Thank you for all the feedback, and thank you chicken160688 for reading this through beforehand.
FLESH NOT STONE
Chapter Six
"Naomi, I really don't think this is a good idea."
"Oh shut up, Rob. Aiden is my son too."
-WLR-
The morning was cool, and a brisk walk for Karen in the bright sunshine of the Thursday morning awaited as she stepped out of her car. She inhaled deeply, the headmistress cherishing a moment alone in her school as she noticed a particular caretaker's car had not yet arrived. Well strictly speaking she had become aware of this upon arrival at the previously unopened gates, merely assuming that Rob had been running late. Not dwelling upon the topic for too long however, Karen Fisher becoming admittedly nervous for when she would next be setting her eyes upon him, she opened the main doors of the school with her set of keys and allowed herself entrance into the echoing corridor.
Subconsciously, Karen turned to the left, her eyes falling upon one door in particular. Its solid, wooden structure could be felt as she moved forward and ran her hand smoothly down it, affectionately as she imagined he too would be touching it as the day progressed. Oh boy, she thought to herself. She was smitten, incoherently. Having not felt like this for so long, it having been years since herself and Charlie had shared such a passionate relationship, this resulted in the feeling that she had never felt so love struck; never felt so swept off of her feet. It was new unmarked territory, of which right now she was exploring with the prowess of a lion. She found herself incapable of coherent thought; her heart would thump abruptly and inconsiderately against its protective rib cage, leap into her mouth suddenly without warning. She had once associated this kind of love with story books: fiction, written to provide elements of fantasy to small children and adults alike. The magnificence of living within such a reality was captivatingly sublime; almost delusory.
Before she knew otherwise, the clock had turned meaning students and teachers were arriving ready to begin another strenuous and interesting day at Waterloo Road, with anonymous troubles that would almost certainly arise and rear havoc for the persistent and tackling headmistress. Proudly, she walked out of a set of double doors, stood on the steps overlooking her students arriving for another day. She smiled, satisfied with all she seemed to have achieved here. Greeting all who passed her with a good morning, the apprehensive individual could not help but wonder of Rob's whereabouts. Eying her own daughter walking into school with Vicki, Karen assumed the two friends were rebuilding their relationship after the drama with Aiden.
Then she saw Rob. She gasped, he was wearing one of those shirts she had taken a particular liking to. Karen had commented on many an occasion of how such items of clothing suited him, ever since their date. Date? She was in a relationship. The sentence in her mind felt almost surreal. Since Charlie had left home, Karen had done what she presumed most partners did in her situation - she had thrown herself into work, set up the protective barriers; clouded herself in a bubble which allowed little emotion through into her system. The layers around her heart had become rock solid, molecules close and compact resulting in little impact from persistent pressure. Rob had most certainly changed that. Solid had turned to liquid, she could feel the trickling of water as it turned from its former state of ice.
Her lips were moist, assuming they would soon be in close contact with that of his. Then she saw it. The scene which shattered her heart. Her eyes widened, hoping to gain a further perspective of this situation. There stood Rob, Aiden by his side accompanied by a woman she recognised as his mother. Oh she remembered the confrontation in her office; the tone in her voice which screamed someone of arrogance. Witnessing her arm snaking around Rob's waist, Karen felt almost choked. Her respiratory organs were ceasing in their function, all failing in delivering the necessary air she required to breath; to stand here unaffected by the scene currently being played. A voice in her head told her to look at Rob, however her eyes would simply not divert from the arm around his body, wishing it was her. Had she looked, the headmistress would have seen his dispute and his attempt to remove the unwanted touch.
Karen remained absorbed in a cloud of betrayal and hurt until she heard his voice. "Karen…"
Her eyes diverted, connecting with his own yet the passion she once held had disappeared, as though a candle had been blown out and all hope had vanished with the withering flame. Sensing he was about to kiss her, she pushed him away. His lips were merely a millimetre away from her own, and the sharpness of her action alerted all of those around them, all eying up the couple and the rejection of their headmistress. "No."
"I thought- I thought we discussed this last night? I'm sorry if it's still too early." Reasoned Rob quietly, bordering the line of a whisper, attempting to understand the rationality of her actions. "I thought you…"
"Whatever you thought, Rob, you thought wrong," stressing the first thought, Karen became aware of the callous whispers and desperate glances from the students fighting for a view around them. "Mister Scotcher, there's a leak in the toilets if you don't mind looking. That's assuming you don't have to return home at all today."
"Karen, I don't understand…" spoke Rob, hurt by the irrationality and the formality of her speech.
"It's Mrs Fisher."
-WLR-
Both parties remained in pure solitude all day. Rob had been sat in his chair for hours now, racking his brain and wondering what he could have done to cause such upset. The idea he had left her last night crossed his mind, however he remembered the mobile messages they had shared; the kisses upon the end and exactly how they had felt to him. Surely she would not have responded in such a way had she been angry with him. He would happily have stood beside Karen last night, however given it was by her own request he had returned home, he still remained confused. Had Charlie said something to her? Was it… Naomi. Cursing himself for being so insanely oblivious, naïve and imbecilic he ran his hands through his hair in such torment and disbelief. The unwanted touches of his, soon to be ex after the discussion of last night, wife had been far from discrete. Naomi had certainly not been pleased at his mention of Karen the previous night, even bringing forward the accusation that as a father he should be concentrating on his son. Of course, he did not stand for such an impertinent and hypocritical insult, and had it not been for the plea of Aiden that they should resume talking in the morning, he would have thrown her out there and then.
He had remained awake all of the night, unable to sleep at the thought of the individual whom shattered his heart so long ago in the next room, when Karen remained so far away in comparison. It pained him, physically to think of what Karen may have seen; what she must have assumed…
The cooler was designed for students. A peaceful room to allow the children a chance at calming their thoughts before returning to their education. It seemed fitting that Karen Fisher found herself seated in this particular room. She had taken a front row seat; her elbows rested gently upon the wooden table whilst supporting her head. Most people had simply left Karen to her own devices, anyone having entered the room either receiving a cold-hearted stare or merely nothing at all. Even Chris had quickly left, the uncomfortable atmosphere of the room lingering over him; the scorching silence from the headmistress whom he shared a mutual understanding with almost too painful to bare. The image would replay within her mind, over and over again until the tears would fall once more until she mentally hit herself for acting so vulnerable. She longed to be stronger, to have the ability to numb her senses and not be affected this much. It angered her to realise such an impact the caretaker, the impact Rob, had had on her; how much she was now aching; how she had let down her guard only for him to destroy all she had once protected.
Unaware of the door opening, Karen Fisher did not realise she had company until a voice called out.
"Mum…"