Your Change is Coming Page 8

I'm just about to read my emails. It will take me about a few more minutes."

  "You can read your emails later, dear. It is time to go to school," screamed mum.

  "I hate you, mum." Jayne yelled back.

  "Have you made your bed?" demanded mum.

  "Leave me alone, mum. I don't like you," shouted Jayne.

  "You are fifteen years old and you can't make your own bed yet. When I was your age I was cleaning the whole house from top to bottom."

  "You were never my age, mum. I hope you die and you are not coming to my wedding."

  "Tidy your room, Jayne."

  "No mum. I am doing my hair."

  "Your hair is fine, Jayne."

  "No mum, my hair is horrible. You've never done anything for me, mum."

  "Tidy your room and stop talking about your hair."

  "I'll tidy my room when I'm back from school. I hate you, mum and you are the worst mum in the world."

  "Tidy your room, Jayne. I don't want to hear another word from you."

  "Trust me, mum. I will tidy my room. Are you sure my hair is okay?"

  "Yes, Jayne."

  "Is my hair okay?"

  "For God sake Jane, your hair is fine."

  "Can you curl my fringe, mum?"

  Jill connected the hair straightener to the alternative current until it was hot. She pulled Jayne hair fringe gently and passing it through the hot tong.

  "There you are, Jayne, all done. Your hair look beautiful," said Jill.

  "My hair look awful. I loathed my hair. You've done a crap job, mum."

  "I'm not going to school. The girls will laugh at me," cried Jayne.

  "No, they won't."

  "I hate you, mum. I wish I was dead," yelled Jayne.

  "Your hair is okay, love."

  "What do you know, mum? You can't do anything properly."

  "Don't you speak to your mum so harshly, Jayne."

  "I'll do my own hair, myself. What did you see in mum to marry her, Jeff?"

  "Your mother is a beautiful lady."

  "She doesn't do anything for me. She has never done anything for me. I wish mum was dead. When you're old mum, I won't visit you."

  "Do your hair yourself."

  "You need to go, Jayne. Hurry up."

  "I hate you, mum. You are the worst mum in the world."

  "Love you too, dear."

  "Dad, is my hair okay?"

  "Yes, Jayne."

  "I hate you and I wish you were dead, Jeff."

  "We can't live forever, Jayne."

  "Go away Jeff I hate you."

  "Don't be so rude, Jayne."

  "Dad, do you think rice cake with jam will make me fat?"

  "No, Jayne."

  "The girls at school are talking about me."

  "No, they're not, Jayne."

  "Dad, I ate two rice cakes with jam on. Will I put weight on?"

  "No, Jayne."

  "How do you know?"

  "Rice cakes have low calories."

  "Dad, I ate two rice cakes with jam on. Will I put weight on?"

  "No, Jayne. Stop asking me the same question."

  "Does my hair look good?"

  "Your hair looks okay."

  "Only okay, mum."

  "Your hair looks great, Jayne."

  "Mum, where is the scissor I want to cut my fringe off?"

  "Why are you doing that, Jayne?"

  "It's not straight."

  "The hairdresser trimmed your fringe only yesterday. Now come on or you will be late for school."

  "Don't rush me, man."

  "Speak to your dad with some respect."

  "Do I look fat?"

  "No, Jayne."

  "I ate two rice cakes and with jam on. Will I put weight on?"

  "No, Jayne. Go to school."

  "Don't forget your key."

  "Hurry up dad or I'll be late for school."

  The front door was eventually slammed shut. Jayne had managed to catch a lift to school with her dad. The activities of the household suddenly changed from being chaotic to a picture of tranquility. Thank God, peace has now been restored at last. Jill was left alone in their three bedroom detached house in Lower Ashworth and she decided to treat herself to a massive cup of cappuccino. It was a celebratory drink for having to put up with Jayne dismal behaviour. It was during the quiet time away from her multiple roles of motherhood, educator, housekeeper, employee and wife that she could be herself or have a bit of me time.

  Jill was on annual leave and she wanted to browse through the internet to shop online for cheaper car insurance deals. She noted that there were about two hundred emails waiting in Jayne inbox tray. Most of the emails were either spam or junk and they needed to be deleted.

  Jill decided to finish her drink before starting to read all of the outstanding emails. Jayne had forgotten to take her planner and homework with her to school. They were lying on Jayne's dressing table. She must have been rushing to complete her homework assignment at the last moment. This was the norm for Jayne and the very reason for Jayne being nicknamed jayne@ last minute dot com.

