Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands

Courtney didn’t come into the office again until Friday. I was polite to her when I saw her in the hall going toward Lucas’ office. She seemed embarrassed when she saw me and I did feel bad for her. I hadn’t heard from her and whether or not she had spoken to Lucas, but I was assuming she hadn’t.

I was going to wait for Courtney to come back out of Lucas’ office to ask her to go out with me. I wanted to take her out and try and get some information out of her. She was a nice girl and I really didn’t want to treat her like her brother did, but things were getting out of hand and I needed to take care of it.

“Hey Court,” I yelled to her while I was standing at Margot’s desk.

“Hey,” She said shyly.

“What are you doing tonight?” I asked as I joined her in the hall.

“Just lying low probably. What are you up to?” She shifted uncomfortably.

“I was wondering if you wanted to maybe grab a drink after work today.” I was already feeling a bit guilty.

“You don’t want to stay away from me?”

“Oh dear, no. It’s not your fault and I’m not hanging out with him, you know.” I touched her arm lightly to assure her.

“I’d love to. I just have to let Lucas know and see if he’ll be home,” Courtney was still a bit shy, but I was guessing she was talking about her son.

“Of course, totally understand. Why don’t you just give me a call here in the office and let me know,” I smiled.

“Definitely, this will be so welcome. I hope I can redeem myself after last time and it’ll definitely be a welcome night out,” She smiled.

“Well I hope you can join me,” I smiled. “Call me later.”

“I will, thanks,” She waved and made her way out of the building.

I went back into my office and started doing work when Lucas interrupted my.

“What is this?” Lucas asked as he threw one of my proposals on my desk.

“What are you talking about?” I asked automatically sounding defensive. He just walked in asking for it.

“You added a new program and are taking money away from other stuff that the college deems important,” He shut the door hard behind him and I jumped in my seat a bit.

“I thought it was a great idea especially in the day and age of the internet,” I said condescendingly.

“On-campus orientation programs are the core of what we do. We can get the professors out of the classrooms to interact with potential students and current students to do that too. An online-open house? Seriously?” Lucas could not wrap his head around it and he was fuming. I’m sure my proposal wasn’t most of the reason he was yelling at me.

“I realize that, but if you actually read my proposal there are online chats with professors and students. There are forums, there are ambassadors that upload their own content about what they do on a daily basis. There are a ton of ways to make it interactive when people can’t afford to take the time to come to the campus or afford the orientation fees,” I defended without yelling at him. I was definitely curt.

“This needs to be taken out. The board will not even go for this. Fix it, now!” He shouted and slammed his hands down on my desk.

“How do you know? Maybe they’ll be interested in it. I’m presenting it to them the way it is. I also outlined the proposal if we didn’t add this. They can choose. Maybe they’re open to it,” I sneered.

“Sadler, take it out. If you present it I will have you fired,” He just shook his head at me.

“You can’t fire me for presenting something, nice try. If they deny it, they deny it. Maybe they want some new ideas,” I laughed exasperated.

“I’m your boss and you’ll do what I say,” Lucas leaned over the desk toward me and I just laughed which set him off even more.

“I will have you fired so fast,” He was so angry he was at a loss for words and stuttered a bit. I was a little scared, but I was also thoroughly amused with the whole situation and how I set him off.

”I’d like to see you try and justify firing me. I’ll see you on Monday at the budget meeting,” I smiled to cover up some of my nerves.

Lucas just stormed out and slammed my door behind him. I flinched a bit, but laughed to myself. He was trying to intimidate me with all of the slamming and yelling. I found it funny, but inside I was a little scared. I had no idea what exactly Lucas was capable of, but I know he could make my life miserable.

It was almost on-cue when my phone started to ring and it was Margot with Courtney on the line for me. She sent the call through.

“Hi Courtney,” I summoned a cheery voice from deep inside me.

“Hey, I talked to Lucas and I’m free to go out with you tonight.”

“That’s great! I can’t wait. Why don’t you meet me here around 6 and we can go to the bar down the street for happy hour,” I said politely.

“Sounds great! See you then,” She was almost giddy.

I waited outside the building for Courtney around 6. Lucas had left around 5:30 to get home, so I didn’t have to worry about him trying to talk to me on his way out. Courtney was about ten minutes late and speed walking all the way to me.

“I’m so sorry! I had a hard time getting out the door,” She apologized.

“No worries at all. Shall we make our way to the bar?”

