by Ali Parker
"Kendal. It's Mark. We met with Lance and he wants to have a mediation just before lunch today. Can you make it up here? He wants to close this down as quickly as possible."
"A mediation?" I almost swallowed my tongue. Of course the University would want to have a mediation that would become an arbitration. Anything to keep the scandal out of the news and off the books. I was a liability to them. I had to be.
"Yes. It's the cleanest way to figure this out. We've done a few interviews and without video evidence, all we have is your word against Heather's. I'm going to warn you that she's looking like the victor here."
"Of course she is." I walked toward the backyard, suddenly needing fresh air. My stomach ached from the pain of whatever was going on with Dana, and now this.
"Let's get together with Lance and talk. We'll figure it out."
"I didn't touch her, Mark. I was going to come talk to you about her sexually harassing me a week ago because Eliza told me I should, but I didn't want to bother you. That, and you'd just kicked me in the dick over helping Heather get along better on campus because of her father giving loads of cash." I sighed and pushed the back door open. It was chilly outside and the leaves were starting to fall.
What I wouldn't have given to be wrapped up in a blanket with Dana laying against my chest, both of us able to simply enjoy the promise of a life-long relationship together.
Bullshit. It was all bullshit.
"What? Why is this the first I'm hearing of this? Are you serious or just looking for a counter-conversation?"
"I'm dead serious. The bitch has been hitting on me, throwing herself at me, asking for things that would make a whore blush." I ran my hand down my face. "I told you we were partners for a while in college. She obviously wants to go down memory lane. I told her no. She got really pissed. She's been after me since then."
"Let's bring this up today. Maybe between her claims and yours, Lance will shut you both down and slap you on the hand with a warning." He sounded hopeful.
"I doubt that. This would be my third slap. I'm pretty sure you strike out at this point in most ballgames."
"I know, but stop thinking like that buddy. It'll work out. Get up here a little early and we'll talk before the meeting."
"Is Heather coming?"
"Yes, and Daisy is too for some weird reason. You know anything about that?"
"Nope." I pursed my lips. This shit was so messed up. Did things like this really happen to normal people?
"Alright. See you then."
I dropped the call and dialed Eliza's number immediately. She picked up on the first ring.
"There you are. I tried to call you yesterday, but I must have had a digit off?"
"How did you know this was me, then?" I smiled, unable to help myself.
"I'm a numbers savant, remember? I knew six of the seven numbers I had were right. They're stuck in my brain." She took a quick breath. "I finally got a hold of Daisy."
"And?" I started to pace, unable to stand still any longer.
"And she and Heather have become friends somehow. Probably Heather's doing. The little witch is quite conniving."
"You're not telling me anything new here."
"I honestly think that Heather talked Daisy into quitting the department so she could have her job."
"What? Heather is brand new at the school. How would she have even known Daisy? Heather came after Daisy left. That seems impossible."
"They've been friends for two years, Kendal. This black widow decided she wanted to work in the UT accounting department years ago and looked for the right person to attach to. So she introduced herself to Daisy at a conference two years ago. They become fast friends. You know, single professors nearing their thirties with no family or spouses. They clicked. I'm sure Heather made sure of that."
I dropped down in a lawn chair as Eliza kept going. Somehow the surreal was very real. Heather was so much smarter than I'd given her credit for. Her coming to UT wasn't by chance. It had been planned. For years? Fuck me.
"So they get to talking and sharing over the two years and of course Daisy tells her about the affair with Mark. Heather consoles her when it's over and talks her into quitting. Says they can switch jobs. Daisy can have her old job wherever she came from, but that conveniently fell through. So now Heather has Daisy's job and Daisy is stuck out."
"How in the hell-"
"Wait. It gets better."
"Really? Better isn't the word I would use for this insanity."
"Hush. Okay, so Heather isn't satisfied with having Daisy's job. It's too low on the totem pole, and between you and me, she doesn't have the power in her current position to force you to your knees. She can only push a little, but she can't hold you to the fire or force you to become her pet."
"Did you just call me a pet?" I lifted my eyebrow and dropped back on the chair, laying down fully.
She laughed. "You know what I mean. She needs more power, Kendal. So who's job does she go after next?"
"Mark’s?" I sat up. "No way. How would she go after Mark's?"
"By putting him in a very odd predicament. She set this whole thing up to get you, her, Daisy, Mark and Lance in a room together. How many of you know about Mark's affair and Daisy leaving campus, completely destroyed because of it?"
"Holy shit. All of us but Lance."
"Exactly. She's not going to attack you in there. She's going to attack Mark."
I jumped up. I was an intelligent guy, but I just didn't have the wherewithal or desire to be a mastermind schemer. "This is crazy, Eliza. How do you know this for sure?"
"Daisy told me."
"What do we do?"
"Tell the truth. On Heather and Mark. Daisy will back you up. Heather's expecting to have an ally in the room, but she doesn't have one. Daisy will be there for you. Go with the flow. It's going to work out."
I ran my fingers through my hair. "Alright. I trust you."
"You should, kiddo. I'm in your corner."
