School Run Read Online Free PDF Page B

without looking and stood back, just in time, as a cyclist sped past, shouting at him – not without justification. He reproached himself and began to race down the pavement. ‘Julie!’ He waved to catch her attention. ‘Darling, your purse!’
    A group of mothers – whom he didn’t recognise – stared at him coldly. Maybe he shouldn’t have said ‘darling’ but he couldn’t help it: his little girl had always been his darling, his princess. That was why he was keeping her out of the modelling world for as long as he could. It had destroyed his wife and he was damned if he would let it do the same to his daughter.
    He ran on through the swathes of schoolchildren, who didn’t trouble to stand back and let him through. So much for respect! He almost bumped into an older woman helping a little boy out of a turquoise Discovery. Nick’s artistic eye caught the child’s dark auburn curls. Nice-looking kid. ‘Julie!’
    To his relief, she turned round. For a minute, she looked at him as she might at a stranger, then recognition flashed into her eyes. ‘Dad! What’s up?’
    He held out the purse, and took a good look at the boy next to her.
    ‘Thanks, Dad. This is Jason.’
    Nick almost held out his hand. ‘Hi, Jason, nice to meet you.’
    Jason gave what passed for a nod. What the hell does she see in this oik? wondered Nick. Moody face, greasy (waxed?) lock of hair across forehead and thin lips. He only hoped he didn’t drive. That really spooked him: the realisation that if he didn’t ensure Julie learned to drive safely, she would soon reach an age where other kids of her age would be driving her .
    ‘See you tonight,’ he said, feeling suddenly awkward.
    ‘Sure.’ Julie looked as embarrassed as he felt. Still, what kid wouldn’t when a parent meets a boyfriend for the first time? He’d felt like Jason when he’d met Juliana’s dad.
    ‘Don’t you think you’re a bit old for her?’
    ‘Some people might think so, sir, but I love her and I’m old enough to look after her properly in the way some wouldn’t.’
    Nick’s honesty had won over the old man but the conversation still rang in his head. I’m old enough to look after her properly . It was exactly what he hadn’t done, and now Juliana was dead.
    He began to walk back briskly towards the car (walking helped when he had terrible thoughts like this) and the older woman he’d seen earlier – maybe a granny? – approached him, holding the auburn-haired child’s hand.
    ‘Excuse me, do you know who this little boy belongs to?’
    He wondered if he’d heard her correctly. Hadn’t he just seen her opening the Discovery parked down the road and helping him out? ‘Er, no.’ He looked down at the child. He wasn’t mistaken.
    That hair was unforgettable. ‘Is he lost?’
    The woman nodded. She was short and plump with heavy lines creased into her forehead. Her lipstick was smudged and her rather old-fashioned, pale pink checked coat had milky-looking stains down the front. If she hadn’t been part of the school run remnant, Nick might have mistaken her for a bag lady.
    Nick got down on his knees so he was the same height as the little boy. ‘Do you know where Mummy is?’ he asked.
    The little boy shook his head solemnly.
    Nick tried again. ‘What’s your name?’
    Suddenly, without warning, the child burst into noisy tears, which made everyone walking by stare at them. Hell! thought Nick. Any minute now I’ll be accused of molesting a child.
    ‘Where did you find him?’ He stood up. The woman in the pink coat had disappeared. Shit. Now what was he going to do?
    ‘Jack! Jack! ’ A young woman tore up to them and flung her arms round the child. One look at the little boy told Nick, to his relief, that this was indeed his mother. ‘What the fuck are you doing with him?’ she said, raising her tear-stained face.
    ‘Nothing. I was trying to find out who he belonged to,’ said Nick. ‘Some woman – oldish – had him. She said he