Chapter Text
“Twenty minutes!” Louis yelled from the kitchen as the kettle whistled as he removed the eggs from the tray and then put the sausage links in the already hot pan. They sizzled as Louis grabbed the kettle, adding the hot water to the French press as his coffee grounds turned into the liquid he needed to drink in order to survive. He heard commotion going on in the bedroom, while the rest of the breakfast cooked, Louis slipped the peanut butter sandwich into the ziplock bag and placed it into the Tardis lunch pail. “Breakfast will be ready in ten!” his voice echoed in semi bare flat that they had moved into just two and a half weeks ago. Grabbing a napkin he found his pen and wrote a note in it before putting it in her lunch pail, closing it up and setting it next to her rucksack that was all packed and ready for school.
Turning he flipped the sausage over in the pan as he kept the eggs warm on the plate for Maggie. Taking a sip of his coffee that was in his cup he walked over to the fridge, he grabbed the chocolate milk out and poured a glass, setting it on the table for her. Listening he heard her talking to herself from her bedroom. Louis bare feet moved across the hardwood floors in the kitchen, he turned off the stovetop and placed the sausage on the plate with eggs. Louis body was screaming from lack of sleep but he was going to have to suck it up and nap before he went in for a mid shift shift at the A&E. Running his hands through his dirty brown hair he smiled as his daughter walked out out her bedroom. 90% ready for her first day of school.
“Sit, eat and then we shall walk to school,” he explained to his daughter as she pulled back the wood chair and sat down. “How do we want our hair today?” he asked her as Maggie took her fork and began to eat her eggs. She shrugged her shoulders. “Are we being quite today?”
Maggie turned her head, her blue eye locked with her father’s and smiled at him, her lips reaching from ear to ear. Scrunching up his face Louis shook his head, bending over he kissed his daughter at the top of the head before he went to grab the hair basket and had to attempt to tame the wild medusa curls that laid on top of his daughter’s head. It was moments like this Louis wished Carly was here and she could use her magic touch to tame these curls.
“Do I have to go today?” Maggie asked sheepishly cutting into the sausage link and taking a bite. “I can wait.”
Setting the basket on the table Louis took a seat next to her, “I know we have moved around a lot the past few years,” he said as he placed his hands on hers, “but I promise you that this is the last move until we both want or need to. You are going to love your new school, you will have James to keep you company.”
Maggie sighed, “Okay.”
Leaning over he kissed her on the head before pushing himself up off the chair and went back to fixing her hair. Grabbing the wide tooth comb he slowly brushed her hair out, pulling it back from her face he pulled it up into a ponytail. “How is breakfast?”
“Brilliant,” she sang out popping another slice of sausage into her mouth before finishing off her chocolate milk. “Can Aunt Charlie help paint my room this week?” Maggie asked her father as Louis arched his brow as he waited to listen to what his daughter had prepared for as her defense on why she wanted to paint her room. “She is good at art, and she had an amazing idea for the color as well as how to set up my room. It’s my first real room I’ve had and I wanted to put on pictures of me and mum, and make it my own.”
Louis thought, he knew that she was correct, he had dragged his daughter all over the world for the past year and a half living in terrible flats, or hotel rooms and sometimes sharing rooms with other Doctors and their families. “What color.”
With that simple question Maggie’s entire face lit up, she spun around in her chair, standing on her knees she looked at her father, “can it be grey?”
“Yes,” he told her as she jumped up to her feet and wrapped her arms around her father's neck which she could reach by standing on the chair. “Okay, we can look at paint colors tomorrow and I will talk to Aunt Charlie about this.”
“Deal,” Maggie said sticking out her hand and shaking it with Louis.
“If you are done, dish in sink, gather your things, I need to get my trainers on,” Louis told Maggie as she sat back down and quickly finished up her breakfast as Louis grabbed his worn out blue Nike trainers from the front door and the socks that were inside of them. Bending down he heard his back crack before standing up he walked over to the couch to get his shoes on. He felt ancient any time he bend over and his back would spasm, or if he was running and his knee would give our from the years of playing footie in College and Uni. He dismissed feeling old, he was grateful that his hair was still full and brunette and not greying like some other mates of his have gone.
