A Terrible Secret

‘My mistake,’ Dave said. ‘Shall we move on? I’ve another meeting to go to after this one.’

‘I’d like to establish some regular contact,’ Isa said.

‘Tilly is welcome to come to my house anytime,’ Dave said, sounding very reasonable.

‘I think it would be more appropriate for Tilly to see her mother either at Cathy’s home, in the community or at the Family Centre.’

‘That would be difficult for me,’ Heather said in a small voice. ‘I don’t go out much.’

‘She has agoraphobia,’ Dave said.

‘Because of you,’ Tilly snapped.

‘Has it been medically diagnosed?’ Nikki asked, making a note. There’d been no mention of it so far.

‘We don’t need a doctor to know what is wrong with her,’ Dave retaliated. ‘She hardly ever leaves the house.’

‘Because of you,’ Tilly said again, which he ignored.

‘Are you receiving help?’ Nikki asked Heather.

‘Yes, I help her,’ Dave said before she could answer.

‘How do you suggest Tilly sees her mother, then?’ Nikki asked him curtly.

‘Tilly will need to come to our house. If you like, I will give you an undertaking that I won’t be there.’ Which made Dave appear very reasonable and helpful. ‘I only want what’s best for my stepdaughter,’ he added. Tilly gave a snort of derision.

‘Heather,’ Nikki said, looking at her, ‘if we booked a cab to take you to Cathy’s for contact and to collect you at the end, would you feel able to go?’

She shook her head.

‘I’ve told you Tilly can see her mother at my house and I promise I won’t be there,’ Dave said firmly. ‘I can’t be more reasonable than that, and realistically it’s the only way they will be able to see each other, as my wife doesn’t go out.’

Nikki said something quietly to Isa, who then said, ‘OK. We’ll see how it goes. The new school term starts tomorrow so I suggest Tilly visits her mother after school for an hour three times a week, perhaps Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Would that suit everyone?’

Heather, Tilly and I nodded, and Dave typed. ‘So just to confirm, it will be four to five?’ he said.

‘Yes,’ Isa said.

‘I’ll make sure I don’t return from work early on those days.’

‘Thank you,’ Nikki said.

‘And what about phone contact?’ I asked. I was hoping we could firm up some rules, as it was unsettling for Tilly to have her mother keep phoning, often upset. She needed to be able to concentrate on her schoolwork and get on with her life.

‘Shall we set phone contact for the days Tilly doesn’t see her mother?’ Isa suggested. ‘Tuesday, Thursday and once over the weekend.’ This level of contact wasn’t unusual.

‘That’s fine with me,’ Dave said as he typed. Then, looking at Tilly, he added, ‘You can phone the landline. Your mother won’t know how to use the mobile. It was a waste of your money.’ I went cold.

‘Arsehole,’ Tilly snapped, as Nikki and Isa exchanged pointed looks.

‘See what I have to put up with,’ Dave said disparagingly.

‘Couldn’t your wife be shown how to use the mobile phone?’ Nikki calmly asked him.

‘No,’ he said flatly.

I glanced at Heather and saw the fear in her eyes. Was the injury to her face a result of Dave finding her phone? Tilly had dropped her mother’s hand but now took it again.

Isa wisely changed the subject. ‘As it’s Tilly’s first day back at school tomorrow, I suggest contact starts on Friday,’ she said.

‘Agreed,’ Nikki said. ‘Is that all right with you, Tilly?’

She nodded.

I made a note of the contact arrangements, aware Dave was staring at Tilly as if he had scored a point. The tension in the room was palpable. Isa asked if there was anything else anyone wanted to raise. There wasn’t, at least not in front of Dave. ‘Thank you all for coming,’ she said, and ended the meeting.

Dave tucked his phone into his jacket pocket and stood. ‘I’ll take you home,’ he said to Heather, and cupping her elbow drew her to her feet.

‘Keep your hands off her,’ Tilly said angrily and, leaning over, pushed his hand away.

‘Grow up,’ Dave sneered. Taking his wife’s arm, he steered her out of the room. The door closed and I allowed myself to breathe. Nikki and Isa visibly relaxed too.

‘He’s such a bastard,’ Tilly said, seething. ‘I hate him, but Mum won’t leave him.’

‘I know it must be difficult for you,’ Nikki said. ‘Isa is doing what she can to help your mother.’

It would be difficult to explain to Tilly at her age all the reasons that could be keeping her mother in the abusive relationship, including fear of leaving Dave and what he might do to her, the prospect of becoming homeless and low self-esteem from years of being a victim.

‘I’m going to contact our local police safeguarding unit,’ Isa told Tilly. ‘They provide support and practical assistance to victims of domestic abuse.’

‘Dave mustn’t find out,’ Tilly said anxiously. ‘He’d go ballistic and take it out on Mum.’

‘Don’t worry. They have specially trained officers who are used to dealing with those in your mother’s situation. They won’t do anything that could jeopardize her safety.’

‘In the meantime, I suggest you’re careful who you share things with on online,’ Nikki added.

‘I will be, but I shouldn’t have to be,’ Tilly said. ‘It’s him who needs to be stopped. They’re my friends.’

‘If the police find evidence he is grooming your friends he will be stopped, trust me,’ Nikki said with feeling.

It seemed that everything that could be done was being done to help Heather and protect Tilly. Isa said she’d be in touch, and we all stood and left. Tilly and I went out of the room first and made our way downstairs to reception where we handed in our ID badges. I could see Tilly was still anxious, angry and worried about her mother, so I suggested that rather than go straight home we should go into town. I needed to get a few things, and it would give Tilly something else to think about. She agreed and said she’d like to buy her mother a little present, but then added that she didn’t have any money as she’d spent it all on the phone. I said I’d advance her next week’s allowance.

Tilly was quiet as I drove to the shopping centre, but once there and we were wandering around the brightly lit shops among other shoppers, her mood lightened. She spent some time choosing a gift for her mother and settled on a spa gift-box set, which included jasmine-scented bath oil and candles, designed to help you unwind and relax at the end of the day. It was an attractive gift that I was sure her mother would appreciate, although I knew it would take more than a few scented baths before Heather truly relaxed. Victims of domestic violence are continually on guard, waiting for the next attack.

We had lunch in the shopping centre and on the way home Abby phoned. Tilly told her about the meeting; that Dave had found her mother’s phone and seen the photograph of them on New Year’s Eve online. Abby must have apologized for sharing it, as Tilly said, ‘It’s not your fault. It’s him.’

Once home, I checked Tilly’s school uniform was ready for the following morning and that she had her bus pass, and I gave her some lunch money. That evening I heard her talking to Abby again. She was a good friend and a similar age so could offer empathy and understanding in a way I couldn’t. Tilly slept well and the following morning I saw her off to school. She seemed in a positive frame of mind and was looking forward to seeing her friends again. However, the next time I saw her it was very different. She was so angry and upset she could barely speak.

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