Looking in the mirror, I check out what I’m wearing. Black pants, black ankle boots, a deep red cashmere sweater, which Whitney gave me for my birthday two years ago, and I love. Looking good, I think to myself. Yeah, I look tidy without being too casual.
Myles walks into the bedroom. “Are you ready, muffin?”
“Muffin? Couldn’t you think of anything better than that, stud?” I giggle a little when Myles' eyes open more with the shock that I nicknamed him back.
Grabbing me around the waist and pulling me tight to his body Myles grins before kissing me senseless, then speaks smugly. “I’ll show you what a stud I can be later when we get home, blossom.”
We have been sitting in the main hall of the school listening to various teachers speaking about the progress of the pupils. My mind is switching off as I’m bored to tears. Myles squeezes my hand to get my attention back on the discussion that’s happening right now.
“When you have pupils that punch other pupils they need expelled from the school…”
I sit up straight, squint my eyes and turn my head to see who the motherf….said that? Of course, it is Stewart’s mother. The bullying kid who deserved a punch.
Standing while Myles is doing his best to pull me back into my seat. I shake him off and point at the bitch. “Hey, when your kid is bullying a small girl and the teacher does nothing about it…” I turn to the row of teachers and find Miss Grainger. Yeah, I pointed her out. “Anyone would expect that bully to be stood up to. My boy stood up to him. Lily is the little girl he was bullying. Are Lily’s parents here?”
“Yes, we are here.” I turn and see Lily’s mother and father standing and glaring at Stewart’s mother, right before glaring at the principal.
“Do you think my boy Oren was out-of-order standing up to the bully on Lily’s behalf?” I ask, and I hear Myles groan. But he deals with things calmer than I do from the look of it.
“I think the school needs a real anti-bullying policy, and the likes of Stewart put in their place. The parents are as responsible for the bullying as the kid, when we see this idiot standing here wanting Oren removed from school for being a decent human being. Saying that, he’s only a child and knows more about right and wrong than the parent does,” Lily’s father states.
The hall erupts into bedlam, and my job is done, so I retake my seat and give Myles' hand a squeeze. I can see he’s doing his best not to laugh at the situation I’ve created.
Parents are demanding an apology be given to Oren, and that Stewart be punished for his behavior. Also, if he won’t apologize and mend his ways, he should be the one to find another school to attend.
Principal Glenshaw is attempting to bring the meeting under control, although his attempts are proving to be ineffective. It seems to me that the time has come for him to bemore decisive in handling his staff and establishing clear guidelines for the school.
Myles stands calmly and waits for everyone to quieten down. Which happens quickly when parents see him waiting.
Myles sighs before starting to speak. “It’s my son, Oren. Along with Stewart, that Stewart’s mother brought to the meeting’s attention. Now everyone in the room knows that it was Stewart who was bullying Lily, and because the teacher didn’t nip it in the bud when she should have, that it escalated.” Myles gives Miss Grainger a firm look before continuing. “They are kids, and kids have to learn. But ignoring a child who is a bully is not helping that child. It means he will grow up to be a bully, and he’ll meet someone he cannot scare, and that someone will pulverize him. They are only eight years of age. They have time to be taught to be decent grown-ups.”
“That’s right!” “Well said!” “Too right!”
The comments are flying, and Mr. Glenshaw is looking more than a little worried at this point in time. I’m enjoying the show and impressed Myles is remaining calm and in control.
Myles continues. “Oren is a good kid. He would never stand by and watch a little girl suffer. I’m proud of that, and it tells me that when he is a man, he’ll be a good man. I don’t want my son to become a man who walks past a womanbeing beaten or verbally abused. That is not who I am, and it’s not who he is going to become.” The room erupts with cheers, boot stomping, and an array of supportive comments.
The room quietens, and Mr. Glenshaw concludes the meeting by stating he will look at his anti-bullying policy and will send out letters to all parents, which will include that policy. He also said he’ll speak with Stewart’s parents, which didn’t go down well with the mother, as she is the only one of Stewart’s parents that turned up for the meeting.
Sitting in my office, I hand paperwork to Annabelle and lean back in my seat, thinking about the meeting last night. The shock on the principal and the teacher’s faces when parents stood up to them was priceless. But it was needed, and it was overdue. It will be interesting to see what policy they put together regarding bullying.
A noise gains my attention and looking up I see Mr. Wallis pause in my office doorway. I always have the door open when I don’t have a client with me, that way I’m always available if anyone needs me.
“Stay here, Maylee. It seems Mr. Carmichael’s family are here to cause a stir.”
I blink for a moment or two while I soak in what Mr. Wallis has just said. Why would they come here? What is the matter with that family?
I walk towards my door and edge into the hallway but keep out of sight of the maniacs in the reception area. I can hear them clearly shouting.
‘Where is that bitch?’ ‘She knows where Gloria is.’ ‘We are gonna sue her for whatever we can think of.’ ‘Bring her out here.’
Annabelle walks out of reception and rolls her eyes at me. “We have the cops coming for them. I think the entire family needs medical help. They are all batshit crazy…”
I don’t get chance to respond, smile, or anything before Annabelle turns around and walks back into the reception area, waiting for the police to arrive.
Leaning against the wall in the hallway, I look up when Dillon Marshall, one of our lawyers, walks past me and into the furor. I shake my head and walk back into my office. I think the world has gone mad!
I ignore everything I can hear going on and concentrate on the paperwork I’m about to file for Oren’s adoption. Myles has already signed everything, so I’m delighted about that. Yeah, I'm going to be a mama, and if I’m honest, I’m looking forward to it. I love Oren. He is the smartest and funniest kid. He has been throwing out ‘with bells on’ for solong we all know it's coming, but it’s still funny when he says it out of context.
