"Hey, Topanga! I haven't talked to you in a couple weeks, what's been up?"
Angela balanced herself on the edge of her bed, stretching the spiraled cord of the receiver out as she smiled, relieved to hear her best friend's voice again. The lamp set on her nightstand left an orange blush on the walls of the dorm room, and black storm clouds darkened the city outside, smearing the windows with rain.
"Hey, Angela!" Topanga's fake, cheery tone seemed to successfully dub over the fatigue that racked her voice. "Nothing's been up, I've just been taking care of Riley."
In their apartment a few blocks away from NYU, Topanga was struggling to ignore the exhaustion that burned her eyes and the yawns that sat in her throat. In front of her, Riley was knocked out beneath her blankets in her baby swing, her head tilted onto her shoulder as she sucked her pacifier in her sleep.
It was just as rainy and dark there as it was in Angela's dorm, the TV providing a little extra light as it flickered with the changing of scenes in the commercials. Cory would be home from work in a little over an hour, as it was almost 4:45. Reluctantly, Topanga had called him and asked if he could bring home fast food for dinner again; she didn't have any energy to cook dinner, and that had also been the case for most nights.
"How's that little sweetie doing?" Angela asked. "It's been months since I've seen her-and you! We have to meet up sometime."
"I know, I've really missed you, Angela," Topanga said, gazing at her sleeping daughter slowly rocking back and forth in her swing. "Free time doesn't exist for me anymore. I've had to focus all my time on Riley lately."
"When will you be back at NYU? It's been five months since Riley was born, right?"
"Yeah, she'll be six months next week," Topanga said, realizing it was already June. "I'm planning on going back this fall, and I could leave her in daycare-or maybe with Eric-during the afternoon's while I'm taking classes."
"How much longer until you earn your degree?"
"Probably about three years. Still a long time."
"How much longer for Cory?"
"Two years, I think. He's doing really well, he should be prepared enough to get a job teaching elementary grades right after he graduates."
"That's good, I think he'll make a nice teacher." Angela said, suddenly laughing as she continued, "You think he'll be around to teach Riley when she's old enough?"
Topanga responded with a laugh, too, saying, "I don't think she'd want Cory to teach her. He'd probably drive her crazy monitoring everything she did at school. You know how he overreacts over anything.."
"Exactly-I bet he'll go insane over boys, right?" Angela started laughing really hard at the thought. "Girl, your daughter's gonna grow up to be an old maid with Cory as her dad!"
"Oh gosh, Angela, I don't even want to think about those years." Topanga said in all seriousness, yet smiling a little as well.
Topanga knew he'd be an overprotective nut to their daughter, but at least it meant he was very caring. When she had mentioned the plan of leaving her with Eric at the orphanage while they were at classes, Cory freaked out over a crazy idea of visitors thinking she would be up for adoption.
"What? Topanga, are you insane?! People could think she's up for adoption!" Cory had shouted immediately. "Someone could end up adopting our daughter!"
Topanga had laughed in disbelief at his ridiculous reaction. "Do you know how stupid you sound? Cory, Eric would never let his niece get adopted!"
"He's too nutty, Topanga. Eric would find a loophole through reality and then it wouldn't be so unrealistic anymore, huh?"
"So, Topanga?" Angela interrupted Topanga's mental flashback. "You wanna meet up at Svorski's on Tuesday at 2:00 for coffee? Mrs. Svorski would love to see Riley again, and I wanna see the both of you soon."
"Riley has a check-up scheduled at the doctor's office that day," Topanga said in a downcast tone. "Friday should work though. Wanna meet up then? Same time, same place?"
"Oh, Topanga, I'll be going to visit my dad for a few weeks by then. You sure you can't just cancel her appointment? I miss you.."
"I really can't, Angela. It's the only opening they have, and she needs her six-month-old check up sooner than later."
Angela sighed. "Okay, it's fine. We'll meet for sure when I get back, okay?"
"Okay, we will."
"See you then. Bye-"
"Bye-"
Both hung up the receiver with a sigh. It had been way too long since they had talked face to face.
Just then, Cory came in, carrying a grease-stained bag of fast-food as he grinned at his wife and daughter sitting together by the couch.
"Hey, girlies! Daddy's home!" Cory tossed the bag onto the kitchen table and came to sit next to Topanga. She thought about how cute he looked suited up in his McDonald's uniform and visor as she greeted him with a smile and a kiss.
"Cory, we're losing our social lives," Topanga remarked as they both smiled at their tiny daughter. "Our little booger is taking our free time away."
"Yeah, but I'd rather have no free time with others and lots of time with her than lots of free time with others and no time with her, wouldn't you?" He said thoughtfully.
Topanga smiled, nodding her head. "Yeah, you're right. I guess she's our new best friend now."