"Options... I've ran out of Options..." (Book 3)

Chapter 182 - "Tough Decisions...?"

Chapter 182 - "Tough Decisions..."

Clara's PoV

'I'm not ready to come back to work' Clara said as she sat in Mr Fosters office with Harry in his car seat on the other side of the room.

'Why?'

'Because I had my son less than a month ago and I thought I would be able to come back to work but I won't. I won't be able to leave him' I mumbled. 'I'm sorry. I know I had high hopes and that you've put me in charge of the NQTs but I can't come back to work yet. I'm not ready'

'Are you asking for maternity leave?'

'I am'

'How does a year sound?' Mr Foster said randomly confusing the shit out of me.

'A year?'

'Well technically over a year. Your son was born at the beginning of August... come back to work next September when you've had time off. You never really took time off with your last daughter and then you even took in a son and didn't take time off'

'A year is a long time?'

'Then we'll evaluate after 8 months' he said. 'I want my staff in the best possible state of mind and I want you to come back. What I don't want is for you to start in September and want to take leave in October. I'd rather not get a class attached. And after the craziness of last year you deserve the break so it's good timing'

- - -

'Clara?' John shouted through as I had my head down looking at the table writing furiously.

'Hmm?'

'Oh there you are' he smirked peaking around the door frame of the kitchen. I had been sat there for the last 2 hours trying to write this speech for grans funeral but I didn't really know what to say.

'What you doing?' He hummed flicking the kettle on and quickly making a cup of tea before making that brace move of getting things organised for the first day back at school tomorrow.

I wasn't looking forward to organising but now I had some news of my own it didn't seem so bad.

'Writing grans speech for the funeral. I know what I want to say and how much I love her... I just don't know how exactly to say it'

'I'm sure you'll think of something' he smirked as Poppy came flying into the room and bounced onto John's lap with her graph of words to practise writing.

She only really enjoyed writing with John. Maybe it was because Clara went to teachers on her and tried to control her how she would control her 7 year olds.

'So Foster called me in to the school today'

'You were going in anyway?'

'Yeah. Well he's offered me an ultimatum. He's said that I can take a years materinity leave' I said as John halted what he was doing and looked at me.

'Won't you get a bit bored if you stayed at home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?' John hummed.

'Yeah. But I can do things. Like toddler classes and doctors appointments and shopping. I can be like the housewife you never had?'

'But I don't want a housewife. If I wanted that then I never would have married you' he smirked.

'John. I've realised how much I love Harry and how much I've missed out on the rest of the kids upbringing. I need this. I want this' I mumbled trying to justify it. 'I want to take some time off' I mumbled.

'Okay' he shrugged.

'Okay? Is that it? Is that all the response that I get?' I grumbled.

'What do you want me to say'

'That it's a terrible idea? Or that you don't like the idea of me being around the house all the time' I scoffed.

'Are you just looking for an argument?'

'No'

'Then what's the problem? You take a year off work and if you do get bored then you can come and work at my place or in in the crèche?' He suggested.

'I suppose' I hummed slurping at the tea he had handed me and looked up.

'Actually it's quite good timing' he mumbled.

'Why?'

'Well you know that my company are thinking and trying to branch out and expand to other places... well we have had the opportunity to build an office in France'

'France? That's good right?'

'Really good. Only thing is it would mean me going on a lot more business trips again. I kind of gave them up when Poppy was born. But I think now would be a good time to start again to develop my business'

'Is this the best time? You know Richard won't want to be travelling and leaving Lilly behind whilst she's pregnant and miss out?'

'Which is exactly the reason why I need to do it. And with you here with the kids all the time I don't need to worry about things. I know you'll do a good job of looking after them'

'Yeah. Well tough decisions have been made tonight' I smirked.

- - -

'Mummy?'

'Avia'

'Can I come to Grans funeral?' She asked which rather caught me off guard. She never knew my Gran as well as I did but everyone called her Gran.

The kids don't really have any relatives to actually call Gran or Nan so even though my Gran was their great Gran - it worked.

'Umm. Funerals aren't very nice places sweetheart'

'I went to Lucie'a funeral'

'That was quite different Hun. She was very close to you and it would be expected. You didn't know Gran very well and might not be the place for a child'

'But I'm 11 and I want to pay my byes'

'Hmm. I'll talk to your dad about it' I promised but I wasn't sure I wanted her there.

To see me and my Dad upset might not be nice. And she can't throw up that we're taking Harry because he's 5 weeks old and where I go he goes.