Daddy’s Little Princess

by Cathy Glass

  ‘Time to switch off your light and go to sleep,’ I said.

  He closed his book and looked at me seriously. ‘OK,’ he said. ‘But first I need to tell you something.’ Adrian didn’t share his worries easily and often internalized them, so I knew whatever he wanted to say must be important and worrying him considerably.

  I sat on the edge of his bed and looked at him. ‘Yes, love? What is it?’ I was thinking it was probably about missing his father, but what he said gave me even greater cause for concern.

  ‘Mum, I think you need to know that some of the kids at school are saying things about Beth’s father.’

  My heart sank. ‘What sort of things?’

  ‘They’re saying her dad is a head case and calling him a nutter. That he’s barmy and has been locked up.’

  ‘Who said this?’

  ‘I don’t know which kids, but you know Oliver in my class?’ I nodded. ‘His sister is in Beth’s class and she told him that some of the kids in her class are saying these things and calling Beth’s dad names.’

  I felt a mixture of anger and deep sadness and regretted not going into school that morning. ‘Thank you for telling me, love,’ I said. ‘I’ll go in and see Miss Willow first thing in the morning. She’ll know how to deal with it. Did Oliver tell you anything else?’

  Adrian shook his head. ‘Not really. Only that they were saying these things behind Beth’s back.’

  ‘What did you say to Oliver?’

  ‘I told him Beth was staying with us while her dad was in hospital.’

  ‘Good. That was a sensible reply.’

  ‘I feel sorry for Beth,’ Adrian added, looking sad. ‘I wouldn’t like it if kids said things about my dad behind my back.’

  ‘No,’ I agreed. ‘And the things they were saying were very hurtful, but please don’t worry. You did the right thing in telling me and I’ll deal with it tomorrow.’

  Reassured, Adrian turned off his light, ready to sleep.

  The following morning when I woke Beth I told her I’d decided I would go into school and have a quick chat with her teacher before school started. I thought it was better she knew.

  ‘But Jenni hasn’t said any more nasty things,’ Beth protested, immediately guessing why I wanted to speak to Miss Willow.

  ‘I know, but I feel I should speak to your teacher anyway. I won’t mention Jenni by name. I’ll just say a child in the class.’ I thought that Beth was probably unaware that other children, apart from Jenni, were calling her father names, as Adrian had said it was going on behind Beth’s back. I wasn’t about to tell her and upset her further.

  Beth pouted as though she was going to cry. ‘Beth, love,’ I said. ‘Sometimes adults know what is best for children and have to make decisions for them that they don’t fully understand. I’m sure your daddy would want me to go into school and speak to your teacher if I was worried about you.’

  At the mention of her father being in agreement, Beth looked at me thoughtfully and then gave a small, reluctant nod. ‘All right, but please don’t tell on Jenni.’

  ‘I won’t,’ I said.

  Once in the school playground I left Beth and Adrian playing with their friends while I took Paula into school with me. I’d told Beth and Adrian that if the klaxon sounded while I was in school then they should go in with their classes as they normally did. I was feeling slightly nervous and apprehensive about approaching Miss Willow and kept running through what I wanted to say. The school secretary-cum-receptionist was in the office and said good morning. I asked her if it was possible for me to speak with Miss Willow and she glanced at the wall clock.

  ‘Just a quick word,’ I added.

  ‘I should think so,’ she said. ‘She’s usually in her classroom at this time. Go on up. You know where it is.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  I took Paula’s hand and headed for the staircase to the first floor, aware that parents (and carers) were asked to make appointments to see teachers rather than just turning up, but I hadn’t wanted to leave this any longer. I hoped Miss Willow would understand. On the landing I saw the door to Miss Willow’s classroom was open and as we approached I could see her standing at the front of the room writing on a wall chart. She looked up. ‘Hello. How are you both?’ she said, slightly surprised. ‘Have you come to see me?’

  ‘Yes, please, if you can spare five minutes.’

  ‘Certainly. Come in.’

  She put down the marker pen she’d been using to write on the chart and drew out three children’s chairs from under the front table. We sat down.

