Lorna Fielding, Phoenix’s mum
Poor Lara’s ill. Went home from school early today. Hope ours don’t all go down with it! 16:03
Erin Mackie, Tilly’s mum
It wasn’t illness. It was high jinks in the playground. Got a small bump on the head apparently. Although I hear she was trying to stop Rosie from hanging out with Mia. Bit controlling if you ask me. 16:04
TWENTY-FOUR
Friday 2 October
She had originally wanted to take her mum somewhere special for coffee, somewhere where you could get homemade biscotti to go with your freshly ground single-origin beans, but she couldn’t afford it. The only place that served that sort of thing was the posh hotel and spa on the outskirts of the village. And anyway, as much as it was a nice idea, it sent the wrong message for the purposes of the meet.
Instead Lorna had settled on Heron Water Cafe, down by the reservoir. She thought they could go for a walk afterwards – mother and daughter – perhaps discuss Carol’s grandchildren’s future in more detail.
For early October it was still warm and, as Lorna arrived, she saw there was only one table still free outside. She bagged it, putting her jacket on the opposite chair, ignoring the two women who came out of the cafe clutching coffees, looking pointedly around for seats. Fortunately, Carol arrived, which averted any confrontation.
‘There you are,’ said Lorna.
‘Am I late?’ asked Carol.
Lorna looked at her watch. She wasn’t actually. And she didn’t want this meeting to get off on the wrong foot. ‘Not at all.’
‘I’ll get us a coffee, shall I?’ said Carol.
Lorna jumped up. ‘No, my treat.’ She hurried into the cafe before Carol could protest and came back with two drinks and two slices of cake. Carrot, her mum’s favourite. Lorna hadn’t been sure whether to get one for herself. Why was it that both she and her mum were short but Carol managed to be petite and feisty, whereas Lorna just felt small and dumpy? How could her mother carry off a small stature when she couldn’t?
‘What have I done to deserve this?’ asked Carol as Lorna placed the cake in front of her.
‘Just treating my mum.’
‘Well, thank you. It’s nice to see you too – you don’t usually have time for a coffee in the middle of the day.’
‘Well, like I said the other day, now Pepper’s at school I do have a bit more time on my hands.’
‘Lots, I should imagine.’
Lorna bristled but kept it covered. ‘You’ll be pleased to hear I’ve started my job hunt,’ she announced.
Carol sat back. ‘You have? That’s fantastic.’
‘No interviews yet, but it’s early days.’ The truth was she hadn’t actually applied for anything but she had been thinking about it.
‘What kind of job?’ asked Carol.
‘I want to work with children.’ Lorna had decided this was probably the easiest number – better than being chainedto a desk all day. If she worked with kids, it would be an extension of what she’d been doing for the last few years. And she’d enjoyed bringing up her two, felt she understood young minds and that she could contribute. That notion in itself made her feel important. As if she might change a child’s future and in years to come, when the next CEO, prime minister, Nobel Peace Prize winner made a speech they would cite her as the turning point in their journey to greatness. She felt herself getting proud and teary just thinking about it.
Carol nodded. ‘In a nursery? School?’
‘A teaching assistant. It’ll work around the school hours. With the kids, you know?’
‘Well, I wish you all the luck in the world. Well done, Lorna.’
Lorna smiled.
‘How are Phoenix and Pepper?’
‘Good. The deadline for the secondary applications is coming up.’
