**** Dr. Caine, Mr. McDermott, Aug and the room in the m/m. ****

AUGUST P.O.V. –

“Amb.” I laughed. “I gotta go baby.”

“Noooooo.” She whined and proceeded to unbutton my white dress shirt, revealing my white beater underneath.

“Baby, I’mma be late.”

“You don’t even go to school at this time.” She seductively pulled my tie from around my neck and threw it on the floor.

“I told you I got an important appointment.” I tried to push her luh horny ass offa me.

“You told me it’s not a job interview.”

“It’s not.”

“Okay then you got time for me.” She tried to pull off my entire shirt.

“Amb.” I pulled my shirt back up, laughing at her feening for me.

She has been on ten since we had sex at the hotel. Like I mean, she has been all over a nigga. My home depot ain’t had no rest. I’m not complaining, but today was Wednesday and I had the hearing so I couldn’t be late.

I decided against telling her about it, especially since she told me she put all her trust in me. We had a good vibe going and I didn’t want to ruin it. I was going to handle this like a man. I figured if I just told the truth, I’d be okay. They’ll know her story was absolutely ridiculous right?

“I’mma have to put you on punishment.” I lightly tapped her hand, when she tried to unbutton my pants.

She sighed and laid across the bed looking at me while I got dressed.

“You on birth-control?” I looked back at her.

“Yeah, why would you ask me that?” She rested her arm on her fist, and looked at me with furrowed brows.

“Cause you acting real suspect.” I said tucking my shirt in my pants

“And how is that?” She said with a hint of attitude, offended.

“You have never been on me like you have these past few days. I’m not feeling it. Trying to fertilize them eggs before they all dried up. Taking advantage of a young nigga like that. Using me and my soliders.”

She threw a pillow from the bed at me.

I laughed and zipped up my pants.

“Why won’t you tell me where you’re going babe?”

“Cause its not important.”

“If you’re dressing up than it is. I wanna know. Don’t keep stuff from me.” She laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

“You should be focusing on your interview today, not me.” She had an interview today for the Suicide Group Facilitator position. Travis decided to stay a little longer and keep Sata, while Amb went on the interview. And if she got it, he said he would stay in Philly and watch Sata while we worked things out.

“Babe it’s only gon take five minutes. I need you baby. Now.” She whined and kicked her legs like a little kid.

“You know better than that. Don’t nothing daddy do last five minutes.”

“Stop saying that.”

“What? Daddy?” I looked in the mirror putting on my tie.

“Yes. I’m older than you. And I will never call you that. That’s something lil girls say. Thinking it sounds cute. It’s perverted if you ask me.”

“You sholl wasn’t opposed to it, when I had you wanting to jump off cliffs.”

She sucked her teeth, and I chuckled finishing up tying my tie.

“I know you not dressing up for no other woman.” She turned her head to look at me.

“Yeah, my side-chick couldn’t be with me for my birthday. So, she wanna take me out this morning. Got divvy up my time with all y’all.”

She shot me a look like she wanted to beat my ass.

I went over to the bed and got on top of her. “You my main though. So you always get first dibs on Mr. Classy.”

“Mr. Classy?” She laughed.

“Yeah.” I bent down and kissed her, grinding my ego against her.

She wrapped her legs around my waist, not wanting to let me go.

“You believe in me baby?” I looked in her eyes.

“Of course.” She pecked my lips. “Why what’s wrong?” She looked concerned.

“I just needed to know that you believed in me, cause if I got that, than nothing or no one else matters.”

I looked at the clock.

“I gotta go. Good luck on your interview. Love you.” I gave her one last peck and removed her legs.

She sighed heavily and sat up.

“Love you baby!” She yelled to me from the bed as I grabbed my coat and left out the door.

I was brought into a room with a panel of five people sitting in front of me at a table that looked like a judges panel. All five were white men, that ranged in age from about 50 to 75. The oldest man, sat in the middle, and they were all talking amongst themselves. I was told to sit at a table on the right.

I had never been so nervous in my life. I wished one of them looked like me, but this is what happens when you generally go to Ivy League institutions. Rarely do you see people who look like you. My hands were shaking uncontrollably, and I sweating profusely. I kept asking God to just be with me and take care of me. He knew I wasn’t perfect, but he knew the truth in this situation. All I was trying to do was take care of my family.

A white man dressed in a perfectly tailored suit came in and shook the hands of everyone present. They laughed and joked with him. I took it he knew them, and not just knew them, but pretty well. He took his place sitting at a table opposite of mine.

He looked at me, then opened his briefcase.

“Are you ready Mr. McDermott?” The older white man peered over his glasses and asked him.

“Whenever you are Dr. Caine.” He smiled, then slyly looked at me. It became apparent who he was. He was the Board’s lawyer.

The older man, Dr. Caine I guess his name was cleared his throat. “We are here for a disciplinarian hearing for August …son how do you pronounce your last name?”

“Uh…Alsina.” I cleared my throat. The words weren’t  coming out quite right.

“Mr. August Alsina. A second year dental student here at UPenn. The board is arguing that he should be expelled and prohibited from practicing dental medicine in any state in the U.S. Do you understand that is why you are here son?”

“I didn’t do anything sir.”

“I didn’t say you did. I’m asking do you understand that is why this hearing is being held today.”

“Uh…Yes. My bad. I mean, I’m sorry.”

He gave me a look I couldn’t quite read, and the others stared at me too. I felt my face get bloodshot red.

“Okay.” He continued. “The board will have a chance to present their side and so will you. If you are found to have violated any code, you will be immediately withdrawn from this institution and prohibited from practicing dentistry. Is that understood?”

“Yes sir.” I tried to say in a respectful manner.

“Will you being handle this hearing pro-se?”

