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Bobby’s parents arrived accompanied by Mary-Anne’s social worker and counsellor. They stopped for a brief moment in the hall to speak to the children, then went into the office area to talk with the principal. Eventually Mary-Anne and Bobby were called back into the office where Mary-Anne retold her story. Lisa checked the back of Mary-Anne’s head and noticed a handful of hair missing. She rubbed her fingers softly over the bruises forming on Mary-Anne’s face where Melody managed a few hits before being knocked unconscious.
“If we are finished, Mr. Winston, I’d like to take my children home,” Lisa remarked.
“Yes, that is fine only I’m not sure what Melody’s parents will decide. If they choose to press charges, then it is out of my hands.”
Mary-Anne stared at the principal in disbelief. Charges? She could go to jail? Where her dad was? One word slipped out, “NO!”
Lisa grabbed Mary-Anne by the shoulders, bending down until their eyes met, and spoke to her in a soft yet firm voice, “Listen to me. You can be charged, however, you will not go to jail. They don’t put children in jail. You and your counsellor will have to keep working on your temper and you might have to do community service. I know you were hurt too and we will ensure Melody has the same punishment as you. Do you understand me?”
Mary-Anne nodded, tears welling in her eyes, wanting to believe in her foster parents so much. Everything had gone right and wrong, so fast. It was all spinning out of control. First, they wanted to adopt her. Next her dad wanted her to live with him. Then she proved he wasn’t her father. Bobby started to call her sister. And now, she could be charged for hitting a girl who hit her first. And she might even have killed the girl, the way……..the way………NO!
Mary-Anne crumpled to the floor in a dead faint as the memories came flooding back faster than her mind could process them. Bobby tried to grab her before she hit the floor and failed. Chaos ensued until the social worker demanded everyone to give the girl space. Bobby sat down beside Mary-Anne and placed her head upon his legs. Lisa took the cold cloth the secretary brought over and wiped Mary-Anne’s face gently. The principal ordered another ambulance to be called, which was quickly cancelled as Mary-Anne opened her eyes.
“NO! Daddy NO! Don’t daddy, she’s nice. Leave her alone! Daddy NO!”
Mary-Anne sat up quickly, no longer in the room but lost in the memories of the past. Recanting out loud the visuals she was watching in her head. Everyone stood there stunned as she continued to rant.
“Daddy, leave her alone! She’s my friend! Run Tracey! Run!”
Lisa sat absolutely stunned, unable to breathe. Robert reached over and grabbed her hand so tight, it turned white.
“Tracey run! NO! Daddy, love me! I’m your sugar bear. Not her. She’s my friend. No daddy, no! Don’t touch her!”
The counsellor sat down on the floor, pulling Mary-Anne down with her. Facing Mary-Anne, she talked in calm, soothing tones trying to break through the past and return Mary-Anne to the present. Mary-Anne continued without pausing.
“You killed her! She was my friend! Daddy! I hate you!”
The counsellor continued to attempt to work Mary-Anne out of the post-traumatic episode without success. Mary-Anne pulled away, crawled to the corner of the room and screamed loudly, “Get away! Don’t touch me! Don’t kill me too! I’ll do whatever you want! Don’t kill me! I’ll tell them I did it! I will! I promise! Don’t touch me! NO!”
Mary-Anne threw up and burst into tears. Bobby got up and ran over, grabbing her in his arms, holding her tight. The secretary ran out for a mop and bucket as Lisa went over and softly cleaned off Mary-Anne’s face. Trembling, she looked at Mary-Anne and brushed away the hair from the frightened girl’s eyes.
“Honey, you know where you are at?”
Mary-Anne nodded yes and whispered she was in the principal’s office, she was very sorry for what just happened. Robert then asked the question they all wanted to hear, yet were very afraid of the answer.
“Mary-Anne, you called out a girl’s name. Tracey. Is this the same girl in the pictures in our home?”
Lisa held her breath as she watched Mary-Anne’s reaction. Slowly, fearfully, Mary-Anne nodded her head “yes” and burst into tears.
No one moved. The secretary cleaned around the family curled up together in the corner. The social worker placed an emergency call into the police and the counsellor sat stunned on a chair. The principal reached for more Advil and shook out the last two pills.
“I am not getting paid enough to deal with all this,” he muttered out loud, to no one in particular, “not nearly enough.”
© 2001
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