Kiss Me Cate Pt. 01

We talked about our plans for the upcoming holiday. She declined my invitation to come home with me to meet the family, citing our agreement. She had been invited to one of the professors homes, a stodgy old fellow from the Mathematics department. She might even bow out of that if she didn't feel better in time. "Honestly it's just a fall feast anyway. Does anybody really know what they're giving thanks for?" I proceeded to defend the holiday against attack stating it's not only about eating, but also football. "Ah, American football, barely even a sport now is it." We debated that hotly for a while when she threw her hands up during a short coughing spell.

"What about Christmas? What do you do for that?" I asked. Cate's eyes misted slightly and a smile spread across her face.

"Oh I love Christmas. Midnight mass, the spread my mother put out, you'd have thought she was feeding an army, which she was when all was said and done." She said wistfully then a frown played across her face.

"What?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Oh nothing, just that I know I won't be able to go home for the holiday." She wrestled to keep the emotions hidden. They played quickly across her face. "If I still had my last job... well let's just say adjunct professors don't get paid nearly as well as directors of security for major cellular providers."

I laughed. "Considering the price of tuition here, it makes you wonder where all that money goes."

"I can tell you where it doesn't." She said laughing. We chatted a bit longer before she put her hand on my thigh. "I can't express myself at how flattered and thankful I am for everything you've done for me the last few days."

"Well you can, in two months." I said wiggling my eyebrows.

She laughed. "Two months, I hope there will be interest."

I jokingly expressed my shock. "You think I'll lose interest in two months?"

She rolled her eyes. "Not that kind of interest."

"Oh! Well in that case, the rates are very steep." I winked at her.

"As much as I'd like to discuss reparations for your generosity, I do think I'll take another shot of that nasty concoction you brought me and sleep some more. It actually does work."

I urged her to call me if she wasn't feeling well enough to give her Monday lecture and I would fill in again. She rolled her eyes and said she should be fine. Our parting was less awkward, but more painful, for me at least. I kissed her again, and mumbled something along the lines of, "two months, what have I done?" She laughed as I turned down the stairs.

"It'll be over before you know it."

"I've never wanted to finish a class that I've so thoroughly enjoyed before. This feels weird." I said with a grin.

True to her word Cate arrived in class on Monday looking much better, still red nosed and red around the eyes but she had a warm vibrancy radiating from her. A sure sign that she was better and biding time for the effects of the flu to pass. She did pen a note on the board asking people to keep clear of her and not come to her desk due to the illness. She didn't have any major coughing spells, but did stop to drink from her mug often.

I met her in her office after class. "You're looking better."

"Thank you." She sighed deeply and reached for her little kettle. I took it from her and pointed at her chair.

"I'll get it. You relax, you have another class in forty-five minutes."

"Thank you Dylan." She sat and closed her eyes. "You can't help yourself, can you?"

"Hmm?" I wondered, reaching for the door to go fill the kettle.

She smiled but didn't open her eyes. "No more 'playing nurse' I believe is how you put it."

I laughed and left pulling the door closed behind me. When I arrived back at her office I heard her speaking to someone, the door slightly ajar.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. If you feel that there has been any misconduct then you should report it immediately. Be aware if you're found to be incorrect in your accusation it will likely affect your academic standing. If they didn't remove you from my class, then I would assuredly request it. If you were to succeed in ousting me from my position, it would mean you've wasted nearly eleven weeks of time on this course, which would be a waste since you're doing well. Would you do all of that because I didn't accept your invitation to dinner? Considering that I have a classroom full of witnesses to back up my story, you don't have much of a leg to stand on here. Mr. Butler is my teaching assistant, and he has shown himself to be exceptional at his duties. Don't impugn his character because of your jealousy. I'm sorry you're hurt, but that's not my issue. I am your professor not someone you tried picking up in a bar. I would request that you treat me with the same respect you would treat any other faculty, as I would expect from everyone else in class." The last sentence was measured and clipped, and followed by a polite cough. Despite the cough there was steel in her voice. Rather than burst in, I knocked on the door and waited for a response. After a pause I heard Cate again. "Do you have anything further you would like to discuss Mr. Andrews?"