He took a seat on the couch and began to slip on his trainers as Maggie finished up her breakfast, sliding out of her seat she grabbed her plate and made her way over to the sink. Using her step stool she rinsed off her plate, and made sure that the sink was clean before she set it for her father to wash it all off and put it in the dishwasher. Jumping off the stool she skipped her way over to her shoes that were by the door. Her hands hovered over her black vans that she wanted to wear, turning her head and looked over at her father and he just shook his head, “school dress code says flats Maggs. I’m sorry,” he told her as her shoulders dropped and she bent down, grabbed her flats and took a seat on the ground to slide them onto her feet.
“I feel like I should be going to Hogwarts Dad, not school,” she explained sticking her feet out in front of her she moved them back and forth tapping them together. “I would be in Gryffindor.” She said and then looked over at Louis who was still sitting on the couch. He winced as his back cracked one more as he saw the wheels turning in her head. “You would be Ravenclaw,” she told him plainly. “So would Mum.”
Louis smiled, as he looked at his daughter and saw so much of Carly in her, from her eyes, to her heart for all people around her. “You are right about mum, she would be Ravenclaw. Head girl none the less,” he added pushing himself up from his couch. “Me, I would be Hufflepuff,” he said as Maggie scrunched her face up and shook her head disagreeing with his choice. “Gryffindor then?” He asked raising a brow to her.
Maggie noded her head, “that works. I think the sorting hat would ask you and you would choose to be in Gryffindor with Uncle Niall.”
Louis laughed, he knew that Niall would be in Hufflepuff but he wasn’t going to go against what his daughter had put so much thought into this. “Well,” Louis said standing up next to his daughter and holding out his hand to help her get up, “my fellow Gryffindor, why don’t we get our shirt tucked in, jumper all set and head to school? We can meet the headmaster and then your teacher.”
“Okay,” She said standing up, her hands quickly tucking in her white button up shirt into her grey pleated skirt. Pulling her jumper down she looked up at her father who handed her, her jean jacket to wear on the walk to school. While Louis slipped on his jacket Maggie shrugged on her rucksack and grabbed her lunchpail as her and her father headed out of their flat. Walking down the worn white wooden steps that had a faded paisley carpet on them they walked through the front door and turned right. The walk to school was less than ten minutes, and on the first day it was nice to get the jitters out. For both Louis and Magdalena.
It was a lovely Tuesday in London. No matter where Louis lived there was something so beautiful about autumn. Ever since he was a child he loved the slight chill in the air, the smell, the colors, the food. As soon as they stepped outside he took a deep breath in, letting the air fill his lungs as they headed down the street. The sun was hiding behind the clouds in the sky. “When you get off today,” Louis told Maggie as she walked in step with Louis, “I have to work till bedtime so Aunt Charlie will pick you up from school, help with any classwork and make sure that you get ready for bed,” he explained to his daughter as they walked, her eyes on her shoes as they clicked on the pavement. “When I get home I will come in and kiss you goodnight.”
“Promise?” She asked looking up at her father as they stopped at a crosswalk.
Looking down Louis smiled, tapping his daughter's nose, “Promise.”
With only two more blocks to walk Maggie grew quiet. She reached up and grabbed her dad’s hand. Louis looked both ways before he and Maggie ran across the street. Both stood frozen in front of the large brick building. Louis hadn’t been in school for many years, and Maggie had never seen a formal educational building in her life. Both felt the weight of the unknown on their chest as they couldn’t move, as if the concrete around their feet had turned into liquid and swallowed their shoes. Freezing them there for the rest of eternity.
Kids began to make their way through the gate, into the courtyard and up the steps into the building. Parents stood outside and mingled for a bit, catching up on the latest school gossip, what teacher was sleeping with what teacher, what teacher was sleeping with what teacher, the affairs with the nannies, the divorces, those who had been recently found redundant. It was like watching a copy of People Magazine come to life for the common folk of the world. A few teachers helped father the basket balls and made sure all the students got inside as the first warning bell rang.
“Is it okay to be scared?” asked Maggie as she broke the silence between her and her father.
Letting go of her hand, Louis knelt down and looked at his daughter in the eyes. Her blue eyes bright like her mother’s. “Yes, but don’t let being scared stop you. You have done so many things that so people will never be able to do in their life. Going to school will be easy,” his voice cracked as a wave of emotions came over his mind, clearing his throat Louis cupped his daughter's face, his eyes getting foggy from tears. “Clara was scared but out of that came her bravery that you love so much.”
