The Trouble with Children's Aid
"But Dad...I don't want to go to School today. What if that Susie Canaryton shows up?" Gosalyn asked from the stairwell.
"Gos...Children's Aid will only make their investigation more and more worse if you stop showing up for school. You see honey...they are looking for signs that make me an unfit parent. If you don't show up then they'll be thinking...alright, so Mr.Mallard isn't sending his daughter to school. I wonder why? You want them to start looking for those signs?" Drake asked.
"No...I want to get rid of them. I'd like to know exactly what I did to make Children's Aid notice me and see me as an abused kid. I'm not being abused, sexually or otherwise. I'm not in a broken home like they think I'am. I love you and I love Launchpad. Launchpad is like a big brother to me, but they see it as him being a child molester or something."
"Well, when you see your social worker again...why don't you ask them why you chose me out of a million children in the school? What did I do wrong? Ask them that!"
Gosalyn wiped the tears off her face and gave her father a hug.
"Please don't let them take me away Daddy. I love you too much!"
"I love you too Gosalyn...and don't worry...nobody's going to take you away from me. Alright kiddo? Now get ready. You don't want to go to school looking like that now do you? Your hair all messed up, shirt all wrinkled."
Gosalyn went up to her room and closed the door to get into some clean clothes and fixed up her hair.
Then she grabbed her book bag and headed off for another day of school.
"Morning Gosalyn...did your Dad ask you what was going on with that suspicious woman last night?" Honker asked as he joined Gosalyn on the sidewalk.
"Yeah...I told him all about Children's Aid being involved and such. I told him they were asking me all kinds of scary questions about being abused and neglected. I then told him that I said no to all those questions. I even told him that they had the audacity to pin Launchpad as a child molester cause while she was there she kept giving poor Launchpad the evil eye."
"Yeowch. Well...once they know that the Mallards household is a nice, warm and gentle evironment...then maybe they will leave you alone. That's what they did with us. Tank still goes to the Children's Aid office for bully counciling and that's it. Before they tried to deem Mom and Dad as unfit parents and even went as far as taking Tank away. This was in the second grade. Tank was called to the office and they took him away from the school."
"What right did they have to do that?"
"They had no right Gosalyn...they had no parent consent to do it. They forged it!"
"Forged it? How?"
"They can be pretty clever when they want to be Gosalyn just to make sure you are safe. They made up a letter stating that yes...they admit to being unfit parents and that Tank should be taken into Orphanage custody until some hearing. Mom and Dad heard about that and went to the office to take back their son...police got involved and everything. It was pretty nasty. But they did manage to get Tank back after proving that they didn't write the note."
"You don't think they could do that to me...would they Honk?"
"They might...just becareful what you say around them. One word out of text and it's curtains for your Dad. Sometimes they can even play with your mind to get you to say anything that you didn't mean to say to begin with."
"Whoa...who do these guys think they are, Children's Police?"
They arrived at school and noticed that car that was sitting in the Mallard's driveway the other night.
"Oh no...Susie Canaryton is here." Gosalyn muttered as she went into the school.
Principal Farnsworth was standing right next to the doors as Gosalyn entered. "Morning Gosalyn...you mind stepping into my office for a moment?"
"But I got to get to class or they will deem me absent."
"Don't worry Gosalyn...I'll send you to class with a note explaning why you were late. Now come."
Gosalyn walked into the principal's office to see Susie Canaryton sitting at the desk.
"Well, good morning sunshine and how are we this morning?" she asked cheerfully as she could.
"Gosalyn, you remember Susie Canaryton?" Principal Farnsworth asked as she retook her seat at her desk.
"Yes..." Gosalyn muttered, not sounding too happy.
"Oh...you don't sound happy today sweetie? Something wrong at home?"
"No!"
"Gos...I was wondering if we could talk in private? Just for a few minutes? I promise it won't take long!"
Gosalyn let out a sigh as she and Susie went into the room they were in the last time they met.
"Come on Gossy...I can tell you are an unhappy litle girl here. You can tell me if something is wrong! I won't judge you."
"There's nothing wrong at home...alright? Why are you here? Why are you messing with my business? I told you everything the last time that there is nothing wrong at home. My Dad never hits me and Launchpad has never laid a hand on me...sexually or otherwise. So why are you doing this?" Gosalyn asked...on the brink of tears.
"Honey...listen to
me, I'm not trying to frighten you. I just care about your welfare.
That's why I'm here to help you."
"Well I don't need
your help...I'm fine. We're all fine. I'm not some kid who lives in a
broken home with parents who don't give a damn about me. If you want
some child who's being abused for real...go to Marline Hampton. She's
always coming to school with bruises and marks on her face. I don't
come to school with bruises and marks. Sure...I maybe a problem
child, but that's only because I have a lot of spirit. Or maybe as
these so-called scientists like to call A.D.D but I do NOT live in a
broken home. Got it? Can I go now? Learning is more important than
sitting here talking to the likes of you."
"Gosalyn...why are you so angry?"
"Because...I far as I'm concerned, you are sticking your nose in business that it doesn't belong in. I don't know why the school has called you to come interview me and quite frankly...I don't care. I want you to stay out of my life and my Dad's."
With that said, Gosalyn left the room and stormed off to class.
Susie went to have a word with the Principal.
"The audacity of those guys. They seriously think that I live in some broken home and want to change my life forever. They think they are doing what is right for the child but seriously...they just don't!" Gosalyn said as she and Honker shared lunch together on the playground during recess.
"I understand if the child is in a broken home and is always abused and such but me...what did I do and say to get this kind of punishment?"
Principal Farnsworth came out of the school and walked over to where the two kids were sitting.
"Gosalyn Mallard. Could you come with me please?" She asked sternly.
"Well...there goes lunch...see you in class Honk!"
Gosalyn followed the principal back to her office and sat down at the desk.
"You mind explaining your actions this morning to Susie Canaryton?" Principal Farnsworth asked.
"I think you should answer me this question...why on earth would you call the Children's Aid on me anyway? What did I do? What did I say? Is it because I'm misbehaving too many times? If it is I can try and change. Just don't have them take me away from my Dad. He doesn't deserve to be treated with this punishment just because I can't control my actions."
"Gosalyn honey...It goes much more deeper than that. We believe that your home isn't stable. You constantly get in trouble and we all are wondering just what is going on behind closed doors of the Mallard household."
'Well it's really none of your business Principal Farnsworth.' Gosalyn wanted to say...but said it out loud in her head.
"Gosalyn...please understand that we're not trying to scare you...we're just doing what's right for you and your welfare...Alright sweetie? Susie Canaryton will come see you again next week...after she does a through investigation at the Mallard home."
Gosalyn's eyes went wide...somehow she had to call home to warn her Father of the sudden investigation.
"Can I go now?"
Principal Farnsworth nodded and Gosalyn quickly ran out of the office.
She ran up to the secretary and asked to use the phone.
"Sure Gos...for what purpose?" the secretary asked.
"I want to talk to my Dad...it's important."
"Couldn't this wait til you get home?"
Gosalyn shook her head no..."Please?"
The Secretary gave her the phone and Gosalyn quickly dialed the number.
"Hello, Mallard Residents. Launchpad speaking!" Launchpad picked up.
"Launchpad...where's Dad? I need to talk to him now...It's urgent."
"Ah...your father is in bed sleeping right now. What do you want to tell him."
"Children's Aid is going to do a through investigation at our house. They're trying to find reasons to take me away."
Drake came up from behind Launchpad. "Who is it LP?"
"Oh Drake...it's Gosalyn. She said something about Children's Aid coming to do a through investigation here?"
"WHAT? Give me that phone? Gosalyn honey...are you there?"
"Dad...yeah!"
"What's all this talk about Children's Aid doing a through investigation at our house?"
"I don't know
Dad...Principal Farnsworth just told me that my Social Worker will
meet with me again shortly after she does a through investigation.
Daddy...I'm scared."
"Did you tell them the truth?"
Drake asked.
"Yeah...In fact I sort of blew my top this
morning at her. She was already here waiting for me when I arrived at
school. Then my principal asked me why I blew up at her and I asked
her why they called Children's Aid on me...she told me that they
suspect that our home is 'Unstable."
"That's riduliculous. Our house and home are stable. Alright...Gos, thanks for the warning honey. We'll see you when you get home."
"Bye Dad. I love you."
"Love you too sport. Bye."
Gosalyn hung up the phone and left the office.
Will Susie Canaryton find one thing WRONG with the Mallards?
Find out in Chapter 3.
