End of Life As I Know It

"Mister Kingsley. I have just received a complaint from the father of one of your students that alleges that you are in an inappropriate relationship with his daughter. I want the truth now, does this allegation have any validity?"

"None whatsoever."

"Are you sure of that?"

"Yes. Give me credit for knowing the rules, I am not in any relationship with one of my students."

"Then how do you explain this?" He held out a photo of me with my arm around Roslyn and her head on my shoulder. 'This was emailed to me this afternoon."

"They really are playing dirty if they can take photos of me in my own office. This was a natural reaction on my part to comfort her after she had told me what had happened when she lodged a complaint to the CEO, who just happens to be her father, against her immediate boss. She was upset and I put my arm on her shoulder to comfort her, it was nothing more than that."

"I have your word that there is nothing going on between the two of you?"

"You have my word, and if you ask her she will tell you the same thing."

"Don't worry, we will, in fact we are, as we speak, asking her. You had better hope that she backs you up."

"I think you should know the context of this matter. Her father is facing court action over a sexual harassment case against one of his senior employees and a close personal friend, the stalker in question. He tried to get her to drop the matter but she wouldn't. Because of this, she has left home, and it appears that he is copping it from her mother. This is his way of fixing the matter, as long as his mate's all right, that's all that matters to him."

"What will happen on the home front if she decides to go ahead with the complaint?"

"We'll find out soon enough, she is not about to back down any time soon."

"For someone who has no particular interest in this matter, you seem to know quite a lot about it."

"That would be because I introduced her to a Lawyer friend who has taken up the case on her behalf. I spoke to him this morning before I left home."

"I don't need to remind you that your tenure at this university will be under review if you, by your actions, bring it into disrepute."

"I'm fully aware of that." I was going to thank him for his support, in a sarcastic way, but thought better of it.

On my way home I stopped in my local supermarket and bought two pre-paid mobile phones, you know, those known as burner phones in those American crime shows.

Roslyn stayed behind after the tutorial. I handed a phone to her. "If you ever need me, or just to talk to me, you know to tell me how much you love and miss me, use this. You'll find my number already on speed dial." I held up my version of the same phone.

Her fingers flew over the screen and in seconds my phone rang. "This is Sam, speak to me."

"This is the love of your life, hello Darling."

"Who is this?"

"You know who this is, at least I hope you do."

"I do. I'm glad that you called, I was just about to call you to tell you how much I love you." I had to hold up my hand to prevent her from launching herself at me. "I don't think that we can have any shows of affection until this is over, but when that time comes, we can throw caution to the wind."

"Please make it soon, I don't know how long I can hold back."

"I don't think that we should talk to each other at home, especially since you could be bugged."

It was extremely difficult for me, for us, to maintain any sort of equilibrium over the next two weeks, especially after one of the students approached me just before a tute group.

"Sam." I allowed them to call me by my given name.

"What can I do for you?" Here I was thinking that he was going to ask for another extension on his essay.

"Are you and Roslyn, you know, are you two an item?"

"No, why do you ask that?"

"We, the other students and me, have all been approached by this guy who said that he was a Private Eye, wanting to know if you are. I told him that you weren't, the others all told him the same thing. None of us would care if you were, and none of us would say that you were anyway, I, we, just need to know."

"We are not, at this point in time, in a relationship."

"But this situation could change at any time, is that it?"

"There is a distinct possibility of that happening sometime in the future. In the meantime I, we would appreciate it if you sit on this news. There is a very messy legal matter that involves the both of us, and it will come to a head very soon. Our future depends on the other party not getting even a hint that there is anything going on between us."

"Your secret's safe with us."

He held a quick conference with the other students in the hallway as they arrived.

"What's that all about?" Roslyn was put off by her exclusion from the meeting.

"Us. They've been approached by someone your father has hired to find out if we're having it off. Don't worry, our secret is safe."

