Leaving... Ch. 04

"Well? Do I know him? How long's this been going on? Another professor who's fallen at your feet" he asked bitterly.

Each question was a knife in her heart. She wanted to look up at him, but couldn't.

Her constricted throat mangled out "It's a she. Not a he."

He could make nothing of her words. "What did you say. Come on. You don't usually have trouble speakin' your mind."

She flung her head back, defiant as she had been once before, her clan blood preferring fight to flight in the face of disgrace or danger.

She shouted her words now "It's not a bloody HE. It's was a she."

"She? You mean another woman?" His bafflement was clear in his voice.

"Of course I mean another woman, they're called 'she' in America as well as England aren't they?" was her icy reply. Her disgust with herself over her stupid behaviour with Frankie was making her angry. She realised that she was taking her distress out on her Andrew. Although he might no longer be 'her Andrew.'

"But you're not like that. How could you go and do that? It just isn't you. Who was it? One of your old Uni friends? What on earth made you want her like that?"

He had every right to know. This was her final humiliation, and then she could be alone again. She had fallen from her pinnacle of joy and love to the broken rocks of total anguish. She must retain her dignity at least. She was MacLean.

"It was Frankie."

"Frankie? Your Political Science professor? The one with the blue eyes and sexy walk? I'm surprised you had the nerve, Megan. Wow."

"Don't you dare 'wow' me Professor Scotsdale. It was she who ... I was ... we were ... look here, if you must know, she tried to seduce me" she said, partly in bravado and partly in shame.

Andrew could sense how much her confession was costing Megan emotionally. He saw her attempt to conceal her distress. He realised how much nerve it had taken to tell him. Most of all he knew his love was only reinforced by her integrity and gritty courage. She need not have told him. He would never have known.

He didn't know how he might have felt had it been a man. Disgusted? Yeah, definitely. The thought of ... no he wouldn't think of that. He couldn't think of his Megan willingly giving her precious and private gifts to another man's ... 'stop that damned train of thought, Andrew' he told himself. She hadn't, so he needn't think down that path. But another woman?

He again reached out to her but she brushed him off.

"Megan will you damn well stop that. Come here godammit you, you bloody woman you" and he pulled to him. "Look at me, girl. Now then, do you still see her?"

"No, Andrew" was her miserable reply.

"Do you still want to see her? Does she appeal to you?"

"I've already told her. It was foolishness. I wrote to her. I told her she might want me, but she didn't ever need me. Not much really started, but it's finished now. I never want to be with her again. Ever."

"Have you got the number of the Royal Carlton on your mobile?"

Startled, Megan said "yes"

"Phone it" he said

"Phone it? she questioned.

"Yes Meg, it's like calling the number? Putting a call in? Like saying 'hello is that the Royal Carlton?'"

"But why?"

"Because, my dearest most sexy most adorable woman who is going to be my sex slave for life, I am going to get you in bed and while I ravish your body you're going to tell me about every touch and tingle you felt with that ... that ... predator. Right? Got it?"

Megan looked at him, seeing again the love in his face (and was there more than a touch of licentiousness in the way he was licking his lips?) She began to giggle, her happiness making her glow with the realisation of his forgiveness. She opened her shoulder bag, and while searching for her phone, put into his knowing and waiting hands, her purse, her comb, her hanky, her compact, her diary, her credit card case, her keys, her...............

"Dammit Meg, not the kitchen sink in there as well? You women!"

She smiled sweetly. "Here it is Andrew. Men are always so impatient, aren't they?"

"Impatient? – I'll show you what impatience is when I get you alone", and he slapped her rump. "Hey Meg, don't forget I got to ask your Dad's permission I guess, even if I don't have to. I respect your parents too much not to. And we got to fix a date. Your church where you were Christened. And phone my folks and..."

"Andrew" she said "will we ever get to this hotel? Or are you going to ravish me here in this car park?"

The call was made. The room was booked. The anguish was over.

Their love could at last begin again.

Without doubts.

Without reservations,

But most of all, without secrets.

EPILOG or EPILOGUE:

In the Crestin College classroom the last assignment was being written on the board as a student called out "Dr. Scotsdale is this test tomorrow comprehensive?"

Before the lecturer could reply, a second voice interrupted. "I'm sorry people but some things just can't wait."

Dr Megan MacLean Scotsdale looked over to see her husband smiling broadly in the doorway, those big brown eyes and disarming smile melting her as always.

She walked over and took her eighteen month old son from her husband's arms and kissed him, then turned towards the class where numerous giggles and laughs were disrupting the normal quiet of the room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen" she said, "I would like you to meet my son, Ian MacLean Scotsdale." The little boy timidly hid his face in his mother's shoulder as the students called 'Hi Ian.' The youngster opened and closed his hand in a shy little wave as he cuddled up to her.

"Furthermore that disreputable looking creature who so rudely interrupted us is my husband Professor Andrew Scotsdale and the father of our two adorable children.

Now to answer your question Dawn, the test is on chapters three to five, so study hard. You need this understanding of basic British Monarchical and political structure for chapters nine through fifteen. Remember that unlike the USA, Britain does not have a written Constitution okay?" Looking around she saw no more questions forthcoming. "Right, Class dismissed."

Making her way back to Andrew she asked, "Where's Susan?"

The sheepish grin on his face turned into a grimace. "Over at the commons with your parents."

"Andrew!" she exclaimed emphatically as she rolled her eyes in despair, "You left a four year old granddaughter alone with her two starry eyed grandparents near a junk food area? She'll be eating a Hot Fudge Sundae in no time. If her supper gets ruined you and I are going to have to talk."

Andrew kissed her but his impish grin again filled his face, "I'm glad we learned to communicate. Besides it was a banana split Susan was eating when I left them ten minutes ago."

Megan looked heavenward, "Oh noooooooo. And I bet my father was the culprit too. MEN, you're all as bad as each another."

"Yep," the voice of a pretty young redhead said as she moved by them and out the door, "You can't live with 'em and you can't live without 'em."

Megan laughed and said, "Andrew just hold Ian while I get my books then we can go see what other mischief Susan and my parents are into."

Moment's later arm in arm, with Ian on daddy's neck laughing and giggling, the lovers went in search of the trio of trouble.