Lessons learned

2

Two months had gone by and somehow she had survived so far. Noelle was sitting on the beat up couch in the office as he finished up his last class of the day. She had finished the grading for the packet of papers he had left her. She had the list of things he needed and she had ordered them all for him. She was just sitting think what else she could do when the wave of drowsiness took over. That was the next stage of this she had heard though the doctor she had seen hadn't told her it would be this bad. She closed her eyes for what seemed like a moment and when she opened them he was at his desk reading something on the computer.
He glanced up and peered at her through his glasses which just made his eyes seem even more golden. "Noelle I really do think we need to have a conversation." He started. She sighed knowing that all her hard work and dedication to the job he was going to find out the reason she needed it and he would fire her.
"I really don't want to have this conversation professor." She sighed again, "I will pack up my things and will help you train my replacement."
"You're quitting?" He asked.
"I thought you would be firing me." She said.
"Why would I fire you?" He asked, "so far you have been the best assistant I ever had."
"But why did you want to have a conversation then?" She asked.
"Because your issues are becoming more prominent, Noelle. You have to say the words and I need to hear them so we can change some of your tasks." He said.
"Nothing has to change." She replied.
"Noelle." He said sternly as his eyes narrowed.
"Fine. I am pregnant. Fine are you happy now?" She sputtered out with tears in her eyes.
"Not particularly. Are you?" He asked, "hiding something like that has to be exhausting."
"It was." She said as she sat back.
"Where is the father?" He asked, as he raked his eyes over her.
"I don't know." She said softly.
"Now I have to admit that shocks me." He said as he sat back in his chair.
"I don't. I hate to say it but I don't know who the father is. It was a surprise for me as well." She said.
"Care to explain?" He asked with his fingers now steepled on his desk as he leaned forward.
"I really don't want to but I went to a party with a few friends last school year. I had one drink and then the next thing I know I am in my dorm room. Everything seemed fine but a few weeks later, well yeah." She shrugged.
"That unfortunately makes much more sense." He said softly. "What do you plan to do?"
"Finish the year. I'm on track to but as you already probably guessed I have been cut off from my family so I have to do this on my own. Hence why I needed this job." She said.
"I meant about the child." He said keeping his tone even.
"I know I had a choice in the beginning and everyone told me to take it I couldn't. It's mine, you know." She said shrugging, "I know it won't be easy but I will do whatever I have too to make it work."
He sat back and looked at her again his eyes giving nothing away.
"You need to rest more." He said, "I believe we should cut your hours."
"But I need those hours." She said. "Professor please. This job is me saving so I can get the things the baby needs."
"Will you promise not to work yourself to hard?" He asked.
"Do I have a choice?" She retorted.
"Noelle how far along are you exactly?" He asked.
"Five months." She said with a sigh. She didn't want to be here having this conversation with him but she knew she had too. He had surprised her with how observant he was. Picking up on things she liked and didn't. He had avoided mixing his meals around her.
"And you have no one?" He asked.
"No." She replied.
"No friends?" He asked.
"Professor why would that matter?" She avoided answering the question.
"So no, let me guess when you said something they all thought you were crazy and stupid. As they went to bar or something like that?" He asked. She nodded. She had made the hardest decision of her life and everyone around her had thought she was insane for making that one. "Admirable."
"What is?" She asked as the tears filled her eyes.
"You changed course without anyone instead you have worked hard and continued doing what you needed to to hopefully fulfill your dreams. That is admirable."
"Thank you." She choked out as the tears slipped passed her eyelids.
"Here." He said handing her a piece of paper.
"What's this?" She asked.
"My phone number. My cell number. You have no one else if you need to call me." He said as he looked at her, "Noelle you need to eat more as well. I know your money is locked up right now, let me take you out to dinner."
"Sir." Noelle started and then "Professor Akechi I'm not sure that is a good idea."
"Food." He replied, "you need to eat."
"Fine." She said softly not wanting to agree but things were tight and though she was eating it wasn't always the best option.
"I will pick you up in a few hours say six o'clock?" He said, "you are dismissed for the day."
"Fine." She said as she stood up and got her bag. It was Friday and she had to start the weekend somehow. She had given up the fun of going out and had to stay at her apartment most of the time. The noise from her various neighbors was almost as good as watching television. A dinner out would be nice even if it was with her boss. It wasn't like he liked her he was just being a thoughtful boss.

