The Long Way Home

by Phillip Overton

  ****

  “Hello, Coastal Realty this is Jill how may I help you?” The voice on the other end of the line chimed on cue.

  “Hi Jill, its Sally McKenzie. I’m looking for Doug is he in?” Sally asked as she looked nervously around the empty room. Principal Stewart would not have liked seeing her behind the school reception counter making the phone call to Doug herself, but the receptionist had disappeared momentarily and she wasn’t just going to sit around and wait for her to return.

  “Hi Sally hope your well, I’m sorry but Doug has just stepped out of the office. He didn’t say where he was going, only to hold all his calls. Is it urgent, would you like me to try and reach him on the pager?”

  “Yes it is actually. Can you send him a message to get in contact with the school? Simon has had an incident and they want to get a doctor to check him over.”

  “Oh my, is the little darling okay?” Jill sounded concerned. She had been the receptionist at the real estate office since long before Doug had taken over as manager.

  “Yeah I guess so,” she lied. “The principal just wants to clear the matter with Doug and the little boy is in desperate need of his father, so the sooner he can get there the better. Look, I have to go but it’s most important that you get in contact with him.”

  “Okay Sally, I’ll page him straight away. I hope everything is alright.”

  “It will be as soon as Doug can get there. I’ll talk to you later okay, bye.” Sally hung up the phone just as the receptionist returned carrying a tray with three cups of coffee and a plate of chocolate biscuits.

  “Thanks for taking that phone call for me Sally.” She smiled warmly. “How’s the little one from your class, I don’t know what happened but it looked quite nasty. I hope the poor little fellow is alright.”

  “I’m sure Mr Stewart will take good care of him. Look, you couldn’t do a small favour for me could you?” Sally asked, her sweet, pleading smile gaining the sympathy of the receptionist who was only a few years older than her.

  “Sure Sally, what is it?”

  “Well I don’t want to trouble Principal Stewart, not with everything he has going on at the moment, but I need to duck home quickly and I need someone to watch my class. Can you phone upstairs in the staff room and see if there are any teachers free to watch over 6A, I’ll be back in about half an hour.” Sally asked before whispering, “It’s woman’s business, with all the stress of this morning my period has come early.”

  “Sure, say no more.” The receptionist believed her. “I’ll make sure Mr Stewart doesn’t even know you’ve gone.”

  Sally smiled before returning to her class and letting the students know that another teacher would be checking in on them any minute, grabbing her handbag and heading out to the staff car park. Within moments she was in her car and pulling out of the school. She passed the leagues club and accelerated over the Donnison Street overpass heading out of town. Turning right she drove up hill, taking another right before racing over the crest of the road and coasting downhill towards the white weatherboard house at the bottom of the street. She pulled into the driveway, drove a short way up and cut the engine.

  “It’s payback time!” She snarled quietly as she threw the car door open and let it slam loudly behind her. Before she had time to reach the concrete porch steps, the front door swung wide open and an irate Rowena Hardwick stepped outside.

  “What are you doing here you little tart?”