Chapter 24
Gilly
Give Someone a Compliment
Gilly clicked down the school corridor in her heels, giving everyone a wide smile, teeth flashing as she nodded greetings. ‘Morning.’ ‘Hello.’ ‘How are you?’
She must be unnerving people, because she was getting strange looks.
One of them actively swerved when Gilly approached, intent on asking about a pupil’s learning progress.
Pushing through a Staff Only signed door leading into a hallway crammed with supply cupboards and several offices, she stopped at her Executive Assistant’s desk.
‘Harriet, grab us coffees and join me in my office, please?’
The young woman bobbed her head, looking worried. ‘Course.’
‘Thanks.’ It was uncommonly hot for June, so taking a seat behind her L-shaped beech desk, she switched the fan on with a relieved sigh, studying a framed photo of Ariel while the breeze swept over her.
After Ethan’s shock news and the drunken afternoon at Albie’s, the association were awaiting further updates about the mystery developer’s scheme but had agreed to continue with the cottages in the meantime.
Since then, Ariel appeared content spending most days in the village.
Sometimes she hauled a canvas and box of paints down with her, so must be finding time for art in between painting gates.
She’d mentioned Steve, the foreman, a few times, but Gilly hadn’t seen him again.
By the time she got home, ate dinner, re-checked emails and wandered down the blossom strewn driveway, he'd usually left for the day.
She and Ariel spent their evenings peacefully stripping wallpaper from whichever property needed it and though their issues were still in the background, the truce was helping them heal, as individuals and a couple.
Harriet swept in, setting their mugs on coasters. ‘Here you go.’
‘Thank you.’ They’d been working together for two months, and she barely knew her Exec Assistant. That needed to change. ‘Sit down.’
Harriet’s eyelid twitched as she sank into a chair. ‘Have I done something wrong?’
‘What? No. I just thought we could chat. We work together closely, so it’d be good to get to know each other.’
‘Oh, right.’
There was an uncomfortable silence, neither of them sure where to start.
Harriet licked her lips. ‘So, um, booked a summer holiday?’
Gilly blinked. ‘No. There are things in the Ofsted action plan I want to catch up with while no one’s around, like during half-term. Though I should imagine some of the senior leadership team will pop in. Why do you ask?’
Harriet shrugged. ‘You seem upbeat and keep smiling at everyone.’ She paused, before adding, ‘You’re making people nervous. They’re worried you’re being nice because a restructure’s being announced, or something.’
Gilly chuckled. ‘No restructure. I’m just happy. Since when is a cheerful headteacher reason for concern?’ Picking up her coffee, she appraised her over the rim. ‘Come on, Harriet, you’re a straight shooter. I hear you give people short shrift when they try barging in here. Just tell me.’
‘Fine. When you arrived, you were so serious. To be honest, you can come across as stern. Lately, you’re more… approachable.’ She grimaced. ‘Sorry.’
‘No, they’re fair points.’ She was aware how she’d been perceived in her last headship and hoped it wouldn’t be the same here.
Living at the manor, becoming part of the community and working on the cottages had done something to her.
Something good. Thawing her. ‘And I have got a bit of a resting bit— I mean, one of those faces.’
‘Hmm, well it’s a relief to know you’re human.’
After a pause, they sniggered, and the awkwardness faded.
Gilly tilted her head, studying her assistant.
A cobalt blue dress showed off her trim figure, and a mass of shiny dark hair framed her big brown eyes and delicate features.
That morning’s rule for living popped into her head.
Give someone a compliment. Good advice. ‘I like that dress, the colour and cut suits you. And your fringe is new, right? It looks great.’
‘Thanks.’ Harriet looked delighted. ‘Had it cut last night after work.’ Her eyes swept over her boss. ‘And you look very… smart—’
‘It’s not tit for tat. I didn’t give you a compliment to get one.’ Gesturing to her plain navy skirt suit and white blouse. ‘And my outfit, while professional, is uninspiring. It’s what I’m comfortable in.’ She sipped her coffee. ‘I gave the compliment because it’s true, and I wanted to.’
‘Thanks, I appreciate it. I’ve just been a bit bored lately, and felt unseen.’ Lifting her chin, she smiled. ‘But now I feel seen.’
