Page 8 of Beauty Becomes You (Beauty 4)
“You can’t. If you measure it as a particle, it’s a particle. If you measure it as a wave, it’s a wave.”
“In fact, it goes a step further. If you want to examine an electron, you must basically throw a photon at it, thus changing its course. It’s called the observer effect. Science 101. And we’re scientists too, just on the social scale. Can you think of an example of the observer effect in the social sciences?”
“When reporters embed themselves in a military unit,” someone offered. “That unit might behave differently under scrutiny, thus affecting the outcome of their missions.”
“Excellent. What else?”
Another raised his hand briefly before speaking. “Kids have to take standardized tests in school. At first it was to measure their progress, but now teachers have to teach specifically for the test.”
“Yes, right. The act of measuring has affected the primary source.”
“The help,” Erin offered blandly. “The presence of a maid might change the behavior of the household members.”
His lip twitched. “Very much so.” He paused, looking distant. “This is the last day of class, so I need to tell you that you are all activists. Each one of you and every person you pass on the street. Even if you sit back and hope someone else will fix the problem. You can’t ignore the problems in the world. Your inaction is action. If you see the problem, if you’re observing it, you’re already having an effect. The only question is what that effect will be.”
“I’ve always been a fan of throwing photons, myself,” one boy quipped, and there were snorts and chuckles around the room.
Blake smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. “This is our last class. And so what I want to tell you, the most important lesson I can teach you, is to respect the people who disagree with you. They are the ones who challenge you. And even if you are right, so are they. If you measure it as a particle, it’s a particle. If you measure it as a wave, it’s a wave. Both sides are right. Respect that. Learn from it. Find the common ground, because that’s where the true answer lies.”
CHAPTER FOUR
The day of the Faculty Ball
The thesis defense took two hours, which was longer than she’d been expecting. The reactions were amazing. Everyone on the panel had asked thoughtful, curious questions about her research, her assumptions, her methods. She had expected to feel interrogated, or worse, accused. Instead she’d stood in front of these professors, these experts and thought leaders, and felt like an equal.
It was heady and terrifying. Grades were in, and the panel would make their recommendation. She wouldn’t find out the results until later; however, she wasn’t worried about either. She had worked her ass off on both her paper for Blake’s class and her thesis. She knew in her bones that they were good.
Melinda caught up with her in the hallway. “Erin, can I speak with you a moment?”
Dread sank in her stomach. The woman had been very quiet during the defense. She had asked a few questions which were direct but not cruel. Erin had hoped that would be the end of it.
Taking a fortifying breath, she turned to face the other woman.
Melinda grimaced slightly, as if she knew about Erin’s discomfort—and felt bad about it. “You were great in there. I’m serious. You handled yourself well. You were on point. And your work was stronger than a number of doctoral papers I’ve seen.”
“Oh, thank you,” she said cautiously, waiting for the shoe to drop. Waiting for the “but…” that would bring it all crashing down.
Melinda sighed, leading her through the doors into a small courtyard. “I need to apologize for the things I said the other day. It wasn’t right, and I knew it, but…” A small laugh. “I guess, of all people, you would understand what I lost. Who I lost. I wasn’t thinking straight.”
Erin ducked her head. “I thought you were the one who left him.”
“Yes,” she admitted. “I’m not proud of that. But he wasn’t like this before. He was withdrawn and angry, and I wasn’t sure he’d ever go back to the way he was. His scars were part of it, but you and I both know they go deeper than that.”
Erin pursed her lips. She wasn’t about to perform a psychological analysis on Blake, especially with Melinda as her partner.
“Can I go now?”
Melinda laughed softly. “I can’t fault you for that. If he had to end up with someone else, at least it’s someone who truly cares about him. Well, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to apologize and tell you that I won’t be a problem from now on, between you and him.”
Erin weighed the sincerity of her words and found she believed them. Still, she wasn’t inclined to be generous with the memory of her humiliation still strong. The woman had basically accused her of being a prostitute. “I accept your apology, but just so you know…you couldn’t have caused a problem between me and him. Not anymore.”
Glossy lips twisted into a wry smile. “You’re probably right about that. He’s loyal.”
And he’s mine.
The force of the words shocked her. At least she managed not to say them out loud, as she made her escape from Melinda. But privately, her confidence in him, her possession surged impossibly strong. He was hers. Hers to love. Hers to keep.
She burned with desire to see him right now, to kiss and make love to him until the world outside faded to black. However, he had the Faculty Ball tonight. She could survive a single night without him, couldn’t she? It would be a near thing. They’d be together again tomorrow. They’d have forever together tomorrow.
