‘Well, I don’t know it was Imogen who started it—’ said Nancy.
‘I bet it was.’
‘Yes, but I don’tknowthat.’ Nancy was sitting at her breakfast bar, absentmindedly stirring her coffee.
‘How did you find out?’
‘Another mum told me. Hannah. She’s pretty cool. Sold me the chickens.’
After drop-off, Nancy had gone home and brooded on Hannah’s last words so much she’d called her. Hannah had been embarrassed, explained how it was insecure mums with too much spare time on their hands, just venting behind the safety of their screens. They did it with loads of stuff and it always blew over. It was the same with the school changing the team house names; Nancy should have seen the uproar when they changed from the world’s highest mountain peaks to more local landmarks. She should give it a ‘damn good ignoring’. As Hannah was speaking, Nancy had become acutely aware that whatever group it was, she hadn’t been invited to be a part of it.
‘What do the school say about all this?’ asked Beth on the phone.
‘I haven’t spoken to them about the petition – I’ve only just found out myself. But they are aware of Rosie’s general behaviour.’
‘What are they doing about it?’
Nancy sighed. ‘They say they’re addressing it...’
‘...but bugger all seems to be happening?’ finished Beth. ‘You need to get on to the Chair of Governors. Put it in writing. You’ll find his or her email on the school website.’
‘I already looked,’ said Nancy.
‘Something tells me this isn’t good news,’ said Beth.
‘The Chair of Governors is Erin Mackie. Best friend of the mother of the bully.’
‘For God’s sake!’
Nancy took a sip of her coffee. ‘The most important thing is that Lara doesn’t hear about this petition.’
Both she and Beth lapsed into silence. Neither had to say anything to know they were thinking the same thing. There was a very good chance Rosie would make sure Lara did hear about it.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Thursday 15 October
Lorna enjoyed being the boss of something. It didn’t happen very often in her life, and as she put the finishing touches to the second-hand uniform sale that was happening in the playground in exactly – she glanced at her watch – five minutes, when the kids were released, she realized she particularly liked being a boss amongst her peers. Cheryl and Sarah were behind the boys’ clothes stall and Erin and Imogen were behind the girls’. The clothes were all folded neatly on the trestle tables or hanging on the rails. Many of the mums who’d arrived to pick up their kids were already clutching items and starting to hand over money, which was going into the cash boxes that Lorna had carefully prepared with ample change.
She surveyed the scene, temporarily queen of the playground. Erin and Imogen had insisted on going together and they were gossiping as much as selling. Lorna wondered what they were talking about. Nancy and Lara, probably. And that petition. Lorna couldn’t quite believe it when she’d seen it on the WhatsApp group. It had both thrilled andshocked her in equal measure. Talking of Nancy, there she was, over by the fence, waiting for the kids to come out. Lorna made her way over.
‘I just want you to know...the vote...about the Head of School petition. I made it very clear that I wasn’t going to be a part of it.’ Lorna smiled sympathetically. That wasprettymuch what she’d said.
Nancy merely nodded. Maybe she didn’t believe her. Lorna felt the need to reinforce her point.
‘I think it’s outrageous, actually. And that’s what I told them.’
Hmm, definitely going outside the boundaries of the exact way it had happened now. The bell went and the children began streaming out. Carol was picking up her two and Lorna waved to them all, Phoenix and Pepper excited to be met by Grandma for a change. Over by the sale, mums were holding up dresses and trousers against their offspring, checking for size. Lorna felt she might be needed.
‘Duty calls,’ she said with a smile and headed towards the tables. It looked as if they would raise a significant amount for the school den area they wanted to build. Since she’d become Chair of the PTA it had surprised Lorna how much work it took. Even something as small as a second-hand uniform sale. She milled about, enjoying the bustle of the sale, talking to mums, soaking up the energy of what she had created. She walked between the two tables, seeing uniforms going to new homes, seeing cash going into the boxes.
Nancy watched Lara as she came out of the school, looking for evidence of the outcome of her daughter’s day etched on her face.
‘How was it?’ asked Nancy as Lara came up to her.
Lara shrugged. ‘It was OK.’
‘Did you hang out with Mia today?’
