Taking the Kids to Dinner: An Ikeaverse Installment
Title: Taking the Kids to Dinner
Rating: T
Word Count: ~3,300
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Laura and Bill take the kids to dinner after their cross country meeting. They learn more about the kids, especially Kara and Zak.
Warning: Allusions to Kara's home life.
A/N: This is the second of my three part (for now) arc in honor of afrakaday's birthday.
A/N2: Thanks to wicked_sassy for the beta *hugs*
A/N3: This is part of an open 'verse that begins with " Normaling"
Laura led them all to her red Sunfire. She knew it would be a tight squeeze, but she hoped they’d have fun anyway. She still had fond memories of family trips, riding in the backseat between her sisters (she’d always been the referee, the peacekeeper). They’d have the silliest talks, and their father could always get them to laugh. One of her happiest memories was of her family being out to dinner and her father randomly making a marinara mustache to appease a sullen Cheryl. It worked, and the whole table exploded in laughter.
Of course, her little sedan was even smaller than the Roslin family car. When she bought it five years ago, she thought it had more room than she needed. Perhaps it was time to upgrade. She did love her little car, although not as much as Bill loved his Galactica.
They walked across the parking lot. Laura dug into her purse for her keys, unlocking the car with the remote. She tossed Bill the keys. They all stood around the car, each by a door. Billy stood with Zak by the rear driver’s side. Laura felt the need to apologize for the car’s size. “Sorry, folks. Next time we’ll have to bring the Galactica.”
“She knows about the Galactica, Dad?”
Laura nodded. “It’s a great name for a fine car.”
Bill smiled, then winked at Zak.
“Where we eating?” Bill asked.
Starbuck wanted Italian. Billy said he was fine with anything. Zak wanted Chinese. Bill looked at Laura. “Looks like you’re the tie breaker, Coach.”
She snorted. “No pressure, right?” She weighed the options. Thought about the people involved, and came to a decision. “Italian it is, then.”
Laura heard Billy’s sigh of relief. She’d made her decision with him in mind. He'd once told her that Chinese didn’t sit well with him. It was one of many examples of random things she’d learned about her students. She didn’t know how she remembered that particular fact, but she was glad for it. Contributing to gut rot would not sit well with her.
She hoped Zak enjoyed Italian, but she suspected he was happy to keep everyone else happy. He seemed like a great kid, and he was nice to Billy, so that made him okay in Laura’s book.
Billy had a difficult time fitting in because of his age and intelligence. He skipped several grades. Laura wondered how he would get along with Kara, but she trusted that Kara would look after him. Laura remembered how Kara had acted in her classroom.
That year, Laura had an ESL student who struggled deeply with the material. Laura had spent hours tutoring the her. But she still struggled throughout the year. But Kara was there to help. Laura will never forget the first time she saw Kara in action.
She was writing on the blackboard. Years of training, taught her to listen to what was going on behind her.
Bianca was struggling to understand what was written on the board. Laura could hear the distress in her voice. She was preparing to address that concern--and everyone else’s. But then she heard a second voice.
“You got this, Bianca. These words are from the book we’re reading. Get out your dictionary, and you can look them up.”
They worked together a lot after that, and Bianca had a much smoother year.
Laura had never talked to Kara about her actions with Bianca. She suspected it wasn’t something Kara wanted acknowledged. Kara did the right thing when no one was looking. Having someone acknowledge it, would ruin it for Kara.
It took a lot to win Kara’s trust and admiration; when Laura had done so, she felt it was a crowning achievement in her career. Laura was glad for the extra time they'd have working with the team together. The less time Kara spent at home, the better.
“Okay. We narrowed it down but we still gotta pick out a restaurant,” Bill said.
“Olive Garden,” Kara said instantly. “What? I like that place,” she retorted after Zak snickered.
“Olive Garden, it is.” Bill winked at her. “I like it too.”
She rolled her eyes. “Great.”
Even if she weren’t able to see Kara, Laura would have heard what she needed in Kara’s tone. Bill would have his work cut out for him. Laura couldn’t remember a time when she and Kara weren’t close; it just happened. She could only hope Kara would recognize Bill was a good man. She needed someone in her life who could teach her about discipline, integrity, and honor, and Bill was the best person for that.
