troubled teachers

Chapter 36

A/N: Happy Valentine's day!!!

As soon as Regina saw David Nolan enter the staff room on Monday morning, she hurried over, eager to apologise for the disruption to the exam her Braxton Hicks contractions had caused. Emma watched her go, shaking her head in mild disbelief at her girlfriend's insistence that she even had something to apologise for.

"David," she greeted.

"Regina," he said, his face breaking into a wide smile. "How are you doing? I was so worried until Rose told me everything was ok."

"I'm fine, thank you," Regina assured. "The contractions stopped not long after we got to hospital."

"I'm just grateful Mary Margaret never suffered with Braxton Hicks," the man said as he began to make himself a cup of coffee. Regina accepted his offer of a tea as he dangled a herbal bag on a string before her.

"How is she doing?" Regina asked.

"Ready to pop," David replied. "She's due next weekend and she's just lying around the house waiting now. The fact that the English summertime has actually made an appearance means she's incredibly uncomfortable though. It's far too hot to be carrying around another person, apparently."

"I can imagine," Regina said. Her lower back was already starting to ache and she had noticed how the straps on her shoes were beginning to cut a little into her ankles. "David, I came over here to apologise actually."

"Apologise for what?" David frowned.

"For the disruption on Friday. Those kids were trying their best in that exam and I ruined the last fifteen minutes. If their grades are below what is expected, that's on me."

David placed a reassuring hand on Regina's shoulder. "Listen to me. No one blames you for what happened on Friday. Braxton Hicks can hurt like hell and none of those kids nor their teachers are going to hold anything against you for the fact that you, yes, disrupted the exam. Anyway, they only had fifteen minutes left so I doubt it made much of an impact."

"Henry said he couldn't concentrate afterwards," Regina said. "I'm worried … what if the results come back and he's done badly?"

"Henry's a bright kid," David assured. "I'm sure he'll have aced it. At least it was a Year 10 exam not Year 11. Honestly, Regina you have nothing to apologise for. If anything, I should say sorry to Henry for not allowing him to stay with you. He was clearly very worried."

"Yeah," Regina nodded. "Your name was mentioned in a surly tone a few times over the weekend."

"I was just doing my job," David said, slightly defensively.

"I know that, and so does Henry," Regina said. "But he still felt like he should have been allowed to stay with me, at least until Emma arrived."

"He's grown rather fond of you, hasn't he?"

"The feeling's mutual," Regina grinned. "He's a fantastic kid and he's been so wonderful with everything that's happened between me and Emma. Not many fifteen year old boys would be as accepting when your mother comes out as being interested in women and then announces she's dating your history teacher."

David laughed. "True. You got lucky there."

"I got lucky with both of them," Regina said, glancing back to where Emma was sat with Rose and Ruby. Their eyes met and they shared a brief, loving smile. Regina felt her baby stir inside her. Even at six months old, their baby could tell when her mothers were present. Regina placed a hand on her stomach and turned back to David who was finishing her cup of tea.