~
Serenity stared at Aaron, trying to process what she’d just heard. Disbelief morphed into anger and she used her foot to shove her chair away from the table in the breakroom. “This is insane. Even with all of her talk and threats, she seriously let you go?” How stupid was this? Aaron put his hands over hers and gave them a gentle squeeze. When she looked up at him, the last thing she expected was for him to be smiling. “What on earth do you find so funny?”
“Has anyone told you how adorable you are when you’re angry?”
She wanted to get indignant or object, but the twinkle in his eye brought out a smile of her own. She ducked her head. “Stop. This is serious.”
“I know it is. I already talked to Tuck and he’s gathering as much information as he can about the people involved in the original dispute last spring.” His expression grew somber. “We’re going to go into that meeting as prepared as we possibly can be. I have every intention of fighting to get my job back. Between now and then, we pray.”
“How can you be this calm?”
Aaron caught some strands of hair on her cheek and moved to tuck them behind her ear. “I’m not. I talk big.” He winked. “What I do know is that I love you and that you and Gideon are the most important people in my life. By the end of Tuesday, one way or another, we’ll know where we stand. We will figure this out.”
Serenity remembered her conversation with Lexi and how she didn’t use to think of the world as a glass half empty. She refused to do that now. Aaron was right. They might be in limbo for a few days, but then it’d be over. And regardless of whether Cynthia succeeded or not, she and Aaron would stand together. Serenity nodded. “You’re right.” She smiled. “We’ve got this.”
They finished their lunch. Aaron kissed her briefly before they went their separate ways. When Serenity got back to the front office, Maggie greeted her with a wave.
“How was lunch?”
Serenity rolled her eyes. She thought about glossing over the whole mess but hesitated. When she first started working here, she had no idea what to make of Maggie. But over the last couple of months, she’d found in her not only a fun co-worker, but a friend as well. A friend she knew she could trust. She lowered her voice and told her what Cynthia said to Aaron.
“That woman is crazy. I figured she was all talk.” Maggie slumped back in her chair, her eyes watery. “This place won’t be the same without the Music Man. What about all the kids who look forward to seeing him every day?”
No, it wouldn’t be the same. She knew, without a doubt, that Gideon would miss seeing him at school. Serenity stared at the desk, her mind going in all directions. An idea popped into her head and her eyes widened.
Maggie noticed, sitting up straight. “Ooohhh! Whatever it is, I want to help.” She took in the room and lowered her voice. “What’ve you got?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
The moment Aaron walked into the conference room for the board meeting. There were more people sitting around the rectangular table than he’d expected. Along with the president and secretary, twelve of the eighteen members of the board were present as well. Aaron held tight to Serenity’s hand and led her around to several empty chairs. Tuck followed closely behind them. They took a seat, the men on either side of Serenity.
The quarterly board meeting was open to the public, but apparently few outsiders attended.
Cynthia caught his eyes and shot him a look of disdain. Before she could glance away, he recognized a flash of worry as well. Aaron hadn’t so much as said hello to her since he went to her office on Monday.
Zane and Letty were keeping Gideon with them during the meeting and Maggie had joined them. It felt good to know they had friends supporting them.
Aaron could feel Serenity’s knee bouncing up and down under the table. He gently nudged her shoulder with his own. “Deep breaths. We’re going to be okay.” She nodded quickly but said nothing.
Tuck reached over and massaged her neck a moment before clasping his hands on a file he’d put on the table in front of him.
The board meeting began and went through an extensive amount of time going over old business as well as items on the agenda. As the minutes ticked by, Aaron had to force himself to not shift nervously in his seat. This was it. An hour from now, he would know whether or not he got his job back.
One of the members of the board, Jean Thompson, finally asked, “Is there any new business we need to address today?”
Cynthia seemed happy to stand up and let everyone else know about the conflict she’d had a hand in. “Yes, I have a matter I’d like to inform the board about. This is concerning the new dating policy we put into effect a few months ago.” She paused. “I’d spoken to both Mr. Randall and Ms. Chandler about the policy. I made certain they understood its meaning. Mr. Randall continued to pursue a relationship with Ms. Chandler. Since her son goes to this school and is one of the students that Mr. Randall works with, it was highly inappropriate. They consistently disregarded my concern.”
She shot a haughty look in Aaron’s direction. “In line with the policy, I released Mr. Randall from Hope Academy so that he can find employment elsewhere. I have given him until tomorrow evening to remove his belongings from the school.” She regained her seat, appearing way too proud of herself.
Jean looked across the long table at Tuck, Serenity, and Aaron. “Can I assume that Mr. Randall is in attendance today?”
Aaron offered a firm nod. “I am.”
“Have you begun the process of emptying your classroom?” Jean folded her hands together and watched him expectantly.
“No, I have not.”
“And why is that?”
Aaron rolled his shoulders back. “Because I have every intention of getting my job reinstated.” His voice came out clear and confident.
Jean hiked an eyebrow at him. “Would you care to explain?”