Gilly nodded, warm pleasure filling her chest. She’d done this. Made someone happy with a kind gesture. An idea came to her, fully formed. ‘Do you think we could do a whole-school initiative—’
There was a knock on the door and one of their receptionists, Martha, poked her head in.
Cheeks flushed, the top button of her blouse was undone.
‘Sorry to interrupt, but there’s been an incident and Mr Tolly’s been injured.
An ambulance is on the way, but we need someone to cover his class.
I don’t know what to do.’ She sped on, barely taking a breath.
‘No one is free and Miss Gomez,’ their deputy head, ‘is in the HR meeting about that staffing issue. I also can’t geld hold of the relief agency for a supply teacher.
’ She finally stopped, wringing her hands, cheeks scalding redder.
Coming out from behind her desk, Gilly crossed the room and put a comforting hand on the woman’s arm.
‘It’s all right. Let’s slow down.’ Remembering to give compliments, she added, ‘It sounds like you’ve handled it admirably so far and have thought of different options.
I’m sure there’s a solution we can find together.
The main thing is everyone’s safe. Are they? ’
Martha looked relieved. ‘Miss Barker’s taken his class into the hall with hers for the moment.’
‘Good, that’s okay for the twenty minutes until lunch-break. Now, how serious is Mr Tolly’s injury?’
Harriet got up and headed for the door. ‘I’ll try the agency again.’
‘Thanks, Harriet.’
‘Thank you.’ Martha echoed, fanning her face and tugging her top away from her body.
‘I just sort of went into meltdown.’ She eyed Gilly shyly.
‘It doesn’t help I’ve been having hot flushes, and my brain isn’t as reliable as usual.
I keep getting these memory gaps, and missing words.
Bloody hormones.’ Looking panicked, she blurted, ‘It doesn’t affect me doing my job though—’
‘That sounds difficult,’ Gilly soothed, ‘so let’s talk about it properly later.
Perimenopause is something half the population goes through unfortunately, and I’ve done an e-learning module as part of management training so have some awareness.
’ She took a deep breath, meeting the woman’s eyes to instil confidence.
‘Right now, let’s focus on the next hour. Tell me about Mr Tolly.’
‘Oh, sorry! Suspected broken arm. Mr Evans,’ the site manager, ‘has taken him to the Staff Room. I made him as comfortable as I could and gave them an Accident Reporting Form before coming to find you.’
‘Good, Mr Evans can help him fill it in for Health and Safety.’ A necessary evil.
‘Okay, so he may have a broken bone, and is in pain, but it’s not life threatening.
’ Sitting Martha down in the chair Harriet had vacated, she pointed the whirring desk fan at the woman’s face and poured her a glass of water. ‘Better?’
‘Much.’ The woman basked in the air flow for a moment, before glugging down some water with a grateful expression. ‘Thank you.’
‘No problem,’ Gilly replied, using a thick Governing Body report to fan herself, the sun outside gathering strength and increasing the temperature of the hot summer’s day.
‘Now, we need to think about afternoon lessons. I’m thinking that if Harriet can’t get hold of the agency, I’ll get her to clear my schedule, and can step in. ’
‘You’re going to teach?’ Martha squeaked.
Gilly laughed. ‘It’s how all heads start out.
Besides, I miss it, and used to love being in the classroom with kids.
Never get to do much nowadays, it’s all about observing and mentoring others, alongside executing strategy and wading through a stack of admin, finance and staffing headaches.
Plus answering to the Governors and other stakeholders.
It’ll do me good to polish up on my pedagogy. ’
Martha stood, tucking her blouse in and appearing cooler. ‘I should get back to Reception. I left Paula covering alone.’ Head tilting, she looked at Gilly. ‘You know, you’re not how I thought, and you’re great in a crisis. It’s good to work with you.’
‘Well, that could be taken in several different ways.’
Her eyes twinkled. ‘You should take it as a compliment.’
‘Um, thank you.’ This place was changing and softening her, she’d never received such a comment.
Praise from Governors for her excellence in leadership and the progress pupils made, and how deftly she handled difficult parents, but nothing from staff members praising her interpersonal skills.
Certainly not they enjoyed working with her.
