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Thatcher was amazed that anyone had children if they had to learn how to buckle a baby into a seat, then into the car. He was a fucking doctor with a doctorate in medicine, and he couldn’t get the sucker to work no matter what he did. Finally, he let Rogen do it.
“I’ve seen these things before, and I looked them up on the Internet for the best one.” In less than two minutes she not only had him buckled into everything, but the tarp like thing was covering him and the seat. “It’s not a tarp, Thatcher. Stop calling it that.”
“Well, that’s what it looks like. I have one like it on the back of my truck. It snaps on and everything too. I think I could have handled that part, anyway.” She kissed him and told him that she knew he could. “I have no idea why, but I think you’re humoring me.”
They drove home going the back roads. Neither of them minded, but it took them a great deal longer than it should have. As soon as they pulled into the drive and were carrying all the baby stuff into the house, Thatcher leaned against the post.
“Holy fuck, I’m a father.”
Instead of going inside, they got back into the car went to his parents. Neither of them could wait. And why should they have to? As soon as they pulled up in front of the house, Thatcher went inside. He wanted to check the mood of his parents, sure that this would brighten up their moods anyway.
“What’s up, son? Did Rogen kick you out already? I knew that I loved that girl. Oh well, Thatcher. You can’t stay here—” Dad looked at him then at Rogen, who was carrying everything. When Thatcher took the baby seat away from her, his dad stepped back a few steps. “Thatcher, is that a baby you got yourself there?”
Mom came in too then, drying her hands on a dishtowel. When she saw what he had, she stood back with Dad. It was almost comical, like they were afraid of him.
“Yes, Dad, it is. A son. We just adopted him. His name is James Thatcher Robinson. Jimmy? I’d like for you to meet your grandparents.”
Dad leapt forward. Mom came at the seat, crying. And once Jimmy was free of the seat, Mom, Dad, and the baby disappeared further into the house. Thatcher looked at Rogen when she laughed.
“I guess whatever mood they were in, it’s better now.” They followed the sound of cooing. “I do hope they don’t talk baby talk to him, Thatcher. I hate that crap.”
He didn’t point out that she’d been cooing at him since they picked Jimmy up, but Thatcher wanted to enjoy his child a little more. Rogen would hurt him, there was no doubt about that. Putting his arm around her, they watched his parents with Jimmy. Now they only had to tell her mom.
Chapter 13
Anna didn’t like the people in her lab class. She didn’t care for a lot of things, she thought with a small laugh. But they all knew that she was smart and hated to have her in the same class as them. With her grades, there wasn’t any need for a curve for the others to do better.
Not that she understood that. Why was someone being rewarded for not giving something their all? She worked hard. Anna had learned to do that from the start of her life. Nothing was for free, and people sucked the life out of you if they could. Not to mention money. God, would she ever have anything more than enough to squeak by on? More than likely not.
“All right class. It’s about time for us to end fall semester. I know that some of you have signed up for some of the classes offered during the winter months, and a couple of you have asked to be my assistant in the coming terms. The list is on my door.” Professor Long was a shit hole, and she didn’t care at all for his teaching methods. Nor did she care that he tried to corner every female in his office. Anna figured that she was just too old for him, thankfully. At thirty and in college, she thought she was a rare breed. “Miss Hayes, I’d like to see you for a moment. Could you please come to my office?”
“No.” She wasn’t afraid to tell him no. He was her teacher, not her father. “I have another class, and I don’t want to be late.”
The rest of the classroom filed out quickly then. Long sat on the corner of his desk when it was just the two of them. And when she started for the door, he did as well and locked it. Then he pulled down the shade.
“You have been avoiding me all term. That’s not very nice of you.” She shook her head and told him that she was leaving. “Not until I tell you so, you’re not. We have things to…discuss, you and I. Don’t you like me? I could say that I’ll help you with your grades, but you don’t need that, do you? And also, if you correct me once more in this room, I’m going to make life very difficult for you.”
“If you don’t want to be corrected, then get your shit right.” She looked at the door then back at him as he slinked his way toward her. “Mr. Long, you should be aware that I have taken care that I’m not helpless. Not only have I taken self-defense classes, but I’m carrying a gun with me at all times.”
“There aren’t any weapons allowed on campus, Miss Hayes, I’m sure you’ve been made aware of that.” She didn’t answer him, her mind franticly reaching out to any one she could find close enough to help her not have to kill this man by tearing his throat out. “You and I, we can have so much fun together.”
“No. I want you to back off and let me out of here.” She put her book on the first table she came to; her purse, nothing more than a pack around her shoulder, was put there as well. “I will kill you if you hurt me. I’m not shitting you. I’ve put up with enough bullies in my life that I’m not going to put up wit
h a piece of shit like you.”
He hit her, right in the face, with his fist. Anna went down just as someone answered her call.
Hello? Who is this? Why are you contacting me?
My name is Anna Hayes. I’m a tiger that is in this area under condition of going to college. I’m in room twenty-seven in the Waldo Building. Professor Long is going to rape me. He’s already hit me enough to knock me on my ass. The man told her who he was and that he was close. Please hurry. I’m—
This time his fist hit her in the belly. She not only couldn’t talk, but she couldn’t breathe either. Now he was on top of her, his greedy hands tearing at her clothing and her skin. Anna wasn’t going to be able to hold onto her tiger for much longer when she felt something coming, someone stronger than her. The she blacked out.
When she tried to open her eyes, all she saw was darkness. That made her panic, and a voice, soft and cultured, asked her to please lie still. Then he started talking to her, telling her where she was and what had happened to her body.
“Professor Long? He was trying to rape— Did he rape me?” The man said no, he’d tried but he never got that far. “I hurt. Everywhere. I’m a cat—you are too.”
“Yes. I’m Doctor Robinson. Everyone here calls me Doc Dawson.” She asked him to please tell her what Long had done to her again. “All right. But I’m going to tell you also that this is the third time I’ve told you. I want you to try and remember now. It’ll make me feel better about the head wounds that you have. You have a concussion and several hundred stitches in your head. I don’t know what he hit you with, Miss Hayes, but he must have hit you several times. Your jaw is cracked, but nothing a shift won’t heal. However, I’d rather you didn’t for a while. The police will need to see you as you are.”
