One Foot Onto the Ice (21 page)

Chapter Eighteen

Susan placed her knife and fork together on her plate. “Sylvie
makes the best breakfast omelette. That was absolutely delicious.”

Marcus sniffed. “You’ll change your mind when you taste mine.”

Jenna swallowed a mouthful of croissant and played all innocent.
“Are you guys planning a sleepover?”

 “Possibly,” said Marcus smirking.

 “No, we’re not,” said Susan.

Marcus batted away Susan’s rebuff. “We’ve decided to take things
slowly, Jenna.”

Susan moved her chair slightly and angled her body towards Marcus.
She spoke quietly. “That’s not what we decided. You said you’d calm it down.”

“That’s exactly why I said,
possibly
.” He reached up and
pulled a piece of scrambled egg from his moustache. “No promises from me,
sweetheart.”

Jenna, who was sitting opposite them both, placed her croissant
back down. “Marcus, listen, mate. When a woman brushes you off, you should act
like a man.”

“I’ve not been brushed off.”

“You have,” nodded Jenna, lifting her croissant back up.

“Susan?” Marcus looked shocked.

“This isn’t news,” whispered Susan. “We spoke about this after the
Daisy incident.” She turned back to Jenna. “Talking of which, we should go and call
her mum. We promised we’d phone her every morning after breakfast.”

Jenna glanced around the dining room and spotted the little girl
chatting nicely to Margaret Beauchamp. “She’s a different person. Look at her,
she’s not stopped smiling.” Jenna paused noticing the tension between the two
teachers. “I’ll take her to the lounge and meet you in there.”

 Marcus waited until Jenna was out of earshot. “She might own Club
Ski, and it’s obvious that you’re very enamoured by that fact.” He nodded. “Oh
trust me, I’ve seen the way you hang on her every word.” He reached out and placed
his hand on top of Susan’s. “But she doesn’t know the first thing about you and
I. She’s a business woman, but she’s not the brains of Britain. She can’t see
what we’ve got. We share a connection, Susan. We’re academics. We’re two halves
of the same coin.” He smiled. “You’re my yin and I’m your yang. You’re my—”

Susan closed her eyes and removed her hand. “Stop, Marcus, this
really
has to stop.”

“Why? We could be so good together. Let’s be honest here, we’re
not batting away the interest, are we?”

Susan looked perplexed. “So we settle for one another?”

“Admittedly you wouldn’t be my first choice, but now that I’m older
I realise there’s more to a partner than just looks.”

Susan pushed her chair backwards and started to stand. “And
there’s the final straw.”

Marcus grabbed her arm. “
Mon amie
, I’m sorry, that came out
wrong.” He sighed. “Look at me, I’m no good at this. I told you the other night
what a bumbling mess I become.” He released his grip and looked to the floor.
“I’m sorry, ignore me.”

 Susan exhaled heavily and crouched down next to her colleague. “You
got it right yesterday, Marcus. Yesterday was fine. Just do yesterday again
today.”

Marcus turned his head and frowned. “I hardly saw you yesterday.”

Susan thought quickly. He was right. There had been very little
interaction between them yesterday; possibly why she hadn’t recalled any
untoward behaviour. “You know what I mean. You seemed to have a great time on
the ice last night and you seemed very independent yesterday.”

“Fine,” said Marcus, twisting himself back under the table, “I’ll
just toddle off with my bunch of beginners and I’ll sit on my own again at
lunch, and then tonight, when we’re all swimming, I’ll make sure I stay in the
changing rooms.”

“Oh Marcus. Please don’t.”

“It’s fine,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Just leave me be.
Everyone else does.”

Susan checked her watch and rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know
what you want me to say.”

Marcus lifted his eyes and looked at her with sincerity. “I want
you to say yes.”

“To what?”

“To us.”

“Marcus. There is no us.”

“But there could be.”

“No, there couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re my colleague. Nothing more.”

Marcus nodded encouragingly. “Friendship’s the perfect foundation
for what we want.”

“But, Marcus, I don’t want anything.”

“Why not?”

Susan filled her lungs. “I just don’t.” She looked at her watch
once more. “I need to make this call. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“Silence resolves nothing.”

