"Thanks for meeting me on such short notice, Professor Terr." Bonnie shook hands with her department head the next morning.
"My door is always open for my faculty members, Ms Rockwaller." The older man gestured for her to take a seat. "What is it I can help you with today?"
Bonnie paused, taking a moment to relax and calm herself. Theodore Terr had always struck her as being genuinely concerned for his staff, but he was in his late sixties; the product of an earlier generation. He might not be supportive. Still, I have to speak to him.
"I've always tried to keep my private life ... well, private." She began. Immediately, Professor Terr's genial expression grew more tense, and he reached for a notepad and pen. Bonnie managed a weak smile. "I guess that no meeting that starts like that is going to be good news, is it?"
"Unfortunately not." Professor Terr shook his balding head as he jotted down the date and Bonnie's name. He took a deep breath. "Please go on."
Well, there's no point dancing around it. "I'm gay." Bonnie said plainly. "It's not something I'm ashamed of, but I know that some people have an issue with it, so I've preferred not to be open about it." She paused, then plunged on. "Recently, one of my colleagues became aware of my sexuality when they saw me with my girlfriend." That wasn't really the right word to describe her relationship with Chahna, but it would do for her purposes. "Yesterday, that colleague ... expressed some inappropriate opinions about myself and a gay staff member from another department."
"Ah." Professor Terr pinched the bridge of his nose. His expression was one of discomfort, though Bonnie wasn't sure if that was a reaction to her sexuality, or to the wider implications of her statement. He was silent for a few moments as he jotted notes on the page, then he glanced up. "So ... do you wish to make a formal complaint about the matter?"
"No!" Bonnie's emphatic answer prompted an immediate look of relief from the department head. "Nothing like that. I just wanted to make you aware of the situation. And I thought ... well, that it might be a good time to re-issue the school's anti-discrimination policy to all staff. Perhaps with a comment about respecting our colleagues, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or sexuality."
"That ... sounds like an excellent idea." Professor Terr didn't quite meet her eyes, but he nodded his agreement. "Reminding everyone of the policies might serve to prevent you experiencing any further ... unwanted opinions."
Not to mention heading off any unpleasant public enquiries for the university. "Thank you sir."
Professor Terr wrote several more notes on the sheet of paper, then signed it and pushed it across the table to Bonnie. "Does this appear a fair and accurate representation of our conversation?"
The brunette scanned the page. "It does." She confirmed. She had her own written statement with her, covering the same points, but it seemed it wouldn't be needed. She picked up a pen and scribbled her signature next to Professor Terr's. She watched as the department head made a copy and initialed it, then took it when he offered it to her.
"For your records." He explained. "I'll ensure the anti-discrimination policy is distributed today, with the comments you suggested. I ... would also like to thank you for the discrete manner in which you have chosen to address this situation."
"Thank you, sir." Bonnie nodded. "I hope this will be the last either of us hears on the matter."
"A hope I share entirely." Professor Terr managed a wan smile.
As soon as she reached her office, Bonnie called Joss.
"How'd it go?" The Minnesotan answered the phone.
"Hello to you, too."
Joss chuckled. "Sorry. Hi. How'd it go?"
"Not bad." Bonnie nibbled her bottom lip. "The conversation obviously made Professor Terr uncomfortable -"
"Because yer gay?"
"Maybe. Or maybe he just felt weird talking about my sex life at all." The brunette shrugged. "I mean, I work for him. And he has kids older than me. But I gave him my spiel, and he promised to send out the anti-discrimination policy."
"Do you think he'll follow through?"
"Yeah, I do ... he was uncomfortable during our conversation, but he seemed more interested in making sure that the matter was dealt with quietly than anything else. Which is fine by me." Bonnie glanced at her class folders, now adorned with discrete rainbow flag stickers. "I'm not going to hide who I am anymore, but I'm not looking for special treatment. As long as people leave me alone, I'm happy."
"You want to be left alone?" Joss's tone became playful. "So, I shouldn't come over tomorrow?"
"Smart-ass."
"I do my best." The Montanan chuckled again, then grew more serious. "Ya know, whatever happens, I got yer back, right?"
