Allie inclined her head. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Meg drew a deep gulp of air. “Does he want to see me?”
“Right away.”
“Okay.” Meg straightened her shoulders, ignored the nerves bouncing in her stomach, and strode around her friend’s desk to the principal’s office, knocking with her knuckles.
“Come in,” he called.
She stepped in to find Mr. Hansen sitting behind his desk. He was a bland man, in personality and appearance. With his thinning black hair and plaid suits that had seen better days, it was obvious to Meg why she hadn’t wanted to date him. There was zero attraction between them. The sun streamed in from behind him, the bright Florida sunshine in stark contrast to Meg’s darkening mood.
“Good morning, Meg,” he said, as always using her first name instead of the formality most principals preferred. “Please have a seat,” he said in a serious tone.
She chose one of the two uncomfortable hard-backed chairs across from him.
“I’ll get right to the point. I’ve had some phone calls from concerned parents about the man sitting outside the school in an unmarked car.”
Meg gripped the edge of her chair harder. Of course she could comprehend why parents wouldn’t be comfortable with a large man sitting in a black car, parked in the school lot for the entire day.
“I can explain.”
“Then it does involve you?”
She closed her eyes and nodded.
“It was only conjecture until now.”
Meg had known that, but she believed in owning up to her issues when confronted. “You already know I put my ex-boyfriend on a list of people I don’t want to be allowed inside the school. The truth is, I have a restraining order against him,” she admitted. She glanced down, noticed that her hands had begun to shake, and shoved them beneath her legs on the chair.
“Is the man dangerous?” Mr. Hansen asked. “Do I need to be concerned about the children?”
“Umm, he’s only interested in me.”
The other man narrowed his gaze. “What if the kids get in the way of him getting to you?”
Meg’s mouth grew dry. “I didn’t think… I wouldn’t put the kids at risk.” And she couldn’t vouch for Mike’s stability if he was drinking.
“I know you wouldn’t do it deliberately, but that may be the end result. One of the parents who called is on the school board. She wants to call a meeting. She feels you should be suspended without pay, and frankly, given the situation, that’s very likely how the board will vote.”
Meg dipped her head, knowing what Mr. Hansen was getting at. She could go through with the farce of the board hearing, but the result was almost a given. If Meg had children in the school, knowing what she did about her ex, she’d vote to suspend her. What if Mike did become totally unhinged and was drinking and made a scene outside school? What if he went after her and the children were there? She shook her head, surprised she hadn’t thought of this before. But she’d been so overwhelmed with things, she hadn’t thought beyond her own problems.
“I understand,” she whispered, her fear folding in on her because she knew what was coming.
“Then we’re in agreement. You’ll take a voluntary suspension, and I’ll explain things to the board.”
Meg managed a nod as tears sprung to her eyes. Now she wasn’t just an unwed mother, she was an unemployed, unwed mother with no income coming in. She’d counted on saving her money between now and when this school year ended for the new and unexpected baby-related expenses.
Somehow she rose to her feet on shaking legs and started for the door.
“Meg.”
She turned and glanced over her shoulder. The sympathetic look on his face surprised her. “I really am sorry. I know how you feel about the children and them about you.”
“Thank you.”
She turned and headed out, walking past Allie with a half wave, unable to find the words to speak. Not without bursting into tears.
* * *