“There’s nothing to resolve!”

“You’re getting worked up, Susan.” He nodded supportively. “I
understand. Our emotions are heightened. We’re fighting this. Let love play its
game.”

Susan clenched her teeth. “For goodness sake, Marcus, you’re not
my type.”

“And who is?” he asked somewhat abashed.

Champagne passed by with a plate of pastries and nodded at Susan. “You
should’ve kept Jenna’s clothes on. They suited you better.”

****

Susan closed the door to Sylvie’s old fashioned lounge and
breathed. “Sorry about that.”

“Everything okay?” asked Jenna, looking up from the well-worn
velvet sofa.

Susan glanced at Daisy. “Yes, fine. I’ll fill you in later. Let’s
get this little lady sorted out first.”

Daisy smiled. “I think Margaret actually likes me. We stayed up
last night chatting.”

“Not too late I hope,” teased Susan. “But you’re right, she does
like you. All of the girls do. I think you’ve been so worried about your mum
that you’ve kept yourself to yourself and they’ve stayed away.”

Daisy smiled. “Margaret even said I could have lunch with her and
Triple-T today.”

“Who?”

Jenna laughed. “Tiara Taundry-Thompson. Triple-T.”

Susan handed the phone to Daisy. “What are we going to do with
Jenna and her nicknames, hey?”

Jenna stood behind the little girl and mouthed to Susan. “
You
could fuck me?
” 

Susan tried not to laugh. “Do you know the number?”

“Of course,” said the little girl, tapping in the digits. She
waited for the dial tone and lifted the phone to her ear.

“
Sit down
,” mouthed Jenna, jolting her head back towards
the sofa.

Susan shuffled past Daisy and lowered herself next to Jenna, giggling
and jumping in the seat as Jenna’s fingers tried to pinch her bottom. “Stop
it,” she said, suddenly noticing Daisy’s stuttering voice.

“M-m-mummy, I want to speak to my mummy.”

Susan stood back up and nodded, “
Are you okay? Who’s that?
”

Daisy started to cry. “What have you done to her? Why can’t I talk
to her?”

Susan took the phone from the little girl. “Hello, this is Susan
Quinn from St Wilfred’s. Who am I talking to, please?” The line went dead.

Jenna stood up and guided Daisy to the sofa. “Who was it? Was it
Justin? What did he say?”

Daisy was frantically shaking her head. “I have to go home. Something’s
happened. He’s hurt Mummy. I need to go and see if she’s okay. I knew I
shouldn’t have come. She’s told him to leave and he’s hurt her. I know he has.
It’s all my fault. Please, Madam, I need to go home. Please, can I just…”

Susan bent down in front of the little girl. “Tell me exactly what
he said.”

Daisy tried to swallow back the tears. “H-h-he said I couldn’t
speak to Mummy.”

“Then what did he say?”

“H-h-he said it was all my fault.”

Susan lifted the phone and pressed the redial button. “It’ll be
okay, Daisy, don’t worry.”

“I want to go home, please. I don’t want to stay here. I want to—”

“Hello … yes it is me again.” Susan’s voice was firm. “I’d like to
speak to Mrs Button.”

Daisy widened her eyes expectantly. “
Is she there?
” she
whispered.

Susan continued to talk. “I’d like you to tell her we called and
I’ll continue to call on the hour every hour until I hear from her.” Susan
nodded. “Yes, Sir, I understand that, but I’m in no position to comment.” She
paused. “I’m sorry you feel that way.” She moved the phone away from her ear
and waited for the man on the other end of the line to calm down. “Calling me
names won’t get you anywhere … and no, I won’t go to hell … Please just tell
her we called.” Susan hung up.

Daisy was beside herself. “He’s hurt her. He’s hurt her again.”

Susan pulled a tissue from her pocket and sat down next to the
little girl. “No he hasn’t. He said your mum’s with her sister.”

“Auntie Shell? No way. They don’t talk. Not since I told on Justin.”
Daisy shook her head in panic. “It’s too early. She wouldn’t be there anyway.”

“Do you have a number for your auntie?”

The voice was quiet. “No.”

