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Hitting send on the e-mail, Barbara took a break for coffee. Having buzzed some coffee beans through the grinder earlier in the morning, she measured out her traditional three scoops into a small container. Dumping a tablespoon of cocoa powder over the fragrant grounds, she shook until the small granules were thoroughly covered in chocolaty goodness.
By the time she finally hit the button and the aromatic brew began to drip into the pot, her e-mail had chimed a half-dozen times. Digging out some ice, caramel topping, and whip cream, she calculated how many miles she’d have to run to work off what she considered the ultimate reward in her boring little life. Moments later, she stuck a large straw into the drink and sucked down a mouthful as she headed back to the computer.
Though most of the responses fell somewhere between “Hell no” and “You’ve got to be kidding,” four of her seventeen students agreed to the hands-on extra credit opportunity. Shooting her department head the permission slip given by the county, a copy of the liability waiver each student would be asked to sign, and a brief itinerary of the evening, she began making a list of items to pull from her trunks. She’d need her digging kit. If she remembered correctly, she had a couple old ones. Maybe whoever showed up could share them.
South Dakota had some archaeological digs going on locally, and of course the Black Hills was famous for the fossil freeway tours that brought hundreds of thousands of tourists to the state every year. Finding a new dig site was exciting, even if it was in an area that had been heavily excavated in the past.
Her phone rang and, since the ringtone was Ace’s, she grabbed it happily.
“I got your e-mail about the local dig. Tell me more.”
“A farmer down in Pennington County has property that butts up against the national park. He was bulldozing near the side of a hill and uncovered some interesting fossils.”
“You mean out near the badlands?”
“It’s nowhere near the national monument. Mr. Farrington owns almost six hundred acres. It’s pretty secluded and has been in his family for years. His father passed on some years ago and he moved back to make a go of the farm.”
“What are you expecting to find there?” he asked curiously.
“Crustaceans from the Cambrian Period, I imagine. That’s what we usually find in that area.”
“You mean like clams and shit like that?”
Barbara chuckled. “Yes. I know it’s not all that interesting for most folks, but some of us get really excited about finding new fossils.”
“You’re setting up the trip for Saturday, right?”
She nodded. “I thought we could leave early and make a day of it.”
Ace’s smooth voice rumbled, “Sounds good, count me in.”
“We’re meeting at the college and taking a van,” Barbara said, forcing her excitement she felt that he’d actually be going down, so she wouldn’t make a fool of herself.
“That’s a little too much like real school for me,” Ace said, shooting down some of her tamer fantasies. “I’ll be following on my bike.”
“You’re not claustrophobic are you?” she asked, concerned.
“Nothing like that,” he dismissed. “Young people just get on my nerves sometimes. I don’t want to be packed elbow to elbow with a bunch of them.”
Barbara heard someone talking in the background and Ace said hastily, “Sorry, professor, I gotta run. Catch you later.”
“Take care, Mr. Strond.”
“You, too, Ms. Reynolds.”
Smiling, she ended the call. Checking her e-mail on the off chance that one of the students had changed their mind, she wasn’t surprised to discover so few were willing to give up a Saturday to dig for fossils. A knock at her door a moment later drew her from the computer.
Pulling it open, she saw David standing sheepishly on her porch with his hands in his pockets. Anxiety flooded her body and her hand tensed on the doorknob. “What do you want, David?”
“I wanted to apologize for my behavior last week.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’m sorry. Things got out of control, and you know that’s not me.”
“Apology accepted. Now please leave me alone.”
Looking genuinely perplexed, he asked, “How can you go from sleeping in my arms every night to not wanting to know me?”
