“Hey, your mom called this afternoon.” Jen flipped over onto her belly with her book.

Maya turned slowly away from the mirror. “Did she leave a message?”

“Just to call her.” Jen took a swig of her diet Coke. They had two cases of it stacked in the corner. It was Jen's version of coffee.

“Thanks.” Maya went out into the hallway and headed toward the front desk. There was a dorm phone out there. They had a phone in their room, but it was Jen's and Jen's parents paid the bill.

Up until recently, this year in fact, they had someone called a “Den Mother” at the front desk. She answered the phone and left messages for the girls, and she also made sure that no boys entered the dorms. Like any good girls’ school, boys weren't allowed anywhere but downstairs in the group room.

Now the dorm phone was left unmanned (or un-womaned in this case) and the dorms were a basic free-for-all. Maya picked up the phone and dialed the operator. It wasn't long before she heard her mother say, “Yes,” to the question, “Will you accept the charges?”

“Mom? Jen said you called, what's up?”

“Your father.” Her mother's voice turned immediately cold and angry. “He won't send the check, and he knows damned well your brother is still here freeloading off me.”

Maya sighed, resting her forehead against her palm. “Mom, was there something important?”

“This is important,” her mother retorted. “If you want any help with that ticket for your flight home over spring break, you might want to call your father and remind him to send a check!”

She realized that going home to Detroit was the last thing she wanted to do. She remembered her freshman spring break at Wheaton. It had been perfect.

Jennifer had invited her to her home and they had spent the time chatting with her parents in their BMW all the way to Hartford. She had spent a week playing tennis (Tennis! She'd never even picked up a racket before!) and swimming in their huge in-ground pool. They had a housekeeper named Sal, who was always bringing them more to eat and drink, every time she turned around. It was like a whole other world.