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The silence was deafening. Even Willoughby was no longer hissing, sitting on his haunches, tail wrapped around his legs, watching her with his head turned slightly to the side. The trustees were clearly astonished by her audacity, one and all, and even George had her mouth open in stupefaction.
Before Sam could say anything else, a slow, showy clap sounded somewhere close to the open door. Orla stepped around her, turned to face the room, and continued to applaud. After an awkward moment, to Sam’s shock, Alden joined in, and then Timothy. Within a minute only Joel, Rolffe, and to Sam’s disappointment, Magdalene were not applauding.
“From the mouths of babes then.” Orla gave her a rather condescending smile. “Professor Threadneedle made a major point. But in her white knight standup act, she also overlooked the massive turmoil that the school will be thrown into due to the unilateral decisions announced by Headmistress Nox today.”
Ah, so Orla was stealing the show again. Sam huffed. So what else was new. Self-righteous so-and-so. Andwhite knight standup act? How dare she?
Before Sam could get on her soapbox again, Magdalene intervened smoothly, deftly sidestepping Orla and focusing the attention back on the trustees.
“While I can theoretically be criticized by the board, since that is their oversight role, I will not be berated for my decisions—which, as has already been established, I am not obliged to have pre-approved nor do I have to consult with anyone—let alone a subordinate. Now if we are finished here, I have a school to run.”
“I don’t think we are even close to being finished!” Joel clearly felt like his tantrum had not been given proper attention. “Anyone who thinks that what you pulled today is not a stunt is delusional, and you, in turn, are delusional if you think I’ll simply let it go.”
“Stunt? Whatever could you be referring to…” Magdalene’s theatrical nonchalance was such a blatant counterpoint to Joel’s outburst. She even looked down at her nails, seemingly entranced by her manicure.
“The lesbian cleric for one. The scholarships for two. Do you really think I don’t see what you’re trying to do here? A lesbian pastor? At a girls’ school?”
Sam saw red. “Excuse me?”
Her voice must have been shrill and raised high enough, because suddenly the hush that fell on the room felt like it weighed a ton. Joel’s mouth snapped loudly in the silence of the room, the implications of what he’d just said seemingly catching up to his brain.
“Did you just imply that a lesbian pastor would somehow be detrimental to the school? Did I hear that right?” Sam’s breathing was coming quicker now, her chest so full of ire she thought she’d burst. She felt a hand on her forearm and without looking knew it was Alden, trying to hold her back from the storm she was about to unleash, but it was too late. The Fourth Dragon had shed her shackles.
“You keep bringing up the scholarships as a burden and an expense and as somehow contravening the charter, but absolutely everyone in this room and the ten girls celebrating outside are fully aware that this is your way of trying to rid the school of LGBTQIA students. What in the world didqueerpeople ever do to you, Joel? I mean, it’s not like you were even aware that a lesbian broke your nose years ago. Your father made me apologize back then, but just so you know, I didn’t mean a single word of that apology. Just like whatever it is you’re about to spout now, how this is not the reason for canceling the scholarships, will not be even remotely sincere. You’re a bigot, Joel Tullinger. There, these are some words I stand by wholeheartedly.”
Was it possible for silence to grow even quieter? It certainly seemed like it had. Even Sam’s breathing slowed down for a second and when her brain caught up to her mouth, she became aware that Alden’s hand was no longer holding her forearm. Every single trustee in the room had shock written across their faces, and Magdalene’s eyes held pride. Sam had just come out to the entire Board of Trustees. And there was not a damn thing she’d change, even if she could.
It felt right and righteous at the same time. It felt like the weight of the world no longer resided on her shoulders. It felt like she was free, whole, fulfilled. There would be repercussions for sure, but for now, she basked in the warmth of Magdalene’s gaze and in the stupor of the others in the room.
Suddenly everyone started speaking at once, and the cacophony of voices intruded on Sam’s mind like a sledgehammer. But the light in Magdalene’s eyes did not dim for a second even as she clapped her hands together to ensure everyone’s attention was focused on her once again.
“I think this conversation, while pertinent, is also highly emotionally charged right now. Mr. Tullinger, I’m sure you see how your words can be construed as discriminatory and if any student or faculty, including the newly hired Reverend Lavalle, would choose to proceed with a litigious follow-up, I’m sure they would have some recourse… And plenty of witnesses right in this room…”
Joel’s hands were visibly trembling, but Magdalene waited a second longer, letting him sweat before her next words.
“Professor Threadneedle has made some very relevant points just now, and while we all need calmer heads to prevail, how about we adjourn this ad-hoc meeting and set up something official for next week? George?”
The secretary nodded emphatically, obviously understanding her orders and taking charge, trying to herd the occupants of the office out of the cramped room.
It looked like, while Joel was visibly shaken and certainly spooked by Magdalene’s not so veiled threat of action against him for his homophobic insinuations, Rolffe still wanted to argue, and just as he opened his mouth to do so, a gravelly, hoarse voice interrupted him with a quiet command of someone used to being obeyed.
“Augustus, you’ve heard Headmistress Nox. The time and place to discuss issues will be determined and we shall all be informed in due time, I’m sure. Now, I wish you and your faculty a smooth beginning of the school year, Doctor Nox and await the summons at your convenience.”
Despite standing with her back to him, Sam knew Alden had been the one to speak, but both his tone and the message behind it surprised her. Rolffe had been spoiling for a continued fight and two sentences from the oldest trustee effectively—even if temporarily until they met again—placing his support behind the Headmistress, shut him up right away. Would wonders never cease?
It was also clear that Orla wanted to say more, not accustomed to not having the last word, but Magdalene simply turned her back on her and on the room, focusing her attention on Willoughby. His loud purring seemed to signal to everyone that this meeting was adjourned and the Headmistress had far more important things to attend to. Such as providing his big, round head with more scratches and pats.
The various other trustees departed with huffy proclamations that they would be talking to lawyers, and the rest of the group simply filed out. Sam was about to leave too, unsure of Magdalene’s response to her earlier outburst, when she heard a murmured, “Thank you,” coming from the direction of the Headmistress.
Feeling self-conscious and somewhat undeserving of praise for simply doing the right thing, Sam decided to deflect with a joke and took a step closer to the windowsill, where the cat was purring like a tractor.
“I think if he could speak he’d say ‘you’re welcome, Headmistress.’ Plus, just look at him, all blissed out under your caresses, he’s clearly grateful. You’re some kind of walking catnip.”
“I must be then, since I know of another kitten who also purrs under my fingertips.” Magdalene’s gaze, as she turned to Sam, was pure sex. Hot, debauched, unadulterated sex. Sam gulped as her mouth suddenly went dry and looked around to make sure the door was shut.
“Oh, now she cares about closed doors!” Magdalene gave the cat one last pat on the head and stalked toward Sam with all the deadliness of a cruise missile. “Now she cares that we’re alone in the room. Not five minutes ago when she might as well have declared her devotion for me from the highest rooftop, as she beat an asshole at his game, came out like the superhero that she is, and did so in the hottest possible manner, she did not seem to care one jot about us being alone...”
Sam stared uncomprehendingly and then decided that understanding was overrated. She licked her lips. Magdalene’s eyelids actually fluttered at the gesture, and she took the last step separating them.
