Renaissance Faire Ch. 04

This is chapter 4 in a 7 part series. It will not make sense without reading the previous chapters.

Chapter 4 - Flashpoint

December 2017

Life in the Johnson household was tense going forward. Communication between the two was less than normal, they avoided all discussion of her studies, which occupied most of her time. Instead of fixing their problem, it was festering. When she complained, the only sympathetic ears were in her department and they weren't very interested in saving her marriage, so the advice she received wasn't the best.

As for Rob, he made a high 'C' in his Calc 2 class, which pleased him, and Kate. Debbie no longer tried to hide the fact that Richard usually met her at the library, and she went there more frequently because she needed the reference materials which couldn't be removed.

With the end of the semester came Debbie's department's Christmas party, which was now called a holiday party thanks to the new faculty, who were easily offended by any mention of religion. It was planned for Saturday night, and Rob was hoping to watch the interactions between Debbie and the new faculty. It might also give him the chance to speak to some of the faculty that had been there a while and get their perspective on things in the department and between his wife, the new faculty and Richard.

He and Debbie had planned to attend together, but Friday night changed all of that, and may have changed the outcome of numerous relationships on campus. Friday night the ChemE building was set on fire.

It was obviously deliberate because they turned off the waterflow to the building, which prevented the sprinkler system from working. What they didn't know was that the ChemE lab, had its own sprinkler system and water line because of all the reactive chemicals it contained. Most of the lab equipment was damaged, but none of the chemicals. So who ever set the fire didn't know the systems well enough to do it correctly. That may or may not help the investigation.

The problem was that now with a new semester starting in three and a half weeks, all of the lab equipment had to be moved, tested, calibrated and setup in a new location. All of the classrooms would have to be examined for what could be salvaged and new teaching spaces and professor offices would have to be found. It would take a Herculean effort by everyone to have things ready in time.

Rob worked all day on Saturday and into the evening. As a matter of fact, he and most of his crew, were working long hours every day. Dean McVicar gave them a couple of days off for Christmas, but then everyone was back to trying to create new ChemE spaces where they didn't really have room. It was a huge mess.

However, for Richard, it was a huge opportunity. He couldn't believe how hard it had been to make any progress with Debbie. It always seemed like one step forward and one step back. Other than the Halloween kisses and a few quick times rubbing her ass, he really hadn't had much success, which was odd because he could tell she was attracted to him. He also knew that Debbie was eager to go on those research trips and desperately wanted one of the assistant professorships.

He normally didn't have to resort to those methods, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. With Debbie unescorted for the evening, it was fairly easy to make sure she had her fair share of alcohol and offer to drive her home in her car. He would just take a Lyft or Uber back to the restaurant to pick up his car.

On the way to her house, he offered to stop by a different place for a little talking and dancing at the only place in Unionville that offered it. She accepted, and before long she was very buzzed. Between the alcohol and gentle touching and caresses while dancing, Debbie was soon pressed firmly against his body during the slow dances. Richard took advantage to nibble on her neck and ear, and later there was no resistance to his French kisses and roaming hands.

She seemed to come around a little when he said, "Hey Debbie, I've been thinking. You know we need to hire an associate professor for next fall." She perked up at that, but her face fell when he said, "We'd really like for that junior professor to have some research experience."

He thought, "this is too easy, now that I know her motivations. The way she is grinding herself against my leg, no way will she let anything stop her from going."

He paused several moments, letting her concern build, then said, "I was planning on organizing a research trip next May, immediately after the Renaissance Faire. I'd like for you to go with me to Italy. I'll have some works for us to study in Florence for about a week, then we can travel to Venice, Milan, Rome and Naples over the next several weeks."

Her eyes were getting bigger at the mention of each additional city. He continued, "Since you've never participated in a study like this, I would help you and tutor you." Then he kissed her neck and earlobe and whispered. "We'd have to work very closely together; day and night. I know you are young and inexperienced, but I think that together, we could have you ready for your teaching position by the fall. What do you say? Would you like to come with me in Italy?"

He wondered if she caught the intentional misstatement of words.

She was very interested in Italy, and the teaching position, and Richard. She knew she would have to lie to Rob to make it happen but being on staff full-time would be worth it; also it would look great on her resume, and she would get to go to Italy, to boot.

