****

  Dominic shoved his phone back into its case, just as his instructor slammed the results of his mock exam on his desk. He turned over the booklet and smiled, pleased, or should he say relieved, with the score he’d worked so hard to achieve. He could hear Leroy’s voice echoing inside his brains, “…that’s what’s required, my boy. Hard work. It sets you apart for greatness.” He agreed wholeheartedly.

  The real test would be in two weeks, which would separate the jokers from those who meant business. But he felt fairly confident that he would do well. He wasn’t the type of student who waited until the last minute to cram, which was his acronym for, Cranium Receives Acute Meltdown. He never understood how the other students did it, but to each his own. He would rather have the knowledge to help him embrace the future, than to have a couple of memorized answers for a one-hour exam.

  For now, all he had to do was continue to practice the accounting equations on the syllabus and review his notes on Taxation. He pretty much understood the concept of what he was doing. One more year and he’d be making those proud steps toward the podium to receive his B.A. in Applied Accounting. The way that he felt now, he hoped he would get the opportunity to celebrate with Tayah before the day was out. It was nice to know she loved the flowers. He would have sent her the entire store, just to show her much he cared about her happiness.

  He doubted that Phillip was that thoughtful, as he’d blatantly shown by the way he’d left his wife stranded on the church premises – that was just downright heartless. What real man would forget a woman like Tayah? He should want to spend every waking moment with that beauty, never letting her get out of his sight. It just showed that Phillip wasn’t a real man, Dominic thought. He’d always gotten a bad vibe from that fellow anyway, and Dominic knew it had nothing to do with what he felt for Tayah.