The Pole Renovacy Chapter 9

Chapter 9

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

“What do you think we should do next?”
“Play Frisbee!”
“Well actually, I meant with the house.” “A bathroom, a bathroom! I know that outdoor one works, but I don’t like the spiders!”
“Bathroom it is, then. Where do you think we should build it? I don’t really want the bathroom door opening off the kitchen.” “How about this side of the house? If we found somewhere else to put the cot?” May suggested.
Tad nodded his approval. “That could well work. We’ll do some measuring and I’ll show you how to draw up a scale plan. It’s a bit like a dolls’ house but only on paper. And we’ll make paper cut-outs for the cot and my bed and so on and arrange them on the paper. And then we’ll find out what it will cost! And if we can afford it”
“Shall I play with Ice then, while you do some more drawings?”
“No, we’ll play Frisbee first. I need the practice. You’re getting too good!” May was getting good. That Frisbee flew for her now. And he did need the practice. May laughed with delight as he missed the catch. Served him right for taking his mind off the game! School started again tomorrow and he hadn’t heard back from Miss Chandler. May be she was too cross with him to accept his apology. Should he write again? But what else could he say that he hadn’t already said? And maybe she was going to send a message home with May. He’d wait a little longer.
“Come on, butterfingers,” May called. “Get on with the game!”
She sounded like a normal happy child now, Tad realised. All that whininess and “But Daddy…” whinging had gone. And her happiness lifted Tad’s spirits as well.
“Just you wait,” he called back. “That was just a blip.” May was as good as her word and played happily with Ice, while Tad got on with his next series of sketches. He’d actually had an order from one of the other parents, for some pictures for a new baby’s bedroom. Maybe – after the bathroom – he’d be able to afford an easel, oils and canvas again. And now school had started and it was just him and Ice again. He was missing May, he realised, rather than feeling relieved that she was out of the house. He went to drop the old newspaper in the bin and saw that the flag was up on the mailbox. Bills? Junk mail? That was all that came these days. He lifted the flap and peered inside. One of the envelopes was a proper letter. Tad opened it carefully and began to read.
“Dear Mr Pole,
I’m so sorry I didn’t reply earlier. I was away for the whole of the holidays, in Australia at a friend’s wedding, and so I only found your letter when I got back…I am so sorry for what I said. That must have been so painful for you…I’m not surprised you were so angry…”
Tad stood rooted to the spot after he’d read Miss Chandler’s letter. Twice.
She had totally accepted his apology, read between the lines of its slightly stiff formality. And she hadn’t excused herself or blamed May. Not at all. And yet this had been May’s fault, really. And she’d recognised how he must have felt. He turned the flag down on the mailbox and went back into the house to see what Ice was up to. He felt mildly stunned, but he didn’t know why. Buying an easel was going to have to wait a while longer! He was going to have to stick with sketches for now. But the house had been transformed.
It did help that they were building with an easy material. “No problem,” the builders had said when Tad had asked how about a door here, how about moving these windows? The bathroom was inside!
“No more spiders!” said May with joy. And from the front, the house looked neat too. New front door – and back door – that was what they needed next. After that, the easel. Tad actually had a bedroom – and had it to himself – at last. And so did Ice. A bit bare at the moment, but they’d add to it. Maybe May could draw a picture for him. And they had an indoor bathroom, with a bath as well. Tad had almost forgotten how nice soaking in a bath actually was. In for a penny, in for a pound, Tad had thought, and the kitchen had been upgraded too with extra cupboards. Now that he was trying out new recipes, he needed a few more pans and bowls. And tonight was one of those new recipe nights. They’d caught the fish themselves – now let’s see if he could make a meal out of it. “What do you think? Did I win?”
“Mmm, I think so,” May said. “Three-one to you.”
“Three-one? It’s four-one now, I’m sure…If not five-one!” “May! Do your homework!” Tad barked in his best drill-sergeant impersonation.
“Aye aye Cap’n,” May said, saluting and trying not to giggle. She was really enjoying scouts.
“No slacking now! Just because it’s nearly the end of term…”
“End of year,” May said mournfully. “I hope next year’s teacher is as nice as Miss Chandler. It’s going to be someone new…I mean, yes, Sir! No slacking, Sir!” Now she was definitely giggling. She sat down to make a start on her homework as Tad responded to Ice’s cries of “Potty! Potty!” One more year, and Ice would be at school too. One more year… “Um…” said Tad, having met Miss Chandler totally unexpectedly at the fishing spot near their house. “Um…”
“I’m so glad I bumped into you,” Miss Chandler said hastily. “The thing is – the head’s proposing that I take May’s class again next year. We’ve a new teacher starting, and there’s one or two rather lively children in May’s class.”
Tad knew what she meant! He’d heard about them from May.
“But would you be happy with me being May’s teacher again? I told the head I wanted to ask you that personally, in case you…” Tad broke in on what she was saying. “I think you’re the best possible teacher May could have next year.” At last he had a chance to make amends, to show Miss Chandler how he knew he’d misjudged her.
“I would be really happy for you to be May’s teacher for another year. And May really likes you.”
Actually, what May had said was “I do love Miss Chandler.”
“I’m really fond of her.” Miss Chandler relaxed visibly. “And she does seem so much happier now. What made the difference?” Tad ended up telling her about Alicia Harbottle’s interfering ways, and her oh-so-unhelpful comments.
“But that’s an awful burden to put on a child’s shoulders! Poor May. And poor you too.”
Her genuine indignation led Tad to tell more of the story – not just the Harbottle’s comments to May, but the things she’d said to him as well, the way she’d questioned his ability to bring the children up without Star there. “That’s dreadful! How dare she? You’ve done a brilliant job with those children! You only have to look at how happy Ice is. Where is he, by the way?” Miss Chandler suddenly asked, looking around as if Ice might be under a bush or something.
“I can afford a baby-sitter now. Two hours on a Saturday morning. It’s my treat to me – my bit of time alone.”
“And I’ve interrupted it! I’m so sorry…”
“No, honestly. This is a pleasure, talking to another adult with no child around. I couldn’t have said all this with the children around,”
And it’s been nice to get it off my chest. And to hear someone else saying that I’m doing well.
“Were you coming here to fish too?” Actually, she had been planning to fish. So Tad spent a very companionable time fishing with Miss Chandler, until it was time to go and release the baby sitter and pick up his parenting duties again.
“This is what I usually do, if it’s not raining. Relaxing and we get something to eat for dinner as well. Maybe I’ll bump into you again?”
“If it doesn’t spoil your down time..?”
“No. Like I said, it’s nice to talk to someone over the age of eight!”