Loz was on the phone on Saturday morning. "The shit has hit the fan."
"What does that mean?"

"We are all to appear at a pre-trial conference on Tuesday morning in an attempt at mediation. My opinion is that the other party's idea of mediation is to come in all guns blazing. We are still squeaky clean, aren't we?"

"Of course, why do you ask?"

"Well it has been two weeks, and I need to know that you haven't succumbed to her obvious charms."

"No, we have not given in to our attraction to each other. There is one thing that you should investigate."

"Oh yes, and what would that be?"

"We believe that Roslyn's apartment may have been bugged. Is there any way that you can check this out before Tuesday?"

"I'll get onto it right away. It will help us if she has been bugged."

"How so?"

"The two of you can discuss, on record, what is happening and in the process feed them misleading information. If they raise these discussions at this conference we will produce our recordings as proof that they have illegally planted listening devices in her apartment. We will advise the mediator that we will be handing over the information to the police."

I called Roslyn to discuss the plan. "If we are going to work on the assumption that they are eavesdropping on us, I have some information that will really blow their minds." She said.

"What is that?"

"I'll leave it for now, but can you call me about eight tonight to tell me about this mediation conference, I want them to hear your reaction to this bombshell."

"What is it? Please don't keep me in suspense."

"Tonight Darling, you won't be disappointed, believe me."

At eight o'clock I rang her. "Hello, is that Roslyn?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"Sam Kingsley. I have been speaking with my, our Lawyer, and he has advised that we are to be at a mediation conference in a judge's chambers on Tuesday morning, can you make it?"

"Yes, of course, what is it about?"

"The others have called it, most likely to introduce evidence that will undermine our case."

"If they are going to do that, I can bring up some information that will blow their socks off."

"What is this info?"

"When I was sixteen and still at school, (the age of consent in most states of Australia is sixteen) my parents had a party, some work function, and George came into my room, I was in bed, and he got into bed with me. I tried to push him away but he raped me."

"What are you telling me? Do you mean he had sexual intercourse with you, against your will?"

"Yes, I didn't like the man, the way he was looking at me before I left to go to bed."

"Did he put his penis in you?"

"Yes."

"Did he ejaculate in you?"

"Yes, fortunately for me I was in that safe period of the month, so I didn't get pregnant. I wasn't on birth control and I was still a virgin at the time."

"Did you tell anyone of this?"

"I told mum and she promised to tell Dad, but I somehow don't think she did because nothing was said at the time."

"If only we had proof of this that would put a whole new dynamic on this." I rang off, only to have the other phone ring.

"I do have proof." Her voice was soft. "I didn't want to say anything that could be heard. I'll call you tomorrow."

I was still trying to get my head around this latest development. I had spoken to Loz and promised to call him when I found out what proof she had. She did not disappoint, we had sound. "I had a mini recorder that I used if I thought of something during the night. I switched it on when I heard the door open."

I rang Loz immediately and Roslyn told him everything that she had told me and played the first couple of minutes of the recording to him. To say that he was happy was understating his reaction.

We assembled in a conference room attached to the judge's chambers, combatants ranged on each side of the conference table.

"The reason for this conference is to examine the evidence in this matter to ascertain if it warrants going to trial. Or if the matter can be settled amicably in this forum. Miss McMasters, you have alleged that your department head," he glanced at the paper in front of him, "Mister Preston acted in such a way as to constitute sexual harassment, is this correct?"

"Yes, that is correct." Roslyn spoke in a clear, firm voice that spoke of her confidence.

"What evidence do you have that this matter occurred, and did you report it at the time?"

"If I may," Loz had a folder in front of him, "We have documented the numerous occasions over a period of some six months, each time Mister Preston acted in a way that constitutes sexual harassment." He passed the folder to the judge, who opened the folder and saw the volume of information. "In those papers you will note that my client has, on at least six occasions spoken with the company CEO, who also happens to be her father, and no action has been forthcoming."

