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As I drove home, I noticed a small child on a school bus, terrified, hammering on the rear window. My entire world came to an end. There was a serious problem. But aboard a supposedly safe school bus, what possible harm could a small child be in? My heart skipped a beat as I followed the bus to find out.<\/p>\n
As I drove home, the rain drummed against my windshield, each drop reflecting the weight of my heart. I must have had the worst day of my life today. In addition to my fianc\u00e9 calling off our wedding last week, I recently lost my job. I was a jumbled mix of feelings and ideas in my head.<\/p>\n
I muttered to myself, knuckles white on the steering wheel, \u201cRemain cool, Mollie.\u201d There must be an alternative. Another door must open if the first closes, right?<\/p>\n
However, the words seemed meaningless.How could I tell my mother that I had lost my job at home?<\/p>\n
She would become quite anxious. She had been my pillar of support ever since Dad passed away, so the last thing I wanted was to disappoint her.<\/p>\n
It was my phone\u2019s fifth buzz. Mom once more. Answering, I pulled over to the curb.<\/p>\n
Indeed, Mom, I will arrive in ten minutes. I\u2019m behind the wheel.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave you looked at the weather prediction, Mollie, honey? A powerful storm is approaching. Please exercise caution.<\/p>\n
I forcefully gulped. The storm that was building inside of me was far worse than this one.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, indeed, don\u2019t be alarmed. I will be there shortly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs everything in order? You seem strange.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, I\u2019m good. Simply put, exhausted. I must drive, will we? With a constricted throat, I hung up. \u201cI love you.\u201d<\/p>\n
How could I tell her that I was fired for just defying management?I was aware of the true reason behind their use of the excuse \u201cnot meeting quarterly targets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat could possibly go wrong at this point?\u201d As I put the car back in gear, I mumbled.<\/p>\n
I had no idea that I would soon find out.<\/p>\n
There was a yellow school bus rumbling by me as I got back into traffic. I noticed something through the rear window: a small child with her face pressed up against the glass and her little fists thumping wildly. She was sobbing for assistance.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHow the heck? God, oh God\u2026 Is she okay? I let out a gasp.<\/p>\n
I raced after the bus, gunning the engine without thinking. It was obvious the toddler was distressed, but why? On a school bus that seemed to be safe, what kind of danger could she be in?<\/p>\n
I whispered, blaring my horn a lot, \u201cI\u2019m coming, hold on, sweetie.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bus driver didn\u2019t appear to notice, driving on as if nothing were wrong. Feeling panic rise in my chest, I decided in a single second. I veered around the bus and passed it, bringing it to a halt in the center of the heavily traveled road.<\/p>\n
The driver stormed out, a big man with a thick black mustache. \u201cLady, what kind of prank are you pulling? You might have started a mishap!<\/p>\n
I pushed past him and hurried aboard the bus, ignoring him. I felt the noise like a wall. With laughter and shouting, the children gathered around the girl.<\/p>\n
With tears streaming down her cheeks, the little girl was sitting by herself when I hurried to the back. I got to her and froze. I had not anticipated this at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh my God! Do you have an asthma attack right now?<\/p>\n
The young girl gasped for breath and nodded wildly, her chest heaving. With my heart pounding, I knelt next to her chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cLovely, what\u2019s your name?\u201d I asked, attempting to seem calm.<\/p>\n
She gestured to the identification card slung around her neck. Chelsea was her name.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right, Chelsea, we\u2019ll get assistance for you. Is your inhaler somewhere?<\/p>\n
Speechless, Chelsea shook her head. When I looked up, the driver was pale and had followed me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you aware of her inhaler\u2019s location?\u201d<\/p>\n
He gave a headshake. \u201cI\u2026 I had no idea she was having problems. I couldn\u2019t hear anything because of how loud it is back here.<\/p>\n
I swallowed my ireful remark and began rummaging through Chelsea\u2019s backpack. Nothing. As soon as I saw the tiny girl\u2019s lips begin to turn blue, panic tore at my insides.<\/p>\n
\u201cHelp me look!\u201d I shouted at the driver.<\/p>\n
We searched under the seats, in the aisle, everywhere we could think of. To my horror, I realized the other kids were laughing, some even pointing at Chelsea.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t funny!\u201d I snapped at them. \u201cShe needs help!\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when it hit me. I started grabbing all their backpacks, ignoring their protests.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, you can\u2019t do that!\u201d a freckle-faced boy yelled.<\/p>\n
I found it in the third bag I checked: a blue inhaler with Chelsea\u2019s name on it. I rounded on the boy who owned the backpack.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy do you have this?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked away, muttering, \u201cIt was just a joke.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA joke? She could have died!\u201d<\/p>\n
I rushed back to Chelsea, helping her use the inhaler. Gradually, her breathing steadied and the color returned to her face. I held her hand, murmuring soothing words as she recovered.<\/p>\n
