I'd recommend reading the first two chapters before reading this one.
New Mommy
The Bunker
New Beginnings
-6 months later-
Perrie and Alex have been living in Brooklyn, New York for about six months now and it's better than Perrie expected. The family of five were put into a small two bedroom apartment. They were told that they were to stay there until their visas were fully processed which could take up to a year.
It was Jesy and Jade's first day of school. Jade in first grade and Jesy in eleventh. Perrie was helping Jade into her uniform while Alex was making the girls breakfast.
"Do I have to wear this mama?" Jade asked, pulling at the Collared white shirt.
"Yes bubba" Perrie didn't tell jade that she would be alone at school today. She's spent every day with the girl for close to a year. She didnt know how Jade would react, she could barely handle Perrie being in another room for too long.
"Mama! Mama! Dada gets me" Leigh-Anne squealed running into the room squeezing in between Perrie and Jade.
"Come here munchie" Alex walked into the room after her. Perrie turned around to look at Alex, He didn't look too happy.
"What's wrong babe?"
"I'm trying to feed her so I can get her dressed, I have orientation in 2 hours and it takes about half an hour to get there."
"Let dada get you dressed please baby"
"No!" Perrie picked Leigh-Anne up, handing her to Alex. She was already nervous about sending Jade to school. She didn't want to fight with the little one too.
"Jesy. . .Jesy! Time to get up babe, go have a shower and get dressed please" Jesy got out of her bed and walked into the bathroom.
"Please try not to get your clothes messy baba"
"Okay mama" Jade skipped off into the kitchen to eat her breakfast.
Alex was still struggling with Leigh-Anne.
"Munchie. Can you please put your clothes on for dada?"
"Nope"
"You're being naughty baby, you're going to get in trouble with mama" Jade spoke, spooning the yogurt and granola into her mouth.
"Nu-uh" The little girl was running around in her cloth covered nappy. She was too busy running from Alex to notice Perrie enter the room.
"Baby"
"hm"
"Come, lets get dressed" She held her hand out for the little girl and Leigh-Anne took her hand walking back into the room.
About forty minutes later the family of five were in the car. Perrie dropped Alex off and Jesy got into the passenger seat. She decided to drop Jade off next because her school started first.
"Are you excited bubba?" She asked Jade who was rather quiet this morning.
"I dont know?"
"I'm 'cited" Leigh-Anne cheered although she wasn't going anywhere.
Once there Perrie stopped Jade in front of the building. She wanted to take first day of school pictures. But after the first picture Leigh-Anne wanted to get in them.
"Its not your first day yet baby." Perrie told her snapping more pictures of Jade.
"I don't mind taking pictures with the baby, mama" Perrie put Leigh-Anne down telling her to stand next to Jade. She took a few more.
"Alright Jes, get in there."Jesy stood next to her little sisters.
Once Perrie got all her pictures she lifted Leigh onto her hip, holding Jade's hand as they walked into the school. She was following directions to her classroom. The first graders were on the first floor. Perrie was looking around for Jade's name.
"Shes in this room" Perrie turned around to where Jesy was.
"Okay." She walked into the classroom, there were only a few other kids in the classroom.Perrie was looking around for Jade's seat.
"Here bubba, come sit" she pulled the chair out for Jade, helping her take her jacket, Hat and scarf off.
"Mom, do you have her bluecard?" The teacher asked and Perrie nodded asking Jesy to take the blue piece of paper out of Jade's bookbag.
The Teacher looked over the information card.
"Any other numbers or Just mom and dad?"
"Just mom and dad"
"This means that no one else can pick her up from school in case of an emergency"
"Yes thats fine."
"Okay then. Thank you"
Perrie walked over to Jade kissing her forehead.
"Mama loves you and I want you to try and have a good day okay?" Jade nodded coloring on her nametag. They were allowed to decorate it.
"See you later bubba"Jesy waved
"Wait.Where are you going" She asked, seeing her mother and sisters in the doorway.
"Mama! No! Where are you going." She left her seat going over to Perrie.
"Don't leave me please mama"
"I will be back bubba. Im going to pick you up after school"
"No! You can't leave me you. . . you promised." Tears sprung into her eyes.