Wrapping her arms around her father’s neck she gave it a squeeze. Louis arms wrapped around her body, she was tall for an eight year old but thin like her mother. Sadly she ended up with the bubble butt that had been so blessed with from his mother. “Ready to go in?” Leaning backward he examined his daughter’s face, she wasn’t sure but she nodded her head. Standing up Louis held out his hand, his daughter grabbed it and they walked in together. Scared but brave all at the same time.
Making their way up the steps, Louis held the grand white door open for his daughter. Walking into the tiled floor they took a sharp right and walked into the Head Master’s office. The secretary who sat at the desk looked up and smiled, her blonde hair was pulled back into a bun, that offset her fitted black dresses and heels, “how can I help you?”
“My name is Louis Tomlinson, and this is my daughter Magdalena Ryan Tomlinson and she is here for her first day,” Louis told her as her brown eyes grew wide. Pushing her desk chair on wheels back she stood up and motioned for them to follow her. Louis lead the way as Maggie looked around the office at the few other men and woman behind desks. The secretary knocked once on the glass door before she opened it up.
“Headmaster Bryant, this is Mr. Tomlinson and Magdalena.”
The Headmaster stood up from her desk, her white hair pulled back into a french twist. She wore a simple charcoal grey suit. She wore a black button up shirt under it with a simple silver necklace. “It’s fantastic to finally meet you both,” she said shaking Louis hand and then bending down to shake Maggie’s. “Have a seat,” she told them as they both sat down and she took a seat behind her oak desk. “We have set you in the classroom with one of our teachers who has been here since he graduated, Mr. Styles.”
Louis nodded as she spoke to him.
“I know that we have emailed back and forth, and I have laid out the details and the expectations of our school. We are thrilled to have Magdalena join us, and I’m sure that she will blossom and grow with the student body.”
Louis bit the bottom of his lip as he listened to Headmaster Bryant speak, “I had been under the impression that she would be in Mrs. Wyatt’s class with James Horan,” Louis said as he adjusted in the chair and looked at his daughter’s face dropped and turned white in fear.
“Her class is full unfortunately,” explained Headmaster Bryant said sympathetically as she leaned forward at her desk. “I promise you Mr. Tomlinson that your daughter will enjoy Mr. Style’s class and if there is an qualms then we will make some changes and we can move her.”
Maggie turned to her father, she was biting her bottom lip but nodded. “Okay,” Louis said a bit fearful himself in this situation.
“When you are ready we can walk to your class Magdalena,” Headmaster Bryant said standing up from her desk and walking around it she made her way out of her office to check on a few things before they walked to class. Louis turned to his daughter, smiling he took her hand and gave it a squeeze, “have the bravery of Clara, the curiosity of Rose, the intelligence of Martha, the sass of Donna and the imagination of Amy,” Louis said to Maggie before he kissed her nose. Taking his hand he signed ‘I love you’ to her.
Maggie stood up, took her father's hand and walked out of the office. She signed back ‘I love you’ to him before letting go of his hand and walking with Headmaster Bryant to her classroom. Louis stood in the office and watched her walk through the glass door. Her outline passed the glass wall and she was gone.
Maggie’s shoes clicked on the tile as they walked down the long hallway. The kids were all hanging up their jackets and things up outside of their rooms while other ran past to make it in time. Turning a corner and up the steps Maggie felt her chest getting tight as they drew closer to her classroom.
“You excited for today Miss Magdalena?” Headmaster Bryant asked as they rounded one more corner and Maggie saw her friend and she felt a bit less anxious about her first day at this big building with so many kids her age, some older and some younger. It was daunting and she wanted to be brave for her father, for her mum and for herself but she was scared deep down.
“Yes,” she said politely as they drew closer to James and who Maggie suspected was her teacher.
“Make sure everyone is nice to her,” James said his blonde hair arie on his head. His white shirt sticking out from under his jumper. “Maggie!” He said turning around and embracing his best friend. “Mr. Harry this is Maggie,” He said as he pointed to Maggie who gave a shy wave to her teacher who didn’t look like how she pictured a teacher to look, “she is my best friend, so please be nice to her so she stays here forever in London.”
Harry smiled, kneeling down he extended his hand towards James and shook his, “I shall do my best James.”