She walked out of the office and Mitsuhide Akechi sat back in his chair and wondered why he just did that. Noelle was the best assistant he ever had but there was something more about her. He was attracted to her the moment he saw her sitting on the floor by his office door and knew he was asking for punishment when he did hire her. He had started pitting things together about her pregnancy very early on. She often had a greenish complexion when food was brought up, her tiredness though she was working the job well was also becoming more evident ever day, in the past month though it was the changes in her appearance that sealed the deal. He wanted to find out who the father was and make sure he was doing his part in helping out only to find out there was none. This hard working woman who was cut off from her family had no one to help her and she was barely making it. He did admire her. He was envious as well.
He was even more attracted to her than he was before and now he knew it would be difficult to work with her. He never had a burning desire for a female before but knowing she wasn't even a regular college student and never one of his students allowed him to pursue her if he chose too. He could easily help her out and it wouldn't make a dent in his life but he wanted more. He wasn't sure what he wanted but it was just more than writing a check to her and calling it a day. He was eight years older than her and though until that conversation he had thought he was content to be alone as his colleagues were all getting married and having children he was sure he would remain alone that is until a certain female applied to work for him.
He stared to make plans in his mind. This dinner would be the catalyst for his next move either way. If it was a good one he would move on and if it turned bad he would just remain her boss and it seemed only friend.
"Knock knock" he heard from the hallway and looked up to see Professor Toyotomi one of his colleagues and he begrudgingly called him a friend though their friendship at best was strained.
"What do you want?" Mitsuhide asked.
"Came to see if you wanted to go out with the others tonight?" Hideyoshi asked.
"I have other plans." Mitsuhide said.
"Oh. Doing what?" Hideyoshi asked skeptically.
"My assistant." Mitsuhide countered.
"What?" Hideyoshi asked with wide eyes.
"I have a working dinner with my assistant, Miss Hanson." Mitsuhide said with a smirk. "What did you think I meant?"
"I mean she is a pretty girl." Hideyoshi replied.
"She is an adult you know. A graduate student getting ready to graduate but that is neither here nor there. Just a dinner to go over a few changes I made to the syllabus." Mitsuhide said his smirk growing. He knew how to get under his friends skin. Though it was perfectly fine for a professor and student to have a relationship Hideyoshi had numerous objections to the practice. This time he couldn't say much of anything if it did work out the way Mitsuhide hoped for it too she was never his student.
"Well if it is a working dinner." Hideyoshi said as he eyed the other man.
"Whatever else would it be?" Mitsuhide asked with a tone of innocence both men knew he didn't have.
"I could go on the dangers of getting involved in a relationship with a student but I have a feeling you just want to rile me up. Just be careful Mitsuhide, some of these women will do nearly anything to make sure they get an A." Hideyoshi said as he stood up.
"I am sure she has no desire for that type of A." Mitsuhide said with a laugh. "You do realize of course she is not my student nor has she ever been."
"Then how is she doing the work?" Hideyoshi asked as he turned to look back at Mitsuhide who was now standing and getting his papers to place in his computer bag.
"Thats the thing Hideyoshi she learned the course the first two weeks she worked for me. She never took my classes." Mitsuhide smiled, "she is a rather impressive young woman. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go get some things ready before dinner."
"Be careful though." Hideyoshi said as they parted in the hallway.
"I have nothing to worry about." Mitsuhide as he smirked again and he knew he didn't. Either way this dinner went he had nothing to worry about when it came to Noelle.