'Another birthday was looming for Ellie....that meant the usual phone call to Jess to try and persuade her to pay us a visit...Ellie had been asking questions...ones that hurt my heart to hear.....like..."why doesn't mum like me" ..yeah well....how the heck do you field that one year after year......
anyway, I braced myself for the call ...to my suprise Jess phoned me first.
Her--- "h..hi...Red....Um thanks for the photo you sent....she's looking so well *voice breaking up* I'm afraid I can't make it...."
Me ----" Yeah well no change there then......what do you want"
Her ---- " Her report card was fantastic ...wasn't it......you...you're a great dad you know....I just wanted to say that......um"
Me --- "Thanks....so what you wanna know? what her favourite colour is? what toys she likes...? you want to send me a questionnaire?"
Her ---*soflly crying* I know Red...I'm no good to anyone......I just wanted to do something good for her...um...I thought about that private school....I can pay the fees....I mean...I would like to.....if it's allright with you"
her voice was a little slurred...it wasn't the first occasion she'd sounded weird on the phone...for the previous three years it had been this way..
I just put it down to too much of the high life...life in the fast lane...I mean..it's what she craved all the time ...
Me--- "I see..well that would be great...but it's not up to me...it's Ellie's choice...why don't you call later..after she finishes school...ask her yourself...."
There was a long pause...she was obviously thinking it over...caught off guard maybe..it was the first time I'd suggested she talked to our daughter directly...
Her --- "No ..no....It's better I don't ...."
Me --- "Better for who exactly???"
Her --- " For Ellie....really.....it is...please ...just phone the head...I'll text you the number....let the school know...I've already told them to contact me regarding finances....should Ellie attend.......listen....Johnson is coming back....I...I got to go...tell her.....well..........wish her happy birthday from me...."
Me --- "Ok....and that you love her"
Her ---" Yes i do....tell her what you think is best...bye"
*click*
'I wonder if I had known what was happening with Jess at that time might have changed the course of all our lives...but Jess being Jess would never have admitted it
'When Ellie got home from school it was time to broach the subject of Jess's call to her...I thank my lucky stars I had such a sharp kid...'
Me --- "Hey kiddo...how was school today?
Ellie --- "Oh cool Dad...we had art today..I did you a picture"
Me --- "That's lovely Elles...um...listen...your mum called today...to wish you a Happy Birthday.."
Ellie--- "SHE called you?? ..oh.......she's not coming is she Dad...."
Me --- " No love,...I'm sorry.....but hey listen...you know that nice school we go past sometimes on the way to town? you know with the big old buildings and nice gardens....well your mum asked me to ask you wether you would like to go there...it would be really great for you there...the teachers are excellent.....um....sweetheart it's your choice ..."
Ellie ---- " You want me to go Dad? it's a good school I know..."
Me --- "It would be a great start for you kitten....and I would love for you to have the chance to go...but not if it makes you sad..."
Her --- "hmmm.....I would miss my friends a bit....but they can come play after school...."
She looked at me gravely...her little eyebrows raised a bit...
"Dad........I think that I will go.......because I think it would help me be a rockstar...and I think it would make you prouder...and Mum might even come and see me in my uniform......so I expect I will decide yes........but..."
'Here it comes I thought'
"But..........I need you to do something for me"
I smiled "Anything kitten"
"I want to invite my teacher here....Miss Brodie......cos I will miss her the most ...and I want her to be my friend even after I leave my old school....."
Her eyes brimmed with tears...
I hugged her tightly......."Of course sweetheart...how about tomorrow night? she can come for dinner"
Ellie wiped her eyes and beamed at me......a sneaky little grin spreading over her face....
"You know Dad..." she said making for her room , "Miss Brodie would be just right for you...you NEED a girlfriend"
I laughed...Oh lord! some old biddy in a twinset and pearls...yeah that would be about right...if I remembered rightly , Ellie's teacher was a nice old dear..rosie cheeked and pushing 60....
"Don't you think Miss Brodie is a bit old for me love...? " I called after her..
Ellie stopped and grinned back at me....
"Silly daddy you don't remember ANYTHING!!! Mrs Jenkins was old...and she retired....Miss Brodie is my NEW teacher...I told you ages ago....tsk...anyway..I'll tell her tomorrow.....she's a BABE Dad!!! Mikey Sullivan says so......he LOVES her...and she's SEEN you already...Carla Winchelsea got sent to the heads office and on the way past the staff room she heard Miss Brodie say to Mrs Kendall that you were sex on a stick...hehe anyway ...I'm gonna play in my room..."
