Chapter Thirty-Eight
Alexandre glanced from Luc to Mei. His brother eyed him warily. Mei looked stricken. And it’s only going to get worse. Alexandre faced Luc.
“I’m flying to North Dakota for a week to interview for the job. I just want to learn more about it.”
Luc narrowed his eyes. “You weren’t even going to tell me.”
“I was. Today.” Alexandre hated how defensive he sounded.
Luc snorted. “Sure. You weren’t going to tell anyone until you’d signed the contract.”
Alexandre’s face burned. “That’s not true.
” He’d planned to tell Luc about his trip.
He really had. But ever since he’d emailed Chris, every second of his days had been full of teaching, catching up on the latest genetics findings, and preparing his interview presentation.
Alexandre had fallen back into the rhythm he knew so well, working fourteen-hour days and barely sleeping at night.
His eyes met Mei’s. The shock on her face made him look away. Wonderful. Now I’m the ultimate hypocrite.
Suddenly, Alexandre was angry. And exhausted. And frustrated. Now he understood why Mei was staying at Livin. This was his life. His career. And ultimately, his decision.
“I’d be an idiot to pass this up,” he snapped. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”
“What’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance?”
Alexandre closed his eyes. Of course. When he opened them, his parents were looking at him expectantly in their ridiculous unicorn tapestry shirts. He had not planned to tell them about the job unless he took it.
“The University of North Dakota is building up their biology department,” Alexandre said wearily. “My old mentor, Chris Saunders, is the department chair. He invited me to interview. I’m spending the week there, starting tomorrow.”
Clarisse gasped, a hand fluttering to her mouth.
Jean-Germain threw his arms around him. “A second chance! That’s incredible!”
His mother piled on. “Why didn’t you tell us? This is major news!”
“What’s major news?” Ali walked into the kitchen with Kaia, Vivian, and Henry.
Alexandre sighed. “I’m flying to North Dakota tomorrow for that job.”
“Oh.” Ali glanced at Luc, who was glaring at him, and Mei, who still appeared stunned.
Vivian’s and Henry’s brows furrowed as they tried to read the room.
“Hey, Kaia, want to play with your presents?” Vivian took her granddaughter’s hand and led her out of the room. Henry followed.
“Is the lab well funded?” Clarisse asked.
“Yes,” Alexandre said.
“How are the facilities?” Jean-Germain demanded.
“Brand-new. They’re opening a huge zebrafish facility with robotic feeding systems.” Pride snuck into his words.
“Yeah, you’ll have new fish tanks, but that doesn’t mean you won’t work yourself to death!” Luc ripped off his unicorn headband and tossed it on the counter. “High-risk, high-reward research is always going to be high-risk, no reward. Especially when you’re starting from nothing.”
“It might be wonderful.” Clarisse shot Luc a look. “Different lab, different circumstances. Plus”—she turned to Alexandre—“you’ll have had a year off. You’ll be recharged.”
Alexandre bristled. “Well, I’ll have had a ‘year off’ from research, but I’m still teaching full-time.”
“Ah, teaching.” Jean-Germain waved a hand. “It was a good plan B. Now you can get back to plan A.”
“But you like teaching.” Luc’s eyes bored into Alexandre. “You’re happy in New York.”
“I am.”
“This is your life’s work!” Clarisse cried. “What’s more important than that?”
“Opportunities like this never come along,” Jean-Germain added. “This is another shot at everything you’ve always wanted.”
“I might not even get the job,” Alexandre mumbled.
“They’d be fools not to take you! Fools!” Jean-Germain said.
“You’ll get it. And take it.” Luc’s shoulders drooped.
Alexandre gazed at the three people he’d become closest to in the last few months.
Luc shook his head in disgust. Ali offered a sympathetic smile.
Mei wouldn’t meet his eyes. Doubt coursed through Alexandre.
When he and Mei weren’t speaking, it had been so easy to lose himself preparing for the interview.
Now that she was in front of him, Alexandre could feel, on a cellular level, what he’d be giving up by going to North Dakota.
Kaia’s laughter echoed from down the hallway. It’s still her birthday, Alexandre realized. Wow, he’d made a mess of the day.
“I think I’ll head home now,” he said. “My flight’s really early.”
“Fine. Go.” Luc stalked out of the room.
Ali patted his shoulder. “We’ll see you when you get back.” She left the kitchen, too.
“You should rest up,” Clarisse said. “And wash that glitter out of your hair before the interview.”
“I will.” Alexandre looked from his mom to his dad. “I’ll walk myself out. Can I have a minute here?”
Amazingly, his parents understood. They glanced at Mei, said hasty goodbyes, and retreated from the kitchen.
