The Mender

#8 THE PARTING - Children's Services

Talking with Clea and Thomas was reassuring and bolstered Esri's resolve to do everything in her power to carry out Nagar's final words to divide the Violent Ones. Clea and Thomas were right. The numbers were on the side of those who wanted to live peacefully. She just had to rally their support.

After supper, Esri and Jilly sat at the kitchen table. Esri did homework, Jilly drew pictures of fairies with her smelly markers, and Joe sprawled on the couch in the living room reading a book. He was insistent that they all have some quiet time every day after supper dishes were done. Esri was still on edge worrying about a call from school about cutting her last class.

There was a knock on the door.

"You expecting someone?" asked Joe.

"No, Luca's at work this evening. I doubt it's Ada. I'll see who it is."

Esri looked through the peephole. There was a woman dressed like she worked in an office and a police officer. It was Officer Calvino. Esri groaned.

"What's the matter?" asked Joe.

"It's a police officer and a woman in a sort of business suit."

"Well, let them in. You didn't do anything did you?"

Surely, they wouldn't come just because she skipped her last class. "Ah, not really," she said and she opened the door.

The woman spoke, "Good evening, Esri, is it? I'm Sue Bradley from Children's Services, and you know Officer Calvino. Is your father at home? We'd like to speak with him and you and your sister."

"Why?" said Esri. "What's up?"

Joe came to the door. "It's okay, Es." He turned to the two at the door. "Please, come in." Everyone moved into the living room area. "Have a seat. Esri, grab a couple of the kitchen chairs. Is there a problem?"

Sue Bradley said, "Thank you. We will sit for a minute. We'd like to talk with you and ask you and the girls a few questions. I understand Esri's already met Officer Calvino." They sat on the chairs Esri brought.

Jilly stopped colouring, saw the grim expressions on everyone's faces and went to her Dad and Esri. The three of them sat on the couch, Jilly in the middle. "Why is everyone so sad? Did someone die?"

Joe smiled at her and hugged her. "No honey. It's okay. They just want to talk to us. Don't worry." But he was worried, very worried.

"Joe. Is it all right to call you Joe? You can call me Sue. We received a report from someone who had some concerns about your parenting."

Esri burst out, "What did you hear? Someone is telling lies about my Dad!"

Sue said, "We had a call. We follow-up when we get a call from the community."

Joe tried to sound calm. "Esri, it's fine. Go ahead, Sue."

Sue started by questioning them all together about their daily lives, who fixed meals, what they ate, who looked after Jilly when Joe wasn't around, their morning routine, Joe's work, how the girls were doing in school. Joe encouraged the girls to answer the questions, filling in if he felt more details were needed. He tried to appear normal, but both Esri and Jilly could tell he was anxious, saw his jaw muscles tensing.

"Joe, do you mind if I take a quick look around?"

"Sure, help yourself, anything you want. It's just a one-bedroom. We're trying to save some money for the next little while. This is temporary. The girls have the bedroom and I sleep on the couch."

Sue Bradley walked into the kitchen, opened a few cupboards and the refrigerator, and went down the hallway to the bathroom. Joe and Esri looked at each other. Jilly piped up, "Good thing you made us clean our room, Daddy."

When Sue came back she said to Jilly, "Do you want to show me your room, Jilly?"

Jilly clung to Joe. He squeezed her knee, "It's okay, honey. You go on and talk to Sue. Why don't you show her your princess castle and some of the sparkly fabric Farhana gives you. I'll bet Sue'd like to see some of costumes you're so good at making."

"Okay. You and Esri will stay here?"

"We won't move."

After Sue and Jilly left, Officer Calvino asked Esri how things were going for her.

"I'm doing okay. You know we did the mediation and now I've done some training that Mr. Romero organized, so maybe I can help with other mediations. There's been no more trouble with Brad or Troy or their friends. I'm staying focused on my schoolwork."

"And no more carrying arrowheads?" Officer Calvino smiled at Esri.

"No ma'am."

"She's been really good, officer. She's a super kid," said Joe.

"And you Joe, you've had some financial setbacks? Must be tough raising two girls on your own?"

Joe spoke carefully about their financial situation and his plans for finding another part-time job. He knew he was appearing nervous, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Jilly and Sue came back. Jilly said, "The lady thinks I could be a fairy godmother when I grow-up!" Sue winked at Joe and Esri.

Joe said, "I'm sorry, I should have offered before. Can I get you two something to drink?"

Sue said, "No, no, I think we're done. Don't you officer?" Officer Calvino nodded. "We'll get going. Thank you for your time."

"But, what happens next?" Joe asked.

"I'll be in touch soon. I assume it's best to phone in the evenings?"

"So, we'll never know who filed a complaint and what they said?" challenged Esri.

Joe put his arm on Esri, "Es, it's okay."

After they left, Joe sat with his head in his hands.

Esri walked to the door. "I'm going to talk to them and tell them about Randi. I bet it was her."

"Esri, no," said Joe, but she was already gone.

When Esri stepped into the hall, she could hear Sue Bradley and Officer Calvino talking by the elevator around the corner from their apartment. She quietly closed the apartment door and moved silently toward the elevators but remained hidden. She heard Officer Calvino say, "Well, what do you think, Sue?"

"There's nothing wrong going on there. The little girl, Jilly, told me when I was talking to her alone that her dad had been seeing a pretty woman, but she was mean to Esri so he stopped seeing the woman. The woman's name is Randi, and that's who made the complaint."

"Ah. I figured it must be something like that. Yeah, there was no reconciling what the complainant described with what we saw and heard in there."

"It's always interesting watching families interacting with each other. It's clear those girls are fond of their dad, and Esri is super conscientious about looking after her little sister. I was expecting Esri to be different after the school incident you described. You know, full of attitude or something."

"She's an interesting kid. You should see those boys she stood up to at school and then convinced them to chill out and go through mediation. That takes character. So, next steps here, Sue?"

"There is no previous record with this family. I'll talk to my supervisor. I believe it was a false complaint. I don't think there's anything here."

The elevator doors dinged open. Esri returned to her apartment. Jilly was curled up next to her Dad. Joe was leaning his head on the back of the couch, eyes closed. One hand stroked Jilly's head and the other wiped away tears from his eyes. Esri had only ever seen her dad cry once, the night her Mom died. "Dad," she said and ran over to him. "It'll be okay."