A Mother's Anguish

Extract From the Story Steffie in the Book Four Strong Women by Joyette H Fabien

That afte
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Steffie had once again, gone to the police station. She had briefed the officer on the recent developments and arrangements had been made for two plain clothes officers to be posted near the school. She had, however, been advised to stay away lest her presence alert the culprit. That had not gone down well with Steffie. No way her only child was in danger and she would stay away! She had to be there for her precious child. The police had their role to play and she had hers! She was prepared to lay down her life. She had already figured out her own plan of action.

Josie and her cousins had also been briefed. They were to allow the crowd of children to leave first then walk together to aunt Junie’s house keeping a sharp look out for the white car. If they saw it, they should on no account go near it and if anyone tried to accost them they should stick together at all costs and yell at the top of their voices!

The afte
oon had been a nightmare the tension of which could only be matched by the night on which Steffie had been on guard at the doorway of Josie’s bedroom. A plain clothes police officer had been stationed unobtrusively near the school while Steffie had taken up her position behind one of the huge pillars of the church across from the school. Another officer had been stationed somewhere on Church Hill.

From her vantage point she had a clear view of the school gates as well as the streets leading to it. She could also see up to a certain point up Church Hill. There was no white car in sight. It was impossible to get a clear view all the way up without also being in full view of anyone who was on the lookout. The minutes had crept by slowly, agonizingly. Then the bell had rung to end school for the day. The children had lined up and when the gates had opened, the flood of carefree children had hit the streets. They had sounded so gay and free that Steffie could not stop the tears which welled up inside of her at the thought that someone was trying to take away that freedom and gaiety from her little daughter; her one and only child.

The schoolyard was almost empty when Josie and her cousins emerged holding hands. They had obeyed instructions to allow the crowd to disperse before attempting to leave. Being part of the crowd had its pros as well as its cons, but the pros were certainly not on the side of Josie and her family who had no idea who they were looking for.

Steffie had watched in anguish as the children emerged from the school yard. Emotion had overcome her and it was all she could do to prevent herself from rushing out and sweeping Josie into her arms where she would be safe from all danger. She recalled an instance when she was a child and her cousi
Edward had expressed the wish that he could put his baby sister, Nellie in his belly so that no harm would ever reach her. At the time it had sounded cute yet odd; however, at that moment she could easily identify with Edward. She had watched in anguish until they rounded the bend towards Aunt Junie’s house where Aunt Junie would be on the steps waiting.

Later, exhausted and drained from the strain of waiting, Steffie had gone to pick up the children from Aunt Junie’s house. As she entered the house, Josie had flung herself on her saying, “Mammy, Mammy, I didn’t see any white car nuh.” Her little body had felt tense. Tearfully, Steffie had hugged her daughter tightly. “It’s ok Baby. Everything’s gonna be ok.” This nightmare has to stop, she told herself.

Not long after, the police had called to notify her that they had a suspect for questioning and that she should come down to the station. She learned that at exactly 3:35 p.m. a white car had driven slowly into a side street which intersected with Church Hill and had stopped on the stop mark, engine running. The police officer had got a good look at the driver and had also taken the registration number. He had then contacted the police station for back up. The stalker had lingered on the stop mark for about five minutes then apparently, having decided that Josie was not going to show up, had reversed into the direction from which he had come. Clearly, he had avoided being spotted along Church Hill where he had said he would park.

Steffie’s emotions were on riot within her as she drove to the police station. She was not sure how she was going to handle this.