A Bittersweet Romance

Those days, Beverly slept in her room, with the baby in the bassinet, and I slept in my room, and family members were coming and going at all hours. We didn't talk about that night Carla died at all. I wasn't even sure how I felt about what had happened; I still had no idea what her feelings were.

Finally, the last family members left. Dori, was the last to say goodbye. "Whatever you need, call me," she said to me. "Beverly, are you going to be taking any classes?"

She hesitated. "I'm going to stay right here with Ken, and watch Rita Joan while he teaches. That is," she said, "if he wants me." That got her a hug from her Mom, who apparently didn't even bat an eye at the idea that Beverly was going to live with her uncle, and care for her aunt's baby, her cousin.

Dori hugged me, hard. "You be good to my baby, and yours."

I looked at Beverly. I hadn't even thought about the approaching Fall semester. "Of course I want your help, Beverly. I love having you with me. But are you really OK with watching Rita Joan while I teach?"

She came over, put her arms around me and kissed me. "Of course. We'll have to work out the details." She looked me in the eye. "If we put a travel crib in your office, and if I cover, say, 20 hours, including all the hours you are in class, would you be able to make it through the semester?"

"Beverly, you are wonderful. What did I ever do to deserve you?"

She looked at me. "You treat me like a whole, beautiful, desirable, woman, and you have from the very first time we met. And, you came highly recommended and approved by my aunt, who's more like my sister. And, I guess I'm just a softie for a cute itty bitty little baby. So count your blessings."

She hesitated. "As long as I'll be on your campus so much anyway, I applied. I figure I can take some classes there. You don't mind, do you?"

"Why would I mind? I love having you around. We'll work it out, OK?"

She smiled at me. "Everybody's gone now, and the baby's asleep. I think I'll grab a nap, and later, we can talk, OK?"

I nodded, hoping she was thinking of talking, not having 'a talk'. Some of my male friends warned me to be careful when the lady wants a 'talk'.

I saw a car pull into the driveway, and someone got out. It was the Provost's assistant, Jane. She seemed like a nice person, but I didn't want anyone waking Beverly until the baby woke. I went outside to talk to her.

"Ken," she said, "good to see you. How are you?"

"Well, Jane, given that my wife died shortly after giving birth to our baby, I guess I'm doing about as well as I can be."

"I heard. Do you like hugs?" I nodded, and she gave me a brief, but professional hug. I noticed she had a letter in her hand.

"Listen, Ken, I hate to bother you at such a time, for something that I'm sure is nothing at all, but the admissions director noticed something, and the boss wants to know what's up."

"Ok, shoot."

"The director of admissions saw your address on the application of a student. You are not old enough to be her father, and she wasn't your wife. The name's Beverly. Who's she?"

"Beverly is my niece, daughter of Carla's sister. She's been a godsend helping through... events. She's going to be helping with the baby, and she thought she'd take some classes."

"Oh," she sighed, "she's your NIECE. Well, technically, there's a violation of policy here somewhere. Students are supposed to live in the dorm unless they are living with their parents. And you aren't here Dad, you're her Uncle. And there is a policy forbidding..." she actually blushed "too close an association between a faculty member and a student at the college. But if she's your niece, it's not like you are ... cohabiting with her, or anything. So you are saying it's a family thing?"

"She is my niece. My wife invited her to come help. She has been wonderful. She agreed to help me care for the baby. I fail to see where there is a problem here." 'Except', I thought, 'for the part where I slept with an incoming student at the college where I work, and I doubt they will excuse me for moral turpitude just because it was my niece I slept with.' I frowned. Fortunately, I was too irritated for a blush to show. "It is DEFINITELY a family thing."

"well, I'm sure it is all perfectly innocent, then. I'll see if we can get a waiver on living in the dorm. Here, just throw this letter away."

"You sure?"

"Yes. It was based on a ... misunderstanding of the situation. I'll explain it."

"OK. "

"See you on campus soon?" I nodded. I watched her drive away. I tossed the letter on the table. I thought it might be a good idea to read it anyway, but not right then. Right then I had something more important to deal with. I heard the baby stirring, and if I hurried, I might be able to pick her up before little Rita Joan woke Beverly.

I snuck into the room without knocking. I scooped my dear little baby out of the bassinet, shushing her, so she wouldn't start crying. I honestly was thinking about the baby, not about entering Beverly's bedroom without knocking. But then I saw Beverly's dress in a heap on the floor. And the rest of her clothes, were right next to the dress. She was laying on the bed, not even covered by a sheet. And she was a vision of loveliness.

I knew, of course, about her hair and her freckles, and I had kissed her often enough, I had actually grown quite fond of her unusual nose. The night my wife had died, I was distracted, and it was totally dark. I had seen nothing. Now, I saw everything, and I felt pity for all those men who had dismissed her because of her nose.

