Miss Megan Bennet starts school

Wednesday, September 10 08

Miss Megan Bennet gripped her mother’s hand tightly. Head tilted towards shiny black cat-motif shoes, dressed in brand-new grey trousers, crisp white polo shirt and a bottle-green jumper, all slightly too big for her, Miss Bennet, silently and gingerly walked through the school gates to enter a sea of green. Mrs Bennet knew her four-year-old was bottling in a mixture of excitement yet nervousness. So gulping back the lump that was rising in her own throat, she whispered reassurances to her little girl. Both mother and daughter had been in and out of this playground ever since Miss Naomi Bennet, now eight, had started reception class. But today was different. Today marked the first stage in letting this little kite fly.
Two kites were already airborne. The Twin Bennets were still attached to the ground, but as they perfected their first steps, even they were starting to take off. Mrs Bennet realised it would be another 10 years before she left this school for good. Five kites would be flying well by then.
This morning though, pictures of Megan’s birth, first chuckle, first word and first step clicked though her mind. The tiny babe, born at 33 weeks in Liverpool, who’d become her singing, cheeky, chattering companion was leaving the apron strings. She would now be comforted by her surrogate mother, an adorable caring figure, who made learning so much fun, Mrs Bennet wanted to join the class.
“I hope they remember to clean her glasses. She can hardly see in the rain,” choked Mrs Bennet as the school bell rang. Fingers now in mouth, Miss Megan Bennet, wrapped her free hand round her mother’s leg. The short walk to the school entrance was a long one. Even though Miss Bennet’s surrogate mum approached with a beaming smile, the four-year-old clung limpet-like as her new classmates filed in with confidence.
Mrs Bennet had no choice but to join the line and help her whimpering child find her peg. The laminator had eaten her name tag so it was missing but another one quickly appeared complete with cup-cake picture. The limpet however was fixed. It meant the lovely surrogate mum had to remove the suction and embraced the child who sobbed her way into a brand new world. Mrs Bennet felt lost and spent much-needed time with Mr Bennet and Mr Latte.