Thanks, everyone, I will try and get Lucy's arc finished tonight.
I'm writing from the garden (we have a rare sunny evening in Glasgow). It's been a, long long day.
"Would you like to go to Grandma's house for the rest of the day?" Lucy looked up and nodded eagerly. "All right, do you need to get anything out of your locker? Or is it all here?"
"I have everything."
Rachel placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder and gently guided her out of the office and downstairs and to the car.
"Mum, I am meant to visit Miss Haydock for the work I missed yesterday, and go to detention."
"I will go and visit Miss Haydock, and we can rearrange detention unless you want to tell me what is really going on."
"I have already told you, it's nothing," Lucy mumbled.
Richards mother was young when she was married for the first time. She had Richard and his younger brother at a young age and soon divorced for her husband. She was now married to husband number 2 and had two daughters, with a 20 year age difference between her eldest and youngest child.
"Hi Janice" Rachel called as she walked into her Mother in Laws house, she had a great relationship with her in-laws and having them so close was a godsend. Richard's father and his wife didn't live too far away either.
"Hi, sweetheart" Janice cupped Lucys face gently kissing her head. "Your Mum said you are a little under the weather." Lucy nodded "Well, I have got a duvet down in the living room for you to lie on the couch, Pat is out in his man shed, and Auntie Angela is out, why don't you go through there." Lucy turned and walked into the living room and settled herself on the couch. "Have you got time for a cuppa?" Janice asked. Rachel glanced at her watch she had a conference call coming up but was thankful when it was earlier than she thought.
"Yes, I could murder one, and gives me a chance to talk about Lucy".
The two ladies were sitting in the kitchen with a cut of steaming hot tea when Pat came in.
"Hi Rachel, I didn't know you were coming?" Pat poured himself a cup, he was Janice's husband. However, the kids weren't his grandkids biologically; he still treated them as if they were.
"Lucy is poorly."
"That's not entirely true, I think she is being bullied, but she won't talk to me about it. I was hoping she would maybe confide in you, even if it means you promise her not to tell me, I want her to get it off her chest to someone."
"Who would bully such a lovely girl?"Pat questioned.
"It's not uncommon in girls her age," Janice stated she had been a teacher for over 40, although in a primary school. "Don't worry Rachel, I will speak to her discreetly."
"Bye love, be a good girl for Grandma and Grandpa Pat" Rachel stroked her hair and tucked a piece behind her ear, and Lucy looked up.
"I will, Mum, thank you for letting me come here."
"It is back to school tomorrow though." Rachel closed the living room door before heading out.
Lucy was watching Judge Rinder when her Grandmother came into the room, she sat next to her on the sofa.
"So tell me, how is High School?"
"It's fine."
"What is your favourite subject?" Lucy had to think for a moment, she would say Maths, not because she liked maths but because she knew nothing would happen in his class.
"Maths"
"Really, I would have thought it would have been music?"
"No, I mean I like music, but I like it when I'm in Uncle Eddie's class."
"So he is a good teacher?"
"Yes, the best, and he can control his class, not like some others."
"Oh, has something happened in another class?"
"No," Lucy said abruptly.
"Sweetheart, you know if you want to tell me something or ask me anything then it doesn't need to leave this room."
"So, you won't tell my Mum and Dad."
"Cross my heart, I won't."
"There is a girl at school, and she doesn't like me. Its been going on since we started, she always says nasty things. Like she said one day, my legs were really hairy, and another that I was a swot. We were in music last week, and Mr Wilding went into the cupboard for something when she punched me on the cheek. I didn't do anything to her or say anything, but now she keeps saying she is going to get me and batter me, so I've been trying to avoid her."
Janice pulled her into a tight hug, "Oh Darling, you should have told someone, you shouldn't need to put up with that."
"I can't she already calls me a teacher's pet, and I know it would be worse if my parents know, they will get her into trouble."
"Well, she deserves it, do you want to know a secret about bullies, they are actually just really jealous."
"Why would she be jealous of me, she is so popular and confident."
"Have a think about it, I bet you have things she doesn't."
"A Mum and Dad, she lives with her Aunt, and they aren't very well off, but I have never done anything to her."
"Lucy, I promise, the only way to get this to stop is to tell your Mum and Dad, or another teacher is there another teacher you think you could tell."
"My form teacher is friendly, Mrs Clarkson or my head of house, Mrs Diamond."
"Do you think you could be brave and tell them?"
"Will you come with me?"
"Of course, I will."
Rachel made her way back into school to find Eddie, Kim, Sian, Tom and Chris in her office.
