‘She was testing me, Nina, being deliberately provocative, and when I was having no part of it she broke down and started to cry. You know teenage girls do that sometimes, and most guys in an authoritative position know how to deal with that.’
Nina started to cry, because of all the things she’d dreaded hearing, this was the one she’d dreaded the most.
‘Vince has been coming in to say goodnight to her.’ Nina started to retch and he handed her the bin as she struggled to take breaths. She heard stuff like this every day, but it killed her to think it had happened to Janey. ‘She didn’t like it and she told Barbara, but then she got told off, because Barbara said it was nice that her boyfriend was making an effort. He’s been creeping Janey out and she felt that she had to start getting dressed in the bathroom, because he was always finding an excuse to come into her room. Even when she was sent to bed early, or late, or whatever, he’d come in. He’s tried a couple of times to kiss her, made a few inappropriate comments, and basically she’s been fending him off.’
‘I’ll kill him.’ Nina could hardly breathe. She wanted to go there right now, right this minute, and she told Jack exactly what she’d do when she got there. Jack just sat there as she ranted on for a while till she got back to Janey. ‘Why couldn’t she tell me?’
‘Because she didn’t want to watch you retching into a bin, because she knew you’d get upset and feel guilty, that you’d think it was your fault …’
‘It is, though,’ Nina sobbed. ‘It’s my job to protect—’
‘Nina!’ Jack was firm. ‘You are not allowed to have your sister as a client for a very good reason. Right now the hospital social worker is coming down to see her, and it will all be dealt with properly. The main thing is, she is not going back there.’
‘Can I speak to her?’
‘In a moment, when you’ve calmed down.’
It actually took more than a moment for Nina to calm down. She couldn’t stop crying and Lewis came in and had a word with her and confirmed all that Jack had said. ‘She’s fine, just relieved that she’s told someone. In fact, she’s more worried about you.’
‘I’ve calmed down now,’ Nina said, and she looked at Jack. ‘I’m actually glad that she told you. I’d have reacted terribly. It’s just impossible to think of it as another job. It’s different when it’s your family.’
‘Of course it is,’ Jack said. ‘You should go and see her.’
Nina nodded.
She was determined to be calm when she walked in there, but she burst into tears when she cuddled Janey, and Janey burst into tears too. After a few minutes they calmed down and a while later, Jack popped his head in.
‘How are things?’
‘Better,’ Janey said, and then her eyes filled up with fresh tears. ‘I’m sorry for all the things I said.’
‘Yeah, well, you had a good reason,’ Jack said. ‘But what’s wrong with my car?’
Janey even managed her first laugh since her arrival at Angel’s. ‘How was she when you told her?’ Janey nodded in the direction of Nina.
‘Pretty much as you’d expect!’
‘I am here,’ Nina said. ‘I took it quite well.’
‘Oh, God!’ Jack impersonated her, and Janey smiled. ‘I handed her the bin …’
‘I wasn’t that bad.’
‘You were fine.’ Jack smiled.
‘Thank you,’ Nina said. He really had been marvellous. ‘We’re going to be here ages, so you might as well go home. Thank you so much for everything.’
‘I’ll stick around for a while.’
‘You really don’t have to.’
‘It’s fine.’
It was a very long night. Things like this were dealt with thoroughly and given that Barbara had two other foster-children, Child Protection went around to speak with the family, but Vince was out and Barbara angrily denied there had been anything inappropriate taking place, Nina was informed by her friend and colleague. ‘She’s very angry with Janey,’ Lorianna told her. ‘The usual stuff, but don’t worry …’
‘I want my sister and my brother in my care.’
‘It sounds as if Blake is doing fine.’
‘No!’ Nina said. ‘Blake is not fine, Blake is being looked after but he’s not being loved. He’s clingy and needy and he needs to be with his family.’
Jack listened to her fighting for her brother and sister, saw the determination in Nina’s eyes and that she would not back off, would not wait for the department to take its time. This was going to be dealt with, and soon, she told Lorianna.
Jack went and got a drink from the water cooler and just stood and looked around the familiar department, except everything felt unfamiliar. He was glad to be there, glad to have helped, and despite Nina insisting that he go home, Jack actually didn’t want to, he really wanted to be here and see things through.
‘I thought you were off.’ Alex caught up with him at the water cooler. ‘How come you’re here?’
‘Personal stuff,’ Jack said, but it was more than personal, it actually felt like family—better than family, in fact.
No one tried to spare anyone’s feelings in his family. There were, Jack had long since concluded, no feelings to spare.
Imagine Nina when she met his family—she’d run a mile, Jack knew it. Still, he wasn’t going to talk about that with Alex. Instead, he asked about another young patient who, thanks to a certain young woman, had been on his mind of late.
‘How’s Tommy doing?’
‘He’s had a good weekend,’ Alex said. ‘They’re starting the treatment tomorrow and hopefully there will be a good response. We should be able to buy him some time.’
‘Surgery?’
Alex grimaced. ‘I think time is all we can hope for.’
‘But do you think it could be an option …’ Jack knew he was pushing things, knew what Alex’s problem was, but Alex wasn’t in the mood to open up either. ‘You’ve done similar surgery before.’
‘Thanks for that, Jack,’ Alex snapped, but still Jack wouldn’t back off.
‘If you want to talk …’
‘Again—thanks.’
‘I mean it, Alex.’
But Alex stalked off. Jack had clearly got to him, but just as he was pondering how better to discuss things, Jack was distracted by an irate man storming through the department. ‘Where is she?’ Security was pulling him back,