When we got to the bar it was packed because it was Friday night, but we stood for a bit and then were able to score some stools at the bar.

“How’s work going?” I asked as we sat down and ordered another round.

“It’s going well. Next week starts about two months of non-stop working for a show. Basically we work a ton of hours to get everything set up for one show, but in the end it’s usually worth it,” She laughed.

“Wow, that sounds like me in the summer,” I smiled taking a sip of my drink. “How does that work with you and Lucas and everything?”

“Oh, well, we’re both not too sure. This is our first big show that I’ve worked on since I started in this office. I’m sure it’ll be tough, but we’ll figure it out,” She played with the straw in her drink and avoided eye contact.

“I’m sorry, is that a touchy subject?” I felt bad, she seemed sad at the mention of it.

“No, no. I just know it’ll be difficult, but we’ll get through it.”

“I’m sure you will. You have each other,” I assured her.

“I confronted him about everything today,” She said suddenly still stirring her drink.

“I figured as much. He came in and bit my head off about something today,” I told her.

“He just said things were complicated, but you guys did kiss and he thought there was something more there,” She looked up at me and I saw that she wanted it to be true.

“I don’t know if you were around when Lucas had a black eye?” She just nodded. “He tried to kiss me in front of Gabe and Gabe punched him,” I told her.

“Jesus Christ, Lucas,” She muttered and downed her drink. I ordered her another one.

“What’s the baby’s name?” I asked.

“Matthew. He’s sixteen months,” She smiled.

“Is he a handful?”

“Definitely. He’s always getting into trouble and he’s a huge talker. Always yammering away,” She laughed taking her new drink. The bartender cleared her empty glass.

“My friend’s baby is about five months old now and I can’t wait till he’s gabbing,” I couldn’t help but light up talking about Levi. He was the cutest baby and most easy going baby I’ve ever met.

“Do you have any plans to have your own?” Courtney asked.

“Uh, yeah…” I trailed. The question never seemed to get easier. “We’re waiting till Gabe’s off tour for now.”

“That’s understandable. I think you’d be a great mom,” She put her hand over my hand and she was already done with another drink. My plan to feed her drinks was working without me actually doing anything. “If everything wasn’t so strained with you and Lucas I’m sure he would have introduced you to Matthew,” She took her hand back.

“Well, why don’t you just introduce me to him?”

“It’s really up to Lucas. With everything going on between you two I don’t know if he would want his son meeting you,” She said nervously.

“Wait,” I said sitting up straight and looking at her. “I thought Matthew was your son,” I was totally confused.

“Oh no, shit,” She muttered. “Don’t say anything. That I was in on and I wasn’t supposed to say anything,” Courtney said rapid fire.

“Well, the cat’s out of the bag. Why are you keeping it a secret that Lucas has a child?”

“I just am. Can we talk about something else?” She asked urgently.

“Okay, sorry, but you can’t just drop that on my lap and tell me to forget it.”

“I know, I know, but it’s better if you do. Better for both of us really,” She was almost done with her fourth drink and I was still on my second.

“So,” I drew it out trying to think about the next topic and how I could get back to this later when she was intoxicated. “Have you met people since you’ve been here?”

“Yes,” She sighed in relief and gave me a smile. “The people I work with are all late twenties and early thirties, so it’s perfect. I don’t get out too much because I moved here under the guise of helping Lucas with Matthew,” She groaned at her own words, she had talked about it again.

“It’s okay. I won’t pry. I’m sorry you don’t get out much, but I’m glad you got to come out tonight,” I said and we both had fresh drinks brought to us. I raised my glass to hers and we both took a sip.

We talked more about life and I filled her on Gabe and touring and all of that. She couldn’t believe my life, but it was weird hearing that from someone. It just seemed like my life and I guess it was a bit weird because some people were considered celebrities. I didn’t really think of any of them as famous or anything like that, well until someone would mention it or how I dealt with it.

The more we talked the more drinks we had, but Courtney was two drinks ahead of me at all times and she was on her sixth and I was on my fourth, starting to feel buzzed. Courtney was visibly over the line of feeling buzzed and getting ready for her seventh drink, but I stopped her. I felt too guilty. She was genuine and seemed to just be protecting her family, which I would do if I had to as well.

“I think we’ve had enough?” I smiled at her.

“What time is it?” She asked pulling herself together.

“It’s ten,” I laughed looking at my cell phone. I had missed a call from Rob and Gabe. I hope Rob didn’t come by to escort me, the call was around 6:15.

