“You’re not answering my question. What exactly is it you intend to do that could cause fallout?”

“The fallout’s already done, in case you missed the past thirty minutes. Adeline’s been ruined, and I won’t tolerate it. I intend to ruffle a few feathers at the college to get Adeline back on track, and if I have to put some heat on Trigg for allowing Mark to remain employed after his behavior toward Adeline, so be it. Either way, Foster’s won’t be involved.” I have nothing further to say and nothing left holding me to this place.

When I stand and move to the door, Foster speaks again. “You really love her?” I nod as he studies me curiously. “She’s lucky to have you.” His words are warm, genuine.

“I’m not so sure of that. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for me.”

“She’s lucky to have you.”

I sigh in resignation. “We’ll see.”

I want to go to Adeline, so much so it’s hard to steer my car to her college rather than her apartment. She’s only days from graduation, and if I have a hope of salvaging that, I have to do it now.

When I arrive at Adeline’s school, I’m smacked with a world of memories from what feels like a lifetime ago. This was my school as well, some ten or so odd years ago. It’s where I met my first wife. Marrying her was one of many mistakes I would and will make in my lifetime, but I didn’t understand the world in the same way I do today. I was young. I thought I knew what I was supposed to want, and while our marriage ended, and it left me bitter and resentful for years after, it’s the very fallout from that terrible time in my life that put me in exactly the place I needed to be to meet my Adeline, my sweet Adeline. She was a one-night stand that stuck. From the first moment I saw her in the bar, I had to have her, and that utter sense of urgency hasn’t faded one ounce, though I’ve had her many times over at this point.

I was in the architectural department, adjacent to the design department, but I spent enough of my formative years here to know where I’m going. When the secretary asks who I wish to see, I demand to speak with Dr. Lynch. She recognizes my name and curtly tells me to wait.

When she returns to me and as politely as her perturbed demeanor will allow tells me Dr. Lynch doesn’t wish to see me, my voice suddenly becomes as loud and demanding as it was in Foster’s office. “If I have to wait all goddamn day, I will! And if I have to take this issue farther up the chain than Lynch, then so be it! He’s allowed Adeline to be harassed and practically assaulted…” The secretary likely has no idea what I’m talking about, but the half a dozen or so pairs of eyes now peering over the tops of cubicles is what I was really going for, and within moments Dr. Lynch appears in his doorway. His face is crimson, and he is glaring. I’m allowed to pass into his office, but I’m anything but welcome there. He returns to his desk, and I take the seat in front of his desk while we glare at each other.

“Adeline’s good at what she does.”

“Yes, she is.” His voice is seething with fury at my behavior.

“And yet, you’re intent on ruining her. Why?”

“Students have to uphold a certain level of professionalism when studying as an intern…”

“Bullshit. Adeline has always been professional, her work has always been second to none, and she’s dedicated. Her personal relationships should have nothing to do with her internship. So, I’ll ask again, why are you doing this? Are you attracted to her? Is that it? Offended she’s not fucking you? What?” I’m accusatory, and the look of shock returned to me is genuine. Thank God for that at least.

“Fuck you! I’ve always been fond of Adeline, but not like that. I’m old enough to be her father, and she’s better than this!” He’s struggling to remain composed, and his voice is bordering on yelling.

“You mean she’s better than me.”

“Better than allowing herself to be pulled into an inappropriate relationship with a superior. I’m disappointed in her. She should have known better. She’s not a child. She’s responsible for the decisions she makes, and she made the decision to become involved with you. How much more clear can I make it, and never mind the accusations she botched a fifty-thousand-dollar order your company now has to eat!”

“Foster’s is no longer my company, and we both know she wasn’t responsible for that order.”

“Well perhaps if she’d been paying better attention to her job and less attention to you, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“She was sabotaged by a resentful employee, and there is nothing she could have done to stop this from happening.” I pause, and he watches me. He’s judging my words. His actions, his decisions aren’t driven by mere departmental procedure and regulation; he’s disappointed in her the way a parent would be after finding out their child was diddling the teacher. He may be able to make a strong case for removing Adeline from the internship, but it won’t be the true reason behind his actions. He’s upset. Plain and simple. I hold his gaze harshly. “If you care about her future, you won’t destroy it. She does not deserve this, and it isn’t her fault.”

