Mummy Told Me Not to Tell (32 page)

‘I’m afraid not, sweet,’ I said as I tucked him in. ‘It’s a year to your next birthday. Christmas and Easter come before that.’

‘OK, Cathy,’ he said, his eyes heavy with sleep. ‘I’ll ‘ave Christmas and Easter tomorrow, then my birthday. Love you.’

I smiled. ‘Love you too, sweet.’

Jill visited us the last week in August and she came with news that I received with mixed feelings. She said that Reece’s aunt, May, had been approved to look after Reece permanently if it was the court’s decision that Reece would not return to live with his parents, which was almost certain. Apparently there had been concerns that May might have some contact with her father, but she had been adamant she never saw him because of the way he had treated her and Tracey as children.

Aunt May hadn’t been sexually abused by her father, as Tracey had, but their father had beaten her throughout her childhood. May had left home as soon as she could at sixteen to escape him, and now bitterly regretted not taking Tracey, who was two years younger, with her. She felt that by doing what she could to help — by giving a loving home to Lisa, and now Reece — she was making a small recompense for leaving Tracey to suffer further at the hands of the man she described as a ‘monster’. May had only seen her father twice since she’d left home: once at her mother’s funeral, and for a second time when she’d gone to the house to try to get Tracey out, but her father wouldn’t let her in or even see Tracey. May had also reassured the Guardian and Jamey that she would keep to whatever contact arrangements were set down by the court in respect of Reece seeing his parents. And of course there was no chance of May and Reece bumping into Tracey and Scott because they lived too far away.

From what Jill said, Aunt May sounded a lovely lady and I’d half prepared myself for Reece going to live with her, although I was still sad at the thought of
losing him, as I knew my family would be. However, I wasn’t prepared for what Jill told me next: the times-cale of the proposed move!

‘Jamey and the Guardian feel that as soon as the judge has made his decision the introduction of Reece to his new family should begin straightaway. Reece needs to start bonding with his aunt and uncle, and Lisa, as soon as possible.’

‘Oh,’ I said. ‘Yes, I see. The hearing is 14 September, isn’t it?’

Jill nodded. ‘Six days of court time have been set aside to hear the case and the judge will make his decision on the following Monday. The Guardian would like the introductions to begin that week — 22 or 23 September — with a view to moving Reece two weeks later if everything is going all right.’

‘Oh,’ I said again. ‘That is quick.’

Jill nodded and looked at me. ‘You thought Reece would be with you for Christmas, didn’t you?’ she asked gently.

‘Yes,’ I admitted, ‘I did, or at least until October half-term, when I was hoping to take him abroad on holiday.’

‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘But it is for the best.’

‘Yes, I know,’ I said quietly. ‘I’m happy for him. Aunt May sounds lovely.’ I swallowed hard and couldn’t speak again for some moments for the tears welling in my eyes.

R
eece returned to school the following week, where he joined his class and stayed for the greater part of each day. Because it was the start of a new academic year the whole class had gone up a year and were now in a different room with a different teacher. Reece became anxious with the changes of that first week, and I crossed my fingers and hoped he would settle again. He still had his TA, Mrs Morrison, in the classroom with him, and aware of how unsettling the start of the new academic year might be for Reece (and Troy), she took them both out of the classroom for an hour each afternoon, when she read to them in the quiet room. By the end of the first week Reece and Troy had resettled, and worked in the classroom all day. Mrs Curtis was no longer needed as relief for Mrs Morrison and she helped another child in a class the year below.

The head was aware that the final court hearing was two weeks away and asked me at the end of the first day what the position was with Reece going to a
permanent home. I said it wasn’t finalized yet, which it wasn’t, for only when the judge had made his decision would Reece’s move to his aunt be definite. I didn’t know why Mr Fitzgerald was so keen to know about the plans for Reece, because Reece wasn’t causing him a problem, but perhaps, given his history, he thought he might again in the future. I had far more faith in Reece and I knew that whatever had crystallized in his mind with my reassurances that he was safe at school and that he wasn’t going home would continue, as long as Tracey didn’t appear at the school or at home.

