‘You are a marvel.’
‘I know, I’m an absolute keeper.’ His whole face lit up and there was a teasing lilt to his voice.
‘Damn straight. You’re going to make someone very happy.’
Although, selfishly, she rather hoped it wouldn’t be for a while yet. She smiled up as he shut the door and they walked along to school companionably with the two kids chattering away in front of them, Sam explaining fun facts he had learnt about crows from Matt the day before. The two had taken to talking through the fence, Sam standing on the patio furniture, and they’d chatter for ages about plants, animals, birds and so forth. Two old men putting the world to rights.
She could feel Alex keep glancing over at her; there was clearly something on his mind and she couldn’t quite work out what it was. He might not be hers but they had become so close over the last few months, she couldn’t, didn’t want to, imagine her life without him in it. She figured she had a couple of years at least before action and adventure called him back.
They reached the school and walked through the gates towards the quad and the entrance to the Reception Class. Everyone they saw greeted them by name and yet again, she was filled with a sense of community. And the niggling comprehension that ‘Alex and Sylvie’ and ‘Sylvie and Alex’ was such natural phrasing for everyone these days.
As they reached the classroom the two children handed Alex their empty mugs and Sylvie reached over to wipe Sam’s chocolate moustache, but seeing her intention he stepped back and did it himself. Then both kids said goodbye and Sylvie waved them in and handed Alex her mug as she prepared to go to the PE cupboard to get the resources she needed for later. But instead of walking her most of the way there as he left, he took the mug and stayed where he was. That seemed a little odd.
Not having time to question it too deeply, she headed off. As she reached the other side of the quad she remembered that she had forgotten to ask Alex whether he and Ells would like to come to the cinema at the weekend. Looking over her shoulder to see if he was still there, she saw both the children had come back out of the classroom and were huddled with him, outside in the cold, and most scarily of all, Marion Marksharp was with the three of them.
OK, she wasn’t delusional, somethingwasup. She turned on her heel and prepared to find out exactly what was causing them all to be together and looking so conspiratorial.
‘Ooh, Sylvie. Perfect, I’m so glad I’ve found you. Could you come with me? I really need you.’ Harmony had appeared fromnowhere and looked like she wanted to physically grab hold of her.
‘OK, I’ll be there in a minute, I just need to…’
Harmony’s voice crescendoed. ‘No, no, no! I’m afraid it’s an absolute emergency. You must come now! Rafe Marksharp has locked Alice in the stationery cupboard and I was supposed to be keeping an eye on Amanda’s class as they came in whilst she was doing an early-morning parent meeting. You’re the only one he’ll listen to.’
‘Marion’s over there,’ Sylvie gestured across the tarmac. ‘She’ll sort it out.’
Harmony paled in front of her. ‘Oh, please, no! That’s even worse than getting Amanda. With Mr Marksharp away so much she’s practically the chair of governors now, and she’s been trying to get rid of me for years. She says I lack the gravitas needed to teach, and she tried to introduce a staff dress code because she said Penmenna School was not a Native American encampment. She doesn’t have a compassionate bone in her body which is why she doesn’t recognize that some of us have soft skills that are far more important than her bullying style. You have really good soft skills, Sylvie. Please.’ Harmony’s words were delivered at such speed and with such genuine terror that Sylvie didn’t have a choice. That stationery cupboard within that classroom was tiny – how Rafe had managed to squash Alice in was beyond comprehension – and she couldn’t have Alice running out of air. Goodness knows how long Harmony had battled with Rafe before giving up and coming to search for help.
With a deep sigh, Sylvie accepted defeat, but she needed to find out what was being discussed on the other side of the playground, so she’d be hunting that man down later!
Chapter Thirty-eight
Alex grinned as the children came tumbling back out of the classroom door and Marion appeared at the exact same second. Organizing this was so much fun, and the others were treating it as if it were some kind of spy operation. It was as if theMission Impossibletheme tune played every time they met.
‘Right, so today is D-Day, tonight is the night. How is everything going?’
‘Good. I’ve spoken to Chase and he has a tent we can borrow.’
‘Chase has a tent? I wouldn’t have thought he and Angelina were the camping type!’ Marion’s eyebrows went up.
‘No, I think they’re firm believers in the power of hotels, but it’s more a marquee kinda thing – he’s got a couple and I’ve bagsied the smaller one. If we can attach lots of billowy things then it’ll work perfectly.’
‘She’s seen us, she’s coming over.’ Marion delivered this information in what he could only assume was her spy voice. It sounded as if she were addressing her words into a walkie-talkie.
‘Are you sure, OK… um…’ Alex briefly debated the karma attached to teaching Sam to lie to his mother; he was fairly sure Marion and Ellie’s was already pretty buggered.
‘Oh, it’s OK, that stupid hippy woman has her.’
‘Mrs Marksharp, you shouldn’t say stupid!’ Ellie was outraged.
‘And you shouldn’t lecture your elders.’ Marion flicked a look across to Alex, and then he saw her gaze land upon Sam whohad crossed his arms tightly and was giving her his most intense brow furrow. ‘But you are quite right, and Mrs Rivers is a… well, um… I’m sure there are lots of things she’s very good at. Ooh and look, distracting your mother seems to be one of them. Goody! Now that’s the tent done and the scene set. I’ve been a whizz with the costumes, I have one for us girls, now did you say yours was ready?’
‘Oh, Marion, there really is no need. Just the children…’
‘Where is your gumption? We’ve talked about this. Commit to the cause, for goodness’ sake, we’re trying to make a statement. I know that you’ve made one for Sam and I’m sure you’ll look very dashing in yours as well. If that doesn’t turn her head, I don’t know what will. I already have one from a class I took a few years ago, and I modelled Ellie’s on mine so we shall all be matching. Isn’t that cute? Are we all secure on the routine? We can practise again tonight.’
Alex felt his masculinity evaporating in front of his eyes. He was not a natural dancer. He would rather wrestle a very hungry, very big crocodile. And now he had to dance – and in costume. Ellie would never ever forgive him if he didn’t.
‘Hello, could I have the children back please?’ Rosy popped her head around the door.
