by Sable Sylvan
Inside was a paperback book, a little worn around the pages, even more worn on the all-too-familiar front cover. Kim opened the front of the book.
Inside, was the inscription her grandmother had written her, in bright blue ink, as bright as the day her grandmother had written it for her:
To Kim, Whenever you read this book, I will be reading it with you, no matter where you are, no matter where I am, Love, Grandma.
“I don’t understand,” said Kim. “How…how is this possible? I thought it was destroyed.”
“We were the ones that saved you from the fire,” said Gabe. “Do you not remember that?”
“I thought it was a smoke induced hallucination,” said Kim. “Why were you two there?”
“We’re volunteer firefighters, and we live close to the school,” said Jace. “Of course we got the alert. When the RA was counting up people, you were the only one missing, so we rushed in to save you.”
“So…what I thought was a hallucination was real?” asked Kim, still barely able to believe it. “You two were the ones that saved me?”
“That’s right,” said Jace. “And, given we work for the fire department, albeit as volunteers, we have connections. We talked to the fire marshal. There’s no frikkin’ way that your grandma’s book was involved in starting the fire. The original book was ruined, but, well, Gabe, the next part’s more your domain.”
“I have friends in the science department who have access to forensics services,” said Gabe. “If they can use those services to recover long lost medieval manuscript texts, they can definitely use them to recover details about ballpoint ink on tree pulp. They managed to get an image of the inscription. It was a one in a million chance, but…well, obviously fate wanted to give you something good for a change.”
“Remember my contacts who have the hook up for cheap books? They also have the hook up for rare books,” said Jace. “They located a copy of the book that was in okay condition and it was sent to me overnight. Then, I just had to hire one of the art students in the MFA program to retrace the inscription for you. I know it’s not perfect, but, it’s the closest we could get to the real thing.”
“It is perfect, you have no idea,” said Kim, turning the volume over in her hands. It was almost exactly like the one she’d lost in the fire, with the same cover reading ‘The Sunflower Jasmine’, with a picture of a sunflower and a girl with a watering can, with a crown of white flowers that Kim could practically smell, even though they were painted with tiny dots of paint and then printed via cheap printing processes onto the mass produced book from the 50s. “I know exactly where it’s going to go, too…it’s gonna be the first book in my shelf.”
Kim got up and put the book in the book shelf, on the most accessible shelf, at eye level, in the center. She’d have to get a permanent stand for the book, to keep it propped up like a painting at all times.
“You’re right,” said Kim, turning to the two cinnamon bears who hadn’t stopped surprising her since the moment they’d met her. “This is perfect. This really does make this room…my own.”
During the rest of the week, while Jace, Gabe, and Kim kept things professional in front of people outside their triad, things were hot in the bedroom. While Jace and Gabe would hold office hours after classes and Kim would go to the library to study with the friends that she was making through Tashia, they would all end up at home together, and inevitably, in one of their giant beds, before waking up and repeating the cycle again.
However, although the trio tried their best to hide the nature of their relationship, inquiring minds and nosy busybodies had a way of finding out any secrets hidden in the halls of WCS, and before long, Kim found herself confronted by Marie and her posse who demanded to know why Kim was taking classes with the two men they’d seen her with at Bear Buns. Kim insisted they must be mistaken, remaining as cool as a cucumber on the surface, but breaking down when she got home. Although Jace and Gabe assured her things would be fine, that didn’t mean that Marie hadn’t managed to plant the most dangerous seed of all in Kim…the seed of fear.
Sitting around at the table after dinner the next Sunday working on their respective homework, things were finally starting to feel normal…until all three of them got two notifications on their phones. One was for an email, one was for a text. They knew that anything sent to all three of them must be bad.
They checked the text first. All it had was a link to a website. They clicked the link, and what they saw shocked them.
It was a website that had been put up by an anonymous person, with pictures of Kim hanging out with Jace and Gabe, from the first time they met at Bear Buns to the present. There was information about all three, including full names and personal details, as well as their association with WCS…and the fact that the doctoral students, who were described as professors because they technically taught classes, were technically teaching Kim, but of course, the details were exaggerated to seem far more salacious.
The email was sent to the three of them from Kim’s dean, Dean Bryn, and it told all three of them to show up at five in the afternoon sharp after classes on Monday. Dean Bryn didn’t say what she needed to see them about, but she didn’t have to say it. There was only one reason the dean would want to see them, and it was because she’d found out about their relationship…which meant that not only were Jace and Gabe’s doctoral fellowships and professorships on the line, so was Kim’s already precarious position as a student at WCS.
Chapter Nine
After classes on Monday, Kim, Jace, and Gabe met up in the campus cafe and got hot cups of tea to calm their nerves before heading over to the administrative building, where they had their afternoon appointment with Dean Bryn.
The trio headed over and checked in, sitting together and waiting to be called on by the dean. The appointment time was for five PM, but they weren’t seen until five thirty PM.
Kim walked in first, sitting right across from the dean, with Jace and Gabe on either one of her sides.
“I supposed you three know why I’ve called you in today,” said Dean Bryn.