“Class Mr. Horan,” Headmaster Bryant said as James gave one finally wave to Maggie and ran into his classroom before the final bell.
Before Headmaster Bryant could even introduce Harry he extended his hand to Maggie. “Hello Maggie, I'm Mr. Harry your teacher.”
Maggie extended her hand and shook Harry’s. “Hello,” she said not sure if she should call him Mr. Styles or Mr. Harry.
“Why don’t we head into class, you can get your seat and meet the rest of the class?” Harry said as Maggie nodded. She slowly followed Harry into his classroom. Since she had never been in an ‘official’ classroom she wasn’t sure what the standards were on what they should look like. Her mouth dropped a bit as she looked around. There was a row of windows that looked out onto the playground. On the back wall were cubbies for the students rucksacks and lunch pails. On the left hand side of the room was some cabinets, a table where there were coloring supplies. The desks were lined up in rows of five that went across the the center of the room. Harry’s desk was in the right hand corner where the whiteboard was. “Class,” Harry said standing there with Maggie. “This is our new student, Magdalena. She comes from us from spending time in South America, as well as in America,” Harry placed his hand on the middle of her back between her shoulders. “I would like you all to welcome her into our classroom, and make her feel comfortable here.
All the students began to say ‘hi’ all at once to Maggie. Her face turned bright red as he waved to the class. Harry gestured over to the desk that was in front of his desk that had a hand made name tag, just like all the other desks had.
“If you would like, you can go and hang up your jacket and lunchbox in your cubbie.”
Maggie nodded, taking a deep breath she made her way down a row of desks she. Finding the cubbie with her name on it, she slipped off her rucksack, setting it down by her feet she shrugged off her jacket, hanging it on the hook she slid her Tardis lunch pail under. She grabbed her rucksack by the top handle and made her way back to her desk. She let her rucksack sit on the side of her desk as she took a seat and Harry walked over to the whiteboard.
“Okay, class, while I talk to Magdalena for a few moments why don’t we all finish up reading the chapter in Matilda ,” Harry told the class as he wrote the pages number on the whiteboard along with a few questions. While Harry did that the kids in her class took out their books and began to read. Once Harry finished, he set the marker down and walked over to Maggie’s desk. Kneeling down he reached over to his desk and grabbed the spare book of Matilda he had grabbed from his house before he left this morning along with the few papers he had for her to look at and fill out. “So, I have some papers that everyone had when the school year began,” he said as he handed them to Maggie. “You don’t need to do this now, nor before the day is done but if you would be able to take them home and review them with your mum and dad and fill them out and bring them back?”
Maggie nodded as she looked at the papers.
“I also have these,” Harry said as he handed her several papers that were stapled together, “these are for your parents to read, it’s just about the class and the outline for the school year and stuff parents like to know,” he explained to her as she nodded again, her eyes locked on the papers. “I also have my email on there if there are any questions and your parents would like to contact me.”
She nodded again as a few student’s eyes looked up from their books and were on her.
“Eyes on the pages Macy,” Harry said as the heads went back to their books. He turned his attention to Maggie. “We are currently reading Matilda -”
“My dad read that to me last years. I can catch up later if you would like me to?”
Harry raised a brow. “Will you be okay jumping in at the end?”
“The end is the best part,” Maggie told him as her eyes looked at the book. “We read the book on my dad’s iPad or I would have brought it. I’m sorry.”
Harry handed the book over to her, “well as a welcome back to London, the book is yours.”
Maggie’s eyes grew wide as she looked at Harry as if he was lying to her. “Thank you so much Mr. Styles,” she told him, her hands reaching for the book and she looked down at the cover. “Thank you so so much.”
Harry couldn’t help but smile at the genuine gratitude coming from Magdalena. He opened up the book and showed her the chapter the class was on. Maggie nodded to him as he made his way over to his desk he watched to make sure the kids were reading and not goofing off. His eyes watched Barrett as he looked as if he was up to something but he held his lip. His eyes moved over to Maggie who was sitting there, he feet on the bar under her hair and her lips moved as she read the words on the pages. Like she said she jumped right into the novel and read with vigor and excitement as if it was her first time reading it.
