Loving Eleanor(BWWM)

Chapter Eleven

Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Date: November 15th, 1949
Name: Stephen Dale Curtis
Age: thirty-nine

The next morning, Dale had a game plan ready. He was going to show Eleanor how serious he was by bringing her flowers. It was cheesy in his mind, but he had to think about what a lady would like.

"Where is my binder?" Dale asked himself as he got ready to leave. He was leaving earlier than usual so he could get the flowers before heading to the university.

'ring, ring, ring,'

As he searched for the missing binder, he stopped and answered the phone. "Hello?" He asked while tapping his foot. He had no time to spend on the phone.

"Stephen, it's your ma. We need you to come home as soon as possible, it's an emergency!" Dale's mother, Annie-Mae, cried nervously.

Dale pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Are you alright, ma? Is it Dad? I'm catching the next flight out," He told her calmly. He didn't want to leave, but it was an emergency so Eleanor would have to wait.

"Just get here, please!" She exclaimed and hung up the phone.

Dale sighed and dialed the number of Yale's admin office. "Hi, this is Professor Curtis. I have a family emergency that I have to tend to in Jackson," He explained.

"We will have a substitute ready for all four of your classes. Have a safe trip, Professor." The lady said and he ended the call.

He was going home.

-

'I wonder where he is,' Eleanor thought as she watched the short and stubby white man walk in the classroom.

She wasn't going to show up to class today, but she decided not to avoid Dale. But turns out, he was gone so she had nothing to avoid.

"You all may be wondering where Professor Curtis is," The short and stubby man said once he was settled in. "I will be taking over his class for the next week, but he should be back before Thanksgiving." He explained.

Eleanor didn't want to admit it, but she already missed Dale. Though she was confused about everything that happened, she still wanted to see him.

"Professor Curtis explained that you were all going to have a test today, so let's get that done." He announced with a smile.

-

The class was now over, and Eleanor was walking home. She was ready to see her mother and watch a nice film with her.

"Mama, can we watch television and drink cocoa?" Eleanor asked as she walked through the door.

Mildred walked out of the dining room and greeted her with a hug. "Of course we can. How was class? Did you get to talk things out with Professor Curtis?" She asked as they walked to the kitchen.

"It was fine. He wasn't there, the substitute said that he'd be back before Thanksgiving," Eleanor explained and grabbed her mug and walked into the living.

A gasp escaped her mouth as she saw all of her so-called friends in the living room.

Michael stepped forward and shook his head. "I can't believe that you're still talking to that racist trash! You really must be a floozy!" He yelled with hatred in his eyes.

Eleanor's heart dropped, but she wouldn't let Michael get to her. "Y-!"

"Don't talk about my daughter and use such language in my house! You're not allowed to be around my daughter ever again!" Mildred exclaimed and pointed towards the door.