Moose and Goose

Chapter Nineteen

"It's not a big deal," Mary mumbles, not taking her eyes away from her magazine. "We were both drunk, and it was a wild party, and – maybe he had a little past his limit, but who cares?"

"I do." She scoffs, her misty blue eyes rolling. Judith licks her lips and grasps Mary's shoulders. "Look at me."

They exchange glances, and she takes a breath to prepare herself for what she is about to say.

"You hate me for telling David about that Mexican guy," she assumes, and her voice cracks. "Don't pretend to give a shit."

"I'm not pretending, and Andrés is Venezuelan, not Mexican. I'm upset, but I don't hate you." She turns her head to look at Jerome's empty table as her tears fall. Three brunettes and a red-haired male student are seated next to it. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I don't care, Judy." She looks at her, her tear-stained lips apart. "This happened before – numerous times, and excuse me if I can't emote like you."

"What do you mean by that? Who's hurting you, Mary?" She swats her hands away and stands up, closing her magazine.

"Stay away from me and deal with your own shit, Judith," she tells her with a stern voice.

"Okay, fine, I'll drop it." Mary sighs shakily. "Can you tell me where my journal is? It was in my bag, and when I checked, it was gone."

"I gave David your bag when he first got here, so try asking him." Her long blonde hair swings behind her as she walks toward the exit. Judy observes her as she wipes her face and exits the building.

***

Judith's face is darkened with exhaustion when she walks through her front door.

"Judy, come in the dining room," Sheryl instructs her when she hears the door thud closed. She tosses her bookbag onto the sofa, then wanders through the arches until she's standing in front of her long table.

Judy darts her confused eyes around the room at her and David's parents.

"What's going on," she hesitantly asks before locking her sights on her ex. He's sitting alongside his parents, across from a seat between her parents, with his eyes glued to his lap.

"Should I?" Walter extends his right hand to convey his approval of Douglas explaining the situation. "My wife and I received a call from not only the administration but the police a while ago. It was brought to our attention that our son – attacked you. Is it true?"

They're all looking at her except for David.

"If there was a witness and he was arrested, that should answer your question," she snarkily says, and her mother shoots her a dark look.

"Mind your tone, Judith," she corrects her, and Judy purses her lips as she crosses her arms.

"Sorry, sir." She takes a deep breath, and Sheryl turns to Harriet in front of her. Walter and Douglas study her body language. "Um, yes, it's true."

"How long has this been going on?" Judith gazes upward in thought as she takes a shaky breath.

"I would say," she drones, her right hand tapping the side of her thigh. "A week after we enrolled."

Her answer incites angry groans amongst the men, and Sheryl brings her hands to her face in shame. Harriet places her right hand to her mouth and shuts her eyes, and David slumps in his chair with sweat beading from his brow.

"When I asked if it were true, you said no," Douglas jabs his left index disapprovingly at her as he reminds her through his clenched teeth.

"And I'm here to talk if you need me, so why didn't you tell me," her father asks, and her eyes well up with tears. She glances at her mother for the answer, but her closed-off demeanor returns her face forward; she's on her own.