~Twenty Years After~

"Okay, class. Now, I know this is the first day of your brand new English class in your Freshman year of college, so I can understand why you're all eager and willing to learn. Right? Yes, right. Now, as you all should know, I am Ephram Brown, Dr. Brown, Professor Brown, you can call we what you like. Just not 'Eph' I hate being called 'Eph.' Anyone who does that, fails. Think I'm kidding? Ask Fred Rucka, I've failed him three times. Uh, some background information on me, well. I was born here, in New York City, moved to Colorado when I was fifteen, and then I moved back here to teach all of you nice people. Now, what am I going to be teaching you? That's your part. Well, I'm going to assume all of you have already read The Scarlet Letter. Right? Okay, good. So that's what we're talking about here. I know I'm supposed to lecture you as Freshman but, it's boring, so, I want to here everyone's favorite character. Here, we'll take a poll. And I want good reasons too, and your name, I'd like to hear your name as well…" 35 year old English professor Ephram Brown said drawing lines across the blackboard behind him. When he turned around he pointed to a boy in one of the middle rows.

"You, yeah you. Your name, favorite character, and reason why."

"Uh, I'm Amazu. My favorite character was Hester."

"Alright, nice choice. Why?"

"Well, it's just the way she always stays the same person throughout the story, but, even though she doesn't change, how people look at her does," Amazu tried to explain. Ephram nodded, getting it well enough.

"Okay, and, you?" he asked the older, brown haired girl sitting next to Amazu. The girl smiled.

"I like Pearl."

"Why? And be careful, she's my favorite too," he warned her. She smiled again.

"She reminds me of a lot of the things I used to do as a child," she explained. Ephram nodded with a smile.

"Personal connection, nice one. And what's your name?" he asked her. She looked down at the ground and then back at him.

"Gracie Thomas," she answered. He fell silent, looking at her. He then noticed the golden heart laying on her chest. He smiled.

"See me after class. Okay, next!" he said and the girl next to Gracie started.

When class ended the large class filed slowly out of the room. Ephram leaned against his desk, waving to all of the young people. When the entire class was gone, Gracie walked over to him, smiling. It was the same smile. The exact same smile. Ephram cleared his throat and walked around his desk and started going through some files piled on it.

"You look a little older, than most of my students, Miss Thomas…" he said, not looking at her.

"I spent the last five years studying in France," she explained. He nodded.

"That must have been exciting. You know, I couldn't help but noticing the heart, on your necklace. Can I ask where you got it from?" he asked her. Her hand went to it.

"It was a gift," she explained. He looked up to her.

"A gift?"

"Yes. From the first boy to ever tell me he loved me," she said. He smiled and chuckled slightly. He shook his head.

"You were like Pearl," he told her. She smiled, glad they were on friendly terms again.

"I've been told that. How's your father, and Delia?" Gracie asked him. Ephram laughed.

"You remember them?"

"I was five, but I remember everything. Right down to the bunny ears," she said, smiling.

"Dad and Delia are still in Everwood, both practicing medicine."

"That's sweet."

"So, how are you. Thomas now, huh?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Yeah, Thomas. I've been fine, I'm good. They were very good to me," she said. He smiled.

"I'm glad. So why are you here?"

"You," she said, he looked surprised, "I wanted to see what you looked like, what kind of a man you were now. I wanted to see if you had married that, blonde, thing. You know I can't remember her name."

"Amy."

"Amy! Yes! That's it!"

"Well, actually. We did get married. For about three years. Then we got divorced," he confessed. She looked sad.

"I'm sorry," she said. He waved it off.

"It's past. Anyway, you look good. Twenty five now, huh? Wow," he said. She smiled.

"You know, actually, one of the main reasons I came here was, to see if you remembered me," she confessed. He smiled.

"Of course I do. Hey, I don't have a class for three hours. Buy you lunch?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Sure, I can eat," she said smiling. He smiled too, and the two of them walked from the room.