‘This is blackmail. I’ll contest it.’
‘Who are they going to believe? You? Or me, a long-standing head and government adviser? At the end of the day, this is just going to be one person’s word against the other.’
EIGHTY-NINE
Monday 8 March
It was personal. It had to be. There was no other reason to sack her, thought Rebecca, still devastated. That bullshit excuse about safeguarding was obviously a cover. What she couldn’t work out was what she’d done to offend him so much. There had been no clues before now. Yes, she’d challenged him on occasion, but he wasn’t threatened by her. He was too successful and too powerful.
So why get rid of her?
Mondays were her days on lunch patrol. She walked around the playground, the kids high on the scent of spring. As ever, she kept an eye on friendships – looking out for any sort of unkindness. She rounded the corner – an area part-hidden from view. Lara and Mia were there and Rebecca saw Rosie and Tilly standing next to them. She narrowed her eyes and went over.
‘Everything OK here, girls?’
‘Yeah, fine,’ said Rosie.
Rebecca bristled at her cockiness. She looked at Lara. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Rosie was offering to help me at the Straw Bear Festival. She’s going to help with Lupin at the start of the procession.’
‘Is that right?’ Rebecca watched Rosie carefully for signs of duplicitousness. But Rosie gazed up with wide, innocent eyes.
‘Yes, miss.’
‘OK. Well, that’s a nice thing to do.’ And as there was nothing left to assess, she reluctantly moved on.
NINETY
Monday 8 March
Lorna was making herself some lunch when her phone rang. She stopped buttering her sandwich and looked at the screen – it was her mum. She knew what the call was going to be about, knew it would be better to confront it sooner rather than later.
‘Hi, Mum.’
‘Thanks for a lovely lunch on Saturday,’ said Carol.
‘A pleasure.’
‘Yes, it was good to see you all again. And Pepper is as mad about animals as ever.’ She paused. ‘Why did you tell Simon I’d bought that dog for her?’
Laura pretended not to remember at first. ‘Dog? Oh! I didn’t.’
Carol was taken aback. ‘So why did he think I had?’
‘You know men. Never pay attention. Think he got it mixed up with the cuddly toy you got her for Christmas. You know, the Dalmatian puppy? One toy dog is the same as another in his eyes.’
Lorna held her breath, could almost see her motherprocessing this, wondering whether to believe her daughter or not.
‘That’s strange,’ said Carol. ‘They look quite different to me.’
Lorna swallowed. ‘Yes, well, me too. But honestly, I have a haircut and Simon doesn’t notice.’ She gave a forced laugh. ‘What can you do?’
NINETY-ONE
Friday 19 March
Rosie was allowed to walk home by herself now it was getting lighter after school. Her parents had agreed it was good for her to get a little independence, especially as there were only a few months left of primary school. She loved it and she and Tilly, who’d also been granted the same privilege, would be the first to walk out of school, heads held high, while the collected kids had to wait for the teacher to identify each of their parents in turn before they were released.
