Wisps of Cloud

CHAPTER 2-2

The woman was defiant. "It's incorrect. It should have an 'h' after the 'p' like Stephanie originally had. How can my child learn when her teacher can't even spell?"

Karla never said a word but reached for the dictionary she always had on her desk, turned to the appropriate page and found the word in question.

"Ms Ancell spelt it correctly Pauline," she said with a stress on using the woman's forename for no-way was she going to be intimidated by her.

Pauline McKay stared at the spelling and had the grace to blush when she realised her mistake. "So why didn't Chrissy point that out?" she muttered.

"I guess you never gave her a chance. Chrissy Ancell is the youngest teacher on our staff but I regard her as one of the most conscientious teachers in my syndicate. As for everything else you complained about, she was following our school's policy for marking children's work to the letter."

This was not completely correct for Chrissy should have used a pencil rather than a red biro but Karla was not going to give this demanding woman the satisfaction of being partly right.

"I see," Pauline McKay almost whispered. "I guess I owe Chrissy an apology."

"It would be appreciated," Karla replied. "Sometimes we forget how it was when we were in our early twenties don't we?"

"I was pretty green and thought I knew everything until I blew a simple procedure and our firm was almost sued. I bawled for a week." Pauline smiled for the first time as she stood up. "Chrissy will be in the staffroom, you said?"

"I believe so." Karla shook the woman's extended hand and watched as she left the office.

Five minutes later Chrissy burst in. "My God, what did you do, Karla?" She had a wide grin over her face and almost shouted. "The old bat came into the staffroom and apologised for everything. She even added how much Stephanie enjoyed being in my room."

"It was nothing," Karla replied. "We are a team, Chrissy and always support each other."

"Val and the boss don't," Chrissy whispered. "Even Gillian doesn't always bother. "

"I never heard that," Karla said. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah! Duty day. I hope the rain stops." Chrissy picked up Stephanie's exercise book, that lay forgotten on the desk and left, far happier than less than an hour before.

*

Karla never saw much of the Junior and Middle School production that was held in the early evening a week later in the school hall. She was out the back assembling classes, helping little ones into costumes and, at one point hastily repairing a backdrop that had come adrift. Several parents were there to help but needed her to co-ordinate all the activities. At the same time Val and later Murray paraded around with the parents they deemed important for the school while the teachers looked after their own classes.

The supper afterwards would have been a complete shambles with screaming children and the few show-offs beginning to tear around, knocking over glasses of orange and grabbing the more desirable food to eat. Karla walked in from the back stage and stared in horror at the scene. One or two teachers were attempting to keep their own children under control but much of the trouble appeared to be pre-schoolers who were ignored by parents more interested in socialising than controlling them. Val and Murray were nowhere in sight.

Karla stood on the stage in front of the closed curtain and rang a tiny bell. Immediately half the children, mainly those from her syndicate, glanced up, saw her and stopped still. The roar subsided and even the adults paused, talking stopped and slowly the preschoolers stopped running and also looked up at her.

"I am not pleased," Karla said in a normal voice but it carried across the room. "All school children will sit on the floor with crossed arms and legs."

Again her own syndicate led but the juniors followed with many preschoolers copying their elder brothers or sisters. When all was quiet, Karla stepped down off the stage and stood at the bottom of the three steps descending from it.

"You all gave us a wonderful performance of which I and I'm sure your parents, grandparents and friends loved." She stopped and waited until the assembly hall was completely silent. "However, you are not going to spoil it now. Firstly, will those who have their little brothers and sisters with them please take them back to your parents."

Again she waited as twenty or more children took little ones by the hand and led them to where embarrassed parents rushed out to claim them. Afterwards she made all the classes go and sit in the positions they sat earlier in the evening.

"The best class at sitting up will be the first to be allowed to go and get one more item of food to eat or to get another orange drink. When allowed to go, nobody will run, shout or skid around," She pointed to a nearby trestle. "Already several drinks have been dropped and I can see three squashed cakes on the floor. There will be no more dropped. Understand?"

"Yes, Miss Spicer," over two hundred children replied in unison as they sat up and waited.

"Room Four can go first," Karla purposely picked a junior class and watched with satisfaction as the five-year olds stood and moved over to the food trestles. Almost without exception, every child picked one item of food and carried it with their drink, back to their original sitting position. They sat down and ate quietly as Karla picked another junior class, one from her own syndicate and continued on. Finally, all ten classes were sitting in rows eating and talking quietly.

"Thank you," Karla said. "That is the way we behave at Tui Park. When you have finished you may get a second item to eat if you wish and find your Mum or Dad. There will be no running or shouting at all. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Miss Spicer," the voices replied.

