Chapter Ten
Other than the extensive amount of reading and writing associated with taking Russian lit, I did actually enjoy the material, even if it was confusing sometimes. I didn’t want to admit it, but I definitely wasn’t used to struggling this much in a class before. I knew the answer to my problem with my latest assignment was to just take Tobias up on his offer to help, but actually forcing myself to ask for it was a whole other story. Making up excuses to stay after class was one thing; seeking him out outside of class was a whole other level.
“Stop being stupid,” I said out loud to myself. “Just go ask for help.”
With a deep breath, I grabbed my books and shoved them in my bag with my laptop and notebook so I could head over to his office—well, Dr. Kiuchi’s office that Tobias was occupying temporarily. I sent him a quick email before I headed that way.
Mr. Clark–
I thought he would get a kick out of the formality of addressing the email like that. I continued:
I have a question about the upcoming assignment. I’m heading your way now if you have a moment to help me?
Thanks,
Tamsin Seger
I grabbed my things and made my way across campus. I was more nervous than I wanted to admit, but my need for academic excellence outweighed my anxiety.
The door was open, so I knocked twice on the door and stuck my head in the doorframe “Tobias?”
Much to my dismay, it was definitely not Tobias sitting at the desk.
“Sorry, he’s not due back for another thirty minutes. Can I help you?” He was an elderly man, with thinning black hair streaked with silver and glasses with a prescription so thick it made his eyes look twice the size as normal.The cast on his leg gave away who this stranger was.
“Dr. Kiuchi?” I asked.
“Yes, are you in one of my classes?”
“Yep, Intro to Russian Literature.”
“Fantastic, I look forward to catching up and getting to know all my students now that I’m back. Did you need help with something?”
“I, uh, no, I was just going to thank Tobias for the recommendation. It helped a lot. See you in class tomorrow!” I hurried off so quickly that I ran face first into a warm body who, thankfully, reached out instinctively to steady me before I fell.
“Hi.” Tobias smiled widely. “I got your email.”
“Yeah, I guess I should have waited for you to respond,” I managed to say just loud enough for him to hear.
“Still need help?” he asked with a tilt of his head.
“Yes,” I admitted, lowering my eyes.
“I know a place we can go.”
Of course he does. I nodded. “Okay.”
“Follow me,” he said with a smile.
He drove about twenty minutes outside of town to a place calledThe Salty Dog,which didn’t look like much from the outside, but after my last outing with him, I knew not to let that dissuade me. He held the door open for me and we were greeted by a wave of coffee and fresh-baked pastries.
“Weird name, great coffee,” Tobias said with a crooked smile.
“I trust you.”
“Well now, it’s about time.”
I laughed as I started reading the options on the menu. Normally I was strictly a caramel macchiato kind of girl, but I decided to try their specialty. I ordered a salted caramel latte and a bagel with a goat cheese and blueberry spread. Tobias ordered the same thing minus the bagel.
We sat down to begin going through my notes and my assignment.
“Okay, let’s get down to work, shall we?” he asked, folding his hands neatly in front of him. “Which short story did you decide to analyze?”
“‘Anna on the Neck,’” I told him as I opened up my notebook to my notes. “I know that Anna married that old guy to help her family because they lived in poverty, but wasn’t that pretty normal back then? What did Mrs. Bennett call it in Pride and Prejudice? An ‘advantageous marriage’?”
“Correct, but‘Anna on the Neck’is more than just a girl being married off for the benefit of her family. It’s basically a tale of the battle of the sexes: how the wealth and rank of fifty-two-year-old Modest Alexeitch gives him power versus the power Anna learns she possesses through her beauty, charm, and youth.”
“But beauty and youth fade, so the power it gives you can’t last forever.”
“Exactly,” he agreed with a proud smile. “Here, let me see the book.”
I handed it to him, and he flipped through the pages until he found the passage he was looking for. He pointed it out for me to read. “See here? It doesn’t bring her happiness in the end.”
His ability to explain the meaning behind the passages in a way that made sense to me was probably the most attractive thing about him. Okay, well, maybe just one of the most attractive things about him.
“Thank you,” I told him as I put everything back in my bag. “You were very helpful.”
“Quite the compliment,” he jested, but his whiskey-colored eyes were warm with affection.
