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“I know how to show your current non-relationship with Professor Cooper.” His hair flounced as he dashed into the kitchen. “Sit down on the couch. I’m sure you’ll find relevance in this analogy.”
She crossed the room and sat next to Alex. She heard the refrigerator door open, then what sounded like Blake rummaging through it. What in the world? She glanced at Alex, who appeared just as perplexed. Alex smiled meekly and shrugged.
He returned, his hair still a barometer of his enthusiasm. He pulled a TV tray from between the side of the couch and the wall and set it up squarely in front of the couch. It reminded her of a stage. He dropped his props on it—four slices of cheese, two slices of bread, and a roll of wax paper.
Then he politely excused himself, as he trotted to the linen closet in the hallway. He came back with her iron. He momentarily looked around for an electrical outlet, then smiled broadly when he found it. He plugged in the iron and set it on the tray. Alex nudged her. “Doesn’t he look like a magician preparing for his act.”
She nodded. “Maybe you should go up there and be his beautiful assistant.”
“Not me. I’m not sure what he’s up to. It could be dangerous.”
Blake cleared his throat. “I heard that,” he said. He shifted his weight and began his presentation.
“My dear ladies.” He bowed low at the waist.
“He looks so professional,” Alex whispered. JJ thought otherwise, with the man’s hair bouncing everywhere, but she kept her comment to herself.
He picked up a slice of cheese wrapped in cellophane in his right hand. “Allow me to show you why, at this point in time, JJ Spritely…” He nodded at the object, which gave the impression it represented her. “…and Professor Kennedy King Cooper…” He picked up another slice of cheese and held it high.
It was now clear to her, the other cheese slice was supposed to be Kenn. He paused, raised his eyebrows, and took a deep breath. She waited.
“…are not finding true romance and lasting love at this time.”
She bit her lip and ran a hand through her hair. Alex shifted her weight on the couch. It was anyone’s guess where this display of dairy products was going.
“The problem? The obvious,” Blake said, as he waved both slices. “Each hermetically sealed. Not allowing the other inside to reach their feelings.” He paused and eyed her. Her gut told her this act was headed for disaster.
“But even if these two self-protected people were to unwrap their cellophane,” he said, carefully taking the wrapper off one slice, then the other. “We’d discover that they aren’t sincerely showing the other who they really are. Right now, they’re poor imitations of real cheese. They are, as the package warns you, processed cheese food products.”
He continued. “Now let’s explore the possibilities of what these two could be experiencing.” He paused a beat and flashed her a smile. She grew more worried.
“First, they could voluntarily shed the protective wrapper—” he theatrically picked up a slice of real deli cheese “—allowing the other to see them. That, by the way, is the basis of any good friendship.” He nodded toward JJ.
“Now, in this situation we have two real slices of cheese—I mean people—who are starting their relationship on the right foot.” He smiled as if he were quite pleased with the progress of his presentation.
“But that’s not all.” He carefully placed the two slices of real cheese together. “Notice how much closer they are. Now let’s just go one step farther.” He picked up one of the slices of bread. “We place the two of them together. We allow these two to spend some time alone.” Blake carefully placed the two slices together on the bread. He then placed the second slice on top of the cheese. He held the sandwich high.
He put the sandwich on the tray, and picked up the roll of wax paper, tore off a sheet long enough to cover it, and then picked up the iron. “And we allow events to heat up a bit.”
He licked his index finger, touching it to the hot surface of the iron. Immediately, he flinched. “Ouch. Definitely hot enough.” Then he ironed the sandwich and hummed for several seconds. JJ glanced at Alex, then shifted her weight.
After what he apparently considered a sufficient amount of time, Blake set the iron aside, picked up the sandwich, and tore it open.
Gooey, melted cheese oozed from the two halves. “And so you see,” he said as if he were a science professor demonstrating an experiment for his students, “the two previously separate slices of cheese are now living happily ever after as one. That, ladies, is the ultimate secret to a successful relationship.” He ceremoniously bowed.
Alex sprang from her seat, applauding. “Bravo! Bravo!” She dashed to his side and gave him a hug and a kiss. “You’re awesome, hon!”
JJ just sat on the couch, stunned, mouth hanging open in amazement. “I can’t believe you’ve just reduced my love life to a grilled cheese sandwich.”
She jumped up, ran to her bedroom, and slammed the door.
Chapter 33
JJ took a deep breath as she climbed the stairs leading to the entrance of Mundain Hall, the building that housed the history department. One of the oldest structures on campus, it was named for a now long-gone beloved history professor. At one time it was a stately reminder of the past. Now it was merely old.
“Monday morning,” she muttered, “and a chance to put Saturday’s horrendous incident behind me.”
As she walked down the hall, she noticed two coeds pointing at her office door, giggling.What in the world?What are they looking at?Apparently hearing her approach, one of them looked her way.
