Footsteps In Ashbridge Episode 09
Duncan hurried along the street, anxious not to be late in picking Jamie up.
It had been a long day, beginning at six-thirty a.m. with Jamie waking him up and asking if he had to go to school because he’d rather go to Mrs Patel’s.
“Is she back from holiday?” Duncan had asked sleepily.
“She must be,” Jamie had said. “Her car’s outside. Can I, Dad?”
Duncan had propped himself on his elbow.
“Jamie, you know you have to go to school and to after-school club.
“I’ll pick you up and maybe you can pop in to see Mrs P before tea, OK?”
Jamie had scowled.
“You’ve gone up a class, remember?” Duncan had reminded him. “You’re a big Year Four boy now!”
Jamie had wriggled out of Duncan’s hold and went back to his own room.
Throughout the day, Duncan had berated himself for not reminding Jamie what his old friend Lou, the assistant in Jamie’s class, had said – that Miss Dixon, the new teacher, was lovely.
He’d tried to reassure himself. He trusted Lou’s judgement and she would be there to look out for any problems.
His doubts came rushing back when the after-school club leader came to meet him at the front door.
She stepped out and half shut the door behind her.
“I don’t know what’s upset Jamie,” she began. “He’s hardly said a word to anyone, just sat hunched over a jigsaw.”
Duncan stepped forward.
“First-day nerves, I expect. I’ll see if I can get to the bottom of it.””
He wasn’t going to apologise for Jamie’s behaviour until he found out what was going on.
Jamie didn’t look up as Duncan crossed the room.
He picked up the lid of the jigsaw box. It showed a detailed woodland scene.
“That looks complicated. You’ve done really well.”
Duncan dropped a kiss on Jamie’s head.
Jamie turned and flung himself into his father’s arms.
“It was her. My teacher. It’s the phone lady.”
“The phone lady?”
For a moment Duncan was mystified, then he remembered the woman he’d given directions to.
“On Saturday? The phone that got dropped?”
Jamie nodded so ferociously that Duncan almost smiled.
“She’s your new teacher?” He hugged Jamie close. “I told you that she came into the library later and gave me a thumbs-up.
“I guess that meant there was no damage. I suppose she didn’t say anything to you about it?”
“She didn’t,” Jamie admitted. “But she said ‘I think we’ve met before, Jamie’ and I kept waiting for her to be cross.”
Again, Duncan had to suppress a smile and try to think like a sensitive little eight-year-old.
“There is nothing to worry about, sweetheart. I asked her to let me know if she’d have to buy a new phone and she hasn’t.
“But I can try to see her tomorrow to make sure.”
Jamie shook his head this time.
“Can we go home now?”
“We’ll have to break this up.” Duncan looked at the jigsaw, prepared for Jamie to get upset again.
But Jamie held the box at the side of the table and swept the pieces in.
“I’ll do it again tomorrow,” he said. “It’s easy.”
Duncan took his son’s hand.
He nodded at the club leader, hoping he hadn’t been curt earlier.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” the leader said. “Second days are always better!”
Duncan stopped outside to phone Imogen, hoping that she had gone home after skating practice.
“Checking up on me, Dad?” Imogen’s tone was light and teasing – not the grumpy one she usually used to ask that question.
“Yes, I came straight home. Everything is fine. I’ve put a wash on. The potatoes are baking.
“And guess what – no, I’ll tell Jamie myself. Can I speak to him?”
After a minute Jamie handed the phone back, his eyes bright.
“Imo says there’s a big surprise waiting for me,” he reported.
Duncan couldn’t imagine what it might be.
He felt ridiculously jealous. Life held no big surprises for him.
His children safe and well was all he’d asked for these past eight years.
But now he was beginning to wonder if he might ask for more.
To be continued…