The Dead Ex(50)

‘Promise?’

‘Promise.’

A few days later, the visitor arrived.

‘What’s going on?’ Scarlet demanded, her body shivery with frightened goosebumps.

She was sitting at the kitchen table with Dee and Robert and a different social worker from the one who normally took her to see Mum in the prison. This was, they’d explained, an ‘emergency conference’. Usually, they had a weekly ‘family meeting’ (as Dee called it) to talk about stuff like homework or tidying her room or ‘any other issues’. The best bit was that there was always a home-made chocolate or Victoria sponge cake with warm jam oozing out.

But today there were plain biscuits and a scary feeling in the air that caught in her throat.

The social worker answered.

‘I’m afraid that your mother has done something very wrong.’

Scarlet felt a sharp blast of cold running through her, even though it was really hot in the kitchen. ‘What?’

‘I’m not allowed to say.’

‘But you know.’

‘Yes …’

Scarlet wriggled uncomfortably in her special kitchen chair with her name on the back. Dee had stencilled it on in blue letters soon after she’d come here, and even though it seemed a bit childish now, she loved it. ‘So why can’t you tell me?’

‘It’s best that you don’t know.’

This was Robert.

‘How can you say that? You’re not my real parents.’

‘But we are your foster parents and we’ve known each other a very long time. Now listen, Scarlet –’

‘Robert! Don’t raise your voice like that. You’re upsetting her.’

‘I’m just trying to create some order here.’

‘The point is, Scarlet,’ continued the social worker, ‘that your mother isn’t going to be released now for at least five years – and that’s only if she behaves herself.’

‘But she promised me,’ whispered Scarlet. ‘They’re going to find us somewhere to live, and we’re going to be together.’

‘She did something bad in prison again, Scarlet. I’m sorry. But that’s the way it is.’

This was her fault! It was because she’d been nervous about Mum coming out. She’d jinxed everything. ‘If you’re wondering what will happen to you, love, it’s all right.’ Dee was taking her hand. ‘You can carry on living with us.’

There was a crash. Scarlet hadn’t meant to throw her chair to the ground. But there it was. One of the legs had broken. It felt as though someone else had done it.

‘I don’t want to live with you any more. I only want Mum.’

The social worker’s voice was clipped. ‘We need to think about your best interests.’

‘Exactly.’ Scarlet felt her scream rise into the air. ‘That’s why we need to be together. When can I visit her?’

Each of the adults glanced at each other in a funny way. ‘I’m afraid it might be some time,’ said Robert.

A bolt of fear shot through her. ‘Why?’

Dee took over. ‘She’s been sent to a different prison, love. It’s a long way off.’

‘WHY?’

Both Dee and Robert looked at the social worker. ‘It has a special secure section,’ she said slowly, as though choosing her words very carefully. ‘Like I said before, your mother has done something very wrong.’

‘I don’t believe you. She’s a good person. You’re all lying to me. I know you are.’

‘Why would we do that?’

CRASH! The biscuit plate went flying. Scarlet looked at the fragments of blue-and-white china on the terracotta tiles. Had she really just done that?

‘How dare you!’

‘Robert!’ This was Dee. ‘Stop shouting. Look. She’s shaking.’

‘We’ve got to do something! This is becoming intolerable. Locking herself in her room; throwing things around. What’s next?’

Dee tried to put her arms around her. ‘She’s been through so much.’

But Scarlet pushed her away.

‘Ouch!’

‘Don’t you dare push my wife.’

‘I think that’s more than enough.’ This was the social worker. ‘Can everyone calm down right now, or I will have to take Scarlet to another placement.’

Dee had looked scared then. ‘I’m sorry, love. Robert didn’t mean to get cross.’

The social worker left soon after that, but her words planted an idea in Scarlet’s head. Mum was still jealous of Dee – she kept asking how ‘that foster woman’ was during visits. And although Scarlet always reassured Mum that no one could ever take her place, the truth was that she had learned to care for them. After all, Dee had been so kind and Robert had shown her how to take photographs. But now the news that Mum was going to stay inside for five more years changed everything.

Scarlet’s mind went back to that terrible scene in the prison when Mum had scratched Dee. Then again, Dee shouldn’t have had her hand on her shoulder like that. It had made Mum jealous. And she shouldn’t have kept on about how happy Scarlet was. Maybe – she’d never thought of this before – Dee had actually done it on purpose to upset Mum and make her do this thing that was ‘really wrong’ so Scarlet could stay with her for ever. That was it! And she and Mum had both walked into the trap. There was no way she could stay here now.