by Ward, Alice
I turned back to Lauren. “You haven’t answered my question. How bad is it?”
She folded her arms around her chest and dropped her eyes to the floor. “Kennedy… do you know if your mom has her cell phone on her?” Lauren asked nervously.
“Her phone is in my bag. Jack’s is too. They have been since we picked them up in L.A. They said that they didn’t want any distractions during the wedding and their honeymoon: no lap tops, no cell phones. They’re going to check in with us from their hotels,” I explained.
Lauren let out a sigh of relief and started pacing the room. “That explains the phone call I got. It’s probably for the best that your Mom’s out of touch. Maybe we can find a way to make all of this go away before she gets home…”
Lauren was acting like I knew what she was talking about when, clearly, I didn’t. “You still haven’t explained anything Lauren. What phone call? And what do we need to make go away?” I asked impatiently.
“Someone from the Ethic’s Board called yesterday. They asked for you and when I told them you were out of the country, they asked if I knew how to get in touch with Gloria. They’d left several messages on her cell and sent a couple of emails, but she didn’t return any of them.”
“The Ethics Board was trying to reach Gloria?” Jackson asked. “So that means…”
“Meredith’s probably filed her complaint,” I finished.
Lauren nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking. Also, Sidra called the room about two hours ago after she couldn’t reach you on your cell. I explained that you were in the air and she asked me to have you call her when you got home.”
“She probably wants to touch base about our investigation… that can wait. First we need to know everything that’s happened since we’ve been gone. Do you think Meredith’s read the article?”
“Oh I know she has,” Lauren replied. “She’s been talking to her friends about it. Suddenly, Meredith is very concerned about your mental health. She’s telling everyone who will listen about what you said outside the sorority house and insisting that you must be unbalanced.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about it, Kennedy,” Rory assured me. “No one who knows you believes that you confronted her.”
“Yeah, lucky for us that was pretty out of character for you,” Lauren added. “Anyway, she’s telling people you’re crazy and she’s telling people you and Jackson are together. But we expected her to do both. And most people are acting like she’s crazy. Even her little sorority friends are getting sick of her talking about you.”
“How do you know all of this?” I asked. Lauren’s intimate knowledge of what Meredith had been up to left me wondering if she’d installed surveillance cameras at the Delta Gamma house.
Lauren beamed and Rory blushed. “Rory’s been hanging out at the Delta house. It was the easiest way to keep an eye on Meredith.”
“You planted your boyfriend as a spy at the sorority house?” I asked with a smile.
Jackson gripped Rory’s shoulder. “Dude, way to take one for the team. I’ve hung out at that house, those women are like vultures.”
Rory’s face flushed again. “It was for a good cause. Preston has been hanging out with Meredith’s friend Daphne, so I just started tagging along.”
I sat down on the vanity stool and summed up what I understood. “Okay, so she’s talking about us, but we expected that. And she went ahead with the complaint against Mom. I thought maybe I’d distracted her from that. But I warned Mom about her plan and she didn’t seem too worried.”
“You told Gloria that Meredith has it out for her?” Jackson asked. “When?”
“Right after I overheard Meredith talking about her at the spa. I left out the part about Meredith threatening us, but I had to warn her. She said that she has all of Meredith’s class work and she can prove she earned her failing grade.”
“So all you have to worry about is proving that Jackson did his own coursework last semester. That should be easy enough,” Rory observed.
“I doubt the board let Meredith file the complaint against Gloria anonymously,” Lauren added. “They wouldn’t really be able to investigate without her name. So if you can prove that she filed the anonymous complaint against you, you’d prove that she has a personal vendetta against your family.”
My cell phone chimed. I dug through my purse to retrieve it and saw Sidra’s number on the screen.
“Hello?”
“Kennedy, it’s Sidra. I know you just got back from vacation, but if you could stop by my office for a second I’d really appreciate it.”
