A/N: So i apologise for the long delay in posting, life has been very busy with school and job hunting - end of the school year is a very period of time for any teacher and so i've not had much time to sit down and write/edit. I've re-written this chapter 3 times and debated even posting it but the idea won't leave me alone. So, enjoy :)
12. Outcome
"The only appropriate outcome for these allegations that have been made against you, in the eyes of the complaining party, is for complete termination of your contract and dismissal from the position. However, the investigation that was carried out, didn't completely warrant your termination in my eyes. So, I've come up with a solution for you Olivia. Whilst we cannot keep you on staff here, I have arranged a transfer in terms of schools and positions for you, to North Lincoln Street Primary with a 5th grade class, starting next week" Rod explained and Olivia just sat and listened. Rod's words rung through her ears but she didn't want to believe it. Kathy had officially cost her, her job at school due to the allegations which were made.
"I see" Olivia replied, keeping things short and simple.
"Now, I will give you time to visit with your class this afternoon and say goodbye before pick up and then ask you to clear out your things from your classroom where possible. We expect that we will keep the teacher they have now, on as the full-time teacher. Despite the parting, I will provide you with a written reference and I will always be available to you for a reference in the future should you need one. Olivia, this transfer will work out for the best as it will put you in a better place for a promotion to that executive position at another school, which I know you want. You really are an incredible teacher with a deep passion for your students, but when you get into a relationship with a parent from our school, we just can't let that slide" Rod tried to explain his actions. Olivia appreciated the reference but she doubted that she would ever take him up on that. Olivia just nodded in response and went to get up from the chair.
"All I will say in regards to that is, did you notice how much of a change I brought for those twins and in a way that family too, in my time as a teacher. Yet, you end it all over the accusation of a woman who walked out of their lives and broke those kids? As an educator, you claim that you put the kids first in the situation but your actions today don't show it. I appreciate the time today and I will make sure to be out of school this afternoon. You can send your reference to my new position, considering you know all about it" Olivia farewelled Rod, she had a little more venom in her voice than she initially intended but her message was clear. If he was going to side with the parents like this and not even give her a proper chance, this really wasn't a school which she wanted to work in.
Olivia hated goodbyes and she particularly hated this one. In the time that she'd been working at the academy, Olivia had always put her connection to her students first and she found saying goodbye to them every year was hard, but she always knew she'd still see them around. This time though, it wasn't the end of a school year and she wouldn't be seeing them around again, so the goodbye felt even harder. Olivia had explained the best she could, the way things would be moving forward for her students before hugging each of them who wanted a hug before they left for the day. Elizabeth Stabler hung back to be the last one out of the door and gave Olivia an extra tight hug, not wanting to let go.
"Will we still get to see you?" Elizabeth asked and Olivia knew this little girl wasn't talking about the classroom. Olivia scanned around the room and found it was only her and Clara in there with Elizabeth. Olivia took a deep breath, unwrapped Elizabeth's arms from around her waist and bent down to the little girl's height.
"You know, you are the student in this class that I'm most proud of. You have made such big progress in your learning in just the small time I've known you. At the moment, I'm not sure what the future looks like, but I promise that I'm on the other end of the phone line whenever you need me and your dad knows how to contact me. All you have to do, is ask" Olivia looked Elizabeth right in the eyes, struggling not to tear up even though she was sure it wouldn't be a permanent goodbye, just a goodbye as a teacher.
"Did Nanny do this?" Elizabeth asked and Olivia just took a deep breath before answering.
"No honey and you shouldn't talk badly about your nanny as I know that she loves you very, very much"
"Then SHE did this…if it was just you and daddy then you wouldn't be leaving"
"Liz, nobody did this. I got a new job at another school, which has more students that I need to teach. You are going to be perfectly fine with your new teacher and the rest of your class. I will be checking in on how you are all going, so I don't want to hear that you are giving them trouble" Olivia warned, remembering what her class could be like when they had a different teacher.
