Chapter 14

Gaby and the rest of the Bond clan had just finished up their dessert and were heading out the door when she heard a taunting voice behind her.

“Well, look who’s here … it’s the girly boy. I thought you were in the hospital?”

Gaby froze and you could hear the sharp intake of breath from the rest of her family, as well as a shocked sound coming from behind the voice. There was only one person who had a voice just like that.

Maddy.

All of Gaby’s pent up rage, frustration and fear came boiling to the surface. In later days, Jules would be heard to remark that she was sure she saw steam coming out of Gaby’s ears. Pivoting on the spot, Gaby swung with all her might and backhanded her intended target across the face.

*SMACK!!*

Maddy dropped to the ground like a limp rag-doll, clutching at her face in pain. Tears had begun to well in her eyes as she faced her worst nightmare. Gaby was over her in a heartbeat, their faces barely inches apart. Her face was suffused with rage. When she spoke it was with the coldness of liquid helium.

“Now you listen to me Maddy and you listen real good! I’ve put up with your shite day in and day out. I’ve even put up with your attempts at public humiliation and making me your own personal Barbie every damned chance you got … not to mention all of the crap you, Em and Brit have dished out during this trip … BUT I WILL BE DAMNED IF I’M GOING TO LET YOU INSULT ME IN FRONT OF MY FAMILY ANY LONGER!

You really think I’m going to let you continue to treat me the way you do? You think I’m going to keep coming back for more because I can’t live without you?

Think again, bitch!”

“Drew!” Carol said sharply, “that’s enough! There was no reason to hit Maddy like that!”

Drew’s cold eyes flicked up to Carol, catching her off-guard and causing her to freeze in her footsteps. It was like being in the sights of a hunting rifle and you were the hare.

“No reason ‘Auntie’ Carol?” The sarcasm that was dripping from Gaby’s tongue, cut into Carol as sure as if he’d just thrown acid on her.

“Then you ask her why I ended up going to Paris as Gaby … I just figured that one out. How ‘bout asking her about last Halloween, when you made me go as Buffy, after I told Mad and everyone else that I DID NOT want to do it … or all the times Gaby appeared when my clothes ‘magically’ disappeared and only hers or Gaby’s could be found. Don’t forget the effing Cheer Team … ask her to tell you how she arranged it so I ‘had’ to be on it. While we’re at it … how ‘bout those Cons, including the one with you and Uncle John and the last Sports Day, at school? While you’re at it, have her to explain all the shit she’s pulled on me since I got here.”

Carol had never heard her nephew so angry before, but before she could recover and respond from his verbal attack, he struck again.

“Both you and Maddy knew damn well how sick mum was and how much stress I was under and still she still pulled this shit … and you have the nerve to stand there and I have no reason?”

Carol’s mouth moved, but no audible sound came out. Before she had any more time to recover, Drew showed her that he still had an ‘ace’ up his sleeve.

“…And while you’re at it, ‘Auntie’, remember the shopping trip YOU took me on? Think about that too because I really doubt you told Mum and Dad about that one!”

Gaby was virtually vibrating with anger as Jenny and Dave pulled her away from Carol. At the same time, Maddy took the opportunity to scurry under her mother’s legs and remained there, crying.

“…And to think I actually loved you! I cared more about what you thought of me than I thought about myself. I really was a ‘pathetic little boy’ wasn’t I Mad?!”

The mortal blow had been delivered. She didn’t know why she said what she did and she certainly hadn’t meant for Drew to hear that. Carol was just standing there stunned from the swiftness of the biting verbal attacks. She had never, ever heard Drew this angry. The disgust in his voice was clear to all who’d heard.

As things appeared to be under control, Jenny strode up and put her mouth to Carol’s ear.

“I see we’ve got a lot of things to talk about, cuz. I’ve never seen Drew this angry or worked up about anything. I really think we need to get all of us in a room and start talking about this.”

Carol nodded.

