Page 12 of Trusting His Heart
Sun through clouds
Geoffrey came back from the United States a different man, sometimes he didn’t recognize himself and neither did his friends.
Most of his colleagues thought he wanted to bask in the glory of his papers becoming the flavor of the month again. Article after article appeared about his ground-breaking research and all the work since by peers trying to disprove it.
For the first time in years, he attended the Vice Chancellor’s Valentines Day fundraising ball alone.
He charmed all the wives, dancing with them and handing them back to their husbands with words of flattery in their ears. In truth, he enjoyed the strange sensation of being his own man and not having to keep up with a young girlfriend, or to justify her to his colleagues.
Rigby invited him to join the Vice Chancellor’s table. “Susan, lovely to see you again,” he hugged Rigby’s wife, “I don’t know how you do it but the older Rigby gets, the younger you seem!”
“Geoffrey, who and where is your charming date tonight?” Susan at least tried to be polite to his choice in young partners.
“My darling, Susan, you misjudge me. Tonight, is about celebrating love by opening our wallets for a good cause. You of all people know I’ve loved, I lost and now all I can contribute to the fantasy of love is my attendance and my money.”
All the judgement left her face, as Susan took his hand and led him to the dancefloor. “Geoffrey, I’m sorry. I miss her too. If I judge you, please know it is only because she would be so angry you have avoided any relationship with a chance of making you happy.”
“For me, it has always been too soon.”
“Yet, here you are tonight, without anyone at your side and looking happier for it.”
“When I took a break in the States, I caught up with her doctor.”
“David? How is he?”
“Fighting hard for his patients, winning some and losing others.”
“It’s a tough life.”
“He gave us Rachel’s last twelve months. There is no way I could ever repay him.”
The music finished and he escorted Susan back to her husband.
“You are a good man and have been a good friend, so I hope you will hear me out,” Susan held his arm, “Something else happened while you were away and you seem different, calmer. You deserve a woman who can match you – someone you can respect and love. You will never find another Rachel, but you don’t have to settle for students too young to understand or appreciate you.”
Rigby reclaimed his wife, “Thanks for looking after my charming bride. We are having a dinner party at the end of the month, there is a spare seat with your name on it.”
Geoffrey smiled. He dropped off all dinner party guest lists when he insisted on bringing young women. Lecturers seemed to be uncomfortable when their students were sitting at the dinner table.
“So, I turn up to one ball without a date and you are trying to set me up?”
“Not at all, I’m only offering to feed you.”
“Looking forward to it, enjoy your evening.”
He didn’t need to stay any longer. The auctions were over and he outbid a woman at the front table for a water color painting of a dragon being slayed by a young woman. The painting reminded him of the story he told Bec. The other bidder put up a good fight, but he was more confident in the size of his bank balance and the higher the auction went, the more personal owning the painting became.
The gavel sounded, he now owned a painting he never expected to bid for. Strangely, he didn’t want to hang it in the university residence. Perhaps, he thought, after ten years it was time to buy a home of his own.
He shrugged, something else new to consider. Since coming back home, he wasn’t interested in dating a new student. He wanted to put down roots and use his cash for a home.
Ever since meeting Bec, he tried to look for the sun through his clouds of grief. Some days he felt it there, shining, waiting for him to notice.
“Professor, you have dinner at the Rigby’s tonight. I have flowers for you to give Mrs Rigby, a bottle of port for him. Your suit is back from the cleaners and I cancelled your mentoring session, so you have no excuse to be late.” Layla at her bossy best.
“Thank you, but I’m sure they wouldn’t miss me if I called in sick.”
“Professor this is the first time they have invited you to an event since I started working for you three years ago.”