Crissa's Mate

Chapter Fifty-Six

The next morning at 5:00 AM the two lovers struggled to wake up as early as Crissa's cell phone alarm announced. They quickly showered, dressed, and bought two life-saving coffees at an all-night minimarket while waiting for an online taxi service. With some difficulty they arranged for it to ferry them up the mountainside. David indeed needed to retrieve his motorbike and Crissa would have to briefly tidy-up the cabin and lock it for its next dreaded usage in barely three weeks' time.

As the two traveled back down the mountain on David's bike, the sun was trying unsuccessfully to break through a cover of cloud that hinted of a cooler and stormy season ahead. Following a long heartfelt hug and kiss at the UBC campus gate, David let Crissa return to her dorm just before 8:00 AM. This was in preparation for her to change clothes for classes and somehow to deal with whatever the situation might be with Julie, her unannounced house guest.

Entering the room with her key, Crissa found both Trisha and Julie sitting at the small table and chatting over their homemade coffee.

"Well, hey!  There's the weary traveler now," Trish said of Crissa standing just inside the room.

Julie got up and walked over to her, holding out her arms for a hug.

"Crissa . . . thanks so much for this."

Crissa obliged the hug and struggled with a smile to greet her.

"I'm just glad you're OK, Julie. I know things have been difficult for you. Brad filled me in."

Crissa looked over at Trisha hoping she would not know any of those details.

"Yeah. It's been pretty much a roller-coaster ride since. But at least I've escaped . . . you know who in Alaska."

"Yeah. Look . . ." she was nervous about discussing more with Trisha present. "I have to catch a couple of classes this morning, and I think . . . Trisha has . . ."

"Yeah me too," her roommate said, quickly getting to her feet and stretching. It's a nine-thirty lecture over in the science quad."

"Nine for me," Crissa said, looking a little stressed. "But we do need to talk, Julie. There's things you need to know . . . especially right now. Can you stay here . . . in the room until I get back" Around, say, eleven-thirty?"

"Sure. I have no place to go anyway, as you've heard.  I'm just . . ."

"I know, Julie. So just chill here, OK? The RA will probably give you full interrogation if you go down there without me, so just wait here. Maybe get some more sleep?"

Trisha was already up and in the bathroom with the door shut, ostensibly showering.

"Julie." Crissa lowered her voice. "You need to know . . . Professor Dekker is around here somewhere. He called and told me so. He's out for you and David."

"Oh God! Damn!"

She gave a frightened look into Crissa's eyes. 

"I figured he'd be down here . . . after David. There was talk of him getting to Vancouver to be with you, Crissa. So did he make it?"

Crissa felt reluctant to discuss David with her. There were reasons for this which went back to Julie' earliest talk of him. In Germany when they all met. She had made no mystery of her attraction to him then, and fortunately expressed he had little interest in her. So much had passed and changed since then, Crissa thought. And her female instincts now kept her cautious about what she should tell Julie.