I recognized an example from a magazine I’d seen open on her desk.
“Wasn’t that in the article you were reading?” I asked.
Laura lowered her phone beneath the table.
Laura paused.
“It’s a widely discussed issue, Rose.” Then she turned toward Mom. “How’s your little garden?”
“Doing well. Although planting mint beside the parsley was counterproductive. It’s taking over.”
“Counterproductive means something works against your intended goal,” Laura explained.
Mom folded her napkin. “Yes. I wanted parsley.”
Nathan coughed into his glass.
“It’s a widely discussed issue, Rose.”
Later, Mom noticed a loose handle on the serving cart and tightened it with a screwdriver Ronald found.
Laura laughed. “Well, everyone has their talents.”
I followed Mom into the kitchen. “Do you want me to say something?”
“About the drawer?”
“Mom.”
“Please don’t create trouble before your wedding.”
“Well, everyone has their talents.”
“She corrected a word you used correctly.”
“I heard her.”
“And you’re supposed to smile?”
“No, sweetheart. I’m asking you to leave it tonight.”
***
A week later, Laura caught sight of the textbook in my bag. “Who’s teaching your final course?”
I named the professor.
“Please don’t create trouble before your wedding.”
“Arthur? We attended university together.” She smiled. “Mention me. I’m well respected in those circles.”
After class on Monday, I did.
“Laura?” Arthur laughed. “Good heavens. There’s a name I haven’t heard in years.”
“She’s going to be my mother-in-law. She says she’s well respected.”
His smile faded.
“What were you going to say?”
“There’s a name I haven’t heard in years.”
“Nothing appropriate, considering the connection.”
“Please. I’d rather you told me.”
He hesitated. “I don’t think I should. But if Laura talks as much about academic integrity now as she did back then, you might ask Nathan’s father how she managed to stay enrolled.”
“Why Ronald?”
“I don’t think I should.”
“Because he was there.”
That was all he would give me.
That evening, I told Nathan exactly what Arthur had said.
“My mother?”
“I don’t know what happened. Arthur wouldn’t tell me.”
Nathan shook his head. “She made me rewrite an entire assignment because I’d forgotten to credit one quotation.”
That was all he would give me.
“Maybe there’s an explanation.”
“Then let’s get one.”
The next evening, Nathan and I visited Ronald together. He went quiet when we mentioned Arthur.
“Your mother was young,” he finally said.
“So was everyone else there,” Nathan replied. “What happened?”
