Southern Lights

“I… I…” She started to splutter, but she had no response.

“Why don’t you come back and visit some other time, when I’m alone?” She was sending Luisa away, and Sava

“I have homework to do anyway,” Sava

“I thought you’d be good to him,” she said as Luisa sat down across from her, angry that Eugenie had championed Sava

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about, Mother Beaumont.” Luisa would have liked to say that they were the rantings of an old woman, but they both knew that she was totally clearheaded and what she was saying was true. Luisa pretended to look hurt but in fact was livid.

“I think you ought to go home and think about it,” Eugenie said to her. It was late in the afternoon, and she was tired. Sava

“I’ve already lost him,” Luisa said hoarsely, looking crestfallen, and for once was sincere. “He never loved me, not since I got him back. He never stopped loving her.” They both knew it was the truth, and Eugenie had regretted it ever since. Her son had been miserable for ten years, and in great part it was her fault. She felt guilty for it now, and was repaying the debt to Sava

Her mother-in-law knew she was right. “We were wrong, Luisa. Both of us. We had no right to do what we did. We hurt both of them, and their child. If I were you, I’d do everything I could to make it up to him, and to Sava

Spring was in full bloom when Alexa came back to Charleston again. She was bringing two important things with her, Sava

“You look wonderful, Sava

“Okay, so shall we open the letters?” Alexa asked excitedly after Sava

There were six envelopes. Some of her friends had applied to a dozen schools, but Sava

She opened Stanford first, and they had turned her down. She looked crestfallen for a moment, and her mother quickly said that she wouldn’t have let her go there anyway, so it was a moot point, which softened the blow. Sava

Harvard declined her as well. Sava

Brown had wait-listed her, and congratulated her on her good work. She was a little disappointed by that. Brown was her second choice.

That left Princeton, George Washington, and Duke. She opened Duke next and got in. The three women in the living room of the suite let out a cheer. They hugged each other, Sava

“Why do I feel like I’m at the Academy Awards? And for best picture…,” Muriel said as Sava

“Neither can I,” Alexa admitted. But this was Sava

“I got in! I got in! Oh my God! I got in!” she shouted as she danced around the room, and both her mother and grandmother cried. They were on their feet in a minute hugging her. “I’m going to Princeton,” she chortled, and then remembered instantly that Turner would be disappointed when she didn’t accept Duke. He had gotten in and was going there. But they could visit each other. Princeton was her dream. She wasn’t giving that up for a boy, not even one as nice as Turner.

The excitement in the room was overwhelming. Alexa opened the champagne, while Sava

He picked up his cell phone at the house. “Stanford, Harvard no, Brown wait-list, yes GW, Duke, and …Princeton!” she screamed into the phone, and he gri

“Congratulations! Let’s celebrate tomorrow night. I’ll take everyone to di