Cecily’s Interlude
CECILY’S INTERLUDE
Thank you for informing me.
Sincerely,
Dean Cecily August.
I typed and hit send, then quickly closed my laptop and got up from my desk. Things felt like they were shifting, but not in the way I expected.
I hurriedly grabbed my keys and left the house.
The fifteen-minute drive to my destination felt longer than usual.
Upon arrival, I said a short prayer before stepping out.
With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I approached the door and knocked.
It didn’t take long before he answered. "Auntie, what are you doing here?” Jesaiah asked.
Something about him looked different; he appeared flushed, tired, and mentally exhausted. I peeked over his shoulder. “Do you have company?”
“No, come in,” he muttered.
I didn’t want to do the small talk, but I also didn’t want to ignore what I saw in him. “Are you okay?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Tired, I guess. You good?”
I walked around his clean apartment. I wasn’t sure why he lived here when he had something to call his own. I knew this was all Toni’s doing because, in her eyes, his having the best meant loving him.
I turned to him and got straight to the point. “I’ve been seeing and hearing things about you. You cannot be a menace on campus. I’ve raised you better than that. Jesaiah, I am your aunt, but I’m also the dean, and if I have to, I will—”
He chuckled. “You need to relax. I’m not doing anything more than some of those students are. Hell, you’re over here, and there is a whole nigga on campus selling drugs. I’m enjoying college life. Auntie, isn’t that what you wanted for me? College is supposed to be fun. Isn’t that what you said?”
Drugs on campus? I needed to know who it was. After seeing Apple the way she was made sense. However, I didn’t want to disregard what he was doing as well.
“It is supposed to be fun, but also a learning experience. You are supposed to take the fun moments and cherish them as memories, not let them run rampant. Are you hazing? Are you treating those boys with respect and showing them the structure of discipline?”
The way he looked at me was like I was crazy. “I’m doing what the dean of pledges does. Of all people, you know me.”
“I know what you’ve become. You're not the same. Something happened to you, and you seem so angry, so hurt that you're willing to put that on other people. Jesaiah, I know you are a smart man. Why don’t you speak at Black Excellence Day? I want you to show a different side of you. Show that Chi Kappa Chi is more than a bunch of macho men trying to control things.”
He laughed loudly. “No, I understand why they only picked men as dean. Women are too soft.”
Slap!
I hit him because how dare he? Jesaiah’s head slowly turned my way with more evil in his eyes than ever.
I was furious. “It is men like you that makes places like TSU disgusting. I don’t know what has gotten into you, but you watch how you talk to me.
I raised you, and the boy I raised is better than this.
Now, I don’t know exactly what you’re doing, but you need to stop.
You got that girl losing her mind over you.
You have people emailing me that you’re treating your line like dogs.
It’s clear you somehow showed your ass to the board, and now what you are doing is affecting me.
Let me tell you this: Karma is a bitch, and she will find you.
I can't save you, Jesaiah. I’ve saved you enough.
You are supposed to be my example of Black excellence, but instead, you’re the example of why people no longer believe in the mission. ”
His nose flared. “Auntie, you know my freshman year, I was overlooked and outshone. I spent days trying to find my place in that ghetto ass school. The ones who knew I was your nephew treated me like some kid who got a pass, but then I talked to my big brother, Clark. He paved the way, showing me how to be a leader. A man who conquers with control. If you lose your job, it has nothing to do with me but everything to do with how you’re not able to find peace with letting the students be students. ”
I slowly nodded my head as this was some type of mental mind play he was trying to do. Clark Mercier had gotten to my nephew, making him believe evil is better.
I knew that with his entering Greek life, things would change. Sometimes it was for the good of people, and sometimes it was for the worst. Jesaiah was looking for a mentor, a father figure, because his was six feet under, and of all people, he found solace in Clark.
I let out a disappointing sigh because I knew mentally, he was gone.
All I could do at this point was pray that he made a change before it was too late.
If I couldn’t save him, the least I could do was save other students in his path, like Apple.
She was the reminder that no matter how perfect we wanted to be and strive for better, that ultimately, we could only focus on the right now.
Whether I was able to save the mission of the school or not, I knew I could save a student or two.