“Don’t do that again. Those are brand name sneakers.” They both nodded and looked at each other with huge eyes.
Joy took the list of shoe sizes and placed her order on the internet. She put in a block order for the entire school with sizes to be confirmed. As she put the details in she placed another order for Golf shirts and Track suits. Everything to be confirmed. She typed in her credit card details and sent the order through. She knew it was worth every penny and she did have money available.
Joy walked past all the classes and took a look around. It was quiet as she walked. She headed to the main building and looked at the lawn and smiled. There was a huge patch which had been trimmed and it looked really good. She walked inside and took all the shears. Penny got up and took a few pairs.
“Where are these going?” Joy smiled.
“They sit on the grass at breaks do they?”
“More like stand.” Joy smiled and nodded. They stuck the shears into the ground all along the pathway. Penny giggled.
“Makes you want to take them out and get busy.”
“We hope!” Penny roared with laughter.
“Miss Sheridan I will get those boards up by Friday.” Joy nodded and smiled.
“Let me know what it is going to cost so that I can give you the cash.” Penny nodded and smiled.
“This is so exciting.” Joy nodded.
“It should be.”
“Tony would like to know if you want the name plates put up. He can help over the weekend.” Joy smiled.
“Can you arrange something for ten on Saturday morning?” Penny nodded and smiled.
“I will.” Joy smiled as she walked through to her office.
She carried on working on all the rosters and time tables. She printed them all out and checked every single one compared to the current roster. She had made a few changes. She walked through to Penny and handed her the sheet.
“This is highly confidential. Make a copy for each teacher and yourself and set up a staff meeting at second break.” Penny nodded and got up. She swung in to action.
Joy stood in the staff room with all the teachers. She handed the rosters out.
“I want you to look at your subjects. Go through this with a fine tooth comb. Miss Lewis you will now be taking over the English lessons. Mister Carter you will be Mister Biology in future!” Thomas roared with laughter.
“Oh yes!” They all roared with laughter.
“Hand your notes to Mister Biology please Miss Lewis.” Tanya smiled and nodded.
“Keep this very quiet. Everything will change on Monday. And I mean everything. You will each have your own classroom. The children will do the walking from class to class.” Wayne nodded.
“And by the end of the day we will lose half our pupils.” Joy smiled and shook her head.
“No because you will each do a roll call the minute they walk in. If anyone is missing that is one strike.” They all grinned and nodded. Paul smiled.
“We get to have our own classroom?” Joy nodded.
“Yes. And you can decorate it the way you would like. If your classroom needs painting let Penny know and we can have something arranged.” Tanya smiled.
“Posters?”
“Your classroom. You can decorate as you please.” They all smiled.
“Everything will be announced on Monday morning at assembly. Please keep this quiet.” They all smiled and walked out.
Joy stood and scratched her head. There was a lot to do.
“Prefects.” She already had two pupils in mind. Barry Gibb and Jane Smith. She took a look to see who their home room teachers were. She smiled and got up again. Joy walked through to a few classes. She knocked on the door and walked through to Wayne.
“Wayne who is the most disruptive pupil in your class?” Wayne whispered.
“Sheila Jones.” Joy walked to the door. She looked at the class.
“Miss Sheila Jones. I would like to see you in my office please. Do you mind Mister Reid?” Wayne shook his head.
“No Ma’am not at all.” Sheila stared with huge eyes.
“But I didn’t do anything.” Joy smiled.
“In my office please.” Sheila followed. Joy walked through to her office and closed the door.
“Miss Jones.”
“Yes Ma’am.”
“I am going to be announcing my Prefects on Monday. Five boys and five girls. Are you interested?” Sheila stared with her mouth open.
“Me?” Joy nodded. Sheila beamed.
“Yes Ma’am.” Joy smiled.
“You cannot breathe a word to anyone. Please let me have your jacket size later today. Please ask your parents to join us at Assembly. Do not tell anyone anything. Can you keep this between the two of us?” Sheila beamed. Joy smiled.
