Page 40 of The Accidental Nanny
Girls.
“Dad,” Ace shouts as he sees me.He waves at me with the biggest smile.
As the children are released from their classrooms, Ace’s teacher catches my eye.
“Mr Whitlock, I need a word, please. Can you wait?” the teacher asks as Ace tries to come to me.
I stand back until all the other parents and children have gone. She waves me and Eden over.
“Hello.” She smiles. The middle-aged woman looks tired; her hair has strands of grey and blonde mixed together. “We had a slight incident at school today, which is very unlike Ace. Unfortunately, I don’t know the full details as none of the boys are talking, but Ace pushed someone to the floor atbreak time. The other child is fine. Ace admitted he did it, but that’s all. He won’t tell me why.”
“Ace? What’s going on?” I question him.
“Nothing.” Ace looks down at his shoes.
“This doesn’t sound like him,” I tell the teacher.
I’m shocked by Ace’s behaviour. He is so well-mannered. If I was told Eden had done it, I wouldn’t even question it.
“I know, I was very surprised as well.” She turns her attention back to Ace. “Ace, if something is going on, I want to know. I’ll be talking to the other child’s mum tomorrow.” She gives me a sad look. “He might talk to you.”
“Is he getting expelled?” Eden asks, smiling.
I have serious concerns about my daughter at times.
“No,” both his teacher and I reply. We try again to see if Ace will tell us more, but he keeps saying he doesn't know.
“Let’s go home and talk about this.” I take his hand and walk out of the school grounds.
The ride home is in near silence. Ace doesn't say a word, but Eden makes up for it. She mutters to herself for the entire journey about Annabelle and something to do with getting some scissors and needing to cut hair. I need to have words with her as well.
When we arrive, Gemma is walking around on her injured foot, and dinner is being cooked. I look in the pot: what the hell is this?
“Sit down, Gemma. I’ll make dinner,” I tell her, not exactly sure what I’m meant to be doing either. “Ace, we need a chat first…” I look at Eden, who has started rifling through the cutlery drawer. “Eden, what are you up to?”
She picks up the biggest yellow scissors she can find.
“Give those here.” I put my hands out for them. I stand there waiting for her to hand them over, but she just gives me an evil look.
“Eden, leave all the scissors alone… I’ll count them afterwards.”
She storms off to the playroom. Seems like I need to lock all sharp objects away from my daughter. Somehow, I can imagine Gemma doing the same thing when she was little. Now it is just the three of us, I decide to talk to Ace, but Gemma gets in there first.
“What’s wrong, Ace?” she asks, limping to get him a drink and some biscuits.
Something else I need to deal with—no snacks before dinner. She doesn't follow any instructions at all.
“Nothing.” He sulks.
She places a cup of milk and three biscuits in front of him.Three?
“He pushed someone over at school,” I tell her.
“Dad!” He looks up, blushing, then hides his face in his hands.
“Did they deserve it?” Gemma asks, her voice smooth and caring.
That’s not the question I was expecting her to ask. It’s not one I would have asked myself.
