Read Online Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream by Abby Clements - Free Book Online
Authors: Abby Clements
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suit.
‘Hi,’ I said.
‘Hello, you must be Amelia Grey.’ She walked towards me with her hand outstretched. ‘I’m Charlotte Jacobs.’
‘Pleased to meet you.’
‘You caught me doing a little bit of office reorganization,’ Charlotte said, blowing some dust off the top of the book and putting it back on the shelf tidily. ‘Been meaning to sort out these shelves for ages. Thanks for your email, and for popping by.’
‘Thanks for having me. It seems like a lovely school you have here.’
‘Oh, you’ve caught us on a good day,’ Charlotte said with a smile, taking a seat opposite me. ‘We had sports day yesterday and I think it wore them all out.’
‘Well, as I said, I’m moving to the area, and I was hoping you might keep me in mind if you have any vacancies.’
‘Yes – I was really pleased to hear from you. I’ve had a look at your CV and I think we could learn so much from having someone with your experience here, Amelia.’
My heart lifted – did that mean there was a chance?’
‘I’m afraid we don’t have anything for you at the moment,’ Charlotte continued, ‘but I have a feeling that come spring we might. Shall we stay in touch on that?’
*
‘How did it go today?’ Jack asked me when I got back to the flat that evening.
‘The schools were gorgeous – both of them. The first one, Woodlands Secondary, was my favourite, really friendly and welcoming. But there’s nothing available at the moment. The Head at Woodlands said she thought there might be an opening in the spring, so they’re going to keep my details on file. I knew it was unlikely that anything would be available for September, but I don’t know – I still hoped, I guess.’
‘Something will come up.’
‘I registered with the local supply agency and they seemed positive about my chances of getting regular work locally.’
‘Great.’
‘Sort of.’ I was leaning against the kitchen worktop as Jack and I spoke. ‘Jack, how can I give in my notice at school when I’ve got no job to go to? It seems insane. Maybe I should just stick it out.’
‘Are you sure you really want to?’ Jack said. ‘It’s hard seeing you like this – so unhappy at work.’
‘I think you’re probably right – I’m not sure I can stick this out for another term, not with what Lewis is proposing.’
‘You have to do what’s right for you.’
‘And the mortgage?’ I asked.
‘It’s already been approved, hasn’t it? I’m sure we couldfind a way to pay it, particularly if you can get some supply work.’
‘Yes, but aren’t we obliged to tell them if our work situation changes?’
‘Look, don’t think about this now. Make the decision you need to make, and we’ll work it out.’
*
‘Lewis,’ I said in his office on Monday, keeping my voice level and calm. ‘Your decision about the class changes when the new Head of English arrives – is there no flexibility on that at all?’
‘I’m afraid not,’ Lewis confirmed.
‘OK,’ I said. I could do it. I could do this. ‘In that case, I’d like to hand in my notice.’
Lewis looked at me, brow furrowed, surprised.
Oh God. That was a completely mad thing to do. Well, I’d done it now – there was no other way out than forward.
‘I feel that changing teachers so close to some of these students’ exams isn’t going to help them. We’re the only consistent thing in some of their lives.’
Seven years of early starts and late nights marking, of anxious weekends preparing and parents’ evenings dealing with demanding families. Seven years – for what? I had a new life in the country almost within my grasp. Why was I holding back from taking that opportunity with both hands? I felt a rush of adrenalin.
‘I’ll continue working to the end of term, of course. But you’ll need to look for a teacher to fill my place after that.’
Lewis’s jaw dropped the tiniest fraction, a barely discernible movement. ‘I’m really sorry to hear that,
‘Hi,’ I said.
‘Hello, you must be Amelia Grey.’ She walked towards me with her hand outstretched. ‘I’m Charlotte Jacobs.’
‘Pleased to meet you.’
‘You caught me doing a little bit of office reorganization,’ Charlotte said, blowing some dust off the top of the book and putting it back on the shelf tidily. ‘Been meaning to sort out these shelves for ages. Thanks for your email, and for popping by.’
‘Thanks for having me. It seems like a lovely school you have here.’
‘Oh, you’ve caught us on a good day,’ Charlotte said with a smile, taking a seat opposite me. ‘We had sports day yesterday and I think it wore them all out.’
‘Well, as I said, I’m moving to the area, and I was hoping you might keep me in mind if you have any vacancies.’
‘Yes – I was really pleased to hear from you. I’ve had a look at your CV and I think we could learn so much from having someone with your experience here, Amelia.’
My heart lifted – did that mean there was a chance?’
‘I’m afraid we don’t have anything for you at the moment,’ Charlotte continued, ‘but I have a feeling that come spring we might. Shall we stay in touch on that?’
*
‘How did it go today?’ Jack asked me when I got back to the flat that evening.
‘The schools were gorgeous – both of them. The first one, Woodlands Secondary, was my favourite, really friendly and welcoming. But there’s nothing available at the moment. The Head at Woodlands said she thought there might be an opening in the spring, so they’re going to keep my details on file. I knew it was unlikely that anything would be available for September, but I don’t know – I still hoped, I guess.’
‘Something will come up.’
‘I registered with the local supply agency and they seemed positive about my chances of getting regular work locally.’
‘Great.’
‘Sort of.’ I was leaning against the kitchen worktop as Jack and I spoke. ‘Jack, how can I give in my notice at school when I’ve got no job to go to? It seems insane. Maybe I should just stick it out.’
‘Are you sure you really want to?’ Jack said. ‘It’s hard seeing you like this – so unhappy at work.’
‘I think you’re probably right – I’m not sure I can stick this out for another term, not with what Lewis is proposing.’
‘You have to do what’s right for you.’
‘And the mortgage?’ I asked.
‘It’s already been approved, hasn’t it? I’m sure we couldfind a way to pay it, particularly if you can get some supply work.’
‘Yes, but aren’t we obliged to tell them if our work situation changes?’
‘Look, don’t think about this now. Make the decision you need to make, and we’ll work it out.’
*
‘Lewis,’ I said in his office on Monday, keeping my voice level and calm. ‘Your decision about the class changes when the new Head of English arrives – is there no flexibility on that at all?’
‘I’m afraid not,’ Lewis confirmed.
‘OK,’ I said. I could do it. I could do this. ‘In that case, I’d like to hand in my notice.’
Lewis looked at me, brow furrowed, surprised.
Oh God. That was a completely mad thing to do. Well, I’d done it now – there was no other way out than forward.
‘I feel that changing teachers so close to some of these students’ exams isn’t going to help them. We’re the only consistent thing in some of their lives.’
Seven years of early starts and late nights marking, of anxious weekends preparing and parents’ evenings dealing with demanding families. Seven years – for what? I had a new life in the country almost within my grasp. Why was I holding back from taking that opportunity with both hands? I felt a rush of adrenalin.
‘I’ll continue working to the end of term, of course. But you’ll need to look for a teacher to fill my place after that.’
Lewis’s jaw dropped the tiniest fraction, a barely discernible movement. ‘I’m really sorry to hear that,
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