ambulance,” said Jenna, taking out her phone.
Adam put his arms under Glenda and gently picked her up. He was carrying her into the school building when she slid her arms around his neck. He caught the flash of a phone camera and saw the grin of triumph on Glenda’s face.
His face clouded with fury and he put her down and quickly strode over to the girl holding the phone.
“Hand it over.”
She hesitated and he repeated in an icy tone, “I said, hand it over.”
She meekly placed it in his palm.
“Anyone else taken a picture?” he said, looking round, his eyes black with rage. The girls all shrank back. They’d never seen him so angry.
He crooked his finger at Glenda. “You. Come here.” She sauntered over with a smirk. “What the hell d’you think you’re doing?” He looked at the picture on the phone and turned to the girl who’d taken it. “Have you forwarded this to anyone?”
‘No, Sir.”
“What were you going to do with it? Photoshop it into something else?”
Glenda stole a glance at Erica Rawlings.
Adam shoved the phone into his pocket. “You can pick it up at four fifteen. If you ever try any of these tricks again I’ll ban all phones during school hours.”
He strode angrily back to his office, followed by Lisa who felt it prudent not to say anything until he’d calmed down. This was just the sort of situation that could lead to all sorts of unsavoury repercussions and was something Adam was stringently striving to avoid.
It was after four -thirty and all the girls had left when Lisa heard a tap on her office door. An auburn head appeared round the door and Lisa asked. “Can I help you?”
“Actually, I’ve come to collect my niece’s phone,” said the auburn-haired woman with an apologetic smile. I’m Faye Rawlings, Erica Rawlings’ aunt.”
“Oh, was it her phone? We assumed it was Glenda’s.”
“It’s a long story. Have you got the phone, we need it to keep in touch?”
“Mr Wild has it. Wait a moment and I’ll show you into his office.”
Adam had his elbow on the desk, his hand on his brow as he studied the budget. He’d loosened his tie and the top button of his shirt was undone.
“Adam, Faye Rawlings is here. Erica Rawlings’ aunt. She’s here to collect her phone.”
He raised enquiring eyebrows.
“I’ll let her explain,” said Lisa gesturing for Faye to enter before returning to her office. Adam rose and smiling a greeting came round the desk to shake her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Rawlings. Would you like to take a seat,” he said, pulling out a chair for her.
He perched on the edge of the desk and took the phone out of his jacket pocket. “Is this Erica’s phone?”
“Yes. I bought it for her birthday two months ago,” said Faye, feeling as if it were an inquisition, as if she were back in school owning up to a misdemeanour.
He scrolled down the menu and showed her the picture. “Has she explained why this picture was taken?” he asked, handing her the phone.
She studied the screen. The picture showed him carrying Glenda with her arms wound round his neck. She was smirking up at him. Faye had to admit that Erica had been right. Apart from Glenda’s smirk, it would have been ideal.
“I’m sorry about that. It’s a bit embarrassing.” She was about to put the phone in her bag when his hand covered hers. “Not so quick, Miss Rawlings,” he said, taking back the phone. “I think I’d better delete this before it gets Photoshopped into something less innocent.” He deleted the picture before handing over the phone.
His own phone rang. “Excuse me,” he said, taking it from his jacket pocket and glancing at the screen with a look of irritation. He moved behind his desk. “Yes,” he said curtly. “No. Not now. I’m in a meeting.” The caller must have been insistent. “I said, not now. I’ll call you back.” He switched off the phone before putting it back in his pocket. She was glad she hadn’t been on
Adam put his arms under Glenda and gently picked her up. He was carrying her into the school building when she slid her arms around his neck. He caught the flash of a phone camera and saw the grin of triumph on Glenda’s face.
His face clouded with fury and he put her down and quickly strode over to the girl holding the phone.
“Hand it over.”
She hesitated and he repeated in an icy tone, “I said, hand it over.”
She meekly placed it in his palm.
“Anyone else taken a picture?” he said, looking round, his eyes black with rage. The girls all shrank back. They’d never seen him so angry.
He crooked his finger at Glenda. “You. Come here.” She sauntered over with a smirk. “What the hell d’you think you’re doing?” He looked at the picture on the phone and turned to the girl who’d taken it. “Have you forwarded this to anyone?”
‘No, Sir.”
“What were you going to do with it? Photoshop it into something else?”
Glenda stole a glance at Erica Rawlings.
Adam shoved the phone into his pocket. “You can pick it up at four fifteen. If you ever try any of these tricks again I’ll ban all phones during school hours.”
He strode angrily back to his office, followed by Lisa who felt it prudent not to say anything until he’d calmed down. This was just the sort of situation that could lead to all sorts of unsavoury repercussions and was something Adam was stringently striving to avoid.
It was after four -thirty and all the girls had left when Lisa heard a tap on her office door. An auburn head appeared round the door and Lisa asked. “Can I help you?”
“Actually, I’ve come to collect my niece’s phone,” said the auburn-haired woman with an apologetic smile. I’m Faye Rawlings, Erica Rawlings’ aunt.”
“Oh, was it her phone? We assumed it was Glenda’s.”
“It’s a long story. Have you got the phone, we need it to keep in touch?”
“Mr Wild has it. Wait a moment and I’ll show you into his office.”
Adam had his elbow on the desk, his hand on his brow as he studied the budget. He’d loosened his tie and the top button of his shirt was undone.
“Adam, Faye Rawlings is here. Erica Rawlings’ aunt. She’s here to collect her phone.”
He raised enquiring eyebrows.
“I’ll let her explain,” said Lisa gesturing for Faye to enter before returning to her office. Adam rose and smiling a greeting came round the desk to shake her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Rawlings. Would you like to take a seat,” he said, pulling out a chair for her.
He perched on the edge of the desk and took the phone out of his jacket pocket. “Is this Erica’s phone?”
“Yes. I bought it for her birthday two months ago,” said Faye, feeling as if it were an inquisition, as if she were back in school owning up to a misdemeanour.
He scrolled down the menu and showed her the picture. “Has she explained why this picture was taken?” he asked, handing her the phone.
She studied the screen. The picture showed him carrying Glenda with her arms wound round his neck. She was smirking up at him. Faye had to admit that Erica had been right. Apart from Glenda’s smirk, it would have been ideal.
“I’m sorry about that. It’s a bit embarrassing.” She was about to put the phone in her bag when his hand covered hers. “Not so quick, Miss Rawlings,” he said, taking back the phone. “I think I’d better delete this before it gets Photoshopped into something less innocent.” He deleted the picture before handing over the phone.
His own phone rang. “Excuse me,” he said, taking it from his jacket pocket and glancing at the screen with a look of irritation. He moved behind his desk. “Yes,” he said curtly. “No. Not now. I’m in a meeting.” The caller must have been insistent. “I said, not now. I’ll call you back.” He switched off the phone before putting it back in his pocket. She was glad she hadn’t been on
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