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Authors: Robin Jones Gunn
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she placed a call to Christy. The possibility of going up to Bob and Marti’s home in Newport Beach was appealing.
Watching the two of them successfully relate to each other when their personalities were so different always was entertaining.
Still, Katie knew that if she went, she would complete zero homework. Yet, when would she be invited up there again? It had
been a year since Katie had been to Bob and Marti’s home. Bob always made sure they had plenty of delicious things to eat.
Katie wasn’t scheduled for duty until Monday. Still, she shouldn’t go.
On the other hand, she had asked Bob to help her to find a car, and that was the reason she was going in the first place.
It made sense to stay overnight since it would be at least a two-and-a-half-hour drive back to school. Three hours, if the
weekend traffic were heavy.
However, if she were honest with herself, she didn’t need to settle on a car until the end of the school year. The best use
of her time now would be to hunker down, focus on her classes, finish her papers early, work the extra hours she had accumulated
when she was sick, and catch up on her meetings with Julia. Christy didn’t need Katie to go with her to babysit Daniel. Whatever
Bob’s deal on a new car was, another deal would come along sometime. Graduation was the goal Katie needed to press toward
now. She should lock herself in her room and do as much as she could with the open time in front of her.
That would be the wise, sensible, and responsible thing to do with the remainder of the weekend. And that was what she would
tell Christy.
Two hours later, with their packed overnight bags in the trunk of Christy’s Volvo, Katie and Christy motored down the hill
away from Rancho Corona University.
I shouldn’t be doing this. But we’re on our way, and I’m not going to change my mind. Once I decide to do something, I follow
through. Even if it does take a lot of debating before I decide.
“So explain to me why we’re going to my aunt and uncle’s after babysitting for Doug and Tracy? I wasn’t clear on that part
from your phone conversation.”
“Your aunt invited us. And like I said, I asked your uncle to keep an eye open for a car, and apparently he has found one.”
Katie reached for a book in the backpack at her feet. “I’m going to turn anti-social on you now. I really need to use some
of this drive time to finish my reading. If I manage to pull off everything I need to do this weekend, I’m sure to win the
Multitasking Woman of the Year Award. You wouldn’t want me to miss out on that now, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t stand in your way. I already know you can get everything done. You’re amazing that way. You accomplish your
goals, whatever they are. No one is challenging you on that.”
Christy hesitated and then added, “Please don’t be offended, but for one last time, I just want to be the gentle voice in
the back of your head that gives you permission.”
“Permission for what?”
“You can change your mind if you want to.”
Katie didn’t know why Christy’s evenly spoken words seemed to sink so deep inside of her. Maybe because Christy was one of
the few people Katie didn’t feel she had to prove herself to. Christy knew more about her than anyone. Way more than Rick
knew about her. And Christy had always accepted Katie for who she was, what she was, and where she was during any particular
stretch of life. Christy was the cream and sugar in Katie’s cup of tea. She was everything a best friend should be.
And she was giving Katie the freedom to change her mind. To admit she was making a poor choice. To turn around and go back
to the dorm.
“No, this is what I want to do,” Katie said. “You drive. I’ll read. You babysit. I’ll write my paper. You drive to Bob and
Marti’s. I’ll sleep in their cushy guest bed and eat their gourmet food. It’ll all work out.”
A smile settled on Christy’s
Watching the two of them successfully relate to each other when their personalities were so different always was entertaining.
Still, Katie knew that if she went, she would complete zero homework. Yet, when would she be invited up there again? It had
been a year since Katie had been to Bob and Marti’s home. Bob always made sure they had plenty of delicious things to eat.
Katie wasn’t scheduled for duty until Monday. Still, she shouldn’t go.
On the other hand, she had asked Bob to help her to find a car, and that was the reason she was going in the first place.
It made sense to stay overnight since it would be at least a two-and-a-half-hour drive back to school. Three hours, if the
weekend traffic were heavy.
However, if she were honest with herself, she didn’t need to settle on a car until the end of the school year. The best use
of her time now would be to hunker down, focus on her classes, finish her papers early, work the extra hours she had accumulated
when she was sick, and catch up on her meetings with Julia. Christy didn’t need Katie to go with her to babysit Daniel. Whatever
Bob’s deal on a new car was, another deal would come along sometime. Graduation was the goal Katie needed to press toward
now. She should lock herself in her room and do as much as she could with the open time in front of her.
That would be the wise, sensible, and responsible thing to do with the remainder of the weekend. And that was what she would
tell Christy.
Two hours later, with their packed overnight bags in the trunk of Christy’s Volvo, Katie and Christy motored down the hill
away from Rancho Corona University.
I shouldn’t be doing this. But we’re on our way, and I’m not going to change my mind. Once I decide to do something, I follow
through. Even if it does take a lot of debating before I decide.
“So explain to me why we’re going to my aunt and uncle’s after babysitting for Doug and Tracy? I wasn’t clear on that part
from your phone conversation.”
“Your aunt invited us. And like I said, I asked your uncle to keep an eye open for a car, and apparently he has found one.”
Katie reached for a book in the backpack at her feet. “I’m going to turn anti-social on you now. I really need to use some
of this drive time to finish my reading. If I manage to pull off everything I need to do this weekend, I’m sure to win the
Multitasking Woman of the Year Award. You wouldn’t want me to miss out on that now, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t stand in your way. I already know you can get everything done. You’re amazing that way. You accomplish your
goals, whatever they are. No one is challenging you on that.”
Christy hesitated and then added, “Please don’t be offended, but for one last time, I just want to be the gentle voice in
the back of your head that gives you permission.”
“Permission for what?”
“You can change your mind if you want to.”
Katie didn’t know why Christy’s evenly spoken words seemed to sink so deep inside of her. Maybe because Christy was one of
the few people Katie didn’t feel she had to prove herself to. Christy knew more about her than anyone. Way more than Rick
knew about her. And Christy had always accepted Katie for who she was, what she was, and where she was during any particular
stretch of life. Christy was the cream and sugar in Katie’s cup of tea. She was everything a best friend should be.
And she was giving Katie the freedom to change her mind. To admit she was making a poor choice. To turn around and go back
to the dorm.
“No, this is what I want to do,” Katie said. “You drive. I’ll read. You babysit. I’ll write my paper. You drive to Bob and
Marti’s. I’ll sleep in their cushy guest bed and eat their gourmet food. It’ll all work out.”
A smile settled on Christy’s
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