Crap.
7:02. I slammed my head onto my steering wheel as I realised I was already two minutes late. What a great first impression, Dahlia.
It was my first day at the prestigious 'Knight Nursery' that I'd been working my ass off at to get a job at the past few months. No one understood how much this meant to me, and I was on the brink of losing it all, without even gaining anything. I'd worked from the bottom up to get to where I was now, and I couldn't lose it all at my first chance. The little blue fiat 500 couldn't move fast enough through the bustling traffic. 'Stupid roadworks' I mutter, sighing. Why did I not take the longer route? Finally, I managed to pull into the gravel studded carpark, fashionably late. The time on the clock read 7:05. They were all going to hate me on my first day. I sighed, turning off the ignition, needing igniting with some energy myself, and stepped out my little faithful blue vehicle. The sun beamed down onto my back, half open with my newly bought sunflower summer dress swaying down to my knees. I picked up my clutch and headed towards the door. What were they going to think, was I going to be turned away, was I going to have lost the one shot at my dream job, was I-
Ouch.
My back hit the gravel, sending a surge of pain soaring through my body. Could this morning get any worse? I tried to laugh it off, but now I was walking in late and beaten up. God help me if there were any sort of security cameras around. I picked up my keys from the ground next to me, slowly starting to sit up, as the door opened to reveal a smiley teenager, who I assumed was an older sister of one of the children, with her hair in a side ponytail. 'You okay?' her voice strained, trying to hold back a smile. 'Fine, thanks.' I returned, brushing myself off. Maybe the sunflower dress wasn't infact the best idea. 'You must be the new girl right? Thats sooo exciting!!' Her voice had a slight twang, that of a needy child, yet it was somewhat wholesome. 'Yeah, Dahlia. Dahlia Seraphim.' I informed her, making my way through the white, butterfly decorated door that the girl was nicely holding open for me. 'Such a gorge name! I'm Carly, the apprentice.' I looked at the girl, shocked. She WORKED here? I thought she was an early drop off. 'Yeah, I'm seventeen. Shocks a lot of people!' I giggled to myself, realising she'd read my expressions. 'Let's go, I have so much to show you.'
Still slightly sore from my tumble, I struggled to keep up with the excitable girl as she raced through the corridor, explaining all the nursery 'gossip'. For such a small place, there surely was a lot going on. I couldn't quite make out what she was explaining, other than 'mean readhead' and 'marriage' - which she screamed very excitably in a tone which seemed happier than that she normally had in her voice. I was interested, yet with the speed she was moving and talking at, I was focusing more on not tripping up. She slowly trailed off as we approached a panelled door, reading 'Managers Office' in black letters across the window. I anxiously patted down my summer dress, making sure the gravel stains had gone, and flicked my auburn hair behind my ear.
'You'll be fine! I promise!' Carly laughed, knocking on the door and making her way in.
The office was just as I had imagined it. Two desks, placed next to one another, one vacant but adorned with black candles, a picture of a man & woman at what looked like a dark wedding and a small cactus. The next desk, totally opposite to the clean and tidy first, was covered with papers, files, phone cases, flowers, with a blue phone on the side. Sat in the chair of this desk was a ginger haired woman, wearing glasses and sporting a beige vest tshirt.
'Alright my love?' The woman said, turning in her chair. I recognised her face from the website. Marjorie Van Gould. The last name spoke a thousand words. She was practically a celebrity - everyone knew of the Van Gould family and their estate business. I could not get on the wrong side of this woman.
'I- I'm sorry I'm late' I apologised, tripping over my words knowing who was sat infront of me. I braced my head, ready for the backlash.
'Oh no my love! It's fine, you're half an hour earlier than the rest of the staff anyway. Since it's your first day, you just need to sign these. We'll have a meeting this afternoon, for now you can just get used to the rooms. That alright?' She had a soft spoken tone, her accent making all her words sound like a warm hug. The total opposite of what I expected when I read that she was a Van Gould. I softened a little, and smiled. 'No need to be so afraid , my darling!' she laughed, handing me some forms. I liked her already. She was the person I was most frightened of, yet I seemed to prefer her ever so slightly to the teenage girl.
'Marjorie. And you must be, Dahlia.' I was snapped out of my thoughts by a firm voice behind me. I turned to see a woman in a smart waistcoat and trousers, with her hair half up and half down. This was most definitely Autumn, whose picture was firm on the website and the instagram. I knew, not to mess with her from the reviews. Her eyes, which I thought I recognised from somewhere, pierced through me. I could tell she was judging my every move. What had I ever done to her? 'Nice to meet you. Good luck.' she spoke, not even breaking into a smile. As quickly as she appeared, she was gone. I took a deep gulp and finished signing the forms, handing them back to Marjorie.
'Right my love, you're with our Carly today. She'll take you to the room and get you settled. The children should be arriving soon.' She smiled softly as she spoke, her Staines accent shining through. She turned her head to the young girl next to me - 'and Carly, please make sure Jodie doesn't stab another toe off. Eric's having enough difficulty as it is.'
I couldn't hold in my giggles hearing she'd stabbed a toe off. Didn't really want to know more there, but I knew my expectations of this Jodie girl were not exactly, high.
After a short chat, Carly lead me back out the office, and towards the baby room, as shown by the signs. There were a lot of children in this nursery - the walls were covered with pegs and name tags.
'Ah, Carly and Dahlia' a man's voice echoed from the classroom. I turned my head to look at him, immediately recognising him from the picture I had previously seen before in the office. 'Pleased to meet you, I'm Winter' he said, smiling. 'Have you met Autumn yet?'
Carly smiled at the mention of her name. I slightly remembered her mentioning those names before the excitable word of 'marriage' whilst she was leading me to the room. He was the exact opposite of Autumn, softly spoken and smiling. He was fidgeting with a black metallic ring, matching the one I had previously seen on the woman before.
'Hi, I have yes, she seems...' I stuttered on my words, not wanting to get on the wrong side of anyone with any relation to the woman. 'Nice?' I said, hoping he didn't pick up on the slight caution in my voice.
'That's a first' he laughed, 'she's a woman of very few words'. He smiled at me reassuringly, 'She's nice really, I promise.'
'Yeah!?' Exclaimed Carly, immediately covering her mouth. I couldn't help but smile at them both. I could already sense the relationships here. Everyone was like a family. I just had to find where I belonged. 'So, are you-'
'Come on Stephanie!' A black short haired woman arrived at the door, cutting off my conversation.
'Oh, is that the time?' Winter exclaimed. 'Good luck Dahlia. Here if you need anything' He nodded, walking off. Carly & I watched him, before she turned back to me.
'Glad he's sorted her!' She laughed, before noticing the confused look on my face. 'Mushroom woman is not nice for your first handover.' I laughed in shock at the girls comment. She really was not who you'd expect her to be, an absolute savage, but she seemed like such a sweet person to be working with.
Better her than Autumn.
'Cmon, I'll show you round the room - get out of the way for a bit!' Carly's smile while she was taking really, really was infectious.
I think I'm going to like it here.