"You might be the only one." I walked to the house as we said our goodbyes. My situation with Dana would have to wait. Everything was on the line. My career and my freedom.
I'd find Dana later hopefully... unless she was still running.
I was getting tired of chasing.
Mark stood by the window in his office as I tried to slow my racing heart. We had to shut Heather down before she shut Mark down. I hated to kick the guy in the crotch when he was helping me out as much as he could, but he was a bastard. Sleeping with one of our fellow professors for kicks and rejecting her the minute he was done? Sickening. And he had a pregnant wife at home?
My heart goes out to his wife and Daisy. What the fuck was wrong with people?
"Alright. So I explained the situation to Lance after I got off the phone with you. He had one of his staff dig deeper into Heather's record. Looks like she's done this before. At her former college. He's going to ask her a few questions and let her go. Eliza called and told me about her picking Daisy apart, promising her a job at the other university for more exposure too. We need her out of here. She's a disease."
I nodded, a little surprised to hear that Eliza called Mark. "Heather talked Daisy into quitting."
"Yeah." He turned from the window, avoiding eye contact with me. "She promised her a better position and more exposure to publishing and such."
"That's the only reason Daisy left? She was promised something bigger and better? Doesn't seem like Daisy at all." I was digging, but I had to. I wanted to know if there was anything worth redeeming in my old friend.
"Yep." He walked around his desk and grabbed his phone. "Let's go get this shit over with. I hate losing Heather because she's a smart girl, but she's a black-hearted bitch for sure."
"I agree." I walked to the door and opened it. "Maybe we can talk Daisy into coming back."
"No way. Her days here are over." He walked past me, his voice tight. He was stressed out over having to sit in a room with her again.
I couldn't b
egin to fathom the awkwardness that we were about to walk into. I needed to play my part and called Damon to get a lawyer. Something told me that this was just the beginning of all of it.
We walked into a large conference room to find Lance at the end of the table deep in conversation... with Damon.
Mother fucker.
Damon glanced down toward me and winked.
He came through. I knew he would.
"What's Damon doing here?" Mark turned to me and lifted his eyebrow.
I shrugged. "He's like a brother to me. Maybe he's here as a character witness? You know he and Kent give a lot of money to the business school as well. Let's hope whatever he's up to is going to help us."
"I don't need help," Mark barked, his face red. "I'm not on trial here."
"You should be." Lance turned and walked toward us, extending his hand toward me. "Eliza called me this morning. She explained everything. I've been in meetings with Daisy and Damon on the situation. I'm sorry you keep suffering at the hands of this University. Your position is locked in and we'll be looking to move you into tenure in the next month. If there is any way we can make this up to you other than that-"
"I don't want it." I shook his hand. "I'm turning in my resignation this afternoon. If this stuff with Heather is cleared up, I'm done. I'm tired and I want a life outside of here."
"Coming to work with me?" Damon's eyebrow lifted.
"I wish you would reconsider." Lance squeezed my hand and released it.
"Wait. I don't understand-" Mark started but was cut off by Lance.
"Pack up your office. You're fired and your affair with Daisy will be under investigation. I'm sickened by you right now. Get out of here and figure out how you're going to tell your wife you cheated on her. One of us will be telling her today. You can decide that. I'll be in your office in fifteen minutes."
Mark turned and walked off, his face pale, his breathing off.
"What about Heather?" I glanced around, half-expecting the whore to walk in.
"She's been fired. Her father's money was returned and we put a note in her file that she's not hirable for any professorship. Anyone calls for a reference, and they will if she stays in academia, we'll set them straight. She'll never be a professor again. She doesn't deserve the honor." He glanced toward Damon and back at me. "But you do, and you should. Please take some time and reconsider."
"I appreciate it, but no thanks. I'm done. I have too much riding on me walking away from this."
And it hit me.
Dana was upset because she'd been working like crazy on her side of the relationship to clean up things with Ana. To break off old relationships. To change her entire life to make us work - now. And I hadn't offered her even a breadcrumb of hope. I'd done the opposite.
"Buddy?" Damon squeezed my shoulder. "You okay?"
"Dana loves me. She told me last night."
"That's awesome." Damon chuckled and glanced over at Lance. "I'll take him home. We'll be in touch. He's just been through way too much with Amanda's death, losing his girlfriend over this place, and all this shit with Heather."
"I get it. Try to get him to stay." Lance shook Damon's hand, patted my shoulder and walked out.
"I have to find her." I stared Damon in the face. "The hospital."
"Want me to take you?"
"No. Thank you." I pulled him in for a long hug. "I love you, bro. You saved my ass."
"And you saved mine more times than I care to recount. Go get the girl, and then come talk to me. We need to pick colors for your office." He squeezed me and moved back.
"Shit. I'm not working for you." I chuckled and turned, jogging the whole way to the car. I had to find my girl and make her mine.
Forever.
Chapter 55
Dana
"Are you okay, dear?" The sweet older woman beside me on the plane reached over and handed me a tissue.
"Yes, ma'am." I took it. "Thank you."
I couldn't stop tearing up. My whole world was behind me and I was running. Again. Maybe I was overreacting, but it just didn't feel like it. It felt like the beginning of another relationship where I was pulling the weight, where I was the only one bending and breaking and changing. I couldn't go through it again.
