The knight nursery

What happened between Carly & Summer

I'm so sorry for the end of this chapter but I have to lead in char and her husband some how 🫤

(flashback previous to the week)

Carly arrived at 7:45 am to start her shift at the nursery as she arrived, she went to the office to speak to Marjorie "morning Marjorie what room am I in today please?" Carly waited patiently as Marjorie finished typing "morning Carly my love today you are working in the preschool room with Summer" with that Carly turned to leave the office to head up to the staff room to leave her belongings in her locker.

A few minutes before 8am Carly headed back downstairs to the preschool room and was greeted by Summer "it's about time you came in here" Summer snapped at her Carly could already tell it was going to be one of those days.  Shrugging it off "morning summer where would you like me today?" Carly asked "it doesn't really matter, nothing you every do counts for anything anyway" Carly didn't even offer a response and went to assist with the breakfasts.

As the children are eating breakfast Jenson arrives and Carly does hand over with mum "so how is Jenson this morning?" "Oh he's fine" Jenson goes to sit down for breakfast summer shouts over "Carly your breakfast is here I've left it on the side for you" "thank you summer" Carly responded without looking over at summer that is when Jenson's mum spoke "oh you don't need that Carly" Carly looked shocked and asked "why?" "Oh you need to lose some weight my dear, because nobody will ever love you looking like this" and with that she grabbed at Carly's stomach. Carly was completely taken aback with what had just happened.

After Jenson's mum had left Carly went over to speak to Summer and told her what had just happened "well she right isn't she.  Anyway any issues you have should be left at the door when you arrive to work, they don't matter when your here nobody cares" Summer laughed at Carly.

Carly discarded the cereal in the bin as summer laughed while watching her.  After all of the breakfast dishes had been cleared away and sent back to the kitchen is when summer spoke again "right take your group out in the garden and do some physical activity with them, they need to burn some energy off and as Jenson's mum said you need to lose weight" summer turned away smirking.

Carly went out to the garden and did as she was asked but at this point, she went into her head and zoned out. Carly spent the rest of her day in her own head while putting on a front for everyone else, lunch time came Carly went out of the building for a jog, when she arrived everyone was none the wiser to what she had just done, she headed to the bathroom to freshen up and headed back into the preschool room Sorcha had come into cover mine and summers lunch it was now Summers turn to go on lunch Sorcha approaches Carly "hey Carly you ok" Sorcha asked in her Irish accent "erm yep yep I'm fine what do you need me to do?" Carly asked.  Sorcha was unsure on Carly's mood but let it go "err can you help with the handwriting activity?"  Carly went quickly to engage the kids in the writing activity encouraging them to keep trying "that's it kids you've got this you can do it" she said if only she could listen to her own words for herself, she had broken her promise to char and now started to think about how char would react. Little did she know that charlotte would figure something was wrong 4 days later.

Present moment

After Carly had finished talking Marjorie and charlotte looked at each other, before Marjorie "she did what!!" Marjorie shouted, at this point I looked over to the baby room and saw summer looking over again and again she quickly carried on with what she was doing she knew she was in trouble.

It took a while for Marjorie to calm down "Carly my love I can't let her get away with this, just like Jenson's mum cant, you are a beautiful human being who deserves love and support" Carly was sobbing in my arms I was rubbing her back as Marjorie spoke again "do I have your permission to tell the staff about your disorder" Carly looked between me and Marjorie "Carly how about you decide who is told?" I ask seeing some relief in her eyes "apart from me and Marjorie who else do you trust?" Carly sat and thought for a few moments "Sorcha and Maddison" she sniffled as she spoke "I can already sense Sorcha knows something is wrong after our encounter last week" Carly lowers her head.  Marjorie was the first to speak after we had allowed Carly to calm herself back down "Carly lovely go to the bathroom and wash your face I'm going to have a chat with charlotte" Carly got up to leave and instantly went to give Marjorie a hug "thank you" she whispered so it was barely audible.

We both watch as Carly leaves to go to clean her face from the tear marks.  I spoke first "Marjorie I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I needed Carly to trust me and in doing that I have learnt some of her comforts" Marjorie looked at me confused "comforts" she asked "well yesterday I got her to eat a whole bag of popcorn that is one of her comfort foods and this morning she told me that hot chocolate is another" I could see the cogs turning in Marjorie's brain "right char I need that list for our chat with Sorcha and Maddison later please, I will clear a drawer out in my office that will be just for Carly's comforts" "oh you mean a Carly emergency as I call it" I said laughing.

Carly came back in the room "hey guys thank you for supporting me with this" Carly looked a little happier, "right I think we all need to go and get some work done" Marjorie laughed "Carly don't worry I will deal with everything from today and figure out what I'm going to do with Summer, on my way back to the office I will pop in the toddler room and ask Sorcha and Maddison to stay behind for a little while after we close tonight" Carly and I head out to the baby room and Marjorie heads to the toddler room.

As the day passes, I keep my eye on Carly and watch how summer interacts with her "Carly you ok?" I ask as I could see her getting anxious around Summer "erm yeah char I'm fine" her voice may have been convincing but as I observed her body language I knew something was wrong quickly thinking of a plan "Summer Kyle needs a nappy change please could you take him and change him" she was about to argue back "er no I'm room leader and I asked you to do it go now please" I waited for her to leave the room.  "Carly spill what's wrong?"  Carly went to turn away I lightly grabbed her arm "Carly what did I say this morning?"  Carly looked at the floor before feeling confident to look up at me "its summer she's been quizzing me about our meeting with Marjorie trying to get information out of me" "thank you Carly leave that with me I will deal with her" as summer came back into the room with Kyle "summer these 3 need taking in for a nap please" I said "no arguments just do as I've asked" that should keep her busy for a while I thought "oh when they are asleep the sides in the nap room need sterilizing and organizing please" I tried my best to keep her away from Carly as long as I could.  I instantly saw Carly start to relax.  As 5pm approached I sent Carly to Marjorie's office "I will be along soon, I promise" I whisper to Carly.

As the last of my group was collected "right summer you can stay and clean up today, I need to go and support a member of staff with something" as I finished speaking, I turned to leave and head to Marjorie's office.  The three of us sat and compiled a list of Carly's comfort food and drinks

1. Popcorn (any flavor but toffee over anything else)

2. Hot chocolate

3. Galaxy chocolate

4. Digestive biscuits

5. Haribo sweets

Carly agreed that if anything else came up she would update the list with us all.  Marjorie showed her where the drawer would be located for her and said she could put anything she wanted in there.

Around 15 minutes later Maddison and Sorcha knocked on the office door Sorcha was the one to speak "er Marjorie you wanted to see us?" "Come in and take a seat ladies" Marjorie said it was Marjorie that explained everything to the two ladies as I comforted Carly.

After we had all finished, I drove Carly home I could see she was mentally and physically drained, she fell asleep on the drive as I pulled up outside of her house, I could see her mum in the window waiting patiently.  As I parked up, I gently tried to wake Carly, but she was so tired she was in a deep sleep, Carly's mum was approaching the car I wound the window down and pressed my finger to my lips and mouthed silently "she's fast asleep" Carly's mum went back into the house for her dad to come out and carry her into the house.

Carly's mum was the first person to speak "is she ok charlotte? I'm really starting to worry now" "all I can say is she will be ok she's had an emotional day, and her support network has grown today" "thank you so so much charlotte" Carly's mum said as she closed the car door.

I headed home and being honest I couldn't wait to get home and just process the todays events it had been a long day, I just wanted the comfort of my own home, my kids and my husband (or so I thought)