"We contest that this so-called evidence is spurious," James Thorburn QC, acting on behalf of the defendants, opened his case, "my client maintains that his daughter has been encouraged to proceed with this matter to gain a financial advantage. We also accuse Mister Kingsley of being in an intimate and sexual relationship with his student, his daughter, and of using that relationship for his own financial advantage."

"Can you provide evidence to support these allegations?"

"Yes, we have a photograph, taken through the window of Mister Kingsley's office, of them in an embrace." He passed the photograph over. "We also have statements from her fellow students, each and every one of them stating that they were lovers." He handed over a pile of papers.

"That photograph," Loz stated with a confidence that was not lost on Thorburn, "was taken of Mister Kingsley comforting Miss McMasters after she had told him of the result of her lodging a harassment complaint against Mister Preston. She was visibly upset at the outcome and he was merely offering comfort and support."

"Is that what they're calling it these days?" Thorburn smirked.

"As for those alleged statements, the students approached Mister Kingsley and informed him of a man who introduced himself as a Private Enquiry Agent and who asked them if they could describe the relationship between himself and Miss McMasters. Each of them told the person that it was friendly but professional, not unlike his relationship with each of them. This is at variance with what the defendant claims. Which one is correct? We have several recordings to support our version. A word of advice to your man, if you approach students coming out of a Lecture Theatre, you will have to expect that they have on them a voice recorder that they use to record lectures, and that they will switch them on if someone asks them questions. This memory card has each conversation recorded on it." He passed the SD card to the judge. "While we are on the matter of relationships. Mister McMasters, what is your relationship with Mister Preston?"

"He is a senior employee with my company."

"Nothing more than that?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"What I am stating, not suggesting, is that Mister Preston is a long-time personal friend, in fact he was Best Man at your wedding."

"That has nothing to do with this situation."

"That has everything to do with this situation. You have been protecting your best friend from allegations such as these for a long time."

"That is not true!"

"You have also protected him from a much more serious allegation brought by your daughter against him."

"I know nothing of this."

"I would like you to cast your mind back five years to a works party held at your home. Did your wife not mention to you that your friend George Preston had entered Roslyn's bedroom during that party, and had in fact raped her?"

"No, I cannot recall my wife mentioning that to me. If it had been brought to my attention that George had carried out that offence, I would most certainly remembered that and acted accordingly."

"I have here an affidavit from your wife stating that she did in fact bring this to your attention. We have proof that Mister Preston did rape Roslyn McMasters on the night of that party." He took the recorder from his case and pressed replay.

"Who, what are you doing here?"

"It's me, Uncle George, I've come to keep you company."

"No! This is wrong! You cannot get into my bed."

"It's all right, I just want to cuddle you."

"No, I don't want you to cuddle me, get out of my bed!"

"I saw the way that you were looking at me all night, the way that you looked at the front of my trousers, the invitation you gave me as you left the room, you want this as much as I do."

"I do not want this, whatever 'this' is. Don't touch me there."

"You have such lovely titties, you don't need to wear a bra, and they're so perky and feel so good. Don't tell me that you don't enjoy me touching them."

"My skin crawls every time you touch me, leave me alone."

"Have you ever had a man touch you down there?"

"No, and I don't want you touching me there either. Take your hand away!"

"Open your legs, I want to put my finger in there."

"No!"

"Open them or I will force them open."

"No. (whimper)"

"There, doesn't that feel good?"

"No! What are you doing now?"

"I'm taking my trousers off so that you can feel my cock."

"I don't want to touch your cock or any part of you."

"Touch it!"

"No!"

"Touch it. Run your hand up and down my cock, feel how hard it is because of you. You are good at this, are you sure that you have never been with a man?"

"No! What are you doing now? Get off me you're too heavy. No, I will not move my legs apart."

"My cock wants to be inside you."

"No! No! Leave me alone, I don't want you to do this. Oh, please stop."

"There, doesn't that feel good?"

