38171 sad count. I blame power outage

Tulip nodded frown a bit. “I don’t like it, I don’t want to think that there would be something to hear. However if anyone is looking to start more trouble because of this it is far more likely to be found by the gossip so we are more likely to hear it. I will see the girls know to pay more attention then normal to that sort of talk. There is always those that say they are going to take someone down, so it just gets brushed off, but now it might be good to listen a bit more. If I hear something I will say something.” He father nodded.

Mather said. “Just so, now try to have a good day. There is going to be a lot happen in the next weeks. Yuma, don’t forget to call about that other letter. I agree it needs to be looked into. I don’t know that any school would send out a letter accepting someone that never applied to them. I can bet Joe is going to be delight with the Oxford letter.”

Yuma winced. “Yes, likely so. He is already giving me lists of reasons I must go. I fear this is just going to make it worse. “Her Uncle frowned, likely getting ready to blame him for it being a choice. After all it was clear he didn’t think she was able to make up her own mind. “He will not be making my choice for me. It is strictly mine to make. Yes him being there is a factor, but truly a small one. After all I was planning on going to a different school from him for years.” Not that she expected him to believe it, but she felt better saying it. They made it out the door before he had an answer.

Tulip waited until they were outside. “I don’t see why you have to pick fights with Uncle Vern so much. Just what is the big deal? I don’t see why he sets you off so. He is just alarmed at the thought of the danger out there.”

Yuma said. “It is a big deal. Gender should not be used to limit what a person can do or to judge their ability to think. I don’t see why you are not upset at the idea that just because you are female you need to be told what to think. You have every right to say how you feel about any issue, no matter how anyone else feels. You shouldn’t feel you have to take a person’s view just because they are your husband or father, or anything else. Yet he is implying that I need to do just that, that I am too silly to be trust to make my own choices in life.  How are you not offended? I am not going to let anyone tell me what my opinion is. I cannot see why anyone is willing to do that. It is insulting.”

Tulip sighed. “You are just so odd. It is just showing your support. You can still express your view, just word it with a bit more care so you are not picking a fight all the time. I don’t see what is so wrong in what he is trying to get you to see. Though yes he is not saying it the best, but it is nothing that Mother hasn’t been saying as well. Just what are you going to do once you have children to raise? You are going to need to be with them, so why take up a spot when you won’t use it?”

Yuma said. “Why won’t I use it? I am not going to stay home. I am not giving up my goals. I do not know that I will have children, so far I have no such plans, but regardless I am not going to stay home just because I do. If my husband wants to fine, if not that is why there are daycares. I know that at your economic leave it isn’t needed that both parents work, but there is no reason we can’t if we want to.”

Tulip shook her head. “I don’t see why you must be so vulgar. A mother should be at home, it is sad that so many are not. That should be changed. I don’t see why they can’t be.”

Yuma said. “The wages haven’t kept up with housing costs. Even with both parents working it is often necessary for at least one of them to take a second job. That is why the wage increase is so badly needed. It isn’t right that many are forced to make do with substandard housing just to try and have one meal a day, yet that is the way it is for a number of working class families.” Tulip looked at her a bit shocked as many of their Uncles had already come out against and their Father had said he wasn’t sure it was a good idea, that it would likely be wasted. “Yes I will be saying the same thing on the floor, whenever I have an opening.”

She just shook her head. “Why do you never use that laptop outside of your room. Just what is it? I can’t see how you got anything descent for the little you would have to spend.”

Yuma said. “Two thousand is more than enough to get a very good computer if you know where to look. I have the new Rolling, but you wouldn’t like it, it is way more than you need. After the season I can help you find the right one. I would think we can get you what you need for around eight hundred, then that will leave you some to get a custom case. Might be if you talk to them they will let you spread the payment over more than one month. I didn’t ask, as I don’t have the same needs you do and so could easily give up a month of shopping.”

Tulip nodded. “That might work, we will see then. Could be that there are some gift cards that will help, we are older this year so it is a more likely gift. The new Rolling, why ever? That is way more then I can see using. Just need something like Mothers, just to type papers and go to the few sites that don’t have a mobile friendly page. Still, show it off some, you need to stop trying to look like you are working class. You need to start dressing up now, where we are hosting. It will look wrong if you are slumming it so much.” She walked off to her friends, so Yuma didn’t have to answer.

At first Yuma was glad to get unto school, but by lunch she just wanted the day over. Everyone was whispering about the hearings that were taking place, and to think this was just the arraignments.  She got her food and went to her normal place by Jill and sat down. “This is so one of the days that I wish the school blocked the net. I am so tired of hearing the whispers. I am now starting to hope they do order the sequester, for all it will be a pain in the neck to have to send my assignments form the courthouse. I know it is awful, but the whispering is irritating.”