“We’ll take our two back to the hotel and try to get them to bed before too long. I know Drew is still quite tired and this probably took most of his energy. After they’ve had a chance to settle in for the night, Dave and I’ll go find a cuppa, then call you on your mobile. We can then meet up and try and figure out just what the hell went on here. You take Maddy and get a bite. It’ll probably be a couple of hours before we can get Drew settled down enough to sleep.”

“Okay, Jen. Talk to you in a little while.” Jen then walked back over to where the rest of her family was waiting.

“Okay missy, what was that all about? Jenny hissed as she gently but firmly, grabbed Gaby’s arm and yanked her aside. “Not here … back at the hotel.”

“Yes, Mum…”

“I didn’t say a thing about Gaby…” Jenny added with a reassuring smile. “I’ll let you do that.”

“Thanks…” a grateful Gaby whispered.

Back at Jessica’s house outside near Grottoes, Fran and Jessica plopped down on the couch after checking in on Em and finding her asleep.

“Okay … where do we go from here… Maddy or the doctors? Fran wondered. “Personally, I’d like nothing better than to confront Miss Peters, but I also think we should pass what we’ve learned to Drew’s doctors.”

“How about calling Mr. Woods and getting that over with?” Jessica knowingly asked. “No use procrastinating … you know it has to be done.”

“Yeah … you’re right, but with everything developing like it is … I wonder if it would be better to have a conference call with the Bonds and both of Drew’s doctors, sitting in?” Fran responded.

“Hmmm … let me think about that for a sec,” Jessica opined. “That’d probably be the best option, if you want to give Mr. Woods the full story … but you’d have to talk with the doctors, first.”

“Why?”

“Maggie and Karen have knowledge of the case … and you’ve already showed them Drew’s medical release form that his parent’s signed, when he was first admitted. They’ve got all the authorization to discuss Drew with you, that they need…” Jessica replied.

“That’s right! I guess … if nothing else, they can help me make sense of this whole thing before I talk to Michael…” Fran rationalized. “…’Cuz right now … I have no idea what I’m going to say to him … or the Bonds!”

“Talk to Maggie and Karen first, before you have a breakdown. Things may be a little clearer then. If need be … Maddy can wait until tomorrow,” Jessica added with a little chuckle.

“I’ll give Maggie a call and we’ll take it from there. They may even have some ideas as to how to approach Maddy as well.”

“Might as well,” Fran sighed wearily.

Jessica went to the phone and dialed the hospital. After asking for Dr. MacArthur she was told that she had left for the day. Explaining to the reception clerk that it was concerning one of the doctor’s cases, Jessica requested they page the doctor and then left her name and phone number.

“It’s rather important I get hold of her before tomorrow … thank you.” Jessica then thanked her for her time, hung up and went back out to the living room.

“Well, she’s left for the day, but I got them to page her. We’ll be hearing from her soon.”

“Guess we just wait … coffee?”

“No tea?” Jessica joked.

“I need something stronger,” Fran retorted.

Maggie was just settling in to her recliner with a glass of Riesling and a book when her pager went off.

Good Lord! I haven’t been home an hour and that damn thing is going off. Let’s hope it’s not a multiple car accident or anything like that.

Ah well, no rest for the wicked I guess.

Setting her wine down and extracting herself from the clutches of her recliner ever so reluctantly, Maggie padded over to the phone. Dialing the hospital, she waited for an answer.

“Rockingham Hospital, how may I help you?”

“This is Dr. Maggie MacArthur. I was just paged?”

“Ah yes, Dr. MacArthur. I have a message for you. A Ms. Jessica Bell called looking for you. When we advised her you were gone for the day, she asked if she could leave her name and number and have you paged. She said it was in regards to one of your patients.”

“Jessica Bell? This must have to do with Gaby. I wonder what she’s found out and why it would be important enough to want to talk to me tonight. Hmmm…..better get her number and give her a call. I think I only have is her parent’s number.”

“Give me her number please. I know who she’s calling about.” Maggie scribbled the number down as the clerk read it off, then read it back to confirm the number, hung up and dialed Jessica’s number.

Jessica picked up the phone after the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Jessica, it’s Maggie. You had me paged.

