His Mistress

Twenty-Two: Her Break In

Athena

"Ow", Michelle complained. "A twig just got stuck in my hair".
I rolled my eyes. "Stop whining."
She pouted as she continued to follow me to the back window of the Dean's office.
We stopped when we reached the window.
Michelle smiled as she looked at us up and down wearing all black clothing and black boots. "Well, don't we look badass!"
Again I rolled my eyes.
"Can you pass me the crowbar"
She reached in the black duffle bag we brought with us and pulled it out handing it to me in my hands.
"So tell me why we didn't just go through the front door again?" Michelle asked.
"Because we're more likely to be seen picking the lock to his office door than breaking in through the back office window."
"Ohhhhhh."
I used force to get the window open with the crowbar.
"Finally," I said as I plied the window open.
I handed Michelle back the crowbar and used two hands to open the window more.
"Okay so what's the plan?" Michelle asked excitedly.
"You're going to stay out here and be my eyes and ears and I will get the information from his office." I said as I got ready to enter through the window.
Her excitement was replaced with disappointment. "I'm a lookout? That's so boring."
"Think of it this way," I said sliding through the window. "If I get caught you won't get into trouble. There would be no proof of you helping me..."
She smiled as she felt assured. "True. Do your thing."
"...unless you do something stupid," I mumbled under my breath.
"Huh?"
"Nothing, just look out. Make sure you look at the side of he building too just in case"
She nodded and I placed both feet on the carpet in the Dean's office.

I looked around the office. It was nicely decorated. The carpet was a dark maroon colour. His desk and cabinets looked like it was hand carved with mahogany wood. I only knew this because my dad had similar work done in his home office. The Dean's office walls were filled with framed pictures of him and his facility. Pictures with students who won special awards were hung up as well. His credentials. Awards he had won were also plastered all over the walls.

I walked towards his desk looking for some kind of picture of his wife or family to see if he too was cheating on someone at home. Nothing except for a baby picture stuck on the bottom of his computer screen. I yanked it off the screen. The picture was of a toddler sitting down on the ground near a picket fence picking daisies. Something about this picture felt familiar. Unsettling thoughts filled my mind. I attached the picture back to the screen and sat down on his chair. I looked in drawers to see if there were any other photos. I checked all of the drawers until I reached the bottom one, which was locked shut. I sighed.  I clicked the computer mouse and the screen turned on. It was password protected. Ofcourse it was.

I heard noises from the bushes, so I quickly looked out the window. It was Michelle fidgeting in the bushes.
"Michelle, you're making too much noise," I whispered to her.
"Well, are you almost done? I'm bored. Do you even need me as a look out? It's like a ghost town out here," she whined.
"Yes, give me a few more minutes," I said as I entered back in the office.
She was right. I wasted too much time trying to find out more information about who my mom was having an affair on my dad with. I had already two things I needed to get done. First, Levy's address. I looked around and found two very large sized cabinets filled with folders. One for professors and one for students. I quickly walked towards the one for professors. They were organized alphabetically by last names. I searched the files for Micheals.

"Micheals, Adam... Micheals, Franklin...Micheals, James... Micheals, Levy!"

I pulled his file out out the folder and opened it up. I glanced at his resume, his qualifications, his educational history. He had a pretty impressive background. I found his personal information page and stopped flipping.

" 22 AppleBerry Crescent," I said to myself.

