Cut by Cathy Glass Page A

I guessed she was already well aware of her mother’s partner’s hostility towards her. Ruth’s pen was on her notepad again. ‘So shall we say six o’clock to nine, then?’ she said, writing as she spoke.
    ‘Six to eight,’ Barbara said. ‘I have to be up early for work the following morning.’
    I again glanced at Dawn, who appeared to accept this without upset, although obviously I didn’t know what she was thinking.
    ‘And what about Dawn’s father?’ John asked. ‘Will Dawn be seeing him?’
    ‘No,’ Ruth and Barbara said together.
    ‘I’ve spoken to Dawn’s father,’ Ruth clarified. ‘And he doesn’t want contact at present. Dawn is aware of the reasons.’
    There was a moment’s silence before John asked, ‘Are we to know the reasons?’
    Ruth shook her head without looking up from her notepad. ‘No, there are confidentiality issues which I’m not at liberty to discuss.’
    I felt the collusion in the room rise to a new level as Dawn and her mother both looked at the floor and Ruth concentrated on her notepad. John shifted uneasily beside me on the sofa.
    ‘Do you want us to bring Dawn to you for the visit and then collect her?’ I asked Barbara.
    Barbara and Ruth looked at Dawn, who shook her head.
    ‘No,’ Ruth said. ‘Dawn can use the bus, but make sure she has enough money for the return bus fare. We don’t want her using lack of a bus fare as an excuse for not returning.’ Ruth glanced up from her notepad at John and me. ‘Is there anything else that needs to go into the contract of good behaviour?’ she asked.
    ‘I can’t think of anything,’ I said quietly.
    ‘Keeping her bedroom tidy?’ Ruth suggested.
    ‘Dawn does that already,’ I confirmed.
    ‘Good. Well, I’ll just add that Dawn undertakes to attend school every day,’ Ruth said. Which to my ears made school attendance sound like an option rather than a legal requirement.
    Ruth finished writing and, quickly closing her notepad, returned it to her bag. ‘I’ll type this up and give everyone a copy for signing,’ she said. ‘Thanks for coming.’ She immediately stood.
    Barbara also stood. ‘I must go. I have work tomorrow.’ She threw John and me a small smile. As she passed Dawn she said simply, ‘Goodbye, Dawn. See you on Sunday.’ And without attempting to kiss or hug her daughter she left the room. We heard her footsteps receding down the tiled floor of the corridor.
    John and I stood. Adrian stirred in John’s arms but didn’t wake. Ruth was by the door, holding it open, and Dawn went out first. John followed. As I passed Ruth she touched my shoulder and I held back.
    ‘Just wanted to say that mum has problems showing affection to Dawn,’ Ruth said, ‘but I’m sure she cares for her.’ I nodded. ‘Dawn lived with both her parents from birth to the age of four, when they divorced. Then there was a gap of five years. Since the age of nine Dawn has lived partly with her mum, and partly with her dad and his partners. But it hasn’t worked out. Neither of Dawn’s parents has a strong relationship with her, although I think they have tried their best.’
    I shook my head sadly. ‘I see. But when you say there was a gap, what do you mean?’
    ‘No one knows where Dawn was between the ages of five and nine. Mum says she was living with dad, and dad says she was with mum. Social services weren’t involved until Dawn was nine and started getting into trouble with petty thieving.’
    I glanced down the corridor to where John and Dawn were standing. Dawn was peering into John’s arms at Adrian, who was apparently awake. ‘Won’t Dawn miss seeing her dad and his baby?’ I asked. ‘She seems very fond of her half-sister.’
    Ruth closed the door to the sitting room behind us and made a move down the hall. I knew instinctively that the conversation was at an end, and that nothing more would be forthcoming. ‘It’s not appropriate for Dawn to see her father and his new family,’ she said curtly;