"I'm coming back after school bubba. Go sit in your seat for me"
"Hug?" Perrie walked into the hallway, Jesy and Jade following.
She handed Leigh-Anne to Jesy, picking Jade up. She gave the girl a warm hug and kissed both her cheeks,forehead and nose.
"I will be back . I'm not leaving forever. Just a few hours okay?"
"No. please don't leave me mama please. Im scared."
"Scared of what bubba?"
"T-the. . . the men. They will hurt you and the baby" she mumbled quietly to perrie.
"Baby, I'll be safe at home with Leigh. No one will get us." Jade nodded
Perrie tried to put her down but she wasn't letting go. Jade began to cry harder begging Perrie not to leave her. Her cries upset Leigh-Anne who began to cry as well.
"Jade you're a big girl baba. Its only a few hours." The teacher heard and stepped outside trying to help perrie.
"Jade, we will have lots of fun and mama will come back at the end of the day. you can tell her about all the fun we had dear." the woman stuck her hand out for the little girl. Perrie put her down, encouraging her to take the teacher's hand. Jade shook her head.
Jade fell to the floor when the woman grabbed her hand. She was screaming and crying holding onto perries legs.
"I don't want to go!"
"Jade stand up" Perrie was trying to work with the girl because she kind of expected this reaction. But she didn't think it would be this bad.
"No. I'm not going!"
Perrie set the girl on her feet brushing off her clothes.
"I know you may be scared but there is no reason for you to act like that. Throwing yourself on the floor and screaming like that. You're a big girl Jade. Big girls don't act like that bubba. Do they?"
"No" Jades cries reduced to sniffles as Perrie took a few napkins from the teacher thanking her. She wiped Jade's face.
"Blow" Jade blew her nose into the napkin.
"Its alright bubba." Perrie took a baby wipe out of her bag wiping jades face.
"Please mama can I stay home with you and the baby?"
"No baba. You have to go to school where you will learn and make friends. Mama will be back I promise"
"Promise"
"I promise. We can even get some ice cream after school. Would you like that?" Jade nodded. She took her teacher's hand trying to be a big girl.
"Bye bye sissy" Leigh-Anne hugged Jade.
"Come baby" Jade figured that if Leigh-Anne stayed with her it would be okay. Leigh-Anne held her sister's hand walking towards the classroom. They didn't make it very far as Perrie picked Leigh-Anne up.
"See you later baba. I will be back,I promise" Perrie began walking towards the stairwell motioning for Jesy to follow. She could hear Jade sobbing for her to come back but she kept walking. As much it hurt her heart she kept walking
"Sissy sad mama" Leigh-Anne frowned.
"I know. She will be okay baby"
"Alright. Are you ready?" Perrie asked Jesy as they got back into the car.
"Yeah. I am" Perrie drove about twenty five minutes to Jesys school where she was a bit late.
"I love you have a good day and I will be back to pick you up." Perrie kissed jesy's cheek.
"Bye bye sissy" Leigh-Anne waved leaning over in perries arms kissing her cheek as well.
Jesy smiled, waving at the two before walking off.
"My turn!" Perrie smiled at her little baby.
"We are going home baby."
"Ice cream?"
"I'll get you ice cream when we pick up your sissys." Leigh-Anne nodded. As long as she got her ice cream.
Once She got the girl home she turned on the TV, putting on cartoons for Leigh-Anne while she began to clean up.
"Mama"
"Hm"
"snacks"
"You just had breakfast no snacks munchie"
Leigh-Anne whined, plopping down by Perries feet. Perrie didn't pay her any mind knowing that if she did the toddler with throw a mini tantrum. She was washing the dishes when she felt Leigh-Anne bite her.
"What did I tell you about biting?" She leaned down to the toddlers level. Leigh-Anne just smiled.
"Thats not funny" She picked her up and put her into her playpen. The corner didn't work for Leigh-Anne she just walked right out. The girl began to cry.
"Mama!" Perrie let her cry it out. She came back into the living room once she finished washing the last little bit of dishes.
