Please Don't Take My Baby by Cathy Glass Read Free Book Online Page B

most evenings. She ain’t there much either.’
    ‘So who looks after your brothers and sisters when your mum is out?’ I asked, for I knew from the referral that Jade’s siblings were all younger than she was.
    ‘Me usually,’ Jade said. ‘Now she’ll have to find someone else to be her skivvy, ’cos I’ve got me own life to lead.’ Jade shifted position on the bed to try to get more comfortable.
    ‘Did you have a lot of responsibility at home?’ I asked her gently.
    ‘Yeah, but I love my brothers and sisters. I didn’t mind really. I miss them.’
    ‘You can still see them,’ I said. ‘You can go home and visit, can’t you?’
    Jade looked down into her lap and began tugging anxiously at her sleeve. ‘Mum’s pissed off with me. She says I’m a bad influence on the kids and I should stay away. Since I told her I was pregnant we’ve argued non-stop. She told me I was a silly cow for putting myself in the club. She said I’ve made the same mistake she did and I should have known better. She got pregnant when she was my age, when she was drunk. Two nights ago we had our worst row ever and I called her a slag, so she chucked me out.’
    ‘Oh dear,’ I said. ‘I think you were both angry with each other. When you’ve had time to calm down and cool off I’m sure things will be better. Have you spoken to your mum since you left and went to Meryl’s?’ I asked.
    ‘No.’
    ‘If your mum’s there tomorrow when we collect your clothes, it might be a good opportunity to make up,’ I suggested.
    ‘No, I don’t want to see her yet. We’ll go in the morning. She doesn’t get home from work until one o’clock.’
    Which I had to accept. I couldn’t force Jade to see her mother. ‘What work does your mum do?’ I asked.
    ‘Cleaning. She cleans offices early morning – six to nine, and then rich people’s houses until twelve. She has a sleep in the afternoon.’
    ‘So who looked after your brothers and sisters in the morning and took them to school if your mum was at work?’
    ‘Me. And I ain’t doing it any more. Who takes your kids to school? Because it won’t be me.’
    I smiled. ‘I wouldn’t ask you to. Adrian goes by himself or with friends, and I take Paula.’
    ‘Just asking,’ Jade said. ‘Cos I know some foster carers take liberties with their foster kids and use them as cheap labour.’
    ‘Do they?’ I asked, shocked. ‘I don’t know any foster carers who treat their children that way.’ However, I did know that foster carers and social workers often got a bad press on the estate where Jade lived.
    Jade didn’t answer but pulled a face and stretched out her legs to try and get more comfortable. ‘I’ll be glad when I’ve had this baby,’ she said. ‘No one told me how uncomfortable it was going to be being pregnant. It keeps kicking me, the little sod.’ She shifted again and then took hold of my hand and placed it on her swollen stomach. ‘Here, feel this,’ she said.
    I had the palm of my hand gently resting on the outside of her T-shirt and for a moment there was nothing. Then suddenly I felt the wall of her stomach bulge and tighten as a little fist or foot kicked out.
    ‘Isn’t that truly wonderful?’ I smiled. ‘Don’t you think it’s incredible the way new life has grown within you? It’s a little miracle.’
    But Jade wasn’t impressed. ‘I’ll be glad when it’s out,’ she said. ‘Then I can walk and sit proper again.’
    We continued talking for a while longer, and Jade asked me about childbirth and if it hurt. I reassured her, saying that while the contractions would be uncomfortable she wouldn’t suffer, as pain relief would always be available at the hospital. She said she wanted Tyler to be with her when she had the baby but he wasn’t sure he wanted to be there and kept making excuses.
    ‘He’s the dad. He should be there,’ Jade said adamantly.
    ‘It would be nice if he could be there,’ I said. ‘Although I can understand that