Jill nodded. “It is, and I am fed up as well, for all I can see why they are wishing about it. It isn’t like pointing fingers is going to help anything. I hope that once some answers start coming they will let up some.  However Tulip’s group has been whispering about you not Misty. I take it that you told your dear uncle to go jump off a bridge, you didn’t have to do what he said. So I am wondering just what was going on at your house to cause that as well as how you made it out of the house after it. I do sort of wish I could have seen it.” Yuma had to laugh, which got them a lot of startled looks, a few of them angry as some felt that all signs of happiness were mocking Misty and the others.

Yuma saw no point in being quite, it would just cause more whispering. Far better that it was just said. “I didn’t say that exactly, though I would have loved to. I am so tired of this silly idea that just because I am female I can’t think and need to be a housewife. It is insulting! My gender in no way makes me incapable of having an opinion or making an informed choice. He insists that it does and doesn’t like it when I tell him that he is not in charge of what I think. This morning it was that I received my acceptance letter from Oxford. He expected Father to forbid me from even reading the papers so was upset when I read some of the letter to them. He even said it was time to stop the silliness and tell me I can’t go. I told him that I wasn’t yet sure of the school, but that Oxford was now in my top three. I do think I would have said it even if the offer wasn’t worth it just do to his attitude, but as it is the offer is almost too good to say no to. At least on the surface, I haven’t had time to go over the details yet. Joe is going to love hearing that, he has been pushing me to say I will go since the tests,”

Jill said. “I need to see the letter. Can I get a pic of it? I have to send it to my Father, he is going to flip. He was just sure that yours didn’t mean it, that you would be staying here, more so as you are graduating now. I have to tell him that you said Oxford was winning, for all that is a stretch.” Yuma nodded, not that Jill waited as she was already texting.

Yuma got the envelopes out and too the letter out. “Like I said I haven’t had time to look at more than this, but go ahead and send him a pic of it. Oh if you want you can add that I also had an acceptance letter from the Stanford Medical school, granting me admission on completion of any undergrad science program. They are looking into how I was sent a letter without applying, but would be delighted to have attend. Making me wonder just what is going on.”

Arnold had been reading the letter. “This is bigger than you think it is. Uncle Donald and Aunt Marsh will be here the whole season, security for the Ambassador that will be trying to talk you into going. Aunt Marsh will report it to her brother. They want the trade deal, he wants you to go to Oxford. They want them happy.”

Yuma nodded. “I know, and I expect it. I am likely going to ruffle a few wigs, but I will tell him the same thing, that it is my choice to make. That I have a lot to consider and that his request is in there, but I can’t let it make the decision. It is going to be a long Season for a number of reasons. I did get Mrs. Edity to send personal invites to those staying at Stanford so that might help. I warned them I was going to get them invited to the Opening, so hopefully they made use of it and have their tuxes. Wonder if any of them realized that it wouldn’t just be the ball they got dragged to?”

Arnold smiled. “I bet they didn’t think you would really do it. You know they are going to get you back for it.” He had to smile a bit more and take his phone out. Richard was going to be thrilled he had wanted to get Walter there, but had no idea how to. It would make it easier to get with him after words, as he needed to. The balls stressed him out far too much. I wonder when he is going to announce that he is in the exchange program? That might just help, as he could be said to be looking after Yuma. The Edity’s aren’t blood, but close enough to it for Uncle Vern and Father, and even closer as they all know that Dan will be giving Tulip a ring next year. They have done nothing to hide it. “I need to send the pic as well, and he is going to want to know more about the housing at least. What departments are you admitted to? Premed of course but you going for genetics as well?”

Yuma said. “I truly have no idea what ones are offering, but I am planning on taking a lot of history, but yes I want the genetics as well. Basically I am planning on six years of undergrad. I could be done sooner if I didn’t take the extra course, but I want a broad base, as it will give me more options.”

Arnold looked over at Jill and nodded. She had been right, Yuma was going, for all she wasn’t ready to say it. It was going to be so strange, but they were always going to be apart. Just none of them thought it would be that far. What would she learn over there, how would it change things? “You will do well wherever you go. I do wonder why they thought you would need an apartment, that is a bit troubling. Still it is a good offer, I bet that Father is going to find it hard to tell me what is wrong with it, other than where it is from. I might just have to find a way to visit you over there just to see what it is like. What do say Jill?”

Yuma shook her head a bit, but Jill smiled. “Sounds good to me, I do want to see the places I have read about. For the pictures it does look almost like a different world. They looked more like the before crash buildings that we tore down.”

Yuma shook her head a bit. “Might be we will all have to go over and visit sometime even if I don’t go to Oxford.”

Jill said. “I can see there are a lot of papers to get through, but I truly can’t see you saying no to that offer. It is nothing anyone expected to ever be an option. However when you look at all that involved, I just don’t know what there would be in those papers that lets you say no. So we get to make plans to visit you. I am sure that there will be a way to work it.”