Later, when the final bell rung and she strode onto the playground to say goodbye to pupils and greet parents with the apprentice TA she’d taught with at her elbow, saying how much he’d enjoyed the English lesson, it was the happiest and most satisfied she’d been in a long time.
That evening, Ariel was jittery. Had been since coming back from their cottage after readying one of the bedroom walls for plastering.
Over a fragrant Moroccan salad of roasted red peppers, lemons and butter beans Gilly prepared while humming, Ariel toyed with her food while listening to her talk about the day’s events and outline an idea for a whole-school initiative.
Pulling a face at a piece of leafy parsley, she pushed it aside. ‘You sound really fulfilled.’
Gilly leaned forward across the kitchen island, where they were sitting on high stools.
‘I am. It was great teaching again. Makes me wonder if I can rearrange my diary to cover a class a day. Not sure the Governors would approve but I think it would make the role more satisfying and balance some of the other duties.’
Shrugging, Ariel said, ‘Well, you know the thought of a career spent every day with the same people in a regimented environment with oodles of bureaucracy and bean-counting makes me want to scream. I couldn’t do corporate.’
‘Well, everyone’s different.’ Gilly stiffened. ‘I know you found some jobs too stifling and weren’t good at answering to a boss, so I suppose it’s lucky my bean-counting job supports us financially so you can paint full-time.’
Ariel touched her arm. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.
I’m grateful for the security you give us, given my income is so fluid.
I just don’t understand how you can be happy working so hard, and then come home to me and an empty flat.
’ Getting up, she took her plate over to the food bin and scraped in the leftovers, tension palpable in her shoulders.
Knowing Ariel was referring to babies but not wanting an argument to ruin a positive day, Gilly chose optimism. ‘I’m happy coming home to you and this beautiful flat, filled with such warmth and light.’
Above her head, the lightbulb in the gold fitting cranked up the wattage by several degrees, and Gilly cast a look at it. Must be a coincidence. This place had its quirks, as Albie often said.
Ariel turned around with a forced smile. ‘Sorry. Didn’t mean to be insensitive, I’ve just had a busy day painting and think I’m overtired.’
Gilly hopped off her stool. ‘Oh, what piece are you working on? That watercolour of the river at the bottom of the hill? I love the way you’ve layered over the whites and blues for the flowing water, you can almost hear it burbling past.’
Ariel flushed. ‘Thanks, but less glamorous. I was glossing doorframes.’
‘Ah, I see.’ She flickered her gaze over the tips of Ariel’s purple painted toenails up to the rounded curves outlined in the orange dress she’d changed into after showering, finally landing on her face.
‘Have you changed your skincare routine? Your complexion looks amazing. Your hair is so shiny too.’
Ariel stilled. ‘Why all the compliments?’
‘It’s today’s rule. Didn’t you see it in the entrance hall earlier? Give someone a compliment. I did it all day, and you should’ve seen the looks on some people’s faces. It’s like they barely recognised me, being nice.’
Wiping down the counter with a damp cloth, Ariel scrubbed at a stubborn spot of vinaigrette that’d congealed as they ate. ‘I went straight down to the cottages this morning so didn’t see it. Also, it just goes to show they don’t know you, if they think you’re not nice.’
‘Thanks for the vote of confidence.’ Gilly plucked her half-full wine glass from the island.
‘Although, how well can you truly know anyone?’ Without waiting for a reply, because she knew something was off, but wasn’t sure what or how to deal with it, she said cheerfully, ‘I’m going to take a bath.
Why don’t you watch some of that art programme you like? ’
‘Yeah, I might do that.’ Ariel smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
‘Oh,’ Gilly asked as an afterthought, ‘any luck getting one of the flooring guys up here to look at the gouges for us? I’d really like them repaired.’
‘Nope, I ran out of time today. I’ll try again tomorrow.’
‘Okay.’ Weird, given Ariel should have lots of opportunity to get the floor checked out.
‘I still don’t understand how the damage happened, I didn’t even slam the door the second time the picture fell.
’ Chewing the inside of her cheek, she mused, ‘I guess some things will remain a mystery. Though I absolutely hate secrets.’
Colour climbed up Ariel’s neck into her cheeks. ‘I know. Enjoy your bath.’