Page 116 of Confessions of a High School Guidance Counselor

“Exactly,” Ollie said confidently. “We believe if it doesn’t affect their ability to do a good job, then it shouldn’t matter who they decide to love.”

My heart melted at his words.

“And you believe she was doing a good job, despite breaking the rule?” the newscaster asked.

Ollie looked straight at the camera. “She did thebestjob. She cares about her students like no one else. She deserves to work at the school, and we students deserve to work with her.”

They cut away from Ollie, showing helicopter footage of all the people in the courtyard. There must have been no one left inside the school.

“This brings an excellent question to the public eye,” the reporter said. “Is our private life truly private? And should it matter if you do an excellent job? I think you can tell where the students stand on the matter.”

My cheeks felt wet, and I realized I was crying.

Anthea rubbed my arm. “Birdie, you’re amazing.”

I sobbed, wiping at my eyes. “I’m not supposed to be the one crying today!”

“It’s baby day,” she said. “Everyone’s supposed to cry.”

I shook my head, turning back toward the screen. Now the news anchor stood with one of my co-workers, the videography teacher, Mr. Davis.

“How was it to work with Birdie Melrose?” she asked.

He smiled at the reporter. “She’s a woman like no one else. Completely her own person. It’s a true disservice to all the students and staff at this school to lose her.”

“What would it take to change the headmaster’s mind and bring her back?” the reporter asked.

“An act of God.” Mr. Davis shrugged. “Or for the board of trustees to overturn the bylaws.”

The reporter smiled into the camera, showing straight white teeth. “Trustees, if you’re watching this, you have a lot of people to answer to about this bylaw!” She held her earpiece for a moment. “We’ll be covering the protest and providing updates on the case throughout the week! If you’d like to chime in, you can use the hashtag #BringBackBirdie to let us know what you think.”

The screen cut to commercial, and Anthea grinned at me. “You aresogetting your job back!”

I was still stunned, numb, as Doug walked into the room.

“Why’s she getting her job back?” he asked.

Anthea opened her mouth to explain but winced as another contraction spiked on the monitor. Doug immediately went to her side, holding her hand.

I felt like an intruder in that moment. Like this was an experience for Anthea and Doug to share together. As soon as the contraction passed, I excused myself and told them I’d be waiting in the lobby if they needed me for anything at all.

Then I gave Anthea as good of a hug as I could with all the wires. “I love you,” I whispered in her ear. “You’re going to do great.”

She kissed my cheek, just like Grandma Karen would do, and I knew, without a doubt, that everything was going to be alright.

I went back to the lobby and pulled out my phone to call Mara and tell her what I’d seen. Immediately when she answered, she said, “Is there a baby there already?”

“No, Mara, you need to go look at the news! They’re doing a protest at the school to try to bring me back. Cohen’s son is spearheading the whole thing!”

“What!” she cried. I heard her moving throughout her house and things clattering around. “Do you think Cohen asked him to do it?”

“Cohen wasn’t there,” I said, trying to ignore how sad that fact made me feel. “I think if he would have been, they would have put him on screen.”

“You never know,” she said. She was quiet for a moment, then I heard the TV in the background, the newscasters covering more of the protest. I got my own tablet out so I wouldn’t miss anything, even though notifications were dinging in my ear. Other people were trying to get a hold of me too, no doubt about the news.

“This is amazing,” Mara said. “They have to hire you back now.”

“You think?” I asked, doubt filling my mind. Headmaster Bradford was proud, and it was no secret that the Alexanders had a lot of pull at Emerson Academy. “It would mean admitting they were wrong.”

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