“That was quick! Thanks for calling me back, Maggie. I know you’ve had a long day and we don’t want to make it any longer, but Fran, Miss Cowlishaw… and I have been looking into this mess and since you asked, we think we’ve come across some things you should know about.”

“Jess, Jess….take a breath!”

There was a hint of laughter in Maggie’s voice as she said that. Jessica had been that way since public school. Whenever she got excited she tended to try and get all the words out in one lump.

“Sorry. You know how I get sometimes.”

“You haven’t changed…” Maggie laughed.

“Anyway, you said that we shouldn’t hesitate to give you a call if we came across anything about Drew. Still interested?”

“Of course! “Would you two like to come to the hospital, or would you prefer somewhere a little more private?”

“Private would be better if at all possible Maggie. I’m still at mum and dad’s … only it’s mine now.”

“You’ve got their place?”

“Dad’s present to me.”

“Nice! If you don’t mind, I’d like to bring a friend of mine from Med School … Dr. Karen Page. She’s the gender specialist I brought in to help me on this.”

“Whatever you think is best.” After agreeing on a time, Jessica refreshed Maggie’s memory with the directions to her place. “See you in a few, Maggie … bye.”

“Now to pry Karen out of her comfy hotel room. I wonder what the two of them have come up with that can’t wait?”

Back at Jessica’s, the two women were each curled up in one of the overstuffed upholstered chairs and; finally paying some attention to the glasses of wine they had left some time earlier.

“Since we’re relaxing, each with a glass of wine … I assume your friend, Dr. MacArthur is coming over?” Fran quietly wondered.

“With Dr. Page…” Jessica added.

“Dr. Page?”

“Maggie’s friend from medical school, who just happens to be a gender specialist… which, given our current situation … we definitely need for Em and possibly may need for Drew.”

“Maybe now we can all start sorting this mess out…” Fran uttered out of frustration. “It’s bad enough having to sit here while Drew has to go through all this … but to know you played a part. When this is all said and done … I may need a shrink, Jess.”

“Played a part?”

“He wanted to leave the Foresters before we came, but I asked him to let Gaby do the competition.”

“You didn’t force him, though…”

“Heavens, no! … But that poor child wouldn’t refuse a teacher … or let a team down … and I knew it!” Fran softly allowed.

“If you want to play the blame-game, Fran … I entered the Foresters in that competition before checking with you … remember? If I didn’t … Gaby might’ve not been so quick to agree to stay with the team … or come here. The girls … could’ve always gone to the comp with our cheerleaders, as spectators, while Drew stayed in Grottoes with any friends he made at school.”

“You’re forgetting that Maddy and the Walters girls already sealed Gaby’s fate.”

“True.” Jessica quietly agreed. “Fran? When you think about it … could any of this have been prevented?”

Maggie had stopped at the hospital to pick up her file on Gaby and a tape recorder before she went to pick up Karen when a thought occurred to her. Picking up the phone she dialed the Bond’s hotel and was put through to their room.

“Hi, Jenny … it’s Maggie MacArthur. Do you have a minute?”

“Of course doctor, what can I do for you?”

“Two things, really … I need to ask you a couple of questions and also get your permission for something.”

“What would you like to know?”

“First, could you ask Jules exactly who she told about Gaby being awake?”

“Certainly. Just a moment.”

Maggie could hear Jenny asking Jules the question and while she couldn’t quite hear the answer, she could tell by the tone of Jules’ voice that her supposition had been correct.

“Dr. MacArthur…”

“Maggie please, Jenny”

“All right, Maggie. Apparently she only told Mrs. Walters and asked that she only let Mr. Walters know and no one else.”

“May I ask, why?”

“I don’t entirely agree with her decision … but I understand it. To quote Jules … ‘why tell them? They’re the ones who put Gaby in the hospital’ …”

“Okay, that clears that up. I thought that might be the case.”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“No, not really. It’s just that I had a somewhat of an odd call from Jessica Bell. Apparently, both she and Miss Cowlishaw have been looking into what all has been happening to ‘Drew’ during his time here and she asked if she could meet with me this evening.

