Author's Note: All characters, events, and places described in this narrative are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This story has a longer beginning than my usual stories in order to explore the characters and issues in greater depth.
Please note that all characters involved in sexual activities in this story are over 18 years of age. Obviously, this type of behaviour from a teacher is not condoned in real life.
All comments and feedback are welcomed.
HF
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The alarm clock on the wooden bedside table buzzed softly precisely at 6:00 AM, filling the quiet, elegantly decorated master bedroom with its insistent tone and waking the figure slumbering peacefully on the large king-sized bed. Emily Lancaster stirred beneath the duvet and crisp white Egyptian cotton sheets, slowly opening her dark-blue eyes to the dim early morning light filtering through the heavy curtains drawn across the windows. 'Uhhh... feels like I just went to bed...' she thought tiredly.
With a reluctant little sigh, Emily reached over to silence the alarm, feeling the coolness of the surface of the wooden bedside beneath her pale fingertips. The room, and indeed the whole house, was still peaceful, still wrapped in the soft pastel hues of an early-autumn dawn that were reflected in through the ornate wood-framed windows, but the day ahead was already beginning to take shape in her rapidly waking mind. 'Mondays... that means Year 11 first up...'
Turning her head, Emily saw that Jonathan's side of the bed was empty, the sheets undisturbed by his body. 'I didn't even hear him leave,' she thought ruefully to herself, a touch of regret and disappointment filling her heart whenever she'd missed him in the mornings. He had left early again, catching the first train to London for another day of meetings and appointments.
It had been like this for months now, the best part of a year since his promotion to partner -- his career in London as a successful corporate lawyer demanding more and more of his time, leaving her to manage their lives in Surrey almost entirely on her own. 'If he wasn't in meetings, he was just as likely to be away travelling overseas,' she thought to herself.
Jonathan had often said his burden of work was the price for the financial comfort and stability their family enjoyed, as if somehow devaluing her contribution as a teacher, she often thought to herself with a touch of resentment. Nonetheless, Emily understood the comfortable and enjoyable life they led; the large, two-storey detached house in an upmarket suburb of Guildford, their two expensive luxury cars, the regular overseas holidays, the cottage in the country... all of it depended very much on the substantial partner distributions and bonuses that Jonathan earned.
In comparison, her salary, although considerable, could never give them both their current lifestyle and financial stability they wanted for their daughter in the future. Emily sighed again, a mix of resignation and acceptance of the situation, as she pushed herself up from the bed.
Slipping out from under the covers, Emily stretched, feeling the slight pull in her muscles as she did so. 'I really should do some exercise this morning,' she thought to herself. She had planned to catch up on some papers she needed to mark before she woke her daughter and got ready for the day but decided that she needed a run instead. 'Looks like I'll just have to do them tonight...'
The expensive hardwood floors were cold beneath her bare feet, but she moved with the ease of someone who was accustomed to activity in the early hours of the morning, especially with their daughter being such a light sleeper as a baby. Fortunately, she'd always been an early riser, just like Jonathon, although she was finding that lately she often slept through him waking and leaving early for the office.
'What time must he have gotten up this morning?' she thought to herself. '5 o'clock? Earlier?'
She padded quietly into the ensuite bathroom, flipping on the light to reveal a neat, well-organised space, kept clean, like the rest of the house, by regular visits from their housekeeper. The marble countertop gleamed under the bright, fluorescent light, their toiletries arranged precisely: a silver toothbrush holder with their two toothbrushes and tube of toothpaste, a small jar of moisturiser, and a simple glass dish that held her monthly strip of Yasmin birth control pills.
Making her way to the toilet, Emily slipped her knickers and pyjama bottoms down around her ankles and sat on the seat, relieving herself as her mind continued to start to organise her day ahead. After finishing, she cleaned herself, stood up and pulled her clothing back into place before flushing the toilet. Moving to the sink, she turned on the tap to wash her hands, her morning routine as predictable as clockwork.
Standing there, Emily caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror -- an attractive woman of 35, with soft chestnut hair that framed her face and blue eyes that, despite the early hour, were sharp and clear. Her skin was soft and pale, with a slight flush in her cheeks, and she noticed the faintest hint of dark circles beneath her eyes. She frowned slightly before splashing some cold water on her face. 'More sleep, more water, less coffee...' she thought to herself.
As the water cooled her skin, Emily continued to think about the day ahead. As always, a full schedule of paperwork, classes, meetings with other teachers and parents, and after-school activities awaited her at Prestwood School. The prestigious private school was more than just her workplace; it was her sanctuary, a place where she was equally respected, admired, and sought after as Mrs Lancaster, the Deputy Head of English.