Hello , Goodbye

It's an issue

Minter today was spending his day with Grace again. JJ had left for LA and he found it appropriate for the next few days whilst he wasn't home to invite grace around to his house.

It was dangerous but, his instinct told him she had honest intentions. She wasn't malicious, she was desperate and Simon recognised that instantly.

"The worker should get here in 10 minutes, do we make them tea or something?" Grace panicked.

"Just ask them when they're here and settled. Don't panic, it's nothing too formal just a discussion of where you go from here"

Simon knew the authorities were the best people to go to about this. If they heard Grace's side of the story first, it would only represent the rest of her family as bad people.

A knock at the door had Simon jump. His apartment wasn't the neatest mainly because he lived with someone who was constantly on the go, and often left his belongings in random places when he went away on holidays, Simon never having enough motivation to clean it up.

"Come in" grace smiled politely leading them in.

Simon stood up to greet her. His mum always insisted it was polite to do so.

"Simon" he smiled shaking her hand.

"I'm Claire" she addressed them both "you contacted over concerns of the wellbeing and care of your daughter"

"Well yes" grace told her honestly "I felt rather manipulated to leave her in my fathers care"

"In what way"

The conversation was direct Simon thought. They weren't wasting no time.

"Well, I had split up from an abusive relationship and having a deceased mother and a non supportive father I only went there in the hope he could keep me whilst I found my feet. However, things turned sour really quickly you could say and his wife wanted to keep my daughter there and me move. I was vulnerable at the time and doing the best for her. I have my own place now, I don't find it justified that if I'm stable she should be staying there with them"

"You know there aren't any legal enquiries that link your father to your daughter. She's free to go with you at any time" Claire told her.

"I did say this" Simon added.

"Yes, it isn't as easy as that. They threatened to display me as an abuser if I took her from them. I didn't know what else to do"

"I have been reading through some files and it does state you have been susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse. Do you recall this"

"It was a long time ago, quite shortly after I moved home with my dad. It was the only escape I had" she admitted "they truly did trap me"

"We have concerns with this however Grace. Is it entirely practical for your daughter to be in your care if you're likely to relapse?"

"I've been clear for a while now, if I would have relapsed it would have happened by now" she spoke back sourly.

"It's still an issue, especially if you're caring for a child independently. Authorities can make split decisions to take her from your care if they see an issue with it"

"She's not caring for her alone" Simon jumped in defensively "I'm also here"

"And what is your background Simon" she looked rather judgemental"

"I'm an influencer, working with multi million brand deals. No criminal records, a clean working wage and recently just purchased my own house no mortgage"