“Thank you. You are excused.” Sheila literally ran back to the class. She quietly walked in to the class. No one said a word.
During the day Joy did the same for the rest of her handpicked Prefects. There was a lot to do. She had to organize brooches and blazers for each of them. By the end of the school day she had all the sizes. Joy headed to town and bought the blazers. She bought black blazers which they could wear once they had left school. She had already placed her order for the brooches on the internet. She walked over to the post office. Jill beamed as she walked in.
“Miss Sheridan!” Joy smiled.
“I have a parcel for you.” Joy smiled as she walked out. Everyone wanted to chat. She drove back to school and took all the blazers and hung them up in the office. They each had a plastic cover. She smiled as she walked out.
Joy drove over to the pub and parked out front. She walked in and smiled. Craig smiled.
“Coffee Miss Sheridan?” Joy smiled and nodded.
“Yes please.” Jordan walked through and smiled. He took a seat with Joy and held her hand. She looked up and he slowly pulled his hand away. Craig smiled as he put their coffee cups down.
“No chains today?” Joy smiled.
“Served its purpose. My pupils are very eager to get to school!” Craig and Jordan roared with laughter. Joy smiled. Craig walked off and left Joy and Jordan. She put out her hand and he held it in his.
“And how was today?” Joy smiled and nodded.
“The teachers now know that they will have their own classrooms. I have given them their rosters to look through. And Tanya will be teaching English and Thomas will be teaching Biology. I expected a bit of a complaint there but Thomas was over the moon.” Jordan chuckled.
“And you have been out shopping. I can see it in your face.” Joy chuckled and nodded.
“I went to go and buy the blazers for the Prefects. Oh they are lovely. Plain black blazers. They will be able to wear them if they go out and also after they have finished their final year. Really good quality. And I fetched their little brooches. It is all coming together now. Would you like to see?” Jordan nodded and Joy looked around. She took one of the brooches out of the package. Jordan smiled as he took it and looked at it.
“Not female or male. This is nice.” Joy smiled and nodded.
“Two of them are different. Head boy and head girl. But no names.” Jordan smiled and nodded.
“Don’t expect these back. The pupils will fall in love and want to keep them.” Joy chuckled and nodded.
Jordan smiled as he gently rubbed her fingers.
“I can see on your face you have had a really good day.” Joy smiled.
“And what about your day? Have your special liqueurs arrived yet?” Jordan chuckled and nodded.
“Boxes and boxes arrived. I doubled up on that order. Got two boxes of each. And Frank has been packing away like crazy. He had to make a Kahlua coffee!” Joy giggled and shook her head.
“And I am going out again.”
“Now where to this time?”
“Going to buy some fresh fish. And tonight we are having fish for a change.” Jordan grinned.
“How were the sales last night?” Jordan grinned and n
odded.
“With that voice of yours you could make me rich.” Joy chuckled.
“Oh I had so much fun. You didn’t recognize me did you?”
“No Ma’am.” Jordan chuckled.
“You hide those little markings very well. Foundation?” Joy nodded.
“They will wash off eventually. But we all dressed the part for the beginning of the rally.”
“False tattoos?” Joy chuckled.
“I would rather not live with the real thing. Henna tattoos.” Jordan chuckled and nodded. They drank their coffee and Joy got up.
Jordan looked around. He leaned forward and kissed Joy.
“See you later.” Joy winked and walked out smiling. Jordan watched as she walked out. She turned and waved and headed to the grocer. She chose a few nice pieces of fish and bought a few things that she needed for their supper. She stood in the queue and waited. Two women stood in front of her and they both turned and Joy smiled. They both turned around.
“We went for a quick bite at Jordan’s Pub last night.” Hilary nodded.
“And?”
“Well. We were absolutely amazed. There was this young girl singing. I hate to gossip.” Ruth nodded.
“He will never change. I think he is a monk. Sworn to celibacy. Don’t even dare stand too close to him. He does not like women. I don’t know why.” Hilary chuckled.
