Part Four Chapter II

IIParminder was non supposed to be on the job(p) the next dawning, alone she had a confluence in Yarvil. Once the children had left-hand(a) for school she moved methodically around the house, reservation sure that she had everything she needed, but when the telephone rang, she jumped so much that she dropped her bag.Yes? she yelped, sounding almost frightened. Tessa, on the different end of the line, was taken a tail end.Minda, its me are you all right?Yes yes the phone make me jump, give tongue to Parminder, feeling at the kitchen floor now littered with keys, papers, short change and tampons. What is it? nonhing in reality, express Tessa. Just calling for a chat. hear how you are.The subject of the anonymous post hung between them like almost gibe monster, dangling from the line. Parminder had barely allowed Tessa to talk about it during yesterdays call. She had shouted, Its a lie, a smelly lie, and dont tell me Howard Mollison didnt do itTessa had non dared pur sue the subject.I jackpott talk, utter Parminder. Ive got a impact in Yarvil. A case review for a curt boy on the at-risk register.Oh, right. Sorry. Maybe later?Yes, said Parminder. Great. Goodbye.She scooped up the confine of her bag and travel from the house, running pricker from the garden gate to regulate that she had closed the present door rightly.Every so often, as she drove, she cognise that she had no recollection of travelling the sound mile, and told herself fiercely to concentrate. nevertheless the spiteful words of the anonymous post kept coming back to her. She already k bare-assed them by heart.Parish Councillor Dr Parminder Jawanda, who pretends to be so keen on look after the poor and needy of the area, has always had a secret motive. Until I died, she was in hump with me, which she could barely hide whenever she laid eyes on me, and she would vote however I told her to, whenever on that point was a council meeting. Now that I am gone, she will be useless as a councillor, because she has anomic her brain.She had first seen it the previous morning, when she opened up the council website to check the minutes of the last meeting. The shock had been almost physical her breathing had be acquire very refrain and shallow, as it had been during the most excruciating parts of childbirth, when she had tried to lift herself everywhere the pain, to disengage from the agonizing present.Everyone would know by now. There was nowhere to hide.The oddest thoughts kept coming to her. For instance, what her grandm other would have said if she had known that Parminder had been accused of winsome another wo populaces husband, and a gora to boot, in a public forum. She could almost see bebe covering her face with a fold of her sari, shaking her head, rocking backwards and onward as she had always done when a harsh blow had achieve the family.Some husbands, Vikram had said to her late last darkness, with a strange new twist to his sardonic s mile, might want to know whether it was unfeigned.Of feed in it isnt true Parminder had said, with her own shaking hand over her mouth. How can you ask me that? Of course it isnt You knew him He was my friend just a friendShe was already way out the Bellchapel Addiction Clinic. How had she travelled so far, without realizing it? She was becoming a dangerous driver. She was not paying attention.She remembered the evening that she and Vikram had gone to the restaurant, nighly twenty years ago, the night they had concur to marry. She had told him about all the fuss the family had made when she had walked collection plate with Stephen Hoyle, and he had agreed how silly it was. He had understood then. But he did not understand when it was Howard Mollison who accused her instead of her own hidebound relatives. Apparently he did not realise that goras could be narrow, and untruthful, and full of malice She had missed the move. She moldiness concentrate. She must pay attention.Am I late? she called, as she hurried at last across the car park towards Kay Bawden. She had met the social thespian once before, when she had list in for a renewal of her prescription for the pill.Not at all, said Kay. I thought Id show you up to the shootice, because its a rabbit warren in here Kay led her down a shabby, deserted institutional corridor into a meeting room. Three more women were already sitting there they greeted Parminder with smiles.This is Nina, who works with Robbies mother at Bellchapel, said Kay, sitting down with her back to the venetian-blinded windows. And this is my supervisor Gillian, and this is Louise Harper, who oversees the Anchor Road Nursery. Dr Parminder Jawanda, Robbies GP, Kay added.Parminder accepted c clear upee. The other four women began talking, without involving her.(Parish Councillor Dr Parminder Jawanda, who pretends to be so keen on looking after the poor and needy of the area Who pretends to be so keen. You bastard, Howard Mollison. B ut he had always seen her as a hypocrite Barry had said so.He thinks that because I came from the Fields, I want Pagford overrun by Yarvillians. But youre proper professional class, so he doesnt think youve got any right to be on the side of the Fields. He thinks youre a hypocrite or making trouble for fun.) understand why the familys registered with a GP in Pagford? said one of the three unfamiliar social workers, whose names Parminder had already forgotten.several(prenominal) families in the Fields are registered with us, said Parminder at once. But wasnt there some trouble with the Weedons and their previous ?Yeah, the Cantermill practice threw them out, said Kay, in front of whom sat a pile of notes thicker than either of her colleagues. Terri assaulted a nurse there. So theyve been registered with you, how long?Nearly five years, said Parminder, who had looked up all the enlarge at the surgery.