“Yeah, I should probably get back,” She slid off her stool and I paid the tab and we made our way out of the bar. She took out her ringing cell phone. “Hi Julie,” She slurred a bit. “I’m out. Going back now,” She laughed.

She talked on the phone as we stood outside the bar for about five minutes and then smiled at me as if she were ready to go.

“Who’s Julie?” I asked. I had heard her name before from Courtney, when she was in the bathroom.

“My sister, she was the one that had Matthew before. Then I said that I would move here with him so that he could see him,” She rambled as we walked.

“Where’s Matthew’s mother?” I asked in an upbeat manner to keep her going. She hooked her arm with mine as we walked.

“We’re friends right? I can trust you right?” She stopped us and looked me in the eye.

“Of course. You can trust me,” I assured her, though I felt so guilty as soon as those words escaped my lips. I was not like this. I was always honest and never underhanded, but I had to do what I had to do.

“Okay, good. Because I’ve wanted to tell you, but I wasn’t sure,” She pulled me to keep going and we started walking again. “So, when Lucas was at his last school in California,” She started and she sounded so giddy from the alcohol. I just nodded for her to continue.

“He got involved with a student. They kept it a huge secret and then she got pregnant. The girl didn’t know if it was Lucas’ or if it was her boyfriends. So much drama, right?” She laughed.

“That sure is a lot of drama,” I agreed.

“Anyway, she obviously decided to keep the baby and they did a paternity test and it was Lucas’. Anyway, word got out and Lucas was going to lose his job, but the girl came forward to say that it was her boyfriends and her and Lucas he never had a relationship, that’s when he decided to take a leave because things were so out of whack. He wanted to regroup and take responsibility. He took Samantha, that’s the mom in and took care of her. He was with her for what 5 months before moving out here,” She tripped a bit on the sidewalk and I pulled on her arm to prevent her from falling and she just laughed.

“You okay?” I asked her as I stood her up.

”Fine, I’m fine,” She laughed. “Where was I?”

“After five months Lucas moved out here,” I repeated.

“Right, well, when he got the job here Sam moved in with my sister Julie. The old boyfriend started to come around again. I mean, they were young and he was acting out.”

“How old was she?”

“She was 17, a young freshman, but she had turned 18 when she got pregnant. Anyway, it’s been really hard for Lucas. After he left and came here and the boyfriend came back and threatened Sam’s life and she left the baby and ran. No one knows where she went,” She said seriously.

“So, Julie took Matthew in and then you came out here with him?” I asked to make sure I understood it all.

“Yeah, I came so I could help him. He flew back and forth for a bit to be with Matthew when he started and then it just got so hard. When he got the black eye he was home all week because Matthew was really sick and I had to work. And then when he called you home, he was dealing with a virus that went from me to Matthew to him, I swear,” She held me tighter.

“I believe you. Have you heard anything from Sam?”

“No, but her parents are all over Lucas trying to find her. Her parents are broke so they had no problem with Lucas taking Matthew, that and they don’t actually acknowledge him, but that’s neither here nor there,” Courtney waved it off.

“Has he ever hooked up a student before?” I asked trying to get more information.

“Once while here, but he didn’t know. He met her at a bar from what he told me. Then when he said he was seeing someone that wasn’t a student I was happy. He really is a good guy,” She tried to assure me.

“I bet he is. You two certainly share a lot,” I laughed.

“Well, after everything happened we’re pretty open with each other…except for when it came to you. He was very secretive. I just thought it was because he met someone he liked and didn’t want his sister’s meddling,” She laughed.

“I guess I can understand that,” I said and we were reaching Courtney’s apartment. It took us a lot longer than normal because she was drunk.

“But, promise me you won’t say anything. If word gets out he could lose his job. There are still people out there to prove he’s sleeping with students. He’s under a lot of stress because he’s on probation with this job for about two years because the accusations were so strong. He can’t mess up, it’s for Matthew.”

I felt my gut turn over. I was despicable. I was not being a good person and that was terrible. I made the choice then to keep everything a secret. I had to. I didn’t know the real story and now I did. It didn’t justify any of his actions whatsoever, but I made a promise to Courtney and I’d keep it for her.

“Thanks for coming out tonight,” I said giving her a hug.

“Thank you for having me out. I’m glad that we’re friends,” She hugged me again and I wanted to cry for being so underhanded, but I collected myself and just nodded and watched her go inside. What was I going to do now?