Sandra talked for hours, well into the night. At first, she was reluctant, preferring to gloss over events of her life, but as Willow pressed for more information, she discovered it became easier to open up to her. Still, in the back of her mind, she worried. She worried that Willow may use this information against her, laugh at her, or shrug it off and tell her to stop being such a baby and grow up. While she didn't do the latter two while they talked, it remains to be seen if she'll betray her in some way.
They fell asleep around 3 am – Sandra on the rug in the middle of the room and Willow in the doorway where she would be awakened if her friend decided to slip out for a rendezvous with the resident leech named Kyle. Even though they had struck a deal while they talked, Willow promising to find her a decent guy to double-date with her and Brad in exchange for Sandra swearing she would never engage in physical contact with Kyle again, Willow didn't trust her friend, especially since she kept bringing up how great it felt when Kyle ground his hips into her. Hormones were dominating Sandra's judgment, not that it was great to begin with.
At 9 am they're awakened by a text notification on Sandra's phone. It's her father, asking if she's ready to be picked up. "In a few minutes," she texts back, then tells Willow she needs to pee.
"I'm going with you," she states.
"Why – you going to hold my hand?"
"If that's what it takes."
The hallway is empty when they take the few steps to the women's restroom, Willow using the stall right next to Sandra's. "Wait for me," she says when Sandra flushes first.
"Yes, mom," Sandra replies in an annoyed tone. "It's not like I could do anything in the 5 minutes it'll take before my dad gets here."
"Don't care. I'm your chaperone. I'm keeping you from doing someone you'll regret."
"Where were you a year ago?"
"Exactly. You need to set some boundaries for yourself. Like no frakking on the first date."
"That wasn't a date last night. It was a hallway indiscretion."
"Whatever. No frakking. Kissing fine, frakking not fine. At least not until the third date, or even longer. It was a whole month before I frakked Brad."
"Okay, mom."
"I mean it, Sandra! Set some boundaries and stick to them. You won't regret it. If a guy dumps you because you won't sleep with him right away, then he's not right for you. Remember that."
They finish washing their hands, Sandra taking Willow's words to heart. She's right. Boundaries can't hurt, boundaries will keep her out of trouble until her judgment improves. It's something she decides to speak to her therapist about this week. Without boundaries, hormones can run amuck and that can lead to more heartache. Maybe some of these students that are devout followers of religion are onto something. Then again, let's not go crazy.
Just as they leave the women's restroom and step into the hallway, Kyle exits the men's room wearing nothing but a towel. His skin glistens from the steaming hot shower he took, the towel barely covering him. All thoughts of boundaries fly out the window as Sandra leers at him, letting her eyes roam across his muscular chest, then down his abdomen to the trail of hair that disappears beneath the towel, which is open at the side since it's too small.
"See something you want, Roslin?" he grins before turning his back to her and walking down the hallway to his dorm room. Before he steps inside, he lets the towel drop, giving her a full view of his bare ass.
"I'd give anything to sink my teeth into that ass," she growls.
"Sandra, get in my room," Willow orders while giving her a shove.
She doesn't really need to pack since she didn't bother to change into pajamas the night before. Her father is waiting for her in the parking lot next to the dorm and Willow walks her out there to ensure she actually gets in the vehicle and rides away.
Dave's appearance is similar to hers. They're both wearing the same clothing as the day before although now it's wrinkled. It's obvious neither one of them has showered and they both look tired and disheveled. He asks if she had fun.
"I did. Did you?"
"It was a quiet evening."
She looks at him slack-jawed. Now he's outright lying to her?
"I know you're sleeping with Laurie's nurse."
"Wha-why would you think that?" he asks, shocked that she knows so much about his personal life.
"Daddy, drop the act. It's not hard to figure out," she grumbles.
He doesn't respond, instead letting out a heavy sigh. He made it clear weeks ago that his personal life is his business. That doesn't mean Sandra isn't wise to what he's up to. She's like a mother hen. She watches after her sister, does chores around the house, makes sure he's presentable before attending social functions. She was the one that insisted he get condoms right away when he began dating Larissa and, he must admit, she was correct in that assessment. She also set him straight about lipstick stains on his pants. It's not fair to her to take on this role in their household. After Betty passed away, he was very concerned Laura was doing the same thing and that it was preventing her from living her life. Sandra's even younger and has taken on more responsibilities than Laura ever did.
"Honey, stop worrying about me. It would be better if you focused on school, your friends, therapy, things that are important to you."
"You're important to me, daddy."
"You're very important to me, too. But I think you spend too much time and energy on what's going on with me when you should be focused on what's going on with you."
She considers the point he's trying to make. Maybe she should have boundaries with her father, too. Let him live his life. He's a grown-ass man, after all. Do the laundry, treat the lipstick stains, watch after Cheryl, and keep her mouth shut. Seems simple enough.
Laura waits patiently in her wheelchair outside the main entrance of the hospital, Emilee resting soundly in her arms while Bill pulls the car around. The nurse checks that the baby seat is installed correctly, facing backwards, not that it was ever a doubt since Laura had so much experience with Cheryl when she was an infant.
Once Emilee is secured in her car seat and a blanket tucked around her, Laura slips into the front passenger seat, and Bill drives away. They have both decided it will be good to be home, having grown tired of the thin mattress in the hospital and the constant interruptions by nursing staff. Laura was also finding it difficult to speak with Amy, wondering when her father decided it was a good idea to be involved with someone so young.
