Read Online Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream by Abby Clements - Free Book Online Page A

Amelia,’ he said. ‘Isn’t there any other way we can resolve this?’
    ‘It doesn’t sound like it. I’ll put my resignation in writing for you.’ I picked up my jacket and left the room.
    I walked down the corridor and into the staffroom in a daze. Carly caught me by the elbow as I opened my locker. ‘Are you OK? You look really pale.’
    ‘I’ve done it,’ I whispered to her. ‘I’ve just resigned.’
    ‘Really?’ She turned me round so that we were walking away from the other teachers and towards a quiet corner of the room. ‘That’s amazing. Although God only knows how I’ll cope without you. How did Garrett react?’
    ‘I think he’s in shock.’
    ‘I’m not surprised. He’s going to be stuffed trying to find a teacher with your experience before September. But that’s his problem. How are you feeling about it?’
    ‘Maybe I’m in shock too. What I’ve just done makes no financial or professional sense, really. We’ve got the cottage to think about too. I’ll need to ring the mortgage company and update them—’
    ‘But how do you feel?’ Carly repeated.
    ‘I feel excited.’
    ‘Good things are just around the corner for you,’ Carly said. ‘I know it.’
    *
    The next fortnight seemed to pass in a blur. I went through the motions in my classes, struggling to get my head around the fact that they’d have a new teacher come September, and I’d be … well, for the first time in my life I didn’t know what I’d be doing.
    On Saturday I was woken by our doorbell ringing. When I peered through the spyhole I could see our postman standing on the doormat next to a delivery man. I opened the door to them.
    ‘I couldn’t get this one through the letter box,’ the postman said, passing me the Jiffy bag and then a stack of envelopes.
    ‘And these are for you too,’ the delivery man said, handing over a bouquet of red, pink and white roses. ‘Happy birthday. I’m guessing that’s what it might be?’
    ‘It is,’ I said. ‘And thank you.’
    I closed the door and went back into the flat. ‘Look what—’ I started to say, and then spotted Jack in the kitchen. He’d laid the table for us, with a bunch of stargazer lilies in the middle, and was cooking pancakes at the stove. My hand went to my mouth.
    ‘This is lovely,’ I said, going over and squeezing him around the waist.
    ‘Well, you deserve it,’ he said. ‘Although it looks like someone might have outdone me.’ He pointed to the gifts I’d just received.
    ‘The flowers will be from Mum, I’m sure,’ I said, checking the gift card.
    To Amelia – on your thirtieth. Have a very happy day.
Love from Mum x
    ‘And the package?’ Jack asked, flipping a pancake up into the air and catching it effortlessly.
    ‘I’m not sure.’ The handwriting looked very much like Dad’s, but his gifts didn’t usually arrive until a day or two after my birthday. I ripped open the Jiffy bag.
    Inside was a black velvet jewellery box. I flicked it open and two delicate silver drop earrings caught the morning sunlight.
    ‘Wow,’ Jack said, putting the pancake onto a plate and turning to look. I knew what he was thinking: Dad still hadn’t paid us back the money he owed us – but this was different.
    I checked for a card inside the package and found a small one, with a ballerina picture on the front.
    To Bellissima Amelia on your big b’day.
Have fun and bottoms up! Lots of love, Dad x
    I held up the earrings and felt a lump come to my throat. They were absolutely gorgeous.
    *
    ‘You ready?’ Jack asked later that evening, scanning my turquoise dress and the earrings Dad had sent me, which fell elegantly almost to my shoulders.
    I nodded and then, looking in the hallway mirror, added a white flower to my hair. ‘Now, done.’
    ‘You look gorgeous,’ Jack said, kissing me. ‘And not a day over twenty-nine.’
    I punched him gently on the arm, and he led me out the front door.
    We arrived at the Florence, and I expected at least