“Of course Sidra, I can be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Great, do you know how to reach Jackson? His cell is going straight to voicemail.”
“He must have forgotten to turn it on after we landed. I’ll get a hold of him and let him know.”
“Okay. Kennedy. I’ll see you soon.”
I slid my phone back into my purse and turned to Jackson. “Feel like a walk to the library?”
“If I said yes, you’d know I was lying. But I’m ready to get this over with,” he replied.
“Good luck guys,” Rory called to us as we made our way to the door.
“Come back as soon as you’re finished,” Lauren added. “We’ll order takeout and you can tell us all about Fiji.”
I promised Lauren we’d be back soon and Jackson and I set off for the library.
***
“Thanks for getting here so quickly,” Sidra said as we stepped into her office. She was standing in the corner of the room, rearranging journals on a bookshelf. “I’m leaving for vacation myself tomorrow and I wanted to touch base with you before I left town. Please, take a seat.”
Jackson and I each took a battered armchair and Sidra sat down behind her desk.
“Has anything happened since we last spoke?” I asked her. “Have we been cleared yet?”
Sidra sighed. “Yes and no. They can’t prove that the complaint is valid, but they can’t prove that it’s not either. I’ve spoken with Jackson’s professors, and they’ve all agreed to let Jackson take comprehensive tests under supervision. The material will cover the entire semester and I’m afraid they’ll be a bit more difficult than your actual finals. The tests won’t be factored in to your official grade. You just have to prove that you understand the material.”
“I figured I’d have to do something like this,” Jackson told her. “If I prove that I know the material, will the charges disappear?”
Sidra nodded. “Prove that you know the material and the complaint will be ruled unfounded. You and Kennedy will be returned to good academic standing and this will all be over.”
It will all be over with us… I guess if Sidra knows anything about the complaint against Mom, she’s doing a good job of pretending otherwise.
Jackson’s jaw clenched and he sat up straight in his chair. “For the record, I’m insulted by these accusations. And the fact that I have to sit through exams again to defend myself against a coward that won’t identify herself…”
“Jackson, calm down,” I said softly. I understood that he was frustrated, but throwing a fit in Sidra’s office wasn’t going to help anything.
He took a deep breath. “I apologize. This is incredibly frustrating for me. But if taking the tests clears Kennedy’s name then I’m willing to do it. Just tell me when and where.”
“You’ll sit for the exams tomorrow. You’ll take them here, the first one will start at nine a.m. You’ll sit at a table in front of the main desk and my colleagues will serve as proctors.”
“Tomorrow… so soon?” I couldn’t believe it was happening so fast.
“The longer you wait, the more you’re leaving yourself open to doubt.”
“They don’t want me to have time to cram… that’s fine, I understand. I’ll be here first thing in the morning,” Jackson promised.
“I’ll contact the Board and let them know,” Sidra told us. “I’ll only be gone a few days. I’ll be back
in the office first thing Thursday morning. Hopefully this will all be settled by then. Kennedy, do you know how to get in touch with your mother?”
She does know about the complaint against Mom. Should I pretend to be clueless, or should I just shoot straight?
“Mom and Jack left their phones with us, they didn’t want to be interrupted during their honeymoon,” I explained. “I know the Ethic’s Board is trying to contact Mom. I take it Meredith went through with her plan to sabotage her as well?”
Sidra looked uncomfortable. “I really shouldn’t discuss it, Kennedy. I only know what I’ve overheard. I’m not involved in that investigation.”
“But there is an investigation,” I said. “And people are already talking about it. I think I have a right to know what they’re saying Sidra.”
Sidra sighed. “It goes against my better judgment, but I’ll tell you anyway. Frankly, it looks like the two of you were right about Meredith Dyer. She filed a formal complaint against Gloria and contested her failing grade. She claimed that she only failed because Gloria had some sort of personal grudge against her for cheating on you.”
“Well, at least she admitted she’s a cheater,” Jackson snorted. “I’m sure the Board was really impressed by that.”
