9.4: College Conversations

   "Row, row, row your boat, gentle down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream." I hummed, as I whipped up some waffle batter. After tossing and turning all night long, trying to decide how I'd broach the subject of college with Delilah, I decided over breakfast, before she went to work would be ideal. I poured the batter into a pan, then popped the pan into the oven, hoping i wouldn't burn them. The recipe said ten minutes to bake, but with my luck I'd forget and let them bake one hundred. I set my phone's timer, then walked to Anderson's room to see if he needed to be changed. He was potty trained, but still sleeping in nappies at night, to avoid messes.
   "Hi, hi." He grinned. "I up."
   "Yes, you are awake." I cooed. "How did you sleep?"
   "Dragons!"
   "Dragons?" I asked, curiously.
   "I dweaed, I was big and strong and I saved ev'body from dragons."
   "Did Delilah read you a book like that?" He nodded. "I like books."
   "Yay, that's good!" I'm sure he'll love school, when he began. I picked him up, placed him on the changing table, dressed him in a cute pair of overalls, than carried him to the kitchen where I placed him in the swing, that he'd be too big for soon.
   "G'morning, Phoebe." Smiled Delilah, as she sat at the table in a short skirt and sweater that made me wonder whether or not the school she was a teacher at had a dress code, the were waffles on a plate in front of her.
   "Waffles?"
   "I assumed you put them in."
   "Yeah, they have five more minutes, though."
   "The oven was set to five hundred, not three-fifty."
   "Oh." I laughed. "See, I'm no good at cooking." I sat down, grabbing a waffle with a fork. "Can I talk to you?"

   "Sure, I mean considering that you already are."
   "I... I want to go to college."
   "Okay." She said, not looking up from her waffles. "What are you thinking of majoring in?"
   "I'm not sure, interior design? Maybe business?"
   "Cool; you do love drawing interiors, it make senses."
   "Really?"
   "Yeah." She glanced up at me. "Was I suppose to react differently?"
   "Ye-er, no. I just thought it'd be more, I dunno, dramatic."
   "Phoebe, you're an adult, you make your own choices and I'll support you."
   "Thank you."
   "So what college are you thinking of applying to?"
   "Um, I don't know. Some place different, you know. I want the normal college experience, though, so not community college."
   "There are plenty of state schools out there." She shrugged. "Besides, lots of kids take a year off in between high school and college, there will be one school out there meant for you."
   "I just hope I can find it."
   "Oh, you will be; don't worry." I had been nervous about my announcement- I hadn't expected Delilah to be so understanding and relaxed about my announcement. "Oh, speaking of school, I want to sign Anderson up for preschool!"
   "Preschool?"
   "He loved getting to go to the elementary school yesterday; I figured be better capitalize on that love and set him up for success."
   "Alright." I smiled. Anderson and I were both going to be getting extra education; the Janes family was going to go from a bare bones minimum, free, public education family, to a well educated, college degree holding one and I couldn't be more excited.

Author's note: Sorry for the short chapter; it was a needed transition one.