“Not her fault? Of course it’s her fault!”

“I want you to listen to me very carefully. I did this. It was me. I took advantage of a naive young woman in a situation where I was the one in control. Who knows? She may have thought her internship would be threatened if she didn’t comply, perhaps her future would be ruined. She was coerced. But it was me. Not her. She was a victim in all of this, and it would be a real shame for your student to be punished for being victimized by me.”

“You’re full of shit. I don’t believe for a second she felt coerced.”

“You don’t have to believe it. So long as the rest of the world does. People don’t look so kindly on schools turning a blind eye when their female students are being harassed and assaulted. Every year some university is coming under criticism for mishandling crimes against their female population in order to mitigate their crime rate. And in this case, you already allowed her to return to her internship after finding out Mark Lear harassed her. Hell, you didn’t investigate or take any action whatsoever to ensure her safety.”

“That’s a lie! I asked her if she…”

I cut him off quickly. “Again, it has more to do with what people are willing to believe.”

“You should be ashamed of yourself.” His face is burning red in his fury. He wants to hit me, but since I want to hit him just as much, I’m willing to let it slide.

“No, you should! You had no problem allowing her to return to Foster’s after the incident with Mark. You want to talk about inappropriate, that man tormented her, and you had no problem sending her right back for more. Funny how easily and eagerly you seem willing to pass judgment on her now. A judgment, by the way, that was fed to you by Mark Lear himself. She deserves better from you, especially if you have as much respect for her as you say you do. And if that respect isn’t enough for you to do the right thing, then trust me when I tell you I can pave the way for one hell of a harassment case that will implicate the university’s blatant refusal to support their student. If it means painting myself a sexually assaulting asshole, then I’ll do it. And if you think for a moment I’m not more than willing to hang myself out to dry for her, think again.” I don’t have to try to sound convincing to this man. I’m telling the truth. There is nothing I won’t do to protect her from the rug they’re pulling out from under her, and if that means throwing myself under the bus to see it done, so be it

Dr. Lynch is staring at me. His eyes are wide; his nostrils are flared. “Why would you do this for her?”

“That’s no more your business than what my relationship with her is or is not.”

“You’ll destroy your career.”

“Maybe. But that’s my problem.”

He stares, saying nothing, and I stare coolly back, waiting. I’m not cool at all. My heart is pounding, and I’m terrified. I don’t want this threat to move outside of this room. I may be willing to destroy my life, but it certainly isn’t what I want to have happen. I can’t take care of her if I’m destitute. I can’t be with her if I destroy my life. He has to break, and I won’t break his stare until he does.

“Is she good at what she does? I want an honest assessment and not the one fogged by your dick.”

“She is. She has more talent than the vast majority of designers I’ve worked with, and the fact she’s not even out of school yet impresses the hell out of me. She has an eye for historical architecture, and while I’m sure she’s more than capable of handling contemporary, she’s more than at home in traditional design. I didn’t expect her to be so talented when she first came to Foster’s, but she is. And if you can’t see she’s accomplished twice as much in her one semester at Foster’s than your other interns ever have and likely ever will, then you are blind.”

Dr. Lynch continues to stare. He’s debating, deciding, judging, and my heart is still pounding. I might not be able to stop myself from punching him in the face if I don’t get my way. Her future is on the line, and this man is the only one who can redeem her. His stare goes on and on for eternity, and I sit, waiting, watching, trying not to kill him.

“She’s not going back to Foster’s for the remainder of the week, but I’ll consider the internship complete. I want her performance evaluation turned in by someone other than you, and I won’t be sending any more interns to Foster’s if you remain on staff. You’ve said you’re not with Foster’s anymore, so I’m assuming this won’t be a problem. Right now, I have no interest in speaking with her, so I’d appreciate it if you would let her know. She’ll graduate with her class this weekend, and quite frankly, I’ll be glad to be done with this bullshit.”