“I don’t expect her complaint against Gloria to stand up to scrutiny, and no one else does either,” Sidra told us. “I just wish we could prove that she filed the complaint against you.”
I shook my head. “Jackson will take the tests tomorrow and this will all be over. That’s all we want. Thanks for all of your help, Sidra. We’ll see you on Thursday.”
“Enjoy your trip,” Jackson added as we rose from our seats. Sidra came around the desk and walked us to her door.
“I know this has been frustrating. I appreciate your cooperation,” she told us as we stepped out of the office.
Jackson and I walked through the library and across campus, careful to keep a respectable distance between us. Halfway back to Lowell House, Jackson stopped abruptly and sat down on a bench.
“What’s the matter?” I asked as I joined him.
“I just wanted a chance to talk alone,” he told me. “I’ve been thinking, Kennedy… Meredith’s telling everyone we’re together. Whether they believe it or not, the story is out there. I’m not sure we can keep this quite for as long as you’re hoping. Your mom will be back on campus next week. Chances are good that she’ll hear about us from someone.”
I knew he was right. I’d realized the same thing the moment I told Meredith that Jackson and I were together. I just hadn’t wanted to admit it.
“I know we’ll have to tell them,” I relented. “To be honest, I’m ready to get it over with. In the beginning, I really thought that keeping this from them was a good idea. But for a while now, I think I’ve been putting it off because I feel so guilty for not telling them immediately. My mom is going to be so hurt that I’ve kept this from her. I don’t know how we’re going to explain ourselves.”
“We’ll figure that out together,” Jackson promised. “There’s something else I wanted to talk about. Back in Sidra’s office, you said that all you cared about was clearing our names and putting this behind us. Does that mean you don’t care about proving that Meredith was behind the complaint?”
“No, I still want to do that,” I insisted. “I just didn’t want to talk about it in front of Sidra. I’d leave it alone Jackson, but if we don’t stop her I’m afraid she’ll just come up with another way to harass us after the charges are dropped.”
“I know, I feel the same way,” he agreed. “I think I know how we can expose her.”
“How?” I asked. Jackson gave me a sly smile and I was overwhelmed with the desire to slide across the bench and crawl into his lap. I resisted temptation and smiled back at him. “What do you have up your sleeve?”
“I got the idea after hearing about Rory going undercover at the Delta house. Meredith’s been doing all of this because she’s pissed I won’t take her back, right?”
“Among other things… but yes, that was definitely her trigger,” I agreed.
“So it’s simple. We let her think she’s won. I’ll go to her and tell her that her devious ways turned me on. I’ll get her to admit to everything, and I’ll record it.”
I hated the idea. The last thing I wanted was for Jackson to spend one minute alone with that horrible woman. I knew she’d have her hands all over him the moment he stepped through the door and the thought made me sick to my stomach.
“No, we can’t do that. We’ll find another way. I don’t trust her alone with you. You remember what happened last time,” I told him. My mind flashed back to the morning I caught Jackson and Meredith at the Sigma house. I knew that image would be forever seared into my brain and I didn’t want to add another one to the collection.
“I think it’s the best chance we’ve got,” Jackson told me. “But for you, I’m willing to compromise. What if I approach Meredith somewhere public? The sorority is having a bake sale on the quad on Friday,” he said, pointing at a Delta Gamma flyer posted on a nearby light pole. “I’ll talk to her there. You can hide nearby and watch.”
He said ‘compromise’… Mom said I’m supposed to do that…
“Okay,” I agreed. “You can talk to her at the bake sale. Pull her aside and see if you can get her to talk. I want to be nearby, but I don’t know if I want to watch. I’ll bring Lauren with me.”
Jackson smiled. “Do you realize that I just won an argument? This is the first time that’s happened. Are you feeling okay?” he teased.
I rolled my eyes at him. “I’m fine. And you didn’t win, we compromised.”
