Lovesick Braves Page 5

  "Are you prepared with three things?" Rayanne asked. "Conversations starters, not yes-or-no questions. Ask him about the highlight of his weekend."

  "You're making me more nervous," Ester said. She put on her coat.

  "Sorry," Rayanne said. "Just remember, you're a great person. Let that shine through."

  "Would a great person be nervous about a get together involving frybread?" Ester said, wishing she were a normal person who didn't work herself into a lather over a lunch date.

  She put up her hood and hurried across campus toward the longhouse. The whole way over, the vision of those two women at the club hanging onto him crept into her memory. A guy working at a club must meet tons of girls. He could take home a different one every night. On a good night, he could go home with both of them. That sour thought canceled out much of her elation after he'd asked her to lunch. Lunch wasn't much of a date, anyway. It was one point bigger than a coffee date—brief and easy to escape.

  The building they called the longhouse wasn't even a replica longhouse like other schools had. Whereas a traditional Pacific Northwest longhouse was built from wood, City College had a rectangular building with high ceilings and a lot of Native art and cultural objects on display. There was a commercial kitchen and a space for events. Since the UIC had moved to campus, she'd attended numerous gatherings in that building.

  Inside, the room was packed. She threaded her way through a group jammed in front of the door. She pushed her hood back and scanned the room, when she heard "Hey, Shoshone!" Theo waved her over.

  He wore a rain jacket—so he did own one, and carried his backpack slung over his shoulder. He had his hair pulled back, and he wore small silver hoop earrings. After seeing him at the club, it was funny seeing him like a regular student. A regular student so gorgeous he should have his own holiday. The muscles around her mouth went slack and she couldn't force out more than a whispered, "Hi, Theo."

  "It's nuts in here," he said. "They moved everyone inside because of the rain." The line stretched around the perimeter of the longhouse. Next to the kitchen, three students frantically filled plates while a fourth collected payment.

  "You want to wait or would you rather go someplace else?"

  Ester didn't mind waiting anywhere if Theo was involved. "This is fine," she said, dreading going back into the rain. "Some of the folks at the center don't approve of frybread."

  "What's wrong with frybread?" Theo asked.

  "Not healthy. Not traditional. Part of our mission is fighting cultural stereotypes."

  "You want to protest the Native students' fundraiser?"

  Ester shook her head. "I like fried food."

  "Phew. I was nervous we were off to a bad start." Theo didn't look even a tiny bit nervous. She tried to remember her three things. Or anything.

  "What was the highlight of your weekend?" she said. Would he tell her if the answer was “going home with two girls”?

  "Besides talking to you, my weekend didn't have a highlight."

  He said it with an easy confidence that made her blush to her toes. She played with her hands in her pockets.

  "How about you? What was your highlight?"

  He looked at her like she was the only person in the room. She tried to remember what she did over the weekend.

  "Going out to the club. We had a lot of fun. Do you like working there?"

  "The money is decent. The hours aren't ideal but I've become a strategic napper."

  "I guess it's good you look like that," Ester said, then—realizing how it sounded—wished to take the words back. She was incapable of carrying on a normal conversation.

  "Like what?" Theo said.

  "Tall. Intimidating. It's good for a bouncer." The words came out in a stammer.

  "Maybe," he said. "Sometimes scares people off in regular life. If I want to ask someone a question, like about class work, and they run in the opposite direction."

  Heat crept into her face. The notion of intimidating people with your looks was so far outside her experience. They'd barely traveled halfway around the room; she needed another conversation starter.

  "Do you have roommates?" she asked.

  "I live alone," Theo said. Which was perfect if you wanted to go home with two girls.

  "Lucky. My roommate has a new girlfriend. She's sort of…I don't know what the word is, abrasive?"

  "Abrasive? That's a strong word," Theo said.

  "She makes me uncomfortable."

  "What does abrasive girlfriend do?"

  "I can't relax when she's around. Like, I get up Saturday morning and I'm minding my own business. I have a cup of coffee and I'm reading a book in bed. She knocks on the door and asks if I left a glass in the sink. That kind of thing."

  "Wow. Abrasive isn't a strong enough word," Theo said. "You tell her off?"

  "I rode my bike to the library."

  "That's one way to deal with it," Theo said.

  The conversation quieted again. She should have let Rayanne give her more conversation starters.

  "You never told me what class you're taking," Theo asked.

  "I'm not. I goof around with social media for work," Ester said. "The UIC is in the middle of a situation and I've been collecting footage of things we've done. I put short clips online."

  "Like a documentary?"

  "That sounds much more professional than what I'm doing," Ester said. She was embarrassed to talk about it with him.

  "Is that what you do? Make movies about the center?"

  "I wish. That would be fun. Right now the center is a barebones operations so I do anything related to computers, data, spreadsheets and assist with whatever anyone needs. The films are for social media."

  They reached the front of the line and the student asked for payment. Ester had her card out but Theo pushed it away.

  "I invited you, Shoshone," he said.

  "I don't mind. We're supporting Native students. It's practically my job." She'd begun talking faster.

  "You fighting me on this?" he asked with a half-smile.