  ‘I won’t keep you long,’ I said. ‘I know how busy you must be, but I need to talk to you about something quite urgent.’ Her face immediately grew serious. ‘I thought you should know that some of the children in the class have been calling Beth’s father names.’

  ‘What!’ Miss Willow said, horrified. ‘What sort of names? I certainly wasn’t aware of this.’

  ‘It seems that some of the children have been calling her father “a nutter” and similar derogatory names. One child said it to Beth, and some others have been saying it behind her back.’

  ‘That’s dreadful,’ Miss Willow said, truly appalled. ‘Who is responsible?’

  ‘Beth doesn’t want to get anyone into trouble,’ I said. ‘And there is more than one person involved.’

  Miss Willow shook her head. ‘I’m so sorry. I’ll deal with it immediately. I really had no idea this was going on. Poor Beth.’

  ‘Thank you. I was wondering if perhaps you could speak to the whole class? Perhaps about name calling in general and how hurtful it can be, rather than mentioning Beth specifically.’

  ‘Absolutely. Of course,’ Miss Willow agreed. ‘And I’ll explain that people go into hospital for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes it’s because they are physically ill and sometimes it’s because they’re very unhappy and need help. There seems to be a lot of ignorance surrounding mental health.’

  ‘Yes,’ I agreed, relieved. ‘That would be perfect. Thank you. I am grateful.’

  ‘No need. I should have picked this up sooner. I’m usually more tuned into bullying, which is what this is.’

  Aware that school was due to start soon, I made a move to go.

  ‘How is Beth?’ Miss Willow asked.

  ‘She’s doing very well,’ I said. ‘She saw her father last Friday and I expect she’ll see him again this Friday. I understand he’s making a good recovery and should be discharged soon.’

  ‘And Beth will be returning to live with him?’ she now asked.

  ‘Yes, as far as I know.’

  ‘Despite the concerns you and I raised with her social worker?’

  ‘Well, yes,’ I said, a little taken aback. ‘Didn’t Jessie tell you that the concerns were completely unfounded? I felt dreadful because I caused Derek so much distress.’

  Miss Willow studied me carefully for a moment and then said something rather odd. ‘I wouldn’t feel too bad. Jessie did tell me the outcome, but the file’s not closed yet.’ The klaxon sounded for the start of school and Miss Willow stood. ‘I’ll walk you downstairs,’ she said. ‘I have to go into the playground to bring my class in.’

  The three of us went out of the classroom. ‘Does Beth know why you’ve come to see me?’ Miss Willow asked as we walked.

  ‘Yes. She wasn’t altogether happy about it, but I felt it was best.’

  ‘Absolutely. I’m very grateful you told me, and please be reassured I’ll deal with the matter today.’

  ‘Thank you,’ I said again.

  We arrived in reception and went out of the main door. We said goodbye and Miss Willow went over to her class, where Beth was already standing in line. Beth saw us and gave a little wave and Paula and I waved back. Adrian was also lining up in his class, but he was too busy chatting to his friends to see us. As Paula and I left the playground and began towards the car, I felt relieved and vindicated for going in to see Miss Willow. She had taken the matter seriously and would
deal with it sensitively, for, as she’d said, name calling was a form of bullying, although I doubted the children involved would have thought of it as such.

  I stopped off at the local shop on the way home for a few essentials, and then the rest of the day disappeared in household duties and playing with Paula. Paula would be three in April and would start nursery – mornings only – in September. I thought she was ready for the extra stimulation and socializing that nursery would bring. Once she was settled I was planning on looking for a part-time job that would fit in with school and fostering – possibly administration work, which I’d done before.

  Although the day was cold, it was dry and the sun was out, so I decided to walk to school to collect Adrian and Beth, but I took the pushchair just in case Paula tired. As we waited in the playground I chatted to some other mothers. I saw Jenni’s mother and her friend standing some distance from me, but she didn’t look over. The klaxon sounded and when Beth and Adrian came out they were both in good spirits and Beth looked relieved, so I thought that whatever Miss Willow had said must have been exactly right. However, on the way home Beth asked, ‘Why was my social worker in school?’

  ‘I didn’t know she was,’ I said, surprised. ‘Did she speak to you?’

  ‘No. I was in class. I saw her through the classroom window.’