"Bill, is there something wrong with the car?" she asks when she notices he's driving 10 miles per hour under the speed limit.
"I don't think so. Why?"
"Why are we going so slow?"
"I'm being cautious. Baby on board."
"There's being cautious and there's driving like a 90-year-old man. Guess which one you are?"
"Are you saying you don't like my driving?"
"I'm saying I'd like to get home before her next feeding. Please drive the speed limit, honey. The car seat's in the middle and you're a good driver anyway, so just drive like you normally do, okay?"
Her pleas to step on the gas work, although he only increases his speed 5 miles per hour faster. By the time they get to the loft, Emilee has begun to stir, crying softly because it is almost time for her next feeding.
Once they park, Laura jumps from the car and opens the back door, quickly removing the infant from her car seat. "Bill, can you come back for our stuff? I need to get her upstairs before my breasts start to leak," she says, trying to comfort Emilee and keep her from breaking into a full cry.
He punches in the code for the door, then accompanies them upstairs to the loft, sliding the heavy door open for them. Laura immediately takes Emilee to the sectional, unfastens her blouse and nursing bra, and proceeds to nurse her daughter.
"Did you make it in time?" he asks.
"Barely. Are you going to bring our stuff up?" she asks when he sits down next to her.
"I thought I'd wait."
"For what?"
"Until you're done."
"Why?"
"I didn't know if you'd want to be alone."
"Are you afraid to leave us alone?"
"I like being around both of you," he smiles at her.
Laura unfastens her other bra cup and switches Emilee to the other side. "What are you going to do when you have to go back to work? You can't really take her with you."
"That won't be for a while. I'm completely in love with both my girls."
Her talk about his growing overprotectiveness is set aside for later. She decides that for now, she can tolerate it and maybe with some gentle nudging over the next several weeks, he will relax and hover less. "I think she's about done," Laura states, then gives Bill a kiss after she removes Emilee from her breast. "Would you like to burp her?"
He doesn't pass up the opportunity, holding his baby girl to his shoulder and lightly patting her back until she belches loudly. "She sounds like me," he snorts.
"She does sound like you! Now, could you please bring our stuff up from the car? I promise you we will both be fine."
The last two regular season games of junior pyramid are Monday night. Cheryl's team is currently in first place of their league and is guaranteed a spot in the tournament regardless of the outcome of this evening's games.
In her efforts to focus on what's important to her, Sandra makes the decision to stay home and finish her children's lit short story so that she can hand it in early Tuesday, which is two days before it's due. She's hoping the teacher will respond favorably to that and grade it before the others so that she knows her final grade before the last dorm party Friday evening. That way she will have nothing distracting her as she takes on Kyle in trivia.
Dave finds a spot close to the door of the arena and as they are gathering Cheryl's sports equipment from the car, someone says her name.
"JJ?" she asks as she turns and sees her standing a few feet away, smiling at her.
"How's my favorite pyramid player?" she greets, walking toward her and giving her a little hug.
"I'm great! Why are you here?"
"I came to see you play, silly," she replies giving her ponytail a small tug.
"Really?!"
"Yeah, really! I've been wanting to watch you play but haven't been able to get away from the restaurant until now. You know, KC can run the place all by himself now, so that means I have more time for things like this. How are you this evening, Dave?"
"I'm good, Jen. And you?"
"Daddy, why did you call her Jen?"
"That's my name, sweetheart. I'm Jennifer, but everyone's called me JJ for a really long time. Do you need some help carrying your stuff in?"
"No, that's what daddy's for. But you can carry me if you want to."
"Call me Dave, the pack mule. This is usually how it goes," he laughs as JJ picks Cheryl up.
He leads them to his usual place on the bleachers where JJ sets Cheryl down. She goes about putting on her elbow and knee pads, then walks to the warm-up area where some of her teammates are already taking practice shots. Her coach sees Dave and walks to him, greeting JJ when he gets there. "You must be Cheryl's mom! I'm Coach Russell," he says extending his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Coach Russell. I'm JJ, but I'm not Cheryl's mom. I'm a friend of the family."
"I'm sorry, I just assumed when you carried her in that you must be her mother. It's nice of you to come and support her. We have an end of season awards banquet coming up, Dave. Will you and Cheryl's mother be joining us?"
"No, I guess she hasn't mentioned it. My wife passed away last year after a bout with cancer."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Cheryl is a very well-adjusted child. If you want to bring a guest, you are welcome to," he says glancing at JJ, not exactly sure what kind of family friend she is.
The first game is against the team ranked next to last in the league, and it's an easy win for Cheryl's team. She starts the game, sits out the entire second period, then plays sparingly the second half since they have such a large lead. JJ and Dave take the opportunity to chat when Cheryl's out of the game.
"I'm glad you invited me, Dave. She's really good," JJ says after Cheryl takes a seat for the remainder of the first game.
"I hope that wasn't uncomfortable for you being mistaken for her mother."
"No, not at all. I'd love to be her mom," she says casually, then clamps her mouth when she realizes how that must sound. Her eyes meet with his and she doesn't know what to make of his stunned expression. "I'm sorry, that came out all wrong. I meant to say she's a great little girl and anyone would be lucky to be her mom, including me, and you can tell me to shut up any time now, Dave," she stammers.
"Are you asking me to marry you?" he teases.
