‘If I were you I’d start with yes and swiftly follow it with your national insurance number. Oh, and Rosy, please. Miss Wintermakes me sound like a character from Dickens, and whilst it’s fine in front of the children, using Rosy the rest of the time makes me feel less like some kind of stern workhouse matron!’
Sylvie giggled at this; the woman in front of her couldn’t have looked less like an evil character from Dickens had she tried.
‘OK, Rosy, thank you. I’m going to be the best PE person you’ve ever seen.’
‘I don’t doubt it, and trust me, you’ll be the only staff member I’ve ever had that I know can do the splits when sober. We’re going to love having you here.’
Chapter Thirteen
‘Hey, you look like you’ve run all the way here,’ Alex said, opening the door to her with that crinkly-eyed smile he had.
‘Oh my goodness, I have. You’re not going to believe what Miss Winter wanted with me.’
‘Ooh, true, but my mind is conjuring up all sorts of pictures.’
‘Oi.’ Sylvie punched him on the arm. ‘Don’t be filthy!’
‘I wasn’t.’ Alex looked surprised but then followed it with a smirk. ‘But now you’ve said it… No, don’t hit me again, obviously I’m joking, and you started it. Come through. The kids are in the garden. They’ve built some kind of athletics course for Ellie’s teddies, who are silently pleading with me to do a risk assessment, close the whole thing down for health and safety and send them back inside so they can just lie there having cake rubbed on their faces rather than being hurled through the air.’
‘I think you’re spending too much time with the children. You need some adult company.’
‘Alas, you’re not the only one to think that. But I’ll tell you my tales of woe after you tell me what’s made you sprint down Beach Road like an escaped prisoner.’
‘Can I have a cup of coffee first?’
‘Of course, coffee is always available. What did she want?’
‘Oh, just to offer me a…’ Sylvie started nonchalantly as she pottered over to the coffee machine. And then to increase the drama, she spun on her heel and grabbed Alex by the arm as she started to jump up and down next to him. ‘…a job! She offered me a job!’
‘Wow! That’s amazing!’ He grabbed her other arm too and they jumped up and down in tandem. ‘You must be over the moon, obviously you’re over the moon. I’m so happy for you. Can we stop jumping now, I’m beginning to feel a bit sick.’
‘Haha, yes, of course. Thank you.’
‘What for?’
‘For being someone I can share my news with. I’d be lucky to get a grunt from Tom, and Sam can’t possibly really understand.’
‘Well, I do. And I think we should celebrate this, it’s fantastic news. What do you want to do? Let’s go to dinner. Although I can’t tonight, I’m afraid.’
‘OK, Sam would love that. Thank you, that’s a great idea.’
‘Oh, oh yeah, OK. I’m sure Ellie will as well. You’ll have to choose where and we can do it next week.’
‘OK, now your turn. What are you doing tonight that you’re so scared about? How has Marion got her claws into you, and what have you been stupid about? Come on, spill all. Oh, let me just go and check Sam’s OK and then we can sit and you can tell me what you’ve got yourself into!’
Sylvie ventured into the garden and was narrowly missed by a purple bear whizzing past her ear as her son was jumping up and down on the spot further down the garden, fists clenched in sheer excitement and looking very similar to how she had in the kitchen just seconds ago. Ellie was standing on a plastic chair with another bear in her hand.
‘Just this one and then it’s your turn. I think Purply is the winner so far!’ They were so caught up in their ‘Olympics’ that they didn’t even notice Sylvie come into the garden.
‘Hi, that was one speedy bear!’
‘He’s got long legs, it helps,’ Ellie said from her chair, nodding knowledgeably.
‘I don’t wanna go!’ Sam bawled as soon as he spotted his mum.
‘Whoa, you’re OK for a minute, boy. But hello would have been nice.’
‘We’re not going?’
