Perilous Assurance

  ******

  Mattie looked around her classroom, and kept her chin up, resolving not to cry. She gathered up her papers, and looked over her slides, glad now that she'd bought them herself, and she tucked the trays in her shoulder bag, hopeful that she might possibly teach a class in Cape Breton and be able to put them to use. She picked up the pile of students' papers, and after one last look at her classroom, headed to the faculty workroom down the hall. She walked into the empty, bright room and set her papers on her desk, then went through the drawers, pulling out her gradebook, and putting everything in a box.

  "Mattie, I can't believe you're leaving."

  Mattie smiled at her co-worker entering the office and they hugged. She lifted the box with all the paperwork and her gradebook, and turned to her. "Terry, it's fine. I'm actually very anxious now to get on with my life. I resigned...so it was my choice." As her co-worker picked up a book from her desk and left the office, Mattie turned and knocked on the department chairman's door.

  "Come in."

  "Hi, Ann. I'm dropping off everything for the substitute." She set the box on her desk, and sighed at the slender woman behind the desk. "I'll miss all of you in the department, and my classes of course. You've been a great help to me the last three years." She leaned on her cane as she noticed her leg aching, making a mental note to somehow get it checked out.

  "President Buckley called me after you left his office." Ann tapped her reading glasses on her desk, and frowned at her as she brushed her short white bangs to the side. "I realize that you resigned, but he didn't have to do what he did...give you twenty-four hours to vacate. That was vengeful and uncalled for, in my opinion. I tried to dissuade him, but it did no good."

  "Thank you, but I'm fine with this." Mattie felt unbelievably calm and took a deep breath. "I know where I'm heading from here, and I'm all right."

  "Mattie, I've already written a letter of recommendation for you." Ann held out an envelope with the Brooksford seal in the corner. "I gave you the highest referral possible." She looked at her seriously as Mattie took the envelope. "You know, Mattie, what you did for your student was the height of selflessness, and you should be commended, not reprimanded, and I told President Buckley that in no uncertain terms. It took a lot of courage for you to get involved."

  "Thank you. That means a lot to me."

  "I applaud you, Mattie, for what you did for your student. I wish I were as brave." She stood and walked around to the front of her desk and gave Mattie a hug. "You know, Mattie...just a thought, but I've never seen such thorough and interesting plans for art history courses as I've seen in yours since you've been here. If you ever decide you're interested, I believe there is a market in the education field for a textbook based on your course design."

  Mattie looked at her, a little puzzled at her suggestion.

  "I've never thought of that, Ann, but I'll keep that in mind."

  "I know some people in the education publishing field." Ann looked at her seriously. "If you decide that you're interested, Mattie, call me and I can connect you to them. Good luck in your future endeavors, my dear."

  "Goodbye, Ann." Mattie turned to leave and for the first time, felt tears well up in her eyes as she shut the door behind her. This workplace and her classroom had been her second home and she would miss it all terribly. She lifted her chin, and walked through the empty office, sliding the envelope into her shoulder bag as she headed to the stairs. She had to get home and call the post office in Cape Breton, and that thought lifted her spirits and she smiled as she opened the door and stepped out into the bright sunshine. As she walked onto the sidewalk, she turned as she heard Fran call her name from the direction of the Language Arts building.

  "Mattie, I can't believe you're leaving." Her friend had tears in her eyes. "I just heard. It's all over campus. Can I just go up there now and give that man a piece of my mind? Jerry and I would have gone with you and backed you up. Why didn't you call me?" She hugged Mattie hard, and wiped her eyes.

  "Fran, I thought about it, but I didn't want you two involved any more than you already had been." Mattie wiped her eyes as well. "But, I resigned. He just moved it up two weeks." She laughed a little through her tears.

  "But, seriously, twenty-four hours?" Fran looked livid now. "We're coming over after classes to help you pack, Mattie. Don't tell me no."

  "All right, that would be a great help. I'll order pizza."

  "You'll do no such thing." Fran stared at her. "We'll bring dinner as well." She sighed heavily. "It's so unfair, Mattie...just so wrong on so many levels. The word bastard aptly applies to that man right now." She shook her head.