Leigh-Anne was laying in the playpen with teary eyes, a binky in her mouth and her Plush shark under her arm. When she saw perrie she reached out to her. She stood up holding onto the rails, she wanted out.
"You have to stop biting, Leigh-Anne. It's not nice and it hurts mama" perrie took the binky from her.
"Hurts mama?"
"Yes it hurts me."
"Oh no" she held her plushie out for perrie to make her feel better. It was her way of apologizing.
"Thank you" Perrie held the plushie knowing she would ask for it back in ten minutes tops
"Snacks?"
"no snacks baby, let's go play"
_______________
"Is this Mr. Oxlade-Chamberlain speaking?"
"Yes, may I ask who's calling?"
"Ms name is Ms James and I'm the Assistant principal here at Success Academy.Im calling about Jade. Her teacher had reported her distracting the class,screaming,crying and carrying on. I'm going to have to ask you to come pick her up.
"Can i speak to her?"
"She's in her classroom at the moment, give me a second." The woman walked to the classroom.
Alex could hear Jade going crazy in the background.
"Jade, come with me please. Your daddy wants to talk to you" Hearing this Jade got up off the floor walking over to the woman. When jade walked out of the room Ms. James handed her the phone and closed the door behind them.
"Bubba, what's wrong, why are you getting on like this?"
"Mama left me all alone and took the baby." she sniffled wiping her nose with the back of her sleeve
"Because mama and the baby can't go to school with you bubba, i'm going to come and get you okay, try and behave until i get there okay?"
"Uh-huh"
"I love you bubba"
"Love you too daddy" Jade gave the woman back her phone.The principal asked Jade to collect her things and come with her.
Jade sat in the main office kicking her feet back and forth. She was waiting for Alex but he was taking a really long time.
"Can I call my mama please?"
"No dear"
"Why not?"
"Because, youre not in the office to call your mom"
"But i miss her. Please"
The woman shook her head.
She walked up to the womans desk.
"I need to call my mama"
"Jade i said no, now go have a seat"
Jade kicked her Desk. Demanding that the woman let her call her mother. When she was told no she swiped the items off of the womans desk.
"I need to make sure shes okay!!"
Jade continued to beg the woman to call Perrie.
"Good morning, i'm here to pick up Jade Edwards" One of the schools secretaries pointed to the Assistant principal's office.
"Let me call her!!"
"No"
"Yes! Give me your phone!"
"I am an adult Jade. Its not okay for you to speak to me like this"
"I aM aN AdUlT JaDe-"The girl was mocking the woman, waving her hands around like a t-rex when she was interrupted.
"Jade Amelia"
"Daddy, please take me home. I have to leave this place" She cried, hugged Alex tugging on his shirt like she did to perrie when she wanted to be picked up.
"No, Is that how we speak to adults"
"No daddy" she spoke with her head down.
"Did she do this?" He motioned to all her things on the floor. The woman nodded with a hand on her head in frustration.
"Go pick it up, all of it and apologize. You know better"
"But dad-"
"Now Jade, and as soon as we get home im telling mama about your naughty behavior" Jade began to pick up the woman's pencils and other items she knocked over.
"Please dont tell mama." She cried into the man's side, wrapping her arms around him.
"Apologize"
"Sorry miss" The woman nodded, handing Alex a written report.
"Thank you have a good day"
"You too" She walked them to the door, closing it behind her.
"Jade" Alex turned around to look at the girl who was putting her weight down.
"Please dont tell mama" she cried. He picked her up walking with her to the bus stop. About 40 minutes later Alex was walking up to their apartment. He unlocked the door.
"Babe? Munchie?" He put Jade down and she ran into Perrie's bedroom. Leigh-Anne slid off the bed running to Alex.
"Hi munchie. How are you baby?"
"Good!" She smiled making Alex smile.
"Mama! Wake up. Please wake up" Jade began to cry thinking something was wrong but perrie was just tired.
"Mama!! Please wake up mama" Alex walked into the room pulling jade away from perrie.
"Let her sleep baby"
"She wont wake up!"
"Babe" Alex shook her a bit. Perrie sat up.