Chad Andrews jerked the door fully open and sailed past me, realizing I was standing there only after he was halfway down the hall. He turned a look of thorough hostility on me. I just looked at him wide-eyed for a moment, then raised the kettle at him in a sort of wave. "See jackass, I'm fetching tea for the boss, not ravishing her in the coat closet." It meant to say. He stomped away down the hall, still angry. I turned towards the door and saw Cate, head down on folded arms, a slight trembling ran through her body. I closed the door, and started the kettle, set up her cup with the now filled infuser. I walked back to the door and flipped the lock before walking around her desk and began rubbing her back. When she sat up, there were streaks on her face from the tears.

"Don't." She said pushing my hand away. She held it for a moment and gave it a squeeze before letting it go. "No reason to fuel the fire he's trying to start."

"If you'll excuse the language. Fuck him. He's a spoiled brat who's used to getting his way because he's never had it any other way. You were right, that's the only reason he's mad. He doesn't have a leg to stand on after the little act he pulled the first day of class."

"Please be very careful Dylan. Mind yourself." She said. "Please, don't come to my home any more." She said softly.

I turned her chair and squatted down in front of her. "Okay, but I'm holding you to that date." She looked down at me.

"We shouldn't. If he gets wind of it, even if you're no longer in my class, and then goes back and starts trouble, then the board might listen to him. Who knows who'll be called in to sit on it, either of the two staff members I said no to as well with my luck." She sniffled and reached for a tissue. I turned and made her tea.

"Coward."

"Coward?! I've been through this before! How dare you. This sort of rubbish is exactly what landed me here! Is there any integrity left in this world, or are all men small minded bastards with insufferably fragile egos? Say no to one and he feels it his sole duty to try and ruin your fucking life!"

I leaned against the bookcase and looked at her, her eyes were ablaze, her mouth turned down in a sneer, her hands nearly crushing the arms of the chair where she gripped them. She was right, it was an unfortunate but very common occurrence. I smiled then. "Well it's nice to know you still have some fight in you. May I offer you some advice?"

She just stared me down. "Put together any documentation, emails, texts if there were any et cetera, and go to the dean yourself. If they decided to depose anybody, that first day in class will be the torpedo that sinks him. Don't wait for him though, go to them first, tell them he threatened you with false accusations of wrong-doing." Her bright color began to fade as she listened. I could see the gears turning. "If you need a lawyer, I know one." She finally relented, took a deep breath and let it go, deflating her in the process. "Here, have your tea, you have class in about thirty minutes."

"Oh, hell. I probably look frightful." She grabbed her purse and pulled out a compact mirror to check her face.

"If by frightful you mean beautiful, then yes."

"Your opinion may be slightly biased."

I laughed. "There is that."

It was only two days until the Thanksgiving break and I was already feeling the loss of Cate. I told her that I'd leave her alone until January when it was safer. I didn't realize just how difficult that was going to be.

* * * * *

A few days later, I was ensconced at home, waiting patiently for the turkey, and occasionally questioned by one or more of my family how school was going, how are classes going, did I have a girlfriend, the usual interrogation I got when coming home.

In between a hundred other little chores Mom stopped me and asked. "Am I going to like her?" I had to laugh.

"Have I been wandering around with a stupid grin on my face?"

"That coupled with the long stares and random silences, call it women's intuition. "

"You'll absolutely adore her, but let's not put the cart before the horse. We haven't actually been out on a date yet."

"Taking your time with this one?" She needled me, knowing that was probably part of the problem I'd had with Stacy.

"Let's just say it's not a good time for either of us, so we're holding off a bit." I replied.

"Well that's a bit cryptic. Is she seeing someone else? Oh my God, she's not married is she Dylan!" She exclaimed quietly.

I laughed. "No Mom, she's not married. Don't worry you'll like her, just don't start anything. I don't want to be quizzed about it all weekend."

Later, in my food inspired coma I felt my phone vibrate. I looked at it to find a text from Cate. "Am I interrupting?"

"Must be a girl, look at that shit-eating grin." I looked up when my brother Jimmy spoke.

"I uh, I'm going to go make a call. I'll be back in a few." I said as they turned their attention back to the football game on TV.

"Nope." I texted back quickly. "Happy Thanksgiving." I added quickly.