I took a picture of the address. I wanted to know some more about him so I flipped to the next page. It listed his emergency contact person.
I began to read:"Julie Mich..."
I got distracted by the sound of keys at the front door.
"Shit!" I whispered as I crammed the file back into the folder. I was annoyed by the fact that I really thought Michelle could do something so simple as be a look out.
I quickly shut the cabinet and hid behind the desk praying he wouldn't come around this side.
The keys were inserted into the lock and it turned. My heart started to beat faster as the door open and the lights were flicked on.
"See I told you you would like that place," his voice said.
"Yeah you were right, you always are." It was a woman's voice.
I quickly put my hands over my mouth to cover my gasp.
I recognized the voice. It was my mother.
"So what should we do next?" The dean asked.
"I should really be getting home," my mother replied.
"Well if you must," he said as my mother giggled.
Ew.
Words were replaced by kissing and touching.
I felt myself throw up a little in my mouth.
They continued and I glimpsed at the window trying to see if I could spot Michelle.
I took out my phone, put it on silent then messaged Michelle.
Where are you? -Athena
My mother and the dean came closer to the desk. I felt motion over me. I heard the sound of a belt unbuckling.
Oh no no no.
I was about to witness my mother having an affair. Anger and disgust consumed me. I was definitely telling my father about this.
Moans escaped my mother's mouth. I had to get out of here.
"You like that don't you?" The dean groaned.
"Keep going," my mother moaned.
Where the hell was Michelle? I looked at my phone and there was no reply. I looked out the window and there she was talking to a guy just outside of the bushes.
You got to be kidding me. I didn't know what else to do. I called her phone and the sound of her ringtone went off. The window was still cracked so the sound invaded the room. I quickly hung up.
"You hear that?" The dean said as he stopped all motions.
I heard him zip up his pants and approach the window.
Shit!
I closed my eyes and repeated to my self. "Don't turn around, don't turn around"
"It's probably just nothing," my mother said. "Let's just finish"
"Hold on," he said still looking at the window. That's when he noticed the crack.
"My window is open."
"So. Maybe you left it open."
"I didn't," he said observing the cracked window more intently.
That's when Michelle's face appeared at the window and the dean jumped.
"Jesus.. Young lady, what are you doing in the bushes ?"
"Hi sir, dean. I-I um I uh..."
Oh my God, I thought to myself. Think of anything to say anything.
".. I lost my earring."
I hit my head. Stupid.
Her eyes widen when she saw me under the desk behind him.
"And I was just trying to look for it because my mom got it for me right before she passed away so you can imagine how much they mean to me."
"But you're wearing two earrings", the dean stated.
She felt her ears. "Yeah-uh no not these ones. My other pair. I lost them er-yesterday, sir."
"What were you doing in these bushes yesterday?"
My heart beats quickened. This conversation was not heading in a good direction. I needed to do something but I wasn't sure what. If I got up, he'd catch me. If not Michelle would get in trouble. Even if I didn't move, he could potentially still see me if he turned toward my direction.
"To be honest sir," Michelle continued."I was really drunk last night and I passed out in these bushes and when I got home I noticed they were missing. I-uh just though I would give it a try. "
She stared at him with pleasing eyes. Her face was still swollen. The stitches were still healing and there were twigs and leaves in her hair and on her clothes. She looked like a mess. This made the drinking story seem believable. He must have been thinking the same thing because he relaxed his composure and said: "Okay, just be quick, you're damaging the branches."
"Yes sir, thank you," she said glancing at me. I shook my phone so she would know to answer her texts and she nodded and left.
The dean shook his head and turned towards his mini bar which was in the opposite side of where I was. A sigh of relief.
"Kids these days," he said as he took a sip of his drink.
"Is she gone?" My mother came out of hiding.
"Did you see that young girl? What a mess."
"Yes I thank God I raised Athena to not be one of those girls," she said.
He sighed. "Have you told her yet?"
"No I have not and neither will you."
"When are you going to tell her?"
"Soon, I promise. I'm just waiting for the right time. You got to understand it's going to be hard for her. That girl loves her father..."
"Vicky."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I promise I will."
He went towards her.
"I should go now. I will see you later," she said as the door opened.
"I'll walk you out."
The door closed and I quickly got up and escaped through the window before he came back.
Michelle was standing by the side of the building.
"Oh my God!" She said as I approached her. "That was super close! I just lied to the dean. I thought we were donzo!"
I stayed quiet as my heart slowed down. My mind started filling up with thoughts of what had just happened.
"Athena!" Michelle shook me. "Are you alright? Did you get it? The information?"
"Uh no, sorry. He came in right when I was about to grab it."
"Oh," her face displayed disappointment." At least we tried, right?"
"No," I said. "I'm not done. I'm going back in tomorrow. We're not giving up this easily."
Michelle hugged me.
"Aw, Athena you really are a great friend. I really appreciate all that you're doing for me. You would risk getting in trouble again just to help me out. Thank you."
I felt guilty because I knew I wasn't doing this for her. There was more information I needed to get and I wasn't going to just wonder what it could be.

But at night that's all I did. I laid awake for hours replaying the conversation between the dean and my mother over and over again. What could it be? Did he want her to tell me about their affair? Why? Was she going to leave my dad for him? That's the only thing that made sense. Did he want me to meet him?
Ugh! I knew this was going to bother me that's why I needed to go back in.
I looked over at Michelle who was sound asleep. It amazed me how she could sleep through anything. I picked up my phone. No messages from Levy. I looked at the picture I took of Levy's address. 22 Appleberry Crescent. I looked up the distance from the university. It was an hour and 13 minute trip. Two buses.
I planned to go tomorrow morning.
I put my phone down and my body became exhausted and I finally fell asleep.