Another Forgotten Child by Cathy Glass

Author:Cathy Glass [Glass, Cathy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs
ISBN: 9780007486779
Publisher: Harper Element
Published: 2012-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Problem Family

I thought Susan would be pleased to hear Aimee’s news – that she’d made friends at school. I thought it might put her in a good mood, so that at the end of contact she might be a bit more pleasant and, if she didn’t want to talk to me civilly, she might at least ignore me. But no, when I collected Aimee at 5.30 p.m. and Susan came with Aimee into reception she was as angry and aggressive as she always was.

‘Look at the state of her top,’ she began as soon as she saw me, pointing to Aimee’s school sweatshirt. I could see the sweatshirt had a generous smearing of what looked like chocolate all down the front, some of which was also on Aimee’s face. ‘If I’d sent her to school like that,’ Susan continued, ‘I’d have had the social services on to me. So don’t think you’re getting away with it. I’ll report you first thing tomorrow!’

Aimee hadn’t gone to school in a dirty sweatshirt and indeed she hadn’t gone into contact with one either, so the mess must have resulted from the chocolate Susan had given Aimee at contact. But I knew there was nothing to be gained from pointing this out to Susan so, trying to pacify her, I said lightly, ‘Don’t worry. It will wash out.’ While the contact supervisor as usual said nothing.

‘And what about those bruises on her legs?’ Susan now demanded. ‘How did she get those?’ Aimee was wearing school trousers and Susan rolled up the right leg to reveal a small bruise on Aimee’s shin, just like the bruises many children have from playing.

‘I expect she fell while she was in the playground,’ I said. ‘Did Aimee tell you she’d made some friends?’

‘She always had friends,’ Susan snapped, and I wondered if it was this that had riled her. Perhaps Susan was jealous that Aimee had achieved something with me that she hadn’t achieved with her mother. But I thought it was best to let this comment go, as I did her other negative comments, and not react. Susan continued with her list of what was wrong with Aimee’s appearance, diet, and how I looked after her, most of which I’d heard before, while I stood patiently by and told myself Susan probably couldn’t help it, and I should feel sorry for her, until she got to her last comment, when I finally blew.

‘And tell your son and his mates to keep their hands off Aimee,’ she said.

My pulse soared as my anger rose. ‘I beg your pardon?’ I demanded. ‘How dare you!’

‘Letting your boys smooch my little girl,’ Susan continued. ‘I’ve told the social services and they’ll have you.’

I was so furious I didn’t know whether to cry or hit her. ‘I really don’t understand you!’ I blazed. ‘I’ve tried working with you but you’re impossible. Little wonder you’ve lost all your kids into care! I’m not having anything more to do with you, or your malicious lies.

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