Given Our History by Kristyn J. Miller

Author:Kristyn J. Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

CHAPTER

16

PRESENT

September breezes by so fast that before I know it, we’re already in the first week of October, and the gala is looming ever closer. I’m trying not to stress, because for the most part, it’s coming together. Various local businesses agreed to donate gift certificates for the raffle. Limitless Party Supply donated two boxes’ worth of autumn decorations—last year’s overstock that would’ve been sold this year for 75 percent off anyway, because apparently mushrooms and orange twinkle lights have fallen out of fashion sometime in the last twelve months, but for my purposes, they’re perfect: cute, secular, and inoffensive. And on Monday, I’m picking up the vinyl banners from the office supply store the next town over. But I’m starting to feel a little overworked, strained—a button sewn on with a single thread, threatening to pop at the slightest movement. I keep reminding myself that it won’t be like this forever, that this is only one semester, but between my classes, the gala, and rewriting my dossier, I haven’t had a lot of time to myself. I haven’t touched my article about Elizabeth of York in weeks, let alone polished it up enough to submit to journals.

I burst into Franklin 106 like a storm banging through the shutters, causing everyone’s heads to snap up. “Sorry, sorry,” I say, breathless. I’m fifteen minutes late to our Thursday meeting. I let my messenger bag drop from my shoulder and it hits the floor with a thump as I plant myself in the seat between Bel and Teddy. “One of my students had a few questions about the midterm and I lost track of time.”

Teddy’s brows pinch together and I give him a tiny shake of my head.

“Fine. Great,” Gary says, his tone a mixture of boredom and annoyance that doesn’t sound anywhere near fine, never mind great. “Let’s get this thing over with, shall we?”

We cruise through everything on the agenda at breakneck speed, partly because everyone’s over this and just wants to get on with their day, but also because there isn’t a ton to address. Beside me, Bel fidgets with an acorn-shaped earring, twisting it between her thumb and forefinger. Asking her to participate on the scholarship committee wasn’t part of our deal, but subcommittee members are technically required to be part of the overseeing committee, so she’s shown up like clockwork every Thursday—looking bored out of her mind, sure, but present, and words can’t express how much I owe her for all this. As soon as I declare the meeting adjourned, everyone pops up like dandelions, collecting their things. I’ve met students less eager to escape a classroom.

“Before we go,” I say, earning a murderous look from Bel and a very audible sigh from Gary, “this is off the record, not official committee business or anything, but I just wanted to ask to see whether you guys have any local performers to recommend for entertainment. For the gala,” I clarify, because Trina is looking at me like I’m from Mars.

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