Things Move On
Part One
Rachel drove slowly down the school driveway. Still before 8am, she was the only person in sight. It was the first day of the Autumn Term; a time for new beginnings. The builders had worked hours of overtime during the summer holiday in an effort to get the school back in order. They had performed miracles. The reconstructed main entrance was painted a warm, jasmine yellow. Colourful paintings littered the walls. A pale shaft of sunlight reflected on the stained glass windows sending a mosaic of colour in to the hall. The air was filled with a mix of newly built cleanliness, fresh paint, the wax of floor polish and optimism. The building was warm and welcoming.
Meanwhile, Rachel was in turmoil. She felt this was the biggest challenge she had ever faced. The revelations about her squalid past, the physical and psychological damage from the fire and the daily trials and tribulations of being a Head Teacher all faded in to insignificance. Despite the assuring appearance of the building, she had a nagging doubt.
Recovery in the past, from all her previous struggles, had been possible because she had had a staunch ally; even if she'd not always appreciated she had one. He was a loyal friend. A friend who became a lover. Someone she could rely on no matter what. Now, she felt alone. Totally alone.
Before making the colossal journey from her car in to the building, Rachel sat contemplatively behind the steering wheel. She had been on site numerous times during the holiday to monitor how progress, on what seemed an impossible task, was going. It had been a way to occupy her mind and her time. What she saw before her was the finished product; a new Waterloo Road.
It was as if she was beginning all over again.
A year and a half ago, Rachel had walked through the doors for the very first time. Back then, she had viewed it as a challenge, an excitable challenge; an opportunity to leave her sordid past behind completely. She was the newly appointed Head teacher of a failing school and it was her responsibility to turn things round. The LEA and Governors has put their trust in her. She had succeeded.
On the final day of term, things had gone somewhat awry. However, she had been given a vote of confidence by the Governing Body, Ralph Mellor was awaiting trial and she was deemed to have the innate strength necessary to rebuild the school community. Rachel only wished she had their confidence.
Tapping her fingertips on the steering wheel, Rachel breathed in deeply.
Right; come on. I can do this. I've done it before. I can do it again. New term, new start; for all of us.
Glancing up at the calm building, she removed the keys from the ignition, leaned over to the passenger seat to grab her bag and a mountain of paper work and got out of the car.
***
