The Tutor

by Kailin Gow

  “Well, I’ve got to get running. The Ladies Auxiliary is having a luncheon and I want to make sure to get a good seat.”

  By good seat, she meant at the right table with the women she wanted to be associated with that day.

  “Okay…by the way, how’s Dad? I tried calling him but we didn’t connect.”

  “Good, working like a mad man, but really, Taylor, I’ve got to run.”

  “Okay. Bye. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.” Her voice faded as she said that and she’d already been pulling the phone away to hang it up.

  Two hands wrapped around my waist and I turned around. “Did you tell your mother hello from me?” Chase asked.

  “Didn’t get a chance. She was off to the races,” I said with a slight laugh.

  “Well, we’re off to our own event, too,” Chase said. “You ready?”

  “I am. Are you ready?” I asked.

  “Of course. Why?”

  “I thought you might be hesitant to introduce me to all your friends,” I said. I’d sensed a bit of an edge to him about this meeting for the past day.

  “Don’t be silly. You’re my pride and joy. I can’t wait to show off my hot girlfriend. They’ve all heard about you, after all. It’ll be nice for them to see why I missed you so much last year and had gone crazy without you. You’ll see.”

  I see a bunch of guys who didn’t seem to mind hanging out with a guy who liked to cheat on his girlfriend.

  I was learning to trust Chase and I didn’t have a lot of trust or respect for his friends. After all, they might do the same things that Chase did. Perhaps it was acceptable to some girls but to me, cheating was a huge no-no. It would have made me angrier if I knew that I hadn’t done it, too. But I kept justifying that my connection with Salvatore was considerably different. It was a true relationship, not a series of one night stands. Did that make it worse?

  The gathering at the frat house was really nice and seemed so formal. Everyone was on their best behavior at that moment and it reminded me of an event at the country club. Didn’t anyone like to be relaxed and casual anymore? I knew how to act in public and have a proper conversation but I really enjoyed kicking it back and being casual, too. Those were the moments when the most special things seemed to happen.

  “So, you’re Taylor,” one guy said, nodding at me and smiling as he gave me a look-over.

  “She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Chase said. It made me blush. He noticed and added, “Come on, Tay. You know it’s true.”

  I didn’t know what to say but it made me feel so awkward. I wasn’t a piece of meat, I was the woman he loved, right?

  The show continued on and I finally excused myself to use the restroom.

  When I was done I didn’t see Chase so I walked over to get a glass of punch and saw a tall, thin blonde standing there. She was looking at me oddly and I smiled, assuming she was just assessing who I was.

  “Hi, how are you today?” I asked.

  “Fine,” she said with a tight smile.

  “Taylor First,” I said and extended my hand.

  “Heidi Kepler,” she said. “Delta Gamma president.”

  “Oh, a sorority.”

  “Yes, the sister sorority to Sigma Chi.”

  “Oh, then you must know my boyfriend, Chase Nichols.”

  Her brows slightly furrowed and she said, “Of course I know Chase. We were involved in a great many activities together last year.”

  “What?” I asked.

  Is she implying what I think she is?

  “Joint fundraising adventures, community service, things like that,” Heidi said.

  “Oh, of course. That’s great that you were all able to do such great things. It’s important to give back to the community, that’s for certain.”

  “Yes, for certain,” she said.

  I was trying to think of something else to say but I was struggling. There was hostility coming from her and I speculated if she was one of the girl’s that Chase had strayed with but decided I couldn’t waste my time thinking about that. I’d drive myself crazy if I did and keep reliving the past instead of looking forward to the future.

  “Hi, there you are,” Chase said, coming up next to me and putting his arm around my shoulder. “I see you met, Heidi.”

  “Yes, we were just chatting.”

  “She’s a dedicated sorority sister, for certain. Always willing to go the extra mile.”

  I turned to Heidi. “I’d love to hear more about Delta Gamma, perhaps tend a Rush Week event.”

  “That would be nice, Taylor,” she said with that same icy, tight grin. I was starting to think that must be her natural smile. It wasn’t very warm and inviting but not everyone could be that way.

  Then she walked away and Chase grabbed my hand. “You’re interested in joining a sorority?”

  “I was thinking about it. It would be a great way to meet a lot of people and spend more time with you.”

  “I was hoping to spend less time at frat functions now that you’re here, Tay. It would be a shame to not see you as much as I could, especially when we get busy with school work.”

  “I see your point,” I said.

  “Plus, Heidi isn’t really the nicest person. She’s kind of a backstabber…that’s what the girls in the sorority say. You’re too nice to be around people like that.”

  I nodded and we were off to talk and mingle with more people again.

