Page 70 of Autumn in Sycamore Park
‘I got coffees from the café up the street,’ Tom said, holding up two paper cups as Jennifer let him inside.
‘You’re a legend. Thanks so much for helping me, and I’m so sorry about yesterday.’
Tom laughed. ‘Oh, fixing the awnings? That’s what park caretakers are for.’
‘I don’t think Downton planned for the wind.’
‘It can really gust at this time of year. I just went over to check though, and they’re all still there.’
‘That’s great. I’m also sorry about cancelling dinner yesterday. I was so tired.’
Tom shrugged. ‘It’s okay. I went home, lay on the sofa and cried for a few hours. It wasn’t too bad.’
‘I’ll make it up to you.’
‘There’s nothing to make up. You’ve helped me out more than you know. Especially with the acting class.’ He grimaced. ‘I can’t wait for next week.’
‘Ha, don’t worry, Regina won’t be alone. Jennifer held up her phone. ‘I’ve had three more calls. What are you planning to teach in your first class?’
Tom grinned. ‘How to sell a motor to Phil Mitchell.’
‘Really? Then I’d better make sure I leave room in my schedule.’
‘You won’t want to miss it.’
Tom handed Jennifer a coffee, then set his own down on Jennifer’s kitchen table. He nodded towards the window ledge, where James was staring at him with murderous intent.
‘Um, do I have time to stroke the cat for five minutes?’ he said.
‘Just five minutes. Then we’re loading.’
With James’s feline needs sorted and the coffees drunk, they got to work. Beside the door were a stack of boxes containing cakes for sale on Jennifer’s class’s stall. The kids were bringing more, but she had needed to take home all those brought to school yesterday. Her flat had been filled with a tantalizing mixture of aromas ever since. Some of them were at Angela’s level of skill, and it had taken all Jennifer’s willpower not to try a couple of small samples.
Tom had brought his car, because it was a little bigger than Jennifer’s and had room for all the boxes. As soon as they were loaded, Jennifer climbed into the passenger seat, Bonky jumped up on her lap, and they headed for Sycamore Park.
It was still only eight o’clock but several teachers had already shown up, and a few kids were running about on the grass while their parents stood in groups, hands in pockets, hopping from foot to foot as the morning cold gradually gave way with the sun appearing above the trees. Jennifer and Tom had just begun unloading when she saw Greg coming out of the Oak Leaf Café with one of Angela’s maple lattes in his hands. He gave her a sour nod as she waved.
In the courtyard, the stalls had been set up in a semi-circle along freshly laid paving stones. Streamers hung from Big Gerry’s lower branches, and a buzz of excitement filled the air. Jennifer had been focused on her class’s cake stall for weeks, but now she found herself excited to see other stalls and activities, including craft goods, drinks, sandwiches and pies, shooting galleries, skittles, even a hit-the-weasel game. A rather unseasonable maypole had been set up in the courtyard’s centre, its central pillar encircled by fluttering streamers in shades of oranges, reds, and browns.
On the far side of the courtyard, a small stage had been set up. In addition to the teachers’ drama, a couple of local folk bands were going to play, and a few dance groups would also perform. A pretty backdrop showing a harvested field filled with bales of hay had been painted and hung up behind it.
Amy was standing in front of the stage, in between the stage itself and the first of a few lines of wooden benches, looking frantic. Having finished unloading the boxes of cakes and left them for Gavin’s eager team to arrange, Jennifer wandered over.
‘What’s up? You don’t look so excited.’
Amy stared at her, blinking wildly like a shocked deer.
‘We have a crisis,’ she said. ‘Oh my. I don’t think we’re going to be able to pull this off. We’ll have to cancel.’
‘Why? What’s up?’
‘Karen Jenkins pulled out.’
‘The school nurse? Why?’
‘She’s got influenza. We’re a character down.’
Jennifer glanced over her shoulder at Tom, who was talking amicably with a group of parents.