Maybe the alcohol was clouding her judgement, but in her mind at the moment, she could have both. She could go on the research trip, maybe have a brief affair, and land one of the teaching positions, which is what she and Rob both wanted. She let Richard know that she was interested by grinding herself on him even more.

Richard was enjoying this. He suspected he wouldn't get laid tonight, but that would change soon enough. Besides, there were plenty of others to occupy him before he could have her for a month in Italy during the summer.

He said, "You know, those research trips can be tricky things. It would probably be good for us to spend a little time together working on our research techniques before the trip. The president has box tickets to the opera on Valentines' Day. He has invited me and a guest to sit with him and his wife. I think that evening, after the opera, would be a good time for us to have a research session."

Damn. She knew Rob would throw a fit over that, but she would have to manage. Besides, he's going to be so busy with work for the ChemE building, that he probably wouldn't be able to attend anyway.

She whispered back into his ear, "Yes. I'd like that." With her saying that and the influence of the alcohol, her resistance to Richard was finally gone. She planned to be very discreet and not give Rob any cause for worry, not that he would see anything different being gone as much as he will be, but she knew she could have this little fling and get her teaching position. Then maybe in a year or two or three, she and Rob could settle into having a few babies.

With Debbie sufficiently turned on and the negotiations completed, it was time for Richard to get her out of there and see if he could get a little action. In the parking lot, thanks to the alcohol, she didn't put up too much resistance to giving him a blowjob and letting him finger fuck her in the car. She knew she would probably have to do herself again in the shower when she got home.

Richard would have liked to have taken her to a hotel on the way home, but he was trying to play the long game of having a month with her in Italy at the school's expense.

Once home Debbie masturbated while taking a quick shower and went to bed mostly satisfied. Still impaired by the alcohol, she felt only a tiny amount of guilt over what she had negotiated and done, because the position would be worth it. She slept soundly through Rob's coming home and getting ready for bed.

In the morning, Rob was gone before she was up. She knew that she shouldn't have drank so much, because now that she was sober, she was mortified at having committed adultery. No, she didn't fuck Richard, but she had willingly crossed the line. With the goal of getting one of those teaching jobs almost within her grasp, she figured it was only one more small step to actually secure it, which would be to fuck Richard after the opera; then she would be guaranteed the job, and she and Rob would both be happily employed at the university. She would just have to be very careful to hide any evidence of what she expected to be a very short, and discrete, affair from Rob.

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With school over and Rob at work twelve to sixteen hours a day, Debbie and Rob discussed her spending some time at her parents, since it was likely that with Rob's schedule, they wouldn't see each other very much for several weeks. Debbie said that she would take her books and laptop and work from her parent's house. Rob was fine with that since Carl could keep an eye on her, and she would be away from Richard.

One day, while visiting before Christmas, Debbie and her mother went out for a late lunch and some afternoon shopping. While out, she probed her mother to see what she thought about her going on a research trip without Rob. Knowing she had a sympathetic ear; she couldn't resist telling her mother what she had planned. They swore each other to secrecy, since Carl would tell Rob if he found out.

While Debbie was in the city with her parents, Rob received a call from Ann Greer, his mom's long-time friend. After a few minutes catching up on their lives, she told Rob that a mutual friend of his mom and Ann's, Cynthia Fredrick, was at the restaurant the night of the Christmas Party and saw Richard and Debbie dancing. She went on to describe their activity as unseemly for any couple in that setting, much less a married woman with a man who wasn't her husband.

Rob asked if Cynthia was sure it was Debbie. Ann replied, "Rob, she was at your wedding and delivered food to your house one night. Like many others in this town, she's kept an eye out for the two of you in case she could offer some assistance with your mother having passed. There are actually several of us ladies that continue to do that."

"Thank you, Miss Ann. Truly." He had called her Miss Ann since he was three years old.

"Think nothing of it, Rob. We loved your mother, and I love you. You know you don't have to call me Miss Ann anymore."

He laughed at that and said, "You do remember when I was a child and neither of my parents would let me call anyone their age or older by the first name. I don't know if it is only a southern thing or not, but it's drilled into us from when we are born. When I'm sixty, I'll still be calling you Miss Ann."

Ann chuckled at the thought. She asked, "Will I see you at the opera?"

"I believe so. I'm not sure how this news will impact that, or not, but I'm planning on attending."

