******
The phone rang as she was putting the last piece of clothing into her suitcase. She walked over to her nightstand and picked up the receiver, figuring that Fran and Jerry might be running a little late.
"Hello?"
"Mattie?"
His deep voice was full of concern, and she sat on the bed and leaned back on the pillows, closing her eyes for a moment, seeing his face in her mind. "Clay, oh my goodness, I wasn't expecting to hear from you before I left."
"I'm ecstatic that you'll be here tomorrow, but what on earth happened?"
"You mean my picture hasn't made it to the front page of every newspaper in Canada as well?" she laughed sarcastically.
"What do you mean?"
"There was a demonstration here Saturday afternoon, and the National Guard came in..."
"Damn..."
"I know." she sighed. "They set off tear gas all over the quad, and one of the police was hitting my student, Samuel, with his baton. I ran over and tried to pull the officer off him, and I was arrested and dragged...quite literally, I might add, off to jail, where I spent the next six hours in a cell with at least twenty other women."
"Oh, my God, Mattie, are you all right?"
"I have a cut and bruise on my cheek, from landing on a rock, I think. The end of my left leg may be bruised a little, but other than that, I'm okay. Samuel was in the hospital with a fractured jaw."
"I know a doctor back on the mainland you can see about your leg. Were you fired?"
"No, actually, President Buckley wanted to fire me, but was pressured by the board into giving me a written reprimand and probation, so I quit," she laughed softly. "He was upset about my picture being on the front page of newspapers around the country, according to him, and changed my two-week's notice into twenty-four hours."
"I'm proud of you, Mattie, for protecting your student, but I know you must be upset to miss the last two weeks of school."
"Thanks, Clay. Surprisingly, I'm fine with it. Fran and Jerry are headed here soon to help me pack up the car and I'm heading out at six in the morning. I'm glad you got the message."
"George dropped it off on his way home," he sighed. "You don't know how good your voice sounds, Mattie. I'm anxious for you to get here and see the cottage. I got in it this morning, as a matter of fact, and the phone was just installed."
"Oh, Clay, I can't wait to see you and Cape Breton." Mattie felt close to tears. "It all sounds so serene, and that's what I need right now. I understand your feelings about it now."
"I'll be waiting for you at the border, Mattie, and you can follow me the rest of the way."
"Clay, you don't have to do that, you know."
"I most certainly do have to do that." She could tell that he was smiling, and she wiped the corner of her eye. She heard her doorbell ring.
"Oh, Fran and Jerry are here to help me pack."
"Then, I'll let you go. Have a safe trip, and I'll see you as soon as you set foot in Canada." There was a short pause. "I love you, Mattie."
"I love you, Clay. " Now the tears began, and she grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes and blew her nose after hanging up the phone. She hurried downstairs. "Coming." Mattie called as the doorbell rang several more times. She opened the door to see Fran standing on her doorstep, a pizza box and wine bottle in her hands, and Jerry behind her, his usual cigarette dangling from his mouth, and several empty packing boxes in his hands. "This is so sweet of you two." Mattie hugged Fran as she entered while Jerry took a final drag, then flicked the stub out onto the sidewalk.
"Are you all right, sweetie?" She saw Fran peering into her eyes, which she imagined must be red and puffy.
"Yes, Clay called. He just moved into the cottage this morning." She wiped her eye. "He's going to meet me at the Canadian border crossing."
"That is so sweet of him." Fran squinted her eyes at her. "Mattie, we are going to miss you so much, but I know you're eager for this adventure, now that all this is behind you." Fran smiled at her. "You're free as a bird now, and I want to hear all about Nova Scotia after you get there."
"Yes, free as a bird with a car payment and several other bills." Mattie laughed. "I'll need to find a job as soon as I get there, and I have no clue what to expect there, workwise. Thankfully, personnel is mailing my final month's paycheck to the post office in Cape Breton, so that gives me a little leeway."
"Well, now I'm getting excited for you, and feeling a little jealous." They all went into the kitchen after Jerry set the boxes down, and Fran put the wine in the fridge and opened the pizza box as Mattie pulled out three plates from the upper cabinet. "Do you know the route?"
"Yes, actually, I went by the library a week ago, right after I'd decided to go there for the summer, and checked out the Atlas." Mattie plated two slices of the pepperoni pizza and handed it over to Jerry. "I have everything written down, and it's about a thirteen hour trip, but it should be daylight almost the entire time. I'll be okay."
They stood, leaning against the kitchen counter, and ate their pizza.
"I should tell you, Mattie, that the entire campus...faculty and students...are up in arms over this." Jerry swallowed his bite of pizza. "I've never seen news spread so fast. I think Sheila must have hit the phone pretty hard after you left P.B.'s office."
"Well, it's done now, Jerry." Mattie sighed and took a sip of her water. "I can't worry about it any more, or what people may think." She eyed them both and sighed. "I so appreciate you both coming over. There's not that much to pack, thank goodness."
"We're glad to do it." Fran put her arm around her shoulder. "Well, are we ready to get to work?" She wiped her hands on the paper napkin, and put her hands on her hips, and Mattie smiled as she watched her friend take charge of the situation. "Jerry, why don't you pack up her stereo and records as well as her books on this floor and carry down what Mattie and I pack from upstairs."
"I've already packed up quite a bit upstairs, Fran."
"Oh, good," Fran looked over at her husband again. "Then you can put everything in the car for her. That way, she doesn't have to do anything in the morning, but dress and head out. I'll help her clean up after everything is packed."
Jerry nodded as he finished his water and wiped his hands. "What time are you leaving in the morning, Mattie?"
"Six sharp." Mattie wiped her hands, and put the trash in a paper bag and the dishes in the sink to wash later. She looked at her dear friends. "Let's get started then."