"Yeah, Hey babe, how did it go?"
"Mama!!"
"Hi bubba, how was school?"
"Horrible and I Hate it" Perrie kissed her forehead getting out of the bed.She pulled on some sweatpants and her coat
"Where are you going?"
"To get Jesy"
"Babe its not even ten o clock"
"What?, then why isnt she in school?" She asked checking her phone.
"Tell your mama what you did at school today"He told Jade walking over to his Jacket still holding Leigh-Anne.
"I missed you mama. And the lady said i cant call you."
"you can't call me at school bubba"
Alex handed her the written report. She read it over and looked up a jade.
"Why were you acting out today Jade?"She wanted to give the six year old a chance to explain herself.
"I missed you mama."
"Do you think that its okay for you to throw tantrums at school and hit people because you miss me?"
"Yes or No"
"No"
"So why did you do it?" Jade shrugged.
"I just missed you mama, i didnt want you to leave me"
"Go stand in the corner"
"Mama please no. I dont want to be in trouble"
"What happens when you act out at home"
"I get in trouble"
"And the same thing applies for school. Come" She grabbed Jades hand trying to lead her to the corner. Jade Slapped Perrie's hand away. Perrie turned to look at her daughter.
"Did you just hit me Jade Amelia?"
"I dont want to go to the corner all alone"
"Thats not what i asked you."
"Mama" She whined hugging Perrie pulling on her shirt.
She grabbed Jade's hand leading her to the corner. Her back facing the wall. Raising her arms above her head. She sat on the couch so that Jade could see her. She was still relatively new to this whole parenting thing so she was trying to find ways to discipline her children when they did wrong. Time outs didnt work, revoking privileges didnt work either. She tried the whole gentle parenting and talking it out thing but it didnt work with Jade or Leigh-Anne. They've become comfortable with perrie and they have a hard time listening to her and following rules.
"Jade get back into that corner"
"I cant. Mama please i miss you."Jade began to cry. Perrie sighed.
"Come here" Jade ran to her mama hugging her tight.
"Jade its not okay to act like that because you miss me. I'll excuse it this one time because i know that its your first day but the next time I get a call, or a note that said you were acting out youre going to be in big trouble.Do you understand me?"
Jade nodded.
" all the temper tantrums and hitting have to stop."
"Sorry mama" Perrie nodded kissing her head.
"Can i change my clothes?"
"Go ahead." Jade went off into her room putting on her pajamas. When she came back she saw Leigh-Anne sitting in perrie's lap where she was.She pushed the toddler out of Perries lap climbing into it. Leigh-Anne began to cry holding her head.
"Dada!" Alex rushed into the living room scooping Leigh-Anne into his arms.
"My poor baby. What happened. Are you okay?" She pointed at Jade.
"Let me see if you have a bump munchkin" Leigh moved her hand
"Awww let me get the baby an ice pack" If perrie wasnt in shock she would roll her eyes. The girl fell onto a couch. A soft couch, she wasnt hurt but here alex was acting like she cracked her head open.
"Jade, what did we just talk about? You cant push her like that, shes little she couldve really hurt herself."
"But its my turn with you mama! The baby has you all the time" Perrie was shocked that she pushed Leigh-Anne. That's never happened.
Alex came into the living room holding Leigh-Anne. Who had a popsicle.
"Babe."
"What"
"She was fine. You're making her a spoiled little crybaby and I don't like it."
"No I'm not. Go show mama your bump" When he put her down she made her way over to perrie showing her a nonexistent mark on her forehead.
"Can mama have some?"
Leigh-Anne held the popsicle out for perrie. Perrie took a bite cringing when she bit into the cold treat. She took most of the flavored ice
"Noooo. Dats mine!" She dropped the rest of her popsicle climbing on the couch trying to get her popsicle out of Perrie's mouth
"Dada" She cried pointing at perrie.
"Stop it. No need to keep crying munchie. You have more. You need to share. Where is your popsicle?" Perrie asked Leigh-Anne and she pointed to her mamas belly.
"Where is the rest of it bubba?" Leigh-Anne frowned and walked away from perrie. Going over to Alex who picked her up taking her into the kitchen.
