Read Online The Learning Curve by Melissa Nathan - Free Book Online
Authors: Melissa Nathan
Ads: Link
can’t be good, I really don’t want to know. Have fun,’ she called after them as they trotted off. ‘Don’t cross the roads without looking. Don’t eat your lunches until lunch-time. Have fun.’ Then she saw the 147 appear at the bottom of the hill and ran like fury the other way to the bus stop.
The next day was the first Saturday since the new school year had begun. Across the country new pencil cases had been lost, pencil leads dulled and shoes scuffed. Throughout the so-called ‘nappy valley’ of north-west London, parents like Lilith were lying in bed, enjoying the luxury of not having to scream themselves hoarse just to get out of their homes before 7.30 a.m., while trying to zone out of downstairs’s television. No wonder she needed to shout to be heard, Lilith thought idly. Daisy was turning deaf from the TV.
Further outside nappy valley, in slightly less sought-after postcodes, the teachers of nappy valley’s children were out cold. The unfortunates who were both teachers and parents of young children were comatose, but as ever there were exceptions to the rule and Nicky was one of them. For a start, she was a teacher who lived in the same postcode as her school and most of its pupils. When her mother had died, eighteen years ago now, she had left both her daughters a tidy sum of money. This was put into a high-interest savings account by their father – one of the most thoughtful things he ever did for them – and by the time Nicky was looking for her first property, she had enough to secure herself a new-build in what was to become one of the most sought-after areas in north London. Not only that, but a week of teaching had given her more energy, instead of less. By the end of the summer holidays she always felt slightly sluggish and it was good to feel bouncy again. She woke relatively early, walked to the shops and brought back fresh coffee, warm brioches and two weekend papers. Ally arrived at ten, as usual, and as it was a mild morning, they breakfasted on Nicky’s balcony while Nicky wondered how to tell Ally all her news.
‘I can’t believe we’re here again,’ said Ally.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Back at another school year. When I was a kid, summer holidays lasted for ever. This one lasted two weeks, tops.’
‘I know.’
‘Before we know it, we’ll look round and wham! We’ll be dead.’
Nicky looked at her friend. ‘Well, I’m glad you came over,’ she said. ‘I was worried I might spiral down for a while there, but you’ve brought your magic into my life again and up I go.’
Ally promised not to discuss death until she’d finished her brioche. To keep her mind off it, Nicky told her her news: she was to be Joint Deputy with Rob. Ally stopped stuffing brioche into her mouth and stared at her. Just as she was about to say something through it, Nicky went on. Rob had confided to her that he’d never intended to finish their relationship. He’d just assumed Nicky would cave in and pretend she didn’t want children to keep going out with him. Ally’s jawline flabbed. Since they had split up and no children had appeared, Rob had made the assumption that Nicky had changed her mind about having babies. Ally’s eyes doubled in size. After Nicky had told him she hadn’t changed her mind about babies, Rob had finally confided that he was now seriously contemplating becoming a father.
There was a pause. Ally started to say something, but a bit of brioche went the wrong way and she coughed so violently that most of it came up again.
‘Dramatic, huh?’ concluded Nicky.
‘Can’t you let a girl just enjoy her food?’ breathed Ally, her eyes watering.
‘Sorry,’ said Nicky. ‘I just had to get it all out. I was dyingto tell you yesterday, but Miss James swore us to secrecy and someone might have overheard.’
Ally stared at her again. ‘So let me get this straight,’ she said.
‘Mm.’
‘You’re now Joint Deputy and Rob basically wants to go out with you
The next day was the first Saturday since the new school year had begun. Across the country new pencil cases had been lost, pencil leads dulled and shoes scuffed. Throughout the so-called ‘nappy valley’ of north-west London, parents like Lilith were lying in bed, enjoying the luxury of not having to scream themselves hoarse just to get out of their homes before 7.30 a.m., while trying to zone out of downstairs’s television. No wonder she needed to shout to be heard, Lilith thought idly. Daisy was turning deaf from the TV.
Further outside nappy valley, in slightly less sought-after postcodes, the teachers of nappy valley’s children were out cold. The unfortunates who were both teachers and parents of young children were comatose, but as ever there were exceptions to the rule and Nicky was one of them. For a start, she was a teacher who lived in the same postcode as her school and most of its pupils. When her mother had died, eighteen years ago now, she had left both her daughters a tidy sum of money. This was put into a high-interest savings account by their father – one of the most thoughtful things he ever did for them – and by the time Nicky was looking for her first property, she had enough to secure herself a new-build in what was to become one of the most sought-after areas in north London. Not only that, but a week of teaching had given her more energy, instead of less. By the end of the summer holidays she always felt slightly sluggish and it was good to feel bouncy again. She woke relatively early, walked to the shops and brought back fresh coffee, warm brioches and two weekend papers. Ally arrived at ten, as usual, and as it was a mild morning, they breakfasted on Nicky’s balcony while Nicky wondered how to tell Ally all her news.
‘I can’t believe we’re here again,’ said Ally.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Back at another school year. When I was a kid, summer holidays lasted for ever. This one lasted two weeks, tops.’
‘I know.’
‘Before we know it, we’ll look round and wham! We’ll be dead.’
Nicky looked at her friend. ‘Well, I’m glad you came over,’ she said. ‘I was worried I might spiral down for a while there, but you’ve brought your magic into my life again and up I go.’
Ally promised not to discuss death until she’d finished her brioche. To keep her mind off it, Nicky told her her news: she was to be Joint Deputy with Rob. Ally stopped stuffing brioche into her mouth and stared at her. Just as she was about to say something through it, Nicky went on. Rob had confided to her that he’d never intended to finish their relationship. He’d just assumed Nicky would cave in and pretend she didn’t want children to keep going out with him. Ally’s jawline flabbed. Since they had split up and no children had appeared, Rob had made the assumption that Nicky had changed her mind about having babies. Ally’s eyes doubled in size. After Nicky had told him she hadn’t changed her mind about babies, Rob had finally confided that he was now seriously contemplating becoming a father.
There was a pause. Ally started to say something, but a bit of brioche went the wrong way and she coughed so violently that most of it came up again.
‘Dramatic, huh?’ concluded Nicky.
‘Can’t you let a girl just enjoy her food?’ breathed Ally, her eyes watering.
‘Sorry,’ said Nicky. ‘I just had to get it all out. I was dyingto tell you yesterday, but Miss James swore us to secrecy and someone might have overheard.’
Ally stared at her again. ‘So let me get this straight,’ she said.
‘Mm.’
‘You’re now Joint Deputy and Rob basically wants to go out with you
Similar Books
