‹ Prequel: Study
Hit the Books
Pop the Question
“Welcome to advance English. Hopefully you guys will enjoy this year’s work.” Mitch said setting his bag down on the desk and facing the board. “Now my name is mister Watson and let’s see who we have in this class shall we.” He turned to face the class and Bailey Tilly nudge her in the ribs. Mitch scanned the room and his eyes came to rest on Bailey. She could tell he was trying not to smile and it made her giggle.
“I see a few familiar faces from previous classes.” His eyes rested briefly on Bailey before sweeping over the rest of the class. “There are some new faces though and I’m sure we’ll get to know each other very well.”
“He already knows one of us very well.” Tilly whispered. Bailey hit her over the head with her pencil case.
“Ahh yes, Bailey Beats, let’s hope that this year is an improvement over last year.” Tilly could barely contain her laughter causing Bailey to shoot her a warning look.
“So let’s talk about King Lear.” And so the class went on talking about the Shakespearean play.
Bailey set their plates in the sink and headed back into the dining room to grab a very impatient looking Seth from his highchair.
“Come on buddy, time for a story.” Seth grinned up at her. He seemed pretty smart for a baby and Bailey adored him. She liked kids in general but there was something special about her nephew.
“You’re dad’s coming around later too.” She said settling down in an armchair in the lounge room.
“And between you and me, I think he’s going to ask your mum a pretty big question.” She whispered before picking up his favourite book.
“This is the house that Jack built.” Bailey read, nursing Seth gently in the crook of her arm.
“This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. This is the cat that killed the rat that lay in the house that Jack built. What sound does a cat make, Seth?” she looked down at the baby boy and watched as he tried to meow. At the moment Spencer was Seth’s best friend and Bailey had watched many hours of Seth trying to imitate the patient cat. She felt sorry for Spencer since Seth’s version of playtime usually involved pulling the cats tail or squeezing him so tightly that his eyes almost popped out of his head. Needless to say, Spencer now slept in Bailey’s room and had his own cat flap on the door so he could escape anytime.
Eventually Seth gave up trying to meow and Bailey continued with the story.
“This is the dog that tossed the cat, that killed the rat, that ate the malt, that lay in the house that Jack built.” Bailey paused as she heard the doorbell ring throughout the house.
“I’ll get it!” Sian squealed running to the door. About a month after Seth was born Sian and Jimmy had gotten together and were doing really well together. When you saw the three of them together they were the picture of happiness.
“Hey honey.” Jimmy’s voice greeted Sian as she no doubt jumped into his arms. “How was your day?”
“Yeah it was alright, Seth’s been really good today. How was work?” Sian asked as the two of them walked into the lounge room.
“Bit boring but hey, it pays the bills.” Jimmy’s eyes rested on Seth and he bounded over to him. “There’s my little man!” It was amazing just how great of a parent both Sian and Jimmy were. They’d both grown up a lot since Seth was born and it had forced them to become responsible people.
“How’s it going Bailey?” Jimmy grinned as he tickled his son.
“I’m good, Jimmy.” Bailey laughed as Seth squealed with delight.
“Hey, could you take Seth for a minute? I just want to talk to Sian.” He asked with a shy smile. Bailey grinned and took the baby.
“Not a problem. We’ll finish our story, won’t we bud.” She smiled, walking back into the kitchen.
“Is he doing it?” her mother asked in an excited whisper. Both families had been gossiping about when Jimmy was going to pop the question for a good couple of months now.
“I think so.” Bailey grinned. They all waited on baited breath until they heard a scream of excitement. The next moment there were hurried footsteps and Sian burst into the kitchen.
“I’M GETTING MARRIED!”
“I see a few familiar faces from previous classes.” His eyes rested briefly on Bailey before sweeping over the rest of the class. “There are some new faces though and I’m sure we’ll get to know each other very well.”
“He already knows one of us very well.” Tilly whispered. Bailey hit her over the head with her pencil case.
“Ahh yes, Bailey Beats, let’s hope that this year is an improvement over last year.” Tilly could barely contain her laughter causing Bailey to shoot her a warning look.
“So let’s talk about King Lear.” And so the class went on talking about the Shakespearean play.
Bailey set their plates in the sink and headed back into the dining room to grab a very impatient looking Seth from his highchair.
“Come on buddy, time for a story.” Seth grinned up at her. He seemed pretty smart for a baby and Bailey adored him. She liked kids in general but there was something special about her nephew.
“You’re dad’s coming around later too.” She said settling down in an armchair in the lounge room.
“And between you and me, I think he’s going to ask your mum a pretty big question.” She whispered before picking up his favourite book.
“This is the house that Jack built.” Bailey read, nursing Seth gently in the crook of her arm.
“This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. This is the cat that killed the rat that lay in the house that Jack built. What sound does a cat make, Seth?” she looked down at the baby boy and watched as he tried to meow. At the moment Spencer was Seth’s best friend and Bailey had watched many hours of Seth trying to imitate the patient cat. She felt sorry for Spencer since Seth’s version of playtime usually involved pulling the cats tail or squeezing him so tightly that his eyes almost popped out of his head. Needless to say, Spencer now slept in Bailey’s room and had his own cat flap on the door so he could escape anytime.
Eventually Seth gave up trying to meow and Bailey continued with the story.
“This is the dog that tossed the cat, that killed the rat, that ate the malt, that lay in the house that Jack built.” Bailey paused as she heard the doorbell ring throughout the house.
“I’ll get it!” Sian squealed running to the door. About a month after Seth was born Sian and Jimmy had gotten together and were doing really well together. When you saw the three of them together they were the picture of happiness.
“Hey honey.” Jimmy’s voice greeted Sian as she no doubt jumped into his arms. “How was your day?”
“Yeah it was alright, Seth’s been really good today. How was work?” Sian asked as the two of them walked into the lounge room.
“Bit boring but hey, it pays the bills.” Jimmy’s eyes rested on Seth and he bounded over to him. “There’s my little man!” It was amazing just how great of a parent both Sian and Jimmy were. They’d both grown up a lot since Seth was born and it had forced them to become responsible people.
“How’s it going Bailey?” Jimmy grinned as he tickled his son.
“I’m good, Jimmy.” Bailey laughed as Seth squealed with delight.
“Hey, could you take Seth for a minute? I just want to talk to Sian.” He asked with a shy smile. Bailey grinned and took the baby.
“Not a problem. We’ll finish our story, won’t we bud.” She smiled, walking back into the kitchen.
“Is he doing it?” her mother asked in an excited whisper. Both families had been gossiping about when Jimmy was going to pop the question for a good couple of months now.
“I think so.” Bailey grinned. They all waited on baited breath until they heard a scream of excitement. The next moment there were hurried footsteps and Sian burst into the kitchen.
“I’M GETTING MARRIED!”