A Modern Day Love Story for Valentine’s Day – Part 2

Written by guest contributor, Bobbi Furgeson

2.58pm
Furtively approaching the school, Grace hoped desperately that no-one would notice she was wearing pink lycra yoga pants. She knew these pants made her butt look like a Shetland pony’s, but the washing line had offered a very limited choice of clothes. It was either Shetland-butt pants or Marcus’ football shorts. Grace frowned as she recollected the sound of his polyester shorts tearing as she tried frantically to hitch them up over her knees. The torn shorts were going to take some explaining to Marcus.

3.03pm
Looking around the empty school yard Grace wondered for a moment if she had got the time wrong. But, during her increasingly agitated and unsuccessful attempts to climb in through a window at home, she had been able to see the kitchen clock. So why was the playground so empty? And then the cold dread of realisation washed over her. It was the second Tuesday of the month and that meant Family Assembly for the Primary and Kinder kids and their parents. And she was late!

3.07pm
Hoping to sneak in unnoticed, Grace slowly inched through the back door of the school hall. Luckily for her there was a spare seat in the back row. Catching sight of the back of Marcus and Millie’s heads, Grace gave a silent breath of relief. ‘Phew, made it unnoticed!’

Staring down at the floor to gather her thoughts, she barely heard the Principal’s voice drone on and on. And then suddenly……

“……..Grace, please come and join me”

Grace’s head snapped upright at the mention of her name and she anxiously searched through her consciousness for context. Surely she wasn’t going to be publicly shamed for the shit and shoes incident?

By now, the Principal had spotted Grace in the back row and was beckoning her to join her.

Gathering the remnants of her dignity around her like a ragged cloak, Grace made her way up between the seats to the front of the hall, feeling her Shetland-butt following closely behind her. As she reached the front of the hall she saw Marcus and Millie walking towards her, huge beaming smiles on their faces despite staggering under the weight of a large gift box.
3.10
The Principal’s voice continued…..

‘We held a competition for all of our children to explain what love meant to them. And I am delighted to say that the staff unanimously voted for Marcus and Millie’s contribution about their Mum. Congratulations Grace and please accept this hamper in recognition of the wonderful woman that you are, from all of us at Langwell Primary School.

‘Look Mummy’ Marcus said excitedly ‘we won you a hamster and it’s full of yummy stuff.

3.30 pm
On her way out of the hall, Grace heard someone laughingly say; ‘Hey Sweetcheeks, nice pants.’

Grace looked behind her and saw her friend Shani, giggling. ‘You’ve locked yourself out the house again, haven’t you?’

Grace nodded ruefully.

‘Come on then pal’ Shani replied, ‘We’ll swing past my place and grab your spare key and then I’ll give you a lift home. I don’t think the world is ready for those pants!’

7.45pm
Grace thankfully slumped on to the couch. She smiled happily to herself, picturing Marcus and Millie tucked up in their beds, looking positively angelic as they slept. She took another sip of her wine and looked again at the remaining contents of the hamper. What a feast they would have at the weekend!

Maybe Valentine’s Day wasn’t so bad after all, she mused to herself.

Grace put her wine down on the table next to the gold fish bowl and stretched her arms contentedly above her head.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a shoe rising slowly from the bottom of Aqua Bob’s bowl……