‘I know, fair point. I’m not. I just wanted to grab some resources to help with some special needs assessments, so I thought I’d nip in early before everyone got in, children that is, obviously. In fact, I know you’re good as gold and come in early and stay late, but isn’t this really early for you?’
Rosy’s face was quizzical and Pippa froze to the spot. She might have a point. She hoped to god that Kam didn’t pick up on it and guess she was in deliberately early just for him. Little bit awkward.
‘Ha… um… I’ll be right back. I’ll just go get you a coffee.’ Pippa fled. She was a woman who never blushed, but there was a good chance all that could change today and cheeks may decide to match her lipstick!
Kam had taught a whole lot of maths and the children were now doing various independent activities around the classroom. Pippa was in the role-play area with some of the children, creating a huge beanstalk on the side of their two-storey play loft. Before starting, they had put rollers in her hair from the dressing up area so they could act out Jack and the Beanstalk when they had finished, and they had nominated Pippa to play the mother. Ellie had pointed out that she had the perfect shrieky voice because Jack’s mum could probably be heard from every side of the playground as well. Pippa’s face may have scrunched up a little because Ellie quickly added, after Sam had nudged her, that Pippa wasn’t shouty in a mean way though. Rather than taking offence, Pippa tried to remind herself of the social and emotional learning goals this behaviour indicated Ellie was reaching.
‘Miss Parkin.’ She felt the hiss upon her ear as much as she heard it, as she stood there, green painted leaf dangling over her head, staple gun in hand and spare leaves held between her knees.
‘Yes,’ she hissed back, feeling like a spy down a shadowy alley in a badly lit European city and rather liking it
‘The hamster door is open and I can’t see Sir Squeaks-a-lot anywhere in his cage.’
Pippa spun around, handing her remaining leaves to Ashleigh, who was on the floor carefully sticking leaves to the base of the loft, her tongue sticking out slightly as she concentrated upon her task.
‘Squeaks is missing?’ She whispered back. She didn’t want the class hearing just yet, and four and five-year-olds have some kind of magic hearing skills which mean they block out instructions fairly effectively but could always capture a secret.
Kam nodded, his eyes big and wide. Bless him, she could see that he was too concerned to even try and hide his worry.
‘Okay, this is going to be fine.’ She nodded at him reassuringly. She guessed that there was no teacher in the world who wanted to be responsible for losing the class pet in their first week. ‘He’s probably just hiding. If you were being manhandled regularly by nearly a hundred odd primary school children you’d definitely hide now and again. And if he has escaped, he can’t get far.’
‘Have you seen how fast hamsters run? I have, and it’s fast!’ Kam hissed back as they carefully wandered back to the cage, scanning the floor as they did so.
‘How do you know how fast they run with such conviction?’
‘I’ve watched YouTube videos, hundreds of YouTube videos.’
‘Seriously? I’m scared to ask why. I thought my flatmate was weird but you may have trumped even her!’
‘Large family, lots of sisters. I learnt early on it was easier just to comply.’
‘I like the sound of that.’ Kam’s eyebrows shot through his hairline as Pippa realised that she may have crossed a line into inappropriate. If he didn’t know she had a bit of a crush before, he probably did now. She decided not to double down nor apologise, but just pretend she hadn’t said anything at all.
They reached the cage and with her I’m-a-proper-professional-and-would-never-say-anything-dirty-in-the-workplace face on Pippa rummaged amongst Sir Squeaks-a-lot’s bedding. And then rummaged again. Oh dear.
She turned to face Kam, mirroring his expression of concern.
‘Okay, you’re right. Sir Squeaks has sodded off. But look, all the doors are closed. I know he was there first thing when we fed him. He can’t be far. He just can’t be.’
‘He could be squished. We need to make sure that the children don’t stampede.’ They both shot a quick panicked look across the floor to make sure there was no evidence of squish so far.
Phew, lots of blue and green paint, and someone had taken some blocks out of the construction area and had started making a village near the maths corner but definitely no hamster gore visible to the naked eye.
‘You’ve got this. Go on.’ Pippa reassured Kam.
‘Okay. Can you go scout the reading corner and then I’ll send the children there?’ Kam asked her and as she nodded in return.
‘Consider it done. There won’t be a cushion left unturned.’ She scampered to the reading corner on tiptoes.
Kam put both of his hands in the air and used his loudest, most authoritative voice. ‘Class One, can everyone stop what they’re doing and freeze?’ He waited for the class to respond, which they did immediately. Impressive.
‘Okay, now, Sir Squeaks-a-lot has escaped from his cage so we need to be very careful and find him. I need you all to keep still for a minute whilst Miss Parkin checks the reading corner, and then we’ll move there slowly from each area. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn, then head to the reading corner, but keep checking very carefully where you put your feet and keep your eyes peeled in case you spot him. When we are all there, we can work out a plan to find him. Does everyone understand?’
The class nodded frantically.
‘Right, the reading area is clear.’ Pippa shouted from across the class.
‘Okay, those of you by the water and sand please make your way to Miss Parkin. Remember to watch your feet.’
