auld lang syne

Frankie was so happy to be back at the University with Lottie.

Of course, he'd spent one long week with her, out on her parent's farm, and it was close to devastating. But he knew he had to go and meet them. They needed to know who their daughter was seeing. Still, he had doubts he passed the test.

1. Lottie was a different girl around her parents. It was like a light had been shut off, and she was practically a zombie. Thus, he followed the pattern, slow and easy.... without question.

2. Lottie's older brother was the show. Of course, her folks were proud of him. He was on a University football team(although, in another state, Texas no doubt). It was easy to see, who got overlooked. Lottie. Yes, it was disconcerting. Frankie would hate to see Lottie's life stifle on the farm. It was true, being at the University was good for her. She needed be here, not there.

3. He had to sleep with Rusty, which was an all time low for Frankie. Add a pet rattlesnake in a glassed cage next to Rusty's bed, and...well..Frankie was certain he might not make it through the week. Rusty was a rowdy yet hug-able bear of a fellow, who was full of laughter, pushing Frankie around. To say the least, it was nerve wracking.

It wasn't until they got on the train back to Omaha, that he was finally glad he'd came. Finally, he could sit by his girl. Hold her hand, and smile. Smile to see her smile, because evidently, there really wasn't much to smile about, at home.

Lottie could breathe easy now. She never wanted her parents to meet that girl she'd become. After all, it would be all wrong to her mother. Why wasn't she majoring in music? She had a beautiful voice. She'd be the perfect music teacher.

These were things she didn't want to hear. They didn't really know her. And deep down, she wanted to hide it from them. If only, they could marry her off to the nearest preacher, they'd be happy. She knew she wouldn't.

Naturally, she could have gone down a different path, her first semester of the University. It was so likely, it could have happened. There were plenty who would have taken her, spun her around, and left her on an unknown destiny.

But this was where she wanted to be. And maybe she was a lot more like the girl they wanted, than either of her parents would ever know.

Oh, she'd found love. and it wasn't in a quick smile, or a fast dance with intoxicating drinks. She was sure of it, the heart grew fonder of Frankie, over Christmas break. And when he showed up, well, it was only temporary at home. She could get through anything... if Frankie was there.