  Eventually, I met one girl that I really did like. She was smiling, friendly, and liked to laugh a lot. Her name was Jodi and I felt an immediate friend in her, kind of like what I’d felt in Allison when I first met her.

  “That’s great that you’re going to be up here going to school with your boyfriend,” she said. “It was so hard leaving my boyfriend when I got here. Honestly, I have my doubts it’ll last. Just too much distance, you know.”

  “Do I ever,” I said. “It was hard. I’m fortunate that Harvard worked out for both of us.”

  “So you’re a sophomore?”

  “I have enough credits to be one but I’m starting as a mid-freshman here. I plan on getting back on track by the end of next school year, though.”

  “That sounds hard. Aren’t you going to have any fun?”

  “Of course,” I said.

  “We should get together sometime for some coffee, a run, or something like that.”

  “I’d like that,” I said. We exchanged numbers and we were off.

  Chase had seemed quite deliberate about me not making any friends and just committing to our relationship but I needed to have at least one good girl friend that I could talk with. What woman didn’t? I’d give him the victory with not joining a sorority. That would have to be enough.

  Chapter 3

  I was excited to see what the differences in classes would be like from my old university compared to Harvard. Would it be a lot different in the Ivy League? So far, the only big difference I’d noticed was the beautiful, nostalgic feeling of the campus. Previously, I was used to seeing more modern buildings mixed in with late 80s and 90s. At Harvard, it was a completely different story and it literally made me think that if the walls could talk, they’d have some pretty interesting stories to tell about how students had changed over the decades.

  Only one class really captivated my attention and that was my Renaissance Art History class. It was so interesting and every subject made my mind come alive with curiosity. If all classes were that way I might be one of those people who stayed in school forever. Not everyone felt that same way, though. While others yawned or nodded off, simply fulfilling a requirement for a ‘well rounded education,’ I took notes on my lap top at a rapid pace, also recording the lectures. Okay, in part was the voice of my teacher—Professor Leanza—and the magical way he spoke. It reminded me of Salvatore in a great many ways because they were both Italians with marvelous English but the subtle nuances that made it all seem somehow more…charming. Unlike Salvatore, Professor Leanza didn’t have the sexy loo
ks to back up the voice. He was a middle aged man with a slight pudge but a merry and infectious love of Renaissance art that drew me in.

  “I’m delighted to be here this year and help you learn about the amazing period of art known as the Renaissance period. Let me tell you a bit about myself first. I am guest lecturing here for one year, just coming off a marvelous dig and excavation, where I got to see a great many historical treasures that hadn’t been seen by man for many hundreds of years, and in some cases thousand.”

  Professor Leanza continued on and my mind danced with delight at the thought of going off on such adventures and seeing things that had never been seen before. I wanted to find an underground city beneath Rome like he’d helped do. Furthermore, how exciting it would be to find the artifacts the family business imported personally. What an amazing experience. I quickly determined that I wanted to find out more.

  Class ended and I walked down the few steps to the main floor, where the professor was standing and nodding goodbye to everyone. A few students had questions about their grades for the previous days quiz but not me. I’d aced it and I had a question about how one got into being a part of excavation digs. Sure, you could apply but just like in politics, getting the job often depended on who you knew. I wanted to know the right people…just in case.

  “Professor Leanza, I’m Taylor First, one of your students. Do you have a few minutes for some questions?”

  “Sure. First, as in the import business?” he asked.

  I was shocked that he knew my family name and I felt a swell of pride about it. “Yes.”

  “They helped get a few pieces from that Rome excavation into the US to their buyers. Wonderful people to work with.”

  “When was that?”

  “This past summer,” he said.

  I knew that I’d been at the office during that time. I didn’t remember but in all fairness, my mind was occupied with other things Italian.

  “Of course,” I said, hoping to smooth over my clueless feeling.

  “What is it I can help you with, Ms. First?” the professor asked.

  “If I ever wanted to be a part of one of these digs how would I go about it?”

  “The thought of it interests many young people. However, you can go many years, if not a lifetime, and never find anything significant.”

  “I know that’s a possibility but it seems to offer other things of value.”

  “Such as?”

  I smiled, knowing exactly what. “Experience, knowledge, the possibility. Nobody knows anything for certain after all and as they say, ‘the only thing that will certainly happen is nothing if you choose not to act.’”

  “Very insightful. Well, Ms. First, if your grades prove satisfactory and your commitment beyond exceptional, I would be glad to take your application and consider you for our next dig.”

  “That would be wonderful. When is that?”

  “We are estimating a year out. Perhaps internship time for you?”

