I Got an Urgent Call from My Son’s School, but When I Arrived, the Police Were Waiting for Me – Story of the Day
The school called to report a “incident” involving my son when I was in the middle of my shift at the diner. I froze when I turned into the parking lot ten minutes later.
There was a police SUV near the door. I knew I had to support Ethan no matter what.
My phone buzzed during the busy lunch rush at the diner where I worked. My stomach fell when I took it out to see who was calling.
It was middle school for my son. Unless there is an issue, schools don’t call throughout the day.
My fingers trembled as I took the call.
His voice was clipped, formal and brisk. I assumed the worst right away.
“Is he hurt?”
“No. Ethan’s identity has surfaced after a student’s phone vanished. All we have to do is make things plain. Please arrive immediately.
Before I could ask another question, the line died.
As I stood there, replaying our talk from the night before, the cafe sounds faded into white noise all around me.
“Mom, if I’m selected for the scholarship summer camp, I’ll need a dependable phone because I’m the only seventh grader without one. You’ll find it much simpler to stay in contact with me, won’t you?
He left after muttering something beneath his breath. I tried not to feel like a failure as I watched him leave.
“Everything okay, hon?” Sarah, my manager, grasped my elbow while furrowing her brow in concern.
“The school for my child just called. I must leave.
It felt like 10 hours, even though the drive to Ethan’s school should have lasted ten minutes. My stomach fell again when I pulled into the school parking lot.
There was a police SUV parked outside. Unmistakable, but lights off. I was afraid because the sight of it made everything true.
The front desk lady smiled nervously at me inside.
I regained my balance, inhaled, and pushed the door to the principal’s office open.
I froze at the scene within.
With his gaze fixated on the ground and his arms folded tightly across his chest, Ethan sat small in a chair against the wall. He appeared so afraid and young at the time.
Another boy, well-groomed and sporting a pricey hoodie, was standing next to the principal’s desk.
On his desk, Principal Dawson clenched his hands together. “I appreciate you coming. Your son’s involvement in a theft is something we need to talk about.
Ethan refused to look at me when I looked at him.
“If someone could tell me exactly what happened?” The principle caught my attention.
Ethan’s head twitched. “That’s not true!”
Dawson, the principal, cleared his throat. “Ma’am, Ethan and Connor have had some disagreements lately, correct?”
Connor? I took another glance at the other boy. The same grade, always boasting about his dad’s
automobile and how he “deserved” a place at the summer scholarship camp were the reasons Ethan had previously brought him up.
“Is that why you took it?” Connor lost his temper. “To retaliate against me? or so you may get a decent phone at last?”
“Boys, enough,” remarked the head of school. “We’ll get to the bottom of this soon enough.”
I felt the heat creep up my neck. I looked over to the principal. “Why did you call the police?”
Mr. Dawson gave Ethan a quick look. “It’s important for children to understand the consequences of their actions.”
Ruiz, the nameplate of the officer in the corner, raised his hand. “Let’s all remain composed. Please allow us to inspect Ethan’s possessions, Ma’am. It’s completely voluntary.
Ethan tensed. “Mom, I didn’t take anything.”
Then I stared at him, observing the terror in his eyes and the shaking of his hands in his lap. This child was mine.
A candy bar from a petrol station was the most he had ever stolen.
“Let’s just do it and clear this up.” I took a step forward Ethan and pointed to his backpack. “Open it up, please.”
Ethan unzipped his backpack gently.
He took out a crumpled notebook and placed it on the floor, then piled atop his math workbook, markers, and a half-eaten granola bar.
Connor let out a gasp. “My phone is there! He stole it, I told you.
Between us, everything shrank to that phone on the floor. What I was seeing was unbelievable.
“I swear I didn’t take it, Mom!” My thoughts were interrupted by Ethan’s voice. “How it got there is unknown to me. You must trust me.
I paused for one terrible second.
Evidently pleased, Principal Dawson moved in his seat. “Well, it appears that we have identified the offender. “How would you like to proceed, officer?”
“Wait!” I talked without thinking, just following my gut. “We’re not done here, not yet.”
I squatted down in front of Ethan and gave him a direct look. “You promise you didn’t take that phone?”
“I believe you.” I looked at Officer Ruiz and Dawson. “I would like to view the school cameras’ footage. Classroom, hallway, everywhere. That won’t be a problem for you, will it?
Mr. Dawson blinked. “The phone was in Ethan’s backpack—”
“I trust my son if he claims he didn’t steal it. “I think this is what’s known as ‘circumstantial evidence,’ right?” “But guilt must be proven.” I gave Officer Ruiz a look.
Mr. Dawson let out a breath from his nostrils. “All right. We’ll listen to the recording again.”
In a whisper, Ethan said, “Thank you.”
I gave him a shoulder squeeze. “We’re not done yet.”
Mr. Dawson led us down the corridor to the front desk. Overhead, the fluorescent lights hummed.
The blurry feed showed the bustling hallway with kids shoving past each other with backpacks, jackets swinging, and laughing resonating.
In the middle of the frame were Ethan and Connor. Connor was just behind Ethan and his friend Bryan while they were strolling.
“There they are.” I gestured.
“Pause there,” sternly commanded Officer Ruiz.
There was silence in the room. Connor’s hand was partially buried in the bag pocket in the frozen photo. Something dark between his fingers.
I believed that everyone could hear my heart pounding so loudly.
“Play again, normal speed.”
After that, the silence was so dense that it was difficult to breathe.
“That’s not what it looks like!” Connor’s cheeks flushed as he blurted.
“You set me up!” Ethan’s voice broke as he yelled. “You wanted to get me in trouble so I wouldn’t stand a chance at getting into that scholarship summer camp, didn’t you?”
“They should never have considered you in the first place, budget boy!” Connor lost his temper.
Mr. Dawson became red-faced. “Go outdoors, Connor. Your parents need to be called—”
“What happened to children needing to understand the consequences of their actions?” I interrupted. I looked down at Dawson with my arms crossed. “It’s a crime to make false allegations, isn’t it, Officer Ruiz?”
Connor went pale.
Connor gave a nod.
The youngster was touched on the shoulder by Officer Ruiz. “Well, kid, decent people compete on an equal basis. They don’t fabricate accusations or set up their opponents.”
I guided Ethan to the exit. “Primary Dawson, I’m taking my son home right now. And before you call the cops on your pupils, I hope you’ll also give it some serious thought.”
The chilly rain touched my face as soon as we went outside. It seemed as if something had been cleaned and released.
Ethan’s shoulders trembled as he looked down at his sneakers. I put my hand on his back and grabbed for him.
When I said, “You did nothing wrong,” “And now they all know it.”
I gave him a shoulder squeeze. I hadn’t fully and unequivocally believed him, so the truth was like a stone in my chest.
However, I had put my trust in him when it mattered, and that must have been the most important thing.
It’s difficult to trust your child when everything seems bleak. It’s a decision you make on the spot rather than an instinct. Even when the odds are stacked against you, you can still succeed sometimes.
Talk to your friends about this article. It could give them motivation and make their day.