They piled into the car. With poor Billy taking the middle seat. She hoped he wouldn’t be too cramped back there. Bill started the car. She watched him as he turned the key in the ignition. She’d surprised herself by throwing him the keys. She never let anyone else drive her car before. But with passengers...she couldn’t explain it, but she felt more comfortable with him driving.
Bill started the car perfectly. Not that Laura had any doubts, but she was having trouble letting go. He backed out of the parking spot, and they were off. Laura relaxed in her seat.
She listened as the kids started talking about school, the team, homework, and then segued into how much they hated Dr. Baltar. Kara went on for a good ten minutes about his fake British accent: “He’s from New York. Okay? There’s no reason for the accent.”
Zak questioned the “Dr.” in his name: “Ms. Roslin, does he really have a PhD?”
Laura nodded. “He says he does. It’s pretty hard to fake documentation like that on a resume or during the hiring process, especially in education.”
“But it’s been done, right?” Kara asked.
“Sadly, yes. But not in our school to the best of my knowledge. Plus, many teachers don’t have beyond a bachelors. There’d be no reason for him to lie about his credentials.”
“He still smells funny,” Zak said.
They all laughed at that. Even Billy, who was trying to be diplomatic, although Laura wasn’t fooled. She knew the man had given Billy his first C . She had looked very carefully at Billy’s project: It was definitely ‘A’ work.
This experience was surprisingly new for Laura. When she had first started teaching, she did chaperone a few trips and dances, but once she took on more responsibilities--eventually becoming an administrator--her day to day involvement with students decreased greatly. It was fun listening to students just being students again.
She wondered how familiar it felt to Bill to be driving in a car with kids in the back seat. He'd spent most of his kids’ childhoods at sea. It was very possible there hadn’t been many family trips in the Galactica.
She thought about how that decision might impact their lives. It would be great motivation to finally get in shape. She’d never been great about exercising and had been blessed with a body type that forgave her negligence. Also, it was an opportunity to get to know the rest of the team.
Aside from Kara and Billy, Laura really hadn’t spent much time with her students. She was their teacher and administrator. They didn’t seek her out, and she wasn’t aggressively friendly either. Her new role as coach would change all of that for the five runners and Kara.
“You alright?” Bill asked.
Laura smiled at him. “Fine, Bill. Just thinking. This is nice.”
He smiled back. “It is, isn’t it?”
------------------------------
They arrived at Olive Garden . The vast parking lot was virtually empty, as it was still early. It wasn’t even four yet. They piled out of the small car. Poor Billy had been squashed in the middle seat. His knees were up so high, they were almost in his face. Bill took Laura’s hand as they walked to the entrance, the three students behind them.
The place was nearly empty and the hostess looked completely bored as she played with her cell phone at the podium. Laura looked around. There were a few people eating and only two servers walking around. She cleared her throat and got the attention of the hostess.
“Oh, hi! Welcome to Olive Garden. How many?”
“Five,” Bill said.
“Great.” She grabbed five menus and gestured. “If you’ll follow me, please.”
The hostess led them to a round table large enough to sit them all comfortably. Everyone sat down, Bill flanked by Zak and Laura, with Kara settling next to Zak and Billy next to Laura. The hostess gave out menus and took drink orders. Laura smiled and thanked her. The hostess went away, and Laura looked down at her menu. “What’s good, Starbuck?”
Kara shrugged. “The lasagna’s okay.”
Laura knew better than to press. She was grateful when Bill said he wanted Calamari. Kara and Zak made disgusted faces, Billy squirmed next to her. Bill grinned at them. “Just kidding.”
“What do you really want, Bill?” Laura asked.
“That’s a loaded question.”
Laura blushed and lightly kicked his leg under the table. He practically jumped out of his chair.
Kara didn’t miss any of their exchange. “Oh, you’re one of those couples.”
“One of what couples?” Laura asked.
“You know.”
Laura stared at her blankly. She wasn’t exactly sure where her young friend was going, but she doubted it would be good.
“Never mind. I shouldn’t say.”
“Oh, now, I really want to know,” Zak said.
Kara glared at him. “Forget it. It’s stupid.”
“You brought it up, Starbuck.”
“Zak, that’s enough.”
“Dad!”
“No. She doesn’t want to talk about it. Let it go.”
“All right. Let’s focus on ordering,” Laura said. She realized it was her lot in life to be the referee and/or peacemaker.