Alexandre stepped closer to Mei. “I’m sorry.” He reached for her hand, then reconsidered. “I wish I’d told everyone sooner. I wish I’d told you. Now I get why you didn’t tell me about Livin.”
Mei smiled crookedly. “Well, we are two of a kind.”
Alexandre cracked a little smile. “Can we still talk when I get back?”
“I guess? I’m actually flying to LA on Monday for Livin Forum.”
“Well, let me know if you need an accomplice for breaking out of there.” His joke rang hollow, as did Mei’s chuckle.
“I’m going to be presenting.”
“You are?” So Erika had kept her promise. “You’ll be amazing.”
“Thanks. Good luck with your interview.”
Alexandre didn’t know what to do, so he opened his arms. Mei stepped in. Her touch was warm and familiar, but distant, a protective wall surrounding her. Alexandre pulled away, his heart breaking.
It was, he realized, a hug goodbye.
· · ·
As Alexandre’s plane descended over North Dakota, he peered listlessly out the window.
Grand Forks lay below, a collection of short buildings along an icy river.
It’s probably pretty in the summer, Alexandre reasoned, picturing green fields and leafy trees.
But right now, the frigid landscape was as gray as his spirit.
Outside the terminal, frosty wind punched him in the face. Alexandre hurried to his rental car and drove to the budget chain motel where he was staying. He cranked up the heat when he got inside, then checked his phone. Nothing from Luc or Mei. Just his parents, who rarely texted.
Clarisse: Good luck! Let us know if we can help.
Jean-Germain: Knock ’em dead. We’re so proud of you.
· · ·
On Monday morning, Alexandre’s head felt a little clearer after a decent night’s sleep and a steaming-hot shower.
Maybe everything will be terrible, he thought as he mussed his hair with a touch of pomade.
Low department morale, subpar facilities despite promises otherwise—that would make his decision easy.
At the biology department, Chris greeted him heartily. “Welcome to UND! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have you here.”
Alexandre’s mood lifted as Chris introduced him to the faculty and staff, talking up his research background and their past collaborations. Every person enthusiastically asked about his life and work.
Outside, the campus teemed with youthful energy. Though SUNY New Paltz was on spring break, UND wouldn’t be for another week. Chris shared bits of the university’s history as they strolled. Finally, they arrived at a low brick building.
“I know you’re dying to see this. We won’t open for another two months, but you’ll get the idea.” With a flourish, Chris flipped on the lights.
Rows of plastic-enshrouded fish tanks filled the space. The workstations gleamed.
“Here’s the injection room, the quarantine, microscopy rooms, and the nursery,” Chris said as he walked Alexandre through the space.
Alexandre nodded in awe. This was the most high-end zebrafish facility he’d ever seen.
· · ·
Early on Tuesday morning, Alexandre stood before UND’s biology faculty.
An overhead projector displayed the title slide of his presentation.
A few nerves knotted his stomach but disappeared as he talked through his research methods and results.
Chris nodded with satisfaction at several points.
Others did, too. Afterward, Alexandre invited everyone to share questions and comments.
“That’s interesting data,” said Jamal Ferguson, an associate professor. “I’ve been studying some of those mutations on food foraging in turbid water, and I’ve seen similar trends. There’s a lot we can explore together,” he added with a friendly smile.
“I haven’t looked at those mutations, but now you’ve got me thinking,” said Samantha Wilkerson, another associate professor. “I study reproductive disorders. Are you planning to continue with those mutations or branch out to others?”
Alexandre relished every question. He especially enjoyed speaking with Jamal and Samantha, who’d be his tenure-track peers. Soon, the hour was up, and he and Samantha were the last ones in the room.
“Want to get coffee?” she asked.
“Coffee always sounds good.” Alexandre registered that Samantha was the kind of woman he’d once gravitated to: She had an outdoorsy look and was nearly his height, with long auburn hair and a smattering of freckles.
He and Samantha—or “Sam,” as she corrected him—ordered lattes at a nearby café and sat down at a table.
“We don’t get many new people.” Sam smiled over her mug. “It’s just been me and Jamal for so long.”
“Where were you before?”
“I did my PhD at the University of Washington. I’m originally from Seattle.”
“I just came from Oregon. But you knew that.”
“I was excited to meet you because of that! And your work, of course. I’m happy here, but I miss the Pacific Northwest.”
“I loved the outdoor scene there.”
“Oh yeah?” Sam lit up. “I’m always looking for people who like outdoor activities. I’ve wanted to do a ski trip, but I haven’t found enough people.”
“If I end up here, I’d be game.”
“Then we have to hire you! Chris has been talking you up nonstop. I think you’re a shoo-in.”