“Whatever you want to call it, babe,” he grinned, stood up, and helped me to my feet. He released my hands almost immediately, but it was nice to touch each other even for just a moment.
“I guess we should go back to the room and let Lauren and Rory in on our plan,” I suggested.
“Sounds good,” Jackson agreed with a smile.
Excited by our new plan, we walked back to Lowell House in electric, adrenaline filled silence.
***
“Can you see him?” I asked nervously. It was Friday afternoon and Lauren and I were sitting on a bench on one side of the quad. The Delta Gammas bake sale was set up on the opposite side and Jackson had just left us to confront Meredith.
“I’m not going to give you a play by play, Kennedy. If you want to know what’s going on, turn around and watch,” Lauren replied.
“If she puts one hand on him, I won’t be able to control myself,” I warned.
“Nothing will happen,” she assured me. “Rory’s already over there. Just let Jackson handle this and it will all be over soon.”
I twisted my torso and looked over my shoulder. Jackson had just arrived at the bakery table. Meredith saw him, tensed up, and for a moment it looked like she was about to run away. Then he said something to her and Meredith’s body language changed. Her shoulders relaxed, she tilted her head back slightly and thrust her breasts forward.
“I guess he’s making progress,” Lauren observed.
Meredith stepped out from behind the table and Jackson took her by the arm. They walked away from the other sorority girls and sat down at a table near the coffee cart.
“I wish we were closer,” I told Lauren. “I can’t hear anything, I can’t see their faces, I have no idea what’s going on.”
“We can’t get any closer,” she reminded me. “If Meredith spots us, she’ll know something’s up.”
I sighed and turned my back on the scene. “There’s no point in trying to watch and sitting here is going to drive me crazy. Let’s just go back to the room. I’ll text Jackson and tell him to meet us there.”
“There’s no need,” Lauren told me. “Look.” She nodded towards the other side of the quad and I followed her gaze. Jackson was walking towards us and Meredith was nowhere to be seen.
“What happened?” I asked.
“It�
��s hard to say. They were talking and then Meredith stood up and ran off. Even from here she looked pretty upset,” Lauren said with a satisfied smile.
Jackson moved closer and I saw the same smile on his face. I jumped up from the bench and rushed to greet him. Lauren followed close behind.
“Did you get it?” I asked as I rushed up to him.
He held up his phone. “Meredith confessed to everything and I got it all on tape.” He looked like a little boy who’d caught his first fish.
Waves of relief washed over me. “So it’s over… it won’t matter if you passed those tests. We can play that for the investigators and both of Meredith’s complaints will be ruled unfounded. Oh thank God, Jackson.” I wanted to jump into his arms, but I fought the urge.
“It was easy,” he told us. “You’ll hear everything on the tape, but the second I told Meredith that her underhanded deeds turned me on, she fessed up to everything. Once I had her confession on tape, I turned the recorder off and told her what I really think of her.”
“That’s why she ran away. Well good, I hope she stays gone,” said Lauren. “You two get that tape to whoever needs to hear it. If you’ll excuse me, I need to rescue my boyfriend from the pastel clutches of Daphne’s little friend over there.”
Jackson and I glanced over to the bake sale and saw Rory awkwardly avoiding the advances of a perky red head. I suddenly realized that I hadn’t been the only woman on the bench feeling territorial about my man.
“Oh my God, Lauren, I’m so sorry we put you through this. I hope you and Rory both know how much we appreciate you,” I said, wrapping her in a hug.
“We were happy to help,” she assured me. “Good luck with the investigators. Do you want to meet up back at the room later for dinner?”
I loved Lauren, but dinner every night in our room was already starting to get old. I opened my mouth to turn her down, but Jackson beat me to it.
“Thanks, Lauren, but I think Kennedy and I are going to celebrate privately tonight,” he told her. “And I’m sure you and Rory could use some alone time. I’ll be taking Kennedy out, so you two feel free to use the room.”
