Danny - Graduation Revelation (18)

Danny – Graduation Revelation

I got a job waitin'
For my graduation
50 thou a year
will buy a lotta beer

Things are goin' great
And they're only gettin' better
I'm doin' all right
Gettin' good grades
The future's so bright
I gotta wear shades
I gotta wear shades

                                                          Timbuk 3 (Gotta Wear Shades)

As much time as they spent together, Danny and Violet never really talked about what would happen to their relationship after high school.  Danny knew he was headed to University of Missouri to follow in a long line of Lewis family members who were already alumni, including his older sister, Rebecca, who just graduated a few weeks ago.

Last week, while eating lunch at the diner, it finally dawned on Danny that Violet was not also venturing to the University of Missouri with him.  She made some reference to the Buckeye State, and he had to get clarification.

He stopped his fork in mid-air and waved a bite of his country fried steak around.  “So what you’re saying is that you will be in Columbus, Ohio this fall.  When did this happen?”

Violet stared at him open-mouthed.  “Have you been camped out under a rock for the past four months?  I got a partial scholarship to O-H-I-O State.  That’s not too shabby for a gal who, according to my own mother, barely ever cracks a book.”

Danny chewed on his steak and then huffed.  “So you’ve been letting me think this whole time that you would be coming with me to school.  You’ve never corrected me, not once.”

Violet crossed her arms and glared at him.  “To be fair, you never asked me; you just assumed.  I do have a mind of my own, Daniel.  I never even applied to Mizzou, so I’m not sure how you thought I was going to get in.  I can’t go on your recommendation that I am the best ‘sex kitten’ ever.”

Danny winced.  “I was drunk, Violet.  You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you?”

She laughed.  “Not as long as I can get mileage out of it.” 

Danny thought for a minute.  “I’m going to tell you something, and I want you to listen to me without interrupting or making a joke.”

“Okay, go ahead.”  She waited.

“Ever since I was little, I have been fascinated by the military: the discipline, the rituals, the pomp and circumstance, the lifestyle – all of it.  I thought that I would enlist after high school and pursue that as a career.  Then I met you, and all you could talk about was how much you hated being a military brat, and how you felt trapped and couldn’t wait to get away from this lifestyle that was being imposed upon you.  Because I had fallen in love with you, I kept my mouth shut about what I really wanted.  I figured that I could pursue another dream instead.  So now I’m sitting here and you’re telling me that we aren’t even going to be headed off to school together.  I feel like a complete schmuck for not speaking up and telling you what I really wanted.”

Violet stared at him, not speaking at first.  “Daniel, I love you, but I am not kidding about going to Ohio State.  I don’t think either one of us is in a position right now to say that we’re going to stay together forever.  So unless you’re planning on asking me to marry you, and I certainly hope that isn’t the case, then it’s only natural for us to want to pursue our own dreams.  I’m sorry if you feel that I prevented you from doing what you really wanted.  In all fairness, I never knew that.”

“I guess you’re right.  There are some things that we’ve never talked about.  I figured we’d have plenty of time for that.  But now it seems like time is running out.”

Violet bit her lip.  “Daniel, I really don’t know what to say.  I guess we have a lot to think about.  It doesn’t change the way I feel about you.  Am I still your sex kitten?”  She smiled coyly at him.

Danny was trying to be serious, but that comment was too much for him to take.  His mouth started to crinkle at the edges and then he started to laugh.  “Violet, you get me every time.  What am I going to do with you?”

Violet turned it up a notch.  “Oh I can think of at least a few things.”

“I’ll bet.  Let’s get out of here then.”

Danny knew that his parents were not home, and it would have been the perfect time for them to spend some time together in his bed.  This news flash from Violet had killed his desire completely.  He made a lame excuse with Violet, telling her he had to cut the lawn before his shift at Burger World, and dropped her off at her house instead.  He actually wasn’t lying about mowing the lawn, but his mom had given him a deadline of tomorrow. 

Danny did some of his best thinking while pushing the mower around the lawn with the noise drowning out the world.  He opened the garage door and pulled the mower backwards out into the driveway.  Opening the gas cap, he checked the tank.  It was full, so he screwed it back on and pushed the mower around to the backyard.  He primed the fuel injector and ripped on the cord twice before he got it started. 

This new revelation from Violet had shaken him; the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.  Had he missed it this entire time that she was not going away with him?  And why not?  How dare she actually make plans that didn’t involve him!  Surely she had heard him talk about going to Mizzou and known that he wanted her to come along!  Couldn’t she get a teaching degree just as easily at Missouri as she could at stupid Ohio State?

And he’d given up his military aspirations for a girl!  He really was feeling stupid.  Well it might not be too late to change his plans.  If Violet wasn’t going to worry about him, then he was going to take care of his business on his own.