"Yeah, I do." Bonnie smiled, then paused as her computer chirped softly. "And it looks like Professor Terr does as well." She opened the new email and scanned it quickly. "'As we've had a number of new hires over the holidays, I thought it appropriate to remind all staff of the need to show tolerance for all our colleagues, regardless of their race, beliefs or lifestyle'."
"Think Lorraine will get the hint?"
"I guess we'll see."
Whether Lorraine got the hint or not, it seemed she felt she had nothing more to say to Bonnie. The rest of the week passed without incident. If the brunette's other colleagues noticed the stickers on her folders, they didn't mention it. A few of her students clearly did notice, and Bonnie had to quell a few more whispered conversations in class than normal ... but with the exception of her family, the overwhelming response to her sexuality was calm acceptance. In a strange way, it was almost disappointing.
Three weeks later, Joss and Bonnie sat on the brunette's balcony, taking advantage of a spell of warm weather that had pushed the temperature into the sixties.
"Another awesome meal." Joss patted her belly in satisfaction.
"Thanks. Are you warm enough?" With the sky now dark, the air was definitely beginning to cool.
"On yeah." Joss assured her. "I'm hot-blooded, see?" She grasped Bonnie's hand and placed it on her forearm.
"Wow." The brunette raised her eyebrows at the warm skin under her fingertips. "You're not kidding."
"Reba used to say I was the best bed-warmer she'd ever had." Joss gave a half-smile, then glanced down at her arm. "Do you need to go inside? Your fingers are quite cool." The Montanan took Bonnie's hand between her own and gently chafed the skin to warm it.
"I'm perfectly happy here."
"Me too." Joss released her fingers and leaned back in her chair. "Wednesday night is my favorite time of the week."
"It's nice to know my cooking is so appreciated."
"It's not just about the food!" Joss protested. Then she caught sight of Bonnie's sly grin and snorted. "Okay, ya got me with that one."
"I look forward to Wednesday nights, too." Bonnie assured the Montanan. "And I guess it's especially welcome for you, since you've been working so many weekends lately."
"That's finally over, thank god." The auburn-haired woman gave a desultory fist pump. "The project's done. Signed, sealed and delivered. Now all Lou has to do is give the presentation at the conference next month."
"Conference?"
"The National Aerospace Conference. Officially, it's -" Joss paused to make air quotes. "- the 'foremost convention on space research and technology'." She smirked. "Unofficially, it's a bragging contest between us, the other NASA guys from Florida, and Uncle James's Middleton crew. That's why it's been so crazy since new year. New budget period; secret new project for the convention. Bragging rights are at stake."
"Ooh, testosterone alert. Rocket science is still a very male-dominated field, isn't it?"
"It is." Joss laughed, then wrinkled her nose. "But I gotta admit, I kinda get why Lou wants to kick Florida's ass so much. They think they're better than us, just because they get the launches. Like being at the right latitude requires some special talent."
"Sounds like the boys aren't the only competitive ones." Bonnie gave a laugh of her own, then took a sip of her peppermint tea. "So do you have any special plans for your first weekend of freedom?"
Joss shook her head. "Not really. You?"
"I need to do some shopping on Saturday morning, but other than that, not much." Bonnie wrapped her fingers around her tea, surreptitiously letting the cup warm her fingers. "Do you want to come over on Sunday? We can hang out, watch a DVD, whatever."
Joss gave an emphatic nod. "Yeah, sounds good. I'll bring the food, though, okay? I'll feel guilty if you have to feed me twice in one week."
"I guess that means we're having chili."
"That or take out, yeah."
"Actually, why not come over in the early afternoon and I'll show you how to make gumbo?"
Joss raised her eyebrows. "You want me to help cook?"
"I'm sure you can manage it."
"Yeah, of course I can." Joss waited a beat, then grinned. "I'm just sure we'll both fit in your kitchen!"
Author's Note: Happy holidays, everyone!
A relatively short chapter, but an important one in the course of Bonnie asserting her identity, I think. Plus I got to squeeze in another pun name. Gotta love the pun names.
Gotta love Amazon having a sale on "South of Nowhere" DVDs, too. All three seasons are now on their way to me :)