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Authors: Tammie Welch
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down.”
Sara was well away from the school before she burst into tears. She could not hold them back any longer. She thought she had prepared herself for everything. This was the one consequence that she had not considered. She had been there so long, she thought there was no way they would withhold her contract over this.
Before she realized where she was, Sara was at Cynthia’s house. Cynthia had the front door open before Sara could even get out of the car.
“Why aren’t you at work? Are you okay?” Cynthia had walked to the car and grabbed Sara by the shoulders.
Sara could not speak. She just handed Cynthia the envelope. Cynthia guided her inside as she opened the envelope. She read it silently and quickly. She flipped the pages of the handbook until she found the same highlighted area that Sara had read.
“That son of a bitch! He can’t do this to you.” Cynthia’s face was crimson with anger.
“Obviously he feels he can. I have got to find someone to help me. I thought I was ready for everything. I never expected to be fired. I’m just in shock I think.” Sara had managed to stop the tears.
After searching the Internet and making several phone calls, they finally found an attorney that would meet with them that afternoon. Sara just had to calm herself before the appointment. She had to be thinking clearly when she walked into the attorney’s office.
***
Karen Jameson’s office was in a storefront downtown. It was scarcely furnished. There were three straight chairs in front of the window on the right side as they walked in. Four filing cabinets were on the left side of the door. There was a small oak desk in the center of the room with a computer. The receptionist was seated behind it talking on the phone. She held up one finger to acknowledge Sara as she entered and looked around.
“Can I help you?” The secretary’s voice was soft and polite as she hung up the phone and addressed Sara and Cynthia.
“I am Sara Carson. I have an appointment with Ms. Jameson.” Sara’s voice was slightly shaking.
“Just a moment.” She picked up the phone again. “Ms. Jameson, your one o’clock appointment is here.” She replaced the receiver. “She will be right with you. Have a seat.”
Sara and Cynthia had just sat down in the chairs as the door on the left side of the back wall opened. The woman that appeared in the doorway was about fifty. She was at least six feet tall and had very broad shoulders. She was dressed in a black suit. Her short black hair was streaked with silver. She handed a folder to the receptionist and said something that Sara did not hear.
“Ms. Carson?” Her voice was deep and coarse.
“Yes. I’m Sara Carson.” Sara stood as the woman crossed the room to her.
“I’m Karen Jameson.” Her handshake was firm. She directed Sara into her office. “Would you like some water or a soda?
“No thank you. I am fine for now.” Sara lied. She really could use some water, but she was so nervous she did not want to have to hold on to anything.
“How can I help you, Ms. Carson?”
Sara began her story when Ms. Jameson had gotten out a pad and pen to take notes. She started with how long she had worked at Mills and continued right up through the letter this morning. She recalled the encounters with Officer Griffin and the meetings with Mr. Michaels. Karen listened intently and took extensive notes as Sara spoke.
Sara paused a second before asking, “What should I do, Ms. Jameson?”
“First of all, call me Karen. Secondly, do you want to keep your job there?”
Sara looked a bit puzzled at the question. Karen picked up on it quickly. “I ask this because most people would not, but I get the feeling that you do.”
“I grew up in this town. I have never taught anywhere other than Mills. I love the students and most of the teachers. I really don’t want to move or change careers at this point in my life.” Sara was
Sara was well away from the school before she burst into tears. She could not hold them back any longer. She thought she had prepared herself for everything. This was the one consequence that she had not considered. She had been there so long, she thought there was no way they would withhold her contract over this.
Before she realized where she was, Sara was at Cynthia’s house. Cynthia had the front door open before Sara could even get out of the car.
“Why aren’t you at work? Are you okay?” Cynthia had walked to the car and grabbed Sara by the shoulders.
Sara could not speak. She just handed Cynthia the envelope. Cynthia guided her inside as she opened the envelope. She read it silently and quickly. She flipped the pages of the handbook until she found the same highlighted area that Sara had read.
“That son of a bitch! He can’t do this to you.” Cynthia’s face was crimson with anger.
“Obviously he feels he can. I have got to find someone to help me. I thought I was ready for everything. I never expected to be fired. I’m just in shock I think.” Sara had managed to stop the tears.
After searching the Internet and making several phone calls, they finally found an attorney that would meet with them that afternoon. Sara just had to calm herself before the appointment. She had to be thinking clearly when she walked into the attorney’s office.
***
Karen Jameson’s office was in a storefront downtown. It was scarcely furnished. There were three straight chairs in front of the window on the right side as they walked in. Four filing cabinets were on the left side of the door. There was a small oak desk in the center of the room with a computer. The receptionist was seated behind it talking on the phone. She held up one finger to acknowledge Sara as she entered and looked around.
“Can I help you?” The secretary’s voice was soft and polite as she hung up the phone and addressed Sara and Cynthia.
“I am Sara Carson. I have an appointment with Ms. Jameson.” Sara’s voice was slightly shaking.
“Just a moment.” She picked up the phone again. “Ms. Jameson, your one o’clock appointment is here.” She replaced the receiver. “She will be right with you. Have a seat.”
Sara and Cynthia had just sat down in the chairs as the door on the left side of the back wall opened. The woman that appeared in the doorway was about fifty. She was at least six feet tall and had very broad shoulders. She was dressed in a black suit. Her short black hair was streaked with silver. She handed a folder to the receptionist and said something that Sara did not hear.
“Ms. Carson?” Her voice was deep and coarse.
“Yes. I’m Sara Carson.” Sara stood as the woman crossed the room to her.
“I’m Karen Jameson.” Her handshake was firm. She directed Sara into her office. “Would you like some water or a soda?
“No thank you. I am fine for now.” Sara lied. She really could use some water, but she was so nervous she did not want to have to hold on to anything.
“How can I help you, Ms. Carson?”
Sara began her story when Ms. Jameson had gotten out a pad and pen to take notes. She started with how long she had worked at Mills and continued right up through the letter this morning. She recalled the encounters with Officer Griffin and the meetings with Mr. Michaels. Karen listened intently and took extensive notes as Sara spoke.
Sara paused a second before asking, “What should I do, Ms. Jameson?”
“First of all, call me Karen. Secondly, do you want to keep your job there?”
Sara looked a bit puzzled at the question. Karen picked up on it quickly. “I ask this because most people would not, but I get the feeling that you do.”
“I grew up in this town. I have never taught anywhere other than Mills. I love the students and most of the teachers. I really don’t want to move or change careers at this point in my life.” Sara was
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