Jessica's Older Guy by Pascal Francine

Author:Pascal, Francine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-01-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

"Girls, I think it's a wonderful idea to stay at SVU!" Mrs. Wakefield enthused. Elizabeth almost dropped the phone, and she and Jessica looked at each other in shock. It was Thursday afternoon, and Jessica and Elizabeth had just summoned enough courage to break the news to their parents. Elizabeth was holding the phone and Jessica was right beside her, leaning in close to the receiver to hear.

Mrs. Wakefield laughed a light, girlish laugh. "You know, it's funny, but I feel so much younger with you two away, as if I'm not a mother anymore. It's kind of a relief not to have to worry about parental duties."

Elizabeth felt hurt. "But, Mom, don't you miss us?"

"Of course I do, darling," Mrs. Wakefield said warmly. "It's just that I think your father and I could use a break from parenting. Maybe we can even take that long trip to Europe we've always dreamed about."

Jessica and Elizabeth were speechless. "It's too bad you won't get to live in a freshman dorm, though," her mother went on. "I always thought that was the best part of college. And, of course, you won't have a senior prom or a high-school graduation."

Elizabeth felt pangs of regret as her mother spoke, as if somebody else were stealing her life away. She had always dreamed of going to the prom with Todd. And of making a valedictorian speech at graduation.

On Thursday afternoon Ken sat at Lila's large mahogany kitchen table, sketching "Welcome to SVU" with colored markers on a huge banner, A heaping pile of colorful paper hats sat next to it on the table. Ken and Todd were making last-minute preparations with Enid and Lila at the Fowler mansion. Ken was fashioning party decorations, Lila and Todd were baking a cake, and Enid was making chocolate-chip-cookie squares.

Ken fumbled through the array of multicolored markers on the table and picked out a fuchsia one. He colored in the W absentmindedly, thinking about the twins' decision to stay at SVU.

He couldn't quite figure out why Jessica wanted to start college early. He could understand why Elizabeth wanted to stay. After all, she had the chance to get a job at a real newspaper and to work under the guidance of a world-renowned journalist. It was the opportunity of a lifetime.

But Jessica? What was Sweet Valley University offering her that Sweet Valley High didn't? Ken replayed in his mind his conversation with her. Jessica had talked about all the new possibilities open to her at college—sororities, cheerleading, plays. But those were the same things she did at high school. Jessica was an active member of Pi Beta Alpha, the most exclusive sorority at Sweet Valley High; she was cocaptain of the cheerleading squad; she had starred in the school's production of Macbeth. . . .

There must be more to it, Ken reasoned. What else had she told him? That she was staying to be with Elizabeth, that she couldn't abandon her twin. But that didn't sound like Jessica. She wouldn't drop her whole life just to keep Elizabeth company.

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