"Ahhhh," she sighs, dropping her head back and staring at the ceiling for a while before breaking into a giggle. "I walked right into this, didn't I?"
"Yep, you sure did, and I'm having fun watching you try to walk back out," he smirks. "I've always thought if a woman asked me to marry her it would be at a more romantic place than a junior pyramid game, but I guess this makes it unique and memorable."
By this time, JJ's laughing so hard she can barely catch her breath.
"I don't understand what's so funny about it. Lots of women say I'm a good catch," he says, pretending to be offended that the idea of proposing to him is laughable.
"Oh, honey, you know you are. You might be the best catch in all of Caprica City." Her hand brushes his cheek as she offers him a conciliatory smile.
"That's some high praise," he says, laughing with her before his tone turns serious. "Would you care to know my answer?"
Many of her conversations with him lately have made her feel off-balance, and this one is no exception. "Oh, ummm…it's customary to date first before a proposal, don't you think?"
He considers her question, drawing the conclusion that dating is an appealing idea, one he is very much in favor of. "I suppose we are getting ahead of things. Would you like to come to the end of season awards banquet with me?"
She knows what he means but decides to play coy. "We're going to fake date the banquet? Will that confuse Cheryl?"
"It wouldn't be a fake date. Friend of the family. And I can talk to Cheryl so that she isn't confused by it."
It wouldn't be much different than attending the game like she is right now, and he is quick to point this out to her. But she doesn't want to keep a true family member from going. "Won't Sandra want to go?"
"I get the feeling Sandra's unhappy with me right now. I doubt she'll want to go, but I can check when I get home," he offers.
"You do that, then get back to me. In the meantime, we'll have dinner with the dean, so let's talk again after that."
"Is that a yes?"
"That's a maybe."
The first night home from the hospital both Bill and Laura discovered it was better to have the crib in their bedroom. They wouldn't need to rely on the baby monitor, there would be less distance between their bed and the crib for feedings and diaper changes, and they both just felt better knowing Emilee was a few steps away. Laura easily falls into a deep sleep each night, still recovering from childbirth, adjusting to a round-the-clock feeding schedule, and getting used to being her baby's source of nutrition. The lactation consultant made sure to drill it in her head before she left the hospital that sleep, fluids, and nutrition are important.
Bill happily awakens whenever the baby stirs, spending time patting her back to soothe her, rocking with her in the chair they moved into the bedroom, changing her diaper, or bringing her to Laura so she can nurse. He insists she stay in bed during the night unless she needs to use the bathroom. Sleep deprivation doesn't bother him as much, probably because of the time he spent in the military. Sometimes Laura dozes off while she's nursing their daughter, but he's learned how to gently remove Emilee from her breast and return her to her crib so that neither one of them wakes up.
Tuesday morning when Laura awakens, she's surprised that neither Bill nor Emilee are in the bedroom. She discovers them in the guest room, which is now the baby room, or it will be the baby room once they move all the furniture back into it. Bill sits at his desk where he has her cradled in his arm, talking about viper schematics he's studying on his computer.
"You're starting her kind of young, aren't you?"
"Just letting her know what her daddy is good at. She seems to like my voice so if I speak softly to her, she's calm. How are you feeling?"
"Fairly well rested. Thank you for getting up when she cries. I wouldn't mind taking turns, though."
"I was thinking I could take the night shift for the first few weeks so that you can have some time to recover, then we can start taking turns after that. I don't mind. I love taking care of both my girls."
Laura slips her arms around his neck, gazing over his shoulder at their baby. "Remember when we said we wanted to wait a year before having children? I'm so glad we didn't," she says, blowing a kiss to her daughter. The little girl is wide awake but quiet, like she's really been listening to her father talk about flying.
"I think she adores me," he replies, Emilee's eyes instantly switching to her father's face at the sound of his deep voice.
"So does her mother." Laura places a kiss to his cheek. "I'd like to try feeding her before I take an epsom bath. Think you can part with her for a few minutes?"
"Oh, I suppose if I have to. Rocking chair?"
"Sure, c'mon."
Sandra is fortunate to get the last private study room available in the library Tuesday afternoon as most are reserved already for students prepping for finals. She won't need it long, having already studied for her chemistry lab practical, but she decides it would be worth it to do a thorough review of her notes one more time, then take the evening off to relax.
As she's finishing up the last of her lab notes, a soft knock at the door prompts her to tell the person she has it reserved for another fifteen minutes, then she'll be on her way.
"Sandra, it's me," Jeff whispers. "I had trouble finding you today. Here's your water."
"Oh, come on in, I'm almost done anyway. Just a few more seconds," she says holding her index finger up as he takes a seat next to her.
He's impressed with her focus, watching her eyes dart back and forth across the page, then closing as her lips move, repeating what she just read. She repeats it twice until she's certain she knows it, then slams her notebook shut and smiles. "There, all done. I'll be glad to get the lab over with tomorrow."
"Is that your last final?"
"No, I have the written test Thursday morning. Then I'm done. I should know all my grades by Friday and, hopefully, they'll all be As. So I guess this is goodbye."
"What d'ya mean? Aren't you coming back this fall?"
"Of course I'm coming back! I'm assuming you'll be too busy teaching or whatever it is you'll be doing to see me every day. By the way, what are you doing this fall? Haven't assistantships already been awarded? You did get one, didn't you?"
