Caring for Carers - Minizerk

Chapter 11

It's 2 minutes past 8 on a Monday morning, when Tobi throws open the door to the staff room at The Yew Tree, having parked neatly in his usual bay exactly 9 minutes earlier. There's still 58 minutes until the kids have to be in school, giving him time to help get Sarah set up with her instruments in the sensory room. After that, he'll find his way to classroom 3A, the one he's been designated to help out in today.

For a man working in an ever-changing profession, he sure tries to run his life as close to clockwork as he can.

Although this morning, his plans may be a little waylaid, as he finds Sarah deep in conversation with the two Cals, a flask held between gloved fingers as she shivers lightly. The school's heating has been dodgy for ages, and no matter what the caretaker does, it still takes an age to warm up. Apparently, Jeff's been coming in at 5 to turn on the heating, so it's sufficiently warm enough by 8:30.

To be honest, Tobi just reckons they need a new boiler, but that costs money. Money the school doesn't have, if they want to keep employing staff.

That's why he and all other carers hate winter so much. It costs a lot more money than summer ever will.

Anyway, Tobi approaches the trio, as Airey turns to greet him.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear. We were just talking about you."

"Ah, I'm not that bad am I, guys? What're you talking about?"

"About how the hell you cope working in a house with those two idiots - Josh and Simon, that is." Cal is quick to confirm, seeing Tobi tense briefly at the implication of Vik or Ethan being stupid, before he relaxes.

"What, with how in love with each other they are?"

"Exactly," Sarah cuts in, "these two have been telling me all about the way the two of them talk about each other."

"I don't spend much time with Josh these days," Cal muses, "but it feels like I do, the amount Simon talks about him. It's 'Josh said this...' or 'Josh does that...', with some massive goofy smile on his face. Worst bit is, he doesn't even realise he's doing it. I could tell you so much obscure information about Josh it's insane."

"Spare us the details, Tobi probably already knows most of the weird shit about Josh." Callum (as he's known to Ethan) jokingly states, his arm looping casually around Sarah's shoulders, as she rolls her eyes, pushing him off.

"I don't really talk to either of them much, other than when Josh comes to pick up Ethan from his therapy session, but it's cute seeing them interact in the morning when they're dropping the boys off. They're totally pussyfooting around each other though."

"Tell me about it. Josh doesn't believe he's worthy of love, or that Simon thinks the sun shines out of his arse, and I don't really know what Simon's deal is. He's not homophobic, I don't think. With the way he casually flirts all the time, I don't think it's possible for him to be homophobic."

"Is Josh still not over what happened with her?"

"Nah, you know they're on good terms these days. They've been a part of each other's lives for too long for anything like that to stop them being friends. Josh has always thought he isn't good enough, or that other people deserve better. Knowing him, he thinks Simon's qualifications make him worthy of more than he can provide, like if they did end up being a thing, Simon'd end up finding something better in the long run and move on."