Casey helped TJ do the dishes after breakfast. Ben and HJ loved to cook, so TJ and Casey cleaned up after them. She was quiet for a long time and TJ could see something was bothering her.
"Casey, are you okay, honey?" TJ asked.
Casey played with the foam from the dish water. "I'm just a little confused about where everyone fits in Gwendolyn's story. I thought Tabbie was you and now you turn out to be... well, you, TJ. Both you and Tabbie claim to be Hannah and Bluey's children and I know they only had one child."
TJ smiled at her daughter. "There were a lot of children who went through Grandma Hannah's and Grandpa Bluey's house, Casey. Some affected the household more than others. Most children were passing through but others stayed. Tabbie and... well, Gwendolyn to a point, stayed too."
"Mum was adopted!" realisation exploded into Casey’s mind.
"Yes, sweetie. Tabbie was adopted. But having said that, we were as close or maybe even closer than sisters could be. Hannah and Bluey doted on us girls and it was their unselfish love that changed life for Tabbie and for me."
Casey took in this new piece of information. "That's why she was so keen for you and Ben to adopt me."
"Yes, Casey. She knew what it was like to be bereft of belonging to a family and what Father's love can do through the love of people accepting others; and what damage can be done to people without family love and protection. The absence of a mother's and father's love and guidance can have long term implications, not only for that person, but for the generations that follow."
Casey played with a fork in the dish water. "But, I will never be you and Ben's true daughter," she sounded a little sadder than she intended.
"The thing you have to remember, Casey, is that Ben and I had a choice to adopt you. We didn't have to, but we chose you! We didn't get a choice with Hannah-Jean, Neil and Simon, though I would never exchange any of them." TJ wrapped her arms around Casey. "It isn't blood that makes a family, Casey, it's love. Can you do something for me, Casey?"
She peered up at TJ with enquiring eyes.
"I would like you to forget the word adopt or adoption. Each time you are tempted to use that word, put family and family love in its place, okay?"
Casey smiled and turned again toward TJ and hugged her tightly, rubbing her mother's back with her wet hands.
"Thank you, Casey. My shirt needed washing anyway."
Casey and TJ burst out laughing and the hug tightened.
Once the kitchen was tidy again, Casey nervously asked TJ to tell her about Gwendolyn.
TJ's face took on a distracted, faraway look. She pointed to the table and chairs in the kitchen and replied, "Yes, I guess Gwendolyn's story is probably timely and will most likely clear up some of your questions."
TJ made a cup of tea for Casey and herself, then placed them on the table. She drew up her chair next to Casey and stiffly lowered herself. "Now, did Tabbie tell you about Delaney's struggles and Gwendolyn's birth?"
Casey nodded. "She told me how Delaney died giving birth to Gwendolyn and how she wrapped her warmly in newspaper and placed her in a bin for shelter. Then, a policeman found Delaney dead and Gwendolyn in the bin. And how Gwendolyn was named and how some woman named Marlene Styles had it in for Gwendolyn for being a vagrant's child. Tabbie told me of baby Gwendolyn's frequent visits to hospital and how she learned to survive by getting any kind of attention, whatever way she could."
"Did she tell you about Amanda Detress?"
Casey stared at the ceiling, thinking about TJ's question. "No, I don't think so."
"Okay, that sounds like a good place to start then. When Gwendolyn was about two..."
*~*~*~*
Chapter 23
That night, it was busy in the ward. Two children had been admitted from separate car accidents plus there were the usual round of childhood diseases, bumps, hiccoughs and strains. Amanda Detress had just finished her tea break and was due back on the ward in five minutes. She washed her tea dishes and placed them in her bag, straightened her nurses’ uniform then strode for the door to the nurses' station. She was the senior nurse for this nightshift and it looked like she’d be running all night.