She heard Billy let out a sigh of relief. Laura knew he didn’t like conflict much. He looked up at her and smiled.
An awkward silence permeated everyone at the table, and the menus suddenly became interesting. The server came with drinks and asked if they were ready to order. Bill ordered the lasagna. “It comes highly recommended,” he said with a nod to Kara.
Kara rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’ll have the lasagna too.”
Zak ordered Spaghetti and meat sauce. Kara commented about him getting something boring. He told her to shut up. Laura rubbed her temples.
Billy and Laura both got Eggplant Parmesan. Bill said hers was the best he’d ever had, and she’d be probably be disappointed. She smiled at him. The truth was, she ordered it most places she went. It was among her favorite meals, and it was much easier to order a staple than to peruse a menu. Bill was right, though: Hers was the best. Actually her mother’s was better, but with Judith gone, Laura’s was best by default. Not that she was stuck on herself or her cooking. She was actually her own worst critic--about every other meal. She had what amounted to empirical evidence that her eggplant parm was the (second) best she’d ever had: She’d made the comparisons over the course of several years. So had her father and sisters.
Their dinner improved considerably after that. The bread sticks and salads that began all meals at Olive Garden arrived , and they started eating. By the time their entrees arrived, the awkwardness had disappeared. They’d be okay.
-----------------------------
When they walked outside the restaurant, the sun was still out, but it was beginning to set. Autumn was setting in. They piled back in the car. “Everyone good and full now?” Laura asked.
“You know it, Ms. R. Thanks,” Kara said.
Billy and Zak echoed their thanks.
“Thank Coach Adama.”
Kara gently punched Bill’s shoulder. “You’re all right Old Man.”
Bill grinned at her through the rearview mirror. “Right back at you, Starbuck.”
Laura smiled.
They rode home, continuing their conversation about Dr. Baltar. Laura supposed she should intervene against their derision, but she hadn’t done so earlier, so it would seem inconsistent. She was anything but inconsistent, so...Plus, he wasn’t in her department at all. The only reason she’d have to really deal with him was if he became the STEM department chairperson, which, sadly, was likely to happen--given his friendship with Richard. She couldn’t think of a worse person for the job.
They dropped Kara off at her house first. The house was pitch-black--not even the porch light was on--It had gotten dark while they were driving. There was no car in the driveway, but perhaps there was in the garage. “Is your mother home?” Laura asked.
Kara shrugged. “I don’t know. Doesn’t matter. I have a key. Good night guys.”
Everyone said their goodbyes. Kara exited the car, walking up her driveway. Laura looked at Bill. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said.
She nodded. He understood, and it was comforting. They waited until Kara unlocked her front door. After she closed the door behind her, they continued to wait. “She’ll put her porch light on,” Zak said.
“If she’s okay, you mean?” Laura asked.
“Yeah. That’s what me, Sam, and Karl tell her to do when Sam takes us home. That lets us know she’s in there safely, and we can go.”
“What if she doesn’t turn it on?” Bill asked.
“She always does. But if she doesn’t, we’d wait a few minutes and then go in after her. With our cell phones ready.”
They waited.
Laura watched the clock in her console.
She counted.
One one-thousand.
Two one-thousand.
Three one-thousand.
The porch light came on.
Laura sighed her relief.
Zak leaned forward toward the front seats. “I’ll call her later. Either me, Sam, or Karl call her every night. It’s my turn tonight.”
Laura looked at Bill, then at Zak. “That’s good, Zak.”
It was very quiet in the car as they drove Billy and then Zak home. Laura knew Billy was taking everything in. Zak--and his friends--had been watching over Kara. Laura wasn’t sure how she felt. She felt a lot of things--mostly bad. She needed to process.
Bill asked Billy where he lived. His house was on the way to Zak’s house, so they headed there first.
When they pulled up in Billy’s driveway, they saw Billy’s mother open the front door. Mrs. Keikeya walked out of her house and stood on the front porch. She waved at Laura. Laura smiled and waved back. Laura turned in her seat to face Billy. “See you tomorrow.” She smiled. “I’m glad you’ll be on the team.”
“Thanks, Ms. Roslin.” He looked at Bill and Zak. “Goodnight everyone. Thanks for dinner. It was fun.”
Bill wished him a goodnight. Zak clapped him on the back. “Welcome to the team, kid.”
Laura watched Billy’s face light up. Then he exited the car.
