I put in £10. 11:33
Imogen Wood, Rosie’s mum
Me too. 11:33
Heather, Cleo’s mum
Same. 11:33
Lynette, Jack’s mum
I did too. 11:33
Sally, Maya’s mum
Yep. 11:33
Prabh, Safia’s mum
I put in ten! 11:33
Tina, Molly’s mum
Also ten. 11:33
Rowan, Ben’s mum
Ten from me as well. 11:33
Oh Jesus. Lorna’s heart was racing. What should she do? This was gathering momentum and had the power to get out of control. Maybe she should just say the total had been £270, not £170, something like:Meant to be a ‘2’. Me and my fat thumbs!That would make the numbers stack up more. She remembered that the gift card hadn’t actually stated the amount on it, so shecouldtake this route. But what if someone actually went up to Miss Young and asked her what she had received? Lorna felt quite faint. There would benowhere to hide if that happened. She wouldn’t put it past Hannah to do such a thing, Lorna thought darkly. She wiped a film of sweat from her upper lip.
‘Is everything OK?’
Lorna looked distractedly up at her mum. ‘Yes, fine.’ It was anything but. She had to think of something and fast.
Actually...there was that insurance, that idea she’d already seeded. But how to go about it?
Her phone buzzed again. She sensed her mother flinch.
Lorna opened up the message. It was from Erin.
Erin Mackie, Tilly’s mum
Listen, I think we have to be careful here. Lorna is a good friend of ours and I’m sure she can easily explain this. 11:36
It was an open invitation to step up to the witness box. Lorna felt the spotlight well and truly blind her. She had to message something.
Lorna Fielding, Phoenix’s mum
I’m sure I counted it right. 11:37
Oh God, what did that mean? She hadn’t done anything to close this down, she thought in panic.
Erin Mackie, Tilly’s mum
But eighteen of the thirty mothers in the class have said here they put in ten pounds.Which makes a minimum of £180. Didn’t you say the card had a value of £170? 11:37
Breathe, breathe, thought Lorna. Her hands were shaking. She was aware her mother was watching her and she tried to make everything seem normal.
