It
had been raining most of the night and Claudia noticed the usual
large puddles in the drive as she came down from the sleep-in
room to start another day at Bluebrick.
As
she walked by the front door she pulled the local Morning News from
the letter box and headed for the kitchen to put on the kettle on
for a fortifying cuppa before she and Nick began to wake up the young
people for breakfast and get them off to school.
Footsteps
in the hall signalled the arrival of Nick.
“You’re
up then”, observed Claudia with a touch of surprise in her
voice.
“I
think so, but the way I’m feeling, this could be just a dream.
I’m shattered after all that kerfuffle with Jilly into the early
hours.”
“Well,
you know what she is like after she has been home for the weekend.
She brings back all that anger about her mother and takes it out on
us. Anyhow, here’s a nice cup of tea. That should make you feel
better.”
Claudia
put some milk in her tea and then opened the newspaper for a quick
glance at the headlines, noisily sipping her tea. Her sip turned to
a splutter.
“What
on earth is wrong with you, Claudia? Is the tea too hot?”
“B…….
the tea,” hissed Claudia. “Look at this!”
she said pointing to the headline blazing across the top of
the News.
“Homes
to Go In Council Savings Plan”, yelled the caption.
“Read
that bit there,” instructed Claudia.
“……..
‘Among the homes to close will be Bluebrick children’s
home in Wash Lane’. My God, that’s us. There must be some
mistake. They would have told us”, gasped Nick.
“I
hope you’re right. Hang on…. The staff meeting’s
today. Didn’t Sarah say that Councillor Ship or Sharp was coming
to the meeting?” a look of realisation spreading across
her face.
“Hell,
it must be true then. He’s coming …”, said
Nick in dismay.
“What
must be true?” asked Abdul as he breezed in, pleased
with himself for being first up as usual and not needing to be called.
Claudia
hastily put the newspaper on the seat of a nearby empty chair.
“That
you are always first up,” said a quick-witted Nick.
“I’ll
call the others”, said Claudia leaving the room, with
the newspaper tucked under her arm.
Jilly
was slow to get up and rather sullen. Gary was lying in his bed, reading
a comic, waiting for the call and he jumped out of bed cheerfully.
“We’ve
got football this after”, he beamed looking for his kit.
Then
he shouted,
“Claudia where’s my shirt?”
“You
mean your football shirt?”
“’Cos
I put in the wash last time I had it.”
“I’ll
have a look in the laundry when I’ve called everyone.”
“I
want it now”, insisted Gary.
“Well
you will have to wait awhile. Just get on with washing and dressing
for goodness sake Gary.”
“Claudia,
the water’s cold,” shouted Angi from the girls’
bathroom.
“Let
it run a bit longer Angi. It will be OK.”
“Why
didn’t you call me earlier?” grumbled Dwain, as
he rushed out of his room to beat Gary to the bathroom.
“What’s
the hurry, Dwain?” replied Claudia.
“You
know today’s the day”, snapped Dwain.
“What
do mean?” asked Claudia nervously as he entered the bathroom.
“Our
school trip, stupid”, he grunted as he closed the door.
“Mind
who you’re calling stupid,” answered Claudia, “
though you could be right”, she added under her breath.
By
8.45 all the young people had left for school and Claudia and Nick
sat down for another cuppa with worried looks on their faces.
“That
was tough,” said Nick.
“Poor
little blighters, what will happen if someone at school shows them
the paper?”, wondered Claudia.
“Here
comes Sarah, are you going to tell or shall I?”
“Nick,
Claudia, can you come into the office?” asked Sarah.
Sarah
sat down at her desk with a bump and a look of thunder on her face.
“I
suppose you have both seen the Morning News? Yes I can see you have.
Did the young people see it?”
“No”.
“Did
you say anything to them?”.
“No”.
“You
did the right thing. But I am appalled that the news should come out
in this way”.
“You
knew, Sarah!?”
“I
was only told by Richard on Monday; that’s why Richard and Councillor
Sharp are coming to today’s staff meeting.”
“But
is it true? Are we going to be closed, and if so why? Why?”
asked Nick incredulously.
“That
is their plan, if I can grace the idea with such a word as plan”,
replied Sarah bitterly.
“But
what are we going to do now the papers have blown the secret wide
open? Everyone will know now and those poor kids are going to be told
by someone at school for sure.”
“OK.
Claudia and Nick, I want you two to get on to each of the schools
and speak to the heads and explain things to them. Tell them to alert
their teachers, so they can be aware in case someone tells the young
people and be ready to offer some kind of support if need be. Say
that we will be having a meeting of all the young people tonight and
that they will all definitely know tomorrow and that I will be touch
soon”.
“OK”.
“I’m
going to get on the phone to Richard and try and get the Council to
issue a clarification in order to try and cool things down.”
The
office burst open and in stormed Vinney.
“What
the hell do those stupid b…..s think they are playing at?”
he roared.
“Nick
and Claudia, get on with what I told you—Vinney, sit down and
calm down. We are going to need cool heads to get through the next
24 hours.”