“It’s about…our relationship, right?” asked Kim.
“Exactly,” said Dean Bryn.
“Whatever the consequences are, we’re willing to face them,” said Jace.
“Same goes for me,” said Gabe. “Just…don’t punish Kim. None of this is her fault.”
“Her fault? Punishment? Okay…let’s get on the same page,” said Dean Bryn. “Do you think I called you here for disciplinary reasons?”
“Well, yeah, why else would we be here?” asked Kim.
“There are absolutely no rules at this institution about proper relationships between professors and students, or, as the case may be, junior professors and students,” said Dean Bryn. “I know there are at some other colleges, but we do things differently at WCS. After all, if a professor dating a student is inappropriate, who’s to say that it’s appropriate for a professor’s child to attend the college? Or for them to work with a spouse? Once we have one arbitrary rule, we’ll have to have a thousand.”
“So then why are we here?” asked Jace.
“Prof. Clark and Prof. Johnson…you two are not just doctoral candidates, correct? You are technically employed here as junior professors,” said Dean Bryn. “And you two plan on teaching for the remainder of your doctoral studies, yes?”
“That’s correct,” said Jace.
“Same here,” said Gabe.
“Then, it’s my pleasure to let you know that your position comes with benefits,” said Dean Bryn. “Health insurance, vision insurance, and…as you both likely know, waived tuition.”
“Right, which is why we don’t have to pay for our degrees,” said Jace. “I don’t follow.”
“How much do you two know about the university’s benefits plan?” asked Dean Bryn.
“I only signed up for the free tuition, frankly,” said Gabe. “I know Jace loves teaching, but, for me? It’s all about the tuition.”
“Ah…one gentle alpha male, the other, an alpha male who doesn’t care for bullshizz,” said Dean Bryn. “Ms. Matherson, I approve of your choice in partners. However, obviously, neither of them looked at the rules regarding benefit dispersement carefully enough, or else we wouldn’t be sitting here today with me having to feed them the answers like crumbs of baguettes to geese! Like many universities, we not only waive the tuition for a professor, but also, for their family. Usually, that is applied to a professor’s child. However, ever so often, the tuition credits are applied to other family members, for instance…a spouse.”
“A spouse?” asked Kim. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“I’m saying that the solution to your financial aid issue has been under our noses the entire time,” said Dean Bryn with a twinkle in her eye. “If you marry Prof. Clark and Prof. Johnson…you’ll be eligible for a full ride at this university. I’m sure the credits could even apply to a master’s degree, if you so chose.”
Kim’s eyes welled up with tears. “I have no idea what to say,” said Kim. “Frankly, I thought you hated me.”
“Hated you? My dear child, whatever gave you that impression?” asked Dean Bryn, genuinely concerned.
“You never seemed to like me during our meetings, you always seemed…frustrated,” said Kim.
“Yes, because I was, but not at you, at the problems,” said Dean Bryn. “I spent weeks trying to figure out ways to handle the problem with your parents, but then I realized that the best way to deal with them was to just leave them out of the picture entirely and find another solution. When I learned you were involved with Prof. Clark and Prof. Johnson, I realized that there was a loophole…it just involved the family you were making, not the family that was in your past.”
“So it’s okay that the three of us are publicly together?” asked Kim. “Even given the rumors?”
“Any harassment of students or faculty will not be tolerated at this university,” said Dean Bryn. “If there is harassment, bring it to me at once.”
“Sounds like we have quite the email to send you tonight,” said Jace.
“Yeah, the story’s too long for this meeting,” said Gabe. “About Kim’s tuition…what do Jace and I need to do?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” asked Dean Bryn. “You two must marry her at once. I know that it’s rushed, but, if she is your fated mate, and I know she is because I’ve heard the rumors, there’s no reason to wait. At the university, we just need a paper saying that the three of you are legally married, because that makes you legally related, and gives us the ability to give you benefits based on legal status. You can of course put off having the wedding for a few months or even years if you so choose, but the sooner we have the paperwork, the sooner this financial aid mess is put behind us.”
“Dean Bryn…I can never thank you enough for all your help,” said Kim.
“My dear child, this is why I have this job,” said Dean Bryn. “I know what it’s like to be in that chair, looking for a solution from a higher up, and I never wanted anyone to feel as unwanted by a college as I did. Few know this, but, I dropped out of the first college I went to, before coming back and finishing strong…but I aspire to be the kind of college admin that I wish I’d had in my life at that time. WCS wants you to stay at this school. I want you to stay at this school, all three of you, and I want you not to have to worry about such petty things as money, and be able to focus on your education. Now chin up, all three of you, and walk out of here with your heads raised high, and don’t let anyone push those heads down! Out, the lot of you, before you make me cry.”
“Thank you again so much,” said Kim. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Kim and the boys headed out of the admin building and once they reached the outside, they took a deep breath.
“Wow,” said Kim. “That is not the sort of meeting I thought I was going to have today.”
“Same,” said Jace. “But at least everything’s sorted out.”
“I think we’ve earned ourselves a pizza,” said Gabe. “Let’s head back to the house before it gets dark.”