As she entered a room full of children, she noticed a new arrival had come in during her tea break. Amanda leaned over the side of the cot and peered down at a small toddler who appeared to be all of about two years old, however, to her disgust, the toddler had bruises on her arms and legs and just lay in her cot and stared blankly, without even a token flinch to say she acknowledged the nurse. The little eyes were hollow and the defeated stare was so intense, Amanda had to look away. Becoming involved with children who were wards of the state was dangerous. They could so quickly get under your skin and break your heart, but then were taken back into the very situation they were hospitalised for.
"Hello, sweetheart, what's your name?" Amanda coaxed.
Amanda reached for the child's chart and checked the name. Gwendolyn. Under that, Ward of the State. In the space for parents’ name was Department of Child Welfare.
Amanda reached down and lifted Gwendolyn into her arms and checked her over. She was quite skinny for her age, had welts across her back and the child felt like handling a limp rag doll. The toddler flinched when Amanda ran her hand over a small lump at the back of her leg. She checked the lump carefully and it appeared to be a small burn, but gasped in horror when she realised it was a cigarette burn. What sort of torture was this poor child enduring?
Amanda gently placed Gwendolyn back into her cot and indignantly marched back to the nurses' station and curtly enquired of her co-workers, "Who brought in the little ward for treatment in room 25C?"
"It was a very young couple who couldn't have been more than nineteen and we think he was drunk. The young woman didn’t seem to care, throwing profanities at whoever dared question her and demanded instead we contact Marlene Styles, just before they ran out. So we contacted Marlene Styles and she knew exactly who the little ward was, but Styles resisted any in depth treatment and her exact words were, patch the kid up and keep your mouths shut," a subordinate nurse resentfully offered.
Amanda was indignant. "We’ll see about that!"
She filled out a report to the hospital board and then rang the police.
Another nurse became concerned at Amanda's stance. "Be careful, Amanda. The board won't support you and will take the side of the Child Welfare Department. It's been tried before and all they do is drag you through the mud."
"Are you suggesting that I should close my eyes to what is happening to this poor child?" Amanda retorted.
Her colleague shrugged. "It isn't our place to get involved and it will cost you everything to take on Marlene Styles."
Amanda swallowed and turned away, tussling with the situation.
She needed her job.
The thought lingered for a moment and as Gwendolyn's little face came up before her again, she flushed red and her ire rose.
If she didn't make a stand for this child, who would?
Just then, she watched two police officers arrive and ask for her, giving Amanda a split second decision to make. Save her job and dismiss the complaint, or lose her job fighting for the life of an innocent child. The more she thought about Marlene Styles telling the nurses to patch the kid and shut their mouths, the more incensed she became.
"I’m Amanda Detress and I made the call. This way please, officers."
*~*~*~*
TJ reached for her cup of tea and swallowed a mouthful to lubricate her dry throat. "How are you doing, Casey? Are you alright?"
Casey had a look of fire in her eyes. "How can people do that to a baby and then the authorities turn a blind eye?"
"Prejudice or discrimination is just another word for hatred. Each one of us is capable of the greatest kindnesses and the vilest evil. Unfortunately, when you couple hatred with complete power, you end up with people doing all kinds of horrid things to others."
"So what happened to Amanda?" Casey mumbled.<
br />
TJ swallowed another mouthful of tea and continued, "By the time the police had taken notes on Gwendolyn and the complaint was formalised, Marlene Styles..."
*~*~*~*
The doors to the ward burst open, crashing heavily against their stops and Marlene Styles marched in.
"Where is Gwendolyn?!" she demanded.
Amanda recognised the woman. "Please keep your voice down. The ward isn’t open to visitors just yet and most of the patients are still sleeping."
"Don't give me that! That child should never have been brought in without my approval," Marlene chided.
"If you can't restrain yourself and quieten down, I will call security," Amanda calmly replied and nodded to another nurse.
"Listen here, girlie! Do you know who I am?"
Amanda cut her off. "I don't care who you are. You’re in my ward and security can deal with you."
Marlene seethed. "Just give me the child and I’ll go!"
"The child is now subject to a police investigation and you aren't taking her anywhere!"