Susan rubbed Daisy’s knee. “Don’t worry. I’ll phone the school as
soon as I can and I’ll get them to send me her number.” She smiled. “Your mum
will be okay. She’s told him to leave.”

Daisy looked up. “How do you know?”

“Didn’t you hear him shouting about it? Throwing all of us women
in the same basket, blaming all of us…” Susan stopped herself. “Your mum told
him yesterday. He probably needed a day or two to move his things. She’ll be at
your aunties, Daisy, don’t worry.”

Daisy sucked on her bottom lip and whispered. “I need to go home.”

Jenna wrapped her arm around Daisy’s shoulder. “How about you stay
with us big girls this morning? That way you’ll be the first to know when your
mum rings. We’ll stick to the nursery slope.” She glanced at Susan. “It’ll give
Champagne and Priggy a chance to pay penance for last night.” She looked back
to Daisy. “They could teach you some moves?”

Daisy lifted herself from the sofa. “No, I’ll be fine,” she
whispered, walking lifelessly out of the room.

Chapter Nineteen

Susan stabbed her poles into the snow and pulled her phone from
her jacket pocket, checking once more that the ringer volume was on high. “Are
you sure we’ve done the right thing?” she asked.

Jenna passed the piste map over to Priggy and slid forwards on her
skis, trying her best to reassure Susan. “Yes, we’ve done the right thing.
Daisy wanted to stay with her group. It’ll take her mind off things.”

“But she’s so worried.”

“It’s not even been an hour yet. I’m sure we’ll hear from Mrs
Button soo—” Jenna nodded as Susan’s phone started to ring. “And there you go.”

Susan misjudged the swipe twice before finally answering the call.
“Hello? Hello? Yes it is! I’m so pleased you’ve called.” Susan clasped her fist
together. “Yes, she’ll be so relieved … Yes, we tried to call … Yes, I did have
that pleasure and he was rather irate … No, you have nothing to apologise for …
The time difference? It’s an easy mistake to make … We’re on the slopes
already. I’ll catch up to her group now and I’ll get her to call you … She’ll
be so pleased.” Susan nodded into the phone. “Yes, yes, and you, Mrs Button.”

Jenna smiled and shuffled even further forwards to encase Susan in
a full bodied hug. “Thank goodness for that,” she said, locking their skis
together and almost tilting Susan off balance.

Susan nodded and laughed with relief. “She was at her sister’s.
She stayed the night. She told him to leave yesterday but he was on shifts so
he couldn’t pack his stuff until today or something like that, but anyway she’s
fine. She forgot about the time difference and thought we’d still be at
breakfast.”

Champagne fluffed up her fur collar. “What
is
going on with
you two?”

Jenna pushed herself backwards to free her skis and turned around.
“You’re in no position to offer smart remarks, young lady.”

Champagne pouted and widened her eyes. “Oh please, Jenna. I don’t
like it when you’re strict. We’ve said we’re sorry. Can we just go back to
having a laugh? Today’s going to be so miserable if you’re still cross with us.”

Priggy shuffled over with her head bowed low. “We’re sorry we’re
stupid.”

Jenna laughed. “You’re not stupid. Your
behaviour
last
night was stupid.”

“We’re sorry,” they sang in unison.

Jenna looked at Susan. “Should we forgive them?”

“It’s not a case of forgiving them, it’s a case of understanding
how dangerous their behaviour was and being reassured that they’ll learn from
it in the future and never do anything as life threatening as that ever again.”

Jenna teasingly rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you’re forgiven, girls.”

“Good,” said Champagne smirking, “can we talk about
your
behaviour now?”

Jenna laughed. “Don’t push it, missy. Come on, let’s head down to
the Nabor chairlift. Lisa said she was taking her group on their first green
run this morning. We’ll be able to catch Daisy over there.”

Priggy tapped her poles together and frowned in thought. “We’re
just a bit confused. We’ve been discussing it since last night but we just can’t
figure it out.”

Jenna raised an eyebrow, already knowing what was coming. “What
can’t you figure out?”

Priggy frowned mischievously. “Why Madam Quinn had your combats
on.”

Jenna shrugged. “I was giving her a makeover.”

“At midnight?”