"No! You're hurting me, take it out."

"It'll only hurt for a short time and then you'll get to like it."

"I will never like it. I hate you! I'll tell my father what you have done."

"He won't do anything."

"No...."

"Ugh."

"This can't..."

"Ugh."

"Be happening..."

"Ugh."

"To me."

"Ugh."

"Please...."

"Ugh."

"Stop this..."

"Ugh."

"Now."

"Ugh."

"I hate you!"

"Ugh."

"Leave me alone..."

"Ugh, ugh, ugh."

"What did you just do?"

"I came inside you."

"No!"

"It's alright, just go to the toilet and push it out. Here, hold this over your pussy so you don't drip any on the floor."

Loz clicked the 'stop' button. "I think that's enough, there's quite a lot of sobbing after this, but what you have heard is pretty self-explanatory, and damning, don't you agree. This recording and your wife's affidavit will be enough to convict Mister Preston of rape, and of you Mister McMasters of covering it up. Just as you have covered up his indiscretions with several women employed by your company. Your daughter had her virginity wrenched from her. She was denied the chance to give it to someone that she loved, someone that she had feelings for, instead it was taken by some randy old bastard who just wanted to get his rocks off with the boss' daughter."

"You fucking fool! Why can't you keep it in your pants, and why did you have to do it to her in my home." I didn't know whether McMaster's anger was genuine.

"In case you've forgotten, you did my daughter." This is a new factor in their relationship.

"I think we need an adjournment to go over the information and decide what to do next." I don't think Thorburn was very happy.

What happened next was not what we had expected. Roslyn's father hung George out to dry. He denied having had sex with George's daughter. He denied having been told that George had raped Roslyn, and because no record was kept of the conversation between himself and his wife, it could not be proven beyond doubt to have taken place. He stated that, in response to allegations by female staff, he had accepted George's word that there was no truth to them. As far as the law was concerned, he was squeaky clean.

As far as his family was concerned it was a different matter. His wife left him, well she didn't leave him so much as kick him out of the house and invite Roslyn to return. The divorce settlement was substantial and placed a considerable drain on his finances, resulting in the company funds being severely depleted. The company struggled on, but never returned to the glory days.

Our relationship had its moments. We loved each other and became an item and all was good until we tried to move to the next level.

I sensed it the moment my hand covered her breast. There was an intake of breath and she pulled away from me "I'm sorry, I want so much for this to happen, but as soon as you touched me I remembered that night. I can't......I simply can't."

"Don't worry my love, I can wait."

It took four months before she felt comfortable with me caressing her breasts, kissing them, telling her what perfect breasts they were, but that was as far as it went for some time.

The journey to her pussy took a further three months. I didn't push the issue, there was a lot of patient coaxing before I could run my hand between her legs without brushing her pussy. Then I ran my fingers along the sides of her lips and across her clit before I was allowed to penetrate her with one finger.

At around this time she was able to caress my rampant cock and take it in her mouth. She drew the line at allowing me to cum in her mouth for some time, finally relenting, as a special treat, on my birthday. I introduced her to 69s and we enjoyed that for some time before the big moment arrived. I was allowed to penetrate her with my cock.

"Oh God, this is so very different."

"I'm a different man."

"I know. When I think of how much time we have wasted because of my fear of this. I am so stupid."

"No you are not stupid. You were suffering from PTSD and needed to overcome it in your own time. If I had rushed things you would never have been able to enjoy our making love. Having been forced to have sex has taken its toll on your life, and it needed different circumstances, and a different person, to help you get over it. I love you, and it hurt me that you were unable to respond to that part of our relationship. But it wasn't the end, just a diversion we had to negotiate."
Life has been good, at least until now. Roslyn and I got married, and as a wedding present Marion, her mother, sold her house, she hated the memories and it was far too big for just her, now that Roslyn was living with me. From the proceeds of the sale she bought an apartment for herself and a house for us.