Hugs Today…Connections Tomorrow

Olivia Benson-Barba and her husband Rafael hugged each other as they sat down in the small chairs outside the principal's office at their son's elementary school. Olivia had just gotten off work as did Rafael as well. Noah Porter Benson-Barba was in kindergarten and usually pretty good kid. So the two adults were confused on why they were summoned to the principal's office today.

"Mrs. Barba, Mr. Barba" Olivia and Rafael looked up to see the principal Mrs. Costley standing in her door. The pair stood up "Come have a seat." Mrs. Costley motioned Once the couple was situated, Mrs. Costley sat down at her desk. "You two are probably wondering why you are here?" "Yes" they both answered together. "Don't worry its nothing bad, its actually pretty amazing." Olivia and Rafael sat up a little straighter and focused on Mrs. Costley intently. "What are you talking about Mrs. Costley?" Rafael asked Mrs. Costley looked down at her desk but Olivia and Rafael could see the tears in her eyes. Mr. and Mrs. Barba, you two have the most amazing, caring child I have seen enter my school and I have been here for 15 years." Olivia and Rafael looked at each other and smiled. Olivia was curious on what happened with Noah at school, he was usually pretty open with her and told her and Rafael every little detail of his day. "May, I ask what happened?" Olivia quipped "Yes, ma'am" Mrs. Costley answered then proceeded to tell Olivia and Rafael about Noah from Monday.

"You, two know we are an inclusion school we have some special education/needs students in our school we trying have everyone included in all of our activities. Well, there is one student named Floyd, he has a sensory development issue and autism, and that's all I can tell you for his privacy. Well you know that for a surprise we had a magician and an illusionist come to the school on Monday. Well Noah I think was the most excited in his class I could see him beaming just waiting for the show to begin. He was looking for his friend Floyd, but couldn't find him. Noah is the only one in his class that has befriended Floyd. Mrs. Russell, told me this once the incident happened on Monday." Olivia and Rafael were smiling with pride as Mrs. Costley told the story. "Well, Noah started getting a little upset cause he didn't see Floyd and he asked Mrs. Russell where he was. Mrs. Russell told Noah that Floyd was in the classroom with Mr. Johnston the school counselor." Mr. Johnston was not the most pleasant of men. "Noah, immediately asked Mrs. Russell if he could go back to class and play with Floyd. Mrs. Russell was a little taken back, she knew Noah wanted to see this show I mean he was the first to earn his ticket in the whole school. She told Noah he could if he wanted to, he could go back. Mrs. Russell called me and told me what had happened. I was flabbergasted I have never seen that before but, that's not all." Mrs. Costley stopped talking and looked at the Barbas. This explained to Olivia why Noah wouldn't talk about the show other than it was good. "That not why you are here, it's what happened next that melted the heart of everyone on staff here." Mrs. Costley told them "After the show, we were having a school wide picnic so Mrs. Russell went and got the boys so they could eat lunch. Once they got outside some boys started picking on Floyd saying he was a baby because he was scared of the show Floyd started getting upset and crying. Noah went up to the boys got in their face and yelled at them Floyd is not scared of anything and if you don't stop being mean to him. I am going to punch your face in and my momma's a cop and my daddy is a lawyer I won't get in trouble." Mrs. Costley was smiling at this point. "Noah then hugged Floyd and told no matter how old they are they would be best friends till they were 85, because mommy and daddy are best friends and they hug all the time and till they were 85." Olivia and Rafael both had tears in their eyes and hugged each other over their chair handles "We did good." They told each other. They looked at Mrs. Costley knowing the school had a zero tolerance for threats, and bullying "Don't worry we are taking no action against Noah." Olivia and Rafael both let out a sigh neither realized they were holding in. "Can we take Noah home now?" Olivia asked "Of Course" Mrs. Costley answered.

The little family went on their way the two adults beaming with pride of their son. They would tell their son how proud and thoughtful their son was when they got home.