nothing. I’ve had worse. You know I have,’ she said, as she turned away and led them into the house. They followed her into a tired-looking sitting room. The arms of the couch were ripped and stained but Melanie had put a sheet over the cushions in an attempt to brighten the room or maybe disguise the state of the furniture. Everything looked well worn and tired. A bit like Melanie.
She collapsed onto the couch and Seb pulled an upright dining chair closer to the couch and sat on it, facing Melanie. ‘What was it this time?’
‘It’s not his fault, Dr Hollingsworth. I’m pregnant again.’
‘And how is that not his fault?’ Seb’s voice was quiet. He wasn’t judging her but Luci could tell he was frustrated.
‘He says we can’t afford more kids.’
‘It takes two, Melanie. He can’t blame you.’
Melanie kept her eyes downcast. She had her hands in her lap, clenched together, and Luci knew she was close to tears. Luci wanted to tell Seb to let it go but she knew he couldn’t. They couldn’t ignore what was going on here. She knew from Melanie’s file that she already had three kids—Milo, who was six months old, a two-and-a-half-year-old toddler and a four-year-old. That was a handful for anyone, let alone a woman with an abusive partner.
Seb had told her that he had advised Melanie to take her kids and leave. She had left once but had then gone back, making the usual excuses about him being the kids’ father and saying that she loved him. Luci knew it was a difficult decision and something that was hard to understand unless you’d been in that position yourself or had worked with victims of domestic violence. The women were often trapped by their circumstances and Luci suspected that would be the case for Melanie. With three kids under five it was unlikely she had time to work, which meant she had no source of income if she left. And potentially no roof over her head either.
Even while Luci realised it wouldn’t be easy, she couldn’t stop the twinge of jealousy that she felt when she heard that Melanie was pregnant again. Luci would give her right arm for a family.
But she knew she had to put her own issues aside. Her job, their job, was to help Melanie. Luci wanted to jump in, she had suggestions on how to assist Melanie to change her situation, but Seb must have sensed her desire to offer her opinion and he put a stop to it by asking her to do Milo’s health check. Did he think Melanie would open up more if she wasn’t in the room? He was probably right. Melanie was unlikely to want to discuss her problems in front of a stranger.
‘Milo hasn’t had a cold or been unwell?’ Luci clarified with Melanie. ‘Any concerns at all?’ she asked, figuring that as Melanie had three children she would know what to look out for by now.
Melanie shook her head. ‘He’s been fine. He’s on baby formula now and some solids. He’s in the room across the hall.’
‘No ear infections, colds or reaction to any other immunisations?’
‘No.’
Luci picked up her nursing bag and crossed the hall and found herself in a child’s bedroom. A bunk bed stood against one wall and Milo’s cot was in the opposite corner. He was lying in his cot but he was awake. His eyes followed her as she came towards him.
There was a change mat leaning against the cot and she put it on the bottom bunk. She chatted softly to Milo as she lifted him out of the cot. She could smell a dirty nappy. She laid him down and undressed him, removing his nappy and singlet. She needed to check his hips and testes and it would also give her a chance to check for any bruises or other signs of maltreatment. She was relieved to find nothing. His soft baby skin was unmarked and besides his dirty nappy he was perfectly clean and seemingly well cared for. She found a clean nappy and his blue health-care book on a shelf. She changed his nappy and listened to his chest then recorded his length and weight. He was in the average range for both. He seemed like a happy, healthy little boy.
She gave him his oral polio vaccine and then his immunisation injection and then she couldn’t resist a cuddle. She took a deep breath, getting her fill of tiny baby smell. He smelt like talcum powder and baby lotion and the smell made her heart ache. She closed her eyes and wondered if coming to Sydney to study family and community health had been the right decision. She’d been so keen to escape Vickers Hill that she hadn’t really considered the ramifications of taking the course. She was going to be exposed to plenty of babies and pregnant mothers. Perhaps she should have enrolled in an aged-care course instead.
Milo was grizzling a little after his injection so Luci took him back with her and handed him to his mum. She recorded the details of the vaccinations in the little blue book while she listened to Seb’s conversation with Melanie.
‘It’s worse when he’s been drinking,’ she was saying.
‘Today is Friday. I suppose he’ll be going to the pub after work tonight?’ Seb asked. When Melanie nodded he continued, ‘Is there someone you could ask to come over? A friend, your mum or a sister? If you are going to stay here then I think it would be wise to have someone else here with you for support when he gets home.’
Melanie wouldn’t maintain eye contact and Luci knew she had no intention of following Seb’s suggestion.
‘Your decision, Melanie,’ Seb said as he stood up. Perhaps he realised he was getting nowhere. ‘But I will be checking to make sure you keep the appointment that I’ll make for you with the counsellor, okay?’
He gathered his things and Luci went with him out to the car.
‘We can’t just leave her there,’ Luci exploded as she clicked her seat belt into position. She’d been fighting to keep her temper under control and had just managed to hold it together until they had some privacy.
‘What else do you suggest we do?’ Seb asked. ‘She doesn’t want to leave and when she has left in the past it’s never been for long. She always goes back. We have to pick our battles.’
‘But she should be thinking about the children.’
‘Melanie says he’s never hurt them. Did you see anything to indicate otherwise?’
‘No.’ Luci shook her head. ‘Milo was perfectly healthy and happy but still it’s no way for those children to grow up. They shouldn’t have to see that, plus it perpetuates the cycle of abuse.’
‘I know that. Trust me, we’re working on it. I will make an appointment for her to see a counsellor. For us to be able to make any real difference we need to support Melanie to find a way out of this. She will need somewhere to live and she will need money. There is new legislation that can force the perpetrator to leave the premises so that the victim can stay in their home, but I’m not convinced that is a workable solution. It makes it far too easy for the abusive party to find the victim. Court orders ordering them to stay away are violated on a regular basis. This is a problem that can’t be fixed overnight and it can’t be fixed unless Melanie wants it to change, but I promise I will be doing everything I can.’
Luci nodded. ‘I’m sorry,’ she apologised. She should have guessed Seb would do what he thought was best. ‘I jumped down your throat.’
‘It’s okay. I know it’s hard to understand when you’re strong and independent how someone else can put up with circumstances that you would never dream of tolerating. But try to see it from Melanie’s point of view. She feels she doesn’t have any other
