by Clare Revell
“The Year Eleven drama projects need posting off to the exam board this morning. Is there any chance…?”
Jackie glanced at the clock. “I’ll go now.”
“Thank you. It’s all labelled, just needs handing over. Can you get proof of postage for me?”
Jackie nodded. “Sure.”
Paiton smiled and headed into the corridor, intending to go to her form room.
Fraser blocked her path. “Miss Underwood, can I have a word?”
“Sure. A quick one, as the bell is about to go. I still have a lot of sorting out to do after the play.”
He pushed her back into her room. “This won’t take long.”
Paiton dumped her bag onto her desk. “OK, speak.”
Fraser dropped to one knee and took her hand. “Paiton, I’m not good on saying how I feel, the hash I made of things first thing this morning being a prime example.” He drew in a deep breath. “I don’t have a ring with me right now, or flowers, or anything romantic planned to say, but will you please do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
Paiton looked at him. Stunned wasn’t the word. Actually, she had no words. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
His lips twisted. “Yes, I am.”
There was a knock at the door.
“I’m busy,” Paiton called, not wanting any interruptions.
The door opened and Liam strode across the space to the desk. “Sorry, but everyone in the school can hear you.”
Fraser scrambled to his feet, cheeks red.
Paiton’s cheeks were no doubt a matching shade if the intense burning was anything to go by. “What? How?”
Liam shoved her bag to one side and hit the intercom button, turning it off. “The school wide tannoy system was on. Everyone heard.”
“Oh.” Her hand rose to cover her mouth.
Fraser looked mortified. “I see.”
“Do you want me to take your class in with mine?”
Paiton shook her head. “No.” She had to do this at some point, and it might as well be now. She snatched her bag and hurried from the room. The students in the hallway whispered and giggled as she passed. She ignored them but wanted to flee to home. But that was the coward’s way out, and she wasn’t a coward. She ran into the ladies, locked the door, tugged her phone from her bag, rang Sue, and filled her sister in quickly.
“What did you say?” Sue asked.
“I didn’t. I just ran from the room, totally embarrassed. I mean, talk about a public proposal.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to marry him.”
“Then do it,” her sensible sister said. “Let’s face it. The entire school wants to know now. So give him his answer in assembly or something.”
The bell went. “I have to go, Sue. Class will be waiting for me. See you later.” She ended the call and put the phone away.
As she entered the form room, the kids were silent. Which was unusual. They also stood, unprompted. Also unusual.
Paiton set her bag on her desk. “Sit down.” She called the register and then gave it to Darius to take back to the office. “Just read quietly this morning. I have a cupboard to tidy.”
A quiet buzz filled the room as she moved to the cupboard. Paiton ignored them. Lord, this wasn’t what I wanted. When I asked You last night to show me the way You wanted me to go, to find a way to keep working and seeing Fraser, I hadn’t imagined this outcome. I do love him. I do want to marry him but… If this is really what You have in mind for me, please make it obvious.
The bell rang for first period. “Off you go. Have a good morning. See you after lunch.” She didn’t bother to rise or leave the cupboard. She really was tidying it, just hiding at the same time. At least this way she was doing something useful.
Footsteps crossed the floor behind her just as the bell went for second period. “Are you busy?”
She glanced over her shoulder at Fraser. “Yeah.”
“Too bad.” He dragged a chair up beside her. “These are for you.” He held out a bunch of red roses. “Please, Paiton. Stop that for a moment.”
Paiton sat on a chair and took the flowers. “Thank you.”
“I hadn’t intended for everyone to overhear me this morning.”
“My fault. I dropped my handbag on the desk.”
“Well, we’re alone now.” He pulled a small black box from his pocket. “I went home and picked up the ring. If the ring doesn’t fit, they will change or resize it.” He opened the box and held it out to her. “Paiton, will you marry me?”
The fire bell sounded. Loudly, urgently, shattering the moment.
Fraser groaned. “Seriously?” He snapped the box closed, shoved it into his pocket and stood.
Paiton glanced at him. “Not a drill?”
