phone call for you from Derek James," said Sarah, the admin officer.
Derek James manages the Children Services team in Lower Ashworth and Naomi was one of his staff members.
The tone of his voice was utterly professional. There were no usually friendly pleasantries from Derek James. He had a business-like manner on the phone.
"Naomi, please can you make your way to the office for 8.00 am."
"Why?"
"We want to talk to you about one of your cases. As you have been informed from the email sent to you today that there has been an awful tragedy, we need to discuss this with you. Please do not mention this case with any other members of staff or the media and bring with you all the paperwork to my office."
Nine
Naomi drove slowly to the central office to avoid an accident as her head was pounding rapidly. She parked the hired car in one of the council's parking bay reserved for customers and waited inside the car for a few minutes to wipe away her tears. She stretched out her hand to grab hold of the hand bag resting on the passenger seat which contained a packet of painkillers, paracetamol and without counting them out she swallowed a few before heading off slowly by foot to the civic centre.
On arrival to the reception desk, Naomi sat down nervously on the soft, black, leather armchair, swinging her long dark brown legs anxiously. Her legs were shaking so badly she pressed her hands on her knees to control them.
Naomi lifted up her brown leather handbag which rested on the floor and raced towards the toilet. She managed to urinate in the flush toilet on time. Her nerves were on edge and they were getting the better of her. She was desperate for a cigarette. Naomi held the cigarette tightly between her lips and stroked the match stick with her right hand on the rough side of the box lighting up the cigarette and she happily inhaled the nicotine in her lungs. The toilet was filled quickly with light smog. She dropped the brown stub onto the white ceramic floor tiles and squashed it with the sole of her shoe until the smoke was extinguished. Naomi promptly returned to the reception area and waited there for a few more minutes.
A serious looking man opened the reception door dressed in a dark blue suit. He acknowledged the receptionist with a smile as he walked straight into the reception area with authority and confidence of a monarch. Naomi was now feelings more anxious than ever.
"Is Naomi Brown here yet?" said the gentleman.
"Yes!" said the receptionist with a big grin on her face which Naomi wanted to swipe off.
The receptionist directed the man to Naomi. The man led Naomi to the main interviewing room. He introduced himself to her as Sid Douglas, the newly appointed Assistant Director for the Children Services. He had the responsibility of overseeing the children and family services team and the politically sensitive position of safeguarding them from abuse.
Naomi was wandering what was going to happen to her. It became increasingly apparent to her that the nature of the meeting was serious. You don't often have the privilege of meeting the director. The Human Resource Manager opened the door quickly to let them both into the room. Derek James, her line manager, looked menacing and handed a sealed letter to Naomi.
"Please take a seat, Naomi."
"Let us introduce ourselves to you," said Sid Douglas.
"I have already introduced myself to you as Sid Douglas, the Assistant Director for Children Services and this is Penny Given, Human Resource Manager and you already know Derek James, who is the Team Manager for Lower Ashworth."
"Yes," replied Naomi.
"This meeting is the beginning of a disciplinary hearing and the CPS may pursue criminal proceedings against you if there is sufficient evidence," said Sid Douglas.
"We have decided to suspend you from your role as a social worker for alleged gross misconduct with immediate effect. You are suspended with full pay. We would like to remind you that you are not allowed to make any contact with the staff or the media. The letter will explain to you the next stage of disciplinary procedure in line with ACASS.
"Why?" asked a shocked Naomi.
"You had failed to protect and safeguard Baby George in line with the council child safeguarding policy. You had failed to carry out a proper assessment of Baby George and had failed to communicate your concerns to partner agencies and with your line manager which contributed to death of Baby G."
"I can't believe what I am hearing."
"Finally, please can you handover your keys to the council building, your identity pass and the file notes and please leave the building immediately."
Naomi left the main interviewing room looking despondent. She was shell shocked and traumatized by the meeting. Naomi was lost in thoughts and started to descend down the flight of stairs and missed her footing on one of the steps near the top of the landing and she came crashing down the stairs. Her head collided against the wall.