I needed to matter to someone enough for them to change a little too. It seemed like too much to ask.
"Anything I can do to cheer you up?" She gave me a smile.
I forced myself to smile back and blotted my eyes. "No, ma'am. I'm headed to see my best friend in New York, and I wish it were for a good reason."
"Care to share?"
"I fell in love with a really great guy, but it turns out that maybe he's not so great." I let out a painful sigh, not truly convinced that I believed my own words. Kendal was a good man. I was just looking for something more. Something bigger. Better.
As if that were possible.
It wasn't like Kendal had the power to heal every shitty relationship I'd been in and the scars each of them had left on my heart. It was completely unreasonable to expect that of anyone. Especially of him.
He was fighting for his job and had just lost his sister.
I was a horrible person. A needy bitch that couldn't settle down thanks to my demons. I'd never be enough in my own mind. He deserved someone that was at least emotionally put together.
"And why is he not such a great guy? Did he cheat on you?"
"No." I blew my nose.
"Leave you standing at the altar?"
"No. He's just not willing to bend in order for our relationship to work out, and I'm tired of being the only one willing to change. I feel like that's an unhealthy place to be."
"It is. Sometimes." She reached over and squeezed my hand. "But you love him?"
"Yeah." I nodded, feeling the truth in my admission. I loved him so much. I would have changed everything for him, given anything.
Then why not this?
"And he loves you?"
"I honestly don't know. I think so, but he's not willing to say it."
"He refuses to tell you that he loves you?" Her voice gained a little bit of an edge.
"No. Yes. I don't know." I smiled and wiped my eyes once more. "He's a professor at a prestigious college and I'm a student there. Not his student, but they have very strict rules."
"How old is this man?" Her eyebrow lifted.
"Six years older than me. He's young." I patted her hand this time.
"Oh. Good. Jeez. You scared me there for a minute."
"We can’t see each other until next May when I graduate, and I feel like I'm the only one coming up with solutions to make it happen sooner. Eight months feels like absolute hell." I brushed my hair over my shoulder and huffed. "I just wish he would offer up a solution."
The airline attendant brought the drink cart down the aisle and offered us a drink, interrupting us for a moment. I sipped my coke and turned back to my seatmate, suddenly grateful to have someone to talk things through that didn't know either of us. Maybe she'd have some wisdom she could share with me.
"So this beau of yours... he didn't offer to leave the University so that you could be together."
"He..." I paused. He had offered. I shut him down. There was no way I would take away his career. It meant everything to him. It was all he had. His mother and sister had passed from MS and his father disappeared a long time ago.
He had Damon and his career. And me. Or used to.
My heart broke open and I hated myself for not seeing deeper into the situation.
"He did," I whispered and took another tissue. "I wouldn't let him."
"And you forgot that he offered?" She pressed her shoulder against mine.
"Yeah. I'd somehow convinced myself that he didn't care." I sniffled. "When he did. He does. I shouldn't be on this plane."
"Well, it's too late for that now, silly." She laughed. "Just make sure you get back on the next one out tomorrow and go tell him before it's too late. Love doesn't come around all the time, swe
etheart. It's a precious gift and so many of us throw it away over the stories we tell ourselves."
I nodded. "You're so right. I'd convinced myself that he didn't care. That I was alone in wanting to make us work. What crap."
"Such crap." We shared a quick laugh and she pulled out a book. "I hope everything works out beautifully for you both and someday, you'll share your wisdom with a young woman in need that crosses your path."
I smiled. "I will. Thank you."
"Hey!" Olivia walked up as I made my way down the baggage claim. She pulled me into a tight hug and squeezed. "I missed you so much. Why can't you just call for once and ask me to bring a U-haul?"
"Would you?" I moved back and pulled my phone out, holding it up. "Do you have a charger?"
"Um, that's like three upgrades ago, Dana. We need to get you a new phone."
"Right. Charger?" I smiled and moved to grab my bag off the turnstile.
"No, but we can get you one. Let's go up to St. Mark's and do a small tour. I talked to one of the doctors that Luke is friends with up there. He's going to get us in to see Dr. Crawford."
"What? No. We don't have to do that. Dr. Lewis hasn't even set anything up yet. I told you all about this just to get it off my chest." I grabbed my bag and gave her an exasperated look.
"Give me that and hush. You're my best friend and like a sister to me. I'm going to do everything I can to get your ass up here when you graduate." She looped her arm into mine. "Luke tells me that Dr. Crawford is big shit up here at St. Marks."
"Dr. Lewis seemed to think highly of him, but the guy is his step brother."
"Ohhh... that's a great hookup. Let's go up there for a quick tour and meeting and then we'll grab lunch and coffee at one of my favorite places in all of New York."
"De Luca?" I smiled, knowing her better than she knew herself.
"Yes! So delicious." She slipped her hand into mine. "So... have you talked to Kendal since you half-cut your finger off to get away from him?"
The humor in her voice was less than appreciated. "No. I was ignoring his calls and texts and then when I decided I was being an asshole about everything, my damn phone died."