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Silent Knight

By Joi Copeland

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Chapter One


This can't be happening.
Ethan Knight tightened his hold on his son laying on his lap. It had been a trying day for his boy. Thank God he now slept while Ethan fought his battles.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Knight," Mrs. Thompson, the principal of the elementary school, shook her head. "You knew this was a possibility."
Ethan tightened his jaw. Yes, he knew enrolling his deaf son in preschool could cause problems. No, he did not know the administration would kick out his child only one week into the school year.
"I hadn't realized his actions were so horrible." Ethan's eyes darted to Landon's teacher.
Miss Madsen had the decency to lower her eyes. Maybe Ethan still had a fighting chance to keep his son in school. Miss Madsen raised her eyes, her gaze narrowed. His fighting chance evaporated like an ice cube on a hot day.
"Mr. Knight, I told you when you first enrolled the boy in my class that I don't have the capability to deal with a boy with special needs. I have fifteen three-year-olds who are normal."
"The boy's name is Landon," Ethan growled, "and he is normal. Just because he is deaf does not make him abnormal."
Mrs. Thompson held up her hand. "That's not what Miss Madsen meant." She shot the preschool teacher a look of warning. "We adore Landon. We are a small school. You know we don't have the resources for kids with special needs. We warned you this was a trial basis. Landon isn't able to communicate his needs in a productive manner."
Ethan's shoulders sagged. "And what do you suggest I do? I can't have him never attend school."
Compassion flowed from Mrs. Thompson's eyes. "Of course not. I do have a few brochures for schools in Bozeman you can send him to."
"That's over three hours away. Landon wouldn't be able to stay awake in class if we had to get up that early to drive him to school."
"You don't understand," Mrs. Thompson's voice softened. "It's a boarding school for special needs children."
Had he not been holding Landon, Ethan would've jumped up and stormed out of the room. Instead, he switched Landon to his free arm, pulled himself up from the chair, and glared at the principal. "I will not abandon my son."
"I don't see it that way, Mr. Knight." Mrs. Thompson stood as well. "You would be giving him the best possible care, and a way for him to be able to communicate."
"No more of this Mr. Knight junk, Marsha. We've known each other since we were kids."
"I'm trying to be professional, Ethan," Marsha huffed, crossing her arms. "Look, I know the last few years haven't been easy for you. We aren't doing this to punish Landon for his behavior problems. We just don't have the means to help him."
"You've known for two and a half years I'd be enrolling Landon in preschool. Why weren't steps taken to make sure you had a proper teacher in place?" His eyes shot to Miss Madsen.
The teacher straightened her shoulders, fire in her eyes. "I'm quite capable of doing my job, Mr. Knight."
"And it appears nothing more than your job, Miss Madsen," Ethan retorted.
"Just what is that supposed to mean?"
Ethan shook his head. "Nothing. Thank you for your time."
"Do you want the brochures, Ethan?" Marsha held out the paperwork Ethan had no intention of taking.
"No." He turned on his heel, threw open the door, and stalked to his car.
Send his son to a boarding school? He didn't think so. Bad enough Catherine divorced him and gave up her rights to Landon when they found out he'd been born deaf. How someone could leave flesh and blood because he couldn’t hear baffled Ethan. He'd thought Catherine better than that. He snorted. He'd been wrong. The last two and a half years he'd been raising his son on his own. He'd hoped school would give him the help they both desperately needed. Obviously not.
Ethan clicked the button on his key chain, the door to his Subaru unlocking. He pulled open the door and gently set his sleeping boy in his car seat. Landon's tear streaked face rolled away from him but not before sending a shot of pain through Ethan's heart.
His poor son. He only wanted to have friends. He should've learned sign language. If he had, Landon wouldn't be looked down upon. Ethan shook off condemning thoughts and climbed into the front seat. He pounded his fist against the steering wheel. Seriously, God, what now?
Ethan drove the short distance to his house. Living in Snow Globe, Montana, brought a sense of peace and frustration all at the same time. The small town of five hundred allowed everyone to know everyone. And their business. By this time the next day, the town would know Landon had been kicked out of preschool. He'd receive a few comments, to be sure. Well wishers knowing what's best for his son. They'd certainly done that when Catherine left. "Give the boy up for adoption" had been the most frequent suggestion. As if giving up his son was best for either of them. "He won't even remember you," they'd said. Like that would encourage Ethan. God never gave up on him. Why should he do any differently?
Ethan pulled the car into his garage and killed the engine. Since God said murder was a sin, he could only kill the engine and feel okay about it. Not the people at the school or the haughty Miss Madsen who wouldn't go above and beyond to learn how to communicate with a deaf student. He pulled out his cell phone, ordered pizza for dinner, then climbed out of the vehicle. He woke up his son with what he hoped appeared to be a genuine smile. Landon, though deaf, knew how to read emotions better than most.
Landon's eyelids pulled open in a sleepy manner. His tear streaked face lit with a smile. Ethan's heart lifted a notch. His son's sweet smile and trusting eyes bore into his heart. No way would he send the joy of his life away to school. There had to be another way. He'd search high and low for an answer. God would just have to provide a miracle. He'd done it before. He could do it again.

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