Her little secret, p.12
Her Little Secret, page 12
“To be honest, the help across four days a week would be better for me than a pay rise,” Lily stated.
Jacqui nodded in agreement.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
After Alex and Erin got the good news, Jacqui and Lily sat and chatted for a while. “I should head home soon,” Lily said, looking at her watch. “I’ve barely been home lately.” Between dinner out with Maree Saturday night, then bowling with Parker on Sunday, and getting home late on Tuesday night, Scott had been carrying the heavier load.
Jacqui frowned. “You went home early yesterday. After school?”
Lily always forgot the lie she told her sister about Tuesdays.
“Ah, yes, Tuesdays,” was all she said in response. Tuesdays were quickly becoming her favourite day of the week. Lily continued, “Speaking of Tuesday…next week want to take a day off and head to the beach.” Parker had suggested Tuesday, and Lily was happy with that, too, providing it worked with Scott and Jacqui.
“Take a day off and go to the beach?” Jacqui was surprised, and Lily couldn’t blame her—she was rarely one to suggest a fun activity like that. Lily just shrugged in response.
“Why do you want to go to the beach? And with whom? With the kids? I doubt Rebecca would come.” Jacqui mentioned her eldest but clearly assumed Penny and Isabelle, the middle and youngest daughters, would come.
“I’ll ask Scott, and Bodhi, of course. He’ll enjoy some time-off vacation care. Parker is keen.”
“Parker, as in Bodhi’s teacher, Parker?” Jacqui’s mouth twitched upwards, but she tried to hide her budding smile. Lily nodded, and tried to hide her smile too.
Jacqui shook her head. “I’m sorry. I need to know more.”
“There’s nothing to know. I just caught up with her, and…” Lily looked away, then added, “she suggested some fun at the beach.”
“Fun at the beach. Sounds lovely, darling.” Jacqui put on a posh accent as she spoke, and then her tone turned serious. “How often do you spend school holidays with your kid’s teacher?” The twitching mouth was back.
“Shut up,” Lily pouted.
“You have a thing?” Jacqui wasn’t getting the details she clearly wanted.
“We don’t have a thing.” Jacqui looked like she didn’t believe her. Lily could never hide what was going on from her sister. “Fine, we might have a teeny thing. Like this big.” She used her thumb and finger to show a small gap. “It’s not even a thing though.”
Jacqui nodded. “Where were you when she asked about going to the beach?”
“In bed,” Lily muttered and then cursed herself for answering honestly.
“I’m sorry. You mumbled. Where were you? What did you say?”
Lily playfully whacked Jacqui. “I’m not repeating it.”
“You really did mumble, but did I hear you say in bed? In bed with Bodhi’s teacher? Was that what you said?”
Lily glared at Jacqui but remained silent.
Jacqui grinned. “Oh, Lily, this is great news.”
“This is not great news, Jacqui. I feel like the worst woman on earth.”
Jacqui shook her head. “Megan wanted you to have fun. Gosh, it has been six years. This is great. Is it good? The…y’know?” She gyrated to indicate what she thought went on in the bedroom. Lily raised her eyebrows in disgust.
“Thank God lesbians don’t do anything like what you were just miming. That looked repulsive.”
Jacqui roared with laughter. “Who cares what you do? Is it good? Actually, tell me what you do too.”
“She’s amazing, and I hate that she is. I’m addicted.”
“So, it’s happened a few times?”
Lily bit down a grin. “Every Tuesday afternoon.”
“No way!” Jacqui said, looking both horrified and delighted that her sister hadn’t been truthful with her about her Tuesday afternoons. “Here I was thinking you were going to some boring parenting seminar or hanging out with Bodhi or something dull. You were always vague about what you got up to.”
“Yeah, well I didn’t want questions. I’m trying to hide it from Scott and Bodhi, so we catch up Tuesdays and then on weekends.”
Jacqui blew out in surprise. “Wow, so that’s why you’ve barely been home! You dirty little minx!”
“That’s what Parker called me.” Lily gave a cheeky look, blushing as she said it.
“A dirty minx? Oh my God! It sounds like you’re having fun!”
