You push your chair back from the table. "I'm afraid I have somewhere else to be. Inez, Erick, good to see you."
Darcy waves a languid hand at you. "We can catch up at the faculty meeting this afternoon."
Gabriel stands partway up, then sits back down. "Should I…?"
"No need for you to run, Gabriel," Darcy says. "It's a free college." A smile plays at her lips. "In fact, ever thought about coming to work for a winning researcher?"
Your face grows hot. You can't believe Darcy is trying to steal your student so blatantly.
"As I recall, Darcy, you didn't have much positive to say about Gabriel earlier." You think back to the hallway conversation between you, Darcy, and Dr. Eze. "You said I got to make something out of him 'if I can.'"
Darcy didn't expect you to go on the attack. She takes a beat before she says, "That's more a reflection on your abilities than on Gabriel's."
"That's not what you and Dr. Eze insinuated." You had a rhetorical point you wanted to make, but in the heat of the moment it escapes you.
"I'm sorry, Gabriel. This isn't fair to you." Darcy makes an insincere frown of concern. "Us arguing like this. I'm sure you'll have a great year with Bomomsay Clestenrogo."
"Uh," Gabriel says, and you don't have a much better rejoinder, either.
Sigh