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want to bring it up so soon, but I need your thoughts on something.”
    “Oh, gee, sounds like we’re going
to have to play ‘Dear Abby,’” Dottie said, smiling.
    “Why don’t we talk about what
you’re both doing over Christmas, which is just four days away?” She realized
she wasn’t prepared to talk about Scott.
    Judy offered, “Neil is going to
come over to my parents’ house Christmas day for the afternoon, and that’s
going to be exciting.”
    Dottie added, “Jeremy and I are
still trying to determine how we’re going to handle Christmas. He’s been acting
strangely and I can’t tell if he . . . he might have someone else.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding,” Judy
trumpeted. “He’s all but married to you.”
    “Well, I would have agreed with
you, but there was a weekend in November where I couldn’t reach him all
weekend. My fear is that he was seeing somebody else. He’s acted strangely with
me since then.” Dottie bowed her head, her eyes filling up.
    She could tell Dottie was indeed
concerned about Jeremy.
    Dottie needed some time to compose
herself, and she felt now was the best time to get her own issue on the table.
“Scott and I had words the other day on the phone.”
    “Gee, Lisa, you just told me he was
late calling, but I didn’t realize you had serious words over it,” Judy said,
placing her hand against Lisa’s.
    She found it hard to get the words
out. “Dottie, Judy knows about his call, but he was late calling me the other
night, and I guess I took my frustration out on him. I realize now I never gave
him the chance to explain why, but I don’t know whether I hung up or he did. I
don’t know if he’s got someone else either or whether we’ll see each other
Christmas or not.”
    “Lisa, don’t be silly. Scott
doesn’t have anyone else. What happened is just a lover’s spat . . . you’ll be
fine.”
    She knew Judy was trying to help.
    Judy looked over at Dottie, who was
now focused on Lisa’s troubles. “Dottie, she has some issues related to that
ordeal with Jimmy Ballou, and she needs to get past them.”
    She wasn’t expecting Judy to bring
up that history. “Do you think we’ll still go away skiing over New Year’s?” She
hoped that would change the subject, as she didn’t want to get into a
conversation about that ordeal.
    Dottie was first to respond. “Like
I said, Jeremy has been acting so strangely, I can’t say whether we’re still
going or not. I want to, but he hasn’t been close to me in weeks. If we go
away, I’m going to break his leg, so all we can do is spend time in bed.”
    That made them all laugh and
lightened the moment.
    “Dottie, I’ll pick Neil’s brain to
see if he knows anything about what’s up with Jeremy,” Judy said, trying to
reassure her. “In the meantime, if we are indeed going away, we need to book
some reservations or we might all be freezing to death in the car. That might
give some incentive to creating some body heat. If it’s okay with you guys,
I’ll call and make reservations at the Balsams, or do you want to be closer to
home?”
    She beat Judy to the punch. “Let’s
go for the Balsams. The long ride might help us understand what is happening
with these guys.” She looked to Judy. “Can you see if Neil’s up to taking his
station wagon? It would be too cramped in Scott’s car.”
    They continued their conversation
about the holidays, but she kept thinking about Dottie’s comment about whether
Jeremy had another girlfriend, or was with someone that weekend. She wondered
if she was driving Scott away. Did he have someone else, or would he ever spend
time with someone else?

Chapter 12
     
    “Jeremy, I’ll see you later. I’m
going over to see Judy,” he heard Neil say as he was leaving their dorm room.
    Alone in his dorm room, he had time
to contemplate. Dottie had also called to invite him over, but he told her he
still had some additional Christmas shopping to do. It wasn’t a lie, but