  “I’ll make sure it is, if nothing else,” I said. “Thank you so much for the information, Professor. I had best get going to my economics class, something far less interesting I fear but important nonetheless.”

  “Very well then,” he said and turned around to the next eager student who had been listening and waiting to talk with him.

  I was so excited about the possibility of going on a dig and also visiting Italy. I’d always wanted to go there and I was motivated by the heart as much as anything else. It would be nice to see what the country was like that had created the man who enchanted me in every way this past summer.

  And to be a part of a dig, I added mentally to justify my eagerness.

  I was eager to get home, enjoying the walk on the nice fall day. I walked into the apartment building and over to the elevator, marveling at how I still hadn’t gotten used to such a luxury as the elevator opening up into my apartment. More than anything, however, I was eager to tell Chase about what I’d learned from Professor Leanza.

  The doors opened and I saw Chase standing there, getting ready to take off.

  “Hey,” he said, looking at me and smiling as he put his messenger bag over his shoulder.

  “Hi. What’s going on?” I asked, knowing he was done with classes for the day.

  “Late night study group. You might as well plan on eating without me.”

  “Oh, I had something I wanted to talk with you about,” I said, not able to hide my disappointment.

  “It can wait until later, right? After we make love. I can’t wait to wind down this day with you on top of me.”

  He kissed me and was out the door, leaving me looking around my apartment and hoping to find a person there. That was luxury I was really longing for.

  I walked over to the kitchen and opened the fridge. “Leftover Chinese it is,” I said. There was no one there to answer aside from me so I added, “Yum.”

  Five minutes later, my gourmet reheat was out of the microwave, I had a Diet Coke, and I was walking into the living room to dine while looking online.

  I wanted to investigate some information on Professor Leanza and learn a bit more about what he’d been doing professionally and optimize my application when the time came to possibly go on a dig. My class participation and grades were not going to be a problem—I was certain of that. I still wanted to have an advantage if I decided to pursue the opportunity.

  I took a bite of the Kung Pow Chicken and then typed in Piero Leanza Dig Rome into my Google and pressed enter. Before I got to even look at what the search pulled up my cell phone rang. What timing! It was my mom.

  “Hi Mom, what’s up?” I asked, staring at the Google search and my food, which was surely going to need to be reheated again.

  “Taylor, it’s your father,” she said in a panicked and breathy voice.

  My stomach did a flip. “What happened?”

  “Oh, he’s had a relapse, another heart attack. Some passages are blocked and he’s going in for emergency surgery tonight.”

  My eyes started to sting, holding back the tears but I had to maintain composure so my mother didn’t lose it, either.

  “Is he going to be okay? The prognosis is good, right?”

  “Yes, he should be fine but I really need your help, Taylor.”

  “Just name it. What can I do?”

  “I can’t figure out the work inventory and what we’re carrying. You know all about those things. I wish I’d paid attention to that part of the business but I didn’t and now …”

  “I’ll get a flight and be home as quickly as possible, Mom.”

  “No, I’ll have to figure that out. What I really need you to do is get to Italy for the trade show this weekend. It’s the most important one of our entire year and our presence is necessary for our bottom line.”

  “Italy?” I asked, half shocked and wondering how I was going to pull off a quick trip to Italy, too.

  “I know it’s a lot to ask but I know I can count on you. I’m not good at that type of thing, you know.”

  “What’s this tradeshow about?” I asked.

  “International Museum Exhibitions show—one of the biggest of the year. No one else can do it as well as you.”

  “I can’t go to Italy without seeing Dad, Mom,” I said, more worried about him than the damn business.

  “Of course, how silly of me. Come here first and we can arrange for your father’s ticket and accommodations to be transferred to you in the meantime.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you when my ticket is booked to get back home,” I said and hung up.

  My mind was racing and I called JetBlue and got on their next flight—three hours away. I quickly packed my bags and called for a taxi to get me to Logan. Feeling nervous and on edge, I made my way down to the lobby and waited for the cab to pull up, which didn’t take long. I lived at one of those addresses where cabbie’s responded to quickly.

  Once in the cab, I sent Chase a text message: Family emergency. I am on my way home to see Dad. Prob
ably will be gone for five nights.

  I didn’t do any other explanation because of two reasons. First, there was too much to say, and second, I was not about to start troubles by mentioning I happened to be heading off to Italy after I saw that Dad was okay.

  Chase replied ten minutes later: Go, be safe, I’ll be waiting for your return. I love you.

  I stared at the phone, not sure what to text back. It wasn’t going to be ‘I love you.’ I chose to send a smiley face—it was lame but it was the best I had to offer at that moment. Then I added a ‘see you soon.’