The fall was loud enough to summon the help of other social workers who were working in a room adjacent to the stairs. They arrived straightway on the scene to witness Naomi body lying there motionless. The fun loving and boisterous Naomi was consciously alive but her mind was preoccupied with the suspension from work. She was mildly concussed and was an emotional wreck.
"Is there any bones broken, Naomi?" asked Mantel.
"No!" replied a daze looking Naomi.
"Are you in any pain?"
"No. But, I'm a little sore."
They raised her head gently upright in a sitting up position and the first aider, Jillian Smith shouted to them as she ascended up the stairway.
"Don't lift her up onto her feet. We need to put her in the recovery position and can someone please telephone the ambulance straightaway."
"I am alright. I can get up myself, "replied Naomi.
The ambulance crew arrived within 15 minutes and they checked Naomi blood pressure. It was normal. They wanted to take her to the hospital.
"Do you want us to take you to the hospital, love? The doctor will examine your head."
"No, I am alright," declared Naomi.
"Are you taking any medication?"
"No."
The ambulance crew completed all the relevant paperwork with Naomi to ensure that there would be no possible future claims made against them. Naomi was looking frail from the fall. It was not the Naomi of old. She was no longer the Naomi who dreamt of changing the world. Naomi was a pale shadow of herself.
"I want to go home," grunted Naomi.
"Oh yes, provided there is someone at home to look after you. You should not be left alone following the accident," said the ambulance staff.
Naomi lived alone. She had a few boyfriends in the past but they all tried to make her into a housewife which she resented. For all of her entire life she wanted to be a social worker. Now the Baby G case and the social work profession she loved so much was destroying her life.
"Can we phone your husband and let him know that you are coming home?"
"No. I am not married. Mantel will you drive me to my sister's house?"
Mantel stared at Naomi's long, black, thick and curly hair. She had a slim waistline with large size hips. Their eyes met when he locked the passenger door. He avoided looking at her long dark legs before pulling off the council's car park.
Mantel drove Naomi outside of her sister's house and they waited inside his car for a few minutes as Naomi wanted to compose herself before seeing her sister. Naomi wiped away the tears off her cheek bones. Mantel's eyes were transfixed on Naomi red shimmering lips. He couldn't help himself. He was trapped between the battle of the flesh and spirit. He couldn't allow his carnal desires to triumph over the Holy Spirit within him. The spirit man had to win.
"Why are staring at me?"
He longed to hug Naomi to reassure her that everything would be alright. But, he knew it was not the right thing to do as a practising Christian. Most of all he wanted to share his Christian faith with Naomi before embarking on a relationship with her.
Naomi was a little bit paranoid as she couldn't find the pills in
her bag.
"Where are my pills, Mantel?" screamed Naomi.
"I haven't touched your handbag."
She searched frantically inside of her hand bag for the pills. Once they were found she swallowed the pills whilst taking a mouth full of water from Mantel's bottle. He was curious as to why Naomi was taking so many tablets.
"Are they aspirins, Naomi?"
"They are very similar."
"Go easy on those."
"Thank you for giving me a lift to my sister's house, Mantel," said Naomi.
"No problem. I hope you feel much better. Please ring me if you want to talk about anything," said Mantel.
"I don't want to burden you with my problems."
"Don't they say a problem shared is a problem halved?"
"Yes, but my problems are massive."
"Problems are challenges and I know that you will overcome them all. Remember, I'm always available to you, 24/7."
"Thank you for your encouraging words, Mantel."
"No worries, Naomi."
"Can you drop me off around the corner?"
"No problem."
"I want to walk a bit before going to see, Jill. I'm feeling a little bit anxious."
"What are you going to do your car?"
"I'll phone the car hiring company to pick it up."
Ten
There was the usually mayhem in Jill's household. Jeff was rushing around the house ironing Jayne's shirt whilst Jill was screaming at Jayne to get ready for school.
"You'll be late for school Jayne, hurry up," Jill shouted loudly.
Jayne was still wearing her night dress. She was sitting around the computer desk and looking rather suspicious.
"Okay mum.