“No, it’s not. We’re both here. I’ll go and get the registers. You call the fire brigade in case the automatic line isn’t working and then get out.”
Paiton nodded as Fraser ran from the room. She pulled her phone from her bag and dialed 9-9-9 as she headed outside. “Fire brigade, please…this is Paiton Underwood, Deputy Head of Headley Cross Secondary School. We have a fire alarm sounding. The head has requested the fire department attend—” She broke off with a scream as an explosion overhead sent glass shards showering around her.
“Caller, are you all right?”
“We have a confirmed explosion and fire. With numerous children still inside the building.”
“Can you stay on the line?”
“No. I have to help evacuate the kids.” Paiton hung up and dropping her bag and phone, ran into the smoke filled building.
~*~
Fraser stood outside in the bitter cold. He’d given the registers to the form tutors. Smoke and flames billowed from the science block. Six fire engines stood on the scene. They’d arrived at the school within four minutes. He’d spoken with the fire commander and agreed to put the students in the maths block as that was a separate building well away from the fire and would keep them contained and dry.
The form tutors were busy contacting parents and asking them to collect the children from the south entrance, which was on the other side of the school. Glancing around, he saw 11LU standing at their muster point on the far side of the playground. He headed over to them. “Where’s Miss Underwood?”
“Zach wasn’t here at roll call, so she went back inside to find him. He was in chemistry. I haven’t seen Mrs. Blacklock come out either, sir.”
“OK, the lot of you head over to the maths block and ask Mr. Page to look after you until I come across.” He glanced at the register in Darius’s hands. “He’ll contact your parents and arrange for you to go home.”
Fraser dashed back over to the firefighters. “I’m missing two teachers and one child. They’re in the chemistry lab. That’s room 25b in the block on fire. Second floor.”
The firefighter raised his radio and relayed the information.
Fraser wanted to rush in there, but he had to let the firefighters do their job. His job was to make sure the children were safe. But he’d failed. There was one still inside.
“Mr. Quirke?”
Fraser turned as Darius trotted over to him.
“Mr. Page needs you. Some of the parents want to know how long the school will be closed.”
“How about you give him a message for me?” He looked at the panicked expression on the teenager’s face. “Miss Underwood will be fine, so will Zach. Let Mr. Page and all the other teachers know the school will be closed until…what day is it?”
“Tuesday, sir.”
“Friday,” he said swiftly. “I want everyone in for assembly in the main hall at ten o’clock on Friday. Everywhere else will be off limits.”
Darius’s lips twitched, despite his panic. “Let’s hope your cape didn’t burn, sir.”
Fraser chuckled. “I have a spare at home. Off you run.” He turned his attention back to the blazing building. How long did it take to rescue someone? He couldn
’t lose her now. Not after everything that had happened. Up until now, he’d been doing his job. The kids had to be his main priority. But they were safe and Paiton… Deep worry almost overwhelmed him, making his legs turn to jelly. He leaned against the wall, hoping to look manly and not like the quivering wreck he was. Prayers streamed heavenward.
After what seemed a lifetime, but couldn’t have been more than five minutes, firefighters emerged from the building, leading Paiton, Zach, and Mrs. Blacklock to the waiting ambulances.
Fraser ran over, heart pounding. “Paiton! Are you all right?”
Paiton sat on a gurney, cradling her left arm. “Yes…” She allowed the paramedic to wrap a blanket around her and slap an oxygen mask over her face.
The paramedic smiled. “We meet again.”
Paiton nodded. “Other arm, this time.”
“She’s a hero,” the firefighter said. “She got them both out and was almost out herself when a falling beam caught her arm.”
Fraser hugged her gently, not caring who saw them. He kissed her forehead, longing to kiss her properly, but now wasn’t the time or place. “I love you.”
Paiton coughed. “I love you, too.”
“OK,” the paramedic said. “Let’s get you to the hospital. Are you coming with us, Mr. Quirke?”
Fraser shook his head. “As much as I want to, I’m needed here until all the children are off site. I’ll come as soon as I can.” He looked at Paiton. “You know I’d rather be with you.”