"Uh, yeah, and you'll still be seeing me around. They announced it this morning, but I guess your dad didn't tell you about it. There's a new graduate research assistantship working with your dad, helping him with research and being involved with writing his next book. He offered it to me a while back and I accepted."
"That sounds like a really big deal and a great opportunity for you. Congratulations! I didn't know anything about it. Guess my dad's really good at keeping secrets, but at least this one is a good one."
"Yeah, so, I'll be seeing you around, maybe not every day, though, depending on how busy I am with the GRA and what my class schedule is this fall."
"Here I thought I was going to be saying goodbye to you. I had a whole speech planned and everything."
"That's really nice of you, Sandra. You can still do the speech if you want."
"Okay, here goes. Jeff," she says, placing a hand on his shoulder and staring into his eyes. "Nobody has ever brought me water like you. You are the best water bringer in all the colonies, and part of me will always be dehydrated without you. And," she continues leaning in close, her eyes darting toward the door like she's making sure nobody's listening, "you're the best snuggle-bunny a girl could have."
"You put a lot of thought into that speech, didn't you?"
"At least a whole five seconds. And you're worth it."
"I figured I'd be worth at least ten seconds."
"Mmmm, maybe not ten. Let's split the difference and say seven-and-a-half."
"Alright, I'll take that," he says with a crooked grin. "What're your plans for the summer?"
"I'm taking a painting class. Thought I'd give it a try. What about you?"
"No, I don't paint. Ow!" he exclaims when she slaps his knee. "The first couple of weeks I'm going camping on Aerilon with my brother. It's something we like to do every year, but this'll be our first time camping on that colony. Then I'm taking a core grad class. I might as well start getting some of that out of the way so I can focus on research sooner rather than later. I might see you around campus before fall."
"You might. Maybe-"
"Could I-"
"-I could text-"
"-when I get back?"
"Sorry," she giggles. "I was saying I might text you sometime."
"And I was asking if it would be okay if I texted when I get back from Aerilon."
They meet in the middle again, both smiling at each other for having the same thoughts.
"Sure. Hey, Jeff, be safe. I've heard they have hungry bears this time of year on Aerilon. At least that's what Cheryl told me once."
"We'll definitely steer clear of hungry bears. Take it easy before classes start - you've been working really hard. Kick back and enjoy yourself."
"I will. My time is almost up in here and I think someone's waiting," she says, nodding toward a person scowling at them outside the door.
"Right," he says standing after she stands, watching her put her notebook inside her backpack and shove the bottle of water inside. "Sandra?"
She turns to face him and finds him staring at her with wide eyes like he wants to say something, but the words won't come to him. "What is it?"
He relaxes and tucks a small locket of hair behind her ear. "If I don't see you before the end of the week, I just wanna say I'm glad we became friends. I know that you used to find me annoying."
"Used to?"
"You're really full of sass today, aren't you? At the very least, I'm slightly less annoying to you now."
"That you are, 3. Alright, let's hug it out in case I don't see you for a while."
She places her arms around his neck and the memory of their first hug comes back to her. With his long arms and broad shoulders, it's no wonder he's an excellent hugger, and he's also very warm. That could be why she instinctively snuggled up to him when they fell asleep on the sofa. With her ear pressed against his chest, she listens to the sound of his heartbeat – strong, steady, increasing in rate. She inhales deeply, then lets it out slowly as she continues to cling to him. He's so warm, sturdy, calm, and he smells good, too. His cheek brushes against the top of her head and she pulls back slowly, looking up at him. Those brown eyes draw her in as she stares into their depths, feeling herself starting to surrender to her attraction to him, something she swore she'd never do. His hand brushes the same locket of hair behind her ear, and her gaze drops to his mouth, moving closer to him.
"Hey! You were supposed to be out of here 2 minutes ago! Let's go!" an angry voice shouts as they pound on the door.
Startled, they both step back from each other, turning toward the door.
"I'll see you," she says breathlessly as she walks out of the room.
"Yeah, I hope so," he replies, unable to take his eyes off her as she walks away. The little glance back over her shoulder at him tells him she feels the same way.
The ride to school the next morning is fairly routine. Cheryl chatters on about her nomination for league MVP, hoping she wins the prestigious award, but understanding she's up against some stiff competition. A girl has never won before so maybe she will be the one to break through that glass ceiling. Maybe the coaches won't pay so much attention to gender when they vote. Many that were skeptical of a little 4-year-old girl playing up on the 6-year-old team found out the hard way they shouldn't underestimate her. She's the second leading scorer in the league, and she leads in assists, doing a tremendous job of distributing the ball when the defense keys on her. A natural born leader and a true team player.
After Dave drops her at school, he drives to campus, Sandra silent as she looks out the window. "You're kind of quiet this morning. Anything on your mind?"
What she'd like to tell him is there's a lot on her mind. There's the lab practical that she'll take in exactly thirty minutes. Then there's this heavy feeling she has that she's falling for Jeff, and she doesn't know what to do about it. It's more than a physical attraction, although that is certainly an added benefit. When she stared into his eyes yesterday, she found comfort there, and realized that he might be the person in her life that understands her better than anyone else. Sure, Willow is her best friend, but she didn't let her in until recently. She never intended to get this close to Jeff, it just sort of happened. If anything, she tried to get rid of him, more than once, but he never let her intimidate him, instead offering his support and friendship. There's never been any pressure from him for anything more, just a slow progression to becoming that person, her person, that she knows won't judge her or make her feel bad about her decisions. She never has to hold back, watch what she says, or hide her opinions around him. She can be herself and he likes her anyway.