The driver stood there, wringing his hands. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry. I had no idea\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned to him, my anger flaring. \u201cThese kids are your responsibility! You should\u2019ve checked what was going on when you heard a commotion!\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded, shame-faced. \u201cYou\u2019re right. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelsea tugged at my sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those two words hit me harder than anything else that had happened that day. I couldn\u2019t leave her alone after this.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m staying with you until we get you home, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelsea nodded, a small smile on her tear-stained face.<\/p>\n
I turned to the driver. \u201cI\u2019m going to move my car and ride with her. Is that okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded quickly. \u201cOf course. It\u2019s the least we can do after\u2026 well, everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
As I stepped off the bus to move my car to the parking lot nearby, I realized my hands were shaking. What a day this had turned out to be.<\/p>\n
Back on the bus, I sat beside Chelsea, my comforting arm around her shoulders. The other kids were unusually quiet now, the severity of what had happened finally sinking in.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t the other kids help you?\u201d I asked gently.<\/p>\n
Chelsea\u2019s lower lip trembled. \u201cThey think it\u2019s funny when I can\u2019t breathe. They hide my inhaler sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart broke for her. \u201cThat\u2019s not okay, Chelsea. You know that, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded, looking down at her hands. \u201cI try to be brave, but sometimes I get so scared.\u201d<\/p>\n
I squeezed her shoulder. \u201cYou were incredibly brave today. You got my attention when you needed help. That takes a lot of courage.\u201d<\/p>\n
A small smile played on her lips. \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally. You\u2019re one of the bravest people I\u2019ve ever met.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two stops later, Chelsea pointed out the window. \u201cThat\u2019s my mommy and daddy!\u201d<\/p>\n
A school bus on a rainy evening | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n
As we got off the bus, Chelsea\u2019s parents rushed over, confusion etched on their faces.<\/p>\n
\u201cChelsea, who\u2019s this?\u201d her mother asked, eyeing me warily.<\/p>\n
Chelsea\u2019s voice was stronger now as she said, \u201cThis is Mollie. She saved my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Chelsea explained what happened, her parents\u2019 expressions morphed from confusion to gratitude to anger at the bus driver, at the other kids, and at the whole situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how to thank you,\u201d Chelsea\u2019s father said, tearing up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just glad I was there to help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelsea\u2019s mother, Mrs. Stewart, insisted on driving me back to my car. As we arrived at the mall parking lot, the skies opened up, rain coming down in sheets.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, Mollie,\u201d Mrs. Stewart said, peering at me through the rain-streaked windshield, \u201cwhat do you do?\u201d<\/p>\n
I let out a bitter laugh. \u201cFunny you should ask. I actually lost my job today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Stewart\u2019s eyebrows shot up. \u201cOh, I\u2019m so sorry to hear that. May I ask what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
I sighed, the events of the day washing over me again. \u201cI spoke up about some unethical practices. They didn\u2019t like that, so they found an excuse to let me go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Stewart was quiet for a moment. Then she said, \u201cYou know, my husband and I run a small business. We might have an opening. Would you be interested in coming in for an interview?\u201d<\/p>\n
I blinked, not sure I\u2019d heard her correctly. \u201cAre you serious?\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled. \u201cAbsolutely. Anyone who\u2019d go to such lengths to help a child in need is someone I\u2019d like to have on my team.\u201d<\/p>\n
As we pulled up to my car, the rain had slowed to a drizzle. Mrs. Stewart handed me her business card.<\/p>\n
\u201cCall me tomorrow,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ll set something up.\u201d<\/p>\n
I clutched the card, a spark of hope igniting in my chest. \u201cThank you. I will.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next morning, I woke up feeling lighter than I had in weeks. I\u2019d told Mom everything that had happened. About losing my job, saving Chelsea, the potential new opportunity\u2026 everything.<\/p>\n
She\u2019d hugged me tight, pride shining in her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always knew you were meant for great things, darling!\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, as I dialed the number on Mrs. Stewart\u2019s card, my heart was racing again, but this time with excitement rather than fear.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Mollie,\u201d Mrs. Stewart\u2019s warm voice came through the phone. \u201cI\u2019m so glad you called. How would you feel about coming in for an interview this afternoon?\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t help the grin that spread across my face. \u201cI\u2019d love to. Thank you so much for this opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Mollie,\u201d she said, and I could practically hear the smile in her voice. \u201cThank you. You saved our daughter. This is the least we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
As I hung up the phone, I felt tears prick my eyes. But for the first time in a long while, they were tears of joy, not sorrow.<\/p>\n
I was so happy and realized that it\u2019s indeed true: When God shuts one door, He always opens another. And sometimes, that new door leads to places you never could have imagined.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As I drove home, I noticed a small child on a school bus, terrified, hammering on the rear window. My entire world came to an end. There… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10012,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n