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“Yes, please,” Dan said.

Hope took his hand and they began the slow walk to the nurse’s room.

“Don’t forget about break time and Ms. Stanford,” Jake called after them.

“I won’t,” Hope said.

But when the break bell rang she was still busy helping Daniel into a new set of clothes and finding clean socks for him. She didn’t worry too much. She was sure that Amy Littleton would pick up the slack.

AND SO THE day went. At lunchtime she had to run out and pick up the stationery supplies that had been delivered at the post office and didn’t get back until long after the bell rang, having stopped for a sandwich in town.

At afternoon break she was embroiled in a fight with the aging photocopier in the back office and had hands covered in toner.

And by the time the end of school bell rang she was exhausted and ready to do nothing more than pick up Alice and go home.

She packed her desk up, switched her computer off, and turned just in time to see Alice bounding down the corridor toward the office.

“No running in the corridors,” she reminded her daughter.

“But school’s finished,” protested Alice.

“Rules are rules for a reason. You don’t run in the corridor because you might get hurt, or because you might hurt someone else.” She took Alice’s hand and they started to walk together toward the side door. “Now, how was your first day back at school?”

“Daniel wet himself again,” said Alice.

“I know,” said Hope, with damp memories.

“And there was a spider in the window but then we were all scared but then Ms. Stanford said we should give him a name and then now we have a class pet.” Alice stopped in the doorway. “Except Ms. Stanford said he’ll have to go to see his family so maybe he won’t be there tomorrow. That’s a bit sad, isn’t it? Except seeing his family will be nice, I suppose.”

Hope ushered Alice toward the playground and the school gate. “Speaking of Ms. Stanford, what’s she like?”

She felt guilty that she hadn’t even greeted the woman. But to be fair, it seemed like today the universe was conspiring against her. Every single time the bell rang she was away from the office. It was only the first day, she reminded herself. She’d make up for it tomorrow. It wasn’t a good idea to get on the bad side of Alice’s class teacher.

She turned back in just in time to hear Alice saying “poo lady.”

“Alice Perkins,” said Hope in a strangled voice. “I don’t want to hear you say that phrase again, is that clear?”

Alice stopped and looked up at her mother. “Yes, but—”

“But nothing,” Hope said. “Never again.”

Clara Buxton was making a bee-line for them. The Buxtons lived just around the corner from Hope and Alice and the two girls often walked home together. Alice glanced at Clara, then at her mother, then nodded. “’kay.”

“Good. Come on then, let’s go girls.”

The two girls trotted off in front of her and Hope followed along. She sighed. From the nickname, it sounded like Alice didn’t like her new class teacher, which was a shame. But then, Hope supposed that all children had to have at least one teacher they didn’t like. It was a learning experience.

And perhaps Ms. Stanford wasn’t that bad. Maybe she was just a little stricter than Alice was used to. Hope resolved to make far more of an effort to meet the woman tomorrow.

As it turned out, she didn’t have to wait that long.

CAZ WAS PULLING a baking tray out of the oven when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it, mum,” said Hope. “Alice, dinner’s almost ready,” she called up the stairs as she went to the front door.

She opened the door and stopped still.

On the front doorstep was the same blonde woman holding what Hope assumed was a different plastic bag. Or at least she hoped it was.