Despite the storm of nerves inside, he stood calmly. “I would, thank you. I believe the policy in general isn’t appropriate. I understand that it’s important to provide a safe environment for the kids attending this school, but my love life is simply not the school’s business. I fail to see how it interferes with my ability to teach my students.” He paused. “Yes, I was aware of the policy. I’ve loved working here with these amazing kids for the last five years. I hate the idea that I might not be coming back. But Ms. Chandler is important to me and I was forced to choose. When it came down to it, the decision was an easy one.”
He sat down again, reaching for Serenity’s hand and giving it a squeeze. She offered him a brief smile, lacing her fingers with his. He laid their joined hands on the table.
Jean focused her attention on Tuck. “I assume you are here on their behalf. Do you have anything to add?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Tuck stood and opened the folder he’d brought with him. “My name’s Kentucky Chandler. I’m an officer with the Kitner Police Department. Since learning about the policy and the threat of Mr. Randall losing his job, I thought I’d take the liberty of doing some investigating.” He cleared his throat. “Before the event this last spring, the school had no issues with interpersonal disruptions. I asked about both individuals involved. The woman in the relationship was married to Cynthia’s stepson.” Tuck tipped his head towards Cynthia. “I mean no disrespect, ma’am.”
Aaron exchanged a surprised look with Serenity. More notable was the fact that no one on the board seemed fazed.
Tuck continued. “It’s my understanding that the stepson has donated a large sum of money to Hope Academy for years now. If I had to guess, after he found out about the affair, the last thing he wanted to do was to continue to support the school that started what eventually would result in the dissolution of his marriage. I don’t know whether this dating policy was put in place to placate this large donor, or if it truly was to avoid something similar from happening again. Either way, it doesn’t seem fair to make all of your employees pay for the bad life choices that one person made.” He closed th
e file. “Thank you for your time.”
Tuck sat down again and Aaron resisted the urge to shake his hand. He could have become a successful lawyer if he hadn’t gone into law enforcement.
So Cynthia had been protecting her stepson all along. Or was the board going above and beyond to secure the continued donation from the man? Either way, the dating policy was clearly born from ulterior motives. Surely, now that the reasons were known outside of the board, they’d reconsider the whole thing.
Cynthia’s face had turned a shade of crimson but Jean maintained her composure. “I appreciate your thoroughness, Officer Chandler. But what you’ve stated is nothing more than what the board is already aware of. The dating policy, while it might be unusual, was voted on by the board. Because it is currently in place, you are in violation of guidelines.” She nodded to Cynthia. “You were given ample warnings. This school recognizes that you’ve done extraordinary work with the children here at Hope. But if we’re going to maintain this policy, we have to enforce the consequences.” She paused. “Is there anything else?
Aaron stared at her. That was it. They weren’t even going to put it to a vote? Whatever amount of money the stepson was donating, it must have been an incredibly large sum. Until now, he really felt like things were going to work out. That the board would tell Cynthia she needed to get over herself. The realization that he was probably not going to get his job back hit him hard.
Serenity pushed her chair away from the table and stood. Aaron blinked at her. What was she doing?
“I do have something I’d like to say if I may.”
Jean motioned for her to continue.
“I’m not just part of the relationship that seems to fly in the face of your policy. My son also attends this school. In the two months that he’s been coming here, he’s benefited greatly from all of the wonderful teachers and therapists, and that includes Aaron. Before beginning music therapy, my son was completely non-verbal. He spoke his first word last week.” Her voice shook and she cleared her throat. “If it weren’t for Aaron’s ability to reach these kids in a way no one else can, I’m confident I would still be waiting to hear my son say Ma.”
Her voice was stronger now and Aaron was completely captivated by her words as she continued.
“My son looks forward to his visits with the Music Man. And he’s not the only one. The school is full of kids who will not only miss Aaron if he leaves, but who won’t be receiving therapy that’s helping to improve their lives.”
Serenity turned then and went to the back of the room. She pulled on the door that led to the hall and held it open. People started pouring into the conference room. Aaron spotted Letty and Zane with Gideon between them. Maggie sent a wink his way. He recognized dozens of students and their parents. Several other teachers and therapists punctuated the crowd. They continued to file into the room until nearly all of the open space had been filled. Serenity returned to her spot at the table.
“There are thirty-eight families represented here. Each of them is ready to share how Aaron has helped their children. And they are more than willing to write up a complaint if his job is not reinstated.”
Serenity put a hand on Aaron’s shoulder and smiled at him. A lump formed in his throat and he tried to swallow past it. His eyes scanned all of the people who were there supporting him and got more nods of encouragement than he could count. Wow, God. When You decide to do something, You go all out. Thank you.
Jean seemed stunned and Cynthia’s expression was unreadable. Around the table, there were multiple members of the board who were conversing among themselves.
Zane moved to the front of the group and motioned towards the people standing behind him. “Not only that, but many of Aaron’s co-workers also consider him a friend. A member of the Hope Academy family. If you choose to let him go, you’ll be losing more than your music therapist in the process.”
The room erupted in applause. Aaron was clapped on the shoulders or back multiple times. He looked into Serenity’s face. She grinned at him and took her seat. He leaned over and whispered into her ear. “How on earth did you pull this off? You never said a thing.”
