Page 32 of Trusting His Heart

“No. Give it to me straight, doc, I don’t have time to come into your office to be given the all clear.”

“Then you better come into the office, I suggest you bring someone.”

As Geoffrey hung up the phone, he turned to see Layla with tears in her eyes, trying to compose herself enough to speak. He needed to stop her before she said something that would make him skull the rest of his scotch.

Unfortunately, he was now sober enough to understand he didn’t have time to live in denial. The dragon roared at his door. He needed to stand and fight.

“Layla, I don’t want to talk about it, what I need from you is to ensure I get to my classes – all my classes. They are my students and I will not have them fail because Phillips filled their heads with rubbish. I want them back and if you need to schedule an extra lecture then make it happen. I want to attend each tutorial at least twice to catch everyone up.”

Layla focused on her notepad. Good. She was organized and efficient and if he let her, she would keep him focused on what mattered and what he could control.

“I need you to organize some appointments with Dr Davis. The first one should be as soon as you can without disrupting my students any more than they already have been. Do you understand?”

He waited until she nodded. “Good, then I’ll probably need to buy Rigby a drink and explain a few things.”

“Professor, I could call the Vice Chancellor’s secretary and explain …”

“No, for something like this, he needs to hear it from me.”

Geoffrey tried to smile, to convince Layla and himself everything would be alright.

“Professor, I heard the doctor suggest you bring someone with you.”

“There is no one.” Geoffrey turned to collect his briefcase and papers. He didn’t want to see the pity in her eyes, or even worse, have her offer to come with him. He didn’t have anyone else to blame for being alone – but it was better than have someone watch him die.

Bec snuck into the back of the auditorium and hid amongst the students. Layla’s message had been very cryptic, at least enough to make her cancel all appointments for the day and come to Geoffrey’s lecture.

“There is no way I’m going to pass if Swains doesn’t come back.”

“The only reason I’m doing this course is because of Swains.”

“I heard he has been drunk for a week.”

“Are you sure he hasn’t been holed up with some girl?”

“Nah, someone saw him buying up big – all scotch. You don’t buy spirits for a woman.”

All around her, she heard students dissecting Geoffrey’s absence – they wanted answers.

The door at the front of the room slammed shut and the room silenced as Professor Swains moved to the podium.

“I understand you have been in the capable hands of Professor Phillips while I have been away. So, enlighten me. What have you learned from my esteemed colleague?”

Bec watched as Geoffrey listened as three of his students fumbled their way to explain the previous month’s lectures.

“Excellent, an excellent summary of all his work. Now, for the test – break it apart.”

For the next hour, Geoffrey carefully had his students dismantle the work of his colleague. With carefully structured questions, he helped the class identify the weaknesses and pose alternative theories.

If she didn’t watch him work, she would never have believed one individual could bring a group on a journey as masterfully and easily.

“Professor, if you think so little of Professor Phillips’ work, then why did you let him lecture us for the last month?” the room fell silent as Geoffrey paced towards the brave student who asked what they all wanted to know.

“Hah,” he started opening his arms out wide, “You think I abandoned you? Did you? Did any of you think that after all I invested in you, I would abandon you?”

“Of all the years, this group gives me the greatest hope for the future. I wanted to test you. Here and in the world, you will be tested – people you respect and admire will tell you things and say it is the truth. They will even give you evidence and tell you their truth is proven. I want you to think for yourselves. Only the most brilliant minds will take what is told to them as fact and break it down and question. You’ve all shown that here today.

“You may think I abandoned you, and you would be correct. The rest of you will leave here and think about this lecture. You have learnt more here today than you have in all your other classes combined. Professor Phillips is a world renowned and well-respected lecturer. I would not leave you in the hands of anyone less. Yet you, today, have drawn your own conclusions and challenged yourselves against competing theories.

---