When Harry found out he was getting a new student he did his best to try and learn about them, but there wasn't much about Magdalena or her father and mother….. If she had one, well she had one but if she was just out of the picture, or if Louis had adopted Maggie on his own accord. He also wasn't sure how far her education was, while Headmaster Bryant assured him that she was on the same level as the other kids Harry felt that she could be pushed up to the next grade. But he now wanted to wait and see, while Magdalena was articulate with him, he wasn’t sure how she would be with kids her own age. His eyes watched as the students began to set their books down as they had finished the chapter.
“Alright, now who would like to start?” he asked as the kids looked back at him as he stood up from his desk, walking to the front he leaned on it as his eyes narrowed to his class. “I will voluntell someone if no one raises their hand,” he warned them as he gave it three more seconds before he choose a students.
- ••
Louis’s eyes focused on a stain on the table, it looked a bit like Winston Churchill. Using his finger tip he drew around the stain, he had tried to clean it off with water but it was there forever. Closing his eyes he ran his hands over his eyes and through his hair. All day his mind had been half on his daughter and if she was doing alright. He almost gave a flu shot to a man who needed his blood drawn. He had half expected to get a call from the school saying that Maggie had gotten sick and he needed to come and get her. He didn’t want that, but he had to mentally prepare himself incase that did happen. It was a big step to just throw his daughter to the wolves. He had been questioning all day if he had made the right choice and having her go to school instead of homeschooling her, with all the free time he didn’t have with work and trying himself to get settled in normal society and life.
“She is fine,” came a familiar voice as Niall walked in, he carried a tray from the Hospital Cafeteria and sat across from Louis. “She has live in Peru, New York, that place in France for 3 weeks, Belize and now back here,” he reminded his friend as Louis extended his middle finger and smiled annoyed at Niall.
Gasping Niall placed his hand over his chest acting offended by Louis actions. “Plus she is with James.”
Making a face Louis shook his head popping a crisp into his mouth. He hadn’t seen Niall when he had gotten in nor did he text him with the information of what had transpired that morning at the Headmaster's office. “Actually, she was placed in a Mr. Styles classroom. Apparently James teacher had a full class.”
Niall’s face fell as he felt terrible now for poking fun at Louis. “Mate, I’m sorry. I thought that Maggie would be with James and that would ease her fear and transition back to normal life.”
“It’s not your fault Niall,” Louis reminded him. “It’s just past two so I’m sure that she will make it through the day and when I get home she will tell me about it. It’s just odd. After Carly passed it’s been me and Maggs. I want her to be,” he held his hands up and used air quotes as he spoke, “Normal,” Niall scoffed and knew that was never going to happen with Louis as her father. “But I don’t want her to feel isolated from the other kids. She has been around kids her age but in situations and conditions that not many kids have experienced in their life.”
Niall nodded his head, taking a bite of his burger, not wanting it to get cold and go to waste. “She is a strong young woman, and while it might be an adjustment for her now she will blossom, make friends, probably be the brightest girl in the whole damn school.” Louis laughed, Niall was right. “Plus we are still on for the zoo correct? Areyna is very excited that you have moved back and I’m shocked she has thrown an bang up party to let everyone know that Louis Tomlinson is back in London.”
Louis laughed, shaking his head he rubbed the palms of his hands over his closed eyelids. He felt the after lunch crash coming. He still have four and a half more hours. “If she is planning one, please tell her no. I love her dearly but I don’t want or need that.”
“Noted, but know that she is a strong willed American who might just tell me to fuck off and do what she wants,” laughed Niall.
“I’m fooked then,” Louis chuckled popping another crisp into his mouth. “So does Areyna have a schedule for the Zoo all planned out?”
Niall cocked his head and laughed, it was a forced fake laugh and Louis knew that he had asked the wrong question. Pulling his mobile from his pocket, he quickly unlocked it and slid it over to Louis. “Read.”
“I’m so glad to be back,” he laughed grabbing Niall’s phone and reading the itinerary for Saturday.
- ••
Their was quiet in the classroom. Harry had his Spotify playlist playing quietly as he graded some papers that he needed to hand back by friday, as well as he finalized the plans for the field trip to go and see the musical Matilda with the class. All he needed now was for parents to actually volunteer to help without him begging or having Headmaster Bryant get involved. His red pen went over a few misspelled words on one student’s paper. It never ceases to amaze him that some students never listened when it came to trying to correct their mistakes that they made over and over with writing papers.