“It’s OK, Fraser. One of us needs to be here. I’ll ring Sue, have her come meet me.” She managed a wave as she was loaded into the back of the ambulance.
“You didn’t answer my question. Will you marry…” the doors shut. “…me?” he finished as the ambulance drove away, sirens blaring.
16
Paiton sat on the stage, far enough from the end so she felt safe. She was doped up on pain meds. Fraser had tried to insist she stay at home, but she’d wanted to be here. Liam sat beside her and Fraser, in cap and gown, stood at the lectern. In front of them sat the entire school, with all the teachers around the edges. The first time since the fire and the last time this term.
“Thank you all for coming in this morning,” Fraser began. “There is good news, bad news, and really bad news.”
Paiton hugged her left arm through the sling. It hurt way more this time, possibly because rather than a straightforward break, this was a spiral fracture from elbow to wrist in her predominate arm. She also had a slight burn to her left hand and a few cuts from the falling glass, but all in all, things could have been so much worse.
“The good news is the fire was confined to the science block. Most of the remaining classrooms were smoke damaged and we are working on cleaning those ready for next term. The science block itself will need to be demolished and rebuilt. For those of you doing science exams, don’t worry, we’ll make arrangements to cover this.”
The few kids who loved science cheered, whilst the rest of them groaned.
He paused. “The bad news is Miss Underwood broke her other arm getting Zach and Mrs. Blacklock out. But she promises to be fighting fit by the start of next term. We need a new superhero name for her as a result of her actions. I’ll take all sensible suggestions under advisement. Now for the really bad news. It’s December 14, and we weren’t meant to break up until the 21st. But unfortunately, with the school as it is, I’m very much afraid we have to break up today…”
The whole auditorium erupted into cheers, foot stomping, and applause.
Fraser raised a hand. “I’m glad you’re all as upset as I and the rest of the staff are. However, as we all missed out on the school Christmas dinner, we will have it during the first week of the January term.”
Paiton rose slowly. “Mr. Quirke, may I interrupt you, please?”
Fraser nodded. “Sure.” His hand guided her to the lectern. “What are you planning?” he whispered.
She smiled and turned to the kids. “I just want to start by saying how grateful we are to you all for the swift way you evacuated the school the day of the fire. See, all the practicing paid off in the end, because you set a new speed record.”
The students laughed.
Paiton turned to Fraser. “Do you still have the ring?” she asked quietly.
He nodded and patted his pocket. “It’s been here ever since we evacuated the school. Why?”
She turned back to the students. “I think all of you overheard a certain conversation Mr. Quirke and I had the morning of the fire. We hadn’t intended for it to happen like that, but it did. Well, what with one thing and another I haven’t given him an answer yet.”
“It’s rude to keep the elderly waiting, Miss,” someone called.
Paiton laughed with them. She turned to Fraser. “I can’t wear any rings on my left hand for at least six weeks. But if you’d like to ask me again, then I’ll give you an answer.”
He looked at her. “Here, now?”
“We ought to finish the proposal the way it started. Properly, of course,” she said, a smile teasing the edges of her lips.
Fraser grinned and pulled the ring box from his pocket. “Is there any other way?” he whispered. He rose and moved the lectern out of the way. Glancing sideways at the kids, he got down on one knee and opened the box. “Miss Underwood, Paiton, will you marry me?”
She held out her right hand. “Yes. I would be honoured to be your wife.”
Fraser slid the ring on to her finger, then stood, the lights of the Christmas tree catching the diamonds, sending splashes of light across the room. He gently pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Around them, the kids clapped and whistled and stomped, but Paiton tuned them out.
The journey to Christmas they’d begun in September hadn’t gone the way either of them had planned, but they’d continue the journey into the future together.
7ET’s song:
On the 12th week of the Christmas term, Mr. Quirke gave to us:
12 fire practices
11 geography field trips
10 play rehearsals
9 Miss Underwoods falling
8 PE lessons
7 class detentions
6 more fire practices
5 school dinners
4 maths exams
3 strike system
2 more fire drills
And a whole school assembly with dun dun dun…Batman!
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