Page 103 of Shelter for Morgan

“They were afraid to say a word after your predecessor was injured and near death. Now, they want to speak out.”

Jake nodded. "It just took that first one standing up for another to speak up and now we have half a dozen with credible testimony and more that we need to talk to."

"I'm ready to testify, too."

Rhett kissed her hand and gave her a smile when she turned to look at him. "I'll be there every step of the way."

She moved her thumb over his hand and he felt his heart swell in his chest.

“I’m so lucky I have you.”

“And the whole station house is backing you,” he added in.

“You’ve got a whole community of first responders ready to stand up with you, too.”

He heard her throat work and knew how much that support meant to her. “Thanks…” She spoke softly, but Rhett heard the strength in her voice.

Morgan

A few mornings later, she had breakfast with Benjamin and his aunt.

To say it was a surprise was an understatement.

Especially when the older woman welcomed Morgan into the house with a big hug and eyes shining with tears.

Benjamin explained the situation to her.

“My mom and dad… they didn’t want to deal with all of the news and stuff. It turns out,” he’d looked down at his hands in his lap, “my mom was getting money from Off… from Munder. She was arrested yesterday and my dad… he drove off and didn’t tell me where he was going. His cell phone number doesn’t work anymore.”

His aunt put her hand on his shoulder. “DFPS called me and I came over to the house. They placed him with me on an emergency basis and I’m confident that they’ll let me have custody soon.”

Benjamin nodded, almost smiling. “I have a hearing coming up tomorrow as part of the drug case. Ranger McGowan says he’s going to go and speak up for me. Agent Bravo as well. I feel like such an ass-”

Benjamin’s aunt’s indrawn gasp made him blush.

“I feel like a total idiot for being a part of it at all, but Officer Munder…” He shook his head. “He threatened us, but I could have spoken up about it earlier.”

“We just have to hope.” His aunt put her arm around him, but she was much shorter than he was, so it was closer to his waist than his shoulders. “They’ll see what kind of influence he had over you.”

“And his threats,” Morgan added, “when they are corroborated by the other students, they’ll see what was happening. I’m just sorry that anyone at the school put you through all of that. We’re supposed to help our students, not get them in trouble.”

“You helped, Miss.” Benjamin looked at her and gave her a watery smile. “You were always trying to help. It’s why I knew I could talk to you.”

Morgan felt her heart swell in her chest. “It’s what I love about teaching,” she told him. “I had teachers who helped me when I was going through some things. I wanted to be just like them. I care about you and the others, not just at school, but your lives.” She looked at his aunt to ask her question, but a little afraid of the answer. “When he’s placed with you and your family, will he be at the same school?”

Benjamin’s aunt gave his arm a gentle squeeze. “I’ve already applied for a district exemption to keep him at Shilling. He has a cousin about to finish middle school. I’m going to try to get her into Shilling as well.”

Morgan felt her shoulders sag with relief. “Please let me know her name and I’ll talk to the office. I know the staff there want to keep Benjamin at Shilling. They might be able to help with your daughter…”

“Olivia.” She smiled sweetly as she said her daughter’s name and Morgan was even more determined to have both cousins at Shilling High School.

Morgan shifted on the couch and tried to ignore the pain in her arm. “I’m sorry, I should get going.”

Benjamin and his aunt saw her to the door with hugs and thanks, which she returned in equal measure.

Later that night, she joined the other women at Station Seven to cook for the whole crew as they’d been out all day with call after call and even though Morgan protested that she wasn’t going to be much help with one arm, Thora picked her up and Gia held her hand as they drove to the station. The little girl’s bright smile and gentle touch eased much of Morgan’s worry about the visit.

When they arrived, the whole station house was lit up like daylight and the whole family of firefighters and their loved ones came out to the apparatus floor to greet her.

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