style="font-size:15px;"> ‘She did for a day, but it didn’t quite live up to expectations,’ Maggie said dryly.
I had to smile although I sympathized with her. I’d fostered young people who’d been repeatedly excluded from school, and the longer they were out of full-time education, the more difficult it became to get them back into the school routine.
On Thursday morning I told Molly and Kit that Maggie and Keelie would be coming to look after them again for a little while that afternoon. Molly was pleased. ‘I like that big girl,’ she said happily. ‘She is fun.’
‘Yes, so you can all play nicely together,’ I said. ‘No pushing Kit or making him cry.’ I’d mentioned the issues we were having with Molly to Maggie on the phone, so she’d keep an eye on them. I’d also said I’d leave the food diary out and asked that she or Keelie add anything the children had to eat or drink. She was slightly surprised the hospital weren’t running more tests, as was I.
We had lunch and then I took the children with me upstairs so I could watch them while I changed into something smart for the review. I only let them out of my sight if Paula, Lucy or Adrian were with them or they were asleep. When the doorbell rang at 1.30 p.m. they both came with me to answer it. Molly was excited, nearly as much as Keelie!
‘Hi, babies!’ she cried. ‘Look what I’ve brought!’ She held up two carrier bags filled to bursting. ‘Toys! For us to play with!’
‘Wonderful,’ I enthused. ‘I’m still waiting for some of Molly’s and Kit’s to come from home.’
‘Keelie spends most of her allowance on children’s toys,’ Maggie said, rolling her eyes indulgently. ‘She didn’t have any as a child, but she’s made up for it since.’ Which I found really touching.
‘Good for you,’ I said to Keelie. ‘We all like toys.’
‘Just make sure you share them with the children,’ Maggie said as we went through to the living room. For a moment I thought she was serious, then Keelie laughed.
‘Like I’m going to bring my toys and not let them play with them. Doh!’
Keelie sat on the floor with Molly and Kit and began taking out the toys. Many of them were pre-school, brightly coloured and still in their original boxes. Puzzles, cars, miniature play people and dolls. They were clearly treasured. It said a lot about Keelie’s neglected childhood that at thirteen she spent most of her pocket money on toys. Molly and Kit were enthralled.
‘Have you thought about a career working with children?’ I asked Keelie. ‘I am sure you’d be very good at it.’
‘So am I,’ Maggie agreed. ‘But she’ll need to get some qualifications first, and that relies on her staying in school for longer than a day.’
But it fell on deaf ears. Keelie was too engrossed in playing to think about going to school.
Chapter Thirteen
I drove to the council offices, parked outside and went in the main door and to the reception desk, where I gave my name and the reason for my visit. The receptionist entered my details on his computer and gave me a visitor’s ID to loop around my neck. A digital display board on the wall behind reception showed room numbers and meetings. ‘Is that showing the correct room?’ I asked. I knew from experience it didn’t always.
‘Should be,’ he said, glancing up at it.
I thanked him and made my way upstairs to the room on the second floor where the meeting was to be held. I was five minutes early as I knocked on the door and went in. Tess, Filip and Aneta were already there. They fell silent as I entered. I said hello and sat next to Tess. She and Filip said hello, but Aneta kept her gaze down. I sensed an atmosphere. The door opened and Tamara, the Guardian, came in.
‘We’re just waiting for the IRO,’ Tess said.
‘And Edith, my supervising social worker,’ I added.
Filip stood. ‘I’ve brought some of Molly’s and Kit’s toys,’ he said. He came round to my side of the table, carrying a large holdall, which he placed by my chair.
‘Thank you. They’ll love playing with those again.’
‘Have you come by car?’ Tamara asked, appreciating that I’d struggle on the bus with the holdall.
‘Yes.’
‘How were the children after contact yesterday?’ Aneta asked.
‘Fine,’ I said, looking at her and Filip. ‘There’s always a period of adjustment straight after contact, but that’s to be expected.’
‘They weren’t ill?’ she asked.
‘No, they haven’t been ill this week at all.’
‘Like I told the doctors, it comes and goes,’ she said.
One of the matters I wanted to raise at the review was the need for further testing so we could try to establish what was causing the children’s sickness. But it wasn’t appropriate to discuss that or any other matter relating to the children until the reviewing officer was present, and the review had officially begun. At ten minutes past two, ten minutes after the review should have begun, the door opened and Edith came in with a woman I took to be the reviewing officer, both looking a little flustered.
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