“Thank you, Zak,” Laura said.
“What for, Coach?”
“Just...thanks.”
“Oh. No problem.”
She wasn’t sure if he understood what he’d done or why she was so grateful to him. But she was sure he’d keep doing it. He was a good kid.
Bill backed out of the Keikeyas’ driveway and headed in the direction of Zak’s house. “How ya doin’ Zak? I haven’t seen you in so long.”
“I’ve been good, dad.” He paused. “Great really.”
“Yeah? You like cross country?”
“Oh yeah. I was on the team last year. Made varsity.”
“That’s great, son. You have nice friends?”
“Just the guys on the team and Kara.”
Bill nodded. “Friends are important. Having each other’s backs.”
Laura sensed Bill had questions he wasn’t asking. She had some of her own, but she needed to think carefully before proceeding.
They pulled into Zak’s driveway. Laura said it was nice to meet him, and he reciprocated. He shook Bill’s hand and exited the car, waving at both of them as he approached his front door.
Laura waved back. Then she turned to Bill. “Is it hard watching him enter the house you once lived in?”
Bill nodded. “It is.”
She put her hand on his arm. “Let’s go home.”
--------------------------------------
“You’re awful quiet.”
“Hmm. Just thinking.”
“About Starbuck?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“How bad is it?”
She let out a sigh. “I don’t know, Bill.”
“Have you..um...I’m not sure of the protocol, but--”
“I have, yes.”
“What can we do?”
It had been a long time since she was so relieved to hear ‘we.’ She put her hand on his arm. “Give her a safe place to talk. Wait. Be ready to act.”
He squeezed her hand with the one not on the wheel. “Sure you weren’t in the military?”
They rode in silence after that.
-----------------------------------------------------
When they returned to Laura’s condo, she went into the living room, saying she had something she needed to do. He nodded. She gave him a small smile and sat on the sofa.
She got out her e-reader. If she were going to be coaching, she needed to know something about the sport. She found and purchased a book and started reading.
“What ya reading?” Bill asked.
He stood behind the sofa, his head close to hers. She hadn’t been reading long, maybe fifteen minutes. She turned to face him. “A book about coaching cross country. It’s not great, but it’s the best I could do on short notice.”
He nodded. “Maybe I should read it, too.”
She smirked. “I could just tell you the important things.”
“Even better. I’ll let you get to it, Coach R.”
“Oh no,” she moaned. “Is that my new epithet?”
He shrugged. “We’ll see what Starbuck decides.”
He started to leave the room.
“What are you doing?” she asked, stopping him.
“I was gonna get my book so I could read with you.”
She smiled. “That would be nice.”
He left the room. She turned her attention back to the e-book. It was poorly written, and she was distracted by the sentence errors. The negligible amount she'd spent on it was regrettable, and it wasn’t particularly informative either.
Bill returned, sitting next to her on the sofa. His book--a real one, as he had no fondness for technology--in his hands. She peeked at the title of it. Robinson Crusoe. She wondered about that choice. Laura was mostly an Americanist, but she did have a general understanding of British and world literature. It had been years since she’d read Crusoe, though.
“I thought you were supposed to be reading,” he said.
She knew he was teasing. “This book is soooo bad, Bill.” She paused for effect. “And your book looks much more interesting.”
“Want me to read some to you?”
She nodded, powering down her e-reader. She’d consult Sam-he was team captain, after all. He’d show her and Bill the course, explain the typical workouts, and how the meets worked. What she couldn’t learn from Sam, she would figure out for herself.
He cleared his throat and began reading:
“In the middle of these cogitations, apprehensions, and reflections, it came into my thoughts one day, that all this might be a mere chimera of my own, and that this foot might be the print of my own foot, when I came on shore from my boat. This cheered me up a little too, and I began to persuade myself it was all a delusion; that it was nothing else but my own foot; and why might not I come that way from the boat, as well as I was going that way to the boat?”
Laura rested her head against his chest as he read. She thought about the words he was reading. Was Bill trying to tell her something--or himself--or was it just a book he’d decided to read?
“Comfortable?” he asked.
She hummed her response. “Why Crusoe?”
“I was in the mood for it.” He paused. “It was always my favorite book growing up.” He stroked her hair. “Ready for bed?”
She nodded. With great discipline, she pulled herself away from Bill. Getting off the sofa. She offered him a hand to help him up.
