The sun was warm, but I felt cold as I stepped out of the car. Jacob stood by the school doors, shoulders slumped, avoiding eye contact. His teacher, Ms. Emily—young, polished, and overly sweet—smiled tightly. I waved to Jacob. He didn’t wave back.
After he got in the car, Ms. Emily asked to speak privately. She mentioned Jacob had trouble with the lessons and other students, hinting he might not be a good fit for the school. I defended him—he just needed time to adjust. She gave a noncommittal, “We’ll see,” and walked off.
Back in the car, I asked Jacob how his day really was. He whispered, “Scary. No one talked to me. I miss my old friends.” My heart broke, but I reassured him and asked him to try again tomorrow.
The next day, while showing a home to clients, I got a call from Ms. Emily—there had been a “serious incident.” I rushed to the school, heart racing. In the parking lot, I was shocked to see Mark, Jacob’s father and my ex-husband. We hadn’t told him we’d moved. He revealed he was dating someone who worked at the school. My stomach dropped.
Inside, the janitor quietly warned me: “They’re lying. Ms. Emily set Jacob up.” In the principal’s office, they accused Jacob of altering his test answers. Ms. Emily claimed it was his handwriting. But Jacob cried out—“She told me to do it!”
Mark entered, recognizing Emily. Everything clicked: this was personal. I exposed her motive—she was using Jacob because of her relationship with Mark. Emily cracked, admitting the truth. The principal immediately fired her.
Apologizing, the principal promised Jacob could stay and would be supported. I hugged my son tightly, promising I’d always believe him.
As we left, Mark apologized, stunned by what had happened. Outside, the sun was shining. Jacob squeezed my hand, and I knew we’d be okay.
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