I also knew that I would be busted. If I put the baby down now, she would cry before I got her down to the mattress. If I took her out of the room, Beverly would know, when she woke up, that I had been in there. I hoped my desire to let her sleep would count more than my invading her room when she was nude and asleep, and I took the baby out.

I read that letter, and it was infuriating. It was a form letter, about the importance of not having 'inappropriate relationships' with students at the college. With the baby in my lap, I made it into a paper airplane and aimed at the waste basket. I missed, of course. I'd get it later. It was baby time, now.

Beverly gave me some weird looks over the next few days, but she never brought up my invading her privacy, nor did she mention her visit to my room the night Carla died. Since when we were both awake, one of us usually had a baby in hand, it was a while before I realized she was not initiating hugs. I wasn't sure if she was upset with me, or trying to establish a distance, and I stupidly did not ask. I stepped up my compliments to her, and brought her some little presents, hoping to show her I appreciated her as much as ever.

The semester started before I was really ready. Thank goodness for Beverly. She watched the baby while I taught class, took classes herself, and was incredibly helpful at home. She very carefully called me 'Professor', never Ken, when we were on campus. (She never did call me 'Uncle'.) I certainly don't think I took her for granted, but in hindsight, perhaps I did not show her enough appreciation for what she was doing. I was barely making it through each 'now' in turn; I was not talking about or thinking about the future beyond the next task.

I was surprised to see Dori walk into my office one day. "Um, Dori, nice to see you, but... to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

She looked at me. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt. I told Beverly to cut you some slack, too. Beverly doesn't know I'm here, and I know her last class just started. Can we talk?"

"Um, sure," I said. She got up and shut my office door. ( I winced inside, because I had one been reprimanded for having the door shut while a female student asked for advice. Even though she had asked for it to be shut, I was the one who caught the reprimand.)

"Tell me about this policy about professors having too close a relationship with students."

"What? Professors aren't supposed to get too close to students, so the relationship doesn't affect grades and stuff. Why?"

"What about Beverly? Do you feel she is close to you?"

"Well, yes, but, since she's my niece and all..."

"So, because she's your niece, she isn't close to you? She's just a helper, not someone you care about?" She was beginning to sound irritated.

"No, Dori, you have to understand. Beverly is my best friend in the world right now, and not just because she takes care of the baby and the house. I think she's wonderful. They made an exception for her to live off campus because she was my niece and helping with the baby."

She sighed. "Beverly thinks you have been keeping her at a distance because you aren't supposed to get too close to students." I'm afraid my mouth dropped open. "She found a letter in your house. She wasn't sure what the situation was."

"Ken," she continued, "if I didn't love you, I'd slap you silly right now. Beverly says the night Carla died, you and she were very, very close, but not since then. Do you know what she means?" I nodded. I did know, and I hoped Dori didn't.

"Let me ask you this. If you re-marry some day, what kind of person would you want for a wife?"

I opened my mouth to same something trite about maybe someday I would find someone I could love as much as I had loved Carla, but instead what came out was "I want to marry Beverly and make her my wife." At that moment, I realized it was true.

"Now, is that a problem with your college policy, Mr. Proper Professor?"

"I don't know. There's an exception for 'wife' in the rules. She's already listed as my 'niece'. I'm not sure what they'd do if I announced my niece has become my wife." I thought for a minute. "And if they give me a hassle, I'll just have to find a new job, that's all."

I looked at Dori. "Dori, I just wasn't thinking. I can't believe how well you've helped me bring things into focus. Can you do one more thing?"

She was looking happier, and nodded at me, satisfied. "What?"

"Take care of Rita Joan tonight; I need to take Beverly out somewhere special."

"Good man," she said.

"So," said Beverly, "Was Dori REALLY OK with watching Rita Joan so that you could take me to the top of a water tower?"

"She doesn't care about the where," I answered, honestly. "But she wanted me to take you out."

"So, I love the view and everything, but why a water tower?"

"It's kind of symbolic," I said. "Dori helped me get a clear view, and from the top of the water tower, you have a clear view of everything."

"It is beautiful," she answered.

"And I have a perfect view of what I want."

"You silly boy. You aren't even looking at the view. You're looking at me."

"I know. I am looking at forever."

"What?"

I dropped down on one knee, and pulled a small box out of my pocket. "I want you to be mine, forever. Will you marry me?"

"This is so sudden," she said.

I stood up. "Take as long as you need to think about it. I'll wait. You are worth waiting for."

She stood a minute in silent thought. "Ken," she said. "If I become your wife, would I be covered by your health insurance?"

"Yes," I said.

"Does your health insurance cover cosmetic surgery?"

Another piece of the puzzle fell into place. "Beverly. Maybe it covers, maybe it doesn't, I'd have to check. But I want you to know this. You are beautiful the way you are. I love kissing you, the way your lips are now. I would be proud to have you as my wife, just as you are now. Please do not even think about changing your beautiful face on my account. I love YOU."

"Yes, I will marry you," she said, and pulled me in for a kiss.