“You coming to lunch Harry?” Liam asked as he knocked on open classroom door. Harry lifted his head and shook his head at his mate and flatmate. He had been thrown off when Liam wore trousers to work today but a student teacher began with him today and he wanted to be well dressed for them. Harry felt that the only reason Liam took the PE teaching job was so that he could wear track pants. He had majored in maths and sports medicine. But he was happy, he loved what he did so he wasn’t going to question him. “Earth to H. Styles!?” Liam said as he waved his hand as Harry came to it.
“No,” he said to him. “I’m going to eat here and get some work done.”
“Suit yourself. You are going to miss the lovely drama between Priscilla and Chad?”
“I think I shall pass,” Harry admitted to him as his eyes locked on the paper. As much as he would love to hear about how Chad slept with someone else and then have Chad tell them that she never wanted to have sex so that is why he did it. “Liam I know you love that gossip but I rather pass this time.”
“I will give you the cliffnotes version at home tonight,” he laughed, walking away he stopped and stuck his head back into Harry’s classroom. “Oh, I’m going to get dinner and drinks with Johanna after work with some of her coworkers. I shouldn’t be late. Do you want me to pick up anything from Tesco on my way home.”
“Milk, I will probably use the last of it when I make dinner tonight,” Harry told him. “Tell Jojo I said hello.”
Liam winked and made a clicking sound with his mouth as he pointed to Harry and headed on his way to lunch. Finishing up that one paper he had four more to go in the stack and then it was on to grade the maths papers. He heard the bell faintly ring from the outside as the sound of the kids playing quieted as they all headed in and made their way to lunch. “Eat something,” Harry told himself, setting his pen down. He pulled out a banana from his bag, pealing it he took a bite as he saw Maggie standing outside his classroom by the door to come in. Her face was serious as if she was having an internal debate about something. He let her be, taking another bite before he heard the door open and she walked in, her shoes click muffled by the carpet in his room. “Can I help you Ms. Tomlinson?”
“Um, can I eat lunch in here? The tall teacher with grey hair said I had to sit with my class and James got in trouble for trying to sit with me.”
Harry’s blood boiled as he knew what teacher Magdalena was speaking of. “Sure,” Harry said knowing that he shouldn’t but the look of fear in her eyes he knew he couldn’t send her back out there. The last thing he wanted was for her to not return tomorrow for fear.
“I promise to be quiet so you can work,” she told him as she sat back down at her desk, setting her Tardis lunch pail on top. Without saying another work she opened up her lunch, pulling out her sandwich, crisps, sliced apples, homemade brownie and her water. Harry looked up as Maggie did as she said she would do, she sat there and ate her lunch, her foot tapping the air to the rhythm of the music that was playing. Looking back down he went to work on grading another paper. While his eyes read the words, and his hand moved across as the red pen hovered over the paper he wanted to talk with Magdalena. She was an interesting human, and even more so that she was unlike any other student Harry had ever had in his years of teaching.
But keeping his focus on his work Harry was able to breeze through the last few papers and finish his banana. “I’m going to run to the loo, I will be right back,” he said pushing his chair away from his desk, standing up and heading out of the classroom. He made his way down to the bathroom, all the kids that were in his wing of the school were at lunch so it was silent. His mind turned about Maggie, he wanted to go and talk with Liam but he knew once he stepped into the teacher's lounge then he would be pulled into the drama that was no doubt taking place, for if it was a dull lunch hour Liam would have come to bother him in his room.
She is a normal student drop it Harry. He told himself as he finally relieved his bladder. She has been well educated by her father or maybe another teacher and that is a good thing. She is just shy and new and that is all. You don’t need to get involved and overstep your bounds. We know that only leads to trouble with both parties . He washed his hands and made his way back to his classroom when he walked in there was a half of a sandwich and brownie on his desk.
“You only had a banana, and my dad made me a massive breakfast today so I’m not all that hungry,” Maggie told him as she looked up from her book. “I just didn’t want you to go hungry since you are having lunch in your room.”
Harry couldn’t help but smile at the kindness of her heart. “Thank you Magdalena.”
“Maggie,” she said. “Everyone calls me Maggie, unless I’m in trouble then my dad uses my full name.”
Laughing, he took a seat and took a bite of the brownie. “Noted, Maggie.”
Maggie’s lips spread across her face reaching from ear to ear before putting her nose back down into her book.
“What are you reading?”