"I just…I don't want you to go" Elizabeth flung herself around Olivia's neck again.
"It'll be ok, I promise. Now, I have a feeling that your daddy is probably waiting for you and you need to go and see him, maybe Nanny is there too" Olivia coaxed the little girl off her and Elizabeth just nodded, finally agreeing with the idea of going home. She gave Olivia one more hug before walking out of the classroom, Olivia watched her leave before turning to the boxes she'd been given at the office, to clear out her classroom.
"So they found out then?" Clara remarked after a couple of minutes silently helping Olivia, unsure how to properly start the conversation she wanted to have.
"I doubt it was on their own merit but yes. I knew it was only a real matter of time before something happened and they found out" Olivia explained as she placed the files from her desk in the box.
"It's not fair, just ending your job like that, you were making such an impact on these students. Even in the days that you have been gone, here the kids haven't been the same. They really don't like the replacement they brought in for you and I think it's going to take a while for her to gain their trust" Clara explained, giving Olivia an interesting insight into her class whilst she was away.
"They've had her before?"
"Yes, but they've always known you were coming back. Now, you're not coming back"
"I may not be, but they will still have you and I know just from watching you, you adore them as much as I do and they adore you right back. I think if they don't like or don't trust my replacement, they'll come to you. For you, I'm only a phone call or email away too and I'm still going to check in with you as time goes on. I want to hear when you finish university as I want to be at your graduation! I know that you are going to be a fantastic teacher" Olivia hugged Clara close for a minute, she was incredibly fond of the young woman and she knew that Clara would make a fantastic teacher and asset to any school community.
Elizabeth was in a mood from the minute she walked out of the school doors, away from her teacher and towards Elliot, Bernie and Kathy. Richard was already over with the group and actively telling Kathy about his day. Elliot could tell that something was bothering Elizabeth and he knew this was probably a one-on-one type of conversation.
"Lizzie! There you are!" Kathy called out as she saw the little girl walking over and kicking her feet along the ground. Elizabeth didn't respond, instead she just continued to walk over to Elliot and threw herself around him as he got down to her height. He picked her up in his arms and Lizzie just hid her face in his shoulder. Elliot knew Elizabeth would talk to him about whatever was going on, when she was ready, and he wouldn't pry just yet.
"Did you have a good day at school honey?" Kathy tried again to make conversation, but Elizabeth just shook her head.
"What happened?" Bernie asked, hoping maybe that Elizabeth would talk to her if she wouldn't talk to her mother. Elizabeth didn't reply then either, she just shook her head again, refusing to talk.
"We can't help you if you don't tell us what happened?" Bernie continued to try and get the information out of Elizabeth but Elliot knew that with her firecracker of emotions that Elizabeth had become lately from all the changes and things happening in her life that she really didn't understand, this would not end well.
"I don't want to talk to you. Only daddy and not with you here" Elizabeth called out which gave Elliot the feeling he knew what or who this reaction may be about and it wasn't good news.
"You can talk to me too though baby, I'm your mother and I want to help just as much as daddy does!" Kathy stopped the group as they approached the parked car. Thankfully, Bernie had distracted Richard from all the supposed attention that his sister was getting right now, deeming it a problem that required parental help not grandparents.
Elliot watched carefully as Kathy tried to coax Elizabeth into talking to her and to lift her head up from Elliot's shoulder but Elizabeth just wasn't having it. Whilst Kathy ran her hand up and down Elizabeth's back, Elliot felt Elizabeth cling to him tighter and try squirm away from Kathy. He had no idea that Elizabeth was just so against being around her mother right now and he definitely didn't understand the extent of why this was. He had been trying so hard to make sure that he was around when Kathy was around but still give time for the kids and Kathy to reconnect. Kathy went to try and take Elizabeth off Elliot but the girl just cried out and Elliot backed away slowly, not wanting anymore distress to his daughter.
