Page 115 of Don't Tell Teacher

‘I’m sorry,’ I say, taking deep breaths. ‘I’m just terrified.’

Calm, calm.

‘We only want the best for Tom,’ says Kate, voice gentler than usual.

‘Thenhelp mefind out what is happening at that school.’

Kate

12.45 p.m.

‘Well, that went badly.’ Tessa checks her phone as we cross the High Street. A car beeps as she walks out in front of it, but she’s oblivious.

I wave an apology at the driver, catching Tessa up. ‘I feel we’re moving forward.’

‘The meeting was rushed, Kate. Far too rushed. You should never have tried to move so quickly. It was a dog’s dinner from start to finish.’

We near Sangers sandwich shop, known for its doorstep-thick bread stuffed with generous fillings. Public sector workers need carbohydrates.

Usually, I pack my own lunch and save ten pounds and thirty-seven pence a week by doing so. But last night, I discovered Col had bought real butter instead of the spreadable stuff and I had a stress meltdown, thinking about the two minutes’ extra effort he’d added to my day.

Col and I had a heated row, ending with him stuffing five pounds into my purse and saying, ‘Just buy a bloody sandwich.’

It was good advice.

‘I’m being pulled in fifty different directions here, Tessa,’ I say. ‘If I’d left the meeting until next month and Tom got injured again, what then?’

‘So now Tom Kinnock is subject to a care protection plan and you have even more work to do. Andaboutthis care protection plan: reading between the lines, it’s a roadintocare, isn’t it? We’re looking to take the boy away from the mother at some point?’

‘If these injuries continue, we have to be prepared to take a hard line.’

‘I agree with your decision,’ Tessa barks. ‘I just don’t agree with the workload you’ve put on yourself.’

We reach the sandwich shop, and my heart sinks to see there’s a huge queue.

‘I can’t say I feel a hundred per cent comfortable with the situation,’ I admit. ‘I mean, no one has everseenthe mother hurting him. And the school … it’s an odd place. The headmaster is clearly hidingsomething. Lloyd said as much. Maybe I should talk to Lloyd about it again.’

‘We neverseeparents hurting their children.’

‘Shouldn’t we have some sort of concrete proof?’

‘I think the point is, however it’s happening, it’s happening while he’s in her care. Oh good gracious, look at this queue.’

We both consider the line, which bends around twice and stretches out of the door.

‘Maybe we should go to Marks and Spencer,’ I say, checking my watch.

‘Nonsense. I want afreshsandwich. Excuse me.’ Tessa barges straight up to the counter, tapping the glass top. ‘We’re in a hurry. We have a meeting to go to. Can you serve us next?’

There are outraged cries from other customers, but to my surprise, the serving girl says, ‘Yes, okay, Tessa. But please don’t start shouting again.’

‘Great.’ Tessa pulls out a smug smile. ‘I’ll have chicken, avocado and bacon, with grated cheese and mayonnaise.Brownbread. Lots of butter. And one of those bags of crisps. Notthatone. Thelargebag. Kate, what do you want?’

‘Um …’ I glance at the angry queue. ‘Just a plain cheese sandwich please.’

‘Is that it?’ Tessa demands. ‘No wonder you’re all skin and bones. You’ll waste away if you’re not careful.’

The girl starts preparing our sandwiches, and I watch the white clock on the wall. We have seven minutes to buy sandwiches and eat them. Then we have another meeting at the Town Hall.

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