Roger still felt out of sorts has his wife drove him to school. The passing scenery looked the same as it always did, the radio tuned to the local business report just as Linda always liked it. His fingers played with the pleats in his skirt and he occasionally tugged on his white knee socks. It was something he was used to wearing almost every day and yet something felt... wrong.
"You're extra fidgety this morning," Linda remarked. "What's the matter?"
"I dunno, Linda," Roger said with a shrug and a sigh. He pulled down the visor and looked in the mirror at his 40 year old reflection for a minute. His makeup looked fine. "Something just feels off." And not just with him. Wasn't something different about Jon this morning too?
"Oh..." Then a spark of realization suddenly went off in Linda. "Oh! I see. I know what this is."
"Huh? You do?"
"Well, you're at that age where you're going through some big changes. Umm..." she hesitated for a second, "Maybe we can talk about it tonight, after dinner." They were just pulling up to a big, old, stately stone building. A tall iron fence surrounded the grounds, and an ornate stone arch stood over the driveway. St. Cecilia's School for Girls was carved into the stone above.
Roger turned to his wife, "I'm still not sure why... I go here..."
"Honey, don't be difficult. I'm working really hard to make the money to send you here. This is the best place to prepare you for the future! I mean, you're already learning so many important life skills. Plus all your friends are here!"
Roger looked back and suddenly noticed how packed the campus was with students, all of whom happened to also be fathers and husbands from around town. There were dozens of them, all in the same uniform Roger had put on this morning. And just up the sidewalk, he saw a group milling about. His friends! He was so relieved to see some familiar faces. There was Ken Black (Karyn's dad), Jim Duncan (his son Jay went to school with Jon too), not to mention Ron Stevens and Fred Miller. They were all chatting and laughing about something, and Roger briefly forgot his confusion - he couldn't wait to get in on the conversation! He grabbed his bag and started to get out of the car.
"Now honey, don't forget. You and Ken are getting a ride home from his wife after school. Make sure you're both out here and ready to go. I don't need a phone call from Mrs. Black about you two ducking out to the mall again."
Roger rolled his eyes as he shut the car door behind him "Okay dear," he said sarcastically. With a skip in his step he made a beeline for his besties, feeling the cool breeze on his legs and his skirt bouncing against is thighs. If something was nagging him, he knew his BFFs would be able to help him out.
