Chapter Nineteen
Rory
Friday, July 10
RORY WAS EATINGbreakfast when his phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Rory, it’s Jeff.”
“Hey, Jeff. What’s up?”
“We all have great news to celebrate, so we’re hoping you could come out tonight for drinks.”
“That sounds great, what time?”
“The usual, six-thirty.”
“I’ll see you all there.” Rory hung up.
It was nice to be spending time with his friends. After graduation, they still called him to hang out. He hadn’t had friends like this since the high school group with Bernard and Sarah.
Rory spent the day cleaning his apartment. He had neglected it for a few days and now needed to catch up.
Once he finished and had eaten lunch, he put onJerry Maguire. He half-paid attention while he pulled out the new yarn and began knitting.
On Wednesday, he’d taken a quick trip back to Castro Street to grab something with the pattern he wanted to make for the sweater. He found a shop that carried a variety of bear merchandise. The bear community was diverse with muscular men, chubby men, or men in between. The bear culture was secure in who they were. He’d grabbed a sticker with the pattern, and perused the bear porn section, but didn’t think it would be appropriate to buy another video. Masturbating and porn were sins, and he’d sinned enough.
After the movie, Rory got up, showered, and prepared to meet his friends.
“Bye, Mina.” He petted her on his way out. “I’ll be home soon.”
Rory sat at a table with his friends in Shaffers. Nicolas had ordered appetizers for the table, and everyone had a drink. They laughed, talked, and shared their successes.
Davi had received a job offer with a company that meant he could extend his student visa to a work visa and stay in the United States. He was excited to work for a company that limited waste.
Sophia got a job at her mother’s clinic, where she oversaw the operations of all generators. She made sure they were up to code, maintained, and ready in case of emergencies.
Nicolas took over his father’s business developing portable battery jumpers. It was the reason he studied engineering. He oversaw the development of batteries and used his knowledge to improve on the designs he claimed were outdated.
Jeff got a position with a nonprofit to eliminate unnecessary power usage in low-income areas. He assisted the development team and ran a small section of his own.
“You guys are doing great,” Rory said. “I’m so happy to have been part of such a brilliant team.”
“You are too. Didn’t you take the position at the university?” Jeff asked.
“Yes, I did,” Rory said.
They all cheered for their successes. Each of them followed their passion and made a difference in their own way.
Rory ordered more appetizers for the table. They munched on potato wedges and discussed their futures. If he worked hard at the college, he could earn a permanent position as an adjunct professor.
“I have some more exciting news,” Sophia said.
“What is it?” Jeff asked.
“A radiologic technician at the clinic asked me out on a date.”