  ‘Perhaps she went into school about another child,’ I suggested, which seemed a reasonable possibility.

  Beth gave a small shrug and then began hopscotching the paving stones as we walked. Adrian and Paula joined in, so our progress home was slow but fun. Even I had a quick hopscotch, which made them all laugh.

  I thought no more of Beth’s comment about seeing Jessie in school and the rest of the afternoon and evening continued as usual, with dinner, Adrian and Beth doing their homework, a few games and then the bath and bedtime routine. Beth telephoned her father at seven o’clock while I bathed Paula and they talked mainly about what she would wear when she visited him the following day, although I intended to have a say in that. I hadn’t heard from Jessie that week so I’d assumed the arrangements for Beth visiting her father would be the same as the previous week, which from their conversation is what Beth and Derek appeared to assume too. They were naturally looking forward to seeing each other, but it wasn’t to be.

  The following morning, when I returned home from taking Adrian and Beth to school, Jessie telephoned, and what she said was not only devastating for Beth, but also made no sense at all.

  Chapter Twelve

  Very Upset

  ‘Beth won’t be visiting her father this evening,’ Jessie said evenly. ‘Would you tell her, please?’

  ‘Yes, but why? What’s the matter? Is Derek unwell? Beth will be so disappointed.’

  There was a pause before Jessie replied. ‘Reassure Beth that her father is well, but tell her my manager and I have made the decision to cancel her visit. I’ll explain the reasons why when I see her. That’s all you need to say.’

  An uncomfortable tightness settled in my stomach. ‘Is there something wrong?’ I asked, all manner of thoughts flashing through my mind.

  ‘I’m not in a position to say any more at present,’ Jessie said flatly. ‘I need to make some more enquiries. Did Beth telephone her father yesterday?’

  ‘Yes. She does every evening.’

  ‘How long does the call last?’

  ‘At least thirty minutes. Sometimes longer.’

  ‘And what do they talk about?’

  I was being questioned, but why? I felt my heart starting to race. ‘I can’t hear much of their conversation,’ I said. ‘Beth uses the telephone in my bedroom while I bath Paula. From what I’ve heard they talk a lot about what Beth wears – she always changes into a dress when she arrives home from school. They tell each other that they miss each other and sometimes Beth tells her father about school, but not often.’

  There was a pause, as though Jessie might be writing down what I was saying. ‘Can you hear Derek’s replies?’ she asked.

  ‘Not from the bathroom. No. I used to sit on the bed next to Beth, and I could hear his replies then.’

  ‘So why did you stop sitting with Beth while she telephoned her father?’

  ‘After you told me you didn’t have any concerns about their relationship, I didn’t think there was any need to. Also, I have to get Paula ready for bed. Derek and Beth talk for some time and if I waited until they’d finished Paula would go to bed late every evening.’

  There was another pause before Jessie asked, ‘Does Derek call Beth his little princess?’

  ‘Yes. It’s a term they both use quite a lot,’ I said, not understanding why she was asking. ‘Beth often says, “I’m Daddy’s little princess.” I’m sorry, have I done something wrong?’

  ‘No,’ Jessie said flatly, then added, ‘Beth isn’t to telephone her father until further notice.’

  ‘What? Not at all?’ I asked, shocked.

  ‘Not for the time being.’

  ‘She’ll be so upset,’ I said. ‘She looks forward to the telephone calls, and on top of having her visit cancelled she’ll be devastated.’

  ‘I appreciate that,’ Jessie said. ‘But I’m afraid it can’t be helped. I’ll let you know if and when telephone contact can resume, but it won’t be for a while, so don’t give her false hopes, please.’

  I was struggling to make sense of what I was being told, and so too would Beth. She was being stopped from seeing and speaking to her father for no obvious reason. ‘And you can’t tell me any more?’ I asked.

  ‘Not at present,’ Jessie said. ‘Is there anything more you can tell me about Beth’s telephone calls to her father? Why does she use the telephone in your bedroom?’

  ‘Because Adrian is usually watching television in the living room at that time. So it saves him being interrupted, and it also gives Beth some privacy. It’s a routine we’ve got into.’

