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“Oh, sweetie.” Caroline cocked her head, offering a sympathetic smile. “It must be very hard to hear things that aren’t true. And I know it’s difficult to rise above it, but you have to try.”
“B-but the stuff they say is true. I just don’t like how they say it.”
“What do they say?” Caroline asked, confused.
“Mum’s a lesbian. But they keep shouting a horrible word at me. And I don’t want them to call her it. Why does it matter what she is?”
Caroline’s heart constricted. No child should have to listen to such things. “Itdoesn’tmatter what she is. Now, I’m going to call your mum and have her come get you. I’ll talk to her, okay?”
“I didn’t want to fight, Ms Baker. But I’m fed up with it.”
“I know, Edie.” Caroline placed a gentle hand on Edie’s shoulder, sighing. “We’ll sort this all out. Don’t worry. Give me a minute, and I’ll be back in. You stay here, okay?”
“Kay.” Edie huddled into herself, wrapping her school blazer tighter around her trembling body. “Thanks, Miss.”
Caroline offered a gentle smile, slipping out the door and heading for reception. The headache she’d been fighting all day had just increased in pressure, but she couldn’t help thinking that Edie’s retaliation today may work in her favour. She shouldn’t be impressed by a child fighting in order to stand up for her mother’s sexuality, but she was. Because it meant there was hope for the other kids yet. “Joan, can you call Edie Caffrey’s mum for me. She needs collecting. I’ll be in my room with her. Send her in when she arrives.”
“No problem, Caz. Should I say what this is about?”
“Just tell her there’s been an incident at school, but that Edie is okay.”
Joan nodded, focusing on the computer screen and bringing up Edie’s mum’s number. “I’ll send her in when she gets here.”
Caroline turned and left reception, disappointed by how cruel some children could be. Before this day was over, she would have a list of each child’s name, and she would be calling their parents in. This wasn’t acceptable, and it had nothing to do with Caroline’s own sexuality. Though she knew some would see it that way. ‘Kids will be kids’ didn’t work for her. It never would.
* * *
Hannah took a left,parking in the visitor car park at the front of her daughter’s school. Her heart had been in her mouth since the school had called her to collect Edie, but she couldn’t fathom what had happened. Edie always applied herself and worked as hard as she could, but perhaps the incident wasn’t what Hannah was expecting it to be. Maybe Edie had taken a tumble and injured herself.
She rushed into the reception, waiting impatiently while the receptionist was on a call. She could walk the halls looking for Edie, or she couldnotturn into the crazed mother who demanded her daughter back. It wasn’t a good look, and it wasn’t required.
The receptionist placed the receiver down. “May I help you?”
“I’m here to pick my daughter up. Edie Caffrey.”
“Ah, yes. Ms Baker would like to speak to you. If you head down the corridor here, go through the double doors and up the ramp, you’ll find another corridor. It’s the third room on the left. Would you like me to take you?”
“No, thank you. I’m sure I’ll find it.”
Hannah followed the directions given to her, the school quiet now that lessons had resumed for the day. Why would Edie’s form teacher want to speak to her? What the hell had her daughter done? She found the door she was looking for, peering through the glass in the middle to find Edie with her head down on a desk.
She knocked on the door, not waiting for a response, and opened it. “Edie?”
A sharp intake of breath was heard from the corner of the room, and Hannah frowned as she focused on the woman sitting at the desk. Staring back at her was the very same woman she’d spent every waking moment thinking about. “Caz?”
“Mum?” Edie suddenly broke their stare, her face a complete mess. “Please don’t be angry with me. I didn’t mean it.”
Hannah rushed to her daughter’s side, taking her in her arms. “What happened? Who did this to you?”
“Sophie and all her mates.” Edie sniffled, her gorgeous face full of scratches and marks. “I’d just had enough.”
“Had enough of what, Edie?” Hannah had no idea anything had been going on at school. But now that she did, she wanted to get to the bottom of it. “Has this been going on for a while?”
Edie nodded, lowering her eyes. “They all know you’re gay.”
“So?”
“So they pick on me because of it,” Edie spoke barely above a whisper, glancing over at Caroline momentarily. “I had to tell Ms Baker. I’m sorry.”
