The Bad Boy of Waterloo Road

Chapter Seventeen.

Standing up from my chair, I slipped my hands into my pocket and walked towards the window, leaning against the sill of it as I continued looking at my daughter, but from a different angle this time.

"You know I am going to have to get in touch with Social Services, don't you?" I pointed out. "It's inevitable that Finn will probably be placed in emergency Foster care until they can find him a more suitable place to live." I declared, knowing that the prospect of her boyfriend being taken away frightened her more than anything else in the world.

I watched as she sprung up from her seat, scurrying over to me and grabbing my hand, in a plea of desperation.

"Why can't he just stay with us? We've got a spare room at home doing nothing..." She quizzed, obviously trying everything in her power to prevent me from phoning the Social. "Couldn't you just explain the situation to the LEA? I'm sure they'd understand within these kinds of circumstances."

"I've put off phoning Social Services on the Sharkey family once, but I can't do it again." I replied, shaking my head. "What his father has done has made this whole situation a hundred times worse. If I don't phone the Social this time, I could potentially lose my job. You understand that, don't you?" I told her, not as a guilt ploy but because there's more at stake here than Finn maybe being put into Foster care.

"I can't see Finn go into care! What happens if his Foster family stop us from seeing each other?" She questioned, a few tears falling from her eyes, Lindsay trying to wipe them away furiously.

A few moments later, the tears kept coming harder and faster until she was full on sobbing in my office in front of me. I pulled her in closer to me, wrapping my arms around her as I placed a small kiss to the top of her head, still continuing to discuss the topic at hand.

"I know that you love him, but he is 17 years old. I doubt that whoever he gets placed with will have him under house arrest." I spoke but she was still extremely upset as she continued sobbing into my chest.

Pulling away from me, she rubbed her hands under her eyes, which were now tear-stained and had dark patches of mascara where it had run. I passed her a tissue in order for her to clean herself up and blow her nose, watching her dispose of it in the small waste bin to the side of my desk. Once she had regained composure, she made eye-contact with me again, her eyes red and bloodshot.

"I understand that you have to do everything by the book..." She sighed, wiping her nose quickly. "I just don't want anything to come between me and Finn because I haven't long got him back..." She sniffled. "Last thing I...I want to ha-happen is for us to lose each other again." She whimpered as a few stray tears kept rolling down her cheeks.

"Listen to me Lindsay..." I softly spoke. "I will do everything it takes to ensure that Finn has the best care possible. Social Services don't just place children/young adults with any old family..." I told her, trying to reassure her. "I can also request that they place him with a family that live within the catchment area of Waterloo Road, but I can't guarantee that. However, I will try my absolute best." I reasoned, trying to make her feel better.

I'm guessing that she didn't have anything else to say on the matter because she just nodded. Seconds later, the bell went, indicating that it was the end of the school day. Seeing Lindsay pull another tissue from the box located on my desk, she tidied her face up once more before throwing it in the bin.

"I better go..." She told me, sniffling a little. "Me and Finn are heading to the hospital to check that his nose isn't broken or damaged in any way." She added, making me nod my head.