  Ester shook her head, fretting that she'd offended him. All the progress she'd made on being not-awkward erased again. Her face was hot as she took her plate and picked up a can of soda. The longhouse had set up rows of cafeteria-style tables. Theo pointed to an open spot and Ester sat down onto the bench first. Theo squeezed in next to her, his warm thigh pressed tight against hers. All thought disappeared except the awareness of that spot, with Theo's hip against hers, his elbow brushing at her side. A jolt of heat turned her insides to liquid. The distracting sensations destroyed her ability to eat.

  "This okay?" Theo said. He could have been asking about anything, and here she was looking into his eyes, desire interfering with her ability to think straight.

  She nodded, her attention divided between worrying about her poor communication skills and trying to get the food down now that her appetite disappeared. She sipped her soda, then asked, "What classes do you have?"

  "Two with Professor Stone. Visual communications and an online journalism class, too."

  "You want to do journalism?"

  "I'm not sure what I want to do," Theo said. "Financial aid wants you to pick something, so that's what I picked. I like writing."

  Ester tried to align the image of Theo writing with the tall slab of muscle sitting next to her.

  "I also took cultural anthropology. If you want to read ten thousand pages a week, that's the class for you."

  Ester smiled. "I've taken classes like that. If you get behind, you're toast." She relaxed enough to take a bite of food.

  "As I am learning," Theo said. "I'm way behind in Professor Stone's classes, so we talked about me helping her with a film she's making."

  "She's making something?" Ester asked.

  "She makes documentaries. I wanted to ask you about that. I might have told a fib."

  Ester raised an eyebrow. "A fib?"

  "Professor Stone wants to talk to some Ind'ns. She asked me since, obvio
usly, I'm acquainted with all Indians."

  Ester smiled. "We joke about that, but truth is, once you get to know the Indians in town, the circle is pretty small."

  "Do you think someone at your urban Indian center could talk to her?"

  "Talk about the center in a movie? That would be great," Ester said, calculating how she might get involved. "A real filmmaker making a real movie would be great for us."

  "I could use the points, too," Theo said.

  "If you get the center involved, they're going to get you involved with the center. It's like its own Ind'n tractor beam, reeling in our people to support the cause."

  Theo laughed. "I'm not getting involved in anything. I'm helping out the professor in order to stay on her good side."

  His casual tone made Ester's heart sink. This lunch wasn't personal interest, it was about finding someone for his instructor's project. She looked down at her half-eaten food.

  "How's your nontraditional lunch?" Theo asked, nodding at her plate.

  She shook her head and slid it toward him. He surprised her by grabbing the plate and finishing it.

  Off her surprised look, he said, "Did you want it?"

  "I was done," she confirmed.

  "I'm always hungry," he said.

  They got up and threw away their paper plates. Theo got out his phone and waved it at her. "Trade numbers? You can let me know when you talk to someone."

  8

  Linda grabbed a copy of the meeting agenda from Rayanne.

  "What's the occasion, boss?" Rayanne asked.

  Linda had on the new blue dress and her prized, least-pilled sweater. "You told me I was frumpy."

  "I think my words were, ‘You could use more style.’ You look terrific," Rayanne said. She passed the agenda around the room. They'd spent the morning moving computers and pulling desks around until they formed a square. The board had arrived, and they waited for Arnie.

  Ester and Tommy came through the door loaded with carryout trays of coffee and a paper bag with what Linda hoped were the chocolate chocolate chip cookies she loved. They passed out the takeout cups to the board members.

  "Our coffee pot now fails to do the only thing it's good for," Ester explained. "We didn't want you to endure a meeting without this magical elixir so this is from the campus coffee outpost. I think they brew up a vat in the morning, burn it, and then let it simmer all day. These cookies are other-worldly, though." Ester passed around napkins and cookies. She winked and left the bag with Linda. Two cookies were left inside.

  Ester sat next to Audra.

  "Can I get in trouble for using the computer lab?" Ester said to Audra.

  "Did someone say something to you?" Linda asked, taking one cookie and hiding the other one for later.

  "No, just wondering what would happen," Ester said.

  "Technically, you're not supposed to use it," Audra said, "but you're not doing anything illegal, right?"

  Ester lifted an eyebrow as if to say, you never know.

  "You're working on material for the center. The center is affiliated with the college at the moment," Audra said.

  "You're a lawyer, do you know for certain?" Ester asked.

  "If you're uncomfortable, don't do it," Linda said. "It's the same old social media projects. You can do it on our machines."

  Ester shrugged. "I like the school's equipment and I'm learning more tricks."

  "Then stick with it. We'll visit you in jail if you get busted," Linda said. Rayanne was the one who could talk her way out of anything. Ester did better with non-speaking roles but she was sharp and a fast learner. Linda could use another Ester.

  When they sat side by side, it was hard not to notice Ester and Audra shared non-traditional wavy hair. Linda said, "You two have the same wild hair. When I was a kid, my aunt practiced giving perms on all the kids. It was like you got your hair cut in the dark and then went to sleep with it wet."

  Ester smoothed her unruly locks. "Don't mock the hair the ancestors gave me."

