Raspberries & Cream for Three (Boyxboy)

Chapter 15: Scrutinised.

Kaiden's POV.

Keegan and Cameron stood there with their arms around each other. We had just been summoned to appear before the Children's Commission. Our future was now to be revealed.

As John and Margaret shepherded us in, Cameron stayed outside. He just sat down on one of the chairs lining the corridor.

He mouthed 'Good luck' to me and gave me a half hearted smile. He looked as nervous as us. It must be contagious.

We all sat one side of a large boardroom style table in a soulless room. It was stark and it was dull. The light from the only window was not enough, so the fluorescent lights above were on and gave a dirty yellow glow.

John sat next to Keegan and Margaret sat next to me. She took my hand and squeezed it and poked her tongue out at me. I giggled. Keegan glared at me. So I poked my tongue out at him. I could see he tried hard not to giggle and sensed he was debating whether to poke his tongue back at me.

There were three people opposite us. Miserable looking bleeders. The fake smiles as we walked in didn't fool me.

We were introduced to them but I couldn't repeat their names. I wasn't that bothered in remembering anyway. I knew that they had the power to ruin our lives and just hoped that they had the sense to say we could stay where we were.

Looking at them, one by one, my previous optimism deserted me.

Two of them, a man and a woman, were from the Children's Commission, who had been monitoring us from day one. The other person, a woman, was from the local authority and from her steely hard look, was obviously in charge. I wondered if she would be difficult to please. She would have been told everything about us. How we had been nothing but trouble in various other authorities before the accident. She would know all about the mud that had been thrown at us over the past seven years. Mud that had stuck, and had stuck firm.

Would she, and the local authority she represented, want us under their jurisdiction?

The only really welcoming smile came from to the left of us at the end of the table. From the nice Eileen Priestley, our Social Worker.

Then this dreaded meeting started. A plain looking young woman, sitting over in the corner, looked like she was making notes.

We were asked to confirm our names and date of birth. We were then asked if we fully understood the reason why we were there. Keegan answered for us both but they still looked at me for confirmation that I knew too. I did manage to say yes, and pretty clearly at that.

Then came what I only describe as a series of the most unnecessary questions ever regarding the reasons why we wanted to stay with John and Margaret. We had already written them down and submitted them days ago.

Keegan, as only he would dare do, told them that.

The reply that came back reminded him that in that time we may have changed our mind.

I could see that these questions were getting on Keegan's nerves. They were now on a knife's edge and I could see he was up for telling them their fortunes, but that wouldn't be wise. I was grateful that he did not reply and kept silent.

John and Margaret answered questions put to them, and then the stern looking woman in the centre asked Eileen for her final recommendation.

Keegan took my hand under the table and squeezed it gently. We stole a glance at each other as Eileen handed out a small folder to each of the officials.

"I have based my recommendation on the attached reports from John and Margaret, and the observations of the teachers and welfare officers at their school. I have highlighted the more important and most interesting remarks." Eileen winked at us while the three officials flicked through the pages.