"What?! Are you crazy?" Marlene snapped.
Amanda stood her ground and held Marlene's gaze, just as two security guards walked in and escorted Marlene out.
Marlene shouted back over her shoulder, "You made a big mistake taking me on, girlie. You haven't heard the last of this."
Amanda's legs were shaking and her face was red.
Maybe she had made a big mistake.
She walked briskly into 25C and peered into Gwendolyn's cot but the child was peacefully sleeping, with a small lock of brown hair lazily hanging over her face. The little sleeping form melted her heart.
"No, sweetie. I haven't made a mistake," she gently smoothed the lock from her face. "You’re more important than any job."
*~*~*~*
Casey stared at the chair in front of her with her fists clenched tight. TJ took a breath and watched her daughter's face.
"People just don't understand what feeling helpless in someone else's power feels like," Casey whispered.
TJ reached for her hand and Casey glanced up at her mother, drawing back from a faraway place.
"You aren't helpless now, Casey. You’re among people who love you and adore you."
Casey smiled. "I know, TJ. I can just identify so much with Gwendolyn, that's all."
"Do you want to forget about Gwendolyn's story, Casey?"
"Mum told me that I would understand her reasons for wanting to tell Gwendolyn's story and that if I just hung in..." Casey tapered off.
TJ smiled at Casey and placed her arm around her. "I think you are already starting to understand more than you realise, sweetheart."
*~*~*~*
Chapter 24
TJ swallowed the last of her tea, watching Casey over the rim of her cup. "You had enough story for today?"
"It's alright if you have other things to do, TJ." Casey's eyes silently pleaded for more.
TJ placed the cup back on the table and peered at her daughter for a long moment. It was important to take the story at Casey's pace and not overload her emotions, sending her into a tailspin. TJ reached for Casey's hand and gazed directly into Casey's eyes, sizing her up.
Casey broke into a smile. "More please, TJ."
"Okay, Casey," TJ finally conceded, satisfied she wasn't in danger of mentally going somewhere TJ didn't want her to go. "Well, it wasn't long before Amanda felt the backlash of making a stand for Gwendolyn..."
*~*~*~*
Amanda Detress threw her keys onto the bench, systematically pulled all the blinds in her small flat and darkened the rooms. Her shift had finished at 9 am and now she needed to get some sleep before her next shift started in twelve hours, however, sleeping during the day wasn't something that came easy to her. The neighbours didn't care if she worked nights; they banged and crashed around at will, after all, they were up, so everyone else should be, too.
Around midday, she was woken by the telephone. She normally pulled it out of its socket before she retired to bed, but this time she forgotten.
"Hello?" she rasped, trying to clear the sleep from her mind.
"Miss Detress, this is Alex Humphreys, Chairman of the Saint Andrew's Hospital Board. I have your complaint on my desk regarding the Child Welfare ward."
Amanda was awake now and steeled herself.
"I also have a complaint from a Miss Marlene Styles, head of Child Welfare, regarding your rude outbursts toward her."
"Huh?! What?!" Amanda couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"We do not condone our employees making threats against government departments, especially their heads."
"Excuse me, Mr Humphreys, the issue here is not what I said to Marlene Styles, but how the child has been treated. If you check my report, it is clear that the child is being abused, if not tortured..."
"Do you intend to berate me also with your offensive behaviour, Miss Detress? I would carefully consider your words and your attitude if you wish to remain as an employee of Saint Andrew's. I also do not want to embroil this hospital in any dirty laundry. It is therefore my considered opinion that you withdraw this emotional, biased judgement of yours and apologise to Marlene Styles."
Amanda was flabbergasted. They were protecting the abuser and turning the whole debacle around on her. She knew her next words had to be chosen carefully. "I’m sorry, Mr Humphreys, but if you would just take the time to examine Gwendolyn, you would see for yourself..."
"I am not a doctor. Nor do I intend to start examining patients, Miss Detress, and I do not condone interfering in Child Welfare's business either. If you can't see past yourself and apologise for this unfortunate situation, then your employment is cancelled forthwith."