Does she need to do anything about how she feels about him? Her therapist thinks reasonable boundaries are a good idea in the interim, at least until they uncover the roots of her anger. Since school is ending, they won't see each other for quite some time anyway, if much at all over the summer. Time apart may be what she needs to work through her feelings. For a long time, her attraction to him left her feeling bewildered. How did he go from someone she truly couldn't stand to someone she wants to hug, spend time with, and kiss? Is it real? Can she trust her feelings? Would Jeff even be interested in her if her dad wasn't pushing them together whenever given the opportunity? This is exactly the type of thing she would talk to her mother about, but not her father, especially since he's the last person she would accept relationship advice from right now.
She could speak with JJ, but since her first therapy session with the grief counselor, she has shied away from her. She worries about using her as a substitute for her mom, and that it may not be fair to have those expectations of her. Much to her dismay, her father made it clear more than once that there was nothing between him and the woman that she admires. It's a recipe for disappointment, growing close to someone knowing there will come a time when that person may not be available anymore, either due to JJ or her father finding someone else and moving on.
"I'm thinking about my lab practical," she finally replies. "And then this afternoon I'll study for a while for the written exam."
"I thought you were done studying."
"I am, but I wanna go over my notes thoroughly one more time, then I'll be able to relax this evening." She goes back to watching the houses and businesses blur by out the car window, her eyes lacking focus, streaks of colors blending together as they drive. It's like a painting. Maybe she'll enjoy her summer class more than she expects.
"I'm really proud of you, Sandra."
"Hmmm? Oh, thank you, daddy. I'm looking forward to being able to focus solely on artwork this summer."
The practical goes smoothly, and she can tell her lab instructor is pleased. She's the only student in this section that didn't spill, drop, break, or accidentally burn something.
The union is half-full of students cramming for finals, sitting with cups of tea or coffee, taking up large tables with notes and books spread out everywhere. It's difficult to find a place to sit and eat lunch, so she finds a quiet area in the hallway, sinking down on the floor against the wall and munching on her food. Before she leaves for the library, she checks online to see if her children's lit final grade is posted. She smiles when she sees the A.
At the library, she's in the same reserved room as the day before and as she peruses her chemistry lecture notes, her thoughts turn to Jeff and if he may find her again. Trying to push him from her brain, she decides to take notes from her notes, condensing the topics into small bullet points, then forcing herself to memorize them and expand upon them in her head. Halfway through her study session, a loud knock at the door causes her to jump.
"Roslin?" a voice says as the door swings open.
"Ohhhh, Kyle…what are you doing here?"
"Even smart people study once in a while," he replies, inviting himself in and taking the chair next to hers. "So….", he begins, his eyes freely roaming over her. "When are we going to finish what we started last Friday?"
"I've been thinking about that-"
"No, no, no," he chuckles. "That's your problem, Roslin. You think too much." Does he even care about how condescending he sounds?
Using his index finger, he traces along her bottom lip. "You're a good kisser – I wasn't expecting that from you. Makes me wonder what else you're good at," he says, leaning in close, resting one arm on the back of her chair.
Her eyes flicker with desire as her tongue drags along her bottom lip. "You'd like to find out, wouldn't you?"
"I'm intrigued. You staying with Tree Friday night?"
"I am," she giggles softly, leaning close enough so her face is a few inches from his.
"Then I say you spend the night in my room after I kick your ass in trivia."
"Won't your roommate mind?" she asks innocently.
"There you go thinking again. The only thing you need to think about is where you want me to put it. This wonderfully talented mouth of yours," he says as he brushes his thumb over her lips, inserting the tip for her to lick, "or the more traditional route," his hand slides to the inside of her thigh, resting dangerously close to her core. "Something tells me, Roslin, that the dean's daughter might be a filthy girl, so maybe some backdoor action will be more your thing," he says, dropping his arm from the back of her chair and squeezing her ass.
"Kyle, what can I say?" she asks with a devilish grin. "You see, part of the reason I had to graduate early is because I sorta got a dirty reputation at my high school," she says, wrinkling her nose.
"Is that right?" he asks, his interest piqued judging from the bulge in his jeans.
"You underestimate me. I'm ready to do all three, unless, of course, you can't handle that?"
It's a challenge he wasn't expecting from her. Add it to the list of surprises about her. "You're telling me I can have total access?"
"Yeah, and the only thing you need to think about is what order do wanna do it in, 'cuz I'm up for any combination. I'll leave it up to you."
"Is Tree going to give you any trouble about this?"
"You let me handle her. You know," she giggles softly, "we talked a lot about you last weekend, and after I told her about…you know…," she glances down at his crotch, "she kinda got curious about you. Like really curious."
"Curious enough to stop by some night?"
"Not exactly. Curious enough to suggest the three of us get together some time. Unless you're not into that sort of thing," she says, pulling back and giving him an inquisitive look.
Another surprise from the dean's daughter. "Oh, I'm into it. I didn't realize the two of you were-"
"Were what?"
"Together in that way."
"Of course we are! Why do you think I spend every Friday night with her?"
"I'm finding out all sorts of things about you, Roslin, and I have to say, I'm not disappointed. This could be the start of something wonderful," he says, leaning in for a kiss, his hand slipping between her legs again.
