The only word I could use to describe the situation was 'terrible'. Louise had caught us newly fucked and naked. There she stood by the door with her hand on her mouth as if it was the first time a Professor had seduced his student. Her cool blue eyes swept over our nakedness with such condemnation that I could have curled up in a corner and died. Rooted to the spot I felt a hot blush heat up my body and I stared at the floor hard, willing it to open up and swallow me in.
Dan seemed to realize my feelings as he gently pushed me behind him and stared at Louise. To her I was just a fly on the wall, her prey was Dan. They stared each other, each unwilling to back down, each unwilling to give away the territory covered.
The silence in the room screamed in my ears and tears gathered in my eyes. I had done nothing wrong I reminded myself. But I knew that this could have meant the end of Dan's career at the University and I would never be able to live the scandal down. With trembling hands I clutched the clothes closer to my body but couldn't bring myself to wear them. It seemed as if even a slight movement would have exploded the room and ripped us apart limb to limb.
Unable to stand the thick undercurrents in the room I noisily cleared my throat and broke the face off between the two. Louise blinked and looked at me. Her shrewd eyes seemed to burrow into my soul and made me feel like a cheap whore. I stared at my crumpled clothes and tears of shame streamed down my cheeks.
I heard a sigh and looked up to see Louise's expression soften. She shook her head at me slightly and then said to Dan "I will leave you two alone to get dressed then we need to talk".
She then walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.
Unable to stand anymore I sank down on the nearby chair and covered my face with my clothes. Dan knelt down next to me and tipped my chin up but I kept my eyes closed.
Kissing away the tears from my cheek he gently said "Hey it's not that bad."
I opened my eyes to see him look a bit pale but quite composed.
Unable to hold the flood of emotions I stuttered "If this gets out it might damage your career."
Laughing under his breath he asked "Well we can avoid the damage to my career if you marry me."
I stared at him too surprised to reply to his outrageous statement.
He smiled at me and said "No? In that case I will just have to kill the old bird." It was then that I realized that he was joking. I gave him a shaky smile and stood up along with him.
Kissing me on the forehead he said "Louise isn't all that bad. You'll see. Now let's get dressed and face the dragon."
As we got dressed I thought of what might happen. Would Louise give us a run down or a cold treatment? My mind drew a blank and my body seemed to run on adrenaline. Taking in a deep breath I looked at Dan.
He touched my cheek and said "Ready?"
Louise was standing near a window smoking a cigarette. In the fading light of the dying sun she looked younger than her age. Pale golden rays of the sun glistened on the golden strands of her hair and her gaunt figure was softened by the lengthening shadows.
We walked up to her like guilty children. She turned and looked at us from head to foot. Raising an eyebrow she said "Why don't we talk over a cup of coffee. It's been a long day for all three of us and I'm sure you two must be more tired than me."
Not waiting to get a reply from either of us she turned and briskly walked towards the University Cafeteria. The Cafeteria was crowded as usual, looking around Louise was quick to find an empty table and marched over there and we followed.
Sitting down we stared at Louise who seemed to bide her time. She picked up a salt shaker and twirled it round and round on the table. Unable to meet her eyes I stared at the shaker and the noise it made grated my nerves. We were little insects in her web with no where to run.
Dan gently squeezed my thigh under the table and spoke to Louise "So what can we do for you Louise?"
Settling back on her chair she folded her arms in front of her chest and said "Why don't you tell me Dan? You know it's not ethical to sleep with a student."
Dan gave her a feral smile and answered in a very calm voice "No Louise it isn't and it isn't ethical to sleep with a fellow Professor who is married."
That caught my interest. I began to realize why Dan hadn't been shitting bricks back in his study. He knew things about Louise which she wouldn't want to be public. This was turning into a deadly game and I seemed to be a pawn in it.
Intrigued, I stared at Louise whose eyes had widened just a bit and her thin lips clamped down in a thin line. Feeling the weight of my stare the old bird looked at me and said rather sweetly "Katie why don't you get some coffee for us while Dan and I have a little chat."
I felt rather miffed, being dismissed like a school girl but then I couldn't make a scene which would have made me look immature.
With a huff I got up and went to the ordering counter. After ordering coffee I turned to stare at Louise and Dan. Their heads were bent together and they seemed to be in deep conversation. I would have given an arm or a leg to know what they were discussing. But I knew that I would be kept out of the Teaching staff politics. There was no reason for Dan to fill me in either just because he had fucked me.
When I returned from the counter with a tray of coffee and cookies the tension on the table seemed to have dissipated. On my approach they both smiled at me and I was dumbfounded. What happened in those five minutes? What had they discussed with brought about such amicability?
I had been on an emotional roller coaster the whole day and this was the last straw.
Putting the tray down I sat down next to Dan and asked "So is everything is all right?"
Louise arched a well defined eyebrow and said "So she does have a tongue."
Dan chuckled and replied "Oh don't get her started. She has a sharp tongue and a temper to match it."
Louise laughed and said "Well Dan you never did go for the bimbos. Even if it was frivolous sex."