“Well she didn’t say dirty. That’s clearly just how my delightful big sister feels about me.”
Jacqui smiled. “I’m really happy for you. I was worried you weren’t having enough fun.”
“Well, I’m having fun in the bedroom now, but I think Parker’s worried I’m not having enough fun out of the bedroom, so she has made it her mission to change that. She suggested we have fun at the beach.”
“I like her already,” Jacqui said. “So, is she your girlfriend?”
“Oh, God, no. She’s a friend with benefits. That’s it. We aren’t telling anyone. Clearly, I failed at that. But I can’t tell anyone else—there’s too much to lose.”
Jacqui nodded again. “I won’t say anything. Let me know if the beach is on. Chat to Scott and let me know. I’ll go along, make up the numbers. I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
“Just remember it’s top secret.”
Jacqui rolled her eyes. “You do know you’re free to date, don’t you?”
“Thanks for the constant reminder. As I keep telling you, I’m not quite ready to replace Megan.”
“It’s not replacing her though.” Lily could tell Jacqui was exasperated, but no one who hadn’t been through this themselves could understand. “Besides, you’ve been having your Tuesday catch-ups…”
“Yes, and I felt guilty for that as it was, but I’ve worked through it. I can’t quite stop myself when it comes to that with her. But that doesn’t mean I need people to know about it, especially Bodhi and Scott. I feel awful, but there’s no way I need anyone thinking she’s my girlfriend, and there’s no way I want Bodhi wondering anything. You need to be discrete.”
Jacqui nodded. “Okay, I get it.”
Lily very much hoped she did.
Chapter Eighteen
PARKER
Parker was thrilled when Nathan agreed to come to the beach. She figured part of it was curiosity, but he had been happy to come. She had wondered for a minute about inviting Kelly, too, but then thought that was too risky. Nathan loved her completely and supported her regardless of the situation. Kelly, on the other hand, she was still getting to know. She only knew Kelly in a professional capacity, and so wasn’t certain if inviting her to a catch-up with a school mum was appropriate. Would it set tongues wagging? Perhaps.
To say Nathan had been surprised when Parker had asked him would be an understatement at best. “Wait a minute, she’s married, isn’t she?” was the first thing he’d said.
Parker had filled him in.
“Why do they have the same surname then?” he’d asked suspiciously. “Oh wow, that’s beautiful.” He’d been quite moved by the story.
“But, Scott hasn’t dated, and somehow Lily has in her head that she won’t date til he does. I think she’s worried about their living arrangement and doesn’t want to change things or show Scott she’s not loyal to her wife in any way.”
“Wow.” Nathan shook his head. “So you and her…?” He wiggled his fingers between her and an open space, as if to indicate there was something going on.
Parker shook her head and then shrugged. “We’re friends. With benefits. I’m Bodhi’s teacher. It’s complicated, but we’re definitely not dating.”
“Not dating, but you’re…you’re sleeping together?”
Parker blushed and whacked Nathan. “You know we did.” He raised his eyebrows in response and gave her a stern look, but she knew him enough to know he would be okay with the truth.
“I ask in the present tense. Not last year.”
She nodded but remained silent in response and then glanced around the empty classroom they were in. She picked up a few items to put away and then looked up at him again. “So, you’ll come to the beach?”
“With bells on! I wouldn’t miss this.”
Parker shook her head again and grabbed a pile of books to put away. “Okay, then. Just please…be discrete. She really doesn’t want anyone to know. I don’t think she’s told anyone. And I have a lot to lose too. Mainly her.”
Parker noticed Nathan looked worried during the whole conversation but even more concerned once she had revealed her true feelings.
*
ON THE WEEKEND, Parker and Lily each had dinner at home and then met for dessert at a coffee shop prior to heading back to Parker’s place.
“I’m sorry we caught up so late. We took Bodhi to Scott’s parents’ place for a late lunch, and I didn’t want to rush off for dinner the moment we got home. So I made us toasted sandwiches for a light dinner after a big roast lunch.”
“Are you close to Scott’s family?”
