“Now, class, the exercise will last for two weeks. The first week you and your partner need to work out a budget for a married couple based on the information on your printout. You need to find a job in the income range set out, a place to live, a transportation plan, a savings plan, and anything else. Assume that you are starting out with nothing. Create a possible budget for your first year. Take into account special occasions, holidays, and emergencies. Next week, you will have to reorganize your plan to accommodate one or two children. You may have the last ten minutes of class to confer with your partner, good luck.”

Several hands shot into the air as the teacher finished her instructions. “No one may switch partners for this assignment and no one may get divorced. I spent a lot of time working out who should be with who based on the questionnaire you all did last week and your permanent file.” Most of the hands went down, “No exceptions.” The rest fell slowly.

Alex was next to Isabelle before the teacher had finished speaking. Isabelle rolled her eyes. “This is just pretend for the sake of a Life Management’s class. It doesn’ t mean anything.”

“But the teacher matched us up.”

“Based on information I don’t even remember writing down and limited availability.”

“ Why can’t this be fun. I know it’s just an assignment, but it could befun.”

Isabelle relented. “Okay, it could be fun.”

“Great, lets meet at the Crashdown after class to work on it. My treat. Chocolate cake and all the Tabasco you can pour?”

“Yeah, that’ll be fine.”

Max was trying hard not to look at Liz when she spoke. Somehow it made it easier, but not really. Her voice was enough.

“Okay, Max can you just like, focus on this for a minute. We need to get together this week and get this done. I’m working today, but Mondays are slow, so today at The Crashdown?”

“Um yeah, that’s great.”

“Max? I mean it’s just an assignment. These pairings aren’t that big a deal you know, they’re pretty um, random.”

“Yeah. Liz, it’s okay. We can do this. I mean it would be nice to do something just normal.”

Michael’s brow furrowed as he looked at the top of the blonde head.

“Look, I’m no good at this stuff anyway, so why don’t you just do the assignment and then it’ll be done?”

“Now look, I am not going to do all the work here.”

“This is domestic stuff, women are supposed to do all the work.”

“Well, out here, outside Michael-Land that is a really stupid thing to say.”

Michael shrugged non-commitaly, “Whatever.”

“Anyway, in the real world, let’s just meet at the Crashdown after school and get this done, okay?”

“Fine.”

“Liz, I’m telling you, Ms. Kobold has lost her mind with this assignment. This is it, she has officially entered the retirement zone.”

“Maria, it’s just an assignment. Most schools do it. No big deal okay. Just, um, get it done. Besides look at Alex, he’s having a good time.”

“If Alex was burning in hell, as long as he could look at Isabelle he would still be having a good time. Meanwhile, working with Michael, I am in hell.”

“Maria, just keep your mind on the project. Forget that Michael is um…”

“Forget that I’m what?”

Liz and Maria looked up into Michael’s brooding eyes. Liz looked over at Maria.

“Yea, well, I have to get back to work. See ya.”

Liz grabbed the two sodas off the counter and headed for the booth in the corner where Max was waiting for her. She smiled at his as she sat down.

“So, what do you want to be when you grow-up?”

Max laughed. He cocked his head and looked up at the ceiling.

“An astronaut. Definitely. You?”

“Molecular Biologist. So how do we juggle this budget?”

“Well let’s see, we have to have figures for rent…”

“I found a two bed room in the newspaper for $450, only one bathroomthough.”

“We can share… Right?"

“Yea, we could.”

“We have to have figures for transportation, including insurance.”

"Well, we both already have cars, and my insurance is only $75 a month. Yours?”

“Um, well, I’m a guy, so $100.”

“So $175?”

“And then we have Entertainment.”

Liz reached across the table and put her hand on Max’s arm.

“We can handle that ourselves. We don’t need a budget for that. Isn’t that supposed to be a perk of marriage?”

She grinned at him mischievously.

Max blushed and ducked his head

“You and Liz were talking about me.” Michael sounded like he was making an accusation, not asking a question. Maria wrinkled her nose at him.

“Yep, it’s all just one big conspiracy Michael. All against you!”

“Fine, we gonna do this project or not?”

“Rent?”

“Found a studio in the paper for $300.”

“Bath or shower?” “Shower.”

“Won’t work I need a bath. I’ll need to relax somewhere from the stress of living with you.”

“Now wait a minute, this is a good place. Cheap too. We are not going to go somewhere else over your bathing preference. Besides I like showers better. They are more economical anyway.”

“I’m going to be a singer, we don’t need to worry about economy.”

“I’ve heard you sing, yeah we do.”

“I hope the Enterprise comes to deport you space boy!”

Maria got up. Michael looked at her in surprise.

“What do you mean we are done? Is that it?”

“What do you think? Look, I’ll just do this myself. Forget it. I was stupid to think you could handle a group project yet. Should have learned my lesson the last time.”

“What’s that supposed to mean.”

“Forget it.”

“Alex? Alex, could we please just finish this? I mean, if you would just quit daydreaming about what will never happen, we could get on with this. Okay?”

Alex’s eyes popped back into focus. Isabelle did not look happy.

“I’m sorry, what did you say.”

“God, never mind. I finished the budget during study hall anyway. Both of them. Pre and post children. Just turn it in okay.”

Isabelle got up and left. Alex looked like he had just been punched in the gut. He began to bang his head on the counter.

“Stupid, Stupid, Stupid,” he mumbled.

Maria passed his table on the way out.

“Teach Michael that trick would ya?”

“Congratulations students. You have now successfully completed the first half of your project. The bad news is, the honeymoon is over.”

Ms. Kobold smiled mischievously as she stepped over to the side counter of the classroom. The counter was lined with five-pound bags of flour. Each bag had a gender and a last name listed on it.

“The stork has come and now not only will you have to create a budget accommodating the new arrivals, you will also keep a journal of your baby’s activities in accordance with the activity in your book on page 400. The babies are never to be unattended, and you are to make every effort to protect the bags. Damaged Flour bags will result in a lowered grade.”

Maria thought that Ms. Kobold had a particularly evil grin on her face when she called out “Guerin, Male twins!”

“So what are we going to name him?” Isabelle asked as she sat down next to Alex’s desk.

“Whatever you want is fine with me.” Alex said, trying not to look at her.

Isabelle reached over and put her hand on Alex’s arm.

“Look, I know you want more, but friendship is all I got right now. Can we just do this? Look, I’ll just fill out the log like we are supposed to and you do the budget okay.”

“You mean you don’t plan on doing the work on the baby thing? I mean we have to take it with us everywhere and stuff. You can’t just fake the log.”

“Look Alex, I’m never getting married, never having children and I don’t need to do this. So why bother okay.”

Alex nodded slowly, “oh okay.”

“Great, they both have your personality and great taste in clothing. Could my life be any more unfair.”

Michael looked up at Maria puzzled. “Don’t talk about the babies that way, it’ll hurt their feelings.”

“You are nuts and those babies are bags of flour.”

“Thanks for the reality check. I’ll take care of the babies if you do the budget okay. Just forget it.”

“I thought babies were domestic.”

“Well, I don’t know, this could be kind of cool.”