“Let’s go.”
Next Installment
Rating: T
Word Count: ~3,300
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Laura and Bill take the kids to dinner after their cross country meeting. They learn more about the kids, especially Kara and Zak.
Warning: Allusions to Kara's home life.
A/N: This is the second of my three part (for now) arc in honor of afrakaday's birthday.
A/N2: Thanks to wicked_sassy for the beta *hugs*
A/N3: This is part of an open 'verse that begins with " Normaling"
Laura led them all to her red Sunfire. She knew it would be a tight squeeze, but she hoped they’d have fun anyway. She still had fond memories of family trips, riding in the backseat between her sisters (she’d always been the referee, the peacekeeper). They’d have the silliest talks, and their father could always get them to laugh. One of her happiest memories was of her family being out to dinner and her father randomly making a marinara mustache to appease a sullen Cheryl. It worked, and the whole table exploded in laughter.
Of course, her little sedan was even smaller than the Roslin family car. When she bought it five years ago, she thought it had more room than she needed. Perhaps it was time to upgrade. She did love her little car, although not as much as Bill loved his Galactica.
They walked across the parking lot. Laura dug into her purse for her keys, unlocking the car with the remote. She tossed Bill the keys. They all stood around the car, each by a door. Billy stood with Zak by the rear driver’s side. Laura felt the need to apologize for the car’s size. “Sorry, folks. Next time we’ll have to bring the Galactica.”
“She knows about the Galactica, Dad?”
Laura nodded. “It’s a great name for a fine car.”
Bill smiled, then winked at Zak.
“Where we eating?” Bill asked.
Starbuck wanted Italian. Billy said he was fine with anything. Zak wanted Chinese. Bill looked at Laura. “Looks like you’re the tie breaker, Coach.”
She snorted. “No pressure, right?” She weighed the options. Thought about the people involved, and came to a decision. “Italian it is, then.”
Laura heard Billy’s sigh of relief. She’d made her decision with him in mind. He'd once told her that Chinese didn’t sit well with him. It was one of many examples of random things she’d learned about her students. She didn’t know how she remembered that particular fact, but she was glad for it. Contributing to gut rot would not sit well with her.
She hoped Zak enjoyed Italian, but she suspected he was happy to keep everyone else happy. He seemed like a great kid, and he was nice to Billy, so that made him okay in Laura’s book.
Billy had a difficult time fitting in because of his age and intelligence. He skipped several grades. Laura wondered how he would get along with Kara, but she trusted that Kara would look after him. Laura remembered how Kara had acted in her classroom.
That year, Laura had an ESL student who struggled deeply with the material. Laura had spent hours tutoring the her. But she still struggled throughout the year. But Kara was there to help. Laura will never forget the first time she saw Kara in action.
She was writing on the blackboard. Years of training, taught her to listen to what was going on behind her.
Bianca was struggling to understand what was written on the board. Laura could hear the distress in her voice. She was preparing to address that concern--and everyone else’s. But then she heard a second voice.
“You got this, Bianca. These words are from the book we’re reading. Get out your dictionary, and you can look them up.”
They worked together a lot after that, and Bianca had a much smoother year.
Laura had never talked to Kara about her actions with Bianca. She suspected it wasn’t something Kara wanted acknowledged. Kara did the right thing when no one was looking. Having someone acknowledge it, would ruin it for Kara.
It took a lot to win Kara’s trust and admiration; when Laura had done so, she felt it was a crowning achievement in her career. Laura was glad for the extra time they'd have working with the team together. The less time Kara spent at home, the better.
“Okay. We narrowed it down but we still gotta pick out a restaurant,” Bill said.
“Olive Garden,” Kara said instantly. “What? I like that place,” she retorted after Zak snickered.
“Olive Garden, it is.” Bill winked at her. “I like it too.”
She rolled her eyes. “Great.”
Even if she weren’t able to see Kara, Laura would have heard what she needed in Kara’s tone. Bill would have his work cut out for him. Laura couldn’t remember a time when she and Kara weren’t close; it just happened. She could only hope Kara would recognize Bill was a good man. She needed someone in her life who could teach her about discipline, integrity, and honor, and Bill was the best person for that.
