Jace’s best friend, Sam, sat next to her. He kept giving Sarah puppy-dog eyes despite her shutting him down every time.
I gave a discrete wave back to Rae and Sienna who were sitting next to their very hunky, very bearded husbands, both of whom I’d met at my wedding earlier this week. In fact, Jace’s entire guest list was more beard than not.
Butterflies danced in my stomach as I recalled wearing a white summer dress while someone I’d never met before but had curls that rivaled Jace’s and an impressive bushy beard, played soft bluegrass guitar as I walked down the grassy aisle in Jace’s parents’ backyard, hand in hand with my children.
To the man that was now my husband.
As Jace and I recited our vows, my face hurt from smiling. We laughed and teased and cried our way through it, like we did everything. Like we would for the rest of our lives.
Sitting beside Rae and Sienna was Charlotte, who gave me a covert thumbs up. I’d gotten to talk to Charlotte during Young Wills practice this week, learning about her kids and her work in the school. She was incredibly knowledgeable about school accommodations and even helped Rose and I last night as we reviewed our materials for today.
I elbowed Rose, who was sitting nervously beside me onstage, as I spotted the three women who made up the majority of the bride’s side at the wedding: Tiffany, Margo, and Eliza. They’d given me and Jace matching Kindles as wedding gifts. My matron of honor, Leah, protested when I asked her to watch Max and Ryla during the meeting. She reluctantly agreed when I told her I needed to focus, and I couldn’t do that if my kids were here. I needed to know they were safe and happy, to do what I needed to do today. Before I left her house, she pulled me into a fierce hug, whispered how proud she was of me and to fight, then slapped me on the ass for good measure, before cackling and closing her front door.
And fight I shall.
“I call this Green Valley School Board meeting to order,” the sniveling Mr. Goldenstein called out from his place at the center table. There were about fifteen of us in total, arranged at separate tables in a semi-circle on the auditorium stage.
“First item on the docket,” a member next to Brad announced. “Approval of the new medical director of the school district, Dr. Polly Alberton. Welcome, Dr. Alberton.” The member then smiled politely at me and nodded, and soon the other board members gave me professional nods and smiles, too.
“Thank you,” I said into the microphone in front of me, fisting my trembling hands in my lap.
“I’m sorry to bring up an issue first thing,” Brad cut off the member next to him as they were just opening their mouth to speak, an insincere smile on his face. “But I’ve been informed of a disturbing allegation about Dr. Alberton. Of course, I’ve emailed her repeatedly this week, urging her to step down to avoid discussing this in a public forum, but she has failed to do so. Thus, I have no choice but to bring these concerns to the board’s attention now.”
Reggie, who was sitting on my other side, stiffened. I felt a pang of guilt for not warning him; I wanted to save him from any backlash that may cost him his job if this went poorly. I’d been expecting what was about to happen, having been on the receiving end of several angry emails from Brad this week, making it clear what he was going to bring up today.
But that was Brad’s mistake. I mean, he knew that my father was a judge, right? You don’t announce your strategy to the opposing counsel before trial.
My father was a notable absence from my wedding. Of course, he also wasn’t invited.
I’d emailed Jeffrey on Tuesday, informing him that the kids and I were moving out of the judge’s house in one week, that I was marrying Jace, and that I would no longer be attending Sunday brunches or any future campaign events.
I hadn’t heard anything from either of them since.
At Brad’s declaration, I studied the faces of the school board members. Most looked shocked or confused, which gave me hope.
“Mr. Goldenstein, I don’t think it’s appropriate to discuss this in an open forum. We should bring this matter up at a closed school board meeting.” That was from one of the few women on the board.
Glancing at Jace, he flashed a reassuring smile as I leaned forward into the mic.
“No, that’s quite alright. I have no problem discussing this in public. Please proceed.” I looked directly at Brad as I said this. My eyes silently communicating,Bring. It. On.
I could tell Brad lost some of his bravado, but he recovered quickly. “It has come to my attention that an inappropriate relationship has been discovered between Dr. Alberton and someone in her employ.” I heard a few murmurs from the crowd as Brad continued, “She has been engaged in a sexual relationship with a young man who is the nanny for her children.”
“Brad, can you tell us why it’s inappropriate?” asked a male member of the board seated next to Brad.
“Certainly. The young man is only twenty-four years old, and she hired him to be her children’s nanny.” Brad looked from side to side, but the majority of the members were looking at him with persistently confused expressions.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Goldenstein. I still don’t see how this is relevant to our proceedings today, nor appropriate on your part,” the female member across from me said again.
Brad sneered. “She’s thirty-eight years old. And clearly used her position of authority to seduce a subordinate. I do not think that someone like that should be entrusted to make sound decisions for our children.”
I placed my hand over Rose’s. She’d been fisting her pen so hard her knuckles were turning white. Yes, his words had a barb in them, but nothing compared to what I’d heard on a regular basis from my own father.
“How old did you say this young man was?” a member asked.
“Twenty-four.” Brad leaned too close to the microphone, causing feedback that made everyone flinch. Silence descended as Brad craned his neck around him, likely realizing this was not going to be the easy win he anticipated.
Another member spoke up. “This seems to be a private matter. As long as it was a consensual relationship between two adults, I don’t see how any of this is pertinent. It should have no bearing on our approval of Dr. Alberton today. We have all reviewed her impressive CV and personal statement. I propose we move to approve Dr. Alberton before Mr. Goldenstein embarrasses her, or himself, any further.”
