As I navigated through the storm, my phone buzzed. It was Mom again, anxious about the weather. I reassured her that I’d be home soon, concealing the fact that I was grappling with how to tell her about my job loss. Ever since Dad passed, she had been my anchor, and I didn’t want to add to her worries.
Just as I was about to refocus on driving, a yellow school bus whizzed by. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a little girl in the back window, desperately banging on the glass. Her expression was filled with fear, her small fists pounding for attention. Without a second thought, I accelerated and pursued the bus, trying to understand what was happening. What kind of danger could a child face on a school bus?
I honked my horn and swerved in front of the bus, bringing it to a halt. The driver, a large man, stormed out, visibly angry. Ignoring him, I rushed onto the bus. As I made my way to the back, the noise from the other kids made it hard to concentrate, but my gaze was locked on the little girl. Her face was flushed, and she was struggling to breathe. Panic surged through me.
“Are you having an asthma attack?” I asked, my heart pounding. The girl nodded, her breaths shallow. Her name was Chelsea, and she didn’t have her inhaler. A wave of desperation washed over me as I searched her backpack, finding nothing. The bus driver looked pale, clearly unaware of the severity of the situation.
“Help me find it!” I shouted, searching everywhere. The other kids were laughing, oblivious to Chelsea’s danger. Frustrated, I snapped at them, angry that they didn’t grasp how serious this was. After rummaging through the backpacks of the other children, I finally found her inhaler in a bag belonging to a boy who sheepishly admitted it was “just a joke.”
A joke. Chelsea could have died.
I rushed back to her, assisting her with the inhaler. Gradually, her breathing steadied, and color returned to her face. A wave of relief washed over me, though I was still shaken. The bus driver apologized, clearly embarrassed, and I assured Chelsea I wouldn’t leave her side until she was safely with her parents.
As we approached her stop, Chelsea’s parents rushed over, worried and bewildered. She quickly explained what had happened, and their gratitude was evident. Her mother insisted on driving me back to my car, and during the ride, we began to chat. When I mentioned my job loss, she surprised me with a potential opportunity. She and her husband owned a business and had a position available. She offered me an interview.
The next morning, I called Mrs. Stewart to arrange the interview. As I hung up, a sense of hope replaced the fear that had been weighing on me for weeks. What had started as a terrible day transformed into one filled with unexpected possibilities. It made me realize that even when it feels like doors are closing, life has a way of opening new ones in the most surprising ways.
