“Seconded.”
I had to bite the insides of my cheeks to keep from smirking.
“Now, wait just a second,” Brad thundered. “I also have it on good authority, that the only reason she wanted this position was because of her own son’s mental health problems, which were so severe he was dismissed from his past school. That alone is a conflict of interest, and she should have no place on this board.”
Metaphorically throwing down my gloves, I grabbed the microphone and spoke directly into it.
Loudly.
“Excuse me, members of the board, if you may allow me to speak?”
I was met with nods as Brad sneered at me.
“It’s true that I hired Mr. Jace Vargas, who is twenty-four-years old, to be the nanny for my children when I moved to Green Valley. I was a single mother and took overnight call for my job. If I was called into the hospital, I couldn’t bring my kids along with me, for obvious reasons. I needed someone to care for them. And while I am appalled that anyone would suggest that I would use a position of authority to pursue an inappropriate relationship with anyone, whether in my employ or not, I can appreciate that Mr. Goldenstein was working to uphold the principles of morality and fairness. Those are essential qualities for anyone in the community who works with children?—”
“Or adults!” Rose piped up into the mic beside me, staring daggers at Brad.
I nodded at Rose and continued, emboldened by the few encouraging smiles as well as head nods from the surrounding tables. “The truth of the matter is that yes, Mr. Vargas and I started a relationship when he was in my employ. It was absolutely consensual,” I looked to Jace and he winked, “and then we fell in love. I will also say that Mr. Vargas is no longer in my employ, but he does live with my children and I.”
Brad sneered. “If he’s no longer employed by you, why does he live with you and your children?”
“Because he’s my husband,” I answered calmly.
Gasps and murmurs, along with a loud piercing whistle, erupted from the crowd. Brad was practically seething, his face an alarming shade of red.
I leaned into the microphone once again, heart racing, palms starting to sweat. “As for the other matter. Yes, my son has an anxiety disorder. He was not dismissed from his last school, that was quite incorrect on Mr. Goldenstein’s part, but he was forced to leave school because the special education programming at his school was inflexible and understaffed. I had no choice but to remove him from a school that was unable to meet his needs. When this position was offered to me, I was hesitant to take it. I was a single mother at the time, and caring for children with mental health challenges takes a fair amount of time. I couldn’t help other children, at the expense of my own.”
I took a deep breath, finding Jace’s beaming face in the crowd, filling me with confidence.
“But I’ve found a family here. I’ve found friends. A community that supports us. Just like a school is the community that supports a child. I believe that with my expertise and personal experience, I am the exact right person to do this job. So that I can help as many children as I can, children like my son, who need help so they can succeed in school both socially and academically, but the backlogged and outdated systems don’t allow him to get it.”
I sat back, relief flooding me. Reggie clapped me on the back, a wide smile on his face. I studied each board member’s face. Enthusiastic smiles and polite nods greeted me at every single seat.
Except of course, from the smarmy smarmerton sitting in the middle.
“Repeat motion to approve Dr. Alberton as the medical director of our school district.”
This was quickly seconded, followed by a chorus of ayes from the board and one exuberant “Aye!” from Rose, next to me.
But it didn’t stop there.
“Aye!” Jace shot up from the audience, followed almost immediately by three more ayes from Rae, Sienna, and Charlotte.
“Aye!” came Jace’s parents and Sarah, who turned and glared at Sam, who shot up immediately with a high pitched, “Aye.”
“Oh hell, I’m doing it too. Aye!” yelled Tiffany as my friends and family all stood up, one by one, to support me.
I glanced at Brad, who looked madder than a wet hen, but he leaned into the microphone and muttered, “Motion passed.”
Heart bursting, the entire audience broke into applause, then quieted quickly because we were still at a meeting and had work to do. As I sat down, I let my gaze linger over my friends and my family,my family,feeling truly home for the first time.
EPILOGUE
POLLY
I know at the moment what he’s given me and it’s not a chair. It’s an invitation, a welcome, the knowledge that I am accepted here. He hasn’t given me a place to sit. He’s given me a place to belong.
Katja Millay,The Sea of Tranquility
