"So, how long have you two been together?"
Constance nearly missed her seat and sat down harder than intended. Imogen meanwhile coughed around the rim of her water bottle. and felt all the blood drain from her face to her feet then run back up again. Whereas Constance went suddenly pink to pale. Well paler.
Amelia, had paused in taking a bite of her budget bourbon crème equivalent. but said nothing. She then continued to say nothing but merely gave the biscuit a second dunk in her tea. the headmistress pretended to pay mind to the mantlepiece, absolutely not listening to the conversation; With the disinterested rapt attention one pays to juicy drama, no sir.
"Pardon?" Imogen spluttered.
"You two? You and Constance." Lavina said plainly.
"I - Don't know what you mean!" Constance said. Very aware that the pitch of her voice was getting higher with every word.
"Me neither!" Imogen agreed; both women now Willing Lavina to shut the heck up. She didn't.
"Well, together? You know, in love, stepping out? Better halves? Dating?" Lavina frowned. And winced. "Or is it not at that 'going steady' point yet? Oh dear."
Imogen looked at Constance for help. Only to get the same look back from the witch before they both started talking over each other to keep up appearances.
"we're not-!"
"there isn't an us."
"Is this something the students have said?"
"Where did you get such an idea?"
"Never- "
"ridiculous."
"I would say Miss Crotchet," Amelia put in, finally speaking up and answering Lavinia's question. "that they've been going steady for ten months, three weeks, five days, eighteen hours and around forty-seven minutes. Give or take."
Imogen gasped, almost violently.
"You told her?" Constance shrilled, suddenly rounded on Amelia. Something she would never normally ever do to the headmistress, at least not in that tone. Miss Cackle didn't seem concerned. "Miss Cackle you promised!"
"I didn't say anything!" Amelia huffed. and carried on with her cheese-wedge sandwich. "aside from just now."
"she told you?" Imogen said, gawking from Amelia to Constance. Which was fair. It went completely against what they'd agreed.
"Well No but-!" her girlfriend started. Unused to being the one in trouble.
"Constance has said absolutely nothing to me about you two." Amelia assured her. "She came to me for advice a while ago- just over a year ago, even. because she was struggling to articulate her feelings for someone and was finding the whole palaver distressing and confusing. That's what she's referring to. That's all. No names mentioned."
Then added, "Although it was hardly going to be Frank Blossom or Icy Stevens now was it?"
Constance stopped wishing Lavina to shut up. And instead started wishing the floor would open up beneath her. It didn't. In a very rare moment of shooketh outside of her rooms, Constance put her elbows on the table. And then her head in her hands and biting down a scream.
"Oh. was it supposed to be a secret?" Lavina asked, looking about the three of them, one to the other. "I haven't heard anything from the girls actually so I just assumed it wasn't."
"You're aware that sentence makes no sense whatsoever." Constance spat looking up. She felt dangerously close to a rage.
"Well, if it's a secret everyone's talking about it." Lavina reasoned. "You only have to hear a girl say 'I know something you don't know' And it goes around the school, twice, like wildfire before lunch time!"
"Good point." Imogen sighed, begrudgingly. She was folding in on herself, shoulder up to her ears.
"and when asked such a question people normally simply say yes or no, rather than making a whole drama of it. very obvious." Amelia put in. Constance Stopped being pale and went very violent pink in the cheeks instead again. While Imogen did the opposite and went pale under the tan.
"I-!" she tried. "I- that is. We." It was no good. Her tongue seemed to be just tying itself in the most complicated of yoga shapes.
They had talked about 'it' of course they had. A big coming out, or more preferably some quiet form of acknowledgement. But whenever they'd even thought about planning such a thing, Constance had found any confidence and control going right out the was the sort of thing that had got her in very deep trouble before now. Imogen had envisioned coming out to family, her employer and other people. Or more she'd had visions about being outed to them, and she struggled to think positivity about it. even with Constance's attempted reassurances that same sex relations weren't illegal or as frowned upon in the magical world. in all her nightmares however, they'd never been reactions or questions like this though.
