Page 76 of Shelter for Morgan

She opened her mouth to say they were fine. It was an instinct, but she tried to get the students to understand the rules and follow them. How would it look for her to try and argue with Officer Munder?

“I’m sorry,” she gave him a soft smile, not because she felt it, but because she didn’t want to cause a problem, “we were discussing an idea and the time got away from me.”

The officer raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m glad I could come and remind you it’s time to clock out. I can walk the two of you out to the parking lot and-”

Maribel’s chair legs scratched the floor as she stood. She lowered her head, embarrassed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to cut you off, sir. I can get to the front by myself, I didn’t realized what time it was.”

“I’ll go with you if you can wait for me to grab my bag.”Morgan was already moving, keeping her gaze from the officer’s. “I have to get home, too.”

She picked up her over the shoulder bag and opened her drawer to get her keys.

“Thanks, Officer Munder.” She put a smile on her face before she looked up. “It’s so wonderful to have excited students and excellent security to keep us safe.”

Morgan put her hand on Maribel’s back and the two of them moved past the officer into the outer walkway of the building.

She turned around to lock her classroom door, but the officer was already doing it.

When he turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, he grinned. “I got this. It’s one thing about having keys to all the rooms in the school, I can be a big help…”

His words drifted off and Morgan had a feeling that he was trying to say something by his silence.

Morgan just didn’t want to hear it, she just wanted to get home where she felt completely safe.

As they walked up toward the front of the school, Morgan looked at the young woman walking beside her. “I’m here to help you with this, Maribel. I just want you to know that I’m-”

“Miss?” Maribel continued on quickly. “I don’t know why, but that man…” She shuddered. “Gives me the creeps.”

Morgan didn’t really want to argue with her comment. She was feeling something similar.

Still she had to say something and fell back on something her brother had always told her when she was growing up.

“I don’t think you should say anything like that to him,” she gave Maribel a nod, “but you should always let those feels guide you.”

Maribel nodded. “I know Benji doesn’t like him much either.”

Morgan almost tripped over her own feet at those words. Both of them stopped at the curb and Maribel looked over at the bus that was waiting by the curb.

“I asked him about it because before he said that to me, he always seemed to like the officer.” Maribel paused and her brow furrowed above her nose. “Or maybe it was that the officer seemed to like Benji so much, but after he got hurt, Officer Munder changed. I can’t explain it exactly, but things… just changed.”

“Maribel?”

The bus driver was waving at them.

“Time to go!”

Maribel looked torn. “Are you going to be okay?”

It humbled Morgan that the young lady was worried about her.

“Go on, Maribel. I’ll be fine. As soon as you get on the bus, I’m headed home.”

That seemed to reassure her.

“We’ll talk more about your ideas at school. I think you’re really onto a great idea.”

Maribel walked away with a smile on her face and a decided skip in her step.

Morgan couldn’t help but think that Maribel’s ‘off’ feeling about the resource officer was spot on, but that’s all it was. A feeling.

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