Quantum Love: The Enhanced Series, #4

Chapter 1

Dr. Kathleen Tyler studied the mass of young men and women filling the auditorium to attend her first class, General Science 101. It was a vast contrast to her Quantum Physics class of two students, neither of which had impressed her with their dogmatic focus on the theories formed in the nineteenth century. If she was going to find promising future scientists, she needed to get to the students earlier, before all creativity and original thinking atrophied.

Looking at the noisy cross-talking, poorly dressed, and generally ill-kept farm boys who dominated the auditorium, she wondered if there were actually thinking people in the state of Montana. So far, she had only met people who seemed to have been genetically kicked in the head at birth. Even the dean of the school, Mr. Wilson, seemed to struggle to keep up with her during a simple conversation about the research lab he needed to build to meet her contract stipulations.

The professor’s going to show, ain’t he? Or is he too important to teach Science 101? a cocky young man near the front asked.

Kathleen nailed him with her cold steely eyes. Name?

The young man laughed at her attempt to intimidate. Jesse. What’s yours, lovely TA?

Last name? Kathleen asked.

Myers.

Kathleen looked on the massive list of names and located his name. You’re a junior.

Jesse gave her his most charming smile. Five-year student. I’m twenty-one. How old are you?

She raised her eyebrows at his impertinence and walked to the white board and wrote her name in large letters. She then turned and addressed the students. My name is Dr. Tyler. I am the new Dean of Physics. How many of you plan to major in Physics?

Not a single hand rose.

We don’t have a physics department, Jesse laughed, evidently still believing she was a TA playing with the freshmen’s minds.

How many took this class because it’s reputed to be an easy A?

About half the hands rose, including Jesse’s.

Well, you might want to leave now and head on over to the registrar’s office and find another class. Presently we have 120 students enrolled. She studied the room. And my guess is that 90 of you bothered to show up for the first day. Right now, I can predict 40 of you will make an F. Another 30, a D. Most of the rest of you, with hard work, will make C’s. No more than ten of you will squeeze out a B. And the A’s....it could happen, if you’re brilliant, creative, capable of original thoughts and work your butt off, but don’t count on it.

Her announcement was met with dead silence. She noticed a student in the back getting up. Sit down. First, we’ll go over the curriculum and then you can leave. The boy hesitated and under her steely glare, returned to his seat.

This will be twelve weeks of the broadest most intensive thinking you will be asked to do in this back-water school. If you choose to stay, you will not be bored, I promise you that. Your final grade will be comprised 50% on your final paper. We will spend the entire time in this class helping you to formulate ideas that will help you create your thesis to the following question. ‘What is beyond our universe?’ She paused. Don’t bother googling the answer because there is no scientific proven answer in existence.

She looked out the stupefied faces and decided she needed to explain it further. There was a time when man thought the world was flat. Then one day, a creative thinker suggested maybe it wasn’t flat at all. Maybe it was round. Now think about the consequences of this statement! If I face west and walk and swim long enough, I’ll show back up to this exact spot from the east. It was inconceivable to the simple linear minds of the time. She gave a slight smile. We’ve gotten slightly beyond that concept. Is there anyone here that does not believe the earth is basically round in form?

Seeing no hands raised, she walked to the board and drew a circle. So, in the future time of unlimited renewable fuel and space travel if I set out from earth and go west, where do I end up and what do I find? In twelve weeks, I expect you to give me your best scientific reasoning on the matter.

She stopped, seeing a hand rise. She nodded. In the back.

A young woman asked, Do you have an alternative question, because that question offends my religious beliefs.

How many people here are religious? Kathleen asked, watching almost all hands rise. How many think this question is offensive to those religious beliefs? Almost thirty students kept their hands up. You should all leave now. Because not only will I not provide an alternative question, but I will fail anyone who answers the question with religious propaganda rather than scientific reasoning.

That’s not fair! the young woman stated in outrage.

I don’t have to be fair. I’m trying to teach science. If science offends your religious beliefs, you should take something else.

I have a right to my beliefs.

If your beliefs prevent you from opening your mind to the possibilities of science, then you are wasting both of our time. Kathleen turned her attention to the class. Every week we will study a topic suggested by someone in the class. Each of you will submit a paper on the subject you have selected, and I will announce the winning topic. We will then spend the week diving into the topic. The one who selected the topic will earn 10 points to their final grade. Additionally, there will be a test on the topic to ensure general understanding each Wednesday. These tests will be extremely challenging, since your learning will depend upon your ability to research. Additionally, the topics may not all fall into what one would consider general science. All fields of study are open for analysis. All you have to do is convince me that it will help us get closer to answering the question of your thesis.

She had expected to see hands pop up, but oddly, there were none. She wasn’t sure if she had them intrigued, or if they were already contemplating a class to substitute for this one.

I’ll select the topic this week to get us started. And in deference to the strong religious influence this week’s topic will be ‘Is God a nanotechnologist?’ Since it appears most of you are adequately familiar with God, I suggest you spend your time researching nanotechnology. Engineering students should have the leg up on this week.