  "I'm all right with it, Fran." Mattie consoled her. "I'm heading to Nova Scotia in the morning."

  "So you're going." Fran smiled a little at that. "I'm happy for you, then, Mattie. Clay is a wonderful man, and I hope you'll invite us to the wedding."

  "We haven't made plans yet." Mattie laughed.

  "Professor Shaw, we heard you're leaving."

  Mattie turned her head to see three of her students standing behind her.

  "I've got to get back for my next class." Fran waved as she headed back to her building. "We'll see you around five."

  "Thanks, Fran." She waved to her friend, and turned to her students. "Yes, I resigned and I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

  "We wanted to get a group up and talk to President Buckley on your behalf."

  "That's so sweet of you." Mattie smiled at them. "But, there's no need for that. It was my decision to leave."

  The students hugged her in turn, and they talked for a minute more on the upcoming exams, and she finally headed back to her home, eager now more than ever to get in touch with Clay. After running into several more faculty and students who expressed their shock at her leaving, she finally made her way to the faculty housing and walked up the steps and opened her front door.

  She dropped her heavy shoulder bag on the sofa and glanced at her watch as she sat down, now emotionally and physically exhausted. A little after twelve. She had to contact Clay. She jumped up and walked over to her desk, picking up Clay's letter, and a pen and notebook. As she reread the post office phone number, she bit her lower lip. She made herself comfortable on the end cushion and picked up the receiver, quickly dialing the operator.

  "How may I help you?"

  "I have a phone number in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia...."

  "I'll transfer you to the international operator."

  Mattie took a deep breath as she berated herself for not thinking to ask for that in the first place.

  "How may I help you?"

  Mattie repeated the information on the envelope, and there was a pause. While she waited, she reminded herself to put his letter in her shoulder bag for the trip in case she needed to call again. She took a deep breath. After a moment, she heard several clicks, and finally, an unusual sounding dial-tone, and she heard a jovial voice on the other end.

  "Cape Breton Post Office. This is George Bowden." The deep voice sounded to her as that of an elderly man, and for some reason, that reassured her. She swallowed hard, wanting to be as concise as possible.

  "Hello, this is Mattie Shaw. I'm calling from New Hampshire."

  "What can I do for you, Miss Shaw?"

  She smiled and relaxed a little at his warm voice. "I need to get a message to Clay Adamore. He sent me this number to reach him." She exhaled. "I know he doesn't have a phone in his trailer."

  "Oh, yes....I know Clay."

  "I'm coming to Cape Breton around six tomorrow night instead of on the twenty-third, which was when he was expecting me."

  "Oh, I see. Let me write that down, now, Miss Shaw. Hold on a minute." She leaned back on the sofa cushion, imagining a white-haired man with wire-rimmed glasses, dressed in blue jeans and a red and white plaid shirt reaching for a pencil, and that made her smile. "Here we are. All right. How do you spell your name?" She spelled it out for him. "Thank you. All right, this is what I have...ahem."
He cleared his throat, then read the message. Recipient: Clay Adamore, Message: Plans changed. I'm arriving in Cape Breton at approximately six pm, Tuesday, May twelfth. Sender: Mattie Shaw." He cleared his throat again. "How is that?"

  "That sounds perfect." Mattie felt a great sense of relief. "Do you think he'll get it in time?"

  "I'll drop by his place when I leave here at five this evening, and hand it to him personally."

  "Oh, my goodness." Mattie sighed. "That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, Mr. Bowden."

  "George.."

  "George," she smiled. "Please call me Mattie. Would it be all right if I call you from the road if I have problems with directions once I get to the border?"

  "Of course, I'm here until five." There was a pause. "You know we're an hour ahead of you."

  "Yes, I do."

  "Have a safe trip, Mattie." George replied warmly. "I look forward to meeting you."

  "Thank you, George. I appreciate your help." She hung up the phone, and leaned her head back on the cushion. Well, that was done, and now Clay would know, in what, four hours, that she was heading there. Feeling a renewed sense of purpose, she tucked the envelope into her bag, and sat for a minute, deciding what her next course of action should be.