Moose and Goose

Chapter Ten

They reach the campus with the Palmetto Breeze, but before he can utter a word, she hurries out of his Chevy. He groans in annoyance as he parks the car against the curb.

David runs behind her after locking the doors, tucking the key into his back pocket. She shuffles across the lawn on her way to NDCS, but when she reaches the top of the hill, he yanks her left arm, and her body turns to his.

"Do you do this to get a rise out of me? Does it make you hot when I'm angry," he interrogates, squeezing her upper arm. She scans the people strolling by and the few sitting and chatting in the grass.

"David, let go of me before someone reports you to the Dean," she tells him in a low voice, and he snickers incredulously.

"You really believe that someone would have the cojones to rat me out," he asks her. Judith looks at him. "What am I doing, Judy? Is me touching you against school policy?"

"What's going on?" They turn their heads to Judith's left, and Mary furrows her eyebrows. She's wearing a white prairie dress with her purse draping off her left shoulder.

"I'm fine," Judith lies, her voice quivering. David takes a step back and crosses his arms. "Let's just go to La'Shawna's group."

Mary eyes him as she follows her toward the door. He walks toward the student lounge, and they step into the club building.

"Is he hitting you, Judy," she asks, and she's answered with the shaking of her head. "If he is, you'll tell me - right?"

They stand before the Non-denominational Christian society door, and the pity in her eyes averts Judith's gaze to the handle.

Without answering, she brings her left hand to the doorknob, flashes of his face quickening her heartbeat. She jerks the door back and enters behind Mary.

Side by side, they stare at the prayer rugs placed in the middle of the floor, forming a circle. Everyone is seated, but the remaining mats are on either side of Kacey.

"Good, you're here," La'Shawna speaks softly, and all eyes land on Mary and Judith. "Join us in prayer. Afterward, we'll begin the trust exercise."

"If I'd have known that we'd be doing Bikram yoga, I would've worn my soccer shorts," Mary quips as she lowers onto the rug to Kacey's right, leaving Judith to the left between her and Anthony. Judith drops her bag next to her.

"Join hands," their president instructs them, and they do as told. One after the other, they close their eyes. "Now, say a prayer in your heads to whomever you believe in."

Judith wishes to pray for understanding and peace in her relationship, but a part of her longs for something else: separation. She takes a shaky breath, feeling herself tear up.

After a minute of silence, La'Shawna opens her eyes, then Kacey and William. They watch the remaining three open their eyes before releasing their hands.

"Okay, now, we'll each tell each other our names, ages, why we're here in this group and college, and maybe a fun fact about ourselves," she informs them. "I'll start. My name is La'Shawna Prince. I'm twenty-five, and my major is political science because I plan to be a mayor. I initially made this group because I noticed the sparsity of religious people of color here on campus, and I wanted a safe space for us. Over time, it became more of a community aid. Fun fact about myself: because I'm six feet, I played basketball in high school, but it didn't last long since I was the only girl."

"My name is William, and I'm twenty-three. I'm taking journalism, and being a part of this group helped me understand the human psyche," he explains, then glances at Mary. "As for a fun fact, I'm the distant cousin of our university founder: Allen Armitage."