152 Mrs. Golladay 4

I shrugged, not sure where to start.

"Let's start with Mrs. Golladay." Dr. Moore decided. "Today was your first time meeting her?"

I nodded.

Mr. Atkins frowned. "I thought you were supposed to meet her on the first day of school?"

"She was too busy." Noah replied. "I tried getting her to see Jake on the first day so I would be there with him, but it was a no go."

"It took her this long to meet with you?" Mr. Atkins had a notebook of his own in front of him and was taking notes. "Unbelievable. Tell us how everything went down. Don't leave anything out. Include what you were feeling, okay?"

I cleared my throat. "I was nervous going in. Then anxious when the door to the office was shut. She-she-She reminded me of my mother."

"How so?" Dr. Moore interrupted.

"Her demeanor. She was loud, demanding, and a little aggressive." I took a deep breath. "I may be over-sensitive. I was expecting someone calm like Dr. Moore and got caught off guard."

Dr. Moore looked a little surprise. "Yes, a counselor is similar to a therapist. But a school counselor would have placed more focus on your academics, whereas I focus more on your mental health. Did you guys discuss school at all?"

I thought back. "She said 'unimpressive' and 'wasted excellence' and I don't participate or communicate. She had received progress reports from my teachers." I bit my bottom lip before speaking up. "Then she brought up baseball."

Mr. Atkins started tapping his pen against his notebook. "This doesn't sound like you had a meeting with a counselor at all. And I'd like to see these so-called progress reports from your teachers." He looked at his wife, who was radiating anger. "Mary. Have you received any progress reports from his teachers."

Mrs. Atkins shook her head. "No. They send email updates to Doug though. And as far as I know, there hasn't been any negative comments." She looked to Dr. Moore. "Do you have any clue in regards to these progress reports?"

Dr. Moore made a face. "As far as I know, Jake doesn't struggle academically. This conversation has raised many red flags for me as a therapist and a guide for children. Counselors wouldn't use appalling terms in front of students with such special circumstances. But I would like Jake to continue for now. An academic focused counselor bringing up athletics sounds dubious." He nodded at me. "Why did she bring up baseball?"

Um. I looked down at me hands and tried to think of what to say or what to tell them.

"Don't hold back Jake." Noah spoke up from beside me. "This lady is already in the wrong. You might as well say everything in one go. Mom and Dad will have your backs."

I looked up at his parents, who looked at me with earnest. Especially Mrs. Atkins. She came and got me from the police and even dared them to give her a heavy fine. She was the definition of a formidable opponent. She could solve any and all problems that came her way. In my first weekend she dried my tears, bailed me and Noah out of trouble, and got me my first wooden bat so I could play baseball again.

"She asked me how I made the varsity team. Something about you guys giving the coach money. Zeke was brought up too...she thinks he's blackmailing Coach." My attention fell back to my hands and my voice got small. "'Timid. Mute. Faint-hearted. Undeserved special treatment.' I got scared and wanted to run. So I left. I didn't want to go back to math where she could find me. And I didn't know where Zeke and Noah were, so I kept running."

Silence hung over the table. Heavy silence.

The loud bang of a chair hitting the floor made me jump. I looked up and Mrs. Atkins was standing up with her hands on the table. Unsurprisingly, I wasn't the only one staring at her. Noah, Mr. Atkins, and Dr. Moore was also shell-shocked with her sudden movements.

"Why are you standing?" Mr. Atkins asked, putting all of our thoughts to words.

"Isn't it obvious?" She replied. "I'm going to the school. Speak with Dr. Bodon and have this counselor fired immediately. Who does she think she is to talk to my kid like that? And even had the nerve to speak ill of another child of mine? She wants to see blackmail?" Mrs. Atkins scoffed. "I can gladly deliver. I can pull all my boys out of that school and put them in a private school to play for an even better team and to have a better education experience."

Mr. Atkins stood up right away and held his wife by her shoulders. "Now, now. You're acting slightly irrational."

"Wayne!" Mrs. Atkins cried out. "Weren't you listening? We're accused of bribery. Zeke is accused of extortion. And Jake was degraded by a 'supposed' school educator. We need to confront this; it's not something that can just be brushed aside."

Wayne bent down and picked up the fallen chair, and guided his wife to sit back down "I heard. And so did Dr. Moore. Stay calm. We're going to address this through official channels. If we just go and demand her job and she gets fired, then that'll look like we're guilty of bribery. First we collect all the info we can from Jake. The boys. Doug. And write out a statement with a lawyers help. Then we'll go straight to the school board."

His words had some affect on Mrs. Atkins as her body relaxed. She turned to Dr. Moore. "Can we count on you for an official statement."

Dr. Moore nodded. "Yes. I'm stunned that this is what the school considers a counselor." He peered back at me, pushing up his glasses. "I'm curious to know more specifics though, if you don't mind Jake."

I shrugged.

"Looking over what was said...the words really cut like a knife, however I don't believe you would run simply from words. Tell me more. Her actions. Her tone of voice. The atmosphere."

I shifted uncomfortably. Then stopped. I shouldn't squirm. "She hit the desk with the palm of her hand. And raised her voice. She said it's 'unbecoming for young men to squirm' in a seat."

Dr. Moore sighed. "I wonder how many other kids were treated like this."

Mrs. Atkins pointed at her husbands notes. "Write that down as well. More mental trauma. We'll sue. I want to make sure this woman never works with kids again."

Mr. Atkins did as he was told. The three of them started to map out a game plan and phone calls were to be made. Noah and I sat still and watched as they spoke and planned for the takedown of a school counselor like she was a domestic terrorist.

"Don't you feel better watching them?" Noah asked in a hushed whisper.

I nodded. I felt warm inside. Mixed with guilt and happiness. Guilt for putting them through so much trouble, yet, on the other hand, happiness for being called her kid like I really was one of them.