“Yes.” Jenna pointed her pole in the direction they were headed.
“Let’s go. You lead off, girls.”

Champagne smirked. “I like what you did with her hair. The bed-head
look’s very fashionable at the moment.”

“I
am
here,” said Susan, trying not to blush. “Teacher’s do
have a life you know, girls, and we are allowed to stay up late and do girly
stuff.”

“Is that what you call it?” pouted Champagne.

“That’s it. To the chairlift,” ordered Susan, pushing off with her
poles and wanting the rush of cold air to wash away her embarrassment.

“We’re going to have to tread carefully,” laughed Champagne,
raising her voice after her teacher; “they’re both in denial.”

Jenna slid past on her skis. “I’m not. Your teacher’s a ten.”

Champagne pulled a face and turned to her friend. “What is it with
you lesbians? Why can’t I see what she’s got?”

Priggy gazed at the vision of Madam Quinn curving gracefully down
the mountain and nodded with knowledge. “She’s got it all, Champs.”

Susan could hear the giggling behind her and tried to ignore the
temptation to glance over her shoulder and see if Jenna was involved. Instead
she continued her speedy descent and thought through her options. She could
deny it completely, which would protect her professionalism but destroy her
integrity. It
was
happening and she was happy it was happening. Susan
smiled to herself. What if it
was
Marcus? What if the romance was blossoming
with
him
? Would she feel more comfortable with the good natured teasing
from these two eighteen year old students? Would she laugh and act coy? Or
would she feel the same awkwardness when faced with their gossip?

Jenna sped past and shouted in Susan’s direction. “Stop worrying. Your
secret’s safe with me.”

Susan pulled her skis parallel and matched Jenna’s pace. “Do we
tell them?” she asked, nodding towards the girls who were giggling their way
down the other side of the slope.

“Good god no!” laughed Jenna.

Susan looked straight ahead and bent her knees. “Right, no, of
course not,” she said, trying to pick up speed.

“Stop, stop, stop!” Jenna started to snow plough. “Slow down a
minute.”

Susan brought the tips of her skis together and came to a
standstill mid-mountain. “What?”

Jenna stopped beside her and jammed her poles into the snow. “Where
did that come from?”

Susan reddened. “I was just wondering how best to handle it.”

Jenna shook her head. “We laugh, we tease, we camp it up by all
means, but we don’t tell them!”

Susan glanced around at the wide piste, trying to find something
to focus on. She settled on a group of tiny ski-school children, gently snaking
down the slope after their instructor. “Of course not. I was just thinking.”

“And that was an option?”

Susan kept her eyes on the group of youngsters. “No, no, it just
flashed into my mind.”

“But you said it like it was an option.”

Susan could feel her cheeks burning. “Forget it.”

Jenna exhaled heavily. “I can’t.”

Susan turned her eyes to her old classmate. “It’s fine. I
understand. You don’t want to be humiliated. You don’t want people to know
about us. I’m sorry. I was silly to suggest it.”

Jenna sidestepped closer to Susan. “That’s not it at all.”

“Come on, the girls are waiting.” She nodded towards the bottom of
the slope. “We wouldn’t want to give them any more ammunition.”

“Wait!” Jenna watched open mouthed as Susan pushed off and sped
away. “
Women
!” she moaned, bringing her skis back together and trying to
catch up.

Susan kept her head facing forwards, determined to reach the
bottom alone. “On you get, girls,” she shouted, pointing her pole towards the
chairlift.

Champagne and Priggy pushed through the metal barriers and waited
for their teacher. “Are you coming with us?”

Susan pulled into the machine and lifted her arm to the sensor, sliding
up beside them. “If that’s okay?”

“Susan! Will you just wait a minute?” Jenna was frantically trying
to catch up.

Champagne smirked. “Actually, we want to gossip on our own; why don’t
you two catch the next one?”

Susan maintained her position. “No, I need to get up there
quickly. We’re trying to catch the beginners.”

Jenna gasped and stretched out her pole to hit Susan’s boot.
“They’re coming down. Look.” She pointed to Lisa’s group of beginners who were
making slow turns across the slope. “You girls go ahead. We’ll meet you at the
top.”