'Uh OH! ..."Hey hang on a minute young lady...where did you hear an expression like that???...panic set in then...would I have to have THE TALK?
OMG already??? I was hoping to get her a book...
She looked at me thoughtfully and went on .."Oh it's allright Dad..I know ALL about boys and that...."
'Oh lord' I thought...'Here it comes'..."Ok then....."
Ellie Rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips
"Well basically Dad you find a boy you like and kiss him on the mouth and then hold hands with him...and then a seed goes up your sleeve and a baby comes out the bottom of your sweater....Carla told me all about it"
'My skills at supressing a giggling fit can only be put down to a fathers un-erring love for his child...her little face was so serious....
"Actually Dad I don't think Carla got it all right......but I'm gonna ask Miss Brodie about that too.....I hope you don't mind"
'Mind??? Heck no!! I didn't mind at all....I was beginning to warm to Miss Brodie'
Ellie seemed happy so why not go along with it...It was good to see her in such high spirits
and you can never have too many friends right? Lord help me I didn't have any!'
'So yeah..I didn't know why but I was really edgy the whole of that following day...Ellie just kept grinning at me after school...and rushing round helping me tidy up....
"I think I'll eat my dinner before Miss Brodie comes....can I Daddy? I will get too hungry otherwise"
She didn't even try to conceal the cheeky smirk on her face...little devil!
I grinned at her and played along....maybe Miss Brodie was passable..you can't really rely on an 8 year olds judgement when it comes to Babes now can you? could you? ....whatever happened I'd decided that if Ellie doted on her so much, this person must be a pretty good sort...and yeah, I could stand a friend right about then...It was lonely at times now Ellie was at school'
Ellie was playing outside as I was finishing off an editorial piece for the forthcoming Guitar Magazine edition...
her voice piped up..."Daddeeeeeeeeeeeeee...she's Heeeeeeere!"
'Ok all I can say is WOAH....I honestly wasn't expecting Miss Brodie to look like that...honest!
'So did I wow her with the old De'Vill Charisma??? not exactly....It had been ages since I'd been near any females my age....not really ...at least not so close...in my house....*gulp*
Me --- "bloody H*ll !!!! *turning beetroot red*
Her --- "um Hi...is it OK to visit? Ellie did say you invited me....."
Me --- *quickly* "oh god YES.....*blush blush* I mean.....of course...so good to meet you Miss Brodie"
Her --- " It's Kira ....thanks for asking me over....Ellie is a real credit to you...I'm going to miss her terribly when she starts her new school"
'well I was in full twerp mode then...."You can come here anytime to see us....er...her...everyday if you want " I blurted...Ellie giggled from the computer where was playing a game....
"please take a seat...I'll get a drink for us...."
She smiled and nodded and went to sit down on the sofa...I was a bit rusty at all this......'
'I just prayed I wouldn't make my bad first impression any worse!'
'No doubt about it..my daughter was a genius....a devious one...but a genius none the less...She leapt away from the computer and managed to get to Miss Brodie before she even got to the sofa...
"Actually...I am really tired...I think I'll go to bed...I'll probably go STRAIGHT to sleep too...*pretend yawn*...goodnight Miss Brodie...you look so PRETTY tonight....doesn't she DAD??? goodnight Dad!!....." She announced smirking widely
'Naturally at the time both me and Miss Brodie...I mean Kira...turned puce with embarrassment.....I would have cause to thank Ellie later though....but right at that point,....she was grounded!!!'
'We said goodnight to Ellie and sat sort of awquardly on the sofa....I couldn't believe how a guy like me...you know..who'd been a bit wild in his time...could have a lump in his throat the size of a small coconut and worryingly sweaty palms...*ugh*....
I could hardly look at that gorgeous angelic doe-eyed goddess of perfection sitting with me on the sofa..OK you could have driven a tram right between us...but it was a woman!! nearby.. after I don't know how many years...and I was only human you know??? *whimper* Still...after what seems a life time I was inspired...
Me -- "uh....let's eat!"
Her--- "OK"
'Yeah ...hardly earth moving stuff...but thankfully we had something to do with our hands!'
'We both had a couple glasses of wine before either of us relaxed...but when we did finally unclench...it was a wonderful evening...and I never realised how important it would be to all three of us...'
We finished up and I checked in on my little cupid...out like a light as she'd promised
Then Kira and I retired to the sofa again....only this time...it was a mite cosier '
*grin*