“Why would that concern you?”

“Knowing how she arrived at her current state, may ultimately help Karen and I.”

“Okay … I guess.”

Which leads me to the second reason for this call.”

“I’m listening…”

“How much would you like me to tell Jessica or Miss Cowlishaw … if anything? If you say nothing, then we’ll just listen to what they have to say and that’ll be it.”

“Jenny?” Maggie asked after the phone seemed to have gone dead.

“Sorry … just had to think for a second. We’d already signed the standard medical release forms that would allow Miss Cowlishaw full authority in a medical emergency, so I don’t see any reason for Gaby’s condition to be withheld from her. She’ll have to know sometime anyway because I expect she’ll have to report all this to the Headmaster of Drew’s school. If I was in her place, I know I would. As for Jessica … she should know as well

“Thank you.”

“Oh … while I have you on the phone Maggie, could we schedule a session tomorrow morning before Gaby’s physical?”

“Something happen with her?”

“We ran into Carol and Maddy coming out of the restaurant this evening. Maddy made some sort of comment and Gaby absolutely lost it. She actually slapped Maddy across the face, knocking her down and then told her in no uncertain terms, what she thought of her … and Carol … to some degree. If you think it may help clear the air … I think we might even need a joint session with all six of us in the room, tomorrow. I’ve never seen Gaby that angry about anything before.”

“Karen and I already cleared our schedules to help Gaby, so if we need joint sessions or separate sessions, we’ll make it happen.

Look … let me find out what Jess and Miss Cowlishaw have to say, and I’ll call you back … hopefully within the next two hours or so. What they tell us may impact on how we schedule tomorrow

“That’s fine. Dave and I were just going to step out, so just call us on the mobile.”

“Great! Anything else?”

“After we separated the kids, I suggested Carol and I should talk later this evening. Should I say anything to her?”

“Hmmm … tell her you spoke to me because Drew was still quite upset and I suggested a group session, tomorrow. Let her know you’ll get back to her in the morning with a time. That’ll buy us some time to fit any additional pieces we learn tonight, into the puzzle.”

“Okay.”

“If we feel there’s a pressing need, Karen and I could meet with you, Dave and the kids in the morning … before the group session.”

“And perhaps Karen and I could meet with just you and Dave after we are done with Jess and Miss Cowlishaw to give you a complete rundown of what we know to that point. Can you tell the girls that you will be going out for a coffee later?”

“Well, a tea anyways Maggie. But yes, we’ll let the girls know. How about we plan to meet in the lobby in about 3 hours so we don’t get a phone call and then go off leaving them wondering.”

“That sounds like a good plan Jenny. We’ll see you a bit later then.”

After saying her goodbyes and grabbing her things, Maggie left her office to pick Karen up at her hotel

“Okay, Mags … what’s so important that we’re both making a house call?” Karen half-joked as she got into the car.

“Karen, I’ve known Jessica Bell since grade school and she’s not the type to cry wolf. She wouldn’t have even called me this evening if she and Miss Cowlishaw didn’t think it was very important. They’ve been looking into this mess from their end, and Jess says they’ve come up with some information that may help us understand what driving some of these kids.”

“Do they know Gaby is awake?”

“No … but they will. When Jules informed Mr. and Mrs. Walters, she asked it go no further. Apparently, she holds the others accountable for putting Gaby in the hospital in the first place. However, I talked to Jenny Bond and she gave me clearance to let both Jessica and Miss Cowlishaw know Gaby’s current status with one exception … refer to Gaby as Drew.”

“Anything else I should know?”

“I told Jenny we’ll deal with it tomorrow morning, but earlier tonight Maddy and her mom met the Bonds leaving a restaurant. Maddy uttered a less-than-complimentary remark which apparently set Gaby off … slapping Maddy to the ground and then verbally going off on Maddy … and Carol!”

“Ouch!”

“Be prepared to referee a group session tomorrow … the Bonds versus the Peters.”
“You did say something about it being a challenging case…” Karen sarcastically replied as she sunk back into the passenger seat. “It’s not like we didn’t see this coming.”