The young woman in the back now stood. Ms. Tyler, I object to this assignment. The whole topic is sacrilegious!

It’s Dr. Tyler, Kathleen corrected her. And there is no place for sacrilegious labeling in my classroom. If my topics offend you, then simply drop the class. You won’t be missed.

Fortunately, Kathleen found a few engineers in the group who were willing to talk about nanotechnology. Kathleen filled in anything they missed, and soon had a large portion of the classroom participating in the discussion.

When the bell rang, she reminded everyone to see the registrar if they needed to drop the class. Her eyes fell directly onto the religiously offended girl as she stated this.

As the auditorium emptied, she noticed Jesse remained in his seat and watched her. As she packed up her briefcase and headed to the door, he fell in beside her.

Well, you’re not boring, that’s for sure. He then gave her a smile which no doubt brought most young ladies to their knees.

When she refused to reply, he added, It’s a shame you aren’t going to be here long enough for me to write that thesis.

She stopped dead in her tracks. If you’re counting on my removal to get your grade, then you are in serious trouble, because I’m not going anywhere.

That girl you pissed off today—her father is a major contributor to this school, Jesse explained.

I don’t care if her father is the Pope. That’s the benefit of being tenured.

He scratched his head and studied her. You’re awfully young and you just started here. Don’t you have to teach a billion years before you get tenure?

First of all, I’m older than you obviously think I am. And yes, you usually do have to wait half your life to get tenure, but it was a condition I made when agreeing to come to this backwater school.

Well, it’s a good thing you did, or you’d be suffering the embarrassment of being fired by this backwater school. As it is, I think you can expect to have your butt dragged through the mud by the dean...and here he comes now. Jesse nodded at the wiry old man pushing his way through the last of the students leaving the room.

Kathleen hadn’t spent much time with Mr. Wilson, but she could tell by his clenched jaw and rigid walk that he was not a happy man.

Miss Tyler, may I speak with you in private? he asked curtly.

So long Doctor Tyler, Jesse stated with an I told you so expression. Your class was excellent. He then hurried from the auditorium.

Since they were closest to her office, she suggested it for their conversation.

The moment she closed the door to her office, Dean Wilson railed at her about the myriad of complaints he had already received about her lecture today.

She pondered how that was possible, given they had barely had a chance to leave her lecture. Then she realized many of those who appeared to be taking notes on their laptops must have been writing emails to the Dean.

How many quit? she asked as she indicated a chair to the Dean and then took her seat behind her desk.

He ignored the offer of a chair and paced with great energy in the small office. Almost twenty!

Really? she asked in amazement. I was expecting at least thirty and more than likely forty. Only twenty? Are you certain? Maybe the others just wanted to change classes the old fashion way and stand in a line somewhere.

Twenty is completely unacceptable. You needn’t sound as if you wanted more!

Presently, the class is too large. I was hoping to weed out more than that. A few more will no doubt quit on Wednesday after they fail the test.

His pacing came to a halt and he stared at her in shock. You’re giving a test on the second day of classes?

They’ll be tested every Wednesday. I gave them full warning that this was not a class for sleepers.

Nor evidently people with strong religious beliefs, the Dean added.

It’s not a class for close-minded people.

According to Lana Cattleman, you have violated her religious beliefs.

Not true. I don’t even know what her beliefs might be. It was she who declared herself unfit to take my class, not the other way around.

Your topics are religiously offensive.

God, he sounded like a southern Baptist preacher. Only to the close-minded.

Lana is one of our best students. If you cannot inspire her to learn—

Counting on her tenure, she thrust herself from her chair and slammed her hands upon her desk. Cut the bullshit, Wilson. You don’t give a damn about Lana. You only care about her father’s continued contributions to your school.

Wilson shut up and stared at her in horror. Finally, he gathered sufficient control to speak. I find your tone and expressions offensive.

And I find this conversation offensive.

But this is serious.

No, this conversation is stupid. Now if you want to talk about something, then tell me how is my lab coming along?

Well, since you just insulted the daughter of our largest contributor, I expect it’s not coming along all that well! Wilson stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

Shit! Kathleen dropped back into her chair and slammed her briefcase onto the desktop. Having tenure meant shit without a decent lab!

Chapter 2

Kathleen noticed the beat-up, old pickup parked by her barn the moment she turned off the road onto her long dirt driveway. She was in no mood to talk with any of the locals tonight. Frankly, she was sick to death of these country people.

She pulled up beside the truck and went in search of its owner. As much as she didn’t want company, she also didn’t want strange people wandering around her property. Her concern doubled as she located the stranger in the barn, inside her horse’s stall.

You should step out of there very slowly. She kept her voice calm and low, despite her current fury with this trespasser. Her horse was not known for its mild temper. The last thing she needed was some fool suing her for being trampled.

The man appeared to be wrapping the horse’s leg. He glanced up and smiled but continued working on the horse. I’ll be done in a minute.

You’re done now. Slowly get out of the stall.

The man ignored her and finished tying off the wrap. He slowly stood up and affectionately patted the horse on its neck then left the stall without harm. The second the stall gate closed Kathleen was upon him, smashing him against the wall.

