Every other Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. Vargo dropped by Brandon Hall to pick their daughter up and take her to church. Two hours later, Suzie came back to the dorm room with a food basket. Garlicky meats, toe-sized pickles, Sunkist oranges and always a special treat: Chips Ahoy! chocolate-chip cookies.
I hadn’t confronted Suzie about her secret life as “Room Service” but she must’ve known that I knew. Weekends I wasn’t there, she used our room as her base. Guys in. Guys out. The girls on our floor saw her sneaking them in.
I was too embarrassed to do anything about it, though she must’ve sensed the subtle changes between us, the lengthening silences and the declining laughter. Sometimes while she blow-dried her hair, I stared at her fuchsia lips.
I only took one cookie. Nibbled it like a mou
