Catherine parked her car outside Ryan's school, gripping the steering wheel for a moment longer than necessary. The familiar building loomed in front of her, and she could already feel the tightness in her chest—the anxiety she always felt when she had to talk about Ryan's behavior. She took a deep breath, straightened her jacket, and stepped out, her face set in a mask of determination. As she entered the school, the bustling hallway seemed quieter than usual. Students gave her curious glances, recognizing the stern police sergeant who occasionally visited. Catherine ignored them, her focus on the door marked "Headteacher's Office." She knocked once, then pushed it open without waiting for a reply.Inside, Mrs. Beresford, the headteacher, looked up from her desk. She was a sharp-eyed woman in her fifties, her hair pulled back in a severe bun. She gave Catherine a polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes."Sergeant Cawood," Mrs. Beresford said, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk. "Thank you for coming in. Please, have a seat."Catherine nodded and sat down, folding her hands in her lap to keep them from fidgeting. "What's going on with Ryan?" she asked, cutting straight to the point.Mrs. Beresford sighed, her expression softening just a touch. "Ryan's been struggling again," she began, choosing her words carefully. "His behavior has been... disruptive in class. He's not aggressive, but he's withdrawn, not participating, and when he does speak, it's usually to challenge authority."Catherine's jaw tightened, but she kept her voice steady. "What are we talking about specifically? Arguments? Fighting?""No fighting," Mrs. Beresford assured her. "But he's been argumentative with teachers, questioning instructions, and he's missed a few homework assignments. It's clear something is weighing on him."Catherine looked down, her heart heavy. She knew what was weighing on Ryan—it was the shadow of Tommy Lee Royce, the specter of his biological father that neither of them could escape. And then there was Becky, always Becky, the daughter she couldn't save and the mother Ryan never got to know."Has he said anything about why he's acting out?" Catherine asked, her voice softer now, almost pleading.Mrs. Beresford hesitated, then shook her head. "Not directly. But he's made a few comments about feeling like he doesn't belong, like he's different from the other kids. It's not uncommon for children in his situation to feel... displaced."Catherine swallowed hard, the words hitting her like a punch to the gut. She'd tried so hard to give Ryan a sense of normalcy, to make him feel loved and secure despite everything. But it was never that simple, was it?"I'm doing my best," Catherine said quietly, more to herself than to Mrs. Beresford. "I'm trying to keep him safe, to give him a life that isn't defined by what happened to Becky."Mrs. Beresford's gaze softened, and she nodded slowly. "I know you are, Sergeant Cawood. And Ryan is lucky to have someone who cares about him as much as you do. But he's at a critical age. He needs support, someone to talk to. Perhaps it might help to involve a counselor?"Catherine shook her head, a flash of anger in her eyes. "He's not going to see a bloody counselor," she said, her voice sharp. "He's not a head case. He's just... he's been through a lot."The headteacher held up her hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not suggesting he is, Catherine. I'm suggesting that talking to someone neutral might help him process everything. He's dealing with things most kids his age couldn't even begin to understand."Catherine's shoulders sagged, the fight seeming to drain out of her. "I'll talk to him," she said finally, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I'll try to get through to him. But you have to understand, Mrs. Beresford, I'm all he's got. I'm the one who has to keep him from knowing..."She trailed off, not finishing the sentence. From knowing that his father is a monster. From knowing the truth about Becky's death. From knowing all the things that Catherine was desperate to shield him from.Mrs. Beresford nodded sympathetically. "I understand, Catherine. I do. We'll do our best to support Ryan here at school. But he's going to need all the love and guidance you can give him. And maybe, just maybe, he needs to know that he's not alone in his pain."Catherine stood up, her face set in a determined expression. "Thank you, Mrs. Beresford. I appreciate your time," she said, her voice back to its usual firmness. "I'll make sure Ryan knows we're in this together."As she left the office, Catherine's mind was already racing with thoughts of what to say to Ryan when she got home. She knew it wouldn't be easy—nothing ever was when it came to raising a child with such a complicated past. But she was determined to protect him, no matter what it took.Ryan was more than just her grandson. He was her second chance to save a piece of Becky, to keep a part of her daughter alive in this world. And she wasn't about to let Tommy Lee Royce or anyone else take that away from her.
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