No one seemed surprised for one thing and no one was 'angry' but how unfazed and that miss cackle had known and everything felt so off kilter and unreal and-!
"You're not mad." She blurted out addressing Miss Cackle.
"Mad? No, why would I be?" Amelia said. "goodness, Imogen are you alright?"
"No." Imogen said plainly. Is this what panic attacks feel like? She wondered. Davina had always complained of them. and palpitations. but she'd also complained the cats were taking the kiwi fruit so there was that. Maybe this was just a shock? Constance Stopped being angry slash upset, and looked up sharply now concerned.
"it's just -well. We're tighter. And we work together?" Imogen tried.
"So?" Amelia said. "So long as it does no harm to anyone and the gals are always top priority I don't see any cause for concern! That said, I would much appreciate it if you sneak off together during a celebration when the Chief Wizard is visiting again. I know you both find him irritating but it wasn't subtle. It was extremely obvious to everyone but him. Do you know how hard that was to cover up on the cuff?"
Constance let out a string of stammered high-pitched noises also struggling to make words. But was cut off and distracted by Imogen shaking her head, sending her hair flicking back and forth.
"nothing I- I I don't understand." She said, still Bewildered and Looking again to Constance to help. Constance Tried to help this time, reaching over and patting Imogen's hand in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. dimly aware it probably ruined any chance of denying they were in a relationship. Imogen turned her hand over and Gave Constance fingers a quick trembling barely-there squeeze.
"you mean we're not going to be dismissed?" Imogen pressed.
"What!?" the other two said together, Lavina nearly dropped her tea.
"Why on earth Would I do that?" Miss Cackle frowned. Imogen had lost her nerve again.
"Well, normal schools. Non-witch schools. They take a dim view of such things," Constance supplied awkwardly when the headmistress looked at her questionably. Constance prided herself on normally being so articulate but the words were like bindweed in her throat, thick and twisty up around themselves. "Miss Dri- Imogen's been – rightly- upset. by the news in December. I tried to explain- but. That. Well. You wouldn't say. but then there's the matter of the school guvnors and the parents-?"
Imogen nodded, as she spoke; gripping Constance's hand a tad to tight. Amelia cringed realising what Constance was getting at. After a primary school mistress a few towns south being hounded out her career by homophobic parents had made the headlines, Imogen had become very withdrawn. And keener on keeping their relationship a secret. The news even made it to more magical news outlets like Witch Weekly and the Original Standard. If only to point and laugh in a sensualized wow look at these bigoted non-magical idiots' way.
"Oh goodness yes you're not a witch and all your old jobs were at no witch schools." Amelia started, making things both better and worse.
"What about non-magical schools?" Lavina asked, confused.
Amelia Winced loudest of the three and explained. "there was a case in December. it seems They take a very- dim view of same sex romances. Let alone two women teachers in the same school becoming a couple. Some funny ideas about what makes a scandal. Different rules too. I can't say I've ever understood it."
"ooh. Ah. Well. We're not a non-witch school now are we." Lavinia said brightly adding "No offence."
Imogen flashed a stiff brief smile vaguely, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. The awkward atmosphere was, to Constance, stifling. She had half a mind to vanish. Or vanish and take Imogen with her. But she supposed Imogen needed to hear this.
"Agreed. as I said when you took the position here, it was our gain." Amelia continued. "If anyone has an issue they can come and see me and I will tell them straight- well- I will tell them tough. Views be damned, your references were otherwise impeccable, especially those from Heversum High!"
