Chapter 13

The campus looked deserted of all people when Kurt arrived back at Funston College. The ride home had been a lonely one. Behind him there were his stool-pigeon words. They were a little cleansing. And ahead of him there was nothing but more loneliness and the separation of himself from the only girl he had ever loved.

Kurt drove directly to his cottage. After he cut the lights and the ignition, he remained in the car a few minutes, thinking of the scene he had left at Thelma Andrews' home, of the looks that had come to her face and that of Arthur Fleming. He smiled sadly. It was over. He had blown the lid off of Funston and its corrupt management. And, he had doomed his own future. Also, he had put his father in jeopardy by telling all that he knew of Funston. There was only one thing left to do two things, really, he corrected himself. He must go back and make ready to leave for home where e hoped he could explain all the circumstances to his father. A shudder soared through his body when he wondered if perhaps Thelma or Fleming were already on the phone doing their damage, conveying news to the old man that might this time kill him. He would have to take the chance, Kurt decided. Telephones were no good for anything like this. He would have to go to his father, face him, explain, try and convince him that for a little while he had been different, different in thoughts and attitudes, all different because of the love of a simple girl. And it was the girl that was the second thing Kurt had to do. He had to see Laura, tell her that he was leaving, and by doing so, leave her free so that she could find another. She had principles. Kurt knew that because she had made love to him, she belonged to him. He had to change all that.

Very tiredly, he pushed out of the car and into his cottage. He remembered coming into the place once before in the same manner. Then, he had found Laura waiting for him. Then, they had united in love. And now it would be dark and lonely.

Kurt did not turn on the light switch when he entered the cottage. Too much a reminder of lightness and brightness and Laura, he bypassed the light and moved directly to the small kitchenette where he would make a drink and hope that it would revive him from depression. He turned on the kitchenette light. He went to the ice box, took out an ice tray, broke the cubes free over the sink, clunked four of them into a glass, dashed the top of them with liquor, added water, stirred with his forefinger, then breathed deeply, lifted the glass and took a third of the drink.

He finished the drink standing up, leaning against the sink and feeling the drain exhaustion had taken of him. Then he washed the glass, turned it upside down on the drain board, and went into the other room.

Kurt packed slowly, knowing that once that task was completed he would have to see Laura, then leave her forever. He tried to keep his mind a blank as he packed, hoping that keeping thoughts from it would make losing Laura easier. It was difficult. But finally his bags were packed. Kurt placed them by the front door. He looked at them. They looked as sad as he felt. He looked away. Then he breathed deeply, moved toward the door, started to open it, then withdrew his hand from the doorknob when he heard a sound immediately outside. As he stood looking at the door, a light tap sounded.

He was not especially surprised that it was Laura who stood outside smiling at him when he opened the door. But the sight of her was a shock for her smile was bright and she looked the picture of total happiness. Kurt wondered how it was possible while he felt such heavy sadness within himself.

Laura stepped through the door and immediately crushed her body against Kurt's. He held her, but did not increase the pressure of their embrace.

"You didn't meet me," Laura said, drawing back and looking into his face. "I waited as long as I could, then decided to come and wait for you here. And I found you."

"Yes. I was was--"

Laura cocked her head to one side, then said, "Kurt what's the matter? Aren't you glad to see me?"

"I'm glad to see you, Laura," he said brokenly.

"You'd better be," she kidded. "And you had better kiss me this very second."

"Laura wait there's something I have to-to--"

"No excuses," she joked again, lowering her head and moving toward him as he backed away.

"Laura--"

She continued toward him, pretending to be an attacker who would not be delayed. But when she reached an angle of approach that made the suitcase come into her view, she stopped. She looked at them, then looked at Kurt. Her mouth opened in shock. Her eyes rounded. She looked at the bags again, then to the door, and finally at Kurt once more.

"Laura--" Kurt started to explain.

"You're going away," she said simply. "Is that what's wrong? You're leaving me."

"Not you."

"But you are leaving, aren't you?" she asked, the tone very hurt, very sad.

"Yes."

"Why, Kurt?"

He stepped forward and grasped both her hands. He squeezed them. Then he raised them and said, "Listen, Laura. You and I I we can't have anything for each other anymore. We I ruined it all."

"You ruined what we had together, Kurt?" she questioned.

"Yes," he answered.

She glanced at the floor. When she raised her eyes again she said, "You've found another girl, is that it?"

"No."

"Then you've had another girl, eh, Kurt? That's what happened."

"No it isn't," he protested. He dropped her hands. He looked deeply into her eyes, then said, "I've done some rotten things just a few hours ago, as a matter-of-fact. I'm through here at Funston I'm finished and because of the things I've done, the way I've been, you well, if you knew, you couldn't stand it, and so I'm leaving right now."

"What have you done, Kurt?" she asked.

"Rotten things. Despicable things. All of my life. For a little while it was different. But I'm something you should vomit over, not love."

Slowly her eyes lowered. Then they raised. And they were clear, much as if only a few seconds had brought them knowledge she had formerly not had.

"So you see, Laura," Kurt said. "I can't--"

"Is it because of the blackmail with the accreditation committee?" Laura interrupted. "Is that why you're going away? Is that why you're leaving me?"

A sweep of surprise coursed through him. "Yes. One of the biggest reasons, but how did you know? What how could you--"

"The story's all over the campus. Boy, oh, boy but the lid has been blown off dear old Funston U."

"It has?" he asked dumbly.

"Yes, darling," she said, her eyes showing love and confidence again. "And you, my beloved, are a hero."

"Me? Hero?"

"Because of the way you exposed Fleming and the others. The accreditation committee thinks you're the berries. As a matter-of-fact, one of the members put a call into me at the administration office they wanted to find your father so they could tell him what a fine son he has."

"My father a call me a good son Laura, you must be out of your mind."

"Completely," she said. "Out of my mind for loving you, Kurt." She advanced upon him again. He backed up.

"But a minute ago, you-, " Kurt started, then stopped.

"I thought you were leaving me," she said. "I even started to think that you had just pretended to love me in order to get to Fleming and Thelma and the others. But you didn't so--"

Laura moved toward Kurt. He backed up, his face still expressing surprise and uncertainty. But when he could back up no further and Laura was close enough for her breasts to whisk at his chest, that expression passed and another took its place. He quickly showed pure pleasure. Pleasure and love.

"So--" Laura said, letting the sentence hang.

"So we have to find a new college," Kurt said.

"True," she answered, raising her hands to his neck.

"And we have to how would you like to go and meet my father?" he said.

"I'd like that fine," she answered. "But--"

"But what?" he asked quickly.

"But not immediately," she said, smiling, raising her lips to his.

For a moment he smiled. Then he lowered his mouth to hers and was lost in the joy of her closeness, a closeness that would last forever, he had no doubt, a closeness that had made him change, mature, and know responsibility.

They held the kiss a long time. When they moved their bodies apart, they smiled, then with their arms around each other they moved toward the door of the cottage and the future that awaited them.