Susan spotted Daisy Button’s yellow jacket at the back of the
pack. “They’ll be coming up here won’t they?”

Jenna nodded. “Yes, they’ll probably spend the whole morning going
up and down this slope, but we need to talk to Daisy as soon as possible.”

“I’ll talk to her at the top,” said Susan, continuing to keep her
eyes straight ahead.

“Fine,” gasped Jenna, pulling herself into position at the very
last minute. “I’ll come with you.”

****

Daisy Button was the last person to push through the metal
barriers. “I’m scared,” she said as she lined up next to her teacher.

Marcus Ramsbottom shuffled forwards and watched as the chairlift
swung around the corner and scooped up Margaret Beauchamp and Porscha Banks.
“We’re the last ones on, Daisy. Everyone will be waiting for us at the top and
I don’t want us to look foolish.”

Daisy heard the bleep of the yellow barriers as they opened, but she
stood motionless. “I’m scared,” she whispered.

Marcus reached back and yanked on her yellow jacket, quickly
pulling her into position. “Lisa’s told us what to do. We stand here and wait
for the—”

“
Ahhh!
” squealed Daisy as the chairlift knocked into their
legs.

“Sit back, sit back!” shrieked Marcus as the chairlift started to
rise.

****

“Ha! Can you hear that?” laughed Champagne, swinging her skis
below her. “It sounds like Professor Ramsbottom.”

Susan glanced over her shoulder and looked down at the line of
chairs, smiling in response to the clusters of beginners who were waving up at
her and shouting in joy that they’d made it onto the lift. “I think he’s on
with Daisy.” She raised herself in her seat. “I can see her yellow jacket right
at the bottom.”

“Careful,” said Jenna, placing her hand on Susan’s thigh. “You
might slip.”

Priggy nudged Champagne’s arm.

“What are you elbowing me for?” said Champagne.

Priggy nodded to Susan’s thigh.

Jenna removed her hand. “Girls, there’s less than a millimetre
between us all. We’re squashed in like sardines and it’s easy for us to hear
and see everything you get up to.”

Champagne leaned forwards and smiled. “But it’s not
us
getting up to anything, is it, Jenna?”

Susan nodded back to the chairs behind them. “We’ll need to be on
hand at the top. It’s their first chairlift. There’s no way they’ll slide off
with grace.”

Jenna laughed. “I think we’ll have a rather large mound of bodies
at the top. No one gets it right first time around.”

“I did,” said Susan, pleased that the hand had been removed,
continuing to stare straight ahead.

****

Marcus reached up and grabbed the safety bar. “Sit back!” he
shouted at Daisy.

“I’m trying,” she whispered, unable to get a good grip on the
slippery seat.

Marcus pulled down quickly, trapping Daisy’s thigh in the metal
seat separator. “Move across!” he shouted, lifting the bar back up. “You’re too
close to me!”

Daisy cried out in pain. “My leg! You’ve crushed it!”

Marcus elbowed the little girl across the seat. “It’s not crushed!
You need to move over.” He glanced down at the snow below them. “Hurry up! We
need to get this safety bar down.”

Daisy closed her eyes and started to sob. “I want to go home.”

“You’ll go home in a body bag if we don’t get this bar down!”
shouted Marcus.

Daisy opened her eyes and looked down at the snow. They weren’t
that high. It wouldn’t take much.

“Daisy?” Marcus frowned as the little girl moved herself forwards
in her seat. “What are you doing? Stop it. Sit back.”

Daisy turned her head. “I just want to go home.”

“DAISY!” screamed Marcus, letting go of the bar and dropping his
poles.

Daisy closed her eyes and pushed off. “
Home
,” she
whispered.

“DAISY!” screamed Marcus, reaching out as she fell.

Daisy jolted in the air and looked up at her teacher who was clinging
onto the chair: his hand clasping the sleeve of her little yellow coat.

****

Champagne laughed. “Ha! It really sounds like they’re struggling.
Good job it’s a short one. Everyone ready?” she asked, with her hand on the
bar.

Susan adjusted her poles and glanced over her shoulder, stunned by
the vision below. “She’s fallen!” she screamed. “Daisy’s fallen! He’s got her
by the coat!”