38. Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Eight
I couldn’t face going straight back to the farm, and there was something else I needed to do. I paused beside the school gate, my hand clinging on to the metal. My heart hammered, making my ears ring and breaths come fast. We’ll come for you on Sunday . Marion had given me next to no time to extricate us from the life we’d built, and I couldn’t delay what had to be done.
I pushed open the gate and walked up to the school entrance. The pink-haired receptionist was in her usual position and today I noticed she was chewing gum.
‘Hello, Mrs Simmons. How can I help you?’
‘I was wondering if Mrs Grange is free for a quick meeting?’
‘Hmm, let me see.’ The receptionist flicked through a large diary, chewing on her pen as she ran her finger along the page. ‘She has a meeting at one, but is free until then. Take a seat and I’ll let her know you’d like to speak to her.’
I sat in the reception area watching a TV, which played photos of smiling children on a loop. The school was so creative in its approach to learning, and the thought of removing Bertie from its nurturing environment broke my heart.
‘Liv, this is a pleasant surprise.’
‘Hi, Mel. Are you free for a chat?’
‘Of course. Come through to my office. Would you like a cup of tea?’
‘No, thanks.’
I followed Mel into her small office, which overlooked the playground. She slumped into an old office chair and reached into a drawer, pulling out a pack of biscuits, which she threw onto the table. ‘Help yourself. Is this a social call, or is it about Bertie?’
‘It’s not a social call, I’m afraid.’
‘Oh dear, sounds serious. He’s not being bullied, is he? I pride myself on stamping out bullying before it can get started. I hope I’m not losing my touch.’
‘No, it’s nothing like that. Mel, I’m afraid we’re leaving.’
‘What do you mean, leaving?’
‘We have to leave Lowen Farm. I need to take Bertie out of school.’
‘For how long?’
‘For good.’
‘What? Why? I thought things were going well for you here?’
‘They were, they are.’ I sniffed as tears filled my eyes. Mel jumped out from behind her desk and crouched beside me, offering tissues.
‘What’s happened, Liv?’
I sniffed and wiped my eyes. ‘If I tell you what’s happened, you have to promise not to say anything to anyone at Lowen Farm.’
‘I can’t promise anything if this is some sort of child protection issue.’
I shook my head. ‘No, it’s nothing like that.’
‘OK. Go ahead.’
I spilled out my sorry story to Mel, and by the time I’d finished, I’d created a Mount Everest-sized pile of damp tissues on her desk.
‘There must be a way round this.’
‘Mel, there’s not. Honestly, I’ve tried everything I can think of. I’ve even consulted a solicitor. They said I had a very strong case, but the legal costs of fighting my in-laws would be crippling.’
‘Why don’t you want anyone at the farm to know? I don’t understand?’
‘Because they’d want to help me.’
‘Isn’t that a good thing?’
‘Not if it would drag them down with me. The vision Harry and S… the vision Harry has for the place is amazing. I can’t let my personal problems get in the way of that.’
‘Then what are you going to tell them? That you’ve had a sudden, out of the blue change of heart? They’re not going to buy that, Liv.’
‘Maybe not, but it’s the only option I have.’
Mel sighed and went back to her chair, spinning back and forth, deep in thought. ‘If only there was a way we could help you…’
‘I promise you, Mel, no one can help me. The only option I have is to go back to my old life and stick it out long enough until Bertie’s old enough to decide what he wants for himself.’
‘Does he know you’re leaving?’
‘Not yet. I’m going to tell him this evening.’
Mel reached across the table and took my hand. ‘Whatever the future holds for you, Liv, there will always be a place here for Bertie, should you need it.’
This brought on a fresh onslaught of tears. Mel picked up her office phone. ‘Linda? I wonder if you could bring two cups of tea through to my office with plenty of sugar. Yes, thank you.’
A bell rang, and the sound of children’s laughter and squeals reached us.
‘Break time,’ explained Mel. ‘You don’t want Bertie seeing you in this state. Linda’s bringing us tea, so I suggest you wait in here until the children are safely back in their classrooms.’
‘Thank you.’
I watched through the window as children streamed out onto the playground. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat as Bertie ran outside, carrying a football under his arm. He was with his usual gang, all laughing as they began passing the ball to each other. Mel followed the direction of my gaze.
‘There’s no way you could persuade your mother-in-law to let Bertie see out the term here?’
‘No, I’ve tried.’
‘That is a shame. In that case, I wonder if you could bring him back for the end of term concert? I was hoping he could do a solo as he’s taken to the cornet so well.’
‘I’ll see what I can do.’
‘Good. Ah, thank you, Linda,’ said Mel, as the pink-haired secretary came in carrying a tray. I saw the question in her eyes as she took in my tear-stained face, but I trusted Mel to keep my confidence.
Bertie’s hair was flying up at strange angles as he chased after the football. It was as though I were watching him in slow motion. His face spread into a smile as he scored a goal, running up to his best friend and jumping up and down in each other’s arms. Deep down, I knew I wouldn’t bring him back for the concert. How could I? It would amount to rubbing his face in all he’d lost.