have to work hard at fitting in.
A bell rang and the teachers came to take the children inside. Yuri was going to be with Mrs Roberts and Lara with Miss Timmons. Lara stood in line behind another girl in her class and began chatting to her about her Peppa Pig runners. She would have no problem settling in. But Yuri refused to let go of my leg. I had to walk him over to the teacher and peel him off me.
Mrs Roberts took him firmly by the hand. ‘Come on now, Yuri, let’s introduce you to the other children.’
‘Mummy,’ Yuri cried. ‘Don’t go. Please.’
I plastered a fake smile on my face and tried to look enthusiastic. ‘You’re going to have a great morning, darling. Mummy has to go to work. But I’ll see you later.’
‘I want to go back to my other school,’ he sobbed. ‘I don’t know anyone’s name. I don’t have any friends here.’
Neither do I, I thought grimly. ‘You’ll make friends.’ I stroked his cheek.
‘Don’t leave me,’ he cried.
‘You’ll be fine,’ I said, tears filling my eyes.
‘Come along, this way.’ Mrs Roberts half dragged him into the classroom.
I waved, forcing a cheery smile to my face, fighting back tears. I turned to see if any other mothers were feeling emotional too, but they were all standing in little clusters. I was on my own.
As the school door closed, I turned and walked to the tube, sobbing all the way.
At nine thirty I was sitting in the reception area, waiting for Babs. She swept in, wearing enormous sunglasses and an animal-print jumpsuit.
‘Morning, Tiger,’ I said, grinning at her.
‘Leopard, actually.’ Babs raised her sunglasses and looked me up and down. ‘Not bad, except for the dorky shoes. Flat shoes make your ankles look fat.’
‘Thanks for that. I’ve just left Yuri crying inconsolably and I’m feeling really fragile, so can you tone down the negative comments?’
‘Oh, don’t get all sensitive. I’m just being honest. Would you prefer me to lie?’
‘On my first day at a new job? Yes, absolutely. Feel free to lie for the rest of the day.’
I followed my sister through Reception and into the studio. Babs introduced me to everyone. I met the producer, Gary Mason, who was classically tall, dark and handsome. His wedding ring didn’t stop him openly flirting with Babs. It made my stomach turn. It was half past nine in the morning and he was a married man. Babs was all giggly around him. I was shocked – seriously? This married guy? Would she ever learn? I’d have to talk to her about it later. Married men were off-limits.
Babs then introduced me to the two researchers, Hannah and Tania, who were very friendly and bubbly, and to the director, Karen, who was very no-nonsense in a way I liked. Finally, I met two cameramen and a soundman.
The studio was made up of a big open space where they shot most of the show. The room was divided in two: one side was set up as a living room, with couches and chairs; the other had a 360-degree mirror and rails of clothes. To the left of the studio there was a small kitchen, a medium-sized lounge and a small makeup room.
‘Right,’ Karen said, clapping her hands. ‘Let’s have a meeting to run through the show.’
Everyone sat down in the ‘living room’, and Karen went through the running order. Gary sat beside Babs and very subtly touched the back of her neck with his hand as he stretched out his arm. I watched my sister’s cheeks flush. Damn, this was bad.
‘We have two women coming in today. They’re best friends. One is a farmer’s wife and the other is a divorcee, whose husband left her for another man, so, understandably, her self-esteem is very low. It’s going to be a good show – audiences love a sad story and it doesn’t get sadder than being dumped for a bloke.’
‘Love it!’ Babs whooped. ‘A gay husband is brilliant.’
‘Just be careful, Babs. No homophobic comments,’ Gary warned her.
Babs batted her eyelashes at him. ‘But I’m allowed to
A bell rang and the teachers came to take the children inside. Yuri was going to be with Mrs Roberts and Lara with Miss Timmons. Lara stood in line behind another girl in her class and began chatting to her about her Peppa Pig runners. She would have no problem settling in. But Yuri refused to let go of my leg. I had to walk him over to the teacher and peel him off me.
Mrs Roberts took him firmly by the hand. ‘Come on now, Yuri, let’s introduce you to the other children.’
‘Mummy,’ Yuri cried. ‘Don’t go. Please.’
I plastered a fake smile on my face and tried to look enthusiastic. ‘You’re going to have a great morning, darling. Mummy has to go to work. But I’ll see you later.’
‘I want to go back to my other school,’ he sobbed. ‘I don’t know anyone’s name. I don’t have any friends here.’
Neither do I, I thought grimly. ‘You’ll make friends.’ I stroked his cheek.
‘Don’t leave me,’ he cried.
‘You’ll be fine,’ I said, tears filling my eyes.
‘Come along, this way.’ Mrs Roberts half dragged him into the classroom.
I waved, forcing a cheery smile to my face, fighting back tears. I turned to see if any other mothers were feeling emotional too, but they were all standing in little clusters. I was on my own.
As the school door closed, I turned and walked to the tube, sobbing all the way.
At nine thirty I was sitting in the reception area, waiting for Babs. She swept in, wearing enormous sunglasses and an animal-print jumpsuit.
‘Morning, Tiger,’ I said, grinning at her.
‘Leopard, actually.’ Babs raised her sunglasses and looked me up and down. ‘Not bad, except for the dorky shoes. Flat shoes make your ankles look fat.’
‘Thanks for that. I’ve just left Yuri crying inconsolably and I’m feeling really fragile, so can you tone down the negative comments?’
‘Oh, don’t get all sensitive. I’m just being honest. Would you prefer me to lie?’
‘On my first day at a new job? Yes, absolutely. Feel free to lie for the rest of the day.’
I followed my sister through Reception and into the studio. Babs introduced me to everyone. I met the producer, Gary Mason, who was classically tall, dark and handsome. His wedding ring didn’t stop him openly flirting with Babs. It made my stomach turn. It was half past nine in the morning and he was a married man. Babs was all giggly around him. I was shocked – seriously? This married guy? Would she ever learn? I’d have to talk to her about it later. Married men were off-limits.
Babs then introduced me to the two researchers, Hannah and Tania, who were very friendly and bubbly, and to the director, Karen, who was very no-nonsense in a way I liked. Finally, I met two cameramen and a soundman.
The studio was made up of a big open space where they shot most of the show. The room was divided in two: one side was set up as a living room, with couches and chairs; the other had a 360-degree mirror and rails of clothes. To the left of the studio there was a small kitchen, a medium-sized lounge and a small makeup room.
‘Right,’ Karen said, clapping her hands. ‘Let’s have a meeting to run through the show.’
Everyone sat down in the ‘living room’, and Karen went through the running order. Gary sat beside Babs and very subtly touched the back of her neck with his hand as he stretched out his arm. I watched my sister’s cheeks flush. Damn, this was bad.
‘We have two women coming in today. They’re best friends. One is a farmer’s wife and the other is a divorcee, whose husband left her for another man, so, understandably, her self-esteem is very low. It’s going to be a good show – audiences love a sad story and it doesn’t get sadder than being dumped for a bloke.’
‘Love it!’ Babs whooped. ‘A gay husband is brilliant.’
‘Just be careful, Babs. No homophobic comments,’ Gary warned her.
Babs batted her eyelashes at him. ‘But I’m allowed to
Similar Books