They piled into the car. With poor Billy taking the middle seat. She hoped he wouldn’t be too cramped back there. Bill started the car. She watched him as he turned the key in the ignition. She’d surprised herself by throwing him the keys. She never let anyone else drive her car before. But with passengers...she couldn’t explain it, but she felt more comfortable with him driving.
Bill started the car perfectly. Not that Laura had any doubts, but she was having trouble letting go. He backed out of the parking spot, and they were off. Laura relaxed in her seat.
She listened as the kids started talking about school, the team, homework, and then segued into how much they hated Dr. Baltar. Kara went on for a good ten minutes about his fake British accent: “He’s from New York. Okay? There’s no reason for the accent.”
Zak questioned the “Dr.” in his name: “Ms. Roslin, does he really have a PhD?”
Laura nodded. “He says he does. It’s pretty hard to fake documentation like that on a resume or during the hiring process, especially in education.”
“But it’s been done, right?” Kara asked.
“Sadly, yes. But not in our school to the best of my knowledge. Plus, many teachers don’t have beyond a bachelors. There’d be no reason for him to lie about his credentials.”
“He still smells funny,” Zak said.
They all laughed at that. Even Billy, who was trying to be diplomatic, although Laura wasn’t fooled. She knew the man had given Billy his first C . She had looked very carefully at Billy’s project: It was definitely ‘A’ work.
This experience was surprisingly new for Laura. When she had first started teaching, she did chaperone a few trips and dances, but once she took on more responsibilities--eventually becoming an administrator--her day to day involvement with students decreased greatly. It was fun listening to students just being students again.
She wondered how familiar it felt to Bill to be driving in a car with kids in the back seat. He'd spent most of his kids’ childhoods at sea. It was very possible there hadn’t been many family trips in the Galactica.
She thought about how that decision might impact their lives. It would be great motivation to finally get in shape. She’d never been great about exercising and had been blessed with a body type that forgave her negligence. Also, it was an opportunity to get to know the rest of the team.
Aside from Kara and Billy, Laura really hadn’t spent much time with her students. She was their teacher and administrator. They didn’t seek her out, and she wasn’t aggressively friendly either. Her new role as coach would change all of that for the five runners and Kara.
“You alright?” Bill asked.
Laura smiled at him. “Fine, Bill. Just thinking. This is nice.”
He smiled back. “It is, isn’t it?”
------------------------------
They arrived at Olive Garden . The vast parking lot was virtually empty, as it was still early. It wasn’t even four yet. They piled out of the small car. Poor Billy had been squashed in the middle seat. His knees were up so high, they were almost in his face. Bill took Laura’s hand as they walked to the entrance, the three students behind them.
The place was nearly empty and the hostess looked completely bored as she played with her cell phone at the podium. Laura looked around. There were a few people eating and only two servers walking around. She cleared her throat and got the attention of the hostess.
“Oh, hi! Welcome to Olive Garden. How many?”
“Five,” Bill said.
“Great.” She grabbed five menus and gestured. “If you’ll follow me, please.”
The hostess led them to a round table large enough to sit them all comfortably. Everyone sat down, Bill flanked by Zak and Laura, with Kara settling next to Zak and Billy next to Laura. The hostess gave out menus and took drink orders. Laura smiled and thanked her. The hostess went away, and Laura looked down at her menu. “What’s good, Starbuck?”
Kara shrugged. “The lasagna’s okay.”
Laura knew better than to press. She was grateful when Bill said he wanted Calamari. Kara and Zak made disgusted faces, Billy squirmed next to her. Bill grinned at them. “Just kidding.”
“What do you really want, Bill?” Laura asked.
“That’s a loaded question.”
Laura blushed and lightly kicked his leg under the table. He practically jumped out of his chair.
Kara didn’t miss any of their exchange. “Oh, you’re one of those couples.”
“One of what couples?” Laura asked.
“You know.”
Laura stared at her blankly. She wasn’t exactly sure where her young friend was going, but she doubted it would be good.
“Never mind. I shouldn’t say.”
“Oh, now, I really want to know,” Zak said.
Kara glared at him. “Forget it. It’s stupid.”
“You brought it up, Starbuck.”
“Zak, that’s enough.”
“Dad!”
“No. She doesn’t want to talk about it. Let it go.”
“All right. Let’s focus on ordering,” Laura said. She realized it was her lot in life to be the referee and/or peacemaker.
She heard Billy let out a sigh of relief. Laura knew he didn’t like conflict much. He looked up at her and smiled.
