"Are you eating regularly?"
"I live with Laura," Crystal said dryly. "She's up for breakfast, has a brown bag waiting for me to take and dinner's ready almost every night by the time I get home." Poking at her side, she frowned. "I'm about ten pounds heavier than when I was working at the Tom Cat. If she keeps this up I won't be able to fit through the door."
"I'm sure a good portion of that is muscle from your construction work," the therapist said as she got to her feet. She went to her desk and retrieved two videotapes from the bottom drawer. "Here. You can take these home with you to watch. One is about the effects of alcohol on the body and the other is for people beginning recovery and what obstacles they can expect and how to handle them. They're kinda old but if you can get past the eighties clothes you'll be fine."
"Gee thanks, Doc," Crystal said. Noticing the time, she stood as well and took the tapes from Jenny. "Just what I needed, more homework." "Well since you didn't bring your journal I had to come up with something, right?" the therapist joked.
"True," the blonde agreed. "I should look on the bright side. We could have spent the whole hour talking about how I feel for Laura." "You managed to bring her in enough," Jenny said. "I take it you didn't tell her about your feelings?"
"No," Crystal said. "I'm still not sure."
"Then I suggest you keep writing in your journal about your feelings until you are sure," Jenny said. "In the meantime, get to the AA meetings as often as you can and good luck on your GED test. I'm sure you'll pass with flying colors."
"I'm gonna fail," Crystal said miserably as she stared at the large stone building.
"You're not going to fail," Laura insisted, reaching out to gently rub her roommate's back. They were standing in the parking lot of the high school, other adults milling about smoking cigarettes and talking.
"Easy for you to say," the blond grumbled.
"It should be easy for you too," Laura said. "You aced both practice tests and you know your formulas inside and out. You can do this, Crystal. I know you can." She shoved the pencils into the younger woman's hand. "Come on, they're opening the doors."
Crystal took a deep breath and stared at the building, all her doubts and fears coming to the forefront. "Maybe I should wait and study more." "No. You've studied enough. You're just nervous."
Unable to stop herself, Crystal wrapped her arms around Laura and hugged her tightly. "Wish me luck."
"Good luck, hon," Laura whispered into her ear as she returned the embrace. "You'll do just fine and after this is over I'm treating you to the biggest bowl of popcorn you want and the matinee of your choice."
"I'd settle for microwave popcorn and a rental." Crystal reluctantly pulled back and double checked the points of her pencils. "You really think I can do this?"
"I don't think," Laura corrected. "I know. I've already picked out the spot on the wall where we're going to hang your diploma. Now get in there and knock them dead."
Crystal was too excited to appreciate the falling leaves as she raced up the walk. It was finally here, an envelope from the State Education Commission. When she had called home on her afternoon break and had been told by Laura that there was a large white envelope waiting for her, Crystal almost asked Michael if she could leave early. As it was she drove past the church where her nightly AA meetings were held and headed straight home. Now in a few seconds she would know if she passed the test she took nearly three weeks earlier.
Just as she reached for the handle, the door opened to reveal Laura standing there, envelope in hand. "Looking for this?" the writer said with a smile.
"I can't believe it," Crystal said excitedly, taking the envelope and stepping inside the townhouse. "It's gotta be my diploma. They wouldn't send a big envelope like this just to tell me I've failed, would they?"
"Open it and find out," Laura said.
Nervously, Crystal tore at the sealed flap and pulled the two pieces of paper out. One was a letter which she quickly ignored in favor of the official looking diploma with her name in bold print. "I did it," she whispered.
"Yes you did," the writer agreed.
Crystal continued to stare at the diploma. "I can't believe I did it." Comforting hands rested on her shoulders. "I passed. I got my GED. I don't have to admit I never finished high school anymore. I can say I have a GED. I did it."
"I knew you could," Laura said gently.
"I never would have been able to do it without you." Setting the paper down on the side table, Crystal turned to face Laura. All the weeks of studying, of struggling to remember names and dates, of trying more time just to make Laura happy when all she really wanted to do was throw it all in the garbage and give up, all that was over. Crisp white paper declared that the mistake Crystal made as a teenager no longer had to haunt her. Looking at Laura, Crystal knew where the strength had come from to make what once was just a dream now a reality and not all of it was inside. "Thank you," she whispered softly, blinking at the stinging feeling in her eyes.
"I only helped you study. You're the one"
Crystal cut off her roommate's protest by pulling the older woman into a fierce hug. "No. I never would have even tried if it wasn't for you, Laura." Her voice sounded muffled against the writer's neck. "You're the one who kept encouraging me, who taught me the tricks to remember the order of how things happened and those damn flash cards." She smiled and held Laura tighter. "Thank you," she whispered again.
"You're welcome." They stayed like that for a moment longer before Laura finally disengaged from the embrace. "Now I think this calls for a celebration."
"Like what?" Crystal asked as she turned away to wipe her eyes, though she knew Laura had seen the tears.
"Dinner and a movie?" Laura offered. "Anything you want, my treat."
"Everyone's playing those psycho killers chopping up teenagers movies," Crystal said.
"It's the season," the writer said. "After all, Halloween is just around the corner. We could always swing by the rental place and pick out a comedy if you want."
"Naw, I'm not in the mood for a movie."
"We could call Jenny and the boys and see if they want to have dinner with us at the Chinese place," Laura said.
"You feel like pizza?" the blonde countered. "That marathon is on tonight."
"It's fine with me," Laura said. "But are you sure you want to stay in tonight?"
"Absolutely," Crystal said. "I don't feel like celebrating with everyone. Lemme change out of these clothes and call Jenny to tell her the good news, then we'll decide where to get the pizza and relax at home tonight."
Chapter Fourteenth
"Grab pickles while you're down there, will ya?" Crystal asked, looking over the neatly written shopping list.
"Spears or slices?" Laura asked.
"Spears and make sure they're dill," the blonde replied without looking up from the list. "Last time you got me that other kind. I don't like them." "Is that why you haven't touched that jar? You could have told me." Laura picked up the correct jar and put it carefully into the shopping cart. "You went to the trouble to buy them for me," Crystal said. "I figured they'd get eaten up eventually."
"We could have brought them over to Mom's with us tonight," Laura said. "I'm sure she'd find a use for them."
"Don't forget we have to stop someplace and pick up a new frame for your picture since you put my GED in that one." Crystal threw a bag of chocolate chip cookies into the basket. "Hey, let's not forget to pick up a tin of those butter cookies."
"Just one? I can eat that myself," Laura joked. "We'll pick up a couple of them. Oh, pick up two bags of marshmallows, would you? I want to make a batch of those treats to send to Bobby."
"Sure, I saw them down this way." Crystal moved to the far end of the aisle, spotting the bags on the bottom shelf. An older woman, debating on which bag of hard candy to buy, stood in her way. "Excuse me."