“I was saying. Well. This young girl had us dancing.”
“Ben danced?” Hilary chuckled and nodded.
“Ben and I danced till our feet hurt. And I think Jordan might have his eye on the young girl.” Ruth giggled.
“Never in this world. Jordan is anti-female.” Hilary smiled and shook her head.
“I don’t think so. Ruth. If you saw him you would think there is something going on.”
“So who is this young girl?”
“Haven’t a clue.” Ruth shook her head. Joy smiled as she paid for her purchases. She handed her card over. The teller smiled.
“Good day Professor Sheridan.” Joy smiled.
“Good day.” Penelope the teller smiled as she handed Joy her bank card.
“My son is in your school.” Joy smiled.
“I am glad. Nice to have met you.” Penelope smiled. Joy whispered.
“Just one thing.” Penelope leaned forward.
“Don’t let him know I am a Professor. They get all scared.” Penelope laughed and nodded.
“Or maybe we should.” Joy chuckled.
“Rather not.” She smiled as she walked off. She looked at her watch. There wasn’t anything else to do.
CHAPTER 11
Joy headed to the pub and drove in at the back. She parked her van and walked inside. She checked as she walked in and walked through and ran upstairs. She was soon busy in the kitchen. She had their fish grilling and she got busy with the vegetables. Their supper was ready at six. Tanya ran in just before six. Jordan chuckled and shook his head. Tanya ran up the stairs.
“Only me.” Joy smiled.
“Fish tonight.”
“Oh yum!” Joy smiled as she dished up the three plates.
“And where is Mister Lewis?” Tanya chuckled as they both heard Jordan.
“Right here.” Joy smiled as he leaned down and kissed her.
“Oh look at that!” Jordan rubbed his hands together.
“Now this is different.” They all sat down and started eating.
Zeba and Lloyd walked through. Craig stood in the passage.
“Jordan will be down shortly.” Lloyd nodded.
“We will go up.”
“No Sir he is taking his break.” Zeba smiled and whispered.
“Is he entertaining someone?” Craig smiled.
“Yes Ma’am. He is in consultation with Miss Lewis.” Zeba grinned.
“Step aside Craig.” Craig slowly stepped aside. Lloyd and Zeba walked up the stairs. They all looked at them with huge eyes. Zeba smiled.
“Now this is what I like to see.” Jordan smiled.
“Care to join us? This is Miss Sheridan.” Zeba grinned.
“Oh we know Joy by now.” Joy smiled.
“Here for supper?” Lloyd looked at Zeba.
“Hell! Now that is an invitation and a half.” Joy chuckled.
“Jordan we need a perch and a branch.” Zeba roared with laughter as Jordan got up and ran down the stairs. He came upstairs carrying a table. He ran back down and fetched two chairs. Craig shook his head. Lloyd took a seat and Joy put the two plates down.
“Heavens alive! This looks absolutely divine!” They all tucked in.
Joy smiled and looked at Jordan. He smiled.
“Well Miss Sheridan.”
“Joy.” Lloyd smiled.
“Joy. I am hearing a lot of good things about the school. I am impressed.” Joy smiled and nodded.
“Wait till Monday. This town is going to be one big buzz.” Zeba chuckled.
“Well your first assembly got them all going. The anthem. What a hit.” Joy smiled and nodded.
“That is one way to get to youngsters. Through music. And sneakers.” Zeba grinned.
“And what is it about these sneakers. So the grades have to be up.” Joy smiled.
“The morale is already up. If you have positive children the marks increase by themselves. So they are all working for a pair of sneakers. Oh we have had two youngsters slip up. But I must say my patch of lawn is looking rather neat.” They all roared with laughter. Lloyd grinned.
“Wherever we go someone says something about the school. Hand shears? You she devil!” Joy roared with laughter.
“Oh I went one step ahead. I planted the shears in strategic spots. Come break times they will be shearing that lawn as if it is groomed! I love a manicured lawn. Don’t you?” Everyone roared with laughter.