"I think Lizzie and I are going to take a walk. Kathy, why don't you take Mom and Dickie home, there is a sweet treat in the bag in the back for Dickie. Lizzie and I are going to take a walk and have a bit of a talk before we come home too" Elliot suggested, knowing that he didn't need everyone to hang around like this why Elizabeth was feeling all over the place.
"I should come to, a child needs both their parents when they are feeling distressed like this. I want to be able to help" Kathy refused his suggestion.
"All due respect Kathy, but she doesn't want you around right now and your relationship with Lizzie just isn't at that point yet. But I know that it is with Dickie and he needs you too. I promise we won't be too long" Elliot remarked, having Kathy around would upset Elizabeth more and if Elliot was going to get to the bottom of this then he needed her away from Kathy.
"You can't always 'save the day' Elliot. Parenthood is a partnership and you should really learn to share"
"That's really rich coming from the woman who walked away for so long, leaving her children which she now seems to want to be overly involved with, without a word" Elliot replied but refused to get into anything further right now. He handed Kathy Elizabeth's school bag before brushing past her and walking down the street. His main priority right now was Elizabeth and he would make sure to get to the bottom of whatever had upset her.
Once they were a distance from where they'd left the group, Elliot coaxed Elizabeth to get down from his arms and walk next to him. She was getting to be a big girl now and his arms were starting to get sore from carrying her all this time.
"So, it's not quite warm enough to go for a long walk today but, I was thinking that maybe we could go and get hot chocolates to talk instead? What do you think?" Elliot asked Elizabeth, he knew that she loved hot chocolate and wouldn't be able to refuse him when he was still offering some one-on-one time with hot chocolates as well.
"With marshmallows?" Elizabeth queried in return, marshmallows were a deal breaker in this agreement, she wouldn't be happy if they didn't do them.
"The café I know of round here, does extra marshmallows in hot chocolates...what do you think?" Elliot tried to persuade Elizabeth but knew she'd already accept. She just nodded and took his hand as Elliot guided them to the café.
After they had placed the order for a hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, a large cappuccino and a brownie to share, Elliot found them a table and took a seat.
"So, do you think you can tell me what's really got you feeling so blue?" Elliot tried to coax the answer out of the little girl, knowing that now it was just the two of them, she was more likely to tell him.
"I hate school!" Elizabeth stated, looking at the table and not at her father.
"What's happened to make you feel like that?" Elliot asked, he didn't understand what was really going on as it hadn't been that long ago that Elizabeth loved going to school every day.
"Miss Benson is leaving...and so we're going to have Miss Peters for the rest of the year and I don't like her. Also, we don't see Miss Benson outside of school much anymore and now I don't even get to see her at school!" Elizabeth explained and Elliot just nodded as he listened. Clearly this explosion of his daughter's had been related to the result of Olivia's meeting and clearly it hadn't gone well, if she now had to leave the school. Elliot was interested to find out more but he wasn't exactly sure how much Elizabeth would know about it and he really needed to focus on her right now.
"Miss Benson is leaving? When?" Elliot asked, interesting in hearing more from his daughter.
"She came to class before home time today and told us that she's got a new job at another school so she won't be our teacher anymore. She said today was her last day but we didn't see her today or much this week...i haven't seen her since she had a meeting with Mr Harrison...it's her fault that Miss Benson is leaving!" Elizabeth complained and whilst Elliot knew she was upset, he had to try and have her be nice about her mother.
"Hey, come on now, you can't talk about your mother like that" Elliot reprimanded.
"She's not my mommy and it's IS her fault...Miss Benson wouldn't be leaving if Kathy hadn't talked to Mr Harrison" Elizabeth refused and Elliot knew he couldn't exactly blame her. It was clear that Elizabeth was harbouring some hard feelings towards Kathy, especially by the fact Elizabeth is using her first name. Elliot knew the little girl really felt the exact same way he did in this matter – it was Kathy's fault Olivia had to leave. Kathy had been the one to make the allegations against Olivia and start the investigation into them.