"Alex don't give her anymore snacks!"
Leigh-Anne smiled at Alex and he gave her a chocolate covered strawberry. Soon as he put her down she ran into her room.
"I'll go see what she has mama " Jade got up off of perries lap to see what Leigh-Anne had. She wanted some too.
"What do you have baby"
"Dis" She held up the strawberry with little bites in it.
"Can I have some"
"Nope"
"Mama, the baby has a strawberry!"
"Jadeee" Alex sighed. If she wanted one she should've just asked she didn't have to tell.
"Really Alex, this is why she doesn't eat her food because you feed her snacks all day. Munchie come to mama" The little girl loved snacks and biting people hence her nickname.
Leigh-Anne came to perrie with chocolate all over her mouth. And a crushed strawberry in her little fist.
"Yes mama"
"Come" When she pulled the girl into her lap. Bouncing her lightly. Leigh-Anne knew exactly what was happening.
"Nooo" She pushed herself away from perrie.
"Yes you need a nap baby" she stood up walking around the room patting her backside. She began to doze off and Perrie walked into her bedroom laying her down handing her the shark.
"Mama" she mumbled.
"Get some sleep baby, we can play when you wake up. Okay?" Leigh-Anne nodded closing her eyes.
"I was thinking about therapy for Jesy and Jade" She said sitting down next to Alex.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, Jade told me she didn't want the 'men' to hurt me or Leigh-Anne. She hasnt spoken to me about that day. I mean she has nightmares here and there but she's still a baby. Jesy told me that she would be open to talking to a therapist so I made them appointments. "
He nodded asking her about the doctors and offices. They talked about it for a while.
Three o clock came around and Perrie was getting dressed to go pick up Jesy.
"Can I come please mama?" Jade asked holding her shoes in her hands.
"Yes let's go."
"Me too!!"
"Yes can come too baby"
Leigh-Anne clapped as Perrie picked her up putting her in a light jacket as they would be in the car the whole time. She buckled both girls into their seats and began the drive to pick up the sixteen year old. She pulled up infront of the school about thirty minutes later.
Jesy rushed to the car.
"Woah slow down. How was school?"
"Terrible. I hate it. I stick out like a sore thumb. Everyone's been looking at me all day!! Making fun of my accent and what I call certain words and how I look. I'm not going back"
"Nothing about your day was good babe?"
"No."
"I'm sorry to hear that love."
"ICE CREAM"
"Stop shouting baby" Jade told Leigh-Anne covering her ears.
"Yes, let's go get you your ice cream munchie"
"Me too? Can I have ice cream too mama?"
"I don't know. You weren't too well behaved at school today and Daddy told me that you were rude to your teacher, is that true?"
"Kind of. I wasn't rude to my teacher mama."
"What about Ms.James?" Perrie glanced at Jade who was picking with her nails in her lap.
"Maybe I was a little rude mama"
"And that behavior doesn't get rewarded does it?"
"No"
- back home-
Jesy didn't want ice cream and Jade couldn't have it so that left Leigh-Anne with a small plastic bowl of ice cream.
Jade was crying into her hands. She didn't understand why she was being punished for missing her mama and sisters.
"Huh sissy" Leigh-Anne put some ice cream on a spoon and gave it to Jade. Jade spooned a little bit more ice cream onto the spoon but then Perrie walked in.
"Give it back"
"She gave it to me mama"
Perrie walked over taking the spoon from Jade giving it to Leigh-Anne. Jade found it unfair but when Leigh-Anne was in trouble and Jade offered her sweets the Same thing happened.
________________
"Jesy Nelson" A woman opened her door looking around the room for her next patient.
"Try to open up to her. It doesn't have to be about you know what. Maybe just talk with her about school.Until you're comfortable okay."
Jesy nodded.
"Thank you for trying, im proud of you and I'll be waiting when you finish"
Jesy hugged Perrie walking over to the woman.
Perrie was sitting in a chair in the main room. Leigh-Anne in her lap and Jade next to her on her phone.
"Jade Edwards" Jade looked up hearing her name and then back at Perrie.