"Good. Your mother would like that. You know, she told me several times how much she appreciated your attending all those events with her. Initially, you were her little man. Then when you grew up, she loved showing off what a fine person you had become. She was always so proud of you, and even prouder when she was on your arm." He could hear her sniffling through the phone.

"I appreciate your telling me that. I didn't enjoy it the first few years, but as I grew, I loved being with her, at any event, especially the ones at the theater. We were very lucky that Dr. Bryant allowed us to attend with him and his wife or to use the tickets outright. I enjoyed it when you could come with us, even though you usually had your own tickets. I loved doing things with her. I miss her terribly."

"We all do. Take care of yourself and let me know if you need anything."

"I will."

They ended the call and Rob sat and thought for a while. WTF! Clearly Debbie's pleadings that she wasn't interested in Richard and that Rob was the only man for her didn't mean what he thought she meant. Now what?

He had confronted her twice in the past plus her father calling her out, but his arguments seemed to be falling on deaf ears. All he knew to do now was to watch and maybe begin to protect himself. It was weird because with his working so many hours at the ChemE building, now would be a perfect time for her to spend time with Richard. He wondered if maybe she was fine when she was away from Richard but couldn't resist him when she was around him as evidenced by the Halloween and now the Christmas parties. Damn. It was frustrating to think about, but the only solution seemed to be separating her from Richard or for Rob to separate himself from Debbie. Damn.

He purposefully wore himself out while trying to help put the ChemE department back together. He bumped into Kate often, and she kept telling him to hang in there and that things would get better. She wouldn't allow herself to think about possibly having a shot at Rob. For her to have him, Debbie would practically destroy him. Then she realized, that is what Debbie was already doing.

During his two-day Christmas break, he drove into the city to be with Debbie and her parents. It was a good thing he had already purchased a couple of gifts for Debbie; some really nice pearl earrings and a couple of nice outfits from Talbot's, so she could wear them to the undergraduate classes that she's teaching.

Carl pulled him aside on Christmas night and asked if he was okay, because he had looked down. Rob told him he was just really tired from all the work. He didn't want to pull her dad into the fray anymore.

They made love at her parent's house and he returned to campus to work, and she stayed with her parents until after the new year. Once she returned, they made love again, but on the next night, Rob couldn't take it anymore.

"Debbie, I'm not sure what's going on with you and Richard, but this is my last warning. He continues to come between us, and I won't put up with any type of affair, physical or emotional. Either get him under control, or I'll fix the problem myself."

She was angry at the accusation and let him know it. "Damnit, Rob. We've already had this discussion. I've been off campus for nearly three weeks and haven't spoken to him the entire time I was gone." He didn't know it yet, but that was a lie. She did speak to him a couple of times during the break. "If I wanted to have sex with him, it would have been easy with all the hours you've been gone; but I didn't have an affair, and I don't want to have one.

She continued, "I'm getting God damn tired of you accusing me of something, when nothing has happened." She jumped out of bed. "Keep it up buddy, and you won't have to worry about if anything is happening or not. For sure, nothing is going to be happening with me and you for a while." She left the bedroom and went into the guest room.

Rob simply shook his head. He didn't see how his marriage was going to survive.

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She didn't speak to him for a week, and even then, it was strained. Rob had made a few calls, and actually asked some friends to keep an eye on Debbie. My God, it has come to that.

With the start of the semester, he started Calculus 3 and a junior level mechanical engineering course. He hoped he would have time to dedicate to them given the state of the ChemE program. Both professors knew him, though, so they agreed to try and work with him where they could.

Kate was there to tutor him and be someone he could lean on. He didn't like sharing his marriage difficulties with anyone, but it was so easy for him to talk to her. She tried to be as supportive of his marriage as she could, but she knew that if these problems got worse then he would leave Debbie.

After a week of not speaking, Debbie tried to warm back up to Rob and didn't mention Richard or the topic that Rob had tried to raise. In essence, she pretended that she was in the right, and she was gracing Rob by showing him that things were better between them now. Rob knew that things were not better, and nothing had changed.

Debbie was now trying to please two men. Richard would be no problem, she thought. She thought Rob would be only slightly harder. Her plan for Rob was to try to appease him with sex. She didn't know that he knew about the night of the Christmas party. She thought keeping him in line would be easy. She was wrong.

To be continued...

Next up - Chapter 5 - The Opera of Our lives