Zeba smiled.
“And are you staying at the motel?” Joy nodded and didn’t dare look at Jordan.
“You should have joined us last night. Jordan had a guest artist who had everyone on their feet.” Joy smiled.
“I have so much to do in the evenings. Getting sorted out. Takes time to arrange things.” They all nodded. Tanya smiled and looked at Jordan. He looked up and suddenly looked away. Zeba smiled.
“This was nice of you to cook supper. Have you heard from your family?” Joy smiled.
“They have strict instructions to leave me alone this week. So next week I am sure to have a call.” Zeba smiled.
“You are all rather close.” Joy nodded.
“We are. We keep in touch. Which is nice. But we don’t see each other all that often. I lived quite a distance from them all. Made sure to see them once a month. Which seems to work rather well.” Zeba chuckled and nodded.
Zeba and Lloyd soon left. The table and chairs were carried downstairs. Craig shook his head. Zeba smiled as they walked out.
“Hold on Lloyd. I spotted something.” They walked back inside. Zeba sat at the bar counter. Lloyd shook his head.
“And now?” Zeba smiled.
“Frank. I would like one of those.” She pointed at one of the new stock items. Frank smiled and poured the little drink in the smart little glass. Zeba took a sip and smiled. Lloyd took the glass and took a sip.
“Oh Frank. Be a darling and give me one of those.” Frank roared with laughter as he poured another. Lloyd sighed and sipped.
“Oh this is so classy!” Frank smiled as Lloyd paid for their two little drinks. Zeba finished her drink and sighed.
“Lovely!” Frank smiled as they both walked out for the second time. Lloyd smiled.
“Zeba. There is something going on.” They hopped in the van and closed the doors.
“Now. This is what I am thinking.” Zeba nodded and looked at Lloyd.
“Our son has fallen for the young Joy.” Zeba smiled.
“And young Joy has fallen for our son.” Lloyd nodded.
“I think they suit each other.” Zeba nodded.
“And why do you think Joy was there. And making s
upper?” Lloyd smiled.
“Getting to his heart through his stomach?” Zeba grinned.
“She got to my heart with that meal!” Lloyd grinned.
“I like her. I like her a whole lot you know.” Zeba nodded.
“There is something different about Jordan. He definitely is different. Oh I do hope.” Lloyd nodded.
“That little liqueur was nice.” Zeba nodded and smiled.
“Oh very tasty!” He chuckled as he started the van and headed home.
Jordan sat chatting for a while. Joy and Tanya packed away the left over vegetables. Tanya smiled.
“Your fridge is getting nice and full.” Jordan chuckled.
“Yes we feed an army.” Joy chuckled.
“I was never very good at portions.” Tanya grinned.
“So a Professor. What in?”
“Mathematics.” Jordan chuckled.
“And portions are not calculated.” Joy giggled and shook her head.
“No there is no formulae which can help.” Tanya grinned and shook her head. Tanya dried her hands.
“Tomorrow.” Jordan smiled.
“And I need to be off. Again.” Jordan hugged Joy and kissed her.
“See you later. Early night.” Joy chuckled.
“Later.”
Jordan and Tanya walked down the stairs.
“Jordan. Has Joy got a tattoo all the way up her arm?”
“Slowly washing off. Henna.” Tanya smiled.
“I see.”
“You didn’t see a thing. You don’t know a thing.” Tanya smiled and nodded.
“That meal was divine.” Jordan smiled and nodded.
“I could get used to this.” Tanya nodded.
“I think she was sent to earth for you.” Jordan smiled.
“I think she was. On a Harley.” Tanya giggled and nodded.
CHAPTER 12
Joy was busy at school. It was Friday and everything was arranged. The rosters had slight changes which had already been made. Penny stood and copied them with the newsletter that Joy had compiled. Everything was ready for the assembly on Monday. Joy smiled as Penny put the piles of copies on her spare desk. Joy ran through everything in her head. Everything was ready.
Taking Charge Page 9