I won’t pretend I wasn’t anxious as the court date drew close. I was, and I checked the street for any sign of Tracey whenever I left or entered the house, and also at the school when I took Reece in the morning and collected him in the afternoon. It was always more difficult at the end of the day, because Reece now left at 3.20 with the rest of the school and there were lots of parents waiting. Although Jamey hadn’t sent the head a photograph of Tracey he had given him a good description, which the head had circulated to the staff. But while Tracey couldn’t go barging into the school because of the security gates, there was nothing to stop her waiting outside the school, which would have been just as unsettling for Reece.

Although Scott and Tracey were no longer living together there was no animosity between them during contact, and Jamey had decided to leave the contact arrangements as they were until the final court hearing. So it continued twice a week, right up to the court date. I learned from Sabrina, who was still acting as
Reece’s escort to and from contact, that there were now two security guards in place at the council offices where contact continued to be held. However, Jamey stopped contact for the week of the court hearing, saying that it would be too much for Tracey to cope with, and that she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from ‘offloading’ her anger on to Reece. It was a wise decision, for since the beginning of August Tracey had spent most of her contact time telling Reece what a ‘fucking traitor’ Jamey was, hoping for Reece’s agreement, which he didn’t give.

It was a wonder Reece didn’t become very unsettled after contact, for Tracey clearly wasn’t coping, but Jill assured me the situation was being carefully monitored, and that Reece spent most of the contact playing with his father. He at least knew how to relate to his ‘son’, albeit mostly through play-fighting. I thought it said something good about Scott that, although he was now aware who Reece’s true father was, he continued to view him and treat him as a son. I sincerely hoped no one would ever tell Reece or any of the children about their true heritage, for how does a child cope knowing they are the product of incest?

I explained to Reece that contact had been stopped for the week because everyone was very busy going to court, where the judge would make his decision. Reece accepted this without any problem, but did ask if he could have the cola drink that his mum always took to contact. I didn’t think cola with all its caffeine and sugar, let alone additives, was the best drink for Reece, but aware it was a ‘treat’ he would be missing, I bought
some and gave him a glass on Tuesday and Friday when he would have seen his mother.

Reece went to school the following Monday, the day the judge was due to give his decision, unaware of the significance of that day. I was well aware! Like all the professionals involved in Reece’s case I was pretty certain of the outcome, but I still breathed a sigh of relief when at 1.30 p.m. Jamey phoned from outside the court to say that the judge had granted the full care order and Reece would not be returning home. The judge had approved the care plan, which allowed Reece to live with his aunt and uncle and Lisa permanently. There would be supervised contact for Reece to see his parents four times a year. Susie and Reece would be seeing each other six times a year, and all the siblings would meet up twice a year.

It was a good judgement and I could hear the relief in Jamey’s voice. Jamey said that when he’d finished speaking to me he would phone Reece’s aunt and uncle to let them know, and then Marie, for although Susie’s care proceedings were ongoing he wanted to let Marie know Susie would be staying with her for the time being. Jamey said the judge had agreed that the introduction of Reece to his new family should start immediately.

‘I think it will be too much for Reece to continue to go to school while the introductions are taking place,’ Jamey said, ‘apart from the practicality of the distance — his aunt lives eighty miles away. I want to get this moving as soon as poss, so I would like you to take Reece into school tomorrow just to say goodbye.’

‘I’ll email you and his aunt a copy of the proposed timetable of introductions as soon as I get into the office. If you see a problem with the arrangements, get in touch straightaway. Would you phone his aunt and uncle to finalize the times?’

‘Yes.’

‘And will you tell Reece of the judge’s decision? He trusts you.’

‘Yes, of course,’ I said. Normally the social worker would explain the judgement to the child, but by asking me Jamey was acknowledging he didn’t really have a close enough bond with Reece, and he was right.

Jamey paused, then suddenly asked: ‘Cathy, how did you get on with the Guardian, Wendy Payne?’

