Cut by Cathy Glass Read Free Book Online Page A

crossing a road. I slid my bag from my shoulder and took out Adrian’s rattle, which I tucked into his hand. He grinned, waved it around and threw it on the floor. I picked it up and tucked it into his hand again, and he threw it straight down. ‘I think you’re having a game with me,’ I said as I bent to retrieve it. He giggled and kicked his feet in the air. I tucked the rattle into my coat pocket in case he needed it later.
    ‘Mrs Glass?’ A smartly dressed woman in her mid-thirties appeared through the doorway. ‘I’m Jane Matthews, Dawn’s Head of Year.’ I shook her hand and she smiled at Adrian. ‘I thought Dawn was in a teenage residential home?’ she asked, sitting in the adjacent chair.
    ‘She was for three days. But she came to me yesterday evening. I wanted to introduce myself, and also to let you know that Dawn hasn’t got her school uniform with her. I’ll be buying a replacement this afternoon. I didn’t want her to get in trouble.’
    Jane Matthews looked at me carefully. ‘To be honest, Dawn is rarely in school uniform anyway, and come to that she’s rarely in school.’
    ‘That will change now,’ I said. ‘She seems to have been very unsettled at home, and to have spent most of her time going between her mum and dad’s.’
    ‘They’re divorced, aren’t they?’
    ‘So I believe.’
    ‘Let me make a note of your contact details. I’ll get some paper.’ She disappeared across the corridor and into the reception office, reappearing with a sheet of paper and a biro. Jane Matthews seemed efficient yet approachable, and I was hoping to learn more about Dawn’s background. Sitting down beside me again, she headed the paper ‘Dawn Jennings’ and wrote my name beneath it. I gave her my address and telephone number.
    ‘Which shop do I buy her uniform from?’ I asked, aware that different schools had different supply outlets.
    ‘Gray’s, in town. Do you know it?’
    ‘Yes, it’s in the High Street, isn’t it?’ She nodded. ‘I want to give Dawn any help I can with her school work,’ I said.
    ‘Good. If Dawn comes to school regularly it will help. Her attendance has been appalling. We’ve sent numerous letters to mum, asking her to come in and talk to us but she hasn’t taken up any of the appointments. We’ve tried phoning, but she’s never there, and we don’t have a phone number for dad.’
    I nodded. ‘Dawn doesn’t seem to like school. I don’t know why. Can you think of a reason?’
    ‘Not really, other than that she hasn’t been here long enough to make friends. She only started at this school in September, and since then she’s missed more days than she’s put in. She does the work set in class but as far as I’m aware has never handed in a piece of homework.”
    ‘Oh,’ I said. ‘I didn’t realise it was that bad. I know very little about Dawn’s background. Can you tell me anything?’
    ‘Unfortunately not. Dawn’s notes are very thin. She attended a school in Manchester for a while and also one in Gatesby. I think she’s been a poor school attender from the beginning. How long will she be staying with you?’
    ‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘I’m hoping her social worker will let me know what’s happening.’
    ‘Hopefully she will let us know too. We can’t support a child if we’re not kept informed.’ I nodded in agreement. ‘Dawn is quite an able child,’ Jane Matthews continued, ‘but she is well behind in her education. Hopefully she will start to catch up now. She seems likeable enough; there haven’t been any incidents. But as I said, she’s hardly been here, so I don’t really know her.’ She leant forward and smiled at Adrian. ‘He’s a real cutie, is he your first?’
    I smiled. ‘Yes. Does it show?’
    ‘No, I just wondered. My husband and I have been trying for a baby for some time, but the years are passing.’
    I know the feeling, I thought. ‘Well, I wish you luck,’ I said. ‘And thanks for seeing