Karen laughed for a moment and then pointed off to the left. “Umm … Mags? Can you pull into that Starbucks coming up? I think we’ll both need a really big coffee before the night’s finished.”

After making a brief stop, the two continued on to Jessica’s. When they arrived, Maggie told Karen that while she would start the discussion, she should feel free to interject whenever she felt it necessary.

Jessica stood in the open doorway as the two women got out of the car.

“C’mon in! It’s too darned cold to be hanging around outside.”

Maggie and Karen doffed their coats and joined the other two women in the living room. After introducing Karen and getting comfortable, Maggie turned to Jessica.

“Okay, Jess … you asked for this meeting … and I know you wouldn’t do that unless you deemed it very important, so what’s going on?”

“First, what can you tell us about Drew’s condition Maggie? Other than Maddy’s mother arriving with Drew’s parents and Maddy staying with her mother last night … we haven’t heard anything since we left the hospital”

“Okay. After talking with the Bonds, I can tell you that Drew is awake and coherent. In fact, he’s with his family at their hotel, as we speak. We’re working with him and his family on essentially an outpatient basis, at this point. He’s still quite distressed about what has happened, but being with his family is better medicine than lying in a hospital bed 24 hours a day.”

Both Jess and Fran let out huge sighs of relief at hearing that Drew was okay and reunited with his parents

“I’m really glad that Jenny could travel, but I hate to think what she thinks of me at this point. I should’ve seen what was going on.”

“Fran, both Karen and I can honestly tell you that we don’t believe that either Jenny or Drew hold you responsible for this. They know that the influences came from somewhere else.

Now, since you two asked for the meeting…”

As Fran and Jessica began to relate Gaby’s early appearances, Maggie diplomatically broke in and informed the two, that they knew all this from their previous interviews.

“Maddy provided the most detailed of the accounts,” Karen pointed out.

“Were the only ones you spoke to, the ones in the waiting room?” Jessica wondered.

“Yes. Are there more you feel we should talk with?” Maggie questioned.

“Technically, there is Bernie and Ally…” Fran replied. “…But I don’t think they’d be able to add any more than you already know.”

“Em … you’ll want to talk with,” Jessica added with a certain air of confidence.

“Ah, yes … Em had been mentioned by both Maddy and Britney. Who is she?” Maggie thoughtfully interjected while she pondered her now empty coffee cup.

“Me…”

All eyes followed the soft, timid voice to its source at the top of the stairs. Jessica immediately rose up from her seat on the couch and hurried to the teenage girl sitting on the top step. As Jessica approached, Em stood up and braced herself for her teacher’s wrath, but instead found herself wrapped in a warm embrace.

“How long have you been sitting here, honey?” Jessica softly asked. Her voice struck Em as not one of unquestioned authority, but as a mother soothing a child after a horrific nightmare and she immediately sank into Jessica’s embrace.

“I … I was *sniff* … I was coming back from the loo when I heard your friends talking about how Gabs was…” Em whispered as her head lay on Jessica’s shoulder.

“You’re really worried about her, aren’t you?”

“*sniff* … yes.” It didn’t escape Jessica that Em referred to Drew as Gaby and that she merely followed her guest’s lead.

“Now that you’re up, would you like to come downstairs? I’m sure Karen and Maggie would like to meet you.”

Em timidly nodded her agreement as the two released each other. Taking Em’s hand, Jessica walked slowly down the stairs and into the living room to join the others. As they stood on the edge of the large area rug, Jessica made the introductions.

“Em … this is my friend, Dr. Maggie MacArther and her friend, Dr. Karen Page. These two have been taking care of Drew and dropped by to let Miss Cowlishaw and I know how he was.”

“Hello…” Em shyly greeted the visitors.

“Maggie … Karen … this is Em.”

“Em … that’s a name you don’t usually hear. Is it short for something?” Maggie asked.

“Not really. The ‘gang’ gave it to me. I guess it was easier than saying Mfawny ... that’s Welsh,” Em quietly admitted.