An awkward silence permeated everyone at the table, and the menus suddenly became interesting. The server came with drinks and asked if they were ready to order. Bill ordered the lasagna. “It comes highly recommended,” he said with a nod to Kara.
Kara rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’ll have the lasagna too.”
Zak ordered Spaghetti and meat sauce. Kara commented about him getting something boring. He told her to shut up. Laura rubbed her temples.
Billy and Laura both got Eggplant Parmesan. Bill said hers was the best he’d ever had, and she’d be probably be disappointed. She smiled at him. The truth was, she ordered it most places she went. It was among her favorite meals, and it was much easier to order a staple than to peruse a menu. Bill was right, though: Hers was the best. Actually her mother’s was better, but with Judith gone, Laura’s was best by default. Not that she was stuck on herself or her cooking. She was actually her own worst critic--about every other meal. She had what amounted to empirical evidence that her eggplant parm was the (second) best she’d ever had: She’d made the comparisons over the course of several years. So had her father and sisters.
Their dinner improved considerably after that. The bread sticks and salads that began all meals at Olive Garden arrived , and they started eating. By the time their entrees arrived, the awkwardness had disappeared. They’d be okay.
-----------------------------
When they walked outside the restaurant, the sun was still out, but it was beginning to set. Autumn was setting in. They piled back in the car. “Everyone good and full now?” Laura asked.
“You know it, Ms. R. Thanks,” Kara said.
Billy and Zak echoed their thanks.
“Thank Coach Adama.”
Kara gently punched Bill’s shoulder. “You’re all right Old Man.”
Bill grinned at her through the rearview mirror. “Right back at you, Starbuck.”
Laura smiled.
They rode home, continuing their conversation about Dr. Baltar. Laura supposed she should intervene against their derision, but she hadn’t done so earlier, so it would seem inconsistent. She was anything but inconsistent, so...Plus, he wasn’t in her department at all. The only reason she’d have to really deal with him was if he became the STEM department chairperson, which, sadly, was likely to happen--given his friendship with Richard. She couldn’t think of a worse person for the job.
They dropped Kara off at her house first. The house was pitch-black--not even the porch light was on--It had gotten dark while they were driving. There was no car in the driveway, but perhaps there was in the garage. “Is your mother home?” Laura asked.
Kara shrugged. “I don’t know. Doesn’t matter. I have a key. Good night guys.”
Everyone said their goodbyes. Kara exited the car, walking up her driveway. Laura looked at Bill. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said.
She nodded. He understood, and it was comforting. They waited until Kara unlocked her front door. After she closed the door behind her, they continued to wait. “She’ll put her porch light on,” Zak said.
“If she’s okay, you mean?” Laura asked.
“Yeah. That’s what me, Sam, and Karl tell her to do when Sam takes us home. That lets us know she’s in there safely, and we can go.”
“What if she doesn’t turn it on?” Bill asked.
“She always does. But if she doesn’t, we’d wait a few minutes and then go in after her. With our cell phones ready.”
They waited.
Laura watched the clock in her console.
She counted.
One one-thousand.
Two one-thousand.
Three one-thousand.
The porch light came on.
Laura sighed her relief.
Zak leaned forward toward the front seats. “I’ll call her later. Either me, Sam, or Karl call her every night. It’s my turn tonight.”
Laura looked at Bill, then at Zak. “That’s good, Zak.”
It was very quiet in the car as they drove Billy and then Zak home. Laura knew Billy was taking everything in. Zak--and his friends--had been watching over Kara. Laura wasn’t sure how she felt. She felt a lot of things--mostly bad. She needed to process.
Bill asked Billy where he lived. His house was on the way to Zak’s house, so they headed there first.
When they pulled up in Billy’s driveway, they saw Billy’s mother open the front door. Mrs. Keikeya walked out of her house and stood on the front porch. She waved at Laura. Laura smiled and waved back. Laura turned in her seat to face Billy. “See you tomorrow.” She smiled. “I’m glad you’ll be on the team.”
“Thanks, Ms. Roslin.” He looked at Bill and Zak. “Goodnight everyone. Thanks for dinner. It was fun.”
Bill wished him a goodnight. Zak clapped him on the back. “Welcome to the team, kid.”
Laura watched Billy’s face light up. Then he exited the car.
“Thank you, Zak,” Laura said.