  Jill drank the last dregs of the cappuccino and scooped the cream with her index finger into her mouth gleefully. She felt alive again. She hated responding to emails. It was time to confront her fears. She must have read and deleted about eighty to ninety emails. Without thinking she opened an incoming email sent to her daughter. Jill was curious about this email from Harry who was a friend of Jayne. She questioned in her mind why did Jayne spend a great deal of time in the morning studying her emails whilst placing a red flag next to Harry's email. It caught Jill's eyes. Harry's email held her interest.

  What's was so important about his email that it demanded the whole attention of her daughter. Jill was becoming increasingly more paranoid by his email. She kept on reassuring herself as a parent that she had a right to know everything about her own flesh and blood. Jayne should not be hiding any secrets from her whilst she was still in her care. Jill looked more closely at Harry's email in particular.

  She remembered how Jayne talked about Harry with fondness and excitement at a sleepover party at Nicola's house. Harry had stolen a part of her daughter's heart. Jill casted her eyes upon how intimate and affectionate the emails were written by Harry. The words 'babe' and 'darling' frequently appeared on almost every line of the email. Harry was certainly not a girl. This became apparently obvious to her when Harry mentioned he was looking forward to becoming a dad.

  Jill became increasingly angry and tearful. Jayne was much too young to become a mother. She had her whole future ahead of her. Why had Jayne hidden the secret of being pregnant from her? Why didn't she tell her? Her head exploded with worry and her tummy was churning inside with anxiety. Jill thought she was far too young to be a grandmother at 35. Grandparents are usually elderly people who wear thermal clothing to keep themselves warm in the winter and they have a high risk of dying from cold related illness and hypothermia. Jill was not prepared psychologically for old age. She was not ready for facial wrinkles and strands of grey hair. She wanted to keep her own shiny white teeth, trim waistline with medium size hips and youthful attractive looks for many years to come.

  More importantly, she wasn't looking forward to caring for screaming babies and changing soiled pampers. There was no way her daughter and a newly born baby would be staying at her place. They would drive her mad. Jill's imagination was running away from her. She needed to clear her mind of growing old and speaking to Jeff would prevent her from going insane before her time. She was furious with Jayne. She wanted to throw out her clothes into the wheelie bin. She must first pull herself together and summons up enough courage to speak to Jeff. He was Jayne step-dad who treated her like his own biological daughter and he had a right to know the truth about Jayne's pregnancy before it became public.

  Jill thought about breaking the news gently to her husband. She felt like a coward. She couldn't bear to speak to him about their little girl expecting their first grandchild. Jayne is vulne
rable and naive in terms of forming relationships. They should have protected her from attaching herself to the first boy who had showered her with affection and the attention she so desperately craved. Jill and Jeff were far too worn out by Jayne constant demands, put me downs and laziness's to see this coming. This was not what they both intended for her. They wanted her to leave home sooner rather than later with some qualifications. Jeff needed to know the truth. She took a deep intake of breath and a couple of kalm pills before dialling his work number.

  "Hello Jeff."

  "Hi love."

  "How are you doing, dear?"

  "Great, Jill."

  "How is work?"

  "I can't wait to leave."

  "It won't be too long now. You'll be at home soon."

  "Is there anything wrong, honey?"

  "No Jeff!"

  "Why are you ringing me then?"

  "I just wanted to hear your voice, sweetheart."

  "Is everything alright, Jill?"

  "Yes, everything is alright, love."

  "Well, what is it then?"

  "Our daughter is expecting."

  "Good."

  "How can you say it will be good?"

  "Jayne told me that she is expecting her friends around for a sleepover. Is there more to this, Jill?"

  "No, Jeff."

  "Are Jayne's friends staying for one night only?"

  "I thought so."

  Jeff was becoming suspicious and Jill was saved by several knocks on the door. There was a mighty, loud bang on the front door which conveniently ended Jill and Jeff telephone conversation.

  "I have to go now Jeff. There is someone at the door. Love you."

  "Love you, too."

  Eleven

  The person at the door turned out to be Jill's younger sister, Naomi. Naomi was a newly qualified social worker currently employed with the local authority. She had recently completed a BA Honorary degree in Social Work. Naomi had attended a handful of social work placements. She was aware of the legislations surrounding child abuse