Please Don’t Take My Baby and I Miss Mummy 2-in-1 Collection. Cathy Glass
Jade said huffily.
‘I know you’re not, love, but at seventeen you’re still a minor and while you’re with me I’m responsible for you. Apart from which I need to know you’re safe or I’ll worry about you. It’s what parents and carers do.’
‘Mum didn’t worry,’ she said moodily.
‘I’m sure she did,’ I said. ‘In her own way.’ Although of course boundaries are a sign of caring and Jackie had admitted she hadn’t put in place enough boundaries with Jade.
I looked at Jade, perched on the edge of the chair and eager to be away. I wasn’t convinced she was receptive to what I was saying, so I upped it a little. ‘Jade, when you didn’t come home or return my calls I phoned my fostering agency for some advice. The social worker there said that soon the social services will be starting an assessment of you, to see if you are responsible enough to keep your baby. You need to make sure you behave responsibly or it won’t look good.’
‘Are you threatening me?’ she said, her eyes blazing. ‘I told you me phone was off.’
‘I understand that and no, I’m not threatening you. I’m just trying to help you.’
‘Well, don’t,’ she snapped. ‘I don’t need your help.’ And hauling herself off the chair she stomped upstairs and to her bedroom.
Well done, Cathy, I thought, that was a successful chat, although in truth I wasn’t sure how else I could have handled it. Jade clearly resented being asked to conform to boundaries and perhaps she resented me.
I gave her time to cool off and fifteen minutes later I went up to her room and knocked lightly on her bedroom door. There was no reply, so I knocked again and then slowly opened the door and went in.
She was changed and in bed, on her side and apparently fast asleep.
‘Jade?’ I whispered. But there was no reply, so I came out, and hoped that in the morning we could start afresh.
Before going to bed I remembered to phone Michael at Homefinders to tell him Jade had returned. He was pleased Jade had made the right decision and said she was just testing the boundaries. I told him I didn’t think I’d handled the situation or our chat well and he said that I shouldn’t worry, as he was sure it would all be forgotten in the morning.
I didn’t sleep well; I tormented myself with what I should have said to Jade and what I could have said differently. I was realizing that dealing with teenagers is like walking on eggshells; I hoped I would do better and our relationship would improve.
The following day Jade stayed in bed, apparently asleep, until lunchtime. I checked on her a couple of times and then eventually I heard her get up and go straight to the bathroom, where she ran a bath. I was in the front room on the computer. Once she was washed and dressed, she came downstairs and on her way to the kitchen called a cheerful ‘Hi, Cathy,’ the previous evening apparently forgiven or forgotten. I heard her start cooking a fry-up, so I went in and checked she had everything she needed, and then I left her to it. She made me a cup of tea as she had the day before and we sat either side of the table and chatted amicably. She even washed up her breakfast things, so I didn’t really mind clearing up the bathroom after her.
However, that afternoon while I was collecting Paula from school, without saying anything to me in advance, Jade went out. I returned home to find a hastily scribbled note: Out with Ty. Back about 10 Jade. While I was pleased Jade had taken notice of some of what I’d said the evening before and had acted responsibly by leaving the note, I was concerned that I didn’t know where she was or how she would be getting home. Ten o’clock seemed far too late for her to be out alone, especially in her condition. It crossed my mind to phone her but I thought that might antagonize her, so I decided I’d talk to her face to face when she returned.
But when Jade arrived home, not at ten o’clock but at 10.45 and drunk, I was horrified. I knew I had to say something and I knew there would be a scene.
‘Jade, have you been drinking?’ I asked, closing the front door behind her.
‘Yeah, why not?’ she said confrontationally. ‘It was me friend’s birthday.’
‘What friend? I thought you were at Tyler’s.’
‘Na. I was at me friend’s birthday party,’ Jade said, clearly having forgotten what she’d written on her note.
I looked at Jade, flushed from alcohol, with a stupid grin on her face and struggling to get out of her coat. Normally I would have asked a young person returning from a party if they’d had a nice time, but that wasn’t appropriate here. Jade was pregnant and had clearly had a lot to drink; she smelt strongly of alcohol and was unsteady on her feet.
‘Jade, don’t you know the harm alcohol can do to an unborn baby?’ I asked, deeply concerned. ‘Do you know the damage it can cause?’
‘Don’t start!’ Jade snapped, finally releasing one arm from her coat and swaying slightly. ‘You sound like my mum!’
‘But think about your baby,’ I said. ‘Alcohol can do permanent damage to an unborn baby, both physically and mentally. Surely you’ve seen all the warnings on television and in magazines about drinking while pregnant?’ Jade shrugged as though she didn’t care, but it was my duty to make her care and understand the harm she was doing. ‘Meryl stopped by again this evening,’ I said, hoping to shame her. ‘I dread to think what she would say if she knew you’d been drinking, after all she’s done to help you.’ But of course you can’t rationalize with someone who is under the influence of alcohol, especially a teenager who thinks she knows best.
‘Don’t know and don’t care,’ Jade said, finally getting out of her coat and throwing it on the hall stand. ‘I’m going to bed.’
She went to the foot of the stairs and, grabbing the handrail with both hands, hauled herself on to the first step and then began unsteadily up the stairs. I followed just behind her to make sure she didn’t fall. She was very unsteady, so I guessed she’d had a lot to drink, not ‘a’ drink as she’d claimed.
At the top of the stairs she hesitated, as though she’d forgotten where she was going, and then turned right and, trailing her hand along the wall to steady herself, arrived outside her bedroom door. She pushed it open, went in, and then shut the door in my face. My first reaction was to go in after her and tell her not to be so rude, but I knew that wouldn’t be the best course of action in her present state and would very likely lead to an argument. Sad and very worried, I walked away and checked on Adrian and Paula, who were both still asleep; then I returned to wait on the landing outside Jade’s room. I could hear her clumsy movements as she staggered around her bedroom, presumably trying to get changed and ready for bed. Then it went quiet and I waited some more, half expecting her to come out to use the bathroom. When she didn’t appear I knocked gently on the door. There was no reply, so I knocked again and went in.
Jade was on her side on the bed, fully clothed and fast asleep. The half-unpacked suitcases were open on the floor; also on the floor were a heap of clothes, her nightwear and the duvet. It was a real mess but that was the least of my concerns. I went to the bed, where I carefully eased off Jade’s shoes so that she would be more comfortable; she didn’t stir. Then I picked up the duvet and put it over her. She hadn’t washed or cleaned her teeth but she was in no state to do that now; so she’d have to do it in the morning. I fetched a bucket from downstairs and, returning, placed it beside her bed; then I came out, leaving the door open so that I could hear her if she woke in the night or was sick.
For the second night in a row I didn’t sleep well, as I was listening out for Jade and I was also very worried about her behaviour. Jade didn’t wake in the night and the following morning as soon as I got up