Part One
The perky tones of the radio presenter played loudly in the beast of a car.
"Thank you for joining us on local radio this Friday evening. We're keeping you up to date with all of your traffic needs and playing those tunes you love to get you home but as it's Friday night, why not treat yourself to a gin and tonic?"
"Abso-bloody-lutely," Caroline agreed heartily, even though she was alone in the car. A gin and tonic sounded like a perfect way to round off what had been an extremely challenging week.
First had been the disastrous interviews for a new teacher to join the history department. The trainee that Caroline wanted to take on had completely bombed the interview and the panel had no option but to give it to someone with more experience who Caroline reckoned would be a pain in the posterior. Then there had been an 'incident' during a netball match. A couple of year ten girls had decided that they were fed up with the way that Mrs Bell spoke to them and had staged a sit in protest that not even Caroline had been able to resolve. It lasted until the rain began and then the girls meandered inside looking as innocent as lambs. In truth, Caroline could not be bothered to discipline them. In principle, she did not object to high-spirited teenagers that stood by their convictions but she had given them as much of a telling off, as she could be bothered to conjure at 3pm on a Tuesday afternoon.
Wednesday provided her with a wonderful incident involving cafeteria food and a potential mouse-tail in the hot dogs. It was not a mouse-tail but was a wayward piece of string. Thursday had been spent fielding calls from concerned parents that bemoaned that their children were eating rat's guts and eye-balls. Caroline had gone home and cooked only for Flora and not herself. Friday, the day to end all working weeks had dreamt up a rather unique way of throwing her for a loop. Margot McEleny, a year nine student, had recently been diagnosed with cancer. This news had affected the entire student body and a group of girls had got together and asked to speak to Caroline to present an idea about how to raise money for cancer research. Part of their presentation included bringing along their netball coach from their local Harrogate team that they played for who was offering to support them in their idea for a 24 hour netball-a-thon. Caroline had not been prepared for that surprise meeting and was furious with the girls who slipped out of her office with cheeky waves and left their bemused coach to negotiate with their Principal. The two women had eyed each other warily and then laughed at the audacity of the little tinkers.
A car cut in front of Caroline and she muttered swear words but remained calm. There was no reason to spoil what could be a perfectly lovely evening. Flora was having a sleep over with Gillian and Alan and Celia. Caroline missed her daughter when she was away but had come to recognise that time alone was good for her. And so her bath tub and some sweet smelling bubbles were calling to her and with gin and tonic in hand she would wile away her evening in a haze of relaxation.
After what felt like an eternity she pulled up outside of her home and hurried inside out of the rain. The house was quiet but this no longer scared her. Time had been a healer and balm to her frayed nerves. Where once she had craved a busy atmosphere at home, she preferred peace in the evenings in sharp contrast to her daily life. The boys were both off doing their own thing. Each of them was working and finding their way in the world. They rarely called unless they needed something and came home for special events but Caroline felt that she had turned out two respectable young men into the world. The last time she had seen them for any length of time was for her 50th birthday. It had been a happy occasion and the first time Caroline remembered feeling any pleasure.
Flora was thriving and Caroline's eyes fell on the photograph of Kate that hung on the wall in the living room. It had been taken at their wedding and she still smiled at Kate every time she retuned home. It was good to have Kate smile back. She would never stop grinning if she could see how perfect Flora was.
Nobody had filled that emptiness that had been left behind by the loss of her wife. A couple of people had tried but none had lasted. Caroline was unsure what it was that she was looking for exactly but when it arrived, she would recognise it.
Moving through the house she made a call to Gillian and had a brief chat with her and then Flora while she poured a nice gin and tonic, with Pachelbell's Canon playing in the background. Flora had turned into quite the little conversationalist and constantly amused everyone with the thoughts that swept through her brain and rattled out of her mouth. Knowing that everything was well, Caroline collected her briefcase and pulled out the document that the year nine girls had given her.
Dear Principal McKenzie-Dawson,
As you know, our friend and netball team Captain Margot has been diagnosed with cancer. This has upset a lot of us and we feel that we would like to do something to offer our support to her. We have come up with the idea of a 24 hour netball-a-thon. Last year, the coach from Harrogate Harlequins netball team ran one and she has agreed to help us organise ours.
Her name is Jane Sargent and her number is…
Caroline stopped reading then. It seemed the girls had already made up their minds about exactly how they wanted to raise money and plans had been made. She picked up her tablet and searched for Jane Sargent on the Internet. Immediately, an article about the previous 24 hour netball money raiser flashed up. Underneath the article was a photograph that barely resembled the woman that had stood in her office earlier that afternoon. That woman had been dressed in a smart trouser suit, her hair lay perfectly on her shoulders and her smile was wide and welcoming and all Caroline could remember was Jane Sargent saying to her, "I would love to take you out for a drink some time."
The week hadn't ended too badly at all.