Karen looked over the Waterloo Road playground from her office window. Both arms were wrapped around her stomach. She couldn't help but remember when she was 12 weeks pregnant with Bex. There had been so many emotions running through her head. She was scared, yet at the same time so excited for her baby to arrive. Jess would be feeling all of those, but at the same time she had the fear of what was happening with Maria and her Dad. Karen knew that she couldn't make everything better, but she could do something.
There was a knock at the door, Karen took a deep breath. She knew that Jess was still in Rob's office and Charlie and Maria were both on breaktime duties, so they may not have seen the support officer making his way to the office. After a quick phone they had decided that it would be easier if he came in so they could talk face to face. She walked over to the door and opened it. "Hello Mark, thanks for coming in."
The man in the suit shook her outstretched hand and walked into the office. "It's quite alright Karen, from what you said on the phone the whole situation has become complicated."
Karen nodded. "I have to be honest with you, I'm not sure whether I'm talking to you as a mother or a head-teacher." She sat down behind her head. "I know that I should be keeping a professional head on this...but at the end of the day Jess is my daughter and I want to protect her."
Mark nodded. "I understand that Karen, I think it would be best if we talked about this in terms of you being Jess' mother. That's obviously the role you take and it would seem strange not you. Also it sounds like she needs your support right now, and there's no one better than your Mum when you're struggling."
Karen nodded. She knew that some may say she was crossing the professional line, but by her actions this morning Maria had made this school business. She had abused a pupil on the school premises and there was no escaping that. "My first instinct was to call the police and have them arrest Maria for assault...but I don't whether that's the right thing to do. She needs punishing...but I'm not sure how Jess will hold up through everything at the minute."
"Ok. I'm sure you understand Karen that the police need to be informed. If it were any other child apart from Jess then you would have had them arrested automatically, however I understand the dilemma. Do you know how long the abuse has been going on for?"
The question stung Karen...did she? Jess had never been comfortable around Maria, there had always been some resistance from her at staying over at her Dad's. Karen had contributed some of that as being normal, and then much of Jess' strange behaviour to the pregnancy, what about before that though? The sleeping around, becoming pregnant. Jess had been distant for months.
Mark could see that Karen was becoming worked up, and he understood why. "This isn't your fault Karen. When someone wants to keep a secret then very often they go to extraordinary lengths to keep it that way. Even from the people they're closest to."
Karen tried to nod her head but she couldn't. Her whole body felt frozen at the thought her daughter may have been suffering for months without her knowing about it. "I'm her Mum...I'm meant to protect her."
"You have Karen and you are. You've found out and you're dealing with it. It's not perfect but it could have been so much worse. Jess is lucky to have you." Mark reached out of his bag and got a set of cards. "I know that now probably isn't the right time, but maybe when the worst is done you'd considering some counselling for yourself?"
Karen looked at him. "For me? I don't understand, surely we need to be focusing on Jess."
Mark nodded. "Of course, and we are. However we find that very often parents needs someone to talk to, be it someone to let the anger out at, or someone to help them make sense of what has happened. Either way...keep the card, and you may find it helpful."
Karen didn't say anything, but she did take the card. "I suppose now is the time to call the police?" She asked the question already knowing the answer.
"I think that is the next step for this Karen, then I suggest you bring Jess to the office with someone to sit with her. The last thing she needs is to get caught up in this anymore."
"Ok." There wasn't anything else for Karen to say. Instead she took a deep breath before picking up the phone. She knew that once she made this call then everything changed. There was no going back for any of them, and Jess would need her more than ever, so would Bex and Harry. She didn't have a clue what this was going to do to them or their relationship with Charlie. The one thing she did know was from their reactions to Jess being in trouble that they wanted the best for her. Karen knew that they would stand by her, and she would be there for all of them. As their Mum.
