Chapter 4 - A visit from the parents

                                    

                                          
Kat
On Saturday, when I wake up, Morgan is still asleep. I get dressed as quietly as possible and grab my phone from the charger.
It's another beautiful day and I stroll across the campus, taking my time as I navigate to a coffee shop I've heard people talking about. I find Dirty and get myself a coffee drink to go.
As I sip the iced coffee, I make sure my phone isn't on silent and go back to the green area I just passed. I find a bench in the sun and check the time. It's a minute to ten.
I close my eyes and enjoy the sunshine.
What a Feeling plays on my phone and I smile. Flashdance is my grandma's favorite movie of all time and she got such a laugh out of it when I told her I put the song as her ringtone.
I answer straight away.
"Hi grandma."
"Good morning, Katherine. How's the weather there?"
"Very nice. It's sunny."
"Are you outside?"
"I'm at the park, with a coffee."
Grandma sighs heavily into the phone. "Did I tell you I always wanted to go to university?"
"You've told me." It's one of the few things my grandma regrets about her life and when she found out I got into UNI, she cried with joy for me.
"If things had turned out differently... But no. I married your grandfather instead, and I don't regret that. Maybe I should have tried harder to do both."
"You didn't need a degree," I say.
"I know. Your grandfather took good care of me and things were different back then."
"How about you come visit me? You could even come to class with me and pretend you're in UNI now."
She laughs. "It's a date. As soon as I'm feeling better."
I sit up, and my throat tightens. "Better? What's wrong? Are you sick?"
"It's nothing. I don't want you to worry about it. I've just been a bit under the weather."
"What is it? Is it pneumonia again? Your blood pressure?"
"Don't fuss over me, Katherine. I'm fine and you don't need to worry. Tell me about the university. Is it everything you hoped for?"
"It's a lot of hard work. But I've found some good study groups and the teachers are nice so far."
The nagging feeling that something is seriously wrong with grandma won't leave me. But she gets so excited to talk about UNI that I push it to the side and tell her all about my classes, and Morgan, and eating at the cafeteria, and everything else I can think of.
"And are you having any fun?" Grandma asks.
"Of course I am." I drink the last of my coffee.
"Does that mean you've been to some parties?"
I hesitate. I really don't like lying to anyone, but least of all my grandma. We've always had a special bond and I usually tell her things I wouldn't tell my parents or even JD.
"You can tell me," she says when I don't answer. "I won't tell your parents. That son of mine is much too uptight about certain things."
Another reason I love my grandma. She was always the one to argue for less strict rules and take my side when I wanted to meet friends or do anything they deemed inappropriate.
"I went to a party last night. But JD was also there, and he made me go home."
"You're being safe, right?"