Maggie sat through the first day of Music Fundamentals and was completely lost. The professor reminded her of old insecurities. The nuns had pulled Maggie out of chior because she was unable to recognize tone or pitch. Once in school, Maggie wasn't allowed to play in the band or orchestra. All of the other students in the class had some sort of musical training while Maggie was lost at the definition of meter.

White picketed fences just don't happen to me.

I've never really had the dreams about the husband, dog, 2.5 kids and the house in the burbs. Yes, these things would be nice and if they happen I will accept them and be happy.

However, these things come with chains attached. I want to travel, see the world and help those I encounter. Yes, it would be nice to share these things with someone I love.

Maybe I can see the world and then settle down with the volvo station wagon and the PTA.

Peri gazed upon the opulent house and began imaging Drew as the young, tormented Bruce Wayne. She envisioned the bat cave stories beneath the circle drive. His mother and father melded together to form the Alfred perfection and impeccable timing. Although the bat mobile would tend to stick out among the Infinitys, Beamers and Benzes.

Drew was leery of strangers and had the most unfortunate timing with women. Damn that Vicki Vale.

Driving around Denver with the sunroof open and cell phone at her ear, Peri remembered what it felt like to be a city girl. Then she remembered the car was rented and the phone on loan.

She’d given up city life to pursue an education in the mountains of Colorado. She quit banging her head against the glass ceiling, gave up a car payment and picked up textbooks and reading glasses.

Peri was able to grieve for the husband she’d lost nine years ago and began dating with a renewed hope in love. She was able to forgive a step-father’s sexual transgressions. Today, on a break from academic halls she shared a blanket with Drew in his parent’s front lawn. While he read a book she reflected on these past few months; moreover, she reflected upon the man beside her.

This friendship had grown exponentially over the past month and she was loathe to leave him in a few days. He would be spending the summer in the city and she was to return to Gunnison for a job at the college.

In small ways he reminded her of Jonas, like how he watched her from afar while at parties, knew how she ordered her steak, he even understood her fear of moths.

Peri wanted Drew to enter her life in a more complex way. But friendship was all either of them was capable.

Laying here on the groomed lawn amongst the tennis court, twinkling pool and foreign cars, Peri wondered if she would ever be viewed above the level of servant by him or his family – Drew hadn’t done anything to cause her this anxiety. The fear of hierarchical social order was part of the Irish Catholic coalminer breeding. Peri tried to step away from the family tree, away from the need to feel persecution, but trees don’t throw apples. Apples can only fall and possibly roll down hill.

They would be the perfect pairing or so their friends thought. She a writer, he a reader. She a dreamer, he a realist. Yet they found solitude in the silence surrounding them: Peri writing in a journal, Drew imagining the far away places in his fantasy novel. They enjoyed each other apart from the rowdy crowd they both hung out with and they always found each other in that crowd.

Peri wanted to quit obsessing about a situation she was never going to change on her own. Lightning would have to strike before she would make the first move.

Marinated in whiskey and smoked for 20 years her voice had the consistency of BBQ ribs - somedays it melted with each mouthful, other days it'd chip a tooth. Today was a melting day.