Maggie held up the book as she finished the sentence on the page she was reading. It was the fourth book in the Series of Unfortunate Events . “I read Harry Potter in the summer with my dad and he said I have to wait a few years till I can read the Hunger Games ,” she explained putting her bookmark back in it’s place. “Sometimes we didn’t have internet where we lived so I read a lot, or my dad would get books on audio for me to listen to,” she explained to Harry as she packed up her lunch and cleaned up her desk. “Do you like to read Mr. Harry?”
“I do,” he admitted to her tearing off a piece of the peanut butter sandwich. “Where all have you lived?”
“ I was born in London and we lived here for a while and then we went to New York for a few weeks and then to Auvergne, and from there we lived seven months in Peru and then eight months in Belize. But we traveled a lot in America when my dad had time off from work.”
“You have been all over the place,” Harry said a bit shocked that someone at the age of Eight had not only lived more place than he had, but had traveled more than he had. “What was your favorite place?”
“I like when we spent a week in Denver, we got to ski and see the town and it was nice that my dad didn’t have to work and we got to spend Christmas where there was snow,” she told him excited. “My dad ended up breaking his toe tripping on a ski in the flat we were renting and he had to just watch me for he wasn’t allowed to ski until it healed up.”
Harry tried not to laugh but Maggie seemed to find it funny till this day about her father’s injury. “What does your dad do that caused you both to travel so much?” Harry asked her pushing the maths papers to be graded to the side. He wanted to understand Maggie better and if this was the only time she opened up when people weren’t around he was going to learn all he could before that bell rang.
“Doctors without borders,” she told him casually as she got out of her seat to throw away the rest of her trash. “But he said that we are here to stay until I got to Uni,” she explained walking back and taking her lunch pail and walking it back to her cubbie. “Have you always lived here?”
“Yes,” Harry said. “Well not in London, I moved to London when I went to Uni and I stayed.”
“You never traveled?”
Harry shook his head, “I went with some friends to Greece for a few weeks in the summer but I have never been to America.”
Maggie’s eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped, “you need to Mr. Harry. You would like New York, people were those pointy boot there so you would fit right in.”
“That is good to know,” he laughed looking down at his pointy boots. Kids were observant to say the least. Maggie went back to reading her book, her mouth moving as she read the words in her head and her eyes moved over the words and the pages turned one right after the other. Harry turned the music down so she would be able to concentrate as he finished off the sandwich. While he wasn’t use to eating lunch while at work, he was the teacher who would try and stay ahead of grading while on lunch, it was nice to take a few moments and actually enjoy his lunch like a sane person. “Thank you for sharing your lunch with me Maggie,” he said to her as he saw that she was at a stopping point in her book.
“Any time,” she said putting her book back into her rucksack that hung on the back of her chair. “Can I go use the toilet before the bell rings?”
Harry nodded and she headed out of the classroom. He tossed the napkin that the food sat on, but before he did he saw there was writing on the side of it. It read
You are as brave as Clara and I love you my Maggs. XO Dad .
“Harry,” a voice said as Harry looked up and saw the older teacher with grey hair who Maggie had been talking about. Tabitha Flinch. “One of your students was missing from lunch, I think you might want to address that. James Horan tried to sit with her and he had his lunch with the headmaster and then your student ran off.
Fighting back the urge to roll his eyes Harry cleared his throat, “I know, Maggie came and ate with me, she had a few things I wanted her to get caught up on in class so she wasn’t to far behind and felt as if it was to much for her handle,” he lied for he knew Tabitha would go and tell the Headmaster he was breaking the rule about students eating with teachers in their rooms.
Tabitha narrowed her eyes at Harry and after a few seconds, she turned around and left the room and made her way back to her classroom. Harry was happy that she was gone by the time Maggie walked back into the classroom. As she stepped foot into the classroom the bell rang for lunch to be over and soon the hallway were filled with the students. Before Maggie could say thank you to Harry the room was filled with her classmates.
“Welcome back everyone,” Harry said as the students put their lunch pails in their cubbies and took their seats. “We will start with Maths so when you get settled take out your workbooks and we shall begin.”
- ••
“Okay, so you have the maths worksheet, as well as you need to read the next twelve pages in your book,” Harry told his students as they began to pack up. “Also, I need you to read the chapter in your science books and answer the last three questions.”