“Yeah, yeah.” I cleaned up my bagel mess and then asked him, “So how’s the dissertation coming?”
“Good, ahead of schedule.”
“You know, I went through a vampire stage once.” I took a sip of my second cup of coffee, nostalgically remembering my Twilight obsession. “It was more than a stage, actually. I went so far as insisting on only using strawberry-scented shampoo because that’s what Bella used.” I laughed. “I was definitely Team Edward, but these days I’m more Team Charlie than anything.”
“Your hair still smells like strawberries,” Tobias pointed out with a sly smile that gave me butterflies.
“Yeah, well, old habits die hard,” I conceded. “So are you planning on staying at Parkhurst? After you are finished, I mean.”
“That’s the plan. I mean, it makes sense. I start teaching my own courses this fall.”
“Really? That’s kinda weird to think about.”
“For me too, but I’m also ready. Kiuchi is a great mentor, but I’m ready to be more on my own.”
“Did you always want to be a teacher?”
“Not at all, actually.” He laughed, then continued, “I’ve just always liked Russian literature, and what else do you do with that kind of degree? Teaching just made the most sense.” He shrugged.
“Why Russian literature? I hope that doesn’t sound rude. But what got you interested in that in the first place?”
“My grandma didn’t like to read traditional bedtime stories. Instead, when she read me to sleep, she’d read me Anna Karenina or War and Peace. Huge Tolstoy fan,” he said, smiling fondly. “I guess that’s where I got it from.”
“You must have been close.”
“She practically raised me. After my mom died…cancer…I was too young to really remember her. Anyway, after she passed, my dad sort of buried himself in work. I guess I don’t really remember him much either. Grandma was the most consistent parental figure I had.”
“I’m sorry about your mom. And your dad. Is your grandma still—?” I stopped myself before finishing my question in case it was a touchy subject, but he knew what I was asking.
“She’s still dancing.” He smiled. “She is currently on her fourth European tour with her friends.”
“Really? Fourth? Wow, I’d love that.” I sighed. Someday I’d go. “I am dying to see—”
“Greece, ” he said, cutting me off. “I remember.”
I smiled at the fact that he remembered. “Yes, but not just Greece. Though that’s definitely my top choice, I want to see it all. There’s actually a study abroad program this summer in London I’m dying to sign up for, but I know my mom will never go for it.”
“So? Do it anyway.”
I scoffed, “Yeah right. I could never.”
“You’re an adult, aren’t you?”
“You don’t know my mother,” I said with a sigh.
“Did you talk to her about it yet? Maybe she’ll surprise you.”
“I doubt it.” I sighed. “My mom is very stubborn.”
I mean, honestly, the woman still prefers communicating through email instead of text messaging. Her reasoning? Email creates a more thorough paper trail, so if there’s ever a question of what someone did or did not say, it’s easier to prove. I wish I was exaggerating.
“Wouldn’t hurt to ask, though,” he pointed out. He glanced down at his watch and said, “It’s late, and this place will be closing soon. We should head back.”
As we were leaving, I thanked him again for his help.
“Anytime, but maybe next time you could just text me,” he suggested.
“Probably a good idea,” I said, handing him my phone so he could enter his information. As soon as he handed it back to me I texted him so he would have mine.
“So we’ve exchanged numbers now,” he said with a smirk.
“Yeah?” I wasn’t sure where he was going with this.
“I think this means we’re friends.” He smiled so wide it was impossible not to smile back in return.
“I guess it does,” I conceded.
The ride back to campus was too short. I wanted to stay in his car and keep talking, but that would surely raise some eyebrows. He dropped me off behind the dorms where there was less chance of someone seeing me get out of his car. He seemed to think this was silly, but I insisted.
After I got ready for bed, I pulled out my laptop to finalize and submit my paper. Then I decided to check my email to make sure I didn’t miss anything.I scrolled down until I got to the one about the study abroad opportunity that I had saved. I read through the information, yet again, and I wanted to go even more. It would be such a great experience. I doubted Mom would consider it since it wasn’t remotely in her life plan for me, but Tobias was right, it wouldn’t hurt to forward her the information regarding the program and hope for the best.
I typed out a quick email.
Mom-
There is a study abroad program in London this summer I’m really interested in. I’m attaching the information about it.
Then, before I could chicken out, I pressed send.