Yuma said. “I don’t know about you guys.” Arnold phone went off so he looked at the message and smiled a bit. “So what is your Father saying?”

Arnold said. “He is saying that he hopes I am not going to follow to Oxford, it is bad enough that you are going, I don’t need to as well. Joe will just have to look after you. He knew it was a mistake for you to take that test. Just think of the trouble you will>”

Yuma said. “Well I don’t need to worry about telling Joe I received the letter. He is going to know before I see him. You Father is calling his right now.”

When she got to the clinic she was glad to see that Mike was there early as well. She set her bag down and took the paper with the chat room information out of it. “It turns out that Mrs. Edity had a chat room made and was just looking for a way to get the information to them. However Mr. Edity was worried that your relatives would be offended.” He laughed and Yuma nodded. “I know, if only they could set the politics aside and talk. Anyway here is the information, and there is already a post on it about dress lace.”

Mike said. “Thank you this will be a big help to me. I am sure they can give them better answers  than I can, and not just about the fashion. This should be a good way to set aside the politics and just talk, which they desperately need to do” He took his phone out and took a picture which he sent. Hen he started a text.

Yuma moved back to her desk and too the offer out to read again, She had goon over it in study and had found nothing that was to alarming but she was wondering about the dorms. Likely there would be some information in the second one that she handed opened, but she wanted to look at the department letters again. There was one form the history department, but it turned out they did have a genetics department as well, and they made a strong case. It was going to be a hard choice, and it might just have to be a triple major not a double. She frowned as she realized that she was going to take the offer, and wondered just when she had decided it. However, there really was no way she good turn it down, it was just too good. “Dr Ingols I was wondering if you knew anything about what the student  housing is Oxford? Is it way different from here?” That should have been safe enough, he did know I took the test and Joe is in the exchange program.

Mike smiled a bit. “My brother went there, I went to Cambridge. The dorms are coed, mean in most of them there are males in females on the same floor and no one stops them from sharing a room, should they choice. So yes it is very different just from that, without the rest of the changes. Now magic use is legal there and it is taught, there are classes for it alongside the rest. So there are those learning to control the use of it in the dorms and they must practice, and so it will be seen in the dorms. There are times that a bit of the floor or a wall might be off color or reflective do to a spell, and most of the light is from spells as that is seen is a better source then the flickering light the fixtures tend to give. I do hope that wasn’t too much to say?” the last was added as another student had entered and was looking at them a bit oddly.

He said. “You weren’t talking of how it is done so legally there is nothing wrong though some of the more sensitive people would be a bit upset. I was just wondering why the lights would flicker. Do you have a problem with bulbs or is it the power grid? We had issues with both in the fist years. Don’t worry Yuma, I’m sure that you can find an apartment, so you don’t have to deal with the dorms. Just like you would have had here, there is no way you would let to live be on camps.”

Yuma said. “I asked for campus housing on all my applications, so yes. No matter which I chose I will be on campus for the first year. For all I will likely have to fight with my Uncle over it. Campus housing is actually far safer when you consider transportation issues. I haven’t determined yet where I will go. I was just wondering what it would be like.”

Walter said. “Come on, it’s all over that you are going so you might as well stop pretending.”

Yuma shook her head. “I can’t help what the rumors say. I did get my acceptance letter, and it is a good offer, but there is more to think of.” He shook his head but let it go as more came in and found their seats.

When the class was over Joe turned to her and said. “Just why did I hear about your letter from my Father? And let me see it, the picture is to grainy to read. Good to know that you are going, but I should have been texted at least!”

Yuma laughed. “I haven’t said I was going, Uncle Frank did when Arnold sent him the picture. I am still trying to get though all the papers. There is a lot that has to be considered, including the issues with housing. I was looking forward to being in a dorm, but I couldn’t be at Oxford, and that is just one of the problems.”

Joe said. “What makes you think you could be in the dorms here and why couldn’t you be in the dorms there if you could be here?”

Yuma handed the letter over, knowing he would just dig it out if she didn’t. “It was a challenge but Father had said I could try it for at least half the year. The dorms at Oxford are mixed and so that would never go. It would be hard regardless, but there is no way that I could get hat past anyone. The first papers need to be in before I have graduated, so Father must agree to it. He will let me go to the school I want, but there is going to be a limit to what he will allow. No point in trying for a coed dorm.”

Joe said. “Are you sure they are all coed, might be they have a few that aren’t. I haven’t looked at the housing yet, but I had best. If they all are I might have to look for something else as well. Is it only dorms on campus?” He took the letter from her.

Mike said. “I fear that the dorms are all coed, but some it is separate floors if that helps. There are some apartments, but they are fought over and it is very seldom an undergrad makes it in. Unless it is the marred housing, but even that is hard to come by on campus, the housing office is good at helping students find off campus housing, there are some families that will give a room to a student, for instance.”