Page 23 of C is for Comfort

“We had a late night,” I say.

Dad pinches his lips together but doesn’t say anything more.

“Are you staying for lunch?” Archie asks. “We don’t have much in, but we can throw some sandwiches together.”

“That would be lovely,” Mum says.

“I’ve got homework,” Lexi says, pouting.

“I’ll help you after lunch,” I promise.

Lunch is going to be a long-drawn-out affair now that Archie has invited our parents to stay, which is exactly what I didn’t need. I eye up my pile of marking. I won’t get a chance to touch it until Lexi is in bed unless Archie or Blake offers to take her to the playground. Sighing, I clear it off the table so that at least four of us can sit there to eat.

“Where did you go last night?” Mum asks.

“To a party,” I reply. We need to keep the details vague. Our parents donotneed to know we all enjoy letting men spank us.

“At a friend’s house?”

“Yeah. A friend’s house.”

“Anyone we know?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. Archie, do you want to help me make lunch?”

“Sure.”

This is another reason why I hate having a combined living area. Archie and I can’t say anything we don’t want Mum and Dad overhearing. Which means we have to do our weird triplet thing of communicating by looks alone.

Archie tugs his eyebrows together apologetically as we start pulling everything we’ll need out of the fridge and cupboards. I shrug.

“Hey, why don’t we take Lexi to the park after lunch?” Archie says to Mum and Dad. “Let Corey get on with his marking.”

“I love the park!” Lexi says. “Please can we go to the park?”

“Of course,” Dad says.

Lexi cheers and sits on his lap to show him one of her dolls.

“Thanks,” I whisper to Archie.

I feel bad about all the time I have to spend marking or planning while my brothers look after Lexi, but what else can I do? I’m not the only teacher with kids. I’m almost certainly not the only single parent on the teaching staff either. I have the same workload as everyone else. Less, in fact, because my timetable is lighter, as I’m in my qualifying year. At least I have Archie and Blake to help out and Mum and Dad. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

It’s probably a good thing Spence and I didn’t switch numbers. Getting to go out is like a military operation that every member of my family is involved in. I sigh. I love Lexi to pieces, and I can’t imagine my life without her, but sometimes I wish I could go out whenever I feel like it, just like my brothers do.

6

Corey

I’m teaching a year-ten class on Wednesday afternoon when the principal comes into the classroom, along with another member of staff. I smile, even though I’m shitting myself. I wasn’t expecting a lesson observation today.

“Hello, year ten,” Mr Snyder, the principal says. “Miss Hannigan is going to take the rest of the lesson.”

Oh, fuck, what have I done? I rack my brains for anything I might get in trouble for but come up blank. The students start to whisper behind their hands.

“Quiet, year ten,” I say. “You all know what you’re supposed to be doing.”

They’re meant to be doing coursework, not gossiping about me.