“It is. I’ve seen it.”
“Tell me everything,” Taylor said.
Twelve
The call came in an hour before they made it to Bellton. Paul had ignored the ringing phone, not wanting to spoil the surprise. If he’d answered Taylor’s call, he knew there’d be no way he could have hidden the fact that they were about to come visit. Stevie would have shouted a greeting from the backseat, or Terri would have spilled the beans somehow.
The day was overcast, but Paul didn’t mind. The drive had been stunning, the snow mostly gone. Birds were active and happy, and he could see green grass where a week ago there’d been none.
Wind blew at him through the open window as they approached the school grounds. It was one of the prettiest colleges he’d ever seen, and he’d toured a lot of them over the last decade, guest speaking about his books. The faculty buildings were spread out over the lush landscape. There were so many spires and brick facades, the clock tower jutted up in the distance, and Paul felt at home.
Paul hadn’t been able to afford such a fine college when he was young, and it warmed his heart that Taylor could get an experience like this. He only hoped the pressure wasn’t too much. He wondered how many other kids were spending their spring break at school working on projects. He didn’t want Taylor to burn out so soon.
“Dad, can I go here when I’m older?” Stevie asked from the backseat. The audio book was off, and his son was admiring the sights.
Terri answered for him. “Stevie, you can go here, but you have to work harder in your classes, like your sister did.”
“She’s a bit of a nerd, isn’t she?” Stevie asked, laughing to himself. “I’m more of a baseball kind of guy, right, Dad?”
“She’s not a nerd,” Paul answered, though she kind of was. Paul considered himself one as well, so it wasn’t a bad thing. “Baseball is fun, son, but there’s not much of a career in it. The best bet is to get a great education, make a lot of money, and buy box seats to your favorite team.”
“Like you, Dad?” Stevie asked.
“Sure. Like me.” Paul laughed.
“Then why do I need season seats? We already have them.”
Paul rolled his eyes at Terri, and she joined him. “Stevie, you’re missing the point Dad’s making. Work hard, get good grades, and you can do anything with your life. Like Taylor’s going to do.”
“Okay. I hear you. I can’t wait to see her. She’s going to flip when we get there.”
Paul hoped so, and not in a bad way. They hadn’t gone to the hotel yet, but the weekend hiatus was going to be nice for all of them. Paul had been working hard on his new book and had brought his laptop, but he was going to try to turn everything off when they met up with Taylor.
He drove the quiet campus roads. It was a ghost town. Taylor was a nervous person, and Paul didn’t think she’d like being so isolated with the rest of the students gone for the holiday.
“Do you remember where to park?” Terri asked.
“I think so,” he said, and tapped his blinker on, turning toward the residences. A minute later, they were parked in a mostly empty lot, and Paul got out.
“She’s in eleven, right?” he asked his wife, who nodded.
Stevie was already bursting ahead of them. The kid always had so much energy. Paul was looking forward to him as a teenager, when he could start running with Paul in the mornings. It could be their thing, and he liked that. The boy already wanted to go out with him, but he was more of a sprint and stop kind of runner at this point.
“Don’t go too far!” Terri shouted as he raced down the sidewalks.
“Isn’t this nice?” Paul asked, and Terri threaded her arm through his. He was wearing a dress shirt with a vest overtop. It was the perfect combination for the weather. Terri had a light spring jacket on, the kind with a hood in case of rain. They ambled up the path, arm in arm, and chatted about the school and the weekend. Paul was soaking it all in. His heart was full as they neared the dormitory.
Stevie was waiting for them at the front entrance, and he moved out of the way as a young student walked by, opening the heavy door with a smile at Paul and Terri. His son grabbed it, holding it open for the girl, and then waved his mother through. “After you,” he said with a smirk, imitating their doorman at home.
The girl had been the first person they’d seen on campus. It was deserted. Why had Taylor stayed behind? She could have done her work at home in the city just as well.
They moved through the building; having been here twice before, they knew which way to go, and soon Paul was standing at suite eleven, his hand raised to knock. “Here goes nothing,” he said, and rapped his knuckles on the door.
A few moments went by, and when he was about to knock again, the door creaked open. “Hello?” a girl said.
“Karen, right?” Paul asked, and saw the flicker of recognition in her eyes.
“Mr. Alenn, Mrs. Alenn,” she said, glancing past Paul. “What’s up?”
“What’s up? Not much. We came to see Taylor. Is she in?” Paul asked, and instantly felt his stomach drop. Her face gave it all away.
“Uhm, Taylor’s…”
“Karen, what is it? Is she okay?” Paul asked, his heart thrumming so hard, it pounded in his eardrums.
“She’s… I thought she was going home to see you guys,” Karen said, but Paul could tell she was lying. He stepped into the dorm room, and Karen moved aside.
“Where’s her suitcase?” Paul was going through the messy closet, and he
