When Emily picked up little Oliver from nursery, her husband William immediately sensed something was off. It was plain as day that his wife was in a strange, agitated state.
“Something happen, love?” William asked, growing concerned.
“It did, Will, it did.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the next room, away from their sons ears. “They might kick us out of the nursery.”
“What?” Williams face fell. “How can that be? We pay our fees on time, dont we?”
“I dont know how it works, but the headmistress told mein plain Englishthat if we dont get Oliver under control, hell be out like a cork from a bottle.”
“She actually said that?”
“She did. Quietly, just to me, but crystal clear. And she said the other parents are planning to file a joint complaint. To the authorities.”
“Youre joking!” William stared at his wife, baffled. Their cheerful, sweet little boy couldnt possibly be causing that much trouble. “Why on earth would they do that?”
“Because Oliver keeps hitting the other children.”
“Our Oliver?” William almost laughed but caught himself. “Hes tiny! Hows he hurting anyone?”
“Yes! Smacking them left and right, according to the headmistress!”
“Even the girls?”
“I didnt ask!” Emily snapped. “As soon as she said it, I was in shock. I grabbed Oliver and ran straight home. If they kick us out, Will, what do we do? Where do we send him? Id have to quit my jobor you would. How would we keep up the mortgage? Im losing my mind here!”
“Hold ondont go fainting just yet,” William said, rubbing his temples. “First, we need to figure out whats got into our boy.”
“I asked him on the walk home, but he wont say a word. Just sulks and puffs his cheeks.”
“Well, you asked him. Now its my turn.”
When William walked into the playroom, Oliver was happily pushing his toy cars around as if nothing was wrong.
“Right, Oliver, we need to have a serious talk,” William said firmly.
“Mm-hmm,” Oliver mumbled, still focused on his cars. “Go on, Dad.”
“Stop playing first.”
“Will, dont be so harsh!” Emily called from the doorway.
“Yeah, Dad, dont be harsh,” Oliver parroted, still rolling his car.
“Tell mewhy are you hitting kids at nursery?”
Oliver froze, clutching his toy, and stared at the floor.
“Are you hitting the girls too?”
“No, not the girls,” Oliver muttered. “No reason to hit them.”
“So the boys deserve it?”
“Course they do!”
“And whats their crime?”
Oliver scowled at his parents.
“What if its a secret?”
The look in his eyes made William hesitate, but he steeled himself.
“Oliver, youre my son, arent you?”
“Yeah.”
“Then we dont keep secrets. Out with it.”
“From you, maybe,” Oliver mumbled. “But not Mum.”
“What?” Emily gasped. “Youve got secrets from me?”
“Uh-huh.”
“But why?”
“Cuz theyre bloke stuff.”
“Ah, bloke stuff,” William said, winking at his wife. “Sorry, love, but if its proper man business, best leave us to it.”
Emily huffed but marched out.
“And no eavesdropping!” William called after her. He turned back to Oliver, lowering his voice. “Now then, matewhy the punches?”
Oliver sighed, avoiding his fathers eyes.
“They keep cuddling up to her.”
“Who?”
“The boys.”
“Who are they cuddling?”
“Miss Thompson.”
“Whos that?”
“Our nursery assistant. She pats their heads, and they hug her. Really tight.”
“And?”
“I dont like it.”
William raised an eyebrow.
“Why not?”
“Cuz I should be the only one hugging her.”
“Says who?”
“Dad,” Oliver said, looking wounded. “Youre the only one who hugs Mum, right? And me, but Im her son. Other blokes dont get to!”
“But Mums my wife,” William said, fighting a smile.
“Miss Thompsons gonna be mine,” Oliver whispered. “When Im big. Im gonna marry her.”
“Oh, I see,” William said, biting back a laugh. “Youve got a crush on her, eh?”
Oliver nodded glumly.
“And youre jealous.”
“You get jealous of Mum too,” Oliver muttered.
“Me?”
“Course. You and Mum argue about it loads.”
“Blimey, son.” William ran a hand through his hair. “Guess its in the blood. My dad was the same, and his dad before him. Weve all suffered from it.”
“Suffered?”
“Oh yeah. Jealousys a nasty business. But heres the thingif you keep thumping those lads, youll get kicked out. Then youll never see Miss Thompson again.”
“Never?” Olivers voice wavered.
“Course not. Look, mate, I get it. But walloping kids isnt the answer. Besides, women choose who they hug. Thats how it works.”
“But she doesnt choose! She hugs everyone!”
“Its her job, son. She has to hug every kid a few times a day. She hugs you, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, there you go. If she stops, shell get sacked. Then youll never see her. So youve got to put up with it.”
“Really? Just for work?”
“Swear on my life.”
Oliver sighed, then gave a small smile.
“Alright. But does she have to kiss them too?”
“Afraid so.”
“Blimey,” Oliver muttered. “What a daft job. Maybe I wont marry her after all.”
From that day on, the headmistress never complained about Oliver again.
