Nancy wasn’t sure she would be welcome after the weekend. Although maybe it would be a chance to clear the air and, she reminded herself, neither she nor Lara had done anything wrong. She’d come here planning to be a part of the school community and so that was what she was going to do. She smiled. ‘Yes.’
‘I’d like to start today’s meeting with a warm welcome to our newest member of the PTA...Nancy!’ Lorna beamed at the group gathered and added a round of applause. There was a smattering of hand-clapping in return. Lorna’s smile dipped slightly. She glanced at Nancy but she either hadn’t noticed the muted reception or was pretending not to.
‘Some of you will have already met Nancy...’ Lorna tailed off, realizing her choice of words weren’t the most tactful. Imogen was sitting at the back of their group, having chosen a seat at a table with Erin and Nicole. As Chair, Lorna had decided to have this meeting at the Heron Water Cafe before the awful incident on Saturday but was suddenlyconscious they were in full view of the exact section of water where Rosie had been dragged out, coughing and spluttering.
She quickly moved on. ‘First on today’s agenda is the Christmas fair. I know it’s only September, but it comes around quickly and there’s always loads to organize. Shall we take a stall each again? Sarah, you were very good on decorating biscuits last year.’
‘I’m happy to do that,’ said Sarah. ‘But I would like to add more of a nativity theme this time. I think the kids would like that. Perhaps they could ice some baby Jesus shaped cookies?’
‘You could use silver balls for eyes,’ said Erin.
‘Then he’d look like an alien,’ said another mother.
‘God, the kids will be wanting to join a cult,’ said a woman called Cheryl.
‘I’m sure we can iron out the details closer to the time,’ said Lorna quickly, seeing Sarah was becoming affronted. She cast her eyes over the group. ‘Is there anyone who’d like to volunteer taking charge of the whole event this year?’
‘I thought that was what you always did,’ said Erin.
Lorna smiled, felt herself puff up a bit. ‘Well, usually I do, but now I’m Chair...I have a lot more responsibility – and less time. So if there was anyone who fancied taking it on?’ She looked around at the blank faces. ‘It’s a fun one, you know how everyone loves Christmas. And even the teachers help out. They’re not too jaded as it’s still early in the school year.’
‘I’ll do it,’ said Nancy.
Lorna stopped, surprised. She flicked a glance over to Imogen. Her face was blank but Lorna knew she was seething.
‘It’s quite time-consuming...’ said Lorna, a touch nervously.
‘That’s OK. I have plenty of spare time,’ said Nancy.
‘Thank you, Nancy. That would be wonderful,’ said Lorna. She swiftly moved on to the next item on the agenda – the second-hand uniform sale – and other than the low-lying hostility from Imogen, the rest of the meeting went without a hitch. They finished at the scheduled time of eleven. Lorna was pleased – she’d brought her dog Cooper with her with the intention of taking him for a walk around the reservoir before heading back home. In fact, he was her decoy. There was something else she wanted to do. She waited while the mums gathered themselves, most of them dashing off to jobs or errands, and then Lorna saw Nancy start to head away from the cafe down to the reservoir path.
‘Nancy!’ she called out, untying Cooper from the table leg and letting him off the lead. ‘Are you heading along the water?’
Nancy turned. ‘It’s only a short walk home. Easier to come this way rather than go back via the roads.’
Lorna looked over in the distance to where Nancy’s house stood proudly on the banks above the reservoir, the sun glinting off its windows. She really did have the most beautiful home in the most amazing location. ‘Fancy some company?’ she asked. ‘I need to walk Cooper.’
Nancy agreed and the two women walked down to the water. Its surface was mirror-like, broken only by a pair of ducks swimming across to the other side. They left a gentle ‘V’ of rippling water in their trail as they moved effortlessly along.
‘Thanks again for taking on the Christmas fair,’ said Lorna. ‘It’s so great you’re able to get involved.’
‘I’m very happy to. It’ll be fun,’ said Nancy, but Lorna thought she detected a note of doubt in her voice.
Lorna had watched the fallout from the accident with interest. It was obvious Rosie was lying – Lara was so distraught – but Rosie had still had a nasty scare. Lorna had felt the pain of both mothers – one convinced her child had been deliberately harmed, the other upset her daughter had been unfairly accused of something serious – but she had been careful not to take sides. Imogen was not the sort of person you wanted to get on the wrong side of and Nancy...well, Lorna was hoping to get to know her a whole lot better.
‘I was wondering...’ she said, ‘would you and Lara like to come over to ours for a barbecue? Perhaps weekend after next?’
‘That sounds nice,’ said Nancy, ‘but my friend Beth is coming to visit again.’
Lorna felt her heart do a little leap to the jackpot. This couldn’t have worked out better, her plans suddenly fast-tracked. ‘Bring Beth along too,’ she said. ‘One o’clock, Saturday week— Cooper!’ she suddenly shouted at the top of her voice. Her dog had seen a gaggle of geese down bythe water’s edge and was running full pelt at them, determined to get one in his mouth as they all honked and hissed and tried to get away, a chaotic mix of feathers rising into the air.
‘Cooper!’ Lorna shouted again, chasing after her disobedient dog, cursing the fact it had interrupted her conversation. She caught the dog and clipped him back onto the lead, bringing him back up to the path.
‘Sorry about that,’ she said. ‘This dog’s always chasing something. It’s a bloody nightmare actually...’ She gathered herself, then saw they were at the gate that led up to Nancy’s garden.
‘Well, this is me,’ said Nancy.
‘Have a great day,’ said Lorna. ‘I’ll text you my address.’
