Adam Blake - 33. Chapter 33

Billy took a nap on the way home. I didn’t stop at the diner but drove straight to the cabin. I was tired, it would be an early night for me.

The next morning we ran through the woods. “We should build a running trail through these woods. It’ll be cool in the morning to run among the trees.”

“That would be a good summer project, careful of that root.”

“Yea and I could help you.”

“Yes, you could. Maybe we could get a few of those city boys from the school to help.”

“Are you going to take the job if it’s offered?”

“What do you think I should do, if offered?”

“I know the choice is yours but if I was offered a job there I’d take it.”

I smiled as we finished our run and started our cool down. “I’ll race you to the lake.”

“No, I’ll walk you to the lake. We just cooled down and we should let the muscles relax. Come on a walk will feel good.” It wasn’t far if we did run, but I think my age or the lack of a good night's sleep I didn’t feel like another run. The lake water was cold but felt very good against my hot sweaty body. We swam until Mom called us for breakfast.”

Showering and dressing for the day, we sat down for breakfast. Dad asked about the interview, we talked about it, Mom asked Billy what he thought, That was opening a pandora’s box because once Billy started talking it lasted until the end of breakfast. I just looked at him and shook my head. Billy has changed so much since I first met him.

“So Billy you’d like to go there?”

“You bet Gram, I’m sure the classes would be the same but think about learning about another country or language from a person who lives there. It would be better than reading about it in a book.”

“I smiled as Mom’s eyes lit up when Billy called her Gram. She’d spoil my kids to death. I wonder if I took that job could I get Billy enrolled. What would Bill and Jennifer think and poor Scotty, he'd be lost without his big brother? Complications, life is always full of complications.

Today was our last day, tomorrow we go home.

In the morning, I loaded the car while dad closed up the cabin. “Adam, let’s stop at the diner for breakfast. It’ll give Billy a chance to say goodbye.”

I just smiled at my mom, she’ll make a great grandmother.

When we pulled into the diner, Billy’s smiled extended from ear to ear. He looked at me, I winked at him. As soon as the car stopped he was out and in the diner before Mom and Dad had gotten out of the car. Scotty took my hand as we walked into the diner. I looked and couldn’t see Billy. Ann’s mother showed us to a table and dropped off the menus. I was looking at the menu when someone sat down next to Scotty. I looked and it was Marie. “Good morning, it’s nice to see you before we leave. I insist on paying for your breakfast.”

“No, you can’t get off that cheap. How was the interview?”

I had to tell her all about it, Mom just kept smiling. I knew what she was thinking. Billy came and sat down beside Dad across from Marie. He looked at me and winked. The little devil.

Ann came and squeezed in next to Billy, it looked like a tight fit but the smile on Billy’s face said he didn’t mind at all.

After breakfast, I paid our tab, including Marie’s, and we walked outside waiting for Billy to say goodbye to Ann. “Thanks for breakfast Adam.”

“I appreciate the opportunity and I thank you for coming to say goodbye. I’ll give you a chance to pay me back.”

“When will you know about the teaching job?”

“I’m not sure. They said they would notify me by mail in the next few weeks.”

“If you take the teaching job, where will you live?”

“I’ll probably have to live near the school although I expect to spend weekends at the cabin. It’ll offer me a break from the school and students. A little peace and quiet will be nice.”

“When is your book going to be released?”

“The publisher said in a few weeks, probably at the beginning of next month. Here comes Billy we should be getting along. It’ll be a 7-hour drive back.”

I was surprised, my Mom was ecstatic when Marie kissed me on the cheek along with a wink. Mom saw the kiss and Billy saw the wink, I knew I’d hear about this on the way home.

“I waved goodbye, I saw Billy blowing kisses to Ann. I just looked at him, he whispered, “We can double date.”

I started to laugh, Scotty wanted to know what was funny, Mom and Dad looked at me. I wasn’t sure if I should say anything but before I opened my mouth Billy opened his. “Gram, I told Adam we could double date.”

The look on Mom’s face was priceless. She whispered something to Dad and he smiled.

I knew there would be a discussion between them tonight. They’ll have the kids' names already picked out and the number as well.

I stopped for gas and lunch at a small restaurant along the interstate. When we resumed our trip home, I let Billy drive. He was all smiles as he pulled into his driveway. Bill and Jennifer came out to greet us. Scotty took off as soon as he was out of the car, he jumped in his dad’s arms and then squirmed until his mom had him.

We had to go and have a coffee before Mom, Dad, and I headed home. Bill asked about the school, I didn’t have much to tell him as Billy began telling him about the kids he met. I just sat there and listened. His phone rang, and while he went to answer it, I told them about the school and my mix-up with names. Bill thought that was funny.

“What are you going to do if they offer you the job?”

“I’ll probably accept if the money is right. I still have my teaching job at the university so it isn’t like I need a job.”

Bill looked at my dad, “Dad. what’s the cabin like.”

I began to laugh, Dad’s expression was priceless. He looked at me and then Mom. We started to laugh and waited for his answer. “It’s very nice. If you can get off we can go up next weekend.”

Billy heard that as he entered the kitchen. He smiling. “If you come up you’ll get a chance to meet Billy’s latest heartthrob.”

Billy’s face turned red as we all laughed. Mom hugged him.

We didn’t go up the next weekend, Bill had a conference to attend but we did make plans on a trip the following weekend. I contacted my boss at the University and brought him up to date on my interview. I didn’t mention the name mix-up. He was quite enthusiastic about the position and said he was sure they would make an offer.”

“It was almost two weeks to the day when a letter arrived from the school. They did offer me the position at twice my current salary, including on-site lodgings and the opportunity to publish. I called my boss at the university, told him about the offer, he advised me to turn it down saying the salary wasn’t in line with current rates for Academic Directors. He also told me what an acceptable salary would be.

I wrote back to Dr. McMillan declining the offer. Three days later I got a phone call from Dr. McMillan. “Adam, we were surprised that you turned down our offer.”

“Dr. McMillan, I would have accepted the position if the salary was in line with the responsibility. I believe I told you that I’m currently employed by my university. The salary you offered would be met by my university after the next term as a normal sequence of salary adjustments.”

She thanked me for being forthwith concerning the proposal.

I thanked her for the call. After a cordial goodbye, we terminated the call.

At dinner that evening, “Adam, Mom said you received a letter from the school.”

“Yes, they made an offer but I turned it down.”

“Because?”

“The salary wasn’t in line with the responsibility. I talked to Henry back at the University, he advises me to turn it down. He said for that school to offer that salary was unheard of. He told me I’d be making that salary at the end of next term as a matter of routine salary adjustments. He also gave me a ballpark number that would be in line with that job.”

“Have you talked to them?”

“I sent a response declining the offer. Today I received a call from their Director of Personnel and Student Affairs asking why I turned them down. I told them and now the ball is back in their court.”

“Aside from the money, how do you feel about the school.”

“I’d like to work there, but I don’t want to be taken advantage of by accepting a low salary. That school educates the cream of the crop, worldwide. They can afford to pay more. I have a salary in mind and if they meet that, I’ll accept.”

Dad just looked at mom and smiled. I wasn’t out of line about salaries. Private schools can afford a lot more than universities, I wasn’t going to be taken advantage of by an elite school. I have a good job doing what I like right now, so they have to buy me away.