First frighten them and second, demoralize them.
― Tony Benn
Behind Closed Doors
It was agonizing to see if Lorraine would show up for lunch. I was tempted to text her but if she were being interviewed in the board room, her cell would be turned off.
I was sitting alone in the lunchroom and twenty minutes had passed. Finally, when I had all but given up hope, she appeared, apologetic but obviously, still on staff.
"I'm sorry, Matt―the morning was so hectic." And then she noticed I hadn't eaten. "Oh, I suppose you feared the worst."
"I did, but I'm glad you weren't interviewed."
"I"m not sure when Dean Stirling will do that for the admin staff, but for now, I'm safe. Let's order some lunch and I'll tell you what happened."
I nodded and squeezed her hand. "I was worried they'd start with the office staff first. But, you're right--let's order. You can fill me in while we're eating."
I was shaking. I'm not sure if it was from hunger, anxiety, or both. A hot mug of coffee and comfort food never tasted so good.
"The Dean had it out with Todd Stirling. I couldn't hear what they were saying but it was definitely acrimonious and when I was called in to administer the signing of the non-disclosure agreement, the tension was in the room was so charged, it felt like the air just before a lightning strike."
"That must have been really tense for you."
"I was so glad to get out of there and back to my desk. And when Todd finally left, he slammed the door so hard the windows in the office shook."
"Not a happy de-camper then?" I smiled.
"Definitely not," she giggled, recalling the look on his face.
"Have you got any idea at all when you'll be interviewed?"
"No, but I think it's just an oversight on the Dean's part, because I signed all kinds of papers when I came on staff, but the NDA wasn't one of them. They'll probably review the file and see it's missing, but I hope they're too busy to notice and I get through to the end of the week."
"That would be a good outcome, but I'm almost afraid to get my hopes up."
She patted my hand. "Don't worry, if I get asked sooner, I'll just refuse and end up spending some quality time with Tess. I can use the break anyway and we'll be together at the new school."
I nodded. "The thought of us being together at the new school is what keeps me going. I'm going to try to talk to Tom Hughes this afternoon and see what he knows. If we're exiting Haven we should at least try to leave it a little better for the students who are left behind here. I'll see what he knows."
But I didn't see Tom at his usual haunts and berated myself for not calling him aside at the end of our morning class. I had been worried about Lorraine though and that took precedence at the time.
I waited around after the final bell but didn't spot Tom in the halls, but fortuitously, found him in the parking lot admiring my car.
"Your car's almost pristine," he enthused, "which is amazing because it's 40 years old."
"Yeah, It's in better shape than me," I quipped.
"I don't know about that―Erin thought you were quite hot."
I seized on his remark about Erin. "Do you still keep in touch with Erin―how's she doing?"
"We get together now and then for a beer in the park after dark. She's still pissed at how Haven failed her."
"Yeah, I can understand―being expelled was rough."
"What was rough is Todd Blinker getting away with a slap on the wrist. He's done it before at Eden School for Girls and same thing―he gets a free walk and ends up here to do it agin with Erin."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Tom―tell Erin I'm sorry for her too."
"Yeah well, sorry doesn't help, does it, when Laird Fisher hires him to coach in a new school they're building in B.C. He actually gets away with a crime and gets to go on vacation―and has the nerve to ask Erin to go with him."
I whistled softly under my breath. "Phew! I had no idea, Tom."
"Well, she's not going to go, but why should he be allowed to continue on as if he's at a moveable feast?"
"I hear you and if you need to talk more, you know where you can find me."
"I appreciate that Teach, but like I told you before, you need to be careful too, about fraternizing with the enemy. You signed a non-disclosure agreement and they'll sue you if you say anything."
I didn't bother to correct Tom. It was actually better if he thought I was bound to silence.
But what he told me about Todd Blinker was inexcusable and tantamount to neglect of duty by the admin or even collusion in a crime.
Was this the reason why Sylvia wanted Lorraine and I to prematurely leave because she knew I'd never go along with such practices and would testify in courts to what I'd seen?
She took a risk persuading her daddy to hire an outsider over an 'Old Boy', especially someone she saw as a boy scout who would report any sign of abuse.
How could Sylvia turn a blind eye to this unless she was hopelessly trapped herself into falling for Todd Blinker's charm? And where did she think I'd fit into all of this?
I had only been on staff for two weeks but now couldn't wait until the end of this week to be finally done with Haven. I don't know how Tom managed to stay two years―talk about commitment! The guy's an iron man.