Near Love Stories
by J. B. Hogan

"Morena"

Will you be going on to the mainland soon, Charles?" Dr. Rakes asked. "I mean now that you'll be graduating?"

"No, Dr. Rakes," Charles said, setting down a just emptied bottle of beer. "I've been offered a contract at Inter-Caribbean."

"Oh," Dr. Rakes said, raising her voice to compensate for the noise from the many conversations taking place nearby. "How wonderful. I didn't know."

"Just found out this morning myself," Charles said.

"Inter-Caribbean is a wonderful school," Dr. Rakes allowed, "although we think we're a step better here at UBT."

"Yes, ma'am," Charles nodded.

"Well, Maggie," Dr. Rakes addressed the pretty, brown-skinned girl standing beside Charles, "I should think you'll be pleased. I dare say you weren't looking forward to him leaving our little island."

"No, I wasn't, Dr. Rakes," Maggie replied.

"Have you a job as well, dear?" Dr. Rakes asked Maggie.

"Oh, no, mum," Maggie said in her lilting Barbadian accent. "I still have the summer to go. I won't graduate until August and after that I'm really not sure."

"I see," Dr. Rakes said. "Well," she added, beginning to move off, "best wishes to the both of you. I see Dr. Bourne and I must talk to him about who will be acting as department head while he's gone this summer. I hope you will be happy. I have to run. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," Maggie said.

"Bye, Dr. Rakes," Charles chipped in.

"Isn't she sweet," Maggie said, when Dr. Rakes was out of earshot.

"She's getting up there a little though," Charles said with a wink.

"Charles," Maggie scolded.

"Well," he said, "she is."

"You needn't say so," Maggie told him. "Now, get me another drink. It's your punishment."

"My what?"

"Your punishment."

Charles laughed, but he went to get the drinks, mixing Maggie a light gin and tonic and getting himself another beer. When he got back, she had become, in just that little time, distant and vaguely angry. There had been a lot of these swings lately and Charles knew why.

"What's wrong?" he asked anyway, handing Maggie her drink and popping the top off his cold beer. "I know that look. Something's up. Was it what Dr. Rakes said? The end of summer is a long way away yet, you know."

Maggie took a moment to answer. She stared through Charles as if he were someone she didn't know. He hated that look.

"Forget it," he tried changing tack, "let's just enjoy the party."

"We'll have to face this sooner or later, Charles," Maggie said. Charles shook his head.

"Not now, Maggie, we're supposed to be celebrating the end of the semester. This isn't exactly the place or time to decide our future."

"Your future you mean."

"Maggie," Charles said, "come on. That's not fair."