Chapter 24
24
My work week comes to an end. I’m on a high after a happy day spent at the bookshop. I’m still secretly buzzing from the lunch date with Henri the day before, which I take great pains to disguise. In the lulls, I spent some time thinking about the weekend and where I could take Eloise that she’d enjoy. The Palace of Versailles, perhaps? She’s never been and it’s one of the must-sees despite how hectic the queues are.
I arrive home and hang my scarf on the hook behind the door.
‘ Bonsoir? ’ I call out. ‘I’ve got one spicy saucisson pizza!’ Friday night has become the official evening that I grab a take-out on my way home.
Maman appears, face lined with worry.
‘What is it?’
‘You better go chat to Eloise. Today wasn’t good.’
I take a deep breath. ‘ Merci, Maman.’ I find Eloise in our room, legs bunched up beneath her, head resting on her knees.
‘Eloise, are you OK?’ She lifts her tear-stained face and there’s a look of rage in her eyes. Ah. She knows I called the principal then.
‘You promised!’
I sit beside her on the bed. ‘I know, but one of my roles as a parent is to do what’s best for you.’
‘You could have warned me! But you didn’t! They called Léa and the two girls in and they got in so much trouble. Now they’re going to make my life hell.’
‘Don’t say hell.’ It’s just a reflex but I want to slap my own face.
She shoots me a glare. ‘Well? Is that all you have to say?’
‘Darling, I intervened because I was worried about you. If Léa is holding you hostage and encouraging the other two girls to do the same, then steps have to be taken. There’s ignoring bad behaviour and then there’s ignoring clear warning signs. I want you to enjoy school. To make new friendships, like you had in London.’
She scoffs, a gargling sound through her tears. ‘Well that’s not likely to happen now! If anything they’re going to ramp things up, aren’t they? Léa got suspended!’
‘Why?’ The principal didn’t mention a suspension, and if they were following protocol lined out in their bullying policy, a student would get a warning first and then a suspension if behaviour continued. Unless… ‘What did she do to deserve a suspension, Eloise?’ Fear grips my heart, but my daughter only ignores me. ‘ Tell me . What did she do?’ My voice is icy calm as my heart continues to beat too fast.
A fresh batch of sobs breaks out as Eloise lifts her ponytail in my direction, and I let out a gasp when I see the damage. ‘She cut your hair?’ Her glorious mane of curls has been hacked away, leaving a zigzagged mess. The Rapunzel taunts.
Eloise nods.
‘Why didn’t the school call me?’ White-hot rage pierces my temples.
‘They called here and spoke to Grandad. He picked me up early.’
‘They should have called me.’
‘Really?’ She gives me a weary smile. ‘And what would you do, Mum? Storm down there and scream at them? You did this. You made it worse. The principal told me about your call and how she took Léa and the girls aside. Next minute Léa’s chopping my hair off in art class, thanks to you !’ All her emphasis feels like bullets hitting me square in the chest. Bang, bang, bang.
‘My job is to do what’s right for you whether you can see it or not. I wanted to tell you I was calling the principal but I knew you’d explode. I’m walking on eggshells around you, Eloise, and it doesn’t feel good. How is their destructive behaviour my fault? That child is escalating, and no matter what you think, the school needs to be informed. Léa deserves to be suspended. In fact, she should be expelled, and I’ll be pushing for that on Monday morning.’ My own temper flares at my daughter, and I burrow it down. I should have been upfront with her, but it’s like fronting up to a wild tiger.
‘NO! Just leave it! You’re making it a thousand times worse!’
I lean my head against the bedhead. Have I made it a thousand times worse? Is this fixable or will Léa come back from her suspension worse than ever? ‘Do you want to change schools?’
‘Again? God. No. Just leave me alone.’
‘Fine, but you might want to know that I reached out to the principal concerned that with Léa having lost her maman , maybe she needed some support, but I was told she isn’t bereaved, so she has no excuse for this behaviour. We’ll go to school together on Monday and sort this out.’
Eloise gives me the dead-eyed teenager look and points to the door.