  "You're adorable, Ester. Excuse my poorly worded affection," Linda added.

  Audra ran her fingers through her puffy tangle and compared it to Ester's hair. "Maybe we have the same grandfather?"

  "Origin stories are complex," Ester agreed.

  Arnie burst through the door. "Sorry I'm late. I've been circling the parking lots trying to find a spot. I ended up on the other side of campus."

  "A legitimate drawback of this location," Linda said. "We're not complaining, Audra, we appreciate you getting us in here."

  "I'm more upset about the bad perm remark than your disparaging the college's parking."

  Ester handed Arnie the last coffee. Linda realized the extra cookie was for him. She was tempted to keep it for herself but with the news she had to share, shoring him up with a treat might help. She put the cookie in a napkin and handed it to him.

  He gave her a grateful smile, the same beaming Arnie smile that dropped panties all over campus back when they were in college together. Probably still did. She gave him a chance to get settled before addressing the room. The usual subjects were assembled with the executive board, the people who trusted her to produce something out of nothing.

  "Bad news first," she said. "We didn't get the big grant we went for."

  Arnie covered his face with his hands. She should have told him ahead of time but he was late to the meeting and she'd put off making the call because she couldn't bear to hear the doubt in his voice.

  Pauline was a gray-haired Tlingit and one of the calmer board members. She threw up her hands. "You were certain about this one. You begged us for one more year. And here we are, again."

  That stung. If Pauline was this wound up, what were the rest of them thinking?

  Linda took a deep breath. "It's only been a couple months since you gave us an extension. It's one grant. We have other options."

  "That's all you've produced is other options," Pauline said. "When are you going to give us something? This isn't an urban Indian center. This is the idea of an urban Indian center. You need to secure local support." She tapped a finger on the table to emphasize each word. "Your little festival was a good start but you need local partners so you can build something."

  They couldn't make big plans without a suitable location. The board had agreed to prop up their funding to keep the UIC going for one more year. In return she had to deliver two things: additional funding that would let her deliver the services she wanted to deliver, and a stable home for the center. Linda kept her mouth shut.

  Arnie made a general calming motion. "Funding is always an issue. Linda's right, this is one grant. You've got others?"

  Linda nodded at Ester.

  "I've been researching like a maniac," she told them. "I'm checking private sources, too. I realize those require a different approach but why not try everything?"

  "Let me see before you try anything crazy," Arnie said.

  And there he went, wanting to oversee before they did anything. Discussion about the budget gave way to the Native American Tribal Government meeting.

  "That's a good place to chase down tribal leaders," Pauline said. "Some of them gaming tribes set aside money for this kind of thing."

  "We're working on building relationships," Linda said. Approaching tribal leaders at a multi-day government issues conference wouldn't be her top idea but she could figure out an approach.

  "Let's talk about specific things you can do," Arnie said.

  Or, let Arnie dictate her approach.

  He looked around the room expectantly, as if he were the only one trying and forcefully dragging the rest of them along after him.

  "What is more specific than talking to people?" Linda asked.

  Arnie waved the comment off.

  Fine. She could act more serious. "Is there an open announcement period? Can we advertise our social media in the conference bulletin?"

  "How about a brochure in their welcome packets?" Rayanne said.

  "Stickers," Tommy
said. "Kids love stickers."

  "Could we set up a monitor somewhere? We could do a repeating slide show with information," Ester said.

  Arnie nodded. "I like that one. Sounds like you're on the right track. Keep working on it."

  Linda scrawled argh! across her agenda. "Thanks. Next agenda item is the building. If you remember, a friend of Margie's who worked for the city brought the Chief Building to our attention. When the deal fell through, we tried to contact him for help but he had retired and spent time out of the country. He's back and he should be here any minute." She glanced at the clock. "Meanwhile, any thoughts about how to proceed with the city? What should we do to get the city talking to us again? I'm feeling like I'm ready to get extreme. I think it's time to talk about a lawsuit."

  "No one is suing anyone," Arnie said.

  "Then…what, picket city hall? Is there a civil rights or outside group we can file a complaint with? We can get involved in local elections."

  "I appreciate where you're coming from," Arnie said, "but I think it's too early for extreme measures."

  "They've been jerking us around for months," Rayanne said. "Last fall they said they'd schedule a meeting, which was pushed back until it was the holidays. Then they pretended to want to see us, urgently, right before Christmas like their heads are in it at that time of year. They met with us and said there was nothing they could do until after the holidays. Now it's January and everyone is too busy again."

  Linda's phone chimed. A text from Paul Douglas.

  Can't find you.

  "Paul is on campus but he's lost. I'll get him."

  Arnie could hardly tear his eyes away from Linda. She wore a snug fitting dress in a dazzling color blue. She pulled on her coat and ran out the door. Rayanne caught him staring and smiled in an unsettling way. Arnie turned away.

  "Ester," he said, "weren't you making a movie about the center?"

  "I make short little clips for social media," Ester said.

  "You'll have to show me one sometime," Arnie said.

  "They're online," Ester said. "You can look at one anytime you want."