The Teacher's Secret Read Online Free PDF Page A

Her voice is severe.
    Nina tries not to laugh. ‘What are you then?’
    ‘I’m an Emily Foreman,’ she says.
    Nina murmurs in agreement. ‘Yes,’ she says, ‘that’s exactly what you are: you’re an Emily Foreman.’
    One foot balanced on the other, the little girl looks pleased. Quickly, Nina checks the clock on the wall. It’s almost seven: time to get a move on.

    Today they are out of the house just after eight, which isn’t bad. Quietly, carefully, Nina closes the front door so as not to wake Steve. Emily, too, knows to be quiet in the mornings. Because Daddy is sleeping , she tells Nina on the way to the car, her voice a whisper-hiss.
    Nina fumbles in her bag for the car keys. ‘Because Daddy worked late last night, didn’t he?’
    Emily nods, her eyes wide. Daddy’s work is important. Already she knows this.
    It’s Tuesday; Tuesdays and Wednesdays aren’t childcare days; they’re Poppy days. Today when they arrive at Poppy’s house, the front door is closed. Nina gives only a cursory knock before she turns the handle and walks in.
    ‘Hi, Colin!’ she calls out to her father-in-law.
    ‘That must be my two favourite girls!’ he calls back.
    Nina smiles to see him.
    ‘What about Auntie Jen?’ Emily pipes up. ‘Is she your favourite girl too?’
    Colin tugs at his ear, which has tufts of grey hair growing out of it. This fascinates Emily. It fascinates Nina, too, who often catches herself staring. ‘You’re right,’ he says now. ‘Auntie Jen is my favourite girl too. You’re all my favourite girls.’
    From Colin’s place, it’s only a short drive to Stenton Public School. This is Nina’s third year there as the learning and support teacher. It’s a good job—especially because it’s part-time—and although she misses the bustle of the classroom, she loves the one-on-one teaching. She even wonders if she’d be able to cope with a whole classful of kids again. Not to mention how she’d ever manage a return to full-time work.
    As she nears the school, she scours the street for a park. There isn’t any staff parking at the school so it’s simply a matter of finding a spot wherever she can. Today she’s lucky and gets one right outside the gate. She takes it as a sign that the day will be a good one.
    In her boot is a plastic crate full of books and a carton of milk.Leaning over, she swings her handbag over her shoulder, lifts out the crate and carries it over to her classroom. Well, classroom is something of an overstatement. In reality, it’s an old storage area. There aren’t enough classrooms to go around, and because Nina isn’t on class and works part-time, she got what was left over.
    She doesn’t mind. In fact, she’s grown to love it. And even though it’s small and narrow, a wall of windows keeps the room bright and sunny.
    From two of the windows, she has hung tear-shaped crystals that throw strips of rainbow across the room and onto the walls. She is especially pleased with the walls: pleased she painted them light blue and white, like a piece of sky drifting in through the windows.
    The only table in the room is covered in a tablecloth to hide the fact that it’s actually just two old school desks pushed together. In the corner of the room is an old filing cabinet covered with a silver-blue scarf. On top of it is an electric jug, a tin of chocolate powder and a packet of marshmallows. She adds the carton of milk. If Nina has a drawcard, this is it: when they are working with her, the kids can have a hot chocolate with a marshmallow.
    She turns the kettle on, but before it’s boiled there’s a knock on the door. ‘Come in,’ she calls out, but no one does. So she walks over and opens the door herself.
    In front of her is a student she doesn’t recognise; the new girl, she presumes. ‘Paige?’ she asks.
    The girl nods. She doesn’t return Nina’s smile but she does look her in the eye. This, in itself, is unusual. On a first meeting, the new kids tend to just