Rachel walked to the cooler and met Eddie on the way
"Did you speak to Aimee?" Eddie asked
"Yes, I was quiet calm with her, she was terrified Eddie, she knows she's done wrong, but I can't help but blame myself"
"Rach, it's not your fault" Eddie placed his hands on Rachel's shoulders, she felt the electricity run through her and she was sure he felt it too
They entered the cooler to the 7 kids, Chlo, Maxine and Aimee knew exactly why they were there, but the others didn't have a clue.
"All right kids, we need to have a little chat, and I need you all to be honest with me, there has been an investigation from the exam board into your coursework, they think you have visited a web site and downloaded essays for your coursework"
The kids were all terrified looking and Rachel knew they were all guilty.
"I will be in my office with Mr Lawson, and I will call all your parents so we can discuss. Maxine, you're up first"
Maxine followed Rachel and Eddie to find Steph was already there.
After Maxine, Chlo went to the office with Tom, by then the other kids parents had arrived. Finally it was Aimee's turn again.
"Mum, do we need to do this again?" Aimee asked
"I need you to tell me exactly what essays you plagiarised, when you get home, can you put then all together. I then need you to write a report on what's been going on in your life, I know is hard, but I need you to write about Dad in it. I need the exam board to think you weren't coping. "
"Do I need to, they will think I'm pathetic, and I don't want to lie"
"Aimee, we need to try and give evidence to the exam board to support you" Eddie said
"And it won't be lying, everything you will say will be true" Rachel added
"OK, I'll do it, but I don't want special treatment because of who I am"
"No honey you won't, I'm more worried that they will want to make an example of you, but I have told Chlo and Maxine to do the same."
"Fine, but really must I do it tonight, I'm shattered"
"Yes, you do, if you had been working through the year we wouldn't be in this mess and we would be able to enjoy our summer"
The 3 of them finally left the office, and went home, Aimee got all the essays together and wrote her statement, she emailed them to her Mum and went off to bed, she didn't want to speak to her Mum again tonight, and she hated the disappointment in her eyes.
"I brought you some chips" Holly's voice appeared from the doorway
"And a pickle" Aimee questioned
"Yep of course, everyone is talking about you guys they all think you're going to get expelled"
The two girls sat on Aimee's bed eating the chips.
"Might be for the best, I'm thinking maybe I should move to another school if I don't get disqualified completely"
"What no way, Waterloo Road wont be the same without you"
"Yeah well Mum is so disappointed, you know when she is angry at us she shouts, but she has gone beyond that, she is really disappointed"
Holly wrapped her arms around her sister
"You know she will get over it, she loves us and giving some time everything will be OK"
"Your so naive, if I stay at waterloo Road next year she will never trust me, I will have no freedom, she will be watching over me all the time, I just don't know if I can hack it anymore"
"Well what would you do, get a job, with no qualifications. You'll end up working in a shop for minimum wage forever; it won't be so bad going back"
"Holly, I might need to repeat, I don't want to do that, I thought I was only going to have a year left and then freedom. Not now, God I screwed up"
Rachel was standing at the door, she was glad her daughters were getting on so well now, 6 months ago they were fighting like cat and dog.
"Holly sweetie, can you let me talk to Aimee?" Rachel asked.
"Sure Mum, I'm off to bed, night" Holly kissed her mum before going next-door to her own room.
Rachel sat on the bed next to her eldest daughter and placed a comforting arm around her shoulder.
"Honey, I don't want you to worry about this too much, there isn't anything we can do now until we hear back from the exam board. I got your email, hopefully with that we can put up a good case"
"Mum, if I get disqualified, what will I do?"
"If, and it's a big if then we will cross that bridge when we come to it, but you would need to make some big decisions either try and get into college or a job somewhere"
Aimee turned to her Mum and gave her a big hug.
"Anyway sweetie, I was thinking after I have sent these reports to the exam board, maybe we could get away somewhere, just the 3 of us. I was thinking looking for some flights out to Grandma and Grandpas, would that be nice?"
Aimee smiled, she hadn't seen her Grandparents for a while, they came over from Canada for Trevor's funeral, but that had been almost a year ago.
"I would like that a lot, Thanks"
Trevor's parents were British, but they moved to Canada in the 60's and that's where Trevor and his 3 brothers and sisters lived. He had come to the UK for University, but never went back to Canada as he had met Rachel and married her.
"Well, I have to get the reports and statements from Chlo, Maxine and the rest tomorrow, I'll send them on, and then we are off."
"Mum, I could get a Canadian Passport if I wanted couldn't I?"
"Yes, your father was born there, but where is this going?"
"If things come to the worst and the Exam Board to disqualify me then maybe I could stay with Grandma and Grandpa and finish school in Canada"
Rachel though about it for a moment, it wasn't a really bad idea
"Only if you get completely disqualified, if you have to repeat next year then you can stay here, and of course, you will need to ask your Grandparents"
"They are going to be so angry, do we need to tell them"
"Honey, they are your grandparents they will just be glad to spend some time with you, now how about you try and get some sleep, it's been a long day"
Rachel kissed her daughter before checking on Holly who was sitting on her bed reading a book on her kindle.
"Its time for lights out sweetie"
"Is Aimee going to be OK?"
"Yeah, she'll get through it, I'm going to book us some tickets to see Grandma and Grandpa for a while, and I think we all deserve a break"
"Mum, will I have to go climbing, Uncle Joseph and Tommy and Laura always wants to go."
"It's up to you sweetie, I think you would enjoy to get back out, maybe start off with something small, but if you really don't want to then you don't have to"
"I don't want to, I never want to again"
"All right baby, not if you don't want to, now it's late so lights out"
"Mum, it is the summer holidays you know"
Rachel kissed her head and left to go and phone Margaret and James.
She went down stairs and called her Mother in Law, she was quiet a character who wasn't afraid to let her opinions be heard, but she had helped Rachel a lot over the years even from 3000 miles away. Margaret and James were excited to find out that her daughter in law and Granddaughters would be over soon. Rachel explained everything that had happened with Aimee, and they agreed they would do everything to help, and if needed she could take a couple of years out there to finish school.