"Hmm, no. No more kissing. Kissing involves feelings and those just get in the way. I only need you to stick it in me, Kyle."
"Hey, Sandra, here's your water-". Jeff stops abruptly when he sees her leaning into the man in her study room, one of his hands on her ass while the other is between her legs. "Oh, uhhh," he stammers when he realizes he interrupted an extremely intimate moment between them. "I'll just leave it here," he says quickly, then turns and walks away.
Kyle glances in the direction of the door as it closes, then smirks. "Someone's jealous."
Cheryl wipes down the dinner table after they eat while Sandra puts away leftovers and loads the dishwasher. Dave goes to the basement to switch the laundry Sandra had started when they got home earlier in the evening. When he returns to the kitchen, he glares at her, letting out a very loud sigh.
"What?" she asks when she notices he is displeased.
"Young lady, that is one helluva mess you made down there! Do you ever clean up the laundry room?" he asks in a stern tone.
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
"Don't stand there pretending you don't know."
"Uh-oh," Cheryl quips.
"I swear, I don't know what you're talking about."
The look of disgust on his face tells her he's incredibly unhappy about whatever he found downstairs. "You need to get down there and clean that laundry room tonight. Get everything put away, sweep the floor, clean up the spilled detergent, and empty the trash! Gods, Sandra, I trust that you take care of these things then when I go down there it looks like a natural disaster hit!"
"I didn't realize it was that bad, I swear, daddy!"
"Just get it done, and I don't want to hear any complaining in the process!"
"Okay, I'm going!"
Grumbling under her breath as she descends the stairs into the basement, she wonders what her father is talking about. The laundry room looked fine when she threw a load in the wash an hour ago. How could he see it so differently? When she opens the door and walks in, the whole place looks like a tornado went through it. "Cheryl!" she says to herself through gritted teeth. "Wait till I get my hands on you, you little twerp!"
After the bottles of detergent and fabric softener are placed back on the shelf, she sweeps the floor, even digging a few old dryer sheets out from behind the appliances. Next, she uses a wet mop to clean the liquid detergent from the floor in front of the washer, doing it twice so it's not slick. The last thing she does is replace the trash bag, then she gathers up the full bag to haul upstairs to take to the dumpster.
She can't even look at her little sister when she gets to the top of the steps, instead walking quickly through the kitchen to the garage and placing the trash bag in a large can. When she comes back inside, she sees her father, Cheryl, Bill, Laura, and baby Emilee in her older sister's arms, all looking at her like she's in big trouble.
She stares back at them for several seconds, nobody saying a word as she looks at all of them trying to figure out what's going on. She swallows hard before she speaks. "Oh, Gods, is this an intervention? What'd I do? Did Jeff say something to you? I can explain about the library."
Dave looks perplexed as she continues to squirm under everyone's glare, then Cheryl suddenly busts out into a giggle, followed by Laura, then a smirk by Bill, and finally her father.
"This isn't an intervention," he says.
"Then what is it? I don't like this," she says, eyeing each one of them suspiciously. "Ahhhhh! Did you trash the laundry room on purpose to keep me in the basement? Ohhh, daddy, you owe me!" she says angrily as she points at him.
"I apologize for that, but I needed to keep you occupied for a while. Here, put this blindfold on," he says holding out a cloth mask.
"WHY?"
"Can you trust your old man for once?"
"I don't think I can. Just tell me what this is about."
"Sandra, you know I wouldn't lie to you. Put the blindfold on, it's worth it," Bill says with a soft smile.
"Well, okay, but only because Bill is asking me to." She grudgingly takes the blindfold and slips it over her eyes.
"I'm going to lead you out to the driveway through the garage," Dave informs her as he places both hands on her shoulders.
"Why are we going to the driveway? Are you having me committed?"
"Do you need to be committed?"
"I don't think so. What are you guys up to?"
Everyone follows them outside where Dave has a little more fun with his highly suspicious middle child, turning her around three times before stopping her so she's pointed toward the street.
"You can take off the blindfold now," Bill says.
In the driveway is a small, late model, bright red SUV.
"You got a new car?" Sandra asks, obviously disappointed they went to such shenanigans to show her the vehicle.
"It's not mine," Dave replies, waiting for the realization to sink in. After several seconds it still hasn't dawned on her who the SUV belongs to, until he holds the keys out to her.
"Ohhh, no way! You better not be joking!" With one hand clamped over her mouth, she reaches for the keys with her free hand, and as soon as she grasps them, tears fall down her cheeks. "I can't believe it! I need to hear you say it. It's mine?"
"Yes, it's yours. I told you this morning that I'm proud of you, Sandra. We were going to give it to you last weekend, but then something came up," he chuckles, looking toward Laura, Emilee, and Bill.
"Daddy," she squeaks as he pulls her into an embrace. "I love it. I love you."
"I can't take all the credit. Bill and Laurie found the vehicle and paid for part of it because you helped out when Bill was on assignment."
"And I picked out the air freshener and the booster seat!" Cheryl proudly exclaims.
"Go ahead, take a look," Dave encourages her.
The vehicle has a tan leather interior, a powerful stereo system, all-wheel drive, power seats and windows, and a sunroof. A booster seat covered with cat faces is harnessed in the backseat, and the cargo area has floor mats and storage compartments.
"We thought you could haul around your artwork and supplies easier with an SUV rather than a sedan," Bill explains.