"Damn, I forgot." Rachel had totally forgotten they had agreed to meet to look at the year 11 mocks schedule.
"Don't worry we can do it later, look I found out who is bullying Lucy, Lizanne White," Eddie said.
"Oh, so she is being bullied then."
"Yes, I got Rosie to tell me, but she doesn't want Lucy to know she told, what do you know about her Sian?"
"Not much, parents aren't around her Dad died, her Mum isn't on the scene, she lives with her Aunt, let me get her file." Sian went into the antechamber where the student files were kept in a filing cabinet.
"OK, so looks like she lives with her Aunt Michaela."
"Michaela" Rachel said, "As in your daughter in law?" she looked at over at Eddie.
"For all of 2 minutes, I know Phil still keeps in touch with her, he grew quite attached to Kyle, who we should be getting next year, but I had no idea about Lizanne."
"Wait, Philip and Michaela," Kim said in shock "They got married?"
"They were nineteen, barely out of school, and it was a long time ago, none of us were even invited to the wedding."
"Well, I don't think I ever thought I would hear the day Philip Ryan would have married Michaela White," Tom said.
"Philip Ryan, he is your son?" Sian said she had seen him a couple of years ago at the Edinburgh Festival, she didn't know Eddies son was the famous stand up comic.
"Yes, well stepson," Eddie said before bringing the conversation back to work, "Sian, can you get Michaela in, but be warned she is a slippery one."
Sian nodded, just at there was a knock at the office door. Janice walked in with Lucy.
"Lucy would like to speak to Mrs Diamon or Mrs Clarkson," Janice said.
"Lucy, why don't you come to my office, and I will get Mrs Clarkson, and the 3 of us can have a little chat."
"Can Grandma come too?"
"Sure she can, you show your Grandma where to go, and I will go get Mrs Clarkson."
"Do you want your Mum as well?" Sian asked. Lucy didn't really want her Mum there, but she knew she would find out soon enough and this would save her having to repeat herself over and over.
"Sure"
"OK, let's just stay here then, Eddie, can you join the LEA accounts meeting in 10 minutes, I will forward you the invite." Rachel said, pulling her phone out and opening outlook. "Sweetheart you can sit over here." Rachel said, getting up and moving to the two sofas at the other side of the office. Lucy sat next to her Mum, who placed an arm around her before mouthing, Thank you to Jackie for getting her to open up.
Sian got Davina and brought her back to the office. Lucy sat and managed to explain to everyone what had been happening.
"I am so proud of you, for opening up" Lucy smiled she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulder, Rachel placed an arm around her as she, Lucy and Janice walked to the car park. "Do you feel better?"
"Yes, but what's going to happen to her?"
"I don't know, Mrs Diamond is going to deal with her, so you have nothing to worry about. Why don't we go out to the Milky way and get some ice cream after school?"
"I would like that, can Rosie come too?"
"Sure, why not."
"But for now, it's almost the end of Lunch, so go find Rosie, and get something to eat."
"I ate at Grandma's, can't I just stay with you?
"It will be boring staying with me. Go find Rosie, she will be eager to see you. Mrs Diamond has already gone to find Lizanne, so you have nothing to worry about."
Lucy smiled but nervously left to find her cousin who was so happy she had finally told the truth and was delighted to go for Ice Cream.
Sian found Lizanne in the canteen, she called her out and took her to her office.
"I never did nowt," Lizanne shouted after hearing the allegations against her. "It's her word against mines, snooty cow, but you will all believe her since she went running to Mason, her mummy."
"Lizanne, we have had more than one report of you bullying Lucy."
"They are lying."
"I have called your Aunt, she should be here shortly."
It wasn't long before Michaela arrived and was sat next to Lizanne.
"I know her, she wouldn't bully, this other girl must be lying."
"Its Mason's daughter, she said I did it"
"Miss White, we have witnesses, the school's anti-bullying policy is clear. Lizanne, you will be given a school buddy in year 12 or 13 who will mentor you. You will come to weekly anti-bullying sessions in the assembly hall on Wednesdays at lunchtime. If there are any more instances of you bullying Lucy or any other student, then you will be on report to me, do you understand.
"Yes Miss"
"The bell is about to go, you can go to your last class."
"You idiot, Mason's daughter what were you thinking?" Michaela shouted.
"What she is a stuck up cow?"
"She is Phil's cousin."
"I didn't know."
"No, and now you do. You know I am trying to get Philip back if I knew he would become so famous I would never have divorced him. Just stay away from the Masons and Lawson kids."
So, Philip is a famous Comedian, (think the English Kevin Bridges) and Michaela is trying to get him back. And finally finished this Arc, on to another character later.
