“As I was saying,” Herrera says sternly, visibly irritated at our presence, “we are here to evaluate your relationship and current employment status.”
The dread in my stomach resurfaces and all color leaves my body, I’m sure, as she stares daggers at me.
“Normally, when this occurs, we will open the floor for objections, but as we are running out of time, I am afraid—”
“The hell we are!” an oddly familiar voice comes from the back of the room.
“Excuse me?” Herrera asks the voice.
Ellie and I turn around and see Patsy standing in front of the crowd of faculty and parents. Then,, as if Moses was parting the Red Sea himself, the crowd parts and in walks Malcolm, followed by at least twenty of our students: Sarah, Garrett, Devon, even Birdie and the entire cheer squad, Charlie and the baseball team, with Ethan and Travis bringing up the rear. They all pile through the crowd and stand just feet away from Ellie and I.
“I believe we do havetimefor some objections, don’t you, Molly?” Patsy crosses her arms, looking very smug and stares her down over our shoulders.
Herrera stammers on her words at the podium before Jill takes the handheld microphone and walks to the floor. Jill joins us on the floor, standing beside Ellie as we face the group of students.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper to Malcolm. He just winks at me.
“We have some things we would like to say,” Sarah speaks confidently and smoothly as she addresses the crowd. Stepping forward as she pulls out a color tab filled binder and hands it to Patsy.
“Thank you, Ms. Kim,” Patsy says, taking the binder and walking towards the front of the room. Directly under the podium, Molly is glaring at her as she hands her a pile of papers. “Go ahead and pass those down.”
Jill hands Patsy the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen of the board, we are here to dispute your motion regarding the employment of Mr. Divata and Miss Bailey.” Molly rolls her eyes as Patsy walks along the floor addressing the entire room now. “We are here to provide evidence of the positive impact both of these faculty members have had on the student body at Glendale High. We are also here”—she pauses and plants her eyes on Ellie and — “to encouragefullsupport of their relationship with one another.”
I hear Ellie let out a small whimper as she reaches for my hand. I clasp my hand around hers and feel her shaking. Or maybe I’m shaking. We’re both shaking.
Herrera clears her throat at the microphone. “Ms. Strong, this is not how we—”
“Please leave my dead husband’s name out of this.” Patsy snaps her hand up, firmly interrupting Herrera, without turning around. “Now, we know how this is going to go.” She turns to face the board. “You do not have the financial resources, or time, to replacetwofaculty members, let alone find remotely adequate replacements for these two.” She gestures back to us, and Ellie’s grip on my hand tightens as we watch Ms. Pat turn it on.
She’s always been legendary. For years, Glendale got just about anything they wanted if Pat was backing it up. We needed a new jumbotron, not because it was broken but because it looked better, Pat convinced the board to fund it. We needed new mascot colors, Pat designed the costume and the board didn’t bat an idea. Back in the 90’s, the school cafeteria tried limiting their caffeine options to students, so Ms. Pat hosted a free coffee day and told the superintendent at the time to “deal with it.” She was a force to be reckoned with and it was rare that she didn’t get her way.
“I think it is about time we consider amending the age-old policy regarding interpersonal relationships and get with the times.” Her voice was getting louder, like she was rallying the troops. Some people in the back whooped in agreement. “You cannot control who you love, and we sure as hell don’t have any right to tell these two, oranyonethey can’t be with whom they want to be with!”
The crowd hollers and cheers, I feel goosebumps on the back of Ellie’s hand. I keep my gaze focused on Herrera as Pat continues. Speaking louder as if she was making history in this very room, demanding justice and compassion, with the crowd matching her energy.
Everyone in the room starts to lose control in their excitement, the students, parents, even some of the board members are cheering and applauding like this is some street rally.
Pat ends with, “Let them betogether”—another loud cheer—“Let them stay!” Like Mel Gibson in Braveheart yellingFREEDOM,Patsy yells again, “Let them!”
Then the entire room begins chanting.
LET THEM STAY!
LET THEM STAY!
LET THEM STAY!
I can’t resist looking around the room at everyone. Malcolm and Kate . . . Emma, Steven, and their boys . . . Sam and Nancy . . . Naomi . . . they’re all here with our students. The kids are chanting and cheering like they do at the football games, encircling us even closer.
My eyes start to sting as I see everyone . . . they're all heresupportingus.
I turn to face Ellie and see she’s done the same by looking around the room, then turns to face me with tears streaming down her face. I know she feels it too. These people love her and accept her,us. These people are her family now.
“Order, order!” Herrera shouts over the room, pounding on the podium with her fist. The volume and elation in the room starts to simmer as Herrera holds her chin up, waiting. “Ms. Strong—” Patsy coughs. “Ms. Pat.” Herrera grits her teeth as she reluctantly corrects herself. “I’m sorry to say that the decision has already been made. Mr. Divata and Ms. Bailey made a poor decision to pursue a relationship that is strictly prohibited. There are repercussions for—”
“BOO!!” Devon yells from my right, the rest of the students follow suit. “BOOOOOO!!”
Herrera pounds on the podium. “Enough!” The room is quieter this time, she’s pissed now. “Bayani . . .” She directs her attention to me, and I feel acid build in my stomach. “You know the rules.”