Lily nodded. “They were so close to Megan and her family, of course, so I met them all early on in our relationship. And once she was sick, as I said before, they were really supportive of us as a family. I’ve become closer to them over the last six years. Often Scott takes Bodhi alone, but sometimes we go together. I enjoy seeing them dote on Bodhi. Occasionally Megan’s parents come along too. Bodhi has three sets of grandparents, and sometimes he’s lucky enough to see them all together.”
Lily smiled wistfully, and for the first time, Parker felt a little jealous about Lily’s bond with Megan, and all their connections. She had been determined not to be jealous of Megan. After all, it sounded like if all had gone to plan, Lily and Megan would still be together today, perhaps with another child or two. It wasn’t a competition, and yet hearing about the bonds she had with Megan’s family and family friends made her feel unsettled. “He’s lucky,” was all she said.
Lily’s eyes sparkled. “We all are. I’ve been so lucky, other than losing my wife. I won the in-law lottery with both Megan and Scott’s families.” The fact that Lily saw Scott’s family as her ‘in-laws’ rattled Parker. Scott wasn’t her lover, and yet she saw his family as her in-laws. Perhaps Parker would never really understand the bond Megan, and then Lily, had with Scott.
That night, they talked. They didn’t make love, and strangely, that alone felt more intimate to Parker than having sex. Holding each other, talking openly, and just being together made her think that Lily was there for more than the sexual encounters. Parker went to sleep that night with a grin on her face, wondering who on earth she’d become. The old Parker would never have such a sexy woman visit and happily not try anything!
*
ON TUESDAY, THEY all left early to arrive at the beach by ten. Parker didn’t know what to expect. On the one hand, she was concerned it was a little couply and that everyone there would read it that way. On the other hand, she really wanted Lily to have more fun in her life and to see her in a different environment. She didn’t know if she’d made the right move, and as she and Nathan drove together, she couldn’t help expressing her anxiety.
“This is a bit stupid to do this, isn’t it?”
Nathan shook his head. “Stupid is shagging your student’s parent. Going to the beach…meh…” He shrugged. Parker couldn’t help wondering if he was right. She could tell that Nathan was teasing her, even if he was being deadpan, but it still concerned her to hear him say it out loud.
“There is no rule against it though. Is there? I mean, if we had a relationship—if I were Bodhi’s stepmum—I could still teach him. I’d just have to let the school know. Right?”
Nathan paused for a moment, then spoke. “I believe so. I don’t know if there’s a rule book, but I’m sure sneaking around having a fling with a parent is possibly a no-go. I am no expert though.”
Parker groaned and felt turmoil in the pit of her stomach. Lily wasn’t ready for a relationship, and Parker was falling deep for her—admittedly it had been Lily’s fear, but she’d promised her she wouldn’t. And, yet, here she was.
As if sensing her fear, Nathan spoke up. “Let’s just have a good day today, hey? Don’t panic about things. Have the fun you’re here to have. We can sort feelings out later. Feelings always get in the way.” He waved flippantly, and she was surprised at how dismissive he was being. And he was being comical. That was just Nathan’s style, pretending he didn’t do feelings, when she knew, even if he didn’t admit it to himself, he’d love to settle down.
By the time they’d arrived at the beach, Parker had been forced to endure Nathan’s awful hip-hop music. She’d kept turning it down to talk, but whenever there was a conversation lull, he’d turn it back up. “Remind me to bring my car next time,” she’d joked, and he’d pretended to be really insulted.
*
“OVER THERE. THERE she is,” Nathan said, glancing over in the direction of a small group. Parker smiled and tried to stride confidently toward Lily and her gang. It surprised her how nervous she was—she’d been naked with the woman many times! But seeing her with her sister, her co-parent, and her nieces made Parker feel much more vulnerable. Being Bodhi’s teacher made it harder.
Lily was right—there were plenty of friendships between teachers and parents, so it wasn’t completely out of the ordinary to be friends. Just friends that is. Parker had to focus on the friendship part of their FWB relationship because the benefits part was totally irrelevant to their day at the beach.
In theory.
Separating the two wasn’t as easy in practice.