"Come on bubba" Jade got up taking Perries hand. Walking over to the woman. Once in the room Jade was told she could play with the toys on the table. Leigh-Anne wiggled out of perries arms to go play too. While perrie began to talk to the therapist.
"My name is Jamillah Walcott and I'll be Jade's therapist for the time being. What's going on with Ms. Jade?"
"When she was about 5 she witnessed her parents get shot to death. I dont know how it really impacted her, I know that the day of she cried for them but then after that I didn't hear about them again. But I took her in, she's my daughter now,"
"The first time was when I ordered furniture for them a man came in dressed in a black tracksuit to help assemble it and she began to panic asking him to leave and not hurt her and she wet herself. Which was out of fear but then after that day if I leave l her in one room while she naps and she wakes up and I'm not there she comes to to find me begging me not to leave her. I felt that these things were normal for a five/six year old after a traumatic event but my biggest concern is school. I tried to drop her off on Wednesday and she kicked,cried and screamed for me not to leave her and I don't know if I'm doing the right thing."
"Did you make her stay at school or did you take her back home?"
"I left her at school"
"Okay, and what happened at school?"
" they called her father to come pick her up as she was distracting her classmates and teacher. Acting out basically"
"Does she have any violent tendencies?"
"She started hitting a lot recently and pushed her little sister out of my lap when she wanted to sit with me. Which she's never done before. "
She wrote a few things down before standing up asking perrie to do the same. She pulled perries chair to the back of the room telling her to go sit in it. She observed Jade as she watched perrie sit in the back of the room.
"Come Munchie" Leigh-Anne stood up taking a few toys from the table. Walking over to perrie.
"Play please mama" Perrie nodded sitting on the floor with Leigh-Anne
The woman asked Jade to pick out dolls that resembled her family. She picked out five dolls.
"Which one is you?" She held up a tan doll with brown hair and eyes.
"Which one is mama?" She grabbed the blond Hair blue eyed doll.
"Okay so I'm going to put. . . ."
"That's daddy and my sissys"
"I'm going to put daddy and your sissys over here" She moved the dolls to the other end of the table.
"Why?"
"They're sleeping" She took a bed out of one of the toy buckets. Putting them on it.
"No, you're crushing the baby!!" Jade took Leigh's doll from under Alex.
"Sorry. I want to show you a scenario and see how you will react okay ?" Jade nodded
Jamillah recreated their current situation. With perrie in a chair behind them. And her and Jade sitting at the table.she glanced over at perrie to see if she was watching and she was.
"So let's say mama steps out like this. . . " She takes perries doll and moved her. Jade stared for a while before turning around to look at perrie who had left the room with Leigh-Anne. jade put the perrie doll back next to her own doll but she didn't come back.
"No, No! Bring her back!! Please miss." Jade pushed on the door but Jamillah had locked it. she was standing in front of the door.
"Please. I need her. . .and my sissy!!"
"Stop shouting Jade"
"NO. I DONT LIKE YOU!!"
Perrie could head Jade shouting and fighting with the woman. She was so curious about what was happening in there and with Jesy.
"What do you mean so what! Aren't you supposed to help me? You're making fun of me?"
"How? All I said is that you're doing this to yourself."
"Doing what? You think I want to be bullied?! I can't tell my parents they're going to want to leave and we just got here. That's not fair to them or the little ones." Jesy was starting to get upset as well.
"You don't want to be bullied, don't do things to get bullied. Besides don't be too sensitive might just be some new student hazing."
"New student hazing!?!?. Do you have any idea what I been through. . ." She read the woman's name on her desk.
"Laura. Huh! Do you ?!" The woman just stared to Jesy.
"Stupid Bitch" Jesy got up and left the room.
"Come baby,how did it go?" Perrie asked standing up to hug Jesy.
"I hate her. . . And I'm not coming back. Apparently my issues aren't significant enough for therapy. Like being held a gunpoint for days isn't scary enough. But I guess since Noone died and I don't have PTSD no Noone fucking cares. Stupid ass place. I hate America!! I want to go home"
She knocked things off on the desk similar to Jade. Flipping over chairs and walking back into the office.
