‘Can you take a message? I’m in a meeting.’ Damien should know not to disturb me. He’s aware of how important this pitch is.
‘It’s the school,’ he says in an apologetic whisper.
‘Can you take a message?’
‘They won’t let me. She’s insisting she speaks to you.’
‘Can you call Robert for me?’
‘He’s not answering.’
‘Please,’ Mick chips in, ‘take the call.’
‘Is that okay? I’m sorry.’
‘No problem.’ Mick tactfully gets to his feet. ‘I’ll wait outside.’
‘Thank you. I’ll be quick. Damien will look after you.’ I turn to my PA. ‘Okay, put the call through.’
‘They’re already holding,’ he replies.
As Damien ushers Mick out of my office, I pick up the phone, half annoyed at the school, half worried what it could be about.
‘Mrs Ballantine?’
‘Speaking.’
‘This is Hayley from the school office. We’ve been trying to reach you for the past half hour.’
My pulse begins to race. ‘Is it Katie? Is she okay?’
‘Katie? Yes, as far as I’m aware, Katie’s fine.’
‘So, what’s the problem?’ This better not be a call about missing uniform or a school project.
‘Miss Chalmers has asked me to contact you. It’s Eva. You need to come and pick her up.’
‘Pick her up? Is she okay? She’s not hurt, is she?’
‘No. Don’t worry, she’s not hurt or ill, but Miss Chalmers is insisting you come in.’
Miss Chalmers is the headmistress and I’ve never met a scarier woman in my life. She’s good with the children, but is formidable with the parents. ‘It’s a bit tricky at the moment. I’m in a meeting at work,’ I explain. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘Can you please come in? Miss Chalmers will explain once you get here.’
‘But—’
‘As soon as you can please.’ The line goes dead. Hayley has ended the call.
Bloody hell. What’s all that about?I’ve never had a call like that before. I put the receiver back in its cradle, get to my feet and start chewing my lip. I’ve now got to tell Mick Cosgrove that we can’t carry on with our meeting. But that’s the least of my worries. What can have happened to Eva for the school to want me to come in and collect her? Is it something serious? Did someone upset her? I hope it’s not something to do with Katie going missing this morning. It just seems too much of a coincidence to have two separate incidents with my children in one morning. I should have insisted that Hayley tell me what’s going on. She’s power mad, that one. I gather up my phone, laptop and paperwork, and stuff everything into my bag. Taking a deep breath, I leave my office.
Mick is talking to Damien about AFC Bournemouth and their chances of avoiding relegation, but when I appear he breaks off and raises his eyebrows. ‘Everything okay? Shall we carry on?’
‘I’m so sorry. I’m going to have to go. Got to collect my eldest from school – some kind of emergency.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. So, shall I make dinner reservations for seven tonight?’
‘Can we make it another day?’ I ask, praying he won’t be too put out. ‘It’s just… I’m not sure whether I’ll be free this evening, what with my daughter…’