(Which was a bit of a fib. Imogen's references had been glowing. until after that stupid basketball game and the subsequent rematch where Ms Pike was mysteriously absent. And then the anonymous messages Addressed to Miss Crackle and deputy Miss Harddroom started appearing. Not that they'd told Imogen that bit; or believed a word of the letter. Headmistress and deputy agreed to keep that Strictly between themselves. and while Constance had wanted to burn those letters and track down the sender, Amelia had been the one to lock them away. Something about taking the proper channels…)
Imogen nodded at the headmistress' mini speech but kept her eyes on the table, half hidden by her sweeping fringe. As Amelia spoke, Constance, still concerned, pulled her hand away; but got up, moved around the table and bent over at Imogen's side and gave her shoulder a gentle shake. The bend became crouched and a kneel when she got no response. Imogen looked up at her then. And was breathing at least. Constance looked back, imploringly at her, hoping to convey something good. And dimly aware this action will most definitely ruin any chance of denying they were together.
"Plus, if I were to dismiss you- which I won't-! I would have to fire all other romantic entanglements." Amelia continued. "And I'd not only lose two very good teachers, my deputy being one. but also, our school cook and one of the our most enthusiastic handymen – horticultural college or no. Both of whose families have had long standing traditions within the school."
"they're still not an item." Imogen argued, finding her voice. "that's been going on for years!"
"Mr Blossom keeps losing his nerve. Last minute usually." Constance put in.
"you're one to talk." Amelia scolded. Constance scowled and pouted. It made imogen smile a little but still-!
"and Maria told me she won't make the first move." Lavinia nodded. "which seems very silly to me. They clearly like each other very much, in a romantic way."
"Alright, Alright, but still a school runs on its staff. Do you see where I'm coming from? I'm sorry you were worried I would do such a thing Imogen. And you've my assurance who you are with or love will not ever be used against you here. You as well Constance. You both do." Amelia pressed. Firmly.
And then in trying to put imogen at ease added "Or I won't have kept dear old Lilly on the books ethier, now would I?"
It sort of worked.
"I suppose not." Imogen conceded. Then chuckled, "that went on for years too."
"What did?" Constance asked.
"Ms Gimlet?" Imogen replied.
"I know who you're talking about. What about her?" Constance asked.
"Who's Ms Gimlet?" Lavina asked. She had budged up into Constance's vacant seat to let Constance get up off the floor and Sit next to Imogen. They still held hands, joined on Imogen's knee under the table.
"A former rarely seen history and theory teacher, and second year mistress. Exceptionally anxious about everything." Constance explained haughtily. "Went off and retired to the inner hebrides to calm her nerves last year."
"And the biggest lesbian I've ever met." Amelia said. Imogen nodded. "Present company accepted."
"Indeed… Wait. what?" Constance said.
Imogen and Amelia turned to look at her.
"Lilly Gimlet…?" Imogen said. "She's gay?"
Constance looked back at her blankly. "She was?"
"Good grief." Amelia frowned. "Constance Hardbroom you are an intelligent woman but I really do despair sometimes"
"Constance, even I knew that?" Imogen frowned. "I know things like pride flags and double axes as symbols are different with witches, but she was as straight as you or I. Lilly wouldn't say boo to a mouse, never mind a goose. But could quote the entire chunks "A queer history of wizards" if you let her. Had a massive crush on Miss Pentangle from what Davina told me."
"The retreat in the Inner Hebrides is lesbian witch commune. Also Ms Gimlet flirted with you constantly. and blatantly. When she could work up the nerve to come to the staff room or the hall that is. In front of the girls too, which wasn't really on given some of the innuendo. The only reason I didn't address that was because I could never find the woman when I wanted to." Amelia complained.
"…that, was flirting?" Constance frowned, her nose wrinkling. Imogen and Miss Cackle almost in sync both one handed facepalmed. Lavina clamped both hands over her mouth to muffle slightly hysterical giggles.
"I'm pretty certain Miss bat had a beau in the village poetry club as well." Amelia continued. Also, Slightly muffled. "An on off thing with Ms Mechanic over at Scatterbrook farm."
"She kept that quiet!" Imogen blinked, surprised.
"That's about the only thing she did keep quiet." Constance's scowled, even if it was still her turn to look very confused.
"Better than you two did." Amelia grumbled.