Anna sat in her room packing her clothes and essential possessions, ready to set out on a new course in life. Maybe “ready” was a bit of a stretch, but she was determined to do this for her father. Her parents always had high hopes for Anna and her big brother Harry. Both were intelligent, near the top of their classes, and excelled at almost everything they tried. Harry, however, being the eldest, seemed to have more expectations placed on him, not that he minded. It was always assumed he would go to law school and take his rightful place someday as one of the partners at his father Vincent Edgewater’s law firm.
Anna, on the other hand, had more freedom to explore her passions. It’s not that her parents wouldn’t have been thrilled if she joined the law firm as well, but Harry was the heir and she was the spare so to speak. As long as Harry was around to carry on the long line of Edgewater attorneys, there wasn’t as much pressure on her to do so. Thus, Anna decided to major in dance at Columbia. Her mother Mary had questioned if it was the most logical choice. She worried Anna was wasting her potential, and feared she wouldn’t be able to make a living as a dancer. But then her mom got cancer, and the prognosis was grim. As she lay dying the summer before Anna left for her freshman year, her mom realized life was too short to do anything other than what makes you happy, and she gave her blessing to Anna.
Unfortunately, Anna would be reminded again all too soon that life is not to be taken for granted. Just two months prior to starting her junior year, and not quite 2 years after her mother passed, her brother Harry was killed in a boating accident while on summer break from Harvard Law. Anna was devastated to say the least, as she was very close with her brother, but she was even more worried that her father wouldn’t be able to cope with both of these losses in such a short amount of time. He needed her, and they needed each other if she was being honest, so Anna made a decision. She’d transfer to Harvard to be closer to home and apply to law school to keep her father’s dream of Edgewater & Edgewater alive. She wasn’t looking to take Harry’s place in her father’s heart, but at least she could fill the empty place at the law firm. She could learn to love corporate law if it made her father happy, couldn’t she?
She picked up her favorite family picture from the desk. The last photo before her mom got the diagnosis, not even 3 years ago. Now half of the family was gone, just like that. They were all so happy and carefree then, Harry having just whispered an inappropriate joke in Anna’s ear to make her laugh. She ran her finger over the smooth glass across her mom and Harry’s faces as a tear fell down her cheek. She wiped it away with the back of her hand, and wrapped the frame in newspaper, placing it with care atop the contents of the open box on her bed.
Anna heard a knock on her door and looked up to see her dad standing in the doorway. “Just checking to see if you need any help.”
“Nah, I think I’m good.” Anna replied. “Tomorrow though, I’ll need all the help I can get with the heavy lifting.”
“I’ll be there.” He walked in and sat on her bed, motioning for her to sit next to him. “Anna, you know I’d be proud of you know matter what, and I’m happy you’ve changed your mind about law school, but you don’t have to do this just for me.”
“I won’t lie and say part of me isn’t doing this just to make you happy,” Anna admitted, “but I’m also doing this for Harry and mom…and me. I don’t know how to explain it, but it just feels right.”
“Okay, I believe you. I was happy to be able to use my connections to get you transferred to Harvard on such short notice, but you also know you didn’t have to change schools and majors. You can get into law school with any major as long as you have good LSAT scores, which I know you are capable of.”
“I know, dad, but changing my degree to business will give me a leg up when it comes to corporate law. I’ll need to know the ins and outs of how businesses work. And I’ll probably have better chances of getting into Harvard Law if I complete my undergrad there. I want to earn it and not get in just because of your legacy. Plus, are you really going to complain about being able to see me more often?”
“Fine, I’ll say no more,” Vincent relented with a chuckle. You should get some rest, kiddo. Tomorrow’s a big day.”
“You too old man.” Anna hugged him and he squeezed her back tightly. “I love you, dad.”
“I love you too, Anna. Sweet dreams.”
~~~~~
“Well, that’s the last of the boxes.” Vincent placed the box on the kitchen counter. “Do you need help with anything else?”
“I think I’ve got it from here, Dad. Thanks for all your help.” Anna took a break from unpacking to give her father a hug goodbye.
“I’m not far if you need me. Call me any time.”
“I’ll be fine, dad, but I know.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Drive safe.”
“Love you, sweetie.”
“Love you too, dad.”
Anna finally took a moment to rest after her dad walked out the door. She sat on the cushy couch and looked around the apartment which held so many memories of Harry. Her dad offered to get her a new apartment, but Anna liked the idea of moving into Harry’s place, to keep him close to her. They’d had it thoroughly cleaned and most of the personal items Anna couldn’t use removed, but there were still pieces of him all around and it kind of made Anna feel like she wasn’t alone – photo’s of him and his family and friends, a few of his favorite sweatshirts, the scent of his favorite cologne still lingering in the air.
Classes were starting in a couple days, so Anna decided to take a break from organizing and rearranging to go pick up her books at the bookstore. I was a pleasant late summer afternoon, and the walk there was refreshing. The campus was lively with students moving in, meeting up for coffee, and tossing footballs and frisbees in the yard. She felt a tinge of melancholy, missing Columbia and her friends there for the first time. She’d make new friends when classes started, she was sure of it, but right now she didn’t know anyone.
The book store was a zoo, with students rushing around to select their books and waiting in lines almost out the door to pay for them. Anna purchased her stack of books that weighed almost as much as she did, placing what she could fit inside her backpack and carrying the couple that were left. As she approached the exit, a guy came barreling out of one of the stacks with his nose in a book, nearly knocking Anna over before she swerved out of the way.
“Excuse me!” Anna said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
The man flashed his deep blue eyes at her briefly and mumbled sorry before continuing on with a surly look on his face. Anna didn’t fail to notice his strong jaw line, kissable lips, or perfectly imperfect, wavy, light brown hair. Too bad he seemed like kind of an asshole. Hopefully he wasn’t an indication of the typical student body.
Anna went back to her apartment, ordered a pizza, and threw on Legally Blonde to get in the spirit. Anna prayed she’d be encountering more Elle Woods than Vivienne Kensingtons in her time at Harvard. Only time would tell.