“Off you go then.” Charlotte turned in her seat and gazed at her reluctant offspring sitting in the back of the car. “Have a good day.”
“Don’t leave us!” they pleaded and Charlotte laughed. The first day at a new school was never easy and she hadn’t the heart to refuse.
“Come on then.” She took Naomi and Matthew by the hand and they scurried across the road, joining the ranks of other mums beginning to congregate with their smartly dressed children.
Charlotte smiled politely at the other women who hurried past, but they were too busy to stop and chat. Immaculate school bags, sports kit and lunch bags hung about the children as if they were pack-horses and Charlotte followed slowly, her children dragging their heels.
“What’s up?” she asked as they reached the playground and the small village primary. “It’ll be fine. You know what the school’s like.”
“But we don’t know the other children,” whined Naomi tightening her grip on her mother’s hand. “What if we don’t make friends?”
“You will.” Charlotte replied briskly. “You’ll be fine.”
But all day, Charlotte found her thoughts wandering to her children and wondering if they were enjoying the new experience of a different school. She’d hated taking them out of their first primary but with her husband’s new job, she felt she had no choice. The move was a new start for all of them and after the first few nervous weeks, she was sure Naomi and Matthew would adapt.
Now it was three o’clock and time for them to be picked up. Charlotte herself was nervous; she felt new to her surroundings as well and hoped that she would make friends with the mums who gathered at the school gates for those last few minutes of peace before the children erupted from the confines of their day. A friendly mum, she hoped, someone with whom she could exchange a few words and who was as relaxed and laid back about parenting as she was.
She sat for a while and watched the other mums arrive. Shiny cars were parked randomly along the road, some of them so big they took up almost the whole of the narrow village street. A group of women were slowly walking along the path and Charlotte noticed how well-turned out they were, their clothes and make-up immaculate. She looked down at her own jeans and top and felt suddenly underdressed. Running her hands through her long brunette locks, she wished she’d taken a few moments to apply some lipstick, but it was too late now.
Crossing the road she met the eye of a friendly looking blonde who smiled warmly. “Hello…are you new here?”
Charlotte nodded. “My two started today. Years 3 and 6.”
“I’m Amy. I’ve only the one – Louisa in Year 4.”
There was a small silence as they jostled for position outside the playground, but as the teachers appeared and the children came running out, Amy turned to Charlotte and whispered, “Have you met the new Head yet? Mr Anderson?”
Charlotte nodded. “He seems a good teacher.”
“Oh, such an improvement on old Mr Bainsby. I have to say this…he’s gorgeous! And such a good reputation!”
Charlotte laughed. “Yes, I heard.”
Amy continued. “I’m definitely going to be joining the PTA. Up until now I haven’t bothered, but…”
Charlotte looked at her in surprise and noticed how the other woman had blushed. Her eyes were alight and she appeared nervous, her eyes darting around the playground as if she was desperately looking for something…or someone. The crowd around the two women jostled for space and some of the mums pushed their way to the front of the crowd, ostensibly to meet their offspring, but Charlotte noticed how they were unconsciously smoothing their skirts, running their fingers through their hair, licking their lips…
I can’t believe it, she thought, trying hard not to laugh. She’d heard rumours of so-called “Yummy Mummies” but had never experienced this before. At the old school, the other mums were dressed as casually as she was now. The mums’ uniform tended to be jeans and tee-shirts in summer and jeans and fleeces in winter. A lot of the mums there had been farmers’ wives who worked hard with their husbands and certainly didn’t have time to apply make-up or do their hair for the mundane chore of collecting children from school.
Keeping to the back of the crowd, Charlotte saw Naomi and Matthew appear out of a side door, the tall dark-haired man at their side smiling as he listened to their chatter. He was dressed smartly, his suit and tie giving him an air of authority and power.
“Oooh! There he is!” Amy breathed her satisfaction as Mr Anerson approached and smoothed her hair for the umpteenth time. “Brings a whole new excitement to my day.”
“Isn’t he married?” asked Charlotte, looking over to him as he smiled at the eager parents in front of him. “I thought he was.”
“Mmm…yes I think so, but…” Amy pushed forward, and Charlotte noticed a folder in her hands.
“Excuse me a moment, I just want to talk to him about something.”
Charlotte watched as the blonde woman pushed her way through the throng of women who seemed to be clamouring for his attention. But it was her that he was looking at as he brought their children to her side, his arms encircling her waist as he cleared his throat.
“I’d like to introduce you all to my wife,” he exclaimed, receiving the silence that he had expected. “My first day at the school has been great and I’d like to thank you all for the support I’ve received so far. I sincerely hope that you can all extend that support to my family…my wonderful wife, Charlotte and my two children, Matthew and Naomi.”
Charlotte smiled as Mr Anderson kissed her soundly on the lips and together, as the crowd melted away, went into the school to help him finish his first day.
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