CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
“ELLIOTT, YOU NEED TO START chipping in for my medical bills at this point.” Roslyn wiped her eyes of tears.
She didn’t try to pretend she was working, she threw her soaked tissues at him instead.
“This is the second time you’ve almost given me a heart attack.
It’s bad enough that you’re a Boston Red Sox fan.
Now, you’re scaring the entire college by returning from the dead. ”
She dabbed her green eyes with another batch of fresh tissues.
“I’m sorry.” Elliott smiled amiably, he didn’t tell her about the Claude Montclair ordeal. The Céline Montclair ordeal. For once, he felt better after getting everything off his chest. He felt lighter without having to bury it all inside of him. He purged his feelings in his letters.
“I told you to leave Banebury as soon as you graduated, not get yourself killed in front of everyone.” Roslyn returned to her desk decorated with bright sand and tiny beach balls. Bobbleheads of shirtless men on surfing boards were spaced between the paperwork she never did.
All Elliott could focus on was that one of the bobbleheads looked like Wulfram.
Elliott deflated a bit. “I couldn’t even die right. I’m hopeless.”
“Elliott, the worst thing about you is that you’re a Patriots fan and you cheer for the Red Sox. Other than that, you’re not hopeless, they are.”
Elliott felt a pinch better. “Thanks, Roz.”
“I’m glad that you survived, kid.” She searched for her baked treats. “Do s’mores work for you?”
“Always.” Elliott sat in the familiar chair next to her desk.
Roslyn handed him a sugary plate of treats. She informed him that Professor Hexley left him Boston cold-cuts and a bottle of electrolyte water with a note.
Dear Elliott,
My heart has filled with gratitude for the first time in fifteen years since I heard of your survival and safe return.
I see much of myself in you. I only had my twin brother in this world and my twin was taken from me in the winter ritual.
He gave his life for mine. I will give my life for yours, Elliott.
I give you my word to be there for you if ever you need someone.
You are bright and brilliant at art. Never believe you aren’t gifted.
Never let anyone lead you to doubt yourself.
You can make a true difference in this world with your art.
With heartfelt regards,
Malcolm Hexley.
His eyes welled with tears as he read and Roslyn graciously pretended not to notice. She dried the sweat on her fiery red hair with a sunburnt, pasty hand. “How come you’re all dressed up in this ridiculous heat?”
Elliott had forgotten he was wearing a fitted tuxedo. “I have a banquet with a professor.”
“A banquet? That’s the first time I’ve heard of one for the summer.” Roslyn made a perplexed sound. “Is it an administration-wide banquet or private?”
“It’s one of my new professors. She just kissed and invited me to her private banquet. She was very kind to offer me a seat there.”
“She kissed you?” Roslyn rifled through her files, until she found some forms. “If you feel comfortable filing a report, let me know. That should not happen.”
“She didn’t mean it sexually–”
“Doesn’t matter how she meant it. If she’s a professor, she knows to keep her hands and lips to herself. That’s sexual assault, if the kiss happened without your consent.”
“She’s part French, I think.”
“Well, tell her to keep that inappropriate behavior in France. Although, it’s likely not accepted there in France either.
” Roslyn frowned. “Don’t let anyone touch your body without your consent.
Okay? Men are harassed all the time and it’s swept under the rug because they’re expected to be a man about it and never complain.
You’re not less of a man if you report assault.
No one has a right to your body, except you. ”
“Thank you, Roslyn. Really that means a lot.”
“Trust me, I hate to be preachy.” She passed Elliott another stack of half-melted s’more graham crackers for comfort. “If you need someone to make an escalated issue of it on your behalf, I will. I’ve got a big mouth.”
“That means the world to me, Roz. Really, I’m fine.”
Elliott didn’t think of it as Roslyn trying to preach to him.
During Sex Health Awareness month, Roslyn had a boxful of free condoms on the desk, no questions asked.
She bribed students with her famous fudge brownies if they got free health screening checks.
She educated anyone who stopped by on mental health tips.
For the week of the Sex in the Dark Program, she advised the student body to start getting bi-monthly PreP injections or daily PreP pills to stay safe.
The women on campus set their appointments because, as Roslyn cautioned, the only ones who could protect them were themselves.
Insurance covered part of it, she informed the men, it was easier to take precautions.
Roslyn was highly convincing; she even convinced Elliott.
PreP is one less thing to think about and it’s extremely effective—99% preventative for HIV.
It’s a no-brainer. Anyone who is sexually active should be on it, man or woman or non-binary.
Doesn’t matter if you’re heterosexual, homosexual, or anything else on the spectrum of sexuality.
Diseases, infections, and viruses don’t care if you’re straight man or a lesbian woman.
No one cared about students more on campus than Roslyn, which was why Elliott wasn’t surprised she cared about that matter, too.
“Are you sure you’re fine?” Roslyn lifted a brow.
“Yeah. It didn’t bother me.”
She asked, “Does James know about this?”
Elliott raised his brows in return. “Why would James need to know about it?”
“You should inform your friends and other students, even if you want to be in a relationship with her as an adult. If she’s behaving improperly with one person, she might be doing it to someone else as well.
Don’t feel pressured to keep silent. I’ll tell her off for you.
” Roslyn whispered, “I’ve noticed that some professors can be…
” For once, Roslyn bit her lip in caution, angling for the right words.
“Listen, I’ve heard…certain things about the professors.
Particularly Wulf…Never mind. If you ever need me, I will be right here at my desk no matter if there’s a heat wave or white-out blizzard outside, okay?
” She glanced at him one final time. “I’m always here in case a student needs someone willing to help out. ”
Elliott realized then that she wasn’t dating Wulfram, she was suspicious of him and she kept an eye on him.
“I’ll remember that.”
“Please, be safe, Elliott. I mean it this time.”
“Thank you for everything again. See you, Roz.”