“What for, Coach?”
“Just...thanks.”
“Oh. No problem.”
She wasn’t sure if he understood what he’d done or why she was so grateful to him. But she was sure he’d keep doing it. He was a good kid.
Bill backed out of the Keikeyas’ driveway and headed in the direction of Zak’s house. “How ya doin’ Zak? I haven’t seen you in so long.”
“I’ve been good, dad.” He paused. “Great really.”
“Yeah? You like cross country?”
“Oh yeah. I was on the team last year. Made varsity.”
“That’s great, son. You have nice friends?”
“Just the guys on the team and Kara.”
Bill nodded. “Friends are important. Having each other’s backs.”
Laura sensed Bill had questions he wasn’t asking. She had some of her own, but she needed to think carefully before proceeding.
They pulled into Zak’s driveway. Laura said it was nice to meet him, and he reciprocated. He shook Bill’s hand and exited the car, waving at both of them as he approached his front door.
Laura waved back. Then she turned to Bill. “Is it hard watching him enter the house you once lived in?”
Bill nodded. “It is.”
She put her hand on his arm. “Let’s go home.”
--------------------------------------
“You’re awful quiet.”
“Hmm. Just thinking.”
“About Starbuck?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“How bad is it?”
She let out a sigh. “I don’t know, Bill.”
“Have you..um...I’m not sure of the protocol, but--”
“I have, yes.”
“What can we do?”
It had been a long time since she was so relieved to hear ‘we.’ She put her hand on his arm. “Give her a safe place to talk. Wait. Be ready to act.”
He squeezed her hand with the one not on the wheel. “Sure you weren’t in the military?”
They rode in silence after that.
-----------------------------------------------------
When they returned to Laura’s condo, she went into the living room, saying she had something she needed to do. He nodded. She gave him a small smile and sat on the sofa.
She got out her e-reader. If she were going to be coaching, she needed to know something about the sport. She found and purchased a book and started reading.
“What ya reading?” Bill asked.
He stood behind the sofa, his head close to hers. She hadn’t been reading long, maybe fifteen minutes. She turned to face him. “A book about coaching cross country. It’s not great, but it’s the best I could do on short notice.”
He nodded. “Maybe I should read it, too.”
She smirked. “I could just tell you the important things.”
“Even better. I’ll let you get to it, Coach R.”
“Oh no,” she moaned. “Is that my new epithet?”
He shrugged. “We’ll see what Starbuck decides.”
He started to leave the room.
“What are you doing?” she asked, stopping him.
“I was gonna get my book so I could read with you.”
She smiled. “That would be nice.”
He left the room. She turned her attention back to the e-book. It was poorly written, and she was distracted by the sentence errors. The negligible amount she'd spent on it was regrettable, and it wasn’t particularly informative either.
Bill returned, sitting next to her on the sofa. His book--a real one, as he had no fondness for technology--in his hands. She peeked at the title of it. Robinson Crusoe. She wondered about that choice. Laura was mostly an Americanist, but she did have a general understanding of British and world literature. It had been years since she’d read Crusoe, though.
“I thought you were supposed to be reading,” he said.
She knew he was teasing. “This book is soooo bad, Bill.” She paused for effect. “And your book looks much more interesting.”
“Want me to read some to you?”
She nodded, powering down her e-reader. She’d consult Sam-he was team captain, after all. He’d show her and Bill the course, explain the typical workouts, and how the meets worked. What she couldn’t learn from Sam, she would figure out for herself.
He cleared his throat and began reading:
“In the middle of these cogitations, apprehensions, and reflections, it came into my thoughts one day, that all this might be a mere chimera of my own, and that this foot might be the print of my own foot, when I came on shore from my boat. This cheered me up a little too, and I began to persuade myself it was all a delusion; that it was nothing else but my own foot; and why might not I come that way from the boat, as well as I was going that way to the boat?”
Laura rested her head against his chest as he read. She thought about the words he was reading. Was Bill trying to tell her something--or himself--or was it just a book he’d decided to read?
“Comfortable?” he asked.
She hummed her response. “Why Crusoe?”
“I was in the mood for it.” He paused. “It was always my favorite book growing up.” He stroked her hair. “Ready for bed?”
She nodded. With great discipline, she pulled herself away from Bill. Getting off the sofa. She offered him a hand to help him up.
“Let’s go.”
Next Installment