Chapter 11: The Leave

Barbara Brown's POV

After last night, I got early to school when I was about to meet with my advisor, Prof. Carol Swift as I will be leaving for the field trip with Brandon Cornwall. It was a nice feeling since I have been waiting for this moment.

I went to the city as I took the subway to my university. I mean you can go by bus but the subway was one of the options. Since I was leaving early, the subway was the answer since the bus will be here until 8 AM.

I stopped at the station that was directly for my uni before I went out into the street and I was walking toward my department. The weather was nice as there has not been a summer storm right now.

I walked to the third floor for my advisor's room and I was looking for anyone in the department. It was empty as I was trying to look around. I looked at the watch. It was not 8 AM yet. Carol might not be here yet.

"Barb!" Someone called me and when I turned to look at who was it, it was none other than Silas, Lea's ex. I think I wanted to punch his face right now. But I smiled as politeness for society.

"Fancy seeing you here. What got you here early in the morning?" He asked as I was looking at him lazily. I felt like I don't want to answer it but he was staring at me, I sighed.

"I have a meeting with my advisor," I said as he nodded at me.

"Was it about your proposal?" He asked and I nodded. I heard distinctive heels before I looked in that direction. It was Carol as I smiled at her. She was beaming at me. Even at 35, she was a sunflower. I bet her husband was very lucky to have her.

"Barb, nice to see you. Silas, I thought you have something to talk with your advisor as well," she said as she turned to look at Silas. He nodded before excused himself as I was following Carol to her office.

"God, he stinks," she said after I closed the door. I laughed. I think Carol did not like Silas after all.

"Well, what can I say? He did not shower at all,"

"I felt sorry for Max," she sighed before we were going on our proposal and my letter to go on the field trip that I managed to secure with Brad last night. He has sent it onto my email and I have forward it to her.

"I think everything was in order and I think you can give your proposal for me after the field trip. How long was it again?"

"3 weeks at the most," I said as I was nodding at her. She read my approval before she smiled at me. She gave me the letter and I was looking at the internship approval from Brad. The night from before flashed in front of my face as I was trying to control the heat on my face.

"Are you okay, Barb?" Carol asked me before I smiled at her.

"Of course, why would I not? I will finally be on the field trip and I will be discovering new minerals. This is insane, sorry," I said as I was looking at her. She was smiling before I excused myself and I went to prepare for my class.

If you don't know yet, I was teaching mineralogy for the undergrads and I think I have to prepare for the samples for the lab right now.

I was humming as I was putting the samples on the table before my phone rang. I went to the table to pick up my call and I don't even look who was calling.

"Hello?" I asked as I was looking at the samples in front of me, trying to arrange it in order.

"Well, you sound happy this morning," Brad said as I was looking at the clock. It was hardly 9 AM right now. I sighed as I was rubbing my temple.

"I see that you have nothing else to do at 9 AM,"

"I wanted to know what you do this morning. I thought you were still in bed," he said as he chuckled at his comment. I rolled my eyes as I was annoyed at him.

"I see that you seem to forget I have to pay for tuition and my trip to the Bay Area on my TA payment, which is not much," I said as I just realized why I was saying this to him. Of course, he did not understand.

He was a fucking millionaire.

A silence fell before I was looking at the window as I was seeing some of the people were walking around in the courtyard and I was sighing while rubbing my face with my hand.

"What do you want, Brad?"

"Have you put away the ring?" He asked as I looked at the bare finger of my left hand. So he was curious to think that I might be wearing that stupid ring again. I scoffed.

"I have put it away for good. It will not do good if it was lost in the dirt and I wonder how much it cost," I said as I was trying to mock him. He just chuckled and my stomach flipped.

Damn him!

"Good, I don't want my money to go to waste with you being careless in the field," he said as he was speaking with me. I sighed before I was looking at the time. It was almost time for my class.

"Look, I have to go. I talk to you later," I said before I was hearing his laughter.

"I see you later, dear," he said before I was recalling what he called me.

Dear.

I think my heart just exploded by that notion alone and I think I was smiling in my state of going to the table before I settled to do my work before my class.

"Okay, good morning. How are you guys?" I greeted the students as they were settling for the first class of summer.

"So, sadly, I will be leading a field trip for about 3 weeks but don't worry, you guys will have someone to replace me but I just wanted to let you know that, I don't expect anything from you guys," I said before the students laughed and I was smiling at them.

Brandon Cornwall's POV

I looked at the phone that I just put down on the table. I was sipping the coffee when I was getting ready for my meeting with my friend, Alex. It seems that he was feeling down. But I will be there to comfort him if he needed it.

"Ah, what a nice friend I was," I said as I was recalling the feeling of Barbara looking at the ring that I made for her. I know it was for show only but her face was softened and I think I wanted her to wear it all the time.

Pfft, to be dreaming of that. What a joke!

I was looking at the city of New York and I was feeling a little longing. The registration has come from Sabrina who picked up when we were at the city in San Francisco before we flew back to NYC.

I can feel the weight of it in my drawer as I was trying to forget that feeling that was tugging at me and told Barbara what I wanted out of her.

But you made a term that you will look for someone else to fulling your needs. I sighed. I don't even know why I was having those written when I can't even be with anyone else but my wife.

I was an idiot.

I need to think more carefully after this and went that moment came, I will seize it. I just have to.

Those brown hair that I wanted to feel between my fingers.

Those amber eyes that were staring at me.

I sighed as I know that I was kidding myself when I say that I will find my fill elsewhere. I know it was nothing, just a jest to keep her at arm's length.

But I don't think I can do that anymore.