Chapter 25
I make sure that we take some time with the business at hand. I even allow James to watch a fisherman storing away his catch of lobsters. James had never seen these animals alive before, especially not that many of them. He is absolutely fascinated.
I let him watch until the fisherman rather vigorously claims his space to work. By now, Louisa should have had enough time to tear herself away from the shop and maybe even has already read the notice I know is on the board and which is the reason why I've dragged Louisa down here.
We approach the notice board near the school and Louisa is already standing in front of it. I had made sure that we'd reach this point before noon. Louisa couldn't help but start to read the messages as I knew she would.
She gasps.
She has found what I wanted her to read.
"That's impossible! They can't do this! They don't have the right! What are they thinking?!" She is in best fighting mood, as I knew she would be.
"Hm?" I try to appear uninterested.
"Have you read this?"
"I just arrived, so how could I? What is it?"
"What this is? Impertinence! That's what it is. How dare they?!"
"Who?"
"The governor's board. I simply can't believe it!"
"Sorry, you still haven't told me what's wrong."
"They're closing the school. This school. Don't they know it'll take a whole hour to get to and fro to Wadebridge. A whole hour of time stolen from the children. One hour less for playing. One hour less with their families. Don't they think about that at all?"
"How come?" I ask as innocently as possible.
Louisa studies the board again, reading the short note over and over as if she can't believe it. "They're having problems with the headship. For two years now they haven't found someone to take the post as head teacher. My successor was just an interim solution. She just stayed for not even a year, it seems. After that, no one was interested in the post. Now, there are some administrative deficiencies, not all regulations have been put into force, so if they don't find another head soon…" Louisa's voice trails off, she shakes her head and then pulls at my arm.
"This was a stupid idea of yours."
"What have I got to do with it?"
"Coming here, I mean. Let's go. I want to go." I hear her mutter under her breath. "I can't believe this. My school. Falling into ruin. Maybe they'll turn it into a hotel or something, and the children and parents get to pay for it."
"Is it already definite?" I ask casually.
"Does it matter?"
"To you it does."
"There's nothing I could do."
"So it's not definite then?"
"They're having a meeting in…" she looks at her watch, "in about twenty minutes. They have to have a solution then or the school is finished. It's a shame. It has been such a nice school."
I stop Louisa, who tries walking away. James is tucking at my hand. I stroke his head.
"Not now, James, just a moment."
"But Daddy!"
"I'm with you in a moment, right?" James has learned that this sound of my voice means that I won't give in, so he keeps holding my hand quietly and watches the scene.
"Look, Louisa, why don't you go in there?"
"Of what use would it be? To see how the end of the school will be sealed? Sorry, but I can't stand that."
"Go in there, tell them a thing or two and do what you've got to do." I encourage her. After all, this is why I have brought her down here.
"But Martin, there is just one way I could do anything about this…"
"…then you've got to do it."
"You know what that means?"
I nod.
"But what about us?"
"We'll sort it out. We'll get everything sorted. Trust me."
"But…"
"Hurry, and don't worry about us." I squat down to be on eye-level with my son. "And what was it you wanted, James?"
Reluctantly, Louisa disappears behind the doors she had passed so often while being head teacher, teacher and before that pupil of this school. She turns around a couple of times, but I signal her that she should move on.
To be continued…
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
P.S. Kudos to DeclanS, who guessed as much even back in chapter 11. And yes, this chapter has already been written then.