"Happy Thanksgiving to you." There was nothing in the span of a few minutes.

"Are you okay Cate?"

"Yes, I'm fine..."

"Are you at home?"

"Yes, I got home a few hours ago."

I flipped to the phone app and called her. She sounded surprised when she answered.

"Fine?" I left the question dangling.

"Truth is I wish you were here." She said softly. "I feel so alone and I might go mad before Monday." Which was still three full days away.

"I know the feeling, I already want to hit my brother." I said with a chuckle. There was a pause.

"I'm sorry for bothering you. Go and watch your football match and enjoy your family. I'll see you Monday." She hung up without waiting for my reply. I stared at my phone for a moment and thought about what it must be like for her, only here for a few months and raked over by one job, and now the threat of it happening again. I proceeded to start packing my stuff and hauled it downstairs. My mothers eyes went wide.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yea a friend of mine is in trouble, car problems, and everything is closed. I'm going to head back into the city to help them out. I figure I'll just head back to my place after. Thanks for dinner Mom." I gave her a quick kiss. I'm sure there would be a lot of speculation but I'd explain it another time.

"Them. You can just say her. I understand." She said smiling. "Don't forget about us out here in the 'burbs." An obvious hint that they would like to meet her.

"Yes mom. Soon, I hope." I gave her a wink.

I arrived at Cate's an hour or so after she hung up on me. It was early evening, but fully dark at this time of year. I entered the downstairs door without ringing the bell and got to the top of the stairs and took a deep breath and knocked firmly.

"Who is it?"

"Tis no but me darlin'" I said through the door. She cracked it open with the chain on.

"What are you doing here?" A tight crease formed between her eyes.

"Well you hung up on me, and I wasn't sure that you'd answer if I called you back. I figured this was the best way to talk to you."

"Did you just run out on your family on a holiday?" She looked shocked.

"Can you open the door, and we'll talk about it inside? It's cold out here."

She looked at me for a moment, and closed the door, the chain slipped free. "We had a deal." She started off as I walked in, closing the door behind me. She walked a few steps away and turned to me, her arms crossed tightly across her chest.

"We did, and you broke it." I said smiling. "You texted me."

She looked suddenly crest-fallen. "I did, I'm sorry." She turned away from me.

"Do me a favor, go pack an overnight bag, grab your toothbrush and we'll blow this place." I said looking around. It wasn't a bad apartment, small and a little drab, but for someone thousands of miles away from home when everyone around her was celebrating with their families, I could see how it could feel like a cell.

"What? I'm not going anywhere with you! I... I'm not sure what you thought..."

"I know what I thought, and I'm offering an escape from this, this cell. Now go, quickly, shoo." I waggled my fingers at her. "I could do it for you, but I'm not sure you'd like me rummaging through your lingerie drawer." I said wiggling my eyebrows.

"Where are you taking me?" She hadn't moved yet.

"Does it matter?" I looked around. "The only worse place could be the morgue."

"I know, that's what scares me." She said with a nervous chuckle.

I looked at her for a moment, then turned to walk towards her bedroom door.

"Stop! I'll do it."

"Pack warmly, it's cold outside." I said smiling. She came back a few minutes later clutching a small bag.

"This is a bad idea." She said, still standing in her bedroom doorway.

"We could stay here, I'm sure the chance someone will see me coming and going is a lot higher. What have we got to lose?"

The crease deepened. "Listen, I'm fine, I was just feeling a little... and you're the only one I could call and..."

I was standing in front of her without realizing that I'd moved, hands on her arms lifting her slightly. "That is exactly why I'm here." I gave her a quick peck on the forehead and coaxed her towards her coat. She only took one step into the room. I reached for her coat and held it open for her. She relented and slipped it on. I took the scarf down and looped it around her neck, she shoved her hand in her pocket drawing out gloves. I held the car door open for her and slid her bag onto the backseat.

"I can't believe you left your family to come here." She said as we were under way.

"A friend in need..." I said with a little grin. I turned onto the highway. The weather was cold and blustery, which is normal for this time of year near Lake Ontario. I brought us up to highway speed and put the cruise on. I wiggled my glove off and reached over taking her hand from her lap, interlacing my fingers in hers. She pulled free, took off her glove and put her hand back in mine.

