Work day stress

Sitting back in her chair, Danni sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her long brown hair. She listened to her ten year old twins shouting and banging loudly upstairs as she closed down her work email. Wondering why they couldn’t just play nicely she was relieved that her work was finished for the day. Listening to the sounds of harps on her CD player she wondered how easy an instrument it was to learn, and harps are not cheap.

From the stresses of clients, now to the problems of Thomas. Lisa and dinner. Two fussy eaters with homework still to be completed. Widowed at forty, the pressure was all on Danni and still feeling the pain of losing Jacob she was not ready to let anyone new into her life.

* * * *

Mark

Mark really liked Danni, watching her handling the children every school morning, he admired her inner strength. The smile she always gave him as she left the classroom, made his heart jump but he knew he couldn’t do anything about it.

As class teacher he knew their home situation, he had seen Danni crying to other mums and he had had to discipline Thomas and Lisa for being unknowingly cruel to other children. Stuck in a difficult place of his emotional feelings for Danni, he knew he could not do anything about it.

Having to explain to Thomas and Lisa that not every daddy is unwell. Explaining about heaven and how he still loves them was a difficult situation. Advising Danni to take a break, have a rest, take time out with the children was also not an easy conversation. Seen as interfering, he could see that she was desperate for help but now as a single parent there was no time for her to rest, the bills still needed to be paid.

* * * *

Parents evening and Jacob

Putting burgers under the grill and spreading butter on the buns, Danni thought about the upcoming parents evening. She sniffed as she remembered last year when her and Jacob had met with Mrs Cross. The report of the children being a lively pair who liked getting into mischief. She could hear them now crashing upstairs. They were supposed to be doing homework and she knew that she should be helping them. However, for now she was content watching dinner cooking.

Jacob had suddenly passed away a couple of months later, a heart attack that no one had seen coming. Thinking about him she started crying again, she had had no time to prepare for it. Winifred, Jacob’s mother had not been at all supportive and Danni had had to support her as well as the children. It was no wonder that her head often throbbed, and she ached terribly.

As she turned the burgers, she knew that tomorrow night was parents evening again. Just a year on and now the twins have had a major upheaval, and their teacher Mr Hills was struggling with them. She had felt embarrassed as she learnt that they had upset other children. From the happy mischief makers to two sad children. However, she understood he had tried to help her, he seemed a kind man. Though she wondered what homework he had set as she now heard banging and singing.

Thinking of him now, tall with brown hair, glasses that made him look intelligent. Stop it she thought, and then sadly remembered Jacob’s happy comforting smile.
Her thoughts then interrupted as the banging and singing got louder,
“He’s got the whole world” “bang, bang, crash”
“Kids, what is going on? Why the noise?”

Homework

“It’s homework”, said Lisa, I’m singing.
“And I’ve made a drum” said Thomas excited.
“Why a drum?” Danni asked, thinking, surely, he could have chosen something quieter.
“It’s our homework, to make a musical instrument.”
“Right, put the drum down and Lisa stop singing. We are just about ready and I might have a better idea after dinner.”

“What mum?, what’s your idea?”
“Tom, have your dinner first and it is your favourite.”
“Oooh Tom, it’s burgers.” Lisa was looking in the oven.
“Right all sit down and I will sort out your burgers and salad.”
“Mum are there chips?”
“Of, course Lisa.”

Serving up dinner she was grateful for the normality and started to think of a musical instrument. She had masses of large elastic bands in her desk and just needed some wood, nails and a hammer. This was a good project and she was sure no one else would produce the same work.

* * * *

Musical instruments – Harps

Watching the children flood into class, Mark was feeling frustrated at the amount of tins and boxes that had been brought in. Out of thirty children, there appeared to be  twenty homemade drums, minus points for creativity he thought. Though they were only ten years old and at least they had brought something.

Walking across the playground he now saw Danni. She was struggling with coats and what looked like two wooden frames. What had they made? He felt a warm glow, they were not drum’s. Walking to the doorway to meet her he could now see what they were.

“Wow, you two, these harps are amazing.”
“Mummy helped us,” said Lisa.
“Well these are incredible, Mum we have a class of drummers but now we have two harpists.”

Danni passed him the harps and he admired the wooden frames, with the large elastic bands attached. An impressive effort and he thought to himself, this woman is amazing as he ushered the children into the classroom.
“It is 4.15 this afternoon? Parents evening?” Danni checked.
“Oh yes, I will see you then.” Smiling at each other, Mark now watched her leave.

* * * *

A day at a time

Walking back across the playground Danni thought about her harps. A twang of an elastic band is not quite as satisfying as a loud whack on a drum, but Mr Hills had seemed impressed. Had she wanted to impress him? She wasn’t sure, things were still too raw.

A day at a time she thought, there is no hurry and for now we are all alright, we are coping. Parents evening later after another day sat in front of her laptop. Grateful for not needing to visit the office today, she now took the diversion into the corner shop for chocolate biscuits. Comfort food for a long workday, though Mr Hills is going to have a harder day. She smiled to herself, on the thought of thirty children with handmade instruments and the twins with their harps.

Written for Blog Battle – Harp

For more see, Am I a clone? My dad, genius or maniac – written for Blog Battle Clone