"Fuck you Laura!! Hope you experience at least half of what I went through and when you try to get help you get someone like yourself. Stuck up entitled old white bitc-" Jesy didn't get to finish as perrie pulled her out of the room.
"Why are you doing this? Calm down. Sit down" Jesy did as told. Perrie put a sleeping Leigh-Anne in her arms. Jesy visibly relaxed holding her little sister.
Perrie began to straighten back up the room when a man stopped her.
"I'll take it dont worry about it"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Laura tends to bring out the worst in people, especially kids. Just a heads up. You should switch her therapist. We've been trying to get her out of our practice but we don't have any real evidence that she antagonizes her patients. "
"Thank you, I should've spoken to her before i sent her in there."
"No problem. Can i get her some water or something?"
"Do you want water baby?" Jesy nodded.
"Yes please" the man finished picking up the papers and chairs before leaving out with to get Jesys water. Perrie sat next to Jesy.
"I'm sorry I didn't even think to talk to her. I apologize. If you don't want to come back, that's okay."
"She was a real bitch mama"
"Maybe she was, but stop swearing"
"Sorry. Where's my bubba?"
"In that room, im surprised she not screaming anymore." Perrie pointed at room number 5.
Jamillah had gotten Jade to calm down.
They were sitting in front of the door. Talking about trauma.
"When I was little, I grew up in a really bad neighborhood. One day I was playing in my front yard with my friends and this car passed and began to shot at some guys, they were shooting at each other and one hit my bestfriend"
"Did she die?" When the woman nodded, Jade hugged her.
"I'm so sorry. My mama and papa were killed by guns too. Someone killed them. I heard mama say they were white supers or something like that. Did the white supers kill your friend too because you're brown? Was she brown too?"
Jamillah nodded.
"No, they weren't white love. They were brown just like me. Can you tell me more about your mama and papa. Do you remember anything about that day?"
" Yeah, we were going to the market because we didn't have any food. I begged my papa to go and he finally said yes. So we got on the bus to the shops but when we got off the bus we were forced into the alley. And a big man in all black started to shoot people. Mama and papa both held me and told me that they loved me. And then they started shooting groups of people. They shot papa first and then mama. They started shouting 'not that one!' And 'you weren't supposed to kill her'.. . . "
Jade paused for a bit.
"Why did they kill my mama and papa miss. They weren't bad people"
"I don't know bub. Do you miss them?"
"I don't really think about them, because I have a new family. My mama and baby and sissy and daddy."
"Can you tell me why you're afraid to leave your mama?"
"I don't know. I feel safe with her because she saved me. From all the bad men and we didn't die. She kept me safe at home and the baby too. She plays with us, reads to us and feeds us and talks to us and. . . .and um. Sometimes she puts us in time out and tells us no snacks but that's only when we're naughty."
"But mamas not here and you're still safe. Right?"
"Yeah." Jade was playing with some toys that Jamillah brought over for her.
"Do you think that on Monday you can try again at school? To not focus too much on mama?"
"Uh huh"
"And then when you come back you can tell me all about it?"
"Yes"
"Jamillah, your next client is waiting you're running late!"
"Okay give me a second!"
"Anything else you want to talk to be about?"
"No. Can I come back?"
"Yes you can, I'll talk to your mama about your days" Jamillah opened the door and Jade ran to perrie and Jamillah spoke to her next clients mother asking for a few more minutes. She wouldn't mind running into her lunch break for her clients.
"Ms. Edwards can I speak to you really quick?"
Perrie nodded walking back into the room leaving Jade with Jesy.
"From what I'm seeing it looks like mild separation anxiety which we can work on but I want you to be careful. Jade doesn't seem to have a a big problem being away from you. It's her fear that you aren't coming back and given the nature of how things ended I would say she's already in the process of developing abandonment issues."
"So it's not separation anxiety but abandonment issues?"
"Both. From what you and Jade told me the fear of the men hurting you, that's signs of Seperation anxiety often found in kids. They think something will happen to you or themselves if you're not with them or they aren't with you. Does that make sense?"