“I didn’t want to get your hopes up.” Her eyes sparkled. “You’re a popular guy. You might as well get used to it.”
Aaron chuckled. The back of his neck grew hot from all the attention.
Jean had been speaking with several other board members and finally cleared her throat. She held her hand high in an attempt to capture everyone’s attention. “Excuse me, please.” The room quieted down. “In light of the support from the parents and co-workers present, the board has recommended that two votes be taken. The first one is in regard to the dating policy that was established this last spring. All those in favor of removing the policy from Hope Academy’s set guidelines, please raise your hands.”
While not all of the board members did so, there was a clear majority in favor of it. “Very well. We will remove the policy from the guidelines.” Applause broke out and Jean held another hand up to quiet everyone. “All of those in favor of allowing Mr. Randall to continue his job as the music therapist here at Hope Academy?”
Cynthia looked miserable and seemed to sink into her chair. She didn’t raise her hand, though Aaron thought she might have been the only one. When her gaze met his, he recognized a flash of grudging respect.
Jean gave a nod. “With a majority of the board’s approval, Mr. Randall, your job will be reinstated.” She tipped her head towards Aaron. “If you should choose to accept, that is.”
Aaron stood and turned to address his friends, students, and their families. “You’re all like family to me. I’m not going anywhere.”
The applause was deafening and Aaron was swept into the group as they exited the conference room and gravitated towards the front office. He was greeted by multiple parents who congratulated him, many sharing with him what kinds of progress they’d seen in their children thanks to him.
Friends and co-workers shook his hand, telling him they were glad they’d continue to see him at the school.
Aaron searched for Serenity and finally spotted her across the room with Zane, Letty, Maggie, and Tuck who was holding Gideon. More than anything, he wanted to go to her.
The room gradually emptied as everyone headed home for the evening. When he’d waved to the last parent, he was finally able to fully grasp what had happened. Emotions collided and he fought to keep control of them.
He turned and faced the six individuals who remained. Maggie squealed and ran towards him, her purple acrylic nails clacking together as she gave him a hug. “Congratulations, Music Man. Never doubt that you’re appreciated by many.” She gave him a wink.
Zane shook hands with Aaron and Letty followed up with a hug of her own. “It’s nice when the good guys win,” she said, her eyes filled with tears.
Aaron stretched a hand to Tuck. “I appreciate everything you did, man. Thank you.”
Tuck gave his hand a firm shake. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.” His face was serious but there was a sparkle in his eyes. “You take care of my sister and nephew and we’ll call it even.”
“You have my word.” Aaron gave him a nod and finally turned to find Serenity watching him. Emotions chased each other across her face. Gideon let go of her hand and ran to him. Aaron dropped to his knees and enveloped the boy in a hug. “Hey, buddy. Thanks for being here. It meant a lot, you know that?” Gideon looked at him with a grin and ran back to Tuck.
Serenity chuckled. “Is it finally my turn to congratulate the man of the hour?”
~
Serenity’s pulse raced when Aaron didn’t hesitate. He strode forward and pulled her into his arms. He lifted her off the ground and swung her around several times before setting her back down on her feet.
“You are absolutely amazing, did you know that?”
Serenity shrugged. “I didn’t do much. You’re the one who’s touched so many lives. And God brought everything together fr
om there.”
He kept a strong arm around her waist and pulled her close. He kissed her ear. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
Serenity’s heart filled to overflowing and words wouldn’t come. She rested her head against his chest and hugged him tightly.
Tuck shook his head in mock concern. “Serenity, after all this mess, I wouldn’t blame you if you changed your mind. If you get sick of seeing this guy every day, you know you’re always welcome to come back to Kitner.” He tried to keep back a smile but didn’t quite succeed.
Serenity laughed when Aaron held a hand to his heart as though he’d been wounded.
“I appreciate it, Tuck. But I don’t think that’ll be necessary.” She caught her brother’s nod of approval. The fact was, everyone at Hope Academy was becoming a second family. She planned to tell Jay she accepted his help with the tuition. She couldn’t imagine a better school for Gideon.
“In that case, I say this calls for a celebration.” Zane motioned to the doors leading out of the school. “Steak dinner on Aaron.”
The group erupted in laughter as they exited the building.
Aaron kept hold of Serenity’s hand and slowed until they were several paces behind everyone else. He stopped then and tugged her to face him.
His voice was just above a whisper. “I love you, Serenity. You and Gideon. You’re my family.”
Those words crashed through the last layer of control she’d had on her emotions all afternoon. Tears filled her eyes. “I love you, too.”
He covered her lips with his in a kiss full of promise.
With a smile meant only for her, he took her hand in his and continued their trek across the parking lot.
Serenity marveled at how, only a few months ago, trading what she’d known for an uncertain future had scared her to no end. And now… Well, now she welcomed the change that loving Aaron brought into her life.
Lord, You always had faith in me even when I had so little in myself. Thank you for my son and my Music Man.
Finding Faith (Love's Compass Book 4) Page 17