Page 68 of Autumn in Sycamore Park
‘You might. Acting types can be a bit oddball.’
Jennifer grinned. ‘I tell you what. I’ll let you use my phone number if you help me with my lines for the teachers’ drama. I only have five, but I still want them to sound good.’
‘That’s more than I had inEastEnders.’ Tom grinned. ‘Sure. What are you playing?’
‘I’m a talking rabbit minstrel who instructs a wayward prince on the best way to live his life.’ She lifted her hands to make mock rabbit ears. ‘Why did you step on my tail? It might be fluffy, but it’s not a marshmallow.’
‘That’s what you have to say? Seriously?’
Jennifer shrugged. ‘Something like that.’
Tom laughed and tapped the piece of paper. ‘You should sign up for my acting school. You could be my first customer.’
‘Sure, why not? It’ll be fun.’
‘Great.’ Tom let out a long breath, then smiled. ‘Thanks so much for helping me. I really couldn’t have done this without you.’
Jennifer smiled on the outside, but on the inside, a warm feeling was spreading through her body, even though the heater was turned a little too low to completely banish the chill.
‘My pleasure,’ she said.
29
Appreciation
‘Wow, Julius looks stern today,’Amy said, whispering behind Jennifer’s desk at Rick, who was sipping coffee from a mug which read Brentwell Primary Harvest Festival on the side in letters designed to look like bundles of straw.
‘I think he’s plucked his eyebrows,’ Rick said. ‘Did you remember to do yours, Amy?’ He smirked. ‘There’ll be armies of desperate single fathers at the festival.’
Amy gave her eyebrows an involuntary rub as Jennifer mouthed, ‘He called you Amy.’ Amy’s response was to drop a pencil sharpener on the floor, the little attached box for the clippings popping out like a fleeing mouse to hide somewhere under Jennifer’s desk. As Amy scrabbled for it, Downton stood up and clapped his hands together.
‘Right, last word and then I’ll leave you to get on with it. Looks like we’re warm and dry for tomorrow, thank God. We’re setting up the stalls tonight, so don’t forget to come by Sycamore Park and help out. I have ah, an um, friend who said there’d be coffee and donuts for anyone who shows up.’
‘Your friend’s name is Tesco Metro, is it?’ Old Don quipped. ‘I’ve heard she’s a right looker.’
Downton ignored him. ‘And tomorrow morning the festival starts at 9 a.m. sharp. Have all your pupils there by eight if possible, and don’t forget there are two buses leaving from the school at eight thirty for those who can’t get there directly. Okay, that’s it. I trust you’re all ready?’
‘Car’s loaded with merch,’ Rick said. ‘Feels like I’m off on tour.’
‘Butlins?’ Jennifer said.
‘In your dreams,’ Rick said, rolling his eyes.
‘Are you bringing your mother?’
Rick frowned. ‘What, to Butlins?’
‘The festival, you moron. Although I imagine she’d enjoy that too. You should get her out of the house from time to time.’
‘Does your mother live in Brentwell?’ Amy said, brushing bits of pencil sharpener clippings into a bin. ‘You should ask her to come along.’
Rick glared at Jennifer, then shrugged. ‘I’ll think about it.’
At the front, Downton had been saying something about bringing raincoats, just in case. He clapped his hands together again. ‘All right, let’s do this. Fingers crossed it’s not a complete disaster.’
‘Okay,Miss, you can come in now.’
Gavin, standing with his arms across the door, stepped back for Jennifer to enter. As she walked into the room, the kids all jumped up from their desks and began to cheer. Hanging across the middle of the classroom, the children had hung up a huge crepe paper banner. Written in slightly wonky painted letters was