  There was another small pause, then Jessie asked, ‘Is there anything else you can tell me about Beth?’

  It would have helped if I’d known in what connection she meant. ‘Not really. She’s been coping well. There was an incident of bullying at school, but I saw Miss Willow and she dealt with it. Beth saw you in school yesterday.’

  ‘Did she?’ Jessie said without surprise. She didn’t elaborate. ‘I’ll arrange an appointment to see you when I know more. Thank you for your time.’ She wound up the conversation and said goodbye.

  I slowly replaced the handset and stayed where I was on the sofa. Whatever was going on? What had happened to end contact so abruptly? What could I tell Beth?

  Paula looked over from where she was playing on the living-room floor. ‘Was that about Beth?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes, love, it was.’

  ‘You look worried, Mummy,’ she said sweetly. Then standing, she came and sat beside me on the sofa. I put my arm around her and held her close. We were both silent for a while. Paula seemed to appreciate the enormity of what I’d just been told and that I needed time to think.

  Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by the telephone ringing. I reached over and picked up the handset. As I did it crossed my mind that perhaps it might be Jessie able to give me the reason for her decision, or possibly even saying the decision had been reversed and Beth could telephone and see her father as planned. But it wasn’t Jessie.

  ‘Is that Cathy?’ a slightly familiar female voice asked.

  ‘Yes. Speaking.’

  ‘It’s Marianne, Derek’s friend.’

  ‘Oh. Hello.’

  ‘I hope I haven’t interrupted anything, but I need to speak to you urgently.’

  ‘Yes, go ahead.’

  ‘Derek phoned me a little while ago and he’s very distraught. He says he’s been stopped from seeing Beth and speaking to her on the phone. He didn’t seem to understand why. He said something about a meeting. I’ve tried to telephone the social worker, but she’s not available. I wondered if you knew what had happened?’ Marianne spoke quickly
and I could hear the anxiety in her voice.

  ‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘Jessie has just telephoned me, but all she said was that Beth wouldn’t be seeing her father this evening and she wasn’t to telephone him until further notice. She didn’t say why.’ I wondered if I should tell her about the questions Jessie had asked me about Beth and her father, or that Jessie had been into Beth’s school, but decided it was confidential and if Jessie wanted her to know she’d tell her.

  ‘Jessie didn’t give you a reason?’ Marianne asked.

  ‘No. She just asked me to tell Beth. She’s going to be so upset.’

  Marianne gave a heartfelt sigh. ‘I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve told Derek I’ll go to the hospital as soon as I finish work. I can’t do anything now, I’m at work. He said something about a meeting he’d had to attend yesterday with Jessie and the psychologist, but I couldn’t understand what that had to do with anything. He was too upset to explain. Do you know anything about the meeting?’

  ‘No. Jessie didn’t mention it,’ I replied honestly.

  Marianne sighed again. ‘OK. Thank you. Sorry to have troubled you, but I didn’t know who else to call. I’ll try to get hold of Jessie again later.’

  ‘Marianne, I’m very worried too,’ I said. ‘If you find out anything from Jessie could you tell me, please? It’s going to be difficult enough anyway telling Beth she’s not seeing her father, and without a good reason I really don’t know what to tell her.’

  ‘Yes, of course I will.’

  She said a quick goodbye and I replaced the handset. So not even Derek understood the reason why contact had been stopped.

  Paula looked up at me. ‘Was that about Beth too?’ she asked quietly.

  ‘Yes, love. It was.’

  ‘Oh dear, poor Beth.’ Paula sympathized, appreciating something was badly wrong but not knowing what.

  Marianne didn’t telephone back that day so I assumed that she hadn’t learned any more from Jessie. As the afternoon drew on and the end of school approached, my anxiety grew at the prospect of having to tell Beth she wouldn’t be seeing or phoning her father. I took the car to school, hoping that Beth wouldn’t mention her father until we were at least in the car or – better still – home, where I could talk to her in private. Paula and I waited in the playground and, as usual for a Friday afternoon, as soon as the klaxon sounded the children bounded out, excited by the start of the weekend. Beth was out before Adrian and ran to my side, beaming. The first thing she said was, ‘I’m seeing my daddy tonight!’