‘Fine,’ I said. ‘She is very efficient.’ There was a long pause. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘She had a real go at me in court. She told the judge I had failed in my duty to Reece.’ He stopped and awaited my comment.

‘It sounds a bit harsh,’ I said, ‘although if I’m honest I think you could have visited Reece a bit more. I don’t think Reece would recognize you if he saw you.’

There was another pause before he said: ‘It has been a very complicated and difficult case. It has taken up a lot of my time, Cathy.’

‘I know, and you’ve done a good job gathering all the information and preparing the report for the court. I’m sure the judge was very impressed. Perhaps when Reece has gone to live with his aunt and uncle and Lisa you could visit him more often, especially in the early months when he is settling in.’
‘Noted,’ he said. And it was left at that. Sometimes I felt that the tactful handling of social workers wasn’t dissimilar from the way I handled the children.

When I collected Reece from school I gave him a drink and a snack. Then I took him through to the living room, where we sat side by side on the sofa. I began by telling him the judge had decided he wouldn’t be returning to live with his mother but he would still be seeing her and his dad, at contact, as he was doing now, only not so often. Reece nodded. ‘And there is a new piece of news,’ I said, ‘which is very exciting, and you need to listen carefully.’

Reece looked at me and his eyes lit up. ‘Will I be having another birthday, Cathy?’

I smiled and took his hand between mine. ‘No, love, not until next August. You’ve only just had the last one. But what I am going to tell you is just as exciting.’ I paused, aware that how I presented this to Reece would have a far-reaching effect on how easy or how difficult the transition to his new home would be. ‘You know you have lots of brothers and sisters?’ He nodded. ‘There is Sharon, Brad, Sean and the one you know best, Susie.’ He nodded again. ‘Well, you have another sister called Lisa who you have never seen. She is twelve, a big girl, nearly as big as Lucy and Paula. She lives with your Aunt May and Uncle John, who are really nice people.’

‘Do I know them?’ Reece sensibly asked.

‘No, not yet, love, but you and I are going to get to know them very well, because Aunt May, Uncle John
and Lisa want you to go and live with them. They asked the judge and he said yes. The judge, Jamey, your social worker, and the Guardian think it is a very good idea, because your aunt and uncle will make sure you are happy and keep you safe. They will look after you as I have done.’

Reece was quiet and I could see him taking all this in. It was a lot for a child to take in, even for a child without learning difficulties.

‘Do you think it’s a good idea?’ he asked at last.

‘Yes, I do, love, because they are really nice people and I know you will be very happy. You will still see Susie regularly, and also Sharon, Brad and Sean sometimes. The judge has said you will see your mum and dad, but not quite so often because Aunt May and Uncle John will be like a new mummy and daddy to you.’

Reece was quiet again, taking in and mulling over what I had said. I thought back to the child who had arrived nearly ten months before, who couldn’t have sat still long enough to mull anything over, let alone think out the questions he then asked.

‘You and me will get to know them first, before I go to live with them?’ he said.

‘Yes, and we will start getting to know them very soon.’

‘And Lisa is my sister?’

‘Yes, half-sister really, but it’s the same. Aunt May and Uncle John and Lisa will be your forever family.’

And aunt and uncle want a son?’

‘Yes, they do, love, very much.’

‘Good. I’m going to ‘ave a new mummy and daddy and they will ‘ave a son. And we will all live ‘appily ever after.’

‘Yes, you will, sweet, just like in the stories I read to you. You will live happily ever after, I promise you.’

W
hen Reece and I went into school the following morning Mrs Morrison and the head were waiting in reception. They were aware that the judgement was due and looked at me expectantly. Mrs Morrison was about to take Reece to one side so I could speak to the head without being overheard, but I stopped her, for there was no need for secrecy.

‘Reece has some very important and exciting news to tell you,’ I said to them both. I was holding Reece’s hand and I gave it a reassuring squeeze. The head and Mrs Morrison looked at Reece.

He smiled proudly. ‘I’m gonna move. The judge ‘as found me a family. My own family. Aunt May and Uncle John, and my sister Lisa. I’m gonna live with ‘em ‘appy every after.’