“Uh Pro-se sir? What does that mean?”

“Pro-se means on your own behalf. Do you have legal representation?”

“No. It’s just me.”

“You do understand that you had the right to seek outside legal counsel however?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. You may proceed.”

“What am I supposed to do?” I let out an awkward laugh, confused as to what I was supposed to do next.

The Board’s lawyer smirked and shook his head.

“This guy.” He mumbled.

 “Tell us from your point of view, what happened?”

“I came into work. It was my first day. I knocked on the door…”

“Dr. Caine he’s talking about a door. Is it the door he just walked in, I mean,  could he clarify what door?”

“Mr. Alsina please clarify what door you mean?”

“The door  that separates the waiting room from the back offices, but I didn’t get an answer. So I waited for about 30 minutes. I knocked again, and I didn’t get an answer. I thought that was weird and I was worried something was wrong because she told…”

“Dr. Caine, who is she? Is she a woman on the street? Please ask him to clarify who she is. He’s speaking in generalizations. He could be talking about anybody.”

“Mr. Alsina who is she?”

“Dr. Maraj.”

“Okay continue.”

I looked over at the opposing attorney who was writing notes. His interruptions were making me angry. But I just remembered to “Dim my lights.” I didn’t need anything else adding to this shit right now.

“I umm…jumped over the desk because the door was locked.”

“So you trespassed essentially on private property?” The attorney said snappily.

“Mr. McDermott please let the young man finish.”

“I apologize Dr. Caine. Just wanted to call attention to him breaking the law on more than one occasion. Continue.” He looked at me, then back down at his notes.

“Mr. Alsina continue.” Dr. Caine said irritated.

“So I went back there and looked in her office, she wasn’t there. Then I went in the operating room and saw her hooked up to the machine. That’s when I immediately cut it off and called the paramedics. I told them exactly what happened, I would never do anything like that.”

“Is that all Mr. Alsina?” Dr. Caine asked me.

“Yea…yeah, that’s it. That’s the truth of what happened.”

“We have heard Mr. Alsina’s side, Mr. McDermott you may proceed.”

“Dr. Caine do you mind if I use the projector?”

“Not at all.”

The opposing attorney hooked up the projector and put a picture on there. I held my head down in shame.

The people on the panel looked at me.

“I would like to draw your attention to August’s here mug shot. Along with several of his charges. Most minor, but what has been called to my attention is him being arrested for murder.”

“Mr. McDermott, there was no conviction. How is this relevant?”

“Yes, but it shows he falsified his UPenn admissions application. When asked if he’d ever been arrested for a felony charge, Mr. Alsina responded – No. That’s perjury.” Mr. McDermott put up a copy of my admissions application.

“This shows that Mr. Alsina is a liar and possible career criminal that cannot be taken at his word. If he lied on this application, it is more likely than not, he’s lying here today. Dr. Maraj who is well respected in the dental community, had no history of such behavior until coming into contact with a criminal such as August Alsina. And while she has takien full responsibility for her role in this incident, Mr. Alsina has failed to do. He lied to get into this school. He lied to the paramedics. Lied to his counselor and essentially is lying to you today.”

I shook my head hurt, that he would come to such a conclusion. I now regretted not telling Amb, but I just felt the truth would prevail. Isn’t that’s how it’s supposed to be?

“ On top of that, his grades…” He put up my transcript from last year.

“Prove further that he takes neither himself or his education at this prized institution seriously. Dr. Maraj admitted that he agreed to help her, but only if she paid him. Dr. Maraj said he was used to doing things like this and I quote his exact words, “with his homeys on the street.”  

He is nothing more than a street thug as apparent by the tattoos, that is interested in making fast cash. Even if that includes destroying the life of one of the most well respected dentist in Philadelphia. We don’t need another dentist like that. He should be expelled and prohibited from practicing dentistry in any state. Thank you for your time.”

“Thank you Mr. McDermott. Mr. Alsina do you have any more you’d like to add?”

“Uh…I told y’all the truth. When I was younger I made some mistakes, but I’ve grown up since then. I would never do anything like that.  I apologize about leaving that out on my application, but I thought it meant if I had been convicted, not just arrested. I misread that, and did not intentionally try to lie on my application. I got a family man. My daughter. My girl. They depending on me. You can ask Ms. Stanton I been doing better. I was going through some stuff last semester, the reason I didn’t do well, but I got it together now. Just please don’t expel me. This is all I got man.” I felt tears run down my cheeks. I quickly wiped my eyes.

“Mr. Alsina and Mr. McDermott would you step out the room while we make our  final decision. We will reconvene at 1.”

“Of Course doc.” Mr. McDermott said and gathered his things.

I stepped out and walked outside. I needed some fresh air. I just sat on a bench outside, and prayed that God didn’t allow them to do this to me. I wasn’t a perfect person by a long shot, but this was so unfair and unjust. Every time I climb the mountain of trying to achieve my dream, something comes and knocks me back down. I wanted to call Amb. I needed to call her, but what’s done was done. It was nothing she could do now.

The twenty-minutes I waited till 1, seemed like I was headed for death row. My stomach kept turning in knots and I even threw up. I cleaned my face, rinsed out my mouth and took a deep breath as I closed my eyes.

I just replayed Ambs voice saying she believed in me, whispered another prayer and went back into the room.

Dr. Caine cleared his throat and began to speak.

“We would like to thank you both for presenting your sides of the argument. After hearing all the testimony and information presented today, we have found that Mr. Alsina has violated the Dental Code of Ethics. He is expelled effective immediately. And Prohibited from practicing dental medicine in any state….”

Dr. Caine kept talking. But I heard nothing. All I knew, was that my life and everything I wanted was over.