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you’re ready to go,” Kaz said.
    “Yeah, I guess,” I said and peeked outside.
    “It’s too late to walk,” he said.  “I’ll drive you.”
    “Alright.”
     

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Kaz
     
    I reached out, offering to take Mauri’s bag as she threw it onto her back.  Not letting her carry the entire load, I grabbed the textbooks and my coffee before she could. 
    “Thanks,” Mauri said as we strolled back to my car.
    “No need to do the thanking.  These are pretty heavy.  Forget lifting weights.  I can lift your books and get into shape.”
    “That’s the only reason I’ve kind of kept my figure so far.  And when I said thanks, I meant for carrying my coffee.”
    “You said you swum from time to time,” I said.
    “Yeah…”
    “You loved swimming.”
    “Loved.   Past tense,” she said. 
    “I doubt that.” As we walked, I got the directions to Mauri’s house, how to drive up the street a couple of blocks.  “Wait, I’ll get the door.”
    “You don’t have to open everything.  I got it,” she said.  To beat me, Mauri jogged up to the door and flung it open.  “After you sir.” 
    The chill air had dropped several degrees and whipped around, frosting my cheeks and nose.  Mauri clung to the warm tea.  Yep, she’s thanking me.  If Mauri had to walk home, in her state of exhaustion, she might have stopped to take a break and fallen asleep.  She’d be frozen when she woke up. 
    I scurried, shifting the coffee to free up my other hand to open the truck door.  I couldn’t let her beat me again.  Obviously, Brayden hadn’t learned to be a gentleman.  No surprise there.  If he thought he could get away with being ridiculous, he’d insist on her opening his door and chauffeuring him home. 
    Instead of moving out of the way, I leaned into the truck to set my drink in the holder and put Mauri’s books in the back.  I reached back to make Mauri pass me her things, and then I went to the other side.
    “Kaz,” Mauri whined, practicing her sarcasm.  “No help?”
    “Funny,” I said.  Yeah, she misses the little nice gesture or else she wouldn’t have said anything .  “This is coming from you; a woman who doesn’t need any help anytime from anybody.  I figured I’d be a gentleman at least once, last weekend , so you got the experience.  Don’t want you to get too spoiled.”
    “Whatever,” she said and clung onto the bar she used to help jump up into the seat.  She closed the door.  “Getting into your car is a workout.”
    A perfect transition.  “Speaking of workouts,” I said, and turned the ignition.  “Care to start them again?”
    “Start as in swim?”  Mauri acted as though she said a sacred word that never should be spoken.  What happened to her?
    “Yes,” I said.  “You’re an amazing swimmer.”
    “That’s how I know you’re a nice guy because ‘amazing’ isn’t the word I’d use.”
    “Well, it’s the truth.”  I peeped over to see her staring out of the window.  “You were always good at finding my flaws and letting me know.  I’d really appreciate it if you could come by the pool for a little bit.”
    “What happened to Mark?  You’re still with him?”
    “I am and he does help, but you were always good at pointing out the details.”
    “I’d just be repeating what Mark says.  Park right here.”
    “Even if you are, it’s good to have a second opinion.”  I turned my attention to Marui.
    “You two still record yourself though.  You watch your tapes.”  It was good to see her look at me again.
    “Mauri, you know me better than anyone else.  You know it’s easy for me to ignore or make excuses for my mistakes.  You call me out on it.”
    She sighed.  “The last time I swam was when you were here.  I promised myself to not go back.”
    “Why?” I said. 
    “I don’t know.”
    “I’m sorry Mauri.  Forget about it.” 
    “No, it’s…”
    “It’s fine,” I said.  “I’ll get your stuff.”  We