Lost love

Chapter 6

Ever since the evening that Meredith played out with the Shepherd siblings, Derek couldn't get what happened out of his mind. He hadn't told anyone about her fathers reaction or how he dragged her back to their house but as he reflected on it, he knew he should because he knew that she didn't deserve to be treated like that for trying to make some friends. He played outside with friends all the time and even when he sometimes went out too far with his friends, his parents never grabbed him or shouted at him like Meredith's dad did and her face when he called her name suggested to Derek that she was really scared.

Sitting in his bedroom finishing off his homework he couldn't concentrate and his mind kept thinking about Meredith. He decided he would go downstairs and talk to his mum about the situation, not that she would be able to do much but it would help give him some peace at mind. Walking down the stairs he was immediately hit with the scent of freshly baked cookies & knew where he could find his mother.

"Hey mom." He sat down at the kitchen counter, picking up a cookie before dropping it quickly back onto the tray.

"It's hot." She chuckled.

"As I found out." He laughed.

"What's up?" Carolyn asked.

"I have to tell you something. I don't know if it's even something but I just need to tell you." Carolyn turned to him and frowned, she was concerned.

"Okay, what is it?"

"The other day when we asked Meredith to come out with us we had so much fun and I really like her." Carolyn smiled listening to him. "But, her dad..." he shook his head.

She analysed her son carefully trying to gauge what was worrying him, instead she let him finish on his on time.

"Her dad found out she was playing with us and he dragged her back inside mom, by her wrist. We could hear him shouting at her all the way back to her house, she looked really scared."

Whatever she was expecting Derek to say it definitely wasn't that. She didn't know how to respond and she studied him very carefully to see if he was telling the truth and as far as she could tell, he was.

"Okay... what are you saying Derek?" She breathed.

"I... I think he might be hurting Meredith, mom."

Carolyn took a deep breath in before responding, "Derek, that's a really serious accusation if your wrong."

"I know but I don't think I am. Think about it, she never comes out, barely speaks, I've never once seen her with another kid and on top of that, I was there when it happened mom, I saw it and so did Amelia. Ask her if you don't believe me!" He was getting frustrated.

"Derek calm down." She put her hands on his shoulders, "I'm not saying I don't believe you but we need to figure out where to go from here, we can't just barge over there and potentially put Meredith in an even worse position."

"We need to help her mom." His eyes glistened.

Carolyn took her son into her arms. Her 9-year-old boy showing so much compassion and concern for a girl he barely knew, but it made her so proud.

"We'll help her Derek. Go upstairs for me whilst I figure things out." She kissed his forehead and watched as he turned back, grabbing a cookie and going to his room.

Carolyn quickly turned to find her phone, she had no idea what to do but she knew she had to call Kathleen, after all she knew the girl the best and would know the safeguarding protocols they should follow. It was after school so she should pick up, but she wasn't.

"This is Kathleen, sorry I missed your call, leave a message and I'll get back to you." She heard her daughters voicemail and waited for the beep.

"Kath call me when you get this. It's urgent."

4 minutes later her phone rang, "mom what's wrong?"

"Ah so you weren't busy? Just too busy for your mom." Carolyn joked.

"I was marking books, what's up? You said it was urgent and i'm pretty busy mom so if it can wait.." Kathleen sighed.

"It's about Meredith." Carolyn interrupted.

Kathleen sat up straighter when she heard her mom and her heart sank, why would her mom be calling about her student?

"Meredith? Why? Did something happen? Is she okay?" She panicked, especially after her episode today.

"No, no I just have to talk to you." She waited for her daughters response but got none, "Derek raised some concerns to me about Meredith, apparently he watched her father grab her wrist pretty tightly the other evening and drag her back into their house. Derek said he was shouting at her."

"Oh mom." Kathleen cried. "I knew it. She came in today and she had a bruise on her cheek and her wrist was purple, she told me she tripped but I knew she was lying. She had a panic attack when I tried to get her to talk. A panic attack mom, she's only 6 years old."

Carolyn's heart ached as she listened to her daughters cries, it was obvious that she cared very much for the little girl, her heart also ached for Meredith who didn't deserve to be in the situation she was in.

"I don't know where we go from here or even if we get involved but I just thought I'd make you aware, maybe you know how we approach it." She rubbed her head.

"I'm calling the police mom, I can't sit here and wait for worse to happen to her. If we're wrong then we're wrong but I don't think we are." Kathleen sighed as she tried to contain herself.

"Mom, I'm gonna call the safeguarding officer at school, I'll talk to you later and tell you what's happening. Thank you for telling me and make sure that Der knows he did the right thing by telling you."

"Will do. I'm proud of you Kath." She smiled.

"Love you mom." She said before ending the phone call, flipping through her contacts to find the one she needed.

She felt sick as she thought about Meredith and how she must be feeling, even she as a grown woman was scared at the thought of this happening to someone else so she couldn't imagine how scared an innocent 6-year-old must be feeling. These people were supposed to protect her and keep her safe, why did they even have a child if they didn't want to care for her she thought to herself as the phone rang.

"Hey. This is Mrs Adams, I need to make a report about a safeguarding issue regarding a child."

"Ok. Do you believe the child is in danger?"

"I do." She picked at her nails.

"Which child?" The woman at the other end of the phone asked.

"Meredith Grey." Kathleen breathed.

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Hey guys, I hope your enjoying the story so far. I'm not planning on this being too long of a story but it will have a good few chapters! Also, I know that Nancy is the oldest Shepherd sibling but she doesn't fit the profile of a teacher so in this story Kathleen is, just in case any of you were confused :)