Peace was restored and the evening finished on a high note as supper was finished and the crowd dispersed. Several parents came up to say favourable things about the evening and Val appeared at the main exit door to gush away at those walking out. Murray was conspicuous by his absence and Karla assumed that he had already left,

"Karla!"

She turned to see Chrissy standing there.

"Hi Chrissy. We did well. I loved the item your class put on and your art work was fantastic. Congratulations."

"But it could have ended as a shambles. I tried to help but…" Chrissy shrugged. "I don't know how you do it. You had the kids eating out of your hand."

"Not literally, I hope," Karla laughed.

"I mean it," Chrissy said. "You've taught me more about teaching in the last few months than all those academics at the College of Education did in three years."

"Let's say there is more to teaching than what the academics preach." Karla whispered, "I was never that good at university. Sure I gained my degree with modest marks but half the theory…" She shrugged. "Mutual respect is important, if you respect the children and vice versa you can't go far wrong."

Chrissy nodded. "Oh by the way there's a certain School Property Manager waiting outside in that beat-up old pickup. He asked me to tell you he'd give you a ride home if you wish."

"Ryan!" Karla gasped. "Why is he here?"

"Oh Karla, you may be an excellent teacher but you are naïve when it comes to guys, aren't you?"

Karla felt her face heat up but grinned at her friend's wide smile. "Nobody's perfect," she whispered and stepped away to find her jacket and mobile phone from where she had left them behind the stage.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Chrissy called out to her.

"Yeah! Gives me plenty of choice," Karla replied. For some unknown reason her heart was racing.

*

Karla jumped into the Toyota Hilux but couldn't look at Ryan. "I've got my own car here, you know," she muttered as she watched the last few families leave the grounds.

"So leave it here. It'll be safe in the school grounds for one night."

Karla turned and saw Ryan's face. He looked as nervous as she felt.

"But my place is over five kilometres from yours. Isn't it a bit out of your way."

"Not really. I've packed a change of clothes and brought my shaving gear."

"Why?" gasped Karla.

"Well as you said it a long way between our two houses. I thought I'd stay at your place tonight. Perhaps we could go to our favourite bar first. After all it's only a little after eleven and there are only two more days of school in the term."

Karla gulped. She had slept with Ryan twice since that first time and every time was more exciting and fulfilling than before and now her heart was racing and she felt more happening to her body as he grinned at her. "I haven't got the spare bed made up," she whispered in a mock protest.

"We don't need it, do we?" he almost stuttered,

"All night," she gasped.

"Why not?"

She nodded but remained serious. "Let's forget about the pub and go straight home." She turned. "I'm not going to make a habit of this, Ryan."

He grinned reached over, grabbed her face to turn and kissed her firmly on the lips. At the same time a hand gently squeezed a breast."

"Ryan!" she gasped as she noticed several people walking to their vehicles. "What if one of the parents sees?"

"Who cares?"

Karla smiled. "Yeah but keep your hands to yourself until we get home,"

"And then!"

"Oh shut up," Karla responded and hit him none too gently across the shoulders.

They arrived home and within moments were both dressed in pyjamas and facing each other. He gathered her in his arms and they ended up on the carpet.

"Not here!" Karla almost shouted as he lifted her shortie pyjama top.

Twenty minutes later after a bout of love making that left them both gasping and covered in perspiration she broke free and ran into the bedroom. He followed, grabbed her, tossed her on the crisp sheets beneath the pulled-back blankets and everything was repeated with even more enthusiasm than the first time.

Sometime in the small hours of the morning, Karla awoke realised she was not alone in bed and they made love again. By the morning she was exhausted but he wanted more.

"Ryan," she screamed as he reached for her. "I've got to get to school in an hour."

But it was to no avail as he mounted her and everything else was forgotten.

*

Before the children arrived, Chrissy came into her classroom "I noticed that you arrived in that white Hilux and your car never moved all night," she said.

"So?" Karla retorted.

"I reckon he must have been a real stud. You look as if you been through a washing machine."

"Oh hell," Karla gasped as she ran her hand through her hair. "I forgot to brush it."

"You naughty girl," Chrissy giggled. "How many times? Two… three." She stared at Karla. "Oh my God he stayed all night and you did it every hour on the hour. No wonder you look washed out."

"Oh don't be crude," Karla retorted. "Anyway it is none of your business."

"Of course not, Miss Spicer," Chrissy whispered. "Once the dam bursts, you know."

"No I don't," Karla snapped. "And by the way, I can't remember seeing your Long Term Plan for the end of the year on my computer. Wasn't it due in last Tuesday?"

Chrissy nodded. "It'll be there. Had trouble loading it."

"Of course you did," Karla replied. "Before the school holidays, Chrissy and not tomorrow at quarter to four. Understand?'

"Yes, Miss Spicer," Chrissy replied mimicking a school child. She chuckled, affectionately brushed Karla's arm and retreated from the classroom.

*