"And I will be asking you to shuttle Cheryl to and from school occasionally, so we decided it would be easier to have your own booster rather than transfer it back and forth from my car."
"I don't know what to say. I love it! Thank you. I think I'm still in shock," she says, bringing laughter from her family.
"I have a campus parking permit for you, so if you want to start driving tomorrow, you can," Dave says handing her the permit.
"I definitely want to drive tomorrow," she says eagerly.
"I was hoping you'd say that. Can you pick Cheryl up from school and bring her home? I have dinner with the dean."
"Sure, daddy. Can I go for a spin right now? Just around the block a few times?"
"Have fun."
"Can I go, too?" Cheryl asks.
"Did you help daddy trash the laundry room?"
"No."
"Sure, get in."
Two times around the block turns into three, then four, then five as they cruise with the sunroof open, wind blowing through their hair, music on full blast while they sing along at the top of their lungs. When they get back, Sandra snaps a selfie in the driver's seat and sends the photo to Willow, who responds with "OMG OMG OMG".
Later, as she's getting ready for bed, she sends the same photo to Jeff. "Like my new wheels?" It's not quite the olive branch she hopes to extend, but she's been at a loss after he left in a hurry from the library. Her instinct was to go after him, but what would she have said?
The photo puts a smile on his face as he organizes his camping gear. Dr. Roslin had mentioned that he was going to surprise her with a vehicle, and he assumed she would share the news with him. But he can't shake the other picture in his head, the one of Sandra with someone else, his hands on her body, looking at her hungrily. That was the last thing he expected when he came to the library this afternoon.
He had hoped to talk about what nearly happened between them the day before, hoped that she liked him as much as he liked her, and hoped that they would finish the kiss they almost started before they both went on summer break. After witnessing her with this other guy, though, he decides that their almost-kiss must have been just a weak moment between two people who knew they wouldn't see each other for a while. And it's probably for the best since he works for her dad. Still, he can't get rid of the image of that guy with his hand between her legs. He texts back a thumbs up emoji and calls it a night.
The chemistry test is easy, so easy Sandra wonders if she's missing something. There's enough time left to go over the exam twice, and she's still the first one to turn it in, feeling self-conscious as she walks to the front of the auditorium and hands her exam to the proctor. Chairs squeak, pencils break, and a few people glare when she exits the room, but at least it's over and now she's free to enjoy the next few weeks. No studying, no deadlines, no early alarms, just freedom, and a new car to enjoy. She doesn't even mind having to pick up Cheryl, who has gradually warmed up to her again now that she has gotten some attention from their father and JJ. Jason was right in his assessment, Cheryl wanted attention, any kind of attention, and one sure way to earn it is to do something rotten, which she excelled at.
Cruising around with your 4-year-old sister wouldn't be high on most people's priority lists, but it is with Sandra. After she picks her up from school, they go for ice cream, promising it will be their secret from their father so he doesn't know that they are spoiling their dinners. Cheryl still has one more day of school left, but it's an easy day with parties and games, so if she stays up later than usual, it won't have a negative effect.
Dave and Jen dine with Dean Stockwell and his wife, Sharon, at their upscale home in a gated neighborhood. Jen immediately makes a positive impression on Sharon as they chat in the kitchen while they prep the meal and drink wine together.
Jen answers all her questions, including how she is a friend of the Adama family and how she first met Dave when Laura brought him to her restaurant all those months ago. She shares that she also has a love of history and is a fan of his book, hoping that she will get to sneak a few glances at the next one before it's published.
"Something tells me Dave will be happy to let you look it over early," Sharon assures her, noticing how the two friends look at each other when they talk.
It's a relaxed dinner, each couple laughing throughout their conversation. Before they say goodbye for the evening, the Stockwells promise to dine at JJ's restaurant soon, a place they've always wanted to go but have never gotten around to.
After Dave and JJ leave, Sharon turns to her husband. "Friends my ass! Did you see how they looked at each other? Who do they think they're fooling?"
"I don't normally concern myself with these matters, but I have to agree with you," her husband replies. "I'm very impressed with Jen, and they seem like such a nice couple. Except Dave tells me they are fake dating to keep other women from hitting on him."
"Well, if they're still fake dating this fall, I would call that fake fake dating, and they need to open their eyes and see what they mean to each other. We should invite them over again. Maybe a few times. Whatever it takes."
Kyle confidently struts into the dorm lounge with his followers, marching right up to Sandra and invading her personal space. "Ready for this, Roslin?"
"I've been ready since last Friday," she replies, making it a point of nibbling her bottom lip, knowing it will distract him.
"Yeah, I'm ready, too, Kyle," Willow says, slipping her hand into Sandra's, looking at him bashfully.
"We're going to have tons of fun tonight, aren't we?" he asks with a wink, then glances around the room. "Let's wait a few more minutes to see if our favorite card dealer arrives."
"There's no need for that. I'll be the dealer tonight," Gunner says, holding a deck of trivia cards in his hands.
"The other guy is good luck, I'd like to wait," Kyle states.
"Are you saying the only reason you beat me is because of luck?" Sandra asks in disbelief. "I thought you said you were smarter than me. But if you wanna wait another minute or two, I can help myself to some more pizza and soda."
Sandra and Willow walk to the buffet table and when they know Kyle can't see them, they grin at each other, barely able to contain their laughter. "You ready for this, Roslin?" Willow asks, mimicking Kyle's voice.
