The Pole Renovacy, chapter 4

Chapter 4

This is based on Hi-de-Hi’s gift to me from the Holiday Gift Exchange. House here: https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9351043 And family here: https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9351042 Where else could they go that was free? The library was an obvious solution, and May had always loved reading. But to Tad’s disappointment, instead of losing herself in a book like she used to, May headed for the toys instead.
“Don’t say anything,” Tad told himself through gritted teeth, and decided that Ice, at least, could sit down with a book, seeing as they were At The Library. Was May trying to make a point? Tad wondered. They’d had to sell her books, along with so much else. She was talking to herself softly.
“You’re a nice blue brick. Where shall we put you?” in that faintly irritating babyish voice she adopted so often now. Okay, very irritating babyish voice. And after the library, they were heading somewhere else for free. Somewhere for finding free stuff. Mind you, it smelt pretty bad… And so did Tad by the time he had finished. May made her feelings very clear! The library was close enough to school for May to meet Tad there after the final bell had gone. She headed straight for the blocks again.
“Don’t you have any homework?” Tad asked.
“Nope,” May answered airily. “We did it all in class.” “What’s your teacher like?”
“Miss Chandler? She’s quite nice, but strict.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting her when there’s a parents’ evening. I’m surprised there hasn’t been one yet.”
“Oh, they have them much later in the year here. I ‘splained about your phone not working and she said she’d send a note on paper when it was going to happen.”
Fair enough, Tad thought – different school, different timetable for events. Tad’s cooking skills still weren’t great – to say the least – but he’d grown these salad ingredients himself. And at least he couldn’t burn a salad! “How was school today?”
“Okay,” May sighed.
“Any homework?”
“Er, no, it was a field trip day.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“It was okay.”
They finished the meal in silence. Tad missed Star so much – even when she was so ill, she never lost her knack of getting May to chatter about things. All he seemed to get out of her was these terse answers. The bills were red again, but at least he could pay them this time without having to sell anything. Not that there was really anything left to sell. If they were going to have any “new” furniture, or anything else, he needed to go dumpster diving again. He’d walk down to the school with Ice and meet May and they’d go together. Tad had the feeling that May didn’t really like going to the scrapyard, but he needed her to keep an eye on Ice. So she’d just have to put up with it. They were well into late autumn now, and Tad wanted to do some more tidying up before winter came. He’d dragooned a reluctant May into helping him, pointing out that as she didn’t have any homework – again! He did want to talk to that teacher of hers – she might as well do some house-and-garden work instead. It was pricy, but it had to be done. Tad had been hand-washing the essentials through the summer, and drying them outside, but the bedding was beyond him. He’d done the sheets from time to time, but not very well. And the bedcover did smell dusty – it hadn’t been so bad when they’d had those open doors, but now the house was more-or-less airtight, the smell was a lot more noticeable. May had gone out on a nature ramble with some friends from school so it was just Ice he had to keep happy. And that wasn’t hard. Someone else came in and Ice, who had lost none of his friendly, outgoing nature, despite all the changes in their lives, headed over to greet her. Tad followed, apologising slightly for his son. “It’s okay! I like children. They’re my bread and butter in fact – I teach at the primary school here in town.” Tad read the between-the-lines translation: I’m an okay person to have round your son.
“He’s so cheerful! When’s he due to start school?”
“He’s only three. A little while yet before he starts school. My daughter’s already there though.” If she was a teacher, maybe she’d heard about May and he could pump her gently for some feedback. “Her name’s May. May Pole. And I’m Tad.” “You’re May’s father." Her expression changed subtly. “I’m Bindi Chandler, May’s class teacher. I was sorry that you couldn’t make the parent-teacher evening or fix up an alternative appointment.” “What parents’ evening? There hasn’t been one yet.” Tad was a bit annoyed at the way she’d obviously demoted him to uncommitted parent status. Of course he would have gone to a parents’ evening. He wished he wasn’t in his tracksuit, but looked a bit more professional instead. Her next words were just as much of a shock as well. “What do you mean, May hasn’t been doing her homework? She hasn’t had any. In fact I was looking forward to meeting you and asking about that…” Okay, maybe he emphasised the “was” a bit too much, but her words and attitude had caught Tad on the raw. He was doing his best by the children, but it was hard… Miss Chandler picked up on the “was”, and Tad could see her fighting to retain her professionalism. Her voice became very cool, calm and detached.
“Maybe if May’s mother had a word with her? I know May said she doesn’t live with you any more, but…” Tad couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. And couldn’t cope with the hurt of it either. Thankfully, at that moment the timer pinged on the dryer. He kept his mouth firmly closed and contented himself with turning on his heel and walking away. What had May been playing at? What was wrong with her?