The School Gates

by Nicola May

  ‘Well, it is, Mo, and you deserve every happiness. There was also something else I was hoping you might say yes to…’ It was Noah Anderson’s turn to blush.

  ‘I was wondering if you might want to go out to dinner sometime soon – to discuss your new role, of course.’

  ‘That would be lovely,’ she said quietly.

  Then pinched herself – ouch – to check that she was still here and had not died and gone to heaven.

  – Epilogue –

  It was the end of the summer term at Featherstone Primary.

  Gordon and Chris walked hand in hand through the school gates and up the drive. Once the initial shock that they were the twins’ parents had worn off there was no whispering. In fact, they were the life and soul of the school proceedings half the time. Joan’s whim of Mr Chambers fancying her was completely unfounded – for when Will Chambers found out about the gay parents, he was delighted. He had even asked Gordon to let him know if he had any single friends who would suit him, and was of course invited to next year’s civil ceremony.

  Gordon was pleased to hear that Robbie had been struck off from Bebops, although Mr Chambers said he could still work with the older boys at the Youth Centre.

  Emily and Kenneth followed them, also hand in hand. A few sessions at Relate had worked for them. In fact, Kenneth had agreed for his wife to have a tummy tuck for her birthday.

  Dana, her bump now showing, chatted away to Isobel Murray, who was telling her how delighted she was that she had made the decision to join Alana out in Cyprus to be her PA. Tommy was to join her for all of the school holidays so she would see an awful lot more of him than she had thought she would.

  Joan was sweating with nerves as she walked a little bit in front of Mo. She was so glad it wasn’t windy.

  The lottery ticket fell from her hands, and as if in slow motion went through the air like an autumn leaf waiting to be caught.

  The children ran out of their classrooms, screaming and shouting to be free for six weeks of summer holidays.

  Before anyone could see, Joan suddenly swept the ticket up and put it back in her bag.

  Today, Mo felt as if she had won the lottery.

  Unbeknownst to her, Joan Brown actually had!

  – Acknowledgements –

  I wrote the majority of The School Gates whilst recovering from a hysterectomy. I had no choice but to have the operation. I have no children so it wasn’t an easy time.

  My heartfelt thanks go to:

  My selfless sister Sara – who quietly came in every day and did everything for me so I had no worries.

  My beautiful nieces, Georgia and Trinny, for sleeping by my side and making me lots of tea.

  My steadfast brother Mark, for the best home-made mackerel pate ever.

  My funny sister Fiona for cleaning and carrying on demand.

  And, of course, my lovely dad, who supported me throughout, when I couldn’t work.

  Dear Harry, for driving my car every week so the battery didn’t go flat.

  Joan, Emma, Philip, Scott, Jeff, Liane, Jules, Lucy, Charlotte, Kia, Kate, Sophia, Bird, Hannah, Ralph, Jacqui, Marlene and Fiona for being just downright lovely friends really.

  And always in my heart, my baby angels whose little souls will never ever be forgotten.

  Table of Contents

  About the author

  – Autumn Term –

  – Prologue –– Eliska’s Mum –

  – The Brown Brood’s Mum –

  – Rosie’s Mum –

  – Tommy’s Mum –

  – The Twins’ Daddy –

  – Chapter One –

  – Chapter Two –

  – Chapter Three –

  – Chapter Four –

  – Chapter Five –

  – Chapter Six –

  – Chapter Seven –

  – Chapter Eight –

  – Chapter Nine –

  – Chapter Ten –

  – Chapter Eleven –

  – Spring Term –

  – Chapter Twelve –

  – Chapter Thirteen –

  – Chapter Fourteen –

  – Chapter Fifteen –

  – Chapter Sixteen –

  – Chapter Seventeen –

  – Chapter Eighteen –

  – Chapter Nineteen –

  – Chapter Twenty –

  – Chapter Twenty One –

  – Chapter Twenty Two –

  – Summer Term –

  – Chapter Twenty Three –

  – Chapter Twenty Four –

  – Chapter Twenty Five –

  – Chapter Twenty Six –

  – Chapter Twenty Seven –

  – Chapter Twenty Eight –

  – Epilogue –

  Table of Contents

  About the author

  – Autumn Term –

  – Prologue –– Eliska’s Mum –

  – The Brown Brood’s Mum –

  – Rosie’s Mum –

  – Tommy’s Mum –

  – The Twins’ Daddy –

  – Chapter One –

  – Chapter Two –

  – Chapter Three –

  – Chapter Four –

  – Chapter Five –

  – Chapter Six –

  – Chapter Seven –

  – Chapter Eight –

  – Chapter Nine –

  – Chapter Ten –

  – Chapter Eleven –

  – Spring Term –

  – Chapter Twelve –

  – Chapter Thirteen –

  – Chapter Fourteen –

  – Chapter Fifteen –

  – Chapter Sixteen –

  – Chapter Seventeen –

  – Chapter Eighteen –

  – Chapter Nineteen –

  – Chapter Twenty –

  – Chapter Twenty One –

  – Chapter Twenty Two –

  – Summer Term –

  – Chapter Twenty Three –

  – Chapter Twenty Four –

  – Chapter Twenty Five –

  – Chapter Twenty Six –

  – Chapter Twenty Seven –

  – Chapter Twenty Eight –

  – Epilogue –