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George McCleer kept his word and brought Nina along to visit Sparkle College. A taxi dropped them off at the campus. Nina hung onto her husband's arm as they strolled along the campus, amidst the young students, patrolling campus Security Agents, and robots. And she remembered-

"Xavier declined to join us. Too many other matters needing his attention. Per the Governor himself," George said, interrupting her remembering.

"That's okay. I know Xavier and I had had some good times back at college when we were young, but I guess there are a lot of bad college memories for him as well. Maybe that's why he is too busy to join us.”

“Oh?”

Nina McCleer told her husband, “I didn't think he still cared anymore about what had happened back then, about us. In fact, I didn't think he even cared about the situation at the time that it happened. Maybe I misjudged him. What if he really did care, and so he can't stand being on a campus with me and you, because it makes him remember? ...But that’s past now. Topic change: I am sooo bored with X-9 for company at our suite whenever you leave me on your never-ending touring of this little world. It's good to be here with you, Hon. And alone, with no fussing robot!”

George laughed and added, “Or no annoying Governor. As for my tour of this little world- That has been quite dull- as dull as staying back at the mansion with X-9. You know how these things are, going over the technical bean counting and such at every place he takes me.”

A campus guide robot walked over to meet them. "You must be Mr. and Mrs. McCleer. I am D-4. Dean Hart sent me to be your guide. Gov. Bright has asked the Dean to show you two around. What would you like to see first?”

“Oh, yippie," George McCleer cheered. "Just what we need- another robot. Just give us the regular grand tour of the campus, first of all."

"Be nice, dear, even if it is 'only' a robot."

Maybe Nina had said she would change the topic, but she- and George- couldn't stop their minds from going back to those days on Earth at Hooper College. Seeing all those posters of Xavier Bright in a Governoral pose on almost all the walls of Sparkle College's buildings didn't help them to not think of him and the past, either.

“I wonder if Xaveir even knows what the word 'modest' means," said Nina McCleer. “I thought he told us over and over how they are always so short of supplies on this planet. He sure can find enough paper to make posters of himself.”

"As long as I've known him, I've never seen evidence to suggest that he does know what ‘modest' means, Hon."

"What was it like to share a dorm room with Xavier?"

"Haha, it was terrible. When I first got there, I introduced myself, and then, when I dumped my stuff on the floor, he immediately showed me which side was his territory, and which was mine, and insisted I move my stuff to the appropriate side. He also told me he did not tolerate mess. He figured everything should be his way. His way was better than anyone else's way, because, after all, he is smarter than anyone else. Sheesh! At least he no longer carries on quite that badly these days during our stay in his mansion."

"He never acted like such an ogre to me."

"I thought we were changing the topic, anyway," reminded George McCleer.

“Yes, of course. Besides, as a rule, you and I never talk about my dates with him. I can see that it might upset you."

"Not really. I just prefer to respect Xavier's privacy in the matter."

"And you also respect his sister's privacy, Selina's? Because you never tell me much about your dates with her."

"Ah, um, not much to tell. I'd just about had had it with Xavier's arrogance, and his always telling me how to organize our room, when to turn off my lamp, how long to spend in the shower, what kind of soap I should use- It was my own soap, for cryin' out loud- and then one day Selina Bright visited her brother, and I was there, and he introduced us. It was love at first sight. I immediately asked her out. I don't know how Xavier liked that, but I didn't care. Being with her made me forgive Xavier, and almost enjoy having him for a room-mate. After all, I figured, anyone with a sister like Selina can't be all bad."

She perked her eyebrows. "Oh? Then what happened? This should be interesting."

"Well, on one date, she confided to me that she worried about her brother. She said he didn't really get out much, despite all his flirting. Whenever he did date, Xavier never took his date seriously. Selina wanted us to bring him along next time we went out, to meet a blind date for him, some friend of hers, a girl so likable, maybe even Xavier would like her and actually be serious about the date for a change.”

"Oh. This is where I come in." Nina McCleer smiled. "Selina told me about her brother, about what a nice guy he was. She was right. He really was, except he was so stubborn about so many things, and always had to be right about anything and everything."

"I remember when Xavier and I were waiting for you girls at the movies. He kept complaining the entire time we waited about how he hated blind dates, but he only went along with meeting you to make his sister happy. Well, then Selina and you showed up, and I don't know if Xavier felt like I did, but during the night, when we ate dinner afterward, as I heard you talk, I decided I wanted to marry you!"

"But what about your love at first sight with Selina?"

"Oh, that? You don't really believe in love at first sight, do you? If it exists, does it last like real love, like ours?And, after meeting you, I became distracted while spending time with Selina. She sensed I had drifted away, and so we parted as friends.”

“Friends? That's nice. It didn't go as well with me and Xavier. Like I said, he treated me very well. He was always bringing me roses. Pale pink roses. He made sure to bring me roses for all our dates. I guess he supposed a woman always wanted roses, especially pale pink very feminine roses. But I never felt like he really wanted me. At least not me for me. It seemed like he kept seeing me, because, well, I hate to admit it, I somewhat admired his brain at the time. I still do, of course, but there's more to a man than a brain. I think it flattered his ego to be so admired. But after awhile, I began to realize my point of view was just as valid as his, and that it didn't have to be that he was the only one always right. This was a heretical concept, and it led to all manner of arguments, until I decided to call it quits."

D-4 showed the couple the science lab building. George McCleer nodded, saying to D-4 how nice it looked, and then, as the robot continued leading them about, George returned to his talk with his wife.

"How did he take it, when you called off the big romance?"

"When I told him he was too much in love with himself, he angrily told me, Who else is worth loving? He claimed he didn't care that I wanted to see other people, and that if I wasn't the one to suggest it, he was going to be the one to tell me the exact same thing."

George McCleer stayed quiet for awhile. Then, "I had wondered what had happened to you two, when you no longer showed up to meet Xavier, and he no longer talked about you. I figured you guys must’ve split up. So, when I ran into you at the bookstore, I figured it fair to ask you out, since you no longer dated my room-mate. He eventually guessed I was seeing you, but he never complained. But we grew further apart again. I had assumed he was mad because I no longer wanted to see Selina."

"I honestly thought he didn't care about our relationship, that it was only just fun for him, like Selina said were his other dates,” said Nina. "But the way he keeps pestering me since we've come here- I know at college he used to like to flirt, but not like the way he's been acting-and now he made himself unavailable to come with us onto the college grounds where we could reminisce about the past- I am beginning to think there is more to Xavier than his ego. Maybe he really did care. Oh well, too late. I think I am better off with you.”

“Truer words were never spoken,” agreed George McCleer. He saw the thoughtful concern in his wife’s eyes, as if she may have underestimated how their breakup had hurt Xavier. “Ah, he probably is only bothered now- if he is- because he thought you were his claim, and he can't see that you dumped him and then, horror of horrors, took up with his handsome room-mate, who had also stopped dating the Brilliant One's sister. He hates to lose, and I think in some way he thinks this was a contest that he lost."

"You don't think it is anything more than that to Xavier?"

"Even if it is, so what? Like you said, you’re better off with Yours Truly. Besides, if you had married him, do you think you would like having the bedroom walls decorated with big posters of Xavier?”

D-4 next took them to a parkway hedged in with rose bushes. There were several benches around the lawn, and on the benches couples sat, each couple sitting closely together.

"Welcome to Lovers' Garden, a special project designed by our Gov. Bright,” announced D-4. “The Governor insists the gardeners only only allow the pale pink variety you see before your eyes to grow here.”

(c) 2011 drk