(She had seen Howard in church, at Barrys funeral, pretending to pray, with his big fat pass on clasped in front of him, and the Fawleys kneeling beside him. Parminder knew what Christians were supposed to believe in. Love thy populate as thyself if Howard had been more honest, he would have turned sideways and prayed to Aubrey Until I died, she was in love with me, which she could barely hide whenever she laid eyes on me Had she really not been able to hide it?) last seen him, Parminder? asked Kay.When his child brought him in for antibiotics for an ear infection, said Parminder. About eight weeks ago.And how was his physical condition then? asked one of the other women.Well, hes not failing to thrive, said Parminder, withdrawing a cut back sheaf of photocopied notes from her handbag. I checked him quite thoroughly, because well, I know the family hi falsehood. Hes a good weight, although I doubt his diets anything to write home about. No lice or nits or anything of that description. His bottom was a bit sore, and I remember his sister said that he fluent wets himself some clocks.They keep putting him back in nappies, said Kay.But you wouldnt, asked the woman who had first questioned Parminder, have any study concerns health-wise?There was no sign of abuse, said Parminder. I remember, I took off his vest to check, and there were no bruises or other injuries.Theres no man in the house, interjected Kay.And this ear infection? her supervisor prompted Parminder.You said it was the sister who brought him in, not the mother? Are you Terris doctor, too?I dont think weve seen Terri for five years, said Parminder, and the supervisor turned to Nina instead.Hows she doing on methadone?(Until I died, she was in love with me Parminder thought, Perhaps its Shirley, or Maureen, whos the ghost, not Howard they would be much more belike to watch her when she was with Barry, hoping to see something with their dirty old-womanish minds ) longest shes lasted on the computer program so far, said Nina. Shes mentioned the case review quite a lot. I get the feeling she knows that this is it, that shes running out of chances. She doesnt want to lose Robbie. Shes said that a few times. Id have to say youve got through to her, Kay. I really do see her taking some responsibility for the situation, for the first time since Ive known her.Thank you, but Im not going to get over-excited. The situations still pretty precarious. Kays dampening words were at odds with her tiny irrepressible smile of satisfaction. How are things going at nursery, Louise?Well, hes back again, said the quartern social worker. Hes been in full attendance for the then(prenominal) three weeks, which is a dramatic change. The teenage sister brings him. His clothes are too polished and usually dirty, but he talks about bath and repast times at home.And behaviourally?Hes developmentally delayed. His language skills are very poor. He doesnt like men coming into the nursery. When fathers turn up, he wont go near them he hangs around the nursery workers and becomes ve ry anxious. And once or twice, she said, turning a page in her notes, hes mimicked what are clearly sexual acts on or near little girls.I dont think, whatever we decide, there can be any question of taking him off the at-risk register, said Kay, to a murmur of agreement.It sounds like everything hinges on Terri staying on your programme, said the supervisor to Nina, and staying off the game.Thats key, certainly, Kay agreed, but Im concerned that even when shes heroin-free, she doesnt provide much mothering to Robbie. Krystal seems to be airlift him, and shes sixteen and got plenty of her own issues (Parminder remembered what she had said to Sukhvinder a couple of nights previously.Krystal Weedon That fatheaded girl Is that what being in a team with Krystal Weedon taught you to sink to her direct?Barry had liked Krystal. He had seen things in her that were invisible to other peoples eyes.Once, long ago, Parminder had told Barry the story of Bhai Kanhaiya, the Sikh hero who had ad ministered to the needs of those wounded in combat, whether friend or foe. When asked why he gave aid indiscriminately, Bhai Kanhaiya had replied that the light of God shone from every soul, and that he had been unable to distinguish between them.The light of God shone from every soul.She had called Krystal Weedon stupid(p) and implied that she was low.Barry would never have said it.She was ashamed.) when there was a great-grandmother who seemed to provide some back-up in care, but She died, said Parminder, rushing to say it before anyone else could. pulmonary emphysema and stroke.Yeah, said Kay, still looking at her notes. So we go back to Terri. She came out of care herself. Has she ever attended parenting classes?We offer them, but shes never been in a fit state to attend, said the woman from the nursery.If she agreed to take them and actually turned up, it would be a massive flavor forward, said Kay.If they close us down, sighed Nina from Bellchapel, addressing Parminder, I s uppose shell have to come to you for her methadone.Im concerned that she wouldnt, said Kay, before Parminder could answer.What do you mean? asked Parminder angrily.The other women stared at her.Just that catching buses and remembering appointments isnt Terris forte, said Kay. She only has to walk up the road to Bellchapel.Oh, said Parminder, mortified. Yes. Sorry. Yes, youre probably right.(She had thought that Kay was making a acknowledgment to the complaint about Catherine Weedons death that she did not think Terri Weedon would trust her. brook on what theyre saying. Whats wrong with you?)So, big picture, said the supervisor, looking down at her notes. Weve got neglectful parenting interspersed with some adequate care. She sighed, but there was more irritation than sadness in the sound. The immediate crisis is over shes stopped using Robbies back in nursery, where we can keep a proper eye on him and theres no immediate concern for his safety. As Kay says, he stays on the at-r isk register I certainly think well need another meeting in four weeks It was another forty minutes before the meeting broke up. Kay walked Parminder back down to the car park.It was very good of you to come in person most GPs send through a report.It was my morning off, said Parminder. She meant it as an explanation for her attendance, because she hated sitting at home alone with nothing to do, but Kay seemed to think that she was asking for more valuate and gave it.At Parminders car, Kay said, Youre the parish councillor, arent you? Did Colin pass you the figures on Bellchapel I gave him?Yes, he did, said Parminder. It would be good to have a talk about that some time. Its on the agenda for the next meeting.But when Kay had given her her number, and left, with renewed thanks, Parminders thoughts reverted to Barry, the Ghost and the Mollisons. She was impetuous through the Fields when the simple thought that she had tried to bury, to drown out, slipped past her lowered defences at last.Perhaps I did love him.