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‘Yeah, with lots of testicles.’
‘Testicles?’ Jago said in alarm. Realisation dawned. ‘Oh,’ he said, on a long drawn-out breath of relief. ‘An octopus with tentacles. Erm, thing is, it has to be a shape with straight sides.’
‘Why?’
Jago floundered. ‘I’m not sure.’ Looking helplessly around he caught Honor’s eye.
‘Be over in a minute,’ she mouthed.
Inspiration struck. ‘Tell you what, we can use these diamond-shaped pieces, put them together to make the body of the nottopuss, I mean octopus, and you can go to the other table and cut out some tentacles to glue onto it made out of sugar paper. I’ll help you make the frame out of willows and use the glue gun to make it stick together and then we’ll leave it to dry before you add them.’
‘A gun?’ Jaden’s eyes widened. He was looking positively animated. ‘Can I have a go on the gun?’
‘I should say almost certainly not. It has really hot glue coming out of it. Might hurt you if it got on your skin.’
‘Pah. I’m tough.’
‘I bet you are but Miss Martin told me not to let any children use the glue gun.’ Jago pulled a face and was gratified to see Jaden giggle. ‘AndI’mnot tough enough to break Miss Martin’s rules.’
Jaden shook his head solemnly. He leaned closer. ‘You always follow Miss Martin’s rules,’ he confided. ‘She’s strict!’
Jago reached for the willow withy sticks and the diamond shapes made out of translucent paper. ‘You know, Jaden, that doesn’t surprise me one bit.’
By the time Honor had a chance to come over to their table, the body of the lantern was nearly complete.
‘Looks great, Jaden,’ she exclaimed.
‘It’s a nottopuss, miss.’
Honor caught Jago’s eye, and he saw her suppress a grin. ‘So I can see. Over you go to Miss Walker’s table now and PVA the paper so it’s waterproof. Is it going to have tentacles?’
‘Yeah. Going to make ’em outa pink sugar paper.’
‘Excellent. I can see you’ve got it all thought out. Well done. Ah, Mr Pengethley, here’s your next victim, I mean pupil. Come along, Lia. What shape lantern do you want to make? Boot-shaped?’ Honor gave Jago an evil look. ‘I’m sure that’s possible. Come and sit down here. Put your crutch under the table so no one trips over it. We don’t want any more broken ankles, do we?’
In the staff room during the lunch break, Honor couldn’t stop giggling. ‘I’m so sorry to laugh,’ she spluttered. ‘Put it down to end of term hysteria. I couldn’t believe it when I saw you with Jaden. Of all our pupils to start the day with!’ She hid her glee in her mug of tea.
‘Thanks a bunch,’ Jago replied. ‘I’ll have you know, once I’d got used to him, I enjoyed working with him. And he speaks very highly of you. Says you’re very strict.’
Fellow teacher, Lexie Walker, sitting next to them laughed. ‘If you only knew, Jago. We don’t call her Miss Whiplash for nothing.’
Honor’s face crimsoned. ‘Have another turkey and cranberry sandwich, Lexie, and shut up.’
Lexie, the sandwich suspended mid-air, said, ‘What did I say?’ She got up. ‘More tea anyone?’
‘Yes please,’ Honor replied. ‘I need to refuel before this afternoon’s session.’ Once Lexie had gone to switch the kettle on, she added, ‘Sorry. She forgets Merryn is a pupil. With term finishing yesterday, we’re all a bit over-tired.’
Jago shook his head. ‘I’m not here as a parent, just as you’re not here as a teacher. We’re just working together as a team, aren’t we?’
‘Thanks.’ Shooting him a grateful look, she carried on eating. ‘You did do well with Jaden though.’
‘I gather he’s not the easiest of boys?’
Honor nodded. ‘Lots of money at home but not enough attention. And that’s said in confidence please.’
‘I understand.’ And he did. Once Jaden had got past the monosyllabic phase, they’d got on well. The boy had nattered away about his favourite football team and that he wanted to be a deep-sea diver when he grew up. He seemed to appreciate having an adult listening to him chatter on.
Jago eased his shoulders back, they were stiff from hunching over sticking paper to withies. ‘I can’t believe you’re here, doing this, when you’ve only just finished term. Aren’t you exhausted? I’ve only done a morning and I’m knackered.’
