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‘We wouldn’t have missed it, I thought that all the speakers made some very valuable points. Is there any chance that we might have a few words with Miss Caulder?’
‘Anna? Yes, of course, I’ll go and fetch her. Would you like to go into the sitting room and see her there? It’s a bit noisy in here.’
Steven nodded. His son Joe had was eleven years old and the transition from junior to secondary school hadn’t been easy for him. He had a dark red birthmark on the side of his neck and jaw, and some of the older kids at his new school had started to bully him. Steven and his wife were at a loss for some direction about what to do about it, and had contacted Jamie about the possibility of counselling.
‘You go ahead, then. We’ll be with you in a minute.’
Jamie caught Anna’s eye, beckoning to her. She smiled, extricating herself from the group of people that surrounded her.
‘What did you think?’
She shouldn’t even need to ask. ‘I thought you were great. There’s someone I’d like you to see, if you don’t mind.’
‘Of course not, that’s what I’m here for. Do I need my laptop?’
‘You could bring it along, just in case.’
Anna fetched her laptop, and he led her to the small sitting room that adjoined the hall, quickly telling her about Joe. When they entered, he introduced her to Steven and Josie and she smilingly shook their hands, saving her special smile for Joe.
‘Hi, Joe. It’s nice to meet you.’ She plumped herself down in a chair. ‘I hear that you’ve got some questions for me.’
Steven started to explain, and Anna nodded, watching for Joe’s reaction to everything. Haltingly, Joe started to join in, telling her about the bullying. Anna’s face darkened.
‘And what’s the school doing?’ She asked the obvious question.
Steven sighed. ‘We went to see the headmistress and she said she’d do what she could. She suggested that having the birthmark removed might be a way forward.’
‘Oh. Well, I don’t think that’s a particularly helpful attitude.’ Anna’s outrage made Steven smile. ‘Joe’s quite fine as he is, it’s the bullies that need to change.’
Slowly but surely she was coaxing Joe out of his shell. He began to talk to her, and then quite of his own accord he got up from his seat, walking over to Anna. ‘Do you want to look?’ He gestured towards his neck.
‘Thank you, Joe. Yes, I’d like to see your birthmark.’ Anna waited as Joe took off his sweater and unbuttoned the neck of his shirt. Carefully she examined the skin around his neck and jaw.
‘So what do you want, Joe?’
The boy frowned. ‘Can you show me what I’d look like without it?’ He gestured towards Anna’s laptop. She glanced at Steven and Josie and Steven nodded.
‘Yes, I can do that. Come and sit here beside me and I’ll take your picture...’
She was doing it all without suggesting any one solution, letting Joe dictate what he wanted. Jamie saw Josie slip her hand into Steven’s as they watched. This was clearly what they’d been waiting for someone to do with Joe.
Anna showed Joe the software first, and then turned the screen away from him while she altered his photograph. ‘Do you have an email address I can send these pictures to, Steven?’
‘Yeah.’ Steven gestured towards his wife, who quickly pulled pen and paper out of her handbag. ‘We really appreciate this, thank you.’
‘It’s my pleasure.’ Anna turned to Joe, tipping the screen towards him so that he could see it. ‘I’m going to send these pictures to your dad and so you can have another look at them. If you want to email me back, I’d really like to hear what you think.’
Joe stared at the photographs. Steven and Josie were both holding their breath.
‘That’s who I am.’ Joe pointed at the picture of himself that Anna hadn’t altered.
Anna nodded. ‘Yes, it is.’
The whole family started to talk. Anna sat back, listening and answering questions. This was what she was really good at—opening avenues of communication.
‘Here’s my card.’ Anna handed Joe one of her cards from the clinic, and he looked at the elegant script. Anna was treating him like a grown-up, and he was responding. The boy who always seemed to be clinging to one or the other of his parents had already gained a little confidence.
‘You can get your mum or dad to call me anytime, if there’s something you want to talk about.’ She glanced at Steven. ‘There’ll be no cost involved if you want to bring Joe along to see me and discuss his options.’
