Torches

14

January 6, 1984

Waking up to Lindsey's alarm her first instinct was to throw the pillow over her head but something was preventing her from it. What was preventing her was Lindsey grabbing at her hands and kissing her cheek.

"I don't wanna." She whines.

"This is how you set up your schedule. Sorry about your luck." He smirks knowing full well that she's his TA from 8-9:45 and 10-11:15. Then she has her own class from 1 until 2:30. She'll then be going to the grocery store and picking the baby up from daycare. Tuesday on the other hand is where she has a class from eleven to twelve-thirty and then she's his TA from 2-3:15. She'd be cleaning on Friday because she didn't have any classes. 

"Lindsey, what do I even wear?" Stevie asks rolling over and looking at him. 

"Business Casual." He replies. 

"So black dress and a jean jacket?" She questions.

"If that's what you want to wear yeah." He nods.

"Alright, that's what I'm wearing...we should probably get up. And I need a shower." She sighs sitting up and running her fingers through her hair.

"I need one too...wanna join me?" He asks.

"What about Clara?" She questions.

"She'll be fine." Lindsey shrugs her off pulling Stevie's hands and leading her towards the bathroom. 

***

Stevie and Lindsey walk into the classroom at the same time and they share a look. 

"Um, why don't you go sit um, in the back of the classroom." He points to an empty seat. 

"What do I do?" She says quietly. 

"Just take some notes and watch the students. Observe them, observe how I teach...you'll have to give a lesson at some point." He tells her.

"Fine." Stevie smiles heading to her seat.

"GOOD MORNING CLASS! I LOVE SEEING YOU ALL BRIGHT AND EARLY!" Lindsey yells as half of the class jumps awake.

"There we go, welcome back from Semester Break. I'm so glad that you could join us today. I'm Professor Lindsey Buckingham, this is PSY 150. If you do NOT have the right class, the door is right there and if you need help finding a room, well I'll do my best." Lindsey pauses for a moment as students check their schedules and notes.

"Good, we're all here for the same reason. Before we go over the syllabus I'd like to introduce you to my Teachers Assitant. Stephanie Nicks...what would you like them to call you?" Lindsey directs to his girlfriend.

"Um, Stevie is fine." She smiles.

"Stevie, alright...she is a doctoral candidate and she's going to be spending a lot of time with you guys. She's grading ALL of your papers and reports. I teach the lesson and grade your presentations-you'll have two over the course of the semester a group and a solo, and I grade your exams. we have three. We aren't expecting a lot out of you, it is a one-hundred level course but we expect your best work. Every assignment you are given has a rubric that Stevie or I will be using to grade you.  I'm going to pass out your syllabus now and we're going to go over it. I know, I hate Syllabus day too but it HAS to be done." Lindsey lectures and Stevie finds herself intently drawn in. 

***

Stevie was walking through the grocery store with Clara strapped to her chest comfortably in the Moby Wrap chucking things in her cart when she stumbles upon a group of girls. 

"Oh Stevie, Hi! My name is Rebecca Jackson I'm in Dr. Buckingham's PSY 150 class. I didn't get a chance to talk to you after class." She smiles holding out her hand.

"Well, it's my pleasure." Stevie smiles grabbing the water for formula and sticking it in the basket. 

"She's so cute...how old is she?" Rebecca points to the baby, wearing a long sleeve black and white striped dress, a pair of white tights on, and her black little baby boots. A black bow in her baby curls. 

"She's eight months old." Stevie smiles as the baby screeches and throws her arm up grabbing at the moon necklace around Stevie's neck. 

"Alright, well you guys have a good day." Stevie grins as the girl and no doubt her roommates wave and walk away. 

"Well, bean that was kind of awkward. But I guess this is my life now huh?" She asks kissing the baby's little cheek 

Clara squeals in response and then they head to the frozen food aisle. 

***

Stevie's pulling the frozen onion rings she got to accompany the bacon cheeseburgers that she had made for dinner out of the oven, Clara sitting in her high chair banging her bottle of milk around. She was getting formula now for breakfast and lunch but she was eating real food, as she had eight teeth with Lindsey and Stevie for dinner. 

"Hey, so how was your first day?" Lindsey asks kissing her cheek as she sets the rings on the cooktop. 

"It was fine, but I have homework to do tonight." She points to her bag on the kitchen table. 

"Well you ARE getting your doctorate." Lindsey replies going over and kissing Clara. 

"I know, it's a lot o work but if we think about this...I have three semesters left until I hopefully get it." Stevie looks at him.

"So what did you make for dinner?' Lindsey asks.

"Well, I still have to cut up the tomatoes and wash the lettuce but I made Bacon Cheeseburgers and Onion Rings." She says exposing the patties smothered in cheese that's sizzling on the cooktop. 

"YES! I've been craving a good burger. Do you think we could give her one?" Lindsey asks looking at the baby.

"Lindsey I don't know...she's been eating potatoes, rice, and pureed veggies...but we can try it if you want. Just have to cut it up really super tiny." Stevie shrugs getting one of the burgers out and putting it on a tiny plate for the little girl. 

"Let's do it. We'll just make sure that she doesn't choke." Lindsey smiles grabbing the knife and cutting it up into bites that were the size of a pinky nail.

"Oh, I saw one of our students in the grocery store...let me tell you, it was awkward," Stevie replies plating the meals.

"It's always awkward when you see students out and about, but I try to be polite and I smile to them and make conversation if they initiate it." He shrugs.

"She did initiate it and I did talk to her, but it was awkward." She sighs.

"It just comes with the territory." Lindsey shrugs.