"Is a friend indeed." She said thickly and squeezed my hand. Her breathing was shallow and quick, and if I looked I'm sure there were tears. She got herself under control after a bit. "Do you know what it's like to feel utterly alone?" She asked barely above a whisper.

I gave her hand a little squeeze. "You're not."

"I have been." She said raising our joined hands. She kissed the back of mine. We both went silent after that, the music played low on the radio as I drove into the night. She must have nodded off because she came to with a start as soon as I slowed, turning into the parking lot. "Good lord. Where are we?"

I drove up under the entry way and told her I'd be right back. I ran into the lobby and checked in, coming out a few minutes later to find her face plastered to the window looking about. I jumped in quickly escaping the cold wind off the water. "Call it an American castle." I said. "It's a winery and inn which was converted from an old mansion built by some millionaire philanthropist over a century ago."

"Have you been here before?" She said turning to me.

"No, my folks have though, came here for their anniversary a few years ago. That's what gave me the idea."

She looked nervous and took a deep breath looking out over the hood as if she was coming to some decision. Before she could speak I flipped open the folder and pulled out one of the two keys. "Got lucky, they had adjoining rooms." I said. She breathed just a little bit deeper and let out a soft chuckle.

"Will you never cease to surprise me?"

"What kind of cad do you take me for?" I said laughing. "I didn't take you here to have my way with you. We haven't even been on a proper date."

"It does appear that we're doing things backwards, doesn't it?" She smiled. I drove around to the end of the building and grabbed our bags. I led her to the room and she opened the door. "This is beautiful!" It was nice, a pencil post bed, polished woodwork and a fireplace. She turned on me as I set the bags down. "How are you doing this? This place must cost a fortune." I just shrugged. She gave me her eyebrow pop expression and waited.

I walked over and turned on the gas fireplace and checked the thermostat to warm the room a bit. "They said there's a complimentary bottle of wine in each room." I reached down and opened the small refrigerator to find a bottle in the door. "A semi-dry Riesling. I've never tried it but I'm game if you are." I looked at her and her expression hadn't changed. "I didn't know a person could raise an eyebrow that high." I presented the bottle to her. She gave a quick nod. I opened it and poured two glasses. She took hers and walked over towards the fireplace to warm herself. She let out a small hum of approval. I'm not sure if it was for the wine or the fire.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I've found it hard to trust people, considering everything that's happened." She said with a flip of her hand.

"Cate? Can you trust me?" She looked at me for a long time before answering.

"I do, and that's what really scares me." She said with a little smile. "I got in your car, let you drive me into the woods and get me into a hotel room haven't I?"

I laughed at that. She was right, that sort of thing takes a lot of trust, and not a little bit of daring. "Touché!" I said raising my glass in salute. "What I mean is that I don't want anything from you other than an honest grade, and a heartfelt yes, when I get to ask you on that date."

"I love that you have me alone in a beautiful hotel room, drinking wine and you're still worried that I'll turn you down for a dinner date." We both laughed. "What now?" She said taking a sip of her wine.

I shrugged. "It's too late to get room service I'm sure. I didn't stop to think you might be hungry when I whisked you away. I'm sure there's a vending machine somewhere I could raid to tide us over until breakfast." I waved my glass towards the TV. "We could watch an old movie or something?"

"That sounds like a good idea. See what you can scrounge and I'll see what's on." She smiled.

I set my glass down and told her I'd be back in a bit. I made my way back towards the lobby and found that I was correct it was too late for room service. I found the vending area and picked out several snacks and headed back to the room. I knocked on the door softly. I could see the peep hole darken then the door opened. She stood there in one of the hotel bathrobes over flannel pajamas.

"The number of flannel pajamas you own is staggering." I said.

"Don't you worry, flannel aren't the only pajamas I own." She said with a little blush.

I laughed and held up my bounty, she looked them over and snagged a bag of popcorn. "That's appropriate to the entertainment. Let's see what we can find to watch." She hopped onto the bed, fluffed up the pillows and leaned back. She looked up at me still standing where she'd left me. "Well come on." She said patting the bed beside her. "Oh, grab the wine first please." I brought her wine setting it on the nightstand and walked around and joined her.