Kim and Jace and Gabe were finally confident in their ability to walk together, proud and strong, through the college. If anyone had a problem with it, they could take it up with the Dean…or if they were brave enough? With Jace and Gabe.
As they walked across the grassy quad, they noticed police cars outside Kim’s old dorm.
“What’s going on over there?” asked Kim.
“I guess the campus cops are searching someone’s room,” said Gabe.
“No…those aren’t the campus cops”, said Jace. “Those are the Seattle cops. Something must be going on.”
“Come on, let’s see what’s going on,” said Kim. “I just hope Tashia is okay.”
Kim and the professors walked over to the cop cars, just in time to witness the unthinkable.
Out of the front doors leading into the dorm came four cops, tall wolf shifters, one pair holding an angry, yelling girl, the other pair protecting a curvy girl with a smug look on her face.
Tashia was the one looking on smugly as the cops took the skinny blonde Marie, who was handcuffed, towards the cop cars. Marie spotted Kim before Tashia did, and started shouting.
“Kim? Kim, you fat slut!” shouted Marie. “You should’ve burned in that fire! It was meant for you! Fuck you, Kim, you rotten pig! Fuck you, Kim!”
Marie continued shouting as she was shoved into the back of the police car by the cops, roughly.
“Tashia, what the heck is going on?” asked Kim.
“You know how they say criminals return to the scene of the crime?” asked Tashia. “Well…”
“No!” said Kim, surprised.
“Yes!” said Tashia. “Guess who I saw sneaking around, trying to break into the fire damaged section of the dorm? Marie. So I called campus security, who, upon trying to question her, were met with her running off to lock herself in her dorm room. They called the city cops who came and got her out for questioning, but she assaulted me when she saw me, guess she knew I’d tattled on her, and lunged. That’s when she got handcuffed and I got escorted out safely by the cops.”
“Holy shizz, do you think that it was her?” asked Kim.
“Who else would it be?” asked Tashia. “Why else would she be sneaking around the burned wing?”
A cop approached the group.
“Excuse me, are you the Kim that the woman we just took into custody was yelling at?”
“At and about,” said Kim, extending her hand. “Kimberly Matherson, at your service.”
“Officer Jackson,” said the cop, shaking her hand. “Kim…would you mind answering a few questions for us?”
“Sure,” asked Kim. “I’m an open book.”
The cop took out a voice recorder.
“Please state your name for the record,” said the cop.
“Kimberly Matherson,” said Kim.
“On the night of the fire, where were you?” asked the cop.
“I was in my room,” said Kim. “I noticed the smoke first, opened my door, and there were flames.”
“Do you remember anything suspicious about that night?” asked the cop.
“I remember that Marie, for some reason, hadn’t gone to cheerleading practice with the rest of her friends on the floor,” said Kim. “She’d stayed back, she had homework. The dorm was full of people, but in our hall group? Only me, Tashia Jennings, who was the one who called the cops today, Marie, and our RA were present.”
“What was your relationship like with the rest of the people on your hall?” asked the cop.
“Honestly?” asked Kim, before sighing. “Things weren’t great, not from the start, not through the semester. We just had different priorities. I didn’t care about doing stuff with the hall, especially because me and Tashia were teased for being fat. Things got worse once I started dating my boyfriends. While most of the other freshmen girls on the hall didn’t like me,
with the exception of Tashia, Marie really hated me. I mean really, really hated me. She went out of her way to make my life hell…but I never would’ve thought that she was the one who started the fire. But now that it’s a possibility? She’d be my prime suspect, because I know I didn’t do it, and neither would Tashia or our RA, and they didn’t have problems with me. Nobody hated me like Marie.”
The cop stopped the recording. “Perfect. We’ll be in contact with you through the school if there are any more questions,” said the cop. “We have reason to believe that you may have been the target of the arson. Marie may have been looking to get into the burned wing of the dorm to recover evidence linking her to the crime. We’ll be working with the fire department to figure out the cause of the fire, now that we know you may have been specifically targeted.”
“Thanks,” said Kim. “Here’s my number just in case.” Kim wrote her number down for the cop, who left the four people in the quad alone.
“Holy shizz,” said Tashia. “Kim…Marie is like, actually psycho.”
“Okay, but didn’t we know that before?” said Kim. “Care to join us for pizza back at our place?”
“I’d love to but I actually have to get to a cappella,” said Tashia. “You better eat enough for the both of us. I’ll catch you later!”
Kim and the guys made their way back to their house and Gabe ordered a pizza while Kim took a long, hot shower, and got changed into pajamas. After the day she’d had, she really needed to unwind.
When she got downstairs, the pizza box was on the counter.
“The pizza smells amazing,” said Kim. “What did you get?”
“Your favorite, anchovies and jalapeños, with curry sauce,” said Jace.
“You two didn’t have to wait for me to start eating,” said Kim.
“Oh…we did,” said Jace. He opened the box and what Kim saw hit her so hard she had to sit down.
Inside the pizza box, on the little white table that keeps the pizza from hitting the top of the box, was a small black box.
