As she exchanged the money for the tickets, Gemma looked up as a shadow loomed over the table. Jonathan Higgs.
‘This is looking well-received.’ Jonathan smiled.
Stunned by the upturn of his lips, Gemma shook her head and nodded before turning back to Freddie and his mum. ‘Did you win?’
‘Not this time. We’ll have another try later.’ Kerry, Freddie’s mum, said before turning to Freddie. ‘Bouncy castle?’
‘Yes, yes!’ Without a backward glance towards his teacher, Freddie ran across the playground toward the bouncy castle.
‘It is.’ Gemma nodded and glanced across towards Sophie and Florrie, who were busy serving. Was she supposed to bring up yesterday’s encounter? Was that why he was here? He expected a thank you after all? She cleared her throat, swallowing her words as Florrie bounced towards them.
‘Mr Higgs! Mr Higgs! Look how much money we’ve made!’ Florrie picked up the cash box and held it aloft towards him,coins and notes spilling from the small tin across the tabletop as she did so. ‘Oops.’
‘Don’t worry, Florrie. We’ll have this all collected back up in no time.’ Jonathan joined them as Florrie and Gemma began picking up the money and placing it back into the tin.
‘Oh, Florrie, love. You need to be careful with that.’ Having finished with her customer, Sophie walked across and plucked a pound coin from the top of a pile of books.
‘She was just excited to show me how much money you’d made. Weren’t you, Florrie?’ Mr Higgs smiled again.
‘We’ve made a lot of money, haven’t we? Will we be able to buy a new climbing frame for the playground, Mr Higgs? We must have enough, and we’re not allowed on our old one because of how broken it is.’ Florrie sighed dramatically as she looked across to the wooden structure covered inDo not usetape next to the school building.
‘We shall have to see.’ Jonathan dropped a handful of coins in the tin. ‘Now, keep up the good work. I should go and see how everyone else is doing.’
‘We will.’ Standing on her tiptoes as she placed her hands, palms down, on the table in front of her, Florrie called after him.
‘He was pleasant enough.’ Sophie glanced across at Gemma as she picked up the cash tin and closed the lid tightly.
‘The way he was behaving just then was unusual. Believe me.’ Gemma shook her head as she watched him make his way from stall to stall, making conversation with members of staff, pupils and parents alike. He did seem different. He seemed relaxed. Was it because it wasn’t a school day? Because the day-to-day stresses and strains of running a school had lifted for the day, and he was enjoying a rare day of sunshine between downpours? Or was it because after a week in the role of headteacher he was settling in? Umm, maybe. With any luck, the following week would bring the same Mr Higgs they were seeing now.
‘I like Mr Higgs. He’s always funny in assembly.’ Florrie pushed herself away from the table and turned to her mum. ‘Can I go and get a treat from the cake stall? I’m starving.’
Shaking her head, Sophie laughed. ‘Of course you can. One minute and I’ll grab you a coin from my purse.’
As Sophie bent to pull her bag from beneath the stall, Gemma continued to watch Jonathan as a group of parents flocked around him. By the sound of their laughter, he was being quite the joker with them. Hopefully, this was an indicator of better days to come.
‘There you go. Get us two one too, would you?’ Sophie placed a coin in her daughter’s hand before leaning down and kissing her on the top of her head. ‘I’ll have a chocolate cracknel if they have one, please?’
‘Will do. What do you want, Auntie Gem?’ Florrie slapped her hand over her mouth before glancing around dramatically. After lowering her hand again, she repeated herself. ‘What do you want,Miss Murray?’
Laughing, Gemma flicked one of Florrie’s plaits. ‘You’re okay to call me Auntie Gem, Florrie. It’s not school time. I’ll have a flapjack, please?’
Florrie nodded as a slow grin spread across her face. ‘Okay, Auntie Gem, I’ll get you a flapjack.’
‘Why don’t you go and thank him for yesterday now?’ Sophie nodded towards Jonathan as the group of parents dispersed from around him.
‘No, not here. This is school, and what happened yesterday was at home. Two completely separate lives.’ Gemma shook her head. This wasn’t the place to thank him, was it?
Sophie frowned. ‘Don’t be daft. You can hardly keep your work and home life separate when you work at the school in the same village you live in, and your boss is your next-door neighbour. Go and say thank you and say it like you mean it.’
‘Nope. I’ll thank him later. When I next see him out of school.’ Gemma shook her head.
‘Go on. He did you a huge favour from what you’ve said. Just go over and say thank you.’ Sophie placed her hands on Gemma’s shoulders and turned her friend in his direction.
Sophie wasn’t going to let this lie, was she? Gemma literally didn’t have a choice and maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea. After all, he looked as though he had received a personality transplant on his way in today, so perhaps this would be the perfect time after all. Holding her hands up, palms forward, she glanced over her shoulder at her friend. ‘Okay, okay. I’m going.’
‘Good. And remember to be nice.’ Sophie called after her.
Nice? She was always nice. Gemma rolled her eyes as she made her way across the playground towards Jonathan. By the looks of things, he was on his way back inside the school building already. Jogging to catch him up, she slowed her pace and walked towards him. ‘Mr Higgs?’