The students moaned a bit as Maggie made sure that she grabbed her science books before the bell rang and all the kids ran back to get there rucksacks and jackets. Maggie took her time as she packed up her rucksack. Walking back towards her cubbie she slipped her jacket back on, and gathered up everything.
“Thank you Mr. Harry,” Maggie said to her teacher, walking out of the glassdoor.
“Have a good rest of your day,” Harry told her as he watched as she walked out the door that lead to the playground. He watched as the students walked to their parents and he noticed that Maggie walked over to a brunette who he assumed was her mother. “You did good today Harry,” he said to himself, packing up all his stuff he checked his mobile and saw a few texts from his sister, his mum and Liam who was giving him a play by play of what happened at lunch.
Don’t forget the milk after dinner - Harry
Harry said as he texted Liam before slinging his worn leather bag in his shoulder and leaving his classroom. Grabbing his green jacket as he left. He made sure the light was off as he made his way down the hallway, his boots clicking on the time as he took the steps two at a time. He was ready for a beer, dinner and some Fixer Upper in Netflix.
Pushing the front doors of the school open, jogging down the steps he heard his mobile go off.
“Ello,” he said fumbling for his keys in his bag as he made a left and headed to the carpark where the teachers had assigned spots finally this year. The fall air felt nice for him to breathe in since he had been in his classroom for 99 percent of the day.
“So you do answer your mobile,” Gemma joked as Harry heard his nephew on the other end. “I just wanted to make sure that we are still solid on our plans for this weekend.
Unlocking his car Harry set his bag in the passenger seat before getting in. “Yes, why?” he asked her not sure if she was canceling or just double checking the plans. He never knew with his sister it could go either way at this point.
“Mum said you have been weird and I wanted to make sure that you are okay.”
Harry rolled his eyes, “I'm fine,” he said a bit annoyed through his teeth as he turned his car on.
There was a pause on the phone, “is that a fine where you are actually fine and mum and I are over thinking or is it a fine where you are feeling dead inside with sorrow about love and loss?”
“Fine is that I'm about to hangout this call if you keep at me,” he said as he pulled out of the car park and headed home, unrolling the windows in the front to let the cool air in and turning his music down so he would actually be able to hear his sister as she spoke to him.
“Feisty, okay,” Gemma said. “Well we can meet at WhiteGrass at one. I'll have Asher with, which can I know you won't mind but I wanted let you know.”
“Brilliant,” Harry laughed. “Gem, I'm honestly okay, it's been two years,” he reminded her and himself that it had been two years and for once he was happy with his life and he wasn’t going to let his paranoid mother or sister freak him out. “I am looking forward to Saturday, so can we focus on that?” he asked her.
“Yes,” Gemma told him as he heard some commotion on the other end of the mobile. “Seb is feeding Asher so I have a few moments,” she assured him as he could hear her moving and going to a quieter room. “How was work?”
“Good,” explained Harry, “I got a new student and she is different.”
“Different like thinks aliens are real, wears her pants over her clothes? Thinks the fruit can talk?
Harry laughed, “Jesus no,” he said shaking his head as he turned down his street. “Who the hell do you know thinks that fruit can talk?”
“Not important,” she said cutting her brother off. “So what is up with this new student?”
“So her father, not sure if there is a mother in the picture or not, but he worked for Doctors without borders so she has lived everywhere. I mean everywhere and she is so smart Gem, she jumped right into the school work and she knew the maths that I’ve been teaching and knew it all. Her reading levels are higher than anyone in my class and are about two grade levels above where she should be.”
Gemma cleared her throat, “Is she a mutant? Do you need to contact Charles Xavier?”
“Are you on crack?” Harry laughed shaking his head at his sister as he slowly drove down the street as a few kids ran across the street chasing a football. “No, her father must have also been teaching her while he was being a doctor. It just - I’m so confused.”
“She is just smart,” Gemma explained to her brother as he pulled his car up to his flat. “I need to go and check on dinner for me and Sebastian . I love you and we shall see you Saturday. Just be a great teacher like I know that you are.”
Turning his car off Harry smiled, “thanks Gem. Give Asher a kiss and tell Sebastian I said hello. Thank you for calling to check up on me.”
“Any time baby brother,” Gemma said as she hung up the phone, “go get dinner, grade your papers and be productive.”
“Noted,” he said. Love you Gem.”