She couldn’t help but wonder if there was a chance of something—at the end of the school year, and once Lily felt ready… But Lily seemed so adamant that she wasn’t ready. Given it had taken her six years to get to this point, it was probably going to take another six years for her to be ready for an actual relationship—in public.
“Hey,” Lily said.
The woman that Parker assumed to be Jacqui turned her head instantly, eyeing Parker up and down and then turning to Lily. An intriguing look crossed her face, but Parker couldn’t read it.
“Hello, I’m Parker,” she said to Jacqui as she reached out to shake Jacqui’s hand. “You must be Lily’s sister, Jacqui. You look just like her!”
“I am indeed Lily’s big sister, Jacqui!” She grinned, and Parker smiled in response. Lily’s eyes twinkled as she watched their exchange.
“Hey, Bodhi, how are you, mate?”
“Good, thank you, Ms Parker! I’m excited to go swimming today.”
“Well, that depends on whether it warms up a little.” Lily pulled her cardigan close as if to indicate the breeze was bothering her—perhaps as a subliminal message to Bodhi. “It’s a little cold, isn’t it?” She instinctively turned to Scott for input. He nodded at Bodhi.
“Swimming season may be over, Bodhi, but we’ll see. As Mum said, it might warm up.”
Parker tried to hide an amused smile. Hearing Scott call Lily mum seemed strange. “Well at least it’s not too cold for fish and chips on the grass, and maybe some cricket?” She grinned.
Jacqui turned towards her daughters. “Parker, this is Penny, here, and Isabelle, my daughters.”
Parker greeted them and then turned to Nathan. “This is Nathan. He’s another teacher at Bodhi’s school.”
Scott looked quizzically at Nathan, obviously trying to place him. Nathan smiled and said hello. Scott then turned and quietly said something to Lily. “He’s the one you wanted for Bodhi?”
Lily nodded in response. “Yes, but I think Parker’s perfect.” She blushed as she said it, and Parker looked down to the ground, afraid she would show her reaction to what was meant to be a private exchange between Lily and Scott. She was also grinning at Lily’s response to Scott—which couldn’t have been more perfect —and didn’t want to share her smile with the group.
Finally, Parker put her sunglasses on and faced the crowd. “So, are we going to stand here all day, or who wants to hit the beach? Sandcastle competition?” She raised her eyebrows as if to entice them. Penny nodded enthusiastically. “Well, at least I have one taker.”
“I’ll do it, if Mum and Dad say I really can’t swim,” Bodhi said, grinning.
“Excellent. Well let’s make our way down there. We have a couple of hours before lunch.”
“I brought snacks!” Jacqui said. “So anyone not building sandcastle can have chips, dips, and carrot sticks. Anyone touching sand needs to stay away from my snacks, I’m afraid, but we can do you a little plate.” She looked apologetically at Parker, who laughed it off.
“I’m not hungry. I’m trying to build up my appetite for greasy fish and chips at twelve!”
Chapter Nineteen
LILY
As Parker and Nathan raced off with the children, Jacqui turned to Lily. “I like her.”
Lily shot an anxious look toward Scott, but he was silently staring toward the beach.
“What, I’m not allowed to like someone?” Jacqui gave Lily an annoyed look, and Lily shook her head. She couldn’t believe her sister wasn’t being as discreet as she’d asked her to be. Actually, scrap that—she could believe it. Jacqui wasn’t known for being discreet, but Lily would never learn, and always confided in her. She valued her input, even if her secrecy was not ideal.
Scott turned toward the two sisters. “Are you putting those snacks out any time soon? I want to go join the sandcastle competition, but I’m scared of missing out.”
Jacqui grinned and opened up her plastic dip platter, which had sections for carrot sticks, raw broccoli and crackers, with a dip in the middle. She then opened up another container which had two other dips. Scott took some crackers loaded with dip and ate them, returning for a handful of carrot sticks topped with dip. He smiled in appreciation but kept eating and walked toward the sandcastle builders.
“She’s different from your usual type, but I can see the appeal,” Jacqui said, taking the opportunity of being alone to talk more. “She’s a great looking girl.”