"I love how you're playing this," Sandra commends her. "The shy but curious secret girlfriend. We do make a cute couple, don't we?"
"The cutest! And definitely the most devious. Don't get all weird on me if I give you a back massage or cuddle up beside you. I mean, you're pretty, but not my type."
"Don't worry, I wouldn't wanna make Brad jealous, even though he'd have every right to be jealous of someone as awesome as me stealing his girlfriend for a night."
"I don't think your favorite dealer is showing up tonight," Mason announces, giving a nod to Gunner. "Let's get this started, unless you'd like to forfeit the game, Kyle?"
"Uhhh, no, there's no need for that," he replies, appearing slightly nervous.
"Will, come sit by me, for good luck," Sandra says, leading her by the hand to the floor pillows where they play trivia.
The game begins after Gunner shuffles the cards a few times, Kyle drawing an obscure category about rodents endemic to the outer colonies. He doesn't answer a single question correctly. Sandra, on the other hand, gets lucky and draws modern music, successfully answering every question. The other players all miss a few questions, leaving Sandra in the lead after the first round.
The second round doesn't go much better for Kyle, this time drawing a category involving questions about silent films. By the end of the fifth round, he's only answered four questions correctly and is in seventh place out of eight. Sandra is in the lead by several points.
They continue onto the sixth round, Willow with her chin resting on Sandra's shoulder as they gaze across at Kyle, who is chewing on his thumbnail.
"Dude, you suck tonight," one of his followers chirps. "What's wrong with you?"
"I'm just having some bad luck, that's all," he replies.
Willow brushes Sandra's hair to the side, then uses her hand to hide her whisper in her ear. "Because the deck isn't stacked in his favor."
"I know, sweetie," Sandra says reaching up and stroking her friend's cheek. "We can go back to your room during intermission." This prompts Willow to play with Sandra's hair, creating even more of a distraction for Kyle.
After the sixth round, the midway point, Sandra has 28 points, second place has 18, and Kyle, who is in 7th place, still has only 4 points.
"You feeling okay there, Kyle? This is so unlike you. You'll have to get almost every question correct the rest of the game to stand a chance to beat me."
"Yeah, you're right, I think my engineering final kind of kicked my ass today," he offers as a lame explanation.
Willow tugs Sandra up by her hand and they leave the lounge, walking the short distance to her room. Once they get inside, they bust out laughing.
"Oh my Gods! He's HORRIBLE at this when he doesn't cheat!" Sandra exclaims.
"I know! And did you see how he was leering at us when we were cuddled up together?! I think he's going to pop out of his jeans any minute!"
"Either that or he'll cream his shorts!" Sandra chortles. "This is so much fun! I'm so glad we agreed to do this!"
"Let's not forget to thank my incredible boyfriend for making sure the weasel dealer didn't show up tonight. It's sad how men can get so distracted by a pretty face and a hot body when it flirts with them."
"And by two women pretending to be lovers. Two very hot women I might add."
"Yes, we are. Very hot."
"It's about time for us hot women to get back to the game. You ready to end Operation Annihilate Kyle?"
"I am. Heavy flirting for the rest of the game?"
"I'd be disappointed if you didn't flirt with me," Sandra says with a pout as she opens the door.
When they step into the hallway, Kyle is coming out of the men's room, so Sandra spins Willow around, presses her up against the wall, and plants a kiss on her lips.
"I love it when you're rough with me," Willow sighs, reaching for the back of Sandra's head.
She stops her by grabbing her arm and pinning it to the wall, moving her mouth close to hers so they're breathing in the same air. "Honey, let's not forget what we're doing later," Sandra says, glancing in Kyle's direction, who is staring at them with his mouth agape.
An hour later, it's all over. Most of Kyle's minions give up and leave after the next few rounds when he only picks up a few more points. In a fair game, Sandra destroys him to the point she almost feels sorry for him. Almost.
He doesn't say a word as he slinks from the lounge and returns to his room. Sandra gives Gunner and Mason hugs afterwards, thanking them for making sure the game was played fairly the final evening of the semester.
"I know I'm not supposed to take sides, but I'm glad someone finally put him in his place," Mason says. "We have loved having you at these parties, Sandra."
After Saul and Ellen pick up Cheryl for the weekend, Dave changes into a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt, brushes his teeth, splashes on some cologne, and drives to Amy's house.
She greets him with a kiss, then pulls him into her home where Shayla is sitting on her sofa.
"Shay, this is Dave. Come on over and say hi. She's a little shy at first," Amy whispers to him.
"It's nice to meet you, Shay," he says when she walks over to him, looking him up and down. She walks around him letting her hand drag across his chest, then around his arm and across his back, before returning and standing in front of him. In no time she's unbuttoning his shirt, slipping a hand inside and feeling the contours of his physique. Following a kiss to his lips, her hand grazes the front of his pants, exploring, gauging his reaction, and approving of what she finds.
She whispers in Amy's ear, who then informs Dave that Shayla likes him and would love to get to know him better.
"Come here, Shay. I need you to tell me that."
"It's okay. You'll like him. I know I do," Amy encourages her.
Stepping back to him, Shay looks into his eyes, then pushes his open shirt off his shoulders. Her hands roam down his arms, then over to his waist, and finally to his belt which she begins to unbuckle. "I want to know all of you, Dave."