“Em? I’m a psychiatrist specializing in gender disorders, so please don’t take this the wrong way … but can I ask you a personal question?” Karen softly asked. She’d noticed how Em had moved over and shyly attached herself to Fran soon after Jessica introduced everyone.

“I guess so…”

“You mentioned the ‘gang’ … I assume you’re one of this ‘gang’.”

“Uh huh.”

“Okay.” Following a short pause, Karen asked her question. “Ummm … Maddy has already told Maggie and I that there are three girls in the ‘gang’ … Ally, Bernie and herself … as well as Drew
and another boy named Rhod.” Before Karen could finish, Em interrupted her.

“I … ummm … I’m Rhod.”

“Interesting … are you passing as a girl for the same reasons as Drew?”

“I don’t think so. I mean, we’re both one of Miss C’s Sherwood Foresters … but that’s where it ends,” Em quietly offered as she avoided eye contact and looked down at her feet.

“What does that mean, Em?”

“Gaby’s … she looks an’ acts like a real girl, without thinking about it. I have to work at it. It’s not fair …Gaby doesn’t want to be a girl … she’s never dressed on her own … only when Drew was forced to be Gaby because of something someone did…” Em’s voice faded as tears started to make their way down her cheeks. Fran instinctively pulled the child closer to her.

“…I should’ve been born a girl … s’not fair…”

“I must say, Em … you do make a very convincing and pretty girl. Did Maddy or the others help you?”

“No … Sandy did… *sniff*”

“Sandy?” Maggie echoed.

“Her host. The boy Rhod was initially paired with for the exchange visits, was pulled from the program and another host was quickly found. After learning Em was making the trip to Grottoes, I paired her up with a friend of mine … a senior at AHS and a pre-op transsexual. The two quickly bonded and Sandy helped Em by getting her some very realistic appliances,” Jessica explained.

“Did you ever mention these to Drew?” Karen questioned when both she and Maggie saw how natural Em looked.

“No … an’ I don’t know why. I suggested it to Maddy … but she never told Gabs, either.” Karen made a note to ask Maddy about that when she talked to her again.

“You know that by not telling Drew, you greatly increased the chance somebody would find out that Gaby was actually a boy and that seemed to account for a lot of his stress,” Karen pointed out. “What do you think would’ve happened if Gaby was found out to be a boy in a dress?”

“I don’t know. I guess I thought she’d just be teased then Miss C an’ Miss Bell showed me something online with a list of names of people who were killed because of how they looked,” Em lamented.

“The Transgender Day of Remembrance web site,” Jessica interjected for the benefit of the two doctors.

“What did you think of that, Em?” Maggie asked after glancing over to Karen.

“I could’ve gotten my mate killed!” Em tearfully replied.

Karen noted Em’s use of ‘mate’ and started to make a note until Fran hastily intervened with a translation.

“It’s common slang for ‘best friend’ … not how you’re thinking,” Fran half-joked. Karen nodded with a huge smile and put down the pen. She also went on with a possible explanation for Em’s initial under-estimation of the seriousness of her actions.

“I guess in Warsop we live a bit of a sheltered existence compared to here. People tend to have the attitude ‘live and let live’ and she’d never really had been exposed to the bad side of humanity until she saw that.”

“It’d be nice if there was more of that in this country!” Maggie fervently suggested.

“Amen!” uttered Karen.

“Em’s actions toward Drew or rather, Gaby … were initially seen as harmless practical jokes that might result in some teasing … not something that could’ve gotten her friend seriously hurt,” Jessica remarked as she finished Fran’s defense of Em.

You’re not going to let Gaby go to the dance Thursday, are you?”

“She’s not going, Em … so don’t worry,” Jessica asserted.

“Dance?” Karen asked after seeing a spike in Em’s concern for her friend. As she was going to push the point, both she and Maggie noticed a discreet shake of the head and a look from Jessica that told them to ‘let it go’.

Again, Karen took up the reins of the conversation.

