Chapter 48
Joey stormed down the hallways of his campus to the Dean's office, ignoring the calls from the receptionist telling him he wasn't allowed to go through. Throwing the door open, he slammed his ID badge down on the desk… "I quit"
The Dean turned in her chair and removed her glasses. She studied Joey's face and then the badge he'd slammed down… "Excuse me?"
"You heard, I quit" he informed her "I've got more important things to do with my time than be told I'm a waste of space. Now if you don't mind, I'll be going"
"Joey, shut the door and take a seat" the Dean replied softly. She was a friendly lady and there would be a greeting whenever she and Joey walked past one another in the hallway. Once Joey was sitting she got up from a seat and set the coffee machine into action, placing a steaming drink in front of him seconds later. "now… tell me what's happened"
He ran his hands across his face as he took a deep breath. He was so close to letting everything get the better of him. "Nothing you say will change my mind."
"Who said I was going to try and change your mind?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him "all I asked was why you're so intent on leaving. You've got promise, Joey, promise I don't see in my other students"
Joey scoffed… "Maybe you should tell Mr. Thomson that"
"Go on…" she replied
"He didn't have the emails you sent him, and he was more than happy to make me out to be a waste of space" he explained "he was plain rude and bang out of order"
"What was it he said to you, Joey?" she inquired, beginning to make notes
"He made me out to be hungover and not worthy of being in his lecture" he informed her "his exact words were "a waste of resources". I told him about what had happened, about the baby. He didn't do anything. Didn't even apologise"
"Is this the sole reason you want to leave?" she asked
"I don't like the course, I never have done" he admitted "I don't want to be in business, I want to be a personal trainer"
"Well that can be easily sorted Joey… there's nothing stopping us from swapping the course you're on." Joeys eyes widened as he sipped the coffee in his hand. Had he just been given a helpline for once in his life? "There's no need to look so surprised…"
"Why would you do that for me?"
"You might say this is selfish of me but when you enrol at my university, you have to promise to work hard and you do, so I'm giving you something back" she explained "university is partnership, Joey. So what do you say? Can I tempt you to stay if I promise you a move in courses?"
"It's not just that" he admitted
"Your partner and daughter?" she asked, Joey nodded in reply "believe it or not there are many students at this university who have children. We don't stick a label on your back for everyone to see. It's your choice as to whether people know or not. We will give you the support you need, whether it be time off or working from home, or if you ever need to bring your daughter in, we have a playgroup scheme. Anything you or…"
"Lauren" Joey filled in.
"Anything you or Lauren need, we are here. Do we have a deal?" she held her hand out across the table. "come on Joey… don't let one lecturer ruin your entire education "
After a long time of thinking and going through all the different scenarios in his head, Joey shook the Deans hand. "Thank you"
"Good. Now I'll be dealing with Mr Thomson, so I'd like you to go home for the rest of today. I'd like you in tomorrow morning at 10, bring Lauren with you and we can discuss options for you ok ?"
Joey nodded "We'll have to bring the baby?"
"I was hoping you would" she smiled "take care Joey and see you tomorrow"
*JL*JL*JL*
Back at the flat all was going smoothly for Lauren. She'd successfully bathed Amber, without Joeys help, and was playing with her on the mat in the lounge. She'd been coping extremely well, and was loving being a Mum. She had her panics now and then but all in all she was doing really well.
"Have you got a smile for Mummy?" Amber gurgled, reacting to the sound of Laurens voice, but she didn't quite make a smile. "Is Mummy not Funny? Wait till Daddy's funny face is home ay?" another small gurgle made Lauren smile. Lauren picked her up giving her quick kiss and then placed Amber back down but on her stomach. She'd been reading in her books that "tummy time" was really good for babies, she'd been doing it with Amber the last week and her daughter seem to enjoy it.
After about half hour, Amber began to get grizzly, "I think my little baby's tired ay?" she scooped her up and swaddled her in a blanket, beginning to pace from the kitchen to the lounge. She and Joey had discovered Amber liked movement, she wasn't a baby who'd fall to sleep if you just put her in the cot, she had to be rocked to sleep. It took a bout ten minutes before the murmurs evened out and Amber was fast asleep.
Lauren was in the living room, sat with Amber sleeping on her chest, when she heard a car pull into the drive. Tucking a blanket around Amber as she placed her into the Moses basket, she pulled the door to, taking the baby monitor with her.
"Hello, anyone home?" Joey questioned as he stepped into the flat.
"Shhhh !" Lauren proclaimed as she made her way into the hallway "Amber's asleep. What're you doing back?"
"Long story short, an argument with my lecturer first thing ended up with me quitting uni" he informed her
"What?" she asked, her eyes widening in shock
"don't panic...The Dean's convinced me to stay " he added "I'm changing courses too. We've got a meeting with her tomorrow at 10am"
"We?" she inquired as they made their way into the kitchen, Lauren pulling Amber's clothes from the tumble drier, beginning to fold them.
"Yeah, she wants to meet Amber and discuss options with me" he explained
"Options?" she questioned
"Yeah, about childcare if we ever need it" he replied "she's lovely. Told me I can work from home if I need to too"
"This is your Dean we're talking about, right?" she inquired
"You sound surprised?" he questioned
"I am" she admitted "Deans are normally all about education, not about the students welfare. I remember Bradley telling me about his. He was horrible from what I can remember"
"What can I say? This one's different" he replied with a shrug "do you want a coffee?"
"Please" she sighed as she moved the clothes to the worktop, fetching the ironing board from the cupboard "do we have any painkillers? I've got a right headache"
"Top cupboard" he informed her "how about you go and have a sleep? Now I'm home I can watch Amber, and the ironing can wait"
"Better cancel that coffee then" she chuckled and looked towards the living room"she's not been down long, there's a bottle in the fridge and…"
Joey placed his hands on her shoulders… "Stop worrying. I'm her Dad, Lo, we'll be fine. I might even do the ironing if you're lucky"
"I'm sorry, I know you will. It's just, I don't like being away from her" she admitted, leaning her head against his chest "I need sleep"
"Go on then" he replied "we'll be in the next room"