"Yes"
"And the other part of it would be her fear of you not coming back to pick her up from school. She thinks that you will forget about her. They go hand in hand. If you're not away from her she can't feel like you would leave her. But when she's dropped off at school that window of 'abandonment' opens."
"That makes sense. Okay how do I fix it. I dont want her to throw tantrums and scream and be disruptive."
"How the adults around her act will decide how she reacts. Once you left I spoke to her we did some breathing exercises and we began to talk. Easy as that very little struggle. If they're ignoring what shes saying or threatening to make her sit out of recess or flip her card or something then that's when she will probably start with the tantrums because no one is listening to how she feels. She does it to get their attention. Don't punish her for it. She just wants them to hear her and how she feels. Maybe try writing. . . Can she read?"
"Yes"
"Okay Try writing her small notes. Reminding her that you love her and you will be back. You can give them to her teacher or place them in her books and lunch boxes. "
" I'll try that. About the whole punishing thing. I dont punish them for little things as they're kids they don't know better. Like for Wednesdays events I couldn't follow through with a punishment given how upset she was."
Jamillah nodded while perrie was speaking.
"But what about when shes hitting me, her sisters and father?"
"Thats different. The tantrums is her way of getting people to listen to her. Hitting is not and it's not something you should allow or tolerate. No matter how upset she gets no hitting, knocking things over or anything of that sort. That's going down a road you don't want. Punish her when you feel it's necessary and in a way that you feel works. Between you and I this corner time and privilege revoking thing doesn't work. All it shows them is that when they do something bad they had to sit in a corner for ten minutes or can't have their iPad for a day or two. That may work for younger kids but not kids Jades age."
"I dont know how to punish them"
"How were you punished as a kid"
"I was made to write lines or spanked"
"Then do that. Just make sure you make it clear to her why she is being punished and provide after care. That's where people get it wrong. Spanking your child is not abuse, especially if you're doing it to teach them a lesson. If you spank them and put them in their room and tell them not to come out until dinner or something then of course they're going to feel like you're abusive and hate them."
" I'm sorry I know you have another we client and I'm asking so many questions but when should I bring her in?"
"Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays. After-school. Her appointments will be six to seven is that alright?"
"Yes, Thank you so much. See you then."
Jamillah walked her to the door inviting her next patient in. She went walk into her room when she felt someone hug her. It was Jade.
"Thank you miss. I'll see you on Monday!"
"You're welcome love, I'll see you on Monday. Be good for your mama." She hugged the little girl back.
"I will. Bye bye" She waved while walking over to Perrie. Jamillah waved back, closing her door.
Once home Alex already had Lunch ready for perrie and the girls.
"How was it?" He asked with a sleeping Leigh-Anne on his shoulder.
"I like it daddy, shes really nice and pretty and she had lots of toys" Alex nodded.
"Jes, how was it babe?"
"I don't want to talk about it"
"What happened?"
"I said I don't want to talk about it!!" Jesy's outburst startling Leigh-Anne who reached out for perrie. She took the girl from Alex sitting down at the table.
"Come sit down, you're not leaving this house. If you need some alone time you can go into my room and calm down. Otherwise come sit so we can have lunch and Alex please leave it."
Jesy got up and went into perries room. Jade knocked on the door.
"Sissy? Are you okay? You can have my lady. She's really nice and she has toys"
"Go away Jade!"
"You don't have to be mean Jesy. Don't shout at me or im telling mama and daddy"
Jade opened the door.
"Get out Jade"
"Make me" Jesy took her little sister arms and pushed her out of the room closing and locking the door. Jade began with the crocodile tears walking over to Alex holding her arm.
"Daddy Jesy hit me"
"Let me see"
"Its a little red bubba"
"It hurts"
Alex walked towards the bedroom but Perrie stopped him.
"Leave her babe, Jade come eat bubba" She knew that Jesy didn't hit Jade and she also asked for space.
"Snacks mama?" Leigh-Anne asked leaning up off of her shoulder.
"Dada made lunch baby" she asked Alex to make Jade and Leigh-Anne a plate.
-Shout out to Laura!! I had a therapist named Laura and she was such a bitch.-