’re getting a B!”

The casual self-put-down reminded Jana of the conversation she’d had with Teddy about Beth’s thoughts on college and what Rick might or might not have said. She thought about mentioning her concern, then decided this wasn’t the time. She wanted to have a fun dinner with her friend, not get into somethingabout Rick. Besides, he was just so great, she couldn’t imagine him telling his sister she was too dumb to go to college.

“One of the things I like about the class,” Jana said, “assuming I can like anything about calculus, is how the professor structured the quarter. Instead of a midterm and final, we have biweekly tests, with the final simply being the last of them. No one test has more value than the others. It takes off some of the pressure.” She shimmied in her seat. “If I could end up with a B in the class, I would be thrilled.”

“You should be. We’ll get you a plaque to hang on the wall.”

Jana laughed. “I’d like that.”

“Have you decided about graduation?”

Jana grimaced. “No. It’s silly. It’s just community college.”

“The key word beingcollege,” Beth told her. “Come on. You have to do it. I want to go and cheer you on as you get your diploma.”

The deadline for signing up to participate in graduation was fast approaching. Jana was torn. Teddy wanted her to do it, and Jana was kind of excited about the idea, only every now and then she thought it was silly. She wasn’t some twenty-year-old like most of the other students. She was nearly thirty, and it wasn’t that big a deal.

“I’ll think about it,” she murmured.

“You’d better. It’s important. Not just for you but for Linnie. She needs to see the payoff of all your hard work.”

Something Jana hadn’t thought of. “Good point. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. So, after finals, you have the summer off. Nursing school doesn’t start until September, right?”

“Yes. Once the semester is over, I’ll start working more hours to save as much as I can. I want to cover my and Linnie’s expenses as much as possible.”

Beth’s expression softened. “You know Teddy would be happy to help. He’s proud of you and what you’ve accomplished.”

“Is this your way of telling me the two of you talk about me behind my back?” Jana asked, her voice teasing.

“Only a little, and we always say good things.” Beth looked at her. “He would do anything for you.”

“He’s a good brother, and I love him right back.”

They picked up menus and made their selections. Jana was in the mood for a big, juicy burger and fries. Not the healthiest choice, but this was a special meal.

“How’s Orchid doing?” Beth asked after they’d placed their order. “Teddy mentioned her bike accident.”

“It turns out his youngest has a flare for drama. Last night at dinner, she did a reenactment of the fall, complete with moans of pain and what I assume was her fainting.” Jana grinned. “So I’m going to say she’s doing fine.”

“I’m glad. It has to be terrifying to be a parent. The worry about something awful happening and then when it does, the terror and concern. I don’t know how you do it.”

“I try not to think about the bad stuff. It’s easier now that Linnie can tell me what’s wrong. The baby part was really tough. Fortunately Teddy had had his three, so he was a big help.” He’d spent more than one night reassuring her that whatever had Linnie crying would pass.

“It’s so much responsibility.”

“It is, but it’s worth it.”

Their server arrived with their drinks. Jana added sweetener to her iced tea.

“So things are going good with Teddy,” she said.

Beth smiled at her. “Asking or telling?”

They both laughed.

“My brother’s pretty happy,” Jana admitted.

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