Under My Skin

Part Two

Part Two

The next day Isobel’s anger still knew no boundaries, but after a hectic day and when she didn’t see her arch rival at the school pick up, she was calmer, and it wasn’t until she walked away from school listening to Taylor’s incessant chatter that she truly wondered whether not seeing him was a good or a bad thing.

The following day, Friday, she had a late afternoon meeting with her accountant, and heavy traffic and a queue at the petrol station when the orange warning light illuminated her dash board, all conspired to mean that she picked Taylor up from Ginny, the childminder’s house well after five. Far later than normal.

“Sorry I’m late,” she offered her daughter when they started the walk home. “Can I make it up to you? Shall we go to the pub for tea?”

Taylor shook her head, then looked up to her mother will a devilish smile, “no - a pizza!”

Isobel groaned, the local pizza chain restaurant was always rammed to the rafters at this time, but on a Friday it was doubly busy, it wasn’t as if the food there was anywhere near as good as it should be. But Friday was historically their treat night, so they took a left on the High Street and walked away from the town until they came to the prefabricated box that served as a pizza place.

                “Sorry we’re full, the next table is probably going to be in an hour,” a spotty teenager announced as they entered the building.

Isobel groaned, “nothing sooner?”

The boy shook his head, “there’s a party due in soon too!”

She squatted down beside Taylor, “We’ll have to go somewhere else darling! Shall we get something to take home? A Chinese or something?”

                “I want a pizza mum!” her eyes welled up and Isobel sensed a scene approaching.

                “We’ll come back tomorrow.”

                “You promised!” her voice was getting louder so Isobel squatted down next to her.

                “Come on chicky, I know I promised, but we can’t tonight. Let’s do something else…”

As she tried to talk her daughter round she heard a voice in the distance, “Ms Mullins? Ms Mullins?”

She looked up in the direction of the balcony that flanked the room. To her horror, she felt her heart sink; waving to her from a booth in the corner was Marc Banfield.

Then he was standing up and heading over. By this point Taylor had spotted the man, but more importantly the boy sat at his table.

                “Mum it’s Lucas, he’s new in my class, can we go and sit by him please?”

                “What a good idea!” Marc announced as he approached, “there’s plenty of room!”  He turned to the waiter, “Is that ok?”

                “No, thanks Mr Banfield, we really need to get going, but thanks anyway.”

Taylor was defiantly rooted to the spot and infuriatingly Marc started to smile, which drove her nuts. Especially when he smiled knowingly, “we may have got off to a bad start, but does it hurt to sit and share one meal? My kids are new to the area; it’s good for them to meet others.”

                “Please mum? I REALLY want pizza!” Taylor held her hands together in a praying position and gave her the best doe-eyed expression.