"I will not be retracting my report or apologising to Marlene Styles, Mr Humphreys." Amanda stood her ground.
"Then I suggest you find yourself a lawyer, Miss Detress. This hospital will not support you against Child Welfare and in fact, we will throw our support behind Miss Styles. Good day to you." Humphreys hung up.
The knot in Amanda's stomach pulled tight.
She had sacrificed herself and for what?
*~*~*~*
TJ could feel the tension in Casey as she wrapped her arms around her. "Tell me what you’re thinking, honey?" TJ coaxed.
"Why is it the authorities always stand up for the abuser and never the abused?!" Casey's fists were clenched and angry tears slipped from her eyes to the table top.
"The Evil One blinds them," TJ replied in a whisper.
"Then I hate him!" Casey spat and then began to cry.
The suddenness of Casey's outburst made TJ flinch. She wrapped her arms around Casey and spoke softly to her, encouraging her wounded heart. Once Casey's tears stopped, TJ continued on, eager for Casey to understand...
"Amanda Detress paid a heavy price for her stance and when she went to court, the judge ruled in favour of Child Welfare. The records of any abuse suddenly disappeared from the hospital just before the case was heard and citing lack of evidence, the judge had no choice but to close the proceedings."
"What about the police officers?" Casey suddenly remembered.
"The officers didn't take any pictures of the wounds and the defence lawyer just discredited them. There was one important thing that came out of Amanda's plight, though."
"What was that, TJ?" Casey’s eyes were incredulous and searching for justice in little Gwendolyn’s abuse.
"Marlene Styles now had a recorded blemish on her file, even if they had acquitted her. This would be an important development for Gwendolyn."
Casey looked unconvinced at TJ's words.
"It will make sense as the story goes on," TJ affirmed.
"So what happened to Amanda Detress?"
"No one knows, Casey. She just disappeared once the case closed. I figure she will never know what her brave stance meant for Gwendolyn."
"And what about Gwendolyn? What happened to her?"
"I think we have had enough for today,
sweetie," TJ advised.
"The abuse didn't stop, did it?" Casey prodded.
"No, Casey, it didn't," TJ replied sadly.
*~*~*~*
Casey mused about the revelations from the story all day. Later, Ben and TJ sat on the lounge next to each other, debriefing from the morning's narrative. Casey wandered into the lounge room trying to find TJ but when she found her, she was sitting close to Ben.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt," Casey apologised, backing away.
"Casey, come here, sweetie," Ben gently called.
Casey stood forlornly in front of TJ and Ben.
"What's up, baby?" Ben prodded.
"I just need a hug," Casey whispered sadly.
Ben and TJ reached up to Casey at the same time and pulled her down into a hug and held her tightly. Ben's big arms folded around Casey and TJ held Ben's arms. Casey remained in their embrace for a long time, lapping up the love that seemed to be everywhere around them.
She always felt warm and protected around TJ and Ben.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 25
Casey couldn't believe how life had changed for her since her first meeting with Tabbie just a few months back. The old lady had stolen her heart and wriggled under her skin so quickly and so easily. Tabbie had crashed down her barriers and pulled down her walls just by her overwhelming unselfish love, something Casey swore no one would ever do. At the urging of her loving mum, Casey took the trusting plunge of faith into the turbulent sea of uncertainty, bobbing around on the waves of the unknown while the old lady threw her a life preserver and opened a door into a world of family and love that Casey didn't believe existed. She never thought she would ever be able to trust a man again, but Ben had demonstrated what a real man was and that his love was trustworthy.
A love she so desperately needed from a father.
The example of Ben's relationship with Hannah-Jean had made it easy to trust Ben with her heart and know he was taking care of it until her Heavenly Father brought along the life partner He had in store for her. Ben was also modelling how a real man treats a lady. She watched how Ben treated TJ and in that example, it gave her the tools to identify a decent man of her own.