The Next Duke

One

"Would it kill you to attend the meeting sponsored by your department?" The College Dean causing the woman in question shock and and momentarily fright.

"Dean Rogers! You startled me!" She said with a heart on her chest. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

The English man who was old enough to be her father chuckled, he wanted to enter her office but the mess in it, books, papers and graded projects littered the floor. He was almost afraid to step on anything. He looked up and saw the woman blush. "I'm sorry about the mess."

He shook his head, "It's fine, I guess we should add another shelf  here."

She shook her head, "No, this is fine, really. This only happens each time a semester ends," she said and looked around her, to her eyes, it was an organized mess. "So, to what honor is this visit for?"

The man smiled, it was one of those victorious smiles he always had when he has good news. "The Chancellor approved of the program. You and the kids will fly to England at the beginning of the next semester."

The woman gasped, her round hazel eyes bugged out and then she groaned. "That's next week!"

Dean Rogers nodded, he knew secretly most of the students and faculty members called him Col. Sanders, he was a dead ringer for the creator of KFC. He had the height, built, skin color and hair color. He liked it but he kept that information to himself. The groaning woman before him was with him on this project since day one. As a matter of fact, she was the one who suggested the exchange student program. If this was a success, they could do the exchange every year. This woman is one of the best and he wasn't going give this to some professor who will work only for tenure. He wanted to see the passion and dedication like this woman always gave.

"Like I said, if you attended  the meetings, you wouldn't have this problem. We already have your documents. All you need to do is have a physical test prescribed by the embassy."

"But I just had my physical," she complained.

"Are you pregnant?" He asked.

The young woman grumbled her reply, "No," she said.

Dean Rogers sighed, he knew she wanted to get pregnant. But her boyfriend couldn't seem to cut the bill. "Then we have no problems, will we?"

She sighed heavily, "No."

"Lillian, it will come. You'll have the brood you want," her confidant said.

"Maybe I'm just mot fertile enough," she said quietly.

"Patient Lillian Francis Cortez," the nurse called out. "The doctor will see you now."

Lillian got up and entered the doctor's office. When she sat down she looked at the woman. "Well, congratulations, Ms Cortez, you are healthy as a horse and can fly out of here next week," the doctor said and put the file down. "Though you are thirty pounds overweight but you are very fertile."

Lillian looked at the doctor glumly. "Thanks, at least I won't have to be worried when I go to England."

The doctor looked at the woman with a gentle gaze. "Cheer up, little girl, when God knows you're ready, he'll give it to you," she handed the documents to her patient. "You can lose the weight if you really want to get pregnant.

Lillian paused, then sighed, "Thanks, have a good day." She left the doctor's office, her shoulders sagging.

The doctor raised her brows in confusion, she wondered if the young woman was aware that she was still a virgin.

Lillian looked at herself on the mirror. Tonight, she was going to tell him she was going to England for the entire semester and will be back the following year. She adjusted her blouse one last time and headed to the kitchen. They were having dinner that night at home given it was a weekday.