Cecily’s Interlude
CECILY’S INTERLUDE
It was days away from the start of school, and the idea of taking my first seat in the dean’s office weighed heavily on me.
With Toni now gone, I had the opportunity to speak with Jesaiah the way I wanted to.
I needed to make sure he understood that the relationship we held could not be displayed on campus.
Although some knew that he was my nephew, most didn’t put two and two together, while others, if they did know, didn’t care.
Jesaiah, however, would try to use this opportunity to his advantage.
I knew that with the way I wanted to shape and restore the University back to its purpose, I couldn’t do it if my nephew was one of the problems on campus.
Here I was, the first Black active dean coming into Toussaint State, and I knew the pressure was on.
The board was going to have me and the entire campus under a microscope.
They wanted our school to be equivalent to schools like Hillsdale and John Stanley.
Those schools had the funding, the resources, and a dean who wasn’t a scheming bastard.
Most of all, a campus full of kids whose parents' money stretched long. Toussaint State had a mix, and most of the students were coming from broken places, families who could barely afford tuition, or rich kids who wanted to be swallowed in the Black culture rather than truly finding their place and getting an education. My goal was to find ways of giving the campus a little hope. So, I figured starting with the code of ethics, holding everyone accountable for their actions, and representing themselves in a way that allows them to flourish. This would also include my nephew, Jesaiah. I’ve heard previous stories about how he had been on campus, and my fear was that it was all true.
All that I could hope for was that I was given a chance to try, and that my nephew wouldn’t ruin that for me.
Tonight, I did what I do best, prepared a hearty meal that would fill his belly.
It was something about my loving food and jazz music that relaxed him, making him easier to talk to.
When I heard his car pull into the driveway, I took a peek at the clock to see that he had come earlier than the time I had given him to be here.
I removed my apron and stood at the front door waiting for him to step inside.
The moment the door opened, his surprised face greeted me. “Damn auntie you scared me,” he said.
I heckled. “Aw, boy, get in here,” I replied, reaching out to hug him.
Jesaiah was such a handsome young man. He had gotten all his features from his father, but the attitude from his mother. I stood back to take him in, and he looked as if he were going out. “Why are you all dressed up?” I asked.
He rubbed his hands together as he walked straight toward the kitchen. “I’m going out. You know Hoodoos is the place we all link up at before the start of school. I came to get a plate because I’m not staying.”
Hearing him say that he had only come for a match disappointed me.
I knew it wouldn’t give me time to say what I needed to.
I nervously ran my hand down my dress as I walked over toward him while he fixed a plate of food.
“Jesaiah, I wanted to talk to you about this semester. I need to make sure you understand that Auntie cannot be Auntie on campus. The rules still apply to you.”
He stopped putting food on his plate, allowing the fried chicken to slam against the mac and cheese. His eyes rose to me as he gave me a short smile. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Deep down, I felt like that was a lie.