Parents

Anger

Lucy kept waking up in the night, nightmare after nightmare all the same. Tamara laying dead on the floor, blue surrounded by empty pill pots and used needles. Lucy couldn't take it anymore. She went over to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee hoping Nyla wouldn't mind. She perched herself back onto the sofa, phone in hand scrolling on TikTok.

It was now 5:30 and Lucy looked over her shoulder to see Nyla coming down the stairs.

"Morning Luce." Yawned Nyla

"Morning."

Lucy was still trying to process what she had found out, she wasn't fully there and Nyla had noticed this.

"Lucy why don't u take today off?"

"I can't I've used all my sick days."

"All of them? How's that possible?"

"When Tam was at her old school she was always sent home so I had to start using my sick days as I ran out of holiday."

"Oh Luce, I'm sure grey wouldn't mind."

"Honestly Nyla I'd rather be at work I am not in the mood to talk to Tam."

"Alright we'll I'm going to make breakfast do u want some?"

"I don't really have much of an appetite but thanks,"

Lucy made her way upstairs to have a shower. As she was walking through the house she came across Lila, Lucy instantly felt guilty again for Tamara's actions.

"Hey Lila! U alright?"

"Hi! I'm good thanks."

"Lila I just wanted to apologise about Tam, I'm so sorry about what she did,"

"It's ok it wasn't ur fault Mrs Chen." Lila reassured Lucy by giving her a quick hug before dashing into her room to get ready for school.

Lucy smiled, Nyla had done such a good job raising her kid it made Lucy wonder what she did wrong.

Lucy showered quickly, she still felt gross as she had to get back into the clothes she slept in just until she got to the station. She felt disgusting without makeup on her slightly spotted skin on show, she face showing not only how physically tired she was but also mentally. Tears ran down her face leaving her eyes red and puffy.

Lucy sat on the bottom step tying her laces as quickly as she could, Nyla was waiting in the car for Lucy and Lila. They both dashed to the car when they heard the loud noise of Nyla honking the horn in irritation.

"Right let's go!" Nyla said clearly trying to raise the mood.

Lila sat in the bag AirPods in bopping her head to the music.

"Nyla ? Where did I go wrong?"

"Luce what do u mean?"

"Ur daughter, she so sweet and mines just.."

"Luce stop" Nyla could see the tears welling in Lucy's eyes, again.

"No I can't stop thinking about what I could've done to prevent this, all her life I've tried to teach her manners , how to be polite the difference between right and wrong and she just never took any of it in!"

"Lu some kids are just like that, they don't care about anything anyone says."

"So what do I do ?"

"Lucy I can't help u with that, because if I'm being honest I don't know, u need to find out how long she's been doing drugs and get her some help."

Just then Lucy received a call it was Tim

On the phone :

"Baby ur on speaker with Nyla and Lila what's up?"

"Tam."

"Babe stop ur scaring me what's Tam?"

"She's refusing to go to school."

"Babe she needs to go."

"Luce she said she won't I don't know what to do."

"Just bring her to the station then!" Lucy shouts.

She hangs up.

They pull up to the school and Lila hops out the car.

"Have a great day hunny, I love u!"

"Bye mom I love u too!"

They begin to drive off towards the station, Lucy had been zoned out since she shouted at Tim down the phone, she felt bad for yelling at him but she knew he could've tried harder to get tam into school he just takes the easy way out.

"Lucy..."

"Lucy!"

Lucy snapped out of it.

"Yeah?what?"

"Luce I don't think u should go to work like this, let me call grey.?

"No I want to be at work Nyla."

"Luc-"

"Nyla please I'm not in the mood to argue with u."

They arrive at the station, the second they pull in Lucy spots Tim's truck. She jumps out the car storming over to Tim and Tamara, all her rage had built up.

"Tamara what the bloody hell is ur issue, what the hell makes u think it's ok to act like this ur a disappointment."

Tamara just looked at Lucy and laughed. This pushed Lucy over the edge.

"Tamara just piss off do u know how much I hate seeing ur smug little face!" Lucy let her anger take over, people were staring, she had no control over her body.

Angela ran over grabbing Lucy and guiding her into the station while Nyla stayed back and spoke to Tim.

"Tim I think Tam should stay with u today."

"Yeah I think that's probably best."

"We will look after Lucy don't worry."

"Alright thank u, I don't know what's gotten into her recently."

Nyla was annoyed at Tim's comment about Lucy. This wasn't Lucy's fault it was Tamara's, couldn't he see that?

In the station Angela took Lucy to the locker room so she could sort herself out.

"Luce come here." Angela pulled Lucy in for a long hug.

They stood hugging for what felt like forever Lucy began to sob again, how did she even have anymore tears left to cry, it's all she had been doing for the past 24 hours.

Lucy pulled away and headed towards her locker and pulled out her uniform and started to get ready.

"Luce u cannot go on patrol in this state."

"Ange I've got to work!"

"Lucy no!"

"Angela! Stop I'm not a bloody baby!" Lucy had blown up again, this time at her best friend, she really didn't mean to

"Screw u then Lucy!"

"No wait Ange I didn't mean to!" Lucy pleaded.