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“But… I thought we had a new teacher?” Hope said, standing up and switching her screen off.
“We do,” said Amy. “She’s in his office now getting everything formalized. But he’s running behind, you know that his mum was ill, don’t you?”
“How is she?” asked Hope as the two women walked down the corridor.
“Mending, I think. But he’s still a bit disoriented. I’m sure he’s on top of things now, but this summer hasn’t been a great one. And now we’ve got this new teacher. Ava Stanford, by the way. I only caught a glimpse, but she seems nice enough.”
“I hope so, Alice was worried.”
“I’m right next door,” Amy reassured her. “If anything goes wrong, I’ll jump in. But she’s really experienced apparently.”
Down the corridor, Hope could see small faces already lining up outside the classroom, and a host of parents were holding hands and making assurances and she sighed. “Alright, I’ll get this lot settled. Reading books?”
“You got it,” Amy said, hurrying off to her own classroom. “Quiet reading time, and Jake said Ms. Stanford will be in in ten minutes or so. I can keep an ear open for them until then.”
After allaying parental worries, giving Alice a secret hair ruffle so as not to embarrass her in front of her friends, and settling the upper infants, Hope had gone back to her desk and she was just starting to count dinner money contributions when Jake Lowell strode up.
“Thanks for helping out, Hope,” he said with a grin.
“Not a problem.” Hope couldn’t contain her curiosity. “What’s she like?”
“Ms. Stanford? Seems pleasant enough. A good member of the team, I’d say. Highly qualified, very experienced.” Jake ran a hand through his thinning hair.
“But?” Hope asked.
“Nothing. Just, well, she seemed a little… nervous perhaps?”
“Well, first day of a new term and all. First day in a new school even. She’s got the right to a little stage fright.”
He grinned again. “Maybe that’s it. Have a chat with her at break time, will you Hope? Make sure she’s getting off on the right foot, making friends, getting support, that sort of thing.”
“Of course I will,” said Hope.
“Brilliant,” said Jake.
Just then there was the sound of small feet shuffling down the hallway. Both adults turned to see a small, damp figure heading their way.
“Oh dear,” said Hope. “That’ll be Daniel Monroe. And on the first day of school already.”
“Poor Dan,” said Lowell with a sigh.
“He’ll grow into himself,” said Hope. “Or grow into his bladder, I suppose. They all do eventually.” She smiled as Daniel got closer. “Morning Dan, need a bit of help there?”
The child nodded solemnly. “Sorry, Ms. Perkins. Sorry, Mr. Lowell.”
“Nothing to apologize for, Dan,” Jake said cheerfully. “Accidents happen to the best of us. Just this morning I spilled an entire cup of coffee all over my kitchen table.”
“Did you?” Daniel said, looking faintly mollified. “What did your mum say?”
Hope laughed. “Mr. Lowell doesn’t live with his mum any more, he’s a grown up.”
Daniel frowned. “Who does your washing then?” he asked. “And how come you still wake up to go to school? My mum says that without her waking me up, I’d sleep all day.”
“Grown ups do all those things for themselves,” Hope said, standing up.
Daniel pulled a face. “Doesn’t sound good that,” he said. “Being a grown up sounds horrible.”
Jake laughed. “It’s not all bad. Now, why don’t you let Ms. Perkins take you to the nurse’s room for a clean up and some spare trousers?”
