One of a Kind

Chapter 3: Charlotte

She looked inquisitively at Alex, 'So' he began nervously 'here goes nothing'...

It was a few months before the wedding.

Alex woke up to find Jennifer leaning on his chest, her hand resting on his shoulder. He took her hand, which was soon to hold a ring to prove his eternal love for her, and kissed it. He stroked her face and played with her long blonde hair until eventually she opened her eyes and smiled at him showing her pretty white teeth. She tousled his light brown hair, 'come on, we need to be places later' he said 'exactly' she whispered 'later'.

The week was a blur, Alex was at work a lot with an important mission for the government whilst Jennifer had just got her first main job as the new music teacher at the school her and Alex went to as children.

'Can you tell me some things about school?' She asked him as he slammed his laptop lid down in frustration, 'like what?' he snapped. She shrugged helplessly 'anything, really'. 'Let's go to your mums, she can probably tell you more than me'.

On the journey to Carol and David's house, he began to tell her about how the school they went to, that she now taught at, had changed.

'School has changed quite a lot from when we where there. For starters there are no boys there anymore, the boys are in a separate school across the road called Latmote Academy.'

Jennifer had been training as a teacher for the few years since she left school and a few days a week while she was still at school. They had changed the school from one mixed school to two single-gender school just a year or so after they left. She had always wanted to teach, and when her music teacher Mrs Franklin said she was very talented in year 7, Jennifer had taken up singing lessons and joined the school choir. It was a tradition at Keye to have a yearly trip to Italy, which made Jennifer very happy indeed. She went on her first school trip to Italy when she was in year 7; just a few months after she joined.

They arrived at Carol's house within a few minutes as they lived quite close together, they went inside and sat down on the soft, worn sofa in the average looking house Jennifer grew up in. 'I remember when you went on a choir trip' Carol said after a few minutes, breaking the silence 'you went to Italy and you had to translate everything for your friends and teachers'...

As a child, she had lived in Italy for a few years because her dad had got a promotion at work. Carol was outraged and didn't agree with her family, especially 6 year old Jennifer, moving to Italy. 'It won't be forever Carol' he pleaded 'please come with me, I couldn't bear not seeing you all every morning'. Eventually, she softened and brought her family to Italy, if only for 4 years, and by the time they came back to England, it was only Jennifer who was confident in speaking fluent Italian. Avril and Joey, her siblings, could hardly say anything and Carol and David didn't need to use it so they didn't know hardly any. So when they went on the choir trip to Italy, the teachers couldn't speak Italian and the tour guides couldn't speak English, it was shy little Jennifer who saved the trip.

'Qualcuno parla italiano perché si parla poco l'inglese?' They all stared at the tour guide and shrugged their shoulders. Mrs Franklin and Mr Whice thought they would have to cancel the trip when the nervous Jennifer stepped forward and replied, 'Io parlo Italiano. Posso tradurre per voi.' The tour guide looked relieved and the teachers and students were gob-smacked, shy little Jennifer Emerson spoke Italian? Obviously so.

The tour guide took them to all the venues where they were performing, explaining the history and other people who had performed there while Jennifer translated for her classmates. They were astounded.

They all questioned her about her life in Italy on the plane journey back, and she told them all about it. When her mum arrived at the airport to pick her up, Mrs Franklin came over to her and thanked her for deciding to move to Italy. Carol gave her a funny look and shrugged to Jennifer who whispered 'tell you in a minute'

'You never told me what you were going to tell me' Carol said quietly.

'Right so you want to know about Charlotte as a baby?' Carol asked quickly changing the subject, as Jennifer was rubbing her forehead again 'yes, I want to at least know something about my own children.' she said matter-of-factly. 'Okay' Alex breathed. 'Here goes'

Jennifer was six months pregnant with their first baby when Chad and Demi moved in with them. Chad and Demi were the children from his previous relationship, Yvonne, their mother, had died very suddenly and unexpectedly so they had to live with their next closest relation, who was Alex; their father. Alex was a bit concerned about bringing the children into his and Jennifer's lives, but after a serious discussion with his new wife, they agreed they should take them in as, they were all related now. He was worried about how they would react and unfortunately, Chad reacted how Alex hoped he wouldn't towards Jennifer. He hated her because he was convinced she had taken his dad away from his mum and made everything awkward when it didn't need to be, but Demi was happy to accept this new 'mother' into her life and always knew Jennifer as her 'mum'.

Yvonne died when they were very young so they didn't really remember her, but Chad felt that by liking Jennifer he was betraying his own mother; he didn't want to do that. And he never did.

When they went to visit the baby in hospital 3 months later, in June, Chad wanted nothing to do with her but eventually he grew to like her; like her a lot. They were thinking of names and it was actually Chad who made the perfect contribution. 'I'm learning about famous women in history classes' Jennifer smiled encouragingly at him 'like who?' She asked 'Emily... Um Dickenson and Charlotte uh Brönte...' 'That's it!' Alex cheered 'Charlotte!' Jennifer smiled at Chad and gave him a hug, he pulled a face at her and pushed her away. She sighed and shook her head 'I will make him like me' she vowed silently under her breath...