“Em, would you like to come in and have a chat with me before you go home? I could at least get you the names of some doctors a little closer to home that you could see who could help you through all of this.”

“I’d love that Dr. Page … thank you!”

“Maybe we can even work some time in tomorrow afternoon so you and I can have a chat … we’ll see. I’ll phone either Jessica or Fran and have one of them let you know. Would that be all right with you?”

“Yes!” Em beamed.

“Now … how’s about you heading back up to bed and try to get some sleep. You still have school tomorrow,” Jessica gently brought Em back into reality.

“Sandy?”

“I’ll run you in, don’t worry. Miss Cowlishaw and I have things to do tomorrow, but if either of us can’t pick you up … I’m sure Mrs. Walters will … then when we finish, one of us will come pick you up from there.”

“Em? Can you do us a favour?” Fran asked as Em turned to head up the stairs. “Don’t mention anything you’ve heard or talked about to anyone else … not yet, anyways.”

“I promise I won’t say anything until you say that it’s okay.” With that declaration, Em scurried up the stairs and into Maddy’s room. Once they heard the door close, the four women resumed their discussion.

“The dance?”

Jessica took up the thread of the tale at this point, and quickly described what information Em and then Brit had given them about what was to happen at the dance. She also let the doctors know that she was officially excusing Gaby from the dance given the situation.

Jess then finished up stating “Since this is all just ‘he said-she said’ information, and we have no way to prove any of it, we do have to let the dance go ahead as scheduled. But I think it is information you know when dealing with Maddy.”

“We know we need to speak to Maddy…” Fran quietly announced. “…Possibly tomorrow, sometime. I’d like to hear her side before I speak to the Headmaster of our school.”

“We’ll have to coordinate that. She and her mother are getting together with Karen during the day, tomorrow … and I’ve sessions set up with the Bond’s and that could well be followed by a group session with all of them,” Maggie outlined.

“Fran … I realise that you’ve got to make some decisions and inform your Headmaster of … ‘events’, but can ask you wait until we get a bit more of this puzzle figured out? Tomorrow should provide a lot of those missing pieces.” Maggie pleaded

“I can wait and see what develops tomorrow, if that’ll help.”

“Thanks, Fran,” Maggie replied before turning her focus on her friend.

“Can you and Fran be available throughout the day tomorrow? Possibly get a substitute?”

“No problem on both counts.”

“Great! Also … just in case… can you have Brit and Em on standby as well? I know that if we can, Karen would like to fit in a session with Em tomorrow and I think it may be necessary to have both girls speak their piece in front of the parents, if no one else.”

“I’ll tell Em we’re all staying ‘home’ tomorrow,” Jessica replied. “I’ve already told the Walters to keep both girls at home tomorrow, as well.”

“Okay, then. I think Karen and I need to huddle and come up with a definitive plan for tomorrow. I’ll give you a call in the morning.” Karen and Maggie then got up and got ready to leave.

“Right now, Drew’s ‘priority one’ … we’ll worry about damage control after this is all over,” Jessica commented as Fran nodded in agreement.

As Maggie as Karen left the house and the door closed behind them, the two women went over to the couch and dropped into it, sagging with relief.

“Thank God Drew’s awake and okay. That’s one piece of good news anyways...” Fran sighed.

“…And it was nice of Karen to offer to sit down with Em and talk to her.” Jessica added.

“*sigh* … I know! I don’t know about you, Jess … but I’m knackered!” Fran announced.

“I’ll phone the Walters before we call it a night and let Jocelyn know that we may need Brit tomorrow,” Jessica mentioned.

“Can I just close my eyes while you do that?” Fran plaintively asked.

“I’ve got another bedroom, Fran … if you want to stay here tonight. I’m sure I can dig up a nightgown and we could run by your place in the morning to grab a change of clothes … or we could slip over now, grab a few things and come back here. It may make more sense, if we’re together when Maggie calls.”

“Sounds good. Let’s go now and I can grab a few things, then we can come back and relax for what’s left of the evening. I know I’ll sleep better tonight knowing Drew’s with his parents,” Fran agreed, after allowing a big yawn.