What the hell do you think you’re doing trespassing on my property and getting in that horse’s stall? She could have killed you, you damned fool!

While the man looked surprised by her attack, he didn’t attempt to fight back. He just gave her a slightly lopsided grin. It’s all right. I’m the local vet. Harry asked me to come by and check on your horse.

Who the hell is Harry? What the hell was wrong with these people? Who calls the vet for other people’s animals? She released him and went to her horse.

The owner of the breakfast diner in town. I’m Cullen Crawford, by the way.

I don’t give a damn who you are, she snapped. What did you do to my horse? She leaned into the stall and studied the bandage on Quantum’s leg.

Harry overheard a conversation by the driver who transported your horse which led him to believe the filly had possibly been injured during her move. When I stopped by for breakfast this morning, he suggested that after I finished at the Malcolm’s, I might want to stop by and check it out. I rang up at the house, but you weren’t home. So, I came on in and checked her out. I noticed she was favoring her left hind leg. I think it’s just a bruise, but you should bring her in for a full x-ray of the hind quarters.

She turned around and faced him. You people are unbelievable. You come out here because some man who owns a diner tells you to administer medical care without my permission to my horse?

Cullen smiled sheepishly. I suppose for a city girl that seems strange, but Harry was only looking out for your best interest.

Then maybe Harry would like to pay your bill as well?

I’m not as expensive as your New Jersey vets, Cullen assured her.

How do you know I’m from New Jersey? His comment made her wonder if he had been snooping in her house as well.

Part of a small town is that everyone knows everyone else’s business. The ink hadn’t dried on your contract with the university before we knew all about you.

Kathleen stared at his annoyingly happy and handsome face. What was your name again?

Cullen Crawford, town vet. His grin indicated he found this amusing.

Well Cullen, I’m not paying you a dime for your visit today. Let that be a lesson. You should wait until your services are sought by the owner.

His smile disappeared. Your horse was in pain and she still needs an x-ray. You can bring her in to my office tomorrow morning, or you can drive her to South Fork, but either way, you have to tend to this.

Says who?

Says the law. It’s illegal to leave an injured horse untended. His grin was gone now. And given the circumstances, I won’t hesitate to report you.

Wait right there! She turned to her horse. Exactly how injured was Quantum? As she entered the stall Quantum whinnied and tossed her head in agitation.

Hey girl, Kathleen sang in a soothing tone. What did that stupid ass driver do?

Quantum held her back leg off the ground while snorting and tossing her head apparently trying to answer her question. Kathleen stroked her neck and pressed her face against her horse. We’ll get you fixed up, she promised. And then I’ll hunt down that stupid ass driver and shoot him for you.

That promise seemed to sooth the horse immensely.

Kathleen sighed and stared into the giant brown eyes of her only friend and companion. I checked his references. He was supposed to be good. I’m so sorry...

Quantum bumped her gently with her giant nose as if to assure her it was okay.

I need to take you into the vets so we can get an x-ray, she explained.

Quantum snorted and shook her head violently.

I know, Kathleen replied. The last thing you want to do is to get into another trailer, but we need to see how bad you’ve been hurt.

Quantum shook her head no again and nipped at Kathleen’s watch.

Kathleen pulled her wrist back before her watch became lunch. All right, we’ll give it a little time, but not much. If you aren’t better by this weekend, then you are going to the vet.

Quantum snorted and nudged her out of the stall. She then snapped her teeth several times.

Kathleen sighed as she measured out the feed grain and poured it into Quantum’s feed bin. Quantum attacked the grain with gusto.

Kathleen smiled and stroked the horse’s neck. Nothing wrong with your appetite.  Suddenly remembering the pain-in-her-ass vet, she leaned in and kissed Quantum good night and turned to face him.

The vet’s brow was furrowed like one of those wrinkle dogs. You can’t wait until this weekend to get the leg x-rayed.

Well Quantum wants to wait and that pretty well settles matters. She is not a lady to be forced.

Cullen smirked. Are you speaking for the horse, or yourself?

I was speaking of the horse. Compared to Quantum I’m a god damn pushover. Her eyes narrowed and her hands settled on her hips, ready to give back as good as she got. "But that doesn’t mean I can be bullied by the likes of you. Here’s what is going to happen. I am going to pay you for your time today and overlook Harry’s meddling given I appreciate his good intentions. If Quantum gets worse, I’ll take off from school and bring her in. If she’s better by this weekend, she won’t be coming in."

Cullen’s face grew hard. Look, I know this is your first week at the college, but from what I hear you insisted on tenure, so it’s not like they can fire you for being absent for a few hours.

I’m not putting my job above my horse. The simple fact is that Quantum doesn’t think she is seriously hurt enough to get back into another trailer just yet.

He stared at her. And she told you that?

Yes, she did. And the reason why Quantum and I get along so well is that I respect her opinion. To you she may be just another dumb horse, but I’m telling you right now she’s smarter than any of my students and she expects her opinion to count.

He shook his head and snorted. You’re nuts!

And you’re trespassing on my property. Kindly get off.

Chapter 3

Kathleen