Rainy Day Sisters by Kate Hewitt Read Free Book Online Page B

this were no problem at all. Already she felt overwhelmed. What on earth made her think she could do any of this?
    â€œAnd here’s Diana,” Maggie announced cheerfully. “She teaches Year Five.” A woman with curly auburn hair and a gap-toothed smile came in the front door, lugging a box of craft supplies. “Hallo, Diana. Have a good summer, did you?”
    â€œOh, fine,” Diana replied. “The usual. Down to Manchester as often as we can to see Andrew.”
    Maggie clucked sympathetically. “How’s the new job, then?”
    â€œIt’s in Manchester,” Diana answered, her voice turning a little flat. “And always will be.”
    â€œDiana’s husband has been working in Manchester for the last few months,” Maggie explained to Lucy. “It’s a long commute.”
    â€œHe comes home for weekends,” Diana answered. “Mostly. Although I don’t blame him for wanting a break from the kids after a long week’s work.” She let out a laugh that didn’t sound quite convincing. “Can’t believe I’m back already. Now, who’s this?”
    â€œThis is Lucy Bagshaw, the new receptionist,” Maggie said, and put one arm around Lucy.
    â€œAh, you’re covering for Nancy? Well, the best of luck to you. It can be a bit of a madhouse here sometimes, but Mr. Kincaid does try to run a tight ship.”
    â€œMmm,” Lucy said again. It seemed the safest answer at this point.
    The next hour blurred by; Maggie pointed out various office machines and policies, mentioned various children’s allergies (“We’re a nut-free school”) and photocopier codes and the government’s new policy on first aid. “No plasters, I’m afraid, just ice packs.”
    Lucy felt as if her head might explode from all the information she knew she wouldn’t remember. It had taken her a few seconds just to remember that plasters were Band-Aids. She really had become American.
    There was a staff meeting in a cramped room with a few worn sofas and chairs, a fridge and a sink, and a big notice board with lots of official-looking announcements on it as well as things scribbled on a whiteboard: “Chicken soup is mine,” “WHERE are the music sheets?!?!” and more. The jumble of it both comforted and surprised Lucy; she would have expected Alex Kincaid to run his staff room with military precision.
    He came into the room when all the teachers and staff were already seated, balancing cups of tea on their knees as they chatted about their summers. Lucy stood in the corner, smiling awkwardly. A few people had smiled back, and some had said hello, but she wasn’t exactly feeling a part of things. Yet.
    â€œRight.” Alex closed the door behind him with a firm-sounding click and gazed around at all the teachers with only the barest hint of a smile. “Welcome to a new year at Hartley Primary School.”
    A few people clapped; a few others murmured a rather sarcastic “hooray,” followed by a few titters. Lucy pressed back against the wall. She hadn’t been bold enough to plonk herself down next to someone in the staff room, and she was now positioned, unfortunately, at the front of the room, next to Alex Kincaid, as if she were somehow in charge.
    He spared one second’s irritated glance for her, and then turned back to his staff and began to drone on about new government policies and repairs that had been done to the school, until Lucy tuned out and wished yet again that she hadn’t eaten oatmeal for breakfast.
    â€œMiss Bagshaw?”
    From Alex Kincaid’s annoyed tone, Lucy was pretty sure that was not the first time he’d said her name. She pinned a wide smile on her face. “Yes!”
    â€œI was just,” Alex informed her with chilly politeness, “introducing you to the rest of the staff?” He raised his eyebrows in expectation, and with a bubble of