THE BEGINNING Chapter 3
Kaitlyn decided to find out all she could about the Phillips family and the details she uncovered shocked her.Apparently there had been a third child a baby girl born two years after Kane.This child had been removed from the parental home and adopted in the interests of her safety.The boys however were not removed, it was thought that it would be too hard to find a placement for them together , especially in view of Scott's behavioural problems and the department was reluctant to break the obviously strong bond between the boys.Due to departmental and staff changes the family seemed to have slipped through the net and been forgotten.Kaitlyn rang the department with her concerns and they promised to investigate.Unfortunately the message was lost in the system and unaware that the help that was so desperately needed was not going to materialise Kaitlyn went home feeling something would be done.Her urgency was due to the fact that she was moving to the city with her partner, and was herself having a baby in two months time.
The next day at the preschool Kaitlyn kept an eye on Kane.He seemed happy when playing with Dougie, a cheerful chubby child with the biggest cheekiest smile.She noticed that Kane now occasionally smiled and laughed, but then it was difficult not to with Dougie around.He was obviously nervous of Mrs.Bromley and Kaitlyn felt that the older teacher tended to pick on him unnecessarily.As soon as Mrs.Bromley went anywhere near him he seemed to cringe and look at the ground and Kaitlyn found herself becoming very irritated by Mrs.Bromley's attitude.
After school that day Kaitlyn confronted the older woman.
" Mrs. Bromley I have noticed that you do seem to criticise Kane Phillips rather a lot and seem rather tough on him."
Mrs.Bromley did not take kindly to criticism and answered rather sharply,
"I do hope you are not trying to teach me my job , young lady! I have been a teacher for nearly thirty years and children like that need to know who is boss.Just look at his brother, we don't need two of them acting like wild animals in the school.Discipline that's what Kane needs and that is what I shall provide!" and with that she stomped off muttering to herself.
Kaitlyn hoped she hadn't made things worse for Kane, she only had a few more days before she left for her new life in the city, and she knew that the memory of that little boy would haunt her for a long time.
On her last day at the preschool Kaitlyn was disappointed that Kane was absent.She had hoped to say goodbye to him in person.The day flew by with leaving gifts and lots of little cards that the children had made.As she was leaving the building she was surprised when she saw Scott Phillips approaching.
"Kane's sick , but he made this for ya, asked me to give it to ya." He said handing her a large envelope with a picture of a boat that Kane had drawn and coloured in.
"Thank-you, tell him I said it's lovely and I hope he's feeling better soon.What's wrong with him anyway?"
"Dunno" Scott answered and ran off.
On impulse Kaitlyn decided to follow him, and as he turned the corner she saw Kane waiting for him.His face was battered , two black eyes and a livid bruise on his cheek.The two boys ran off together.She wanted to run after them to confirm her worst suspicions that those bruises were not caused accidentally but she had a terrible stitch in her side and her pregnancy slowed her down.She felt warm tears fall down her cheeks, tears of sadness and frustration.
"If anyone did that to my child I would kill them!" she said out loud feeling the baby inside her kick.
Kaitlyn and her partner moved to a lovely apartment in the city , she soon made friends with the neighbours especially the woman next door who had an adorable little toddler called Ellie.Ellie's mum Jane confided in Kaitlyn that Ellie was a very precious child to them , because following ovarian cancer she had been unable to have children , and they had adopted Ellie after several years of waiting.Ellie had the most gorgeous blue eyes and was such a happy contented little girl that everyone who ever met her adored her.
Kaitlyn had a baby girl and called her Ebony.Ellie absolutely adored the baby and as the years passed the two little girls became best friends just like their mums.The only blight in their otherwise perfect world was Ellie's cousin Josh.He was a couple of years older and such a spoilt brat.He had to have his own way all the time and sulked and lost his temper easily.Unfortunately his mother and Jane were sisters and so he often spent time with them when his mother was busy with her career.Both Kaitlyn and Jane had chosen to be stay at home mums and she looked down her nose at them, but she still used them to look after Josh in the school holidays, much to Ellie and Ebony's annoyance.They hated it when Posh-Josh ,as the girls had nick-named him,
came round , he bullied them and constantly showed off about the new things his parents had bought him.But deep down they knew he was jealous of them because his mum never spent time with him, and so they tried to be nice , only he made it so hard.
Occassionally as the years went by Kaitlyn would remember the little boy from Summer Bay who had tugged at her heart strings.She was glad she had contacted the department about him and hoped that his life was easier now.Unfortunately although she didn't know it life was just as hard as ever for Kane.