"Sweetheart, I know that changing teachers is hard when there is already so much more change happening in your life and you find change tricky. But maybe this is better? I know you loved having Miss Benson as a teacher but I promise you, that even though she's going to be at a different school, we will try and see her lots and lots. Besides, I know she's going to be missing you just as much as you are missing her" Elliot tried to comfort Elizabeth before grabbing his phone out as he had a text to send.
E: Are you free? I know I said I would wait till you called me about how your meeting went. But I have a very sad little girl here with me who I think could use some 'Livvy' time right now Elliot texted Olivia, he was pretty sure that Elizabeth needed her most right now for some one-on-one type time as they'd not had any for a while.
O: She didn't take my leaving news very well. Yeah, I've got a bit of free time now that I can meet up with you now if you wish, just not with certain people around Olivia quickly replied.
E: No, that's understandable, it's just Lizzie and I at the coffee shop I've brought you too before. I'll send you the location. See you soon xx Elliot replied once more before sharing his location with Olivia so she knew where to find them.
Olivia knew that Elizabeth would take her news hard and she hated that Elizabeth was struggling to adjust to this change, but Elliot would look after her. Olivia had about an hour free before she was supposed to go and collect Chloe from daycare, so there would be enough time to get a coffee with Elliot and Elizabeth.
The minute she walked into the café, she spotted the pair of them and walked right over. As Olivia was moving schools and Elizabeth was no longer her student, Olivia didn't really care who saw her in public with them both as there were no rules being broken. Olivia brushed her hand over Elliot's shoulder as she walked past him and took a seat next to Elizabeth. Elizabeth had been so distracted with drawing on the notepad her father had, she didn't even notice Olivia arrive.
"Hey you" Olivia said softly to Elizabeth as she saw down and Elizabeth looked up in shock.
"Miss Benson?" Elizabeth queried.
"I heard you were feeling a bit blue and so I thought I'd come cheer you up. But now we're not at school, you can just call me Liv" Olivia tried to explained and Elizabeth hugged her.
"I ordered you a coffee, probably a good thing I know your order" Elliot teased a little.
"Thank you" Olivia smiled at him before pinching a marshmallow from Elizabeth's hot chocolate and smiling when the little girl pretended to be offended.
The trio discussed how just because Olivia was changing schools, didn't mean that she wouldn't still see them. Elizabeth especially liked when they mentioned that now Olivia wasn't her teacher, she may actually be able to spend more time together and properly help Elizabeth with her learning at home. By the end of the conversation, Elizabeth was visibly happier and Elliot was glad that he was able to get to the bottom of the issue, with a little bit of help. Olivia had to go and get Chloe but Elliot insisted on her taking the driver to get Chloe and then being dropped back at her place, after they'd dropped him and Elizabeth home.
"So, we didn't get a change to properly talk about how your meeting went and now I suppose isn't the best time. But I do want to talk to you about it" Elliot asked as he sat in the car with Elizabeth and Olivia, Elizabeth wanted to sit in the middle between them both.
"I'll call you later and fill you in on it all. It's quite a change but not actually as bad as I was expecting. Thank you for texting me about Elizabeth" Olivia smiled as Elliot reached across the back of the seat and squeezed her shoulder.
"Thank you for coming for hot chocolate with her" Elliot replied.
"Anytime. Now, have a good evening and I'll call you later" Olivia smiled and Elliot helped Elizabeth out of the car before getting in again briefly to give Olivia a kiss goodbye. Elliot stood and watched the car drive away once more and then walked with Elizabeth to the elevator. The pair agreed that Elizabeth would be nicer to her mother from now on and they wouldn't mention Olivia's appearance at the coffee shop.
A/N: Leave me a review of your thoughts or opinions or feedback, I love to read them and know what you think. I personally think this chapter really gives you an idea of how close to Olivia, Elizabeth feels. But maybe the departure is for the best?
Until Next Time ;)