“Yup, that fits.”  Megan filled in the blank spaces with the blue ball-point letters.  “I don’t suppose you could drive me up to the dorm today, could you?”  

     Her mother frowned.  “I told you Meg, I have that meeting today.  Why do you have to make things difficult?”  

     “I’m not trying to make things difficult,” Megan said, anger discoloring her voice.  “I just wanted to see if my very own mother wanted to spend some time with me.  But I forgot, you have more important things to do.”  

     Her mother put her face in her hands.  “Meggie, try to understand.”  

     “The only thing I understand is that you ALWAYS make me drive up with him!  I hate it!”  

     “There’s nothing I can do Meg.  Just one more time, please?  It’s not so bad.  I know you don’t like him, but at least he tries.  Megan, come back here!”  

     But Megan’s furry feet were already vanishing up the stairs. 

     “Are you sure you shouldn’t have started out earlier?” her mother asked as she shoved Megan’s laundry bag in the trunk.  It refused to fit.  “You won’t get there till the middle of the night.  In fact, you’ll probably have to stay overnight in the hotel again.  You do this every time, why can’t you just leave earlier?”  She grunted as she struggled with the bag.  

     “Don’t worry so much,” said Dan, taking the laundry bag and stuffing it behind a suitcase.  “We’ll get there in plenty of time, won’t we Megan?”  

     She sat immobile in the passenger seat, hands locked behind her head.  “Don’t you think you should be helping us?” asked Dan.  Megan just ignored him.  His ears started turning red.  “I think it’s time you showed a little appreciation young lady,” he said.  Her mother put one cool palm on his shoulder and shook her head.  

     She walked round to the front of the car and hugged Megan through the open window.  “I love you, squirt.  Be good.”  

     “I love you too, Mom,” she said, relenting.  

     The driver’s side door slammed as Dan slithered into the seat.  “I’ll be home tomorrow sometime,” he said, starting the engine.  

     Her mother blew her a kiss as they drove away.  
 

     Dan stared at her, lips pressed together.  “Come on then,” he said, throwing his napkin on the table and standing up.   

     “Let’s go shopping.  Maybe you’ll quit being such a gripe after you spend some money.  All you women are the same,” he finished in an undertone.  Megan didn’t hear.  
 

     “Here?” Megan stared up at the Victoria’s Secret sign.  “I’m not going in here with you.”  

     Dan giggled.  “Aw, come on Meggie.  I know you want something nice to wear for your boyfriend, don’t you?”  Without waiting for her, he strode into the shop. 
 
     Megan followed him in, swearing silently.  She calmed down in the store, lulled by the swishing of silks and satins.  The soft cloth muted the edges of the tables. She slid around the front of the store, smelling the scented candles and spraying on body splash.  A few minutes later, Dan came out of the back of the store, holding up a padded hanger.  “How about this?”