"Clean up your ceramic wheels", Denise said. "The clay will harden and the water will make them rust. If you ruin them, you're paying for them. Each of those wheels cost about $400."
She waited until her ceramic students washed their hands and their stations before checking them. Once she made sure all of them were clean, she dismissed the class. Denise looked around as she cleaned up. It was starting to get dark outside. Grandma Irene was at home waiting for her.
Denise picked up her stuff and locked up the classroom before walking to the parking lot. She looked across campus to see Ray standing with two other men.
"Grandma can wait a few minutes", Denise mumbled. "Hey, Ray!"
She waved to him as she walked in their direction, but Ray didn't see her. As she got closer, she noticed all three men looked distressed.
"This is a major disgrace", Ray said as he paced back and forth. "Forget MIT or Stanford now. They wouldn't touch us with a 10-meter cattle prod."
"You're always concerned about your reputation", Peter said.
"Hi, Ray."
Ray turned to see Denise walking up to them with a smile.
"Denise", he said.
"Hey, are you guys alright?" she asked. "You seem down."
"Ray's just upset cause we lost our jobs", Peter answered.
"Lost your jobs?" Denise asked. "Why? Did you do anything wrong?"
"Dean Yeager told us the Board of Regents have terminated our grant", Egon said. "The university will no longer continue funding our studies."
"They can't do that, can they?"
"They already did", Ray said. "Now we're jobless and will have to put all our work on hold for, who knows how long?"
"You're being too negative about this", Peter said not the least bit concerned. "Einstein did his best stuff when he was working as a patent clerk."
"You know how much a patent clerk earns?" Ray asked.
"No."
"Neither do I", Denise said.
"The university gave us money. We didn't have to produce anything. You've never been out of college. You don't know what it's like. I've worked in the private sector. They expect results."
Denise looked at her watch and noticed she was running late.
"Hey, I'm sorry guys", she said. "But I have to get going. Ray?"
"Yeah?"
"If you still want to have lunch together, call me."
She took out a pen and wrote two separate numbers on his hand.
"This one's my office phone number", she said. "The other one's my…you know…personal number. I'll talk to you later!"
The boys watched Denise walk down the steps to the parking lot. Peter smiled slyly as he nudged Ray's arm.
"Little southern sweetheart, huh Ray?" he said.
"She's just a friend, Peter."
Denise parked her car on the sidewalk as she arrived at a skyscraper of apartments in Manhattan. She looked up at the two dog demon statues that were perched on the ceiling. Denise always hated those, feeling like she was being watched.
"Hi, Denise!"
"Oh, Dana", Denise said with a smile as she saw her neighbor. "How was your recital?"
"Not bad", Dana said. "How were your classes?"
"Some of those students can be a pain in the butt", she answered laughing.
Both women laughed as they entered the building, going into the elevator.
"Any plans for tonight?" Dana asked.
"Just grading papers and getting projects together for tomorrow", Denise said. "Grandma will help me."
"I never see your grandmother. What does she do every time you have company?"
"Oh, she stays in bed. Doctor's orders."
The elevator stopped on the 22nd floor of the building. The women walked down the hall to their own apartments stopping as their obnoxious neighbor opened his door greeting them.
"Oh Dana, Denise, it's you."
"Hi", Dana said. "Yes, Louis, it's just us."
"I thought it was the drugstore", Louis said.
"Are you sick?"
"No, I'm fine. I feel great. Just ordered some more vitamins and stuff. I was just exercising."
"Nice to know", Denise said getting annoyed.
"I taped 20-Minute Workout and played it at high speed so it only took 10 minutes", Louis continued. "I got a great workout. You two want to come in for a mineral water?"
"Louis, I have to go now", Denise said. "My grandma's waiting for me."
"I have a rehearsal", Dana said.
"No sweat", Louis said as he followed the women down the hall to their apartments. "I'll take a rain check on that. I always have plenty of low-sodium mineral water and other nutritious foods."
"Okay, Louis…" Denise said putting her key in the lock.
She quickly opened the door and closed it as Louis began talking about a party.
"That reminds me", she heard him yelling from behind the door. "You really shouldn't leave your TV on so loud when you go out. The creep down the hall phoned the manager."
Denise sighed as she went into the living room.
"Grandma, I'm home."
She looked in the recliner seeing Grandma Irene sitting, watching TV. She still looked exactly the same after eight years.
"How was work?" she asked.
"Fine", Denise answered. "Grandma, were you watching TV with the volume loud again?"
"No", Grandma Irene said. "I heard it coming from Dana's apartment."
"Hmm…"
Denise walked by the cabinet that kept all the collectable knick knacks Grandma Irene collected. Right in front of them was a copper urn.
In loving memory of Irene Faye
Grandmother and mother
February 17, 1918 – March 1, 1978
Denise gently pressed a kiss to the urn.
"Love you, grandma."
so Denise is living with a ghost. did anyone see that coming?