AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I know that life has luck, but so much seems predicated on what comes before. Do this right, you’ll gethere.
Now, everything I worked for could be over in asecond.
I need to call the associate dean, but my classes are starting and I don’t have achance.
This morning, my students demand my full attention, and their antics help me push aside my anxiety until lunch, when I make mycall.
“It’s Wes Robinson,” I say when heanswers.
“Wes, I told you I’d be in touch.” He laughs. “But I can’t blame you for being eager, Isuppose.”
I rub a hand over my face. “I got an email from my lab. About a data contamination.” He’s silent, and I rush on. “I know how to fix it. I’ve already followed up. They’re going to figure out what happened, and I’ll repeat any affectedexperiments.”
“Does it impact your forthcomingpublication?”
I wait a beat. “Yes. I’ve contacted the journal to see if they can hold off on publishing until I’ve made the amendments, but it’s already inpress.”
He curses. “They’ll have to issue a retraction. Everyone willknow.”
I feel as if a rock’s been lowered onto my chest, and I can’t get it off. “This was a lab issue. It wasn’t myfault.”
“You know that’s not how this works.” He sighs. “I’m going to have to tell thecommittee.”
“I understand. Is there a chance this will still workout?”
“Our other candidate is very competitive. It was close to begin with. So, I don’t see that happening, Wes. It’s a shame because you could’ve had a real impacthere.”
I hang up with the kind of numbness I’ve only felt once before—when I got the call from my mom that my dad had been given six months tolive.
I force myself to open my laptop and forward the email I got to the associate dean. He should know exactly what we’re working with. My fingers are clumsy, and after I do hit Send, I stare at the computer,sightless.
“Hard at work. That’s what I like tosee.”
The voice from the doorway has me looking up. “Dr.Crawford.”
The chair of the board is dressed in a dark suit, his graying hair catching the light from the window. His face is back tonormal.
“I see you’ve recovered from our boxing match,” I say, keeping my voicelevel.
He closes in on my desk, his eyes sharp. “How was your visit toSeattle?”
“There’s been a wrinkle in my plans to return toUW.”
His brows knit together. “I trust it’s nothing serious. I would hate to have you compromise your future for anything here. That’s why we didn’t want to wait until you got the official word to try to replace someone of yourcaliber.”
I shake my head. “It’s been a long couple of days. What are yousaying?”
“Since it was always the plan for you to return to UW after your father’s passing, we’ve already begun interviews. For yourreplacement.”
Laughter from the hallway pulls me in and out of focus on the man in front ofme.
He claps me on the shoulder with a broad smile. “I understand the debate team qualified for regionals. If the new teacher is half the debate coach you are, Baden will begrateful.”
He’s forcing me out.If I’d thought I was at rock bottom, turns out I